Scott's Thinking - Page 161 of 175

Where In the World Would You Live?

Posted on May 29, 2020

People have been going online more and getting more comfortable with technology like videoconferencing and mobile payments. Where in the world would you live if our increasingly online world made it easy to live anywhere?

It seems like an easy decision. However, it may not be as easy as you think. It really depends on many factors. These factors could include your work, lifestyle desires, partner, children, broader family and friends.

I often go through this mental exercise. Where is the ideal place, I muse. Many places come up on my list. Considerations like nice weather year round, creature comforts and now schooling for children all come into play.

In late 2004, my wife and I bought ‘round the world‘ tickets and travelled for 15 months. We visited some fabulous places including memorable stops in Europe, Mexico, Australia and Africa.

In the end, we returned to London. We thought we would return to Canada at that time. Despite selling our property in London when we left and buying one in Mexico on our tour, we continued our life in London.

There were many places that were lovely, exciting or enchanting to visit. But there wasn’t anywhere that struck us as worth uprooting for and moving to.

It seems like an easy question to answer. But when you start getting into the detail, it is not so obvious. If you could live anywhere, where in the world would you live?

Action Think About It

Being Your Most Decisive

Posted on May 28, 2020

When are you at your most decisive? Is it when you are low energy, uncertain, disinterested? Being your most decisive probably occurs when you feel confident, clear, energised, interested and have a deadline.

Decision velocity is critical in making progress. Your whole life is based on the decisions you make. You are where you are right now based on thousands of small, medium and large decisions you’ve made.

The great thing is decision making is a skill or muscle you can develop, train and improve on. You will make decisions quicker too if you get comfortable with being able to change your mind. If you made a decision and you don’t like the result, you can change your mind or refine your position.

Well when events change, I change my mind. What do you do?
Paul Samuelson

We know many people don’t like minds changing, particularly the media, but that is up to those people to have fixed mindsets. If you want to get somewhere you need to make good decisions with decent information and keep moving.

Being your most decisive requires bravery, courage, and a desire to make certain things happen. Life is a test and learn scenario. Making decisions allow you to test outcomes.

Reflecting on things allow you to learn. You may choose to change your decision. Alternatively you can choose to keep the decision and pocket the learning experience. Perhaps you will test a different decision in a similar circumstance in the future.

Either way, train your decision making muscle. Be brave and make those decisions. Live with the results. Test and learn. Keep going.

Gratitude Progress

These Are Some Powerful Words To Get You Started

Posted on May 27, 2020

Yesterday I wrote about using the power of belief. I also suggested you write out strong, empowering words. These are some powerful words to get you started.

The following phrases are suggestions for you to use and build on. Thinking about it, when they were suggested yesterday, is one level. Thinking about them adds a higher level. Seeing some written will put you at an even higher level of probability that you will use this technique.

If you then go and write these out yourself, you will feel even more empowered by them and this technique. You can then create your own list of words and phrases that trigger you to feel brilliant, confident and unstoppable. Read your list twice a day, at a minimum.

I am delighted to be awake again. Today is going to be a great day. Every opportunity to do so, I will be the most positive and enthusiastic person I know. My mind is clear and focused. I am mentally strong, confident and powerful. I have accomplished incredible, enjoyable and wonderful things in my life so far.

My future looks exceptionally bright and prosperous. I have the ability, talent, skills, discipline and desire to achieve anything. I will make daily progress towards my goals while being grateful for my very fortunate life.

These are some powerful words to get you started. You will have to do your own pushups from here. I can lead the horse to water but I can’t make you drink. If you want real change in your life, start with something simple and highly effective like this. Then we can move on swiftly, with this daily habit established.

Reframe your thoughts

Belief Is A Powerful Thing

Posted on May 26, 2020

If you want to achieve something, start believing you can. Believe you can regardless of the hurdles ahead. Belief is a powerful thing, so use it to your advantage.

Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right.
Henry Ford

You get to choose your thoughts and design your life. You do this by telling yourself stories about what your life will be like. Use your imagination and dreams and describe the story of your life. And make sure you tell yourself only the good stories.

You will choose to believe something, good or bad, so why waste any time on thinking about things you don’t want to have or have happen?

If your thoughts tend in that direction, at any time, just say ‘Stop’ and think of something uplifting. Maybe you could think of ice cream in the summer or riding your bike as a kid.

Change your words and sentences to strong, supportive, positive words about your ever-improving future. And then believe, with time and action, that this story of your life will unfold.

You choose what to think and how to feel every second, of every minute, of every day. So choose wisely. Decide to make your thoughts empowering so you feel fabulous. Write some powerful and inspiring words on a piece of paper and keep that paper with you. Read it several times a day.

As your success builds and your belief continues to grow, you will realise that belief is a powerful thing.

Think About It Time

Life With No Consequences

Posted on May 25, 2020

People need to see that there is a cause and effect. This should be for both good and bad. We must remember that life with no consequences presents other problems.

It’s best if people learn this lesson young. Children that learn this lesson well should have a better moral compass and achieve greater success. I don’t know if they do, but it seems more likely.

As a parent, I sometimes highlight the potential consequences of an action to my children. If it is quite dangerous, I may insist on the end of the activity. However, if it will not harm them, sometimes I let them continue, after noting the potential consequences.

The safest way to learn is to use other people’s experience, but the best way to remember the learning moment is to get the experience yourself. So sometimes, you just need to let things go on their course and believe the universe will reveal the consequences without significant trouble.

A life with no consequences sounds awesome to me. The problem is, that is not how life works. I want my children to grow up with this core lesson, that there are consequences to your actions, both good and bad.

