What is getting in your way?

Sunday, 08 November 2009 13:35

Author Dr. Daniel Amen in his book, Change Your Brain, Change Your Life, talks about killing your A.N.T.S.  What are your ants?  Ants are your automatic negative thoughts.  Maybe you have experienced ants when your boss gives you a new project, you look at that pile of papers on your desk for the hundredth time, you think about losing weight or getting into shape.  The ants are the voices in your head that scream "You can't do that!", "You are a failure!, You'll never be a success at that"

As I have learned in my organizing practice, this can easily be the end of the process.  Henry Ford once said, "Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you are right. So starting today I am challenging you to think about how to kill those ants.

I participated three times in the 3 day 50 mile MS Challenge Walk and I can tell you that the power of belief got people to walk those 50 miles because the walkers and the crew and the volunteers all told them they could do it.  Along the way there were many times we heard,  "I can't do it."  The crew and fellow walker would get behind the person and say, "Why don't we just walk to the next tree, or the next rest stop and see how you feel?"  The great thing about the Walk was that you could take those folks with you to distract you and give you back the positive belief.  There was nothing so life changing for me as seeing the finish line that first time.  I realized that before that time I thought it was impossible, but finishing made me see that walking was hard, but thinking that I could not, made it impossible. Once I came to believe that it was possible, indeed it was.

I challenge you to kill the ants today by declaring today as opposite day.  When the little voice says "you can't", you tell yourself, "I can" and then do! If you find it hard to say I can, then find your crew and your volunteers and let them help you to kill those ants!