#140:
“Every man is what he is
because of the dominating thoughts
which he permits to occupy his mind.” -- Napoleon Hill
I love this quote from Napoleon Hill because it highlights 2 truths:
- Your thoughts create your reality
- You have the authority to choose which thoughts will dominate your mind
Here are 3 important things I needed to learn in order to effectively choose my thoughts:
#1. Your mind produces thoughts the way your heart produces beats*.
In other words, they come automatically.
According to some very well-respected neuroscientists (like Dr. Joe Dispenza), you produce between 50,000-70,000 thoughts a day.
You cannot stop your thoughts from coming.
You can only decide what to do with them once they’re there, such as:
- Which ones you give attention to
- Which ones you give further energy
- Which ones you subtract energy from
*Meditation teacher Emily Fletcher taught me this one.
#2. A belief is a thought you keep thinking*.
It’s as simple as this:
Think something long enough, and you’ll come to believe it.
*Abraham Hicks taught me this one.
#3. Guide, don’t control, your thoughts.
Being controlled by my thoughts made me miserable.
Trying to control my thoughts made me equally miserable.
After learning I produce 70,000 thoughts a day, I gave up my futile attempts to control.
Instead, I learned how to guide my thoughts:
The art of taking a thought and bringing it the most empowering place.
In today’s episode, I’ll teach you the art of how to guide, not control, your thoughts.
-DQ
PS – If you’re continuing your anti-racist inner work as I am, I’d like to recommend this YouTube video Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man.
PPS - If you’ve ever wondered “should I say black or African American,” your question will be answered in the first 80 seconds of that video.
