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A Fresh Perspective ... On Focus
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by Patty Cook | July 18, 2005
Do you ever have one of those days when nothing goes right? One thing after another goes wrong until you just know that the next thing you do is doomed to fail?
Or how about one of those days when you are at the right place at the right time, every time? You are astounded at the synchronicity of life, and how easily you flow through it, anticipating every twist and turn in the road with perfect clarity?
Or maybe you created a crystal-clear vision of what you wanted to happen, and then didn’t get it exactly how you wanted it, so you were frustrated and disappointed?
All of these experiences have a common theme, and that theme is FOCUS. What you focus on expands, or, put another way, you get what you think about whether you want it or not. Think back to that day when nothing went right. On what were you focused? When you focused on each circumstance that didn’t match exactly to your vision, pretty soon all you could see was what wasn’t working, and so you attracted more of that. On the day when synchronicity was like magic, however, your focus was on how easy and perfect life is, so you got more ease and perfection.
Your thoughts are the most powerful creative tool you have, and they are like magnets, attracting more of the same. The good news is you can train yourself to use your thoughts to create the life you want. Norman Vincent Peale said, “Change your thoughts, and you change your world.” These wise words are just as powerful today, and just as true, as the day he said them.
I'm in the process of creating a stress-reduction program designed specifically for salespeople and sales managers. The other day I interviewed Jim Murphy of The Integra Group in St. Louis, who agreed to help me customize my program to the unique needs of the sales professional. During the interview, Jim said something that illustrates this point exactly. In his 30 years as a sales professional, he noticed that many successful salespeople are Type A personalities who like to control things, but added that many things can’t be controlled in the sales process. Some of his examples were: where a potential buyer is in the buying process, or what his or her internal motives are; what the competition is doing; the relationships your prospect might already have in your industry; market conditions; new players that come in and change the rules midstream; and a jerky boss.
Jim also noticed that he is most happy and stress-free when he focuses on what he can control, like setting personal goals, establishing productive daily actions, creating ways to get himself in front of potential buyers, following up with someone with whom he’s connected, being responsive to changing circumstances, and establishing tangible, measurable results for gauging his success.
What are your thoughts today? Are they leading you where you want to go? Start to notice how your thoughts line up with your experiences of life, and soon you will discover that it is actually your experiences of life that are lining up with your thoughts.
The simple action of changing your thoughts to change your life experiences will become easier with awareness and practice. Stay with it, and soon you will find yourself creating happiness and success beyond your wildest dreams.
Or how about one of those days when you are at the right place at the right time, every time? You are astounded at the synchronicity of life, and how easily you flow through it, anticipating every twist and turn in the road with perfect clarity?
Or maybe you created a crystal-clear vision of what you wanted to happen, and then didn’t get it exactly how you wanted it, so you were frustrated and disappointed?
All of these experiences have a common theme, and that theme is FOCUS. What you focus on expands, or, put another way, you get what you think about whether you want it or not. Think back to that day when nothing went right. On what were you focused? When you focused on each circumstance that didn’t match exactly to your vision, pretty soon all you could see was what wasn’t working, and so you attracted more of that. On the day when synchronicity was like magic, however, your focus was on how easy and perfect life is, so you got more ease and perfection.
Your thoughts are the most powerful creative tool you have, and they are like magnets, attracting more of the same. The good news is you can train yourself to use your thoughts to create the life you want. Norman Vincent Peale said, “Change your thoughts, and you change your world.” These wise words are just as powerful today, and just as true, as the day he said them.
I'm in the process of creating a stress-reduction program designed specifically for salespeople and sales managers. The other day I interviewed Jim Murphy of The Integra Group in St. Louis, who agreed to help me customize my program to the unique needs of the sales professional. During the interview, Jim said something that illustrates this point exactly. In his 30 years as a sales professional, he noticed that many successful salespeople are Type A personalities who like to control things, but added that many things can’t be controlled in the sales process. Some of his examples were: where a potential buyer is in the buying process, or what his or her internal motives are; what the competition is doing; the relationships your prospect might already have in your industry; market conditions; new players that come in and change the rules midstream; and a jerky boss.
Jim also noticed that he is most happy and stress-free when he focuses on what he can control, like setting personal goals, establishing productive daily actions, creating ways to get himself in front of potential buyers, following up with someone with whom he’s connected, being responsive to changing circumstances, and establishing tangible, measurable results for gauging his success.
What are your thoughts today? Are they leading you where you want to go? Start to notice how your thoughts line up with your experiences of life, and soon you will discover that it is actually your experiences of life that are lining up with your thoughts.
The simple action of changing your thoughts to change your life experiences will become easier with awareness and practice. Stay with it, and soon you will find yourself creating happiness and success beyond your wildest dreams.
© 2004 Life by Design, LLC
Originally published in the National
Association of Women in Construction St. Louis newsletter.
Will be
published in a future issue of Spirit Seeker magazine.
About the Author
Patty Cook of Life by Design, LLC is an executive and personal coach, trainer, writer and speaker dedicated to helping people achieve success while improving their health and enjoyment of life. She believes that strong and happy people build strong and happy companies. For more information on her programs, call 636-861-9100 or 866-236-9100 (toll-free).
Lots of Folks Thinking Yellow Helped in a Pinch