Ask yourself effective questions

The dialogues we have inside our head, the questions we ask ourselves, have a large impact on our success. The mind is an amazing thing - it will supply an answer to any question, positive or negative. Ask why you can't succeed, you'll get an answer. Ask why you are fat, you'll get an answer. Ask "Why me", and you'll get a good answer to that as well.
 
These negative self-questions boil down to essentially the same thing - "Give me justification for living in mediocrity, an excuse for just getting by and not improving my lot in life". Your brain, ever the mindful servant, supplies a perfect answer:
 
"Why can't I succeed?"
"It's just too hard for the little guy. Besides, you think you deserve success? That's for those born lucky, not you"
 
"Why am I so fat?"
"How can you help it with all the fast food in our country? Besides, look around, you are in good company. It's too hard to exercise and eat right"
 
"Why did this happen to me?"
"You just never get a break. Bad things always happen to you"
 
These answers suck. They reinforce the belief that you are not in control, that you don't happen to life, life just happens to you.  They give the message "Just drift through life buddy, that's all you can do." This is not an effective nor enjoyable way to live.
 
Suppose you reprogram yourself, replacing these negative self-questions with positive ones: 
 
instead of "Why can't I succeed?",
you substitute "What action can I take today to move forward?"
 
Instead of "Why am I so fat?",
you substitute "What habit could I change to help me lose weight?"
 
Instead of "Why did this happen to me?",
you substitute "Obstacles will come up, how do I move past this one?"
 
Can't you just feel the difference? Notice that each of these questions implies taking action. Taking action, activity, taking small steps to move forward, this is the stuff of success, growth, and hapiness. Taking action empowers you, gives you a feeling of control and possibility, and moves you forward. 
 
The importance of this cannot be overstated. It's like being faced with building a large wall out of brick, and thinking either "Where do I put this next brick", versus "Look at how big this thing has to be, how will I ever finish?"
One thought leads to a simple action moving forward, the other to a feeling of hopelessness. 
 
So change those self-questions into positive ones, feel empowered, and move forward !

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