The Mind is the Master Weaver

"They themselves are makers of themselves"

...by virtue of the thoughts which they choose and encourage; that mind is the master weaver, both of the inner garment of character and the outer garment of circumstance, and that, as they may have hitherto woven in ignorance and pain they may now weave in enlightenment and happiness.

James Allen

(As a Man Thinketh)

Our abilities, our intellect, our education are not what is holding us back from success in work and life. What is holding us back is our thoughts. Conversely, our thoughts are what lead us to greater degrees of success and achievement. All actions are directed by what we are thinking at the time and even though we may make a conscious decision to take action, something holds us back - the subconscious. Our subconscious mind helps or hinders us in getting the job we want, the income we desire, the relationships we seek.

A great deal of time is often spend on evaluating what has happened in the past. As we review and reflect our past accomplishments, it become essential to understand simultaneously, that we have undermined or enhanced our own outcomes. If we have not identified those limiting subconscious thoughts, our ability to take positive action to achieve our goals is greatly decreased. For example, an important objective is looming that we are responsible for, but there are repeated interruptions by others requests for help and assistance. These interruptions cause us to become distracted missing targets and responsibilities to others and ourselves. What set us up for failure? Our thoughts. We thought others had a greater need - our work isn't as important. In reality, we haven't thought about creating healthy relationships and limits that support collaborative success.

Our relationship with ourselves is another one that requires serious attention. Another example, I woke up this morning before 5AM and thought instantly, about writing. The bed was nice and warm, I was really comfortable. My second thought,writing can wait. I closed my eyes, snuggled under the covers and my thoughts returned to writing. I realized that I had a great idea - noticing how my thoughts affected my success or derailed me. With a sigh (not a really big one), I got out of bed and started to write. One goal for the day accomplished just as the sun was rising.

A great way to start the day. When we learn to think that our contributions and performance are important, we will stop being derailed and start achieving greater degrees of success. Notice the next time you are off or on track to success. Actively asking, "What am I thinking about right now?" when struggling to get something accomplished becomes a powerful habit for increasing the ability to refocus on what is important.

As James Allen wrote, "The Mind is the Master Weaver." Actively think about what you want to weave today.