How often do you look at your success story? If you are like most people, it’s not often enough!
We all have a success story you know.
Even if you have been cheated, abused, ripped off and worse, you have success stories to tell. The key is to not let your low points overwhelm your high points and make you feel like you are failing.
For example, most people who want to make money online have spent plenty but have never made a single dime online. Does this mean they should give up? Never!
But it can be discouraging and that discouragement needs to be chased away. You do not have to live with discouragement!
Happily, there is a sure cure for discouragement. I discovered the cure many years ago and use it every day. While I have faced many a hard day (death of my brother, both my parents and other countless challenges) applying this simple technique keeps me looking up and looking forward every day … regardless of how tired I am or how many challenges I face.
Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor and this is not medical advice. It’s just what works for me. If you are truly depressed please see a doctor to get the help you need.
You can begin using this method in the next 10 minutes. I hope it works for you too.
Step 1 – Make your top 10 list
In your lifetime there have been high points and low points. We all have them. It’s time right now to focus on your high points and make a “top 10” list of the things you have done right.
While you are making this list your mind might fill with negative thoughts — thoughts about what you have done wrong or where you have failed. If that happens just say a gentle “no” under your breath and focus again on your victories.
Here is my top 10 list. This is highly personal and a little bit chronological. Your list does not need to be chronological but it’s okay if it is. There is no wrong way to make your list. This is your personal achievement list so any order will do.
Just put the most important item at the top.
- Accepting Christ as my savior
- Marrying my wonderful wife when I was just 19
- Having two wonderful children when we were told we never would
- Sending them both through college without borrowing any money
- Starting my own business at 31
- Overcoming a terrible illness and being restored to health
- Buying the Directory of Ezines after being a member only 18 months
- Beginning to write books
- Discovering how to automate my business to create free time
- Losing 35 pounds and keeping it off for a year
Step 2 – Print out your top 10 list
Be it printed from a word processor, in your own handwriting (this is better) or on your phone, keep your list where you can get to it at all times. I started out putting mine on a 3 X 5 card and kept it in my pocket. As time and technology progressed I’ve had it on my screen saver, my Palm Pilot and now on my iPhone.
The key here is to have it handy at all times. In the beginning you will need it more than after you have practiced how to use it and have it memorized.
Now, here’s one way to use your list. There is no wrong way, this is just my favorite one.
Step 3 – Use the “yes, but” technique
This idea is simple but powerful. If you do this for seven days I believe you will see a dramatic improvement in your outlook and get more done too. That’s a win-win!
Every time you have a negative thought about yourself (or someone says something negative to you about yourself) take out your list and say to yourself “yes, but look what I did here!” And then spend a moment reliving one of your top 10 victories.
If you choose one of your victories that relates to the current negative thought so much the better. But it really doesn’t matter. What does matter is that you learn to respond to any and every negative with a positive.
It’s sad but true, the world seems designed to beat us down. Many people only feel they can win when we lose. The news is full of mostly bad stories. So it is our job to overcome those things and keep our thinking right and our attitude up.
When we do that we can break through to new levels of achievement and personal power that we never experienced before. And that is a beautiful thing indeed!
P.S. Have a victory you want to share? Leave a comment below! If you like this article please consider tweeting it our clicking the Like button. Thanks!