Do you have a definition of the “perfect you?”
Who are you becoming? Do you have a definition of the "perfect you?"
Ben Franklin sought to cultivate his character by a plan of 13 virtues, which he developed at age 20 (in 1726) and continued to practice in some form for the rest of his life. Franklin did not try to work on them all at once. Instead, he would work on one and only one each week "leaving all others to their ordinary chance". While Franklin did not live completely by his virtues and by his own admission, he fell short of them many times, he believed the attempt made him a better man contributing greatly to his success and happiness, which is why in his autobiography, he devoted more pages to this plan than to any other single point
Affirmations (meaning a statement said with confidence about a perceived truth) have helped thousands of people make significant changes in their lives. But they don't always work for everyone. Why can one person have great success using this tool while another see's no results at all?
An affirmation can work because it has the ability to program your mind into believing the stated concept. This is because the sub-conscious mind doesn't know the difference between what is real or fantasy.
Let's take a look at an example: you encounter two people, both former smokers. You offer each of them a cigarette. The first says "No thank you, I'm trying to quit smoking." The second declines as well, but says instead "I'm a non-smoker." Which person do you think is more successful in avoiding their former habit? The second. This is because of their affirmations. The first person (who is telling themselves "don't smoke") is actually making it harder on themselves, by making their brain think about the act of smoking. On the other hand, the second person (whose affirmation is "I am a non-smoker.") is making their brain believe that they are in fact, a non-smoker, whether they are being offered a cigarette or not.
At the end of the day, affirmations are about telling yourself what/who you are, instead of what you do not do. The more you think positively about the person you want to become, the easier it is for you to become that person. Check out my post "Your Brain Can't Do a Don't" for more about self-talk.
You can get started by creating a list of affirmations that describe the “perfect you.” Like Ben Franklin use 10 minutes of your day to remind yourself or to concentrate on the person you are becoming by reading/meditating/reflecting on your affirmations.
- “You become what you think about most of the time.” – Brian Tracy
- “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” – Proverbs 23:7
- “Your imagination is your preview of life’s coming attractions.” – Albert Einstein
- “Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” – Napoleon Hill
- “You can do it if you believe you can.” – Napoleon Hill
- “The difference between success and mediocrity is all in the way you think.” – Dean Francis
- “If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.” – Henry Ford
Wouldn’t it be great if instead of New Year’s “resolutions” you started using or got back in touch with your affirmations? Or as Dr. Seuss would say "Today you are you, that is truer than true...."