How Your Dominating Thoughts Control Who You

Are

                I’ve been reading a lot from Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich lately and can’t express enough how it’s one of the BEST books I’ve ever read! I could write a million blog posts inspired by the information Hill shares in this book – it’s just that good! One of the concepts in the book is stated this way, “Each of us is what we are because of the dominating thoughts we permit to occupy our minds”.

                  Let’s look at examples of this from both sides of the coin. In cases of verbal and emotional child abuse, children who are told they are stupid, ugly and worthless have a hard time healing emotionally from that abuse as they get older. They internalize that abuse and it can become reality.

              In Napoleon Hill’s book, he highlights that a common thread among the world’s wealthiest, most successful people is that they are persistent in their ideas of acquiring personal success and wealth. The concept of persistence is important here. These individuals think positively on ways to get what they want and don’t give up at the slightest of setbacks.

                It’s almost intuitive that we express what we think about most, but seeing it written in this manner in “Think And Grow Rich” was really an Aha Moment for me! Not too long ago, I experienced some entrepreneurial struggles that I just couldn’t seem to find the right solution for – that is, until I changed my mindset! Instead of thinking, “How in the heck am I going to figure this one out?”, I started believing that the solution to the problem was already out there, I just had to open my mind to receive it. Every time I began to get upset about the situation, I started the practice of shutting the negative thoughts down and replacing them with positive affirmations of receiving the solution. Had I continued to let toxic ideas manifest in my psyche, garbage would have begun to flow out! By thinking on positive outcomes, I began to explore more positive solutions to the problem. In the end, I found a solution to the problem, in large part, because of my outlook and the thoughts I let occupy my mind!

Identify a negative thought you have been allowing to dominate your mind. What single thought can you use to think positively, instead.

— Dr. April

Dr. Carmen April’s Speaker Series

             Dr. Carmen April is a young entrepreneur and community leader recognized as a 2013 Nashville Business Journal Top 40 Under Forty Award Recipient and is a 2014 Graduate of the New Leaders Council Institute – Nashville Chapter.  Dr. April is available for speaking engagements on Leadership for College Students and Young Professionals.

You can follow her daily #Leadership insights on Twitter @DrCarmenApril