Like times tables, this lesson will have to be continually reinforced through training until it is ingrained in their being. But it is a good one to know. Follow a good formula and better things should occur. Go off track and challenges will pop up that you would prefer weren’t there.

If you always save your children, friends, parents, etc, they won’t learn or grow. That scenario isn’t good for anyone. In contrast, it is such a great thing to see them making good decisions, on their own, and reaping what they sow.

Goals, Results & New Thinking

Be Specific – It Will Change Your Life For The Better

Posted on May 24, 2020

Generalising can be too easy. Being too general can make communication challenging. Be specific – it will change your life for the better.

If you have ever had someone give you directions, this idea will make more sense. Some people are fairly vague and general in delivering commentary on how to get somewhere.

This is in contrast to someone who is clear about where they are sending you. It’s great to get good, clear, specific direction or instructions. It makes life so much easier with less anxiety or stress.

Another good example area is the realm of gifts. Someone might say they would like a book about baseball for their birthday. Great! You think that this will be easy. And it could be.

Go to the shop or browse online for a baseball book. But it would be even better if they had narrowed down what specific type of baseball book.

Baseball books could be about being an owner, manager, coach, player of a specific position, groundsman, talent scout, admin, other office support worker, agent, hot dog vendor or souvenir shop staff, to name a few. In addition, it could be a work of fiction, an autobiography, biography, or historical analysis, etc.

When confirming the request, ask them to be specific – it will change your life for the better.

Remember to do this with your goals. Make them very specific. It might feel a bit weird at first but it’s an important skill to develop. If you don’t, the universe will find it hard to deliver on your request.

Rather than getting a baseball biography about Babe Ruth, you could end up with an autobiography written by a disenchanted hot dog vender.

Make your goals specific!

Action Progress

Intend To Be Your Best

Posted on May 23, 2020

It seems like a natural thing to do. Don’t you always intend to be your best? For the most part, I believe it is the true intention of people. But it is not always true and it is often intention unfulfilled.

When I attempt something, I intend to be my best. There is some scope for being somewhere along a spectrum on this though.

For example, I may intend to be my best when playing a sport. However, it could be that I am being my best that I feel I can be in the moment. It may not be my full on best like I was playing for my freedom or my life. There are different layers or positions on a spectrum of best.

Regardless of where you are in life, intend to be your best. It may be amazing, or not, relative to others, but that doesn’t matter. Aim for the best you can do right now, with what you know, and the resources you have.

The world needs you to be the best that you can be. Going forward we will need you to be the best you can possibly be, at all times, with all endeavours. Of course, even leisure pursuits will need your best. Do a great job taking care of your mind, body and soul.

Reframe your thoughts

Think The Best Of People

Posted on May 22, 2020

Life has its challenges. I think there are a lot of challenges that wear people down so think the best of people. Most people are a) trying their best with all the things on their plate and b) with what they are aware of.

The vast majority of people will try to do their best in a given situation. That doesn’t mean their effort or strategy will be the ideal one. This simply means that they will try their best.

We need to consider that they will be aware of different ideas and methods than us. Those ideas and methods may deliver better results or worse, but if the decision is theirs, then we need to live with their decision.

For example, if your sister is driving you to the airport, she gets to decide which roads to take and which speed to drive. You can have your opinion, but she needs to decide and execute. So let her get on with that. You can make suggestions in advance but please don’t make criticisms after the fact.

She would be doing her best. Your sister probably wouldn’t be trying to make it a terrible, lengthy, uncomfortable journey. She would be doing her best, given what she knows about road conditions, traffic patterns, alternate routes and detours.

Think the best of people. They are not perfect. None of us are. Work with them and ask great questions to get their best answers. You’ll have a happier life.

Health & Fitness Progress Weight loss

This Is A Great Time To Get Fit

Posted on May 21, 2020

With all that is happening, or not happening, in our lives, this is a great time to get fit. Get both mentally fit and physically fit. Strengthen both your mind and body.

We could be in this for the long haul. So we should all strengthen our systems to ensure we are at our best should we be involved in more challenging times.

There is no right or wrong to fitness. But there are some basic matters you’ll want to address.

Improving your lung strength and capacity comes to mind. Reducing unnecessary weight is another. Resolving any conditions that weaken your system could be given a little more attention at this time.

Practicing some amount of CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), meditation or resilience methods would help strengthen the mind. As the days and weeks continue with uncertainty, we will all need ever greater mental strength.

The summer months could be fine but it may become more of a challenge as winter arrives. We all need to be ready and in good mental and physical health by then.

Finally, eating better is helpful. More berries, nuts and eggs and fewer crisps and cakes. Foods that strengthen your immune system and build your body will be useful in the months and years ahead.

Make those life altering changes now while you can. This is a great time to get fit. Good luck with your progress!

Observe Think About It

Who Is Your Oracle, Guide Or Core Five?

Posted on May 20, 2020

Do you know who the greatest influencers are in your life? Who is your oracle, guide or core five and what impact are they having on your life?

Of course, when you are very young, the answer is whoever raised you. You don’t have a lot of say in the matter. This is predetermined for you and can evolve depending on the social structure surrounding you.

However, when you are a teen, you can influence the decision of who you would like to follow or listen to. Certainly, once you are in your 20’s you get to make all the choices, at least for most people.

So if you are reading this post, you are probably of an age that you can decide who to follow. It is worth taking the time to write down who you listen to, watch and read on a daily basis. Note which newspaper you read and the specific journalists too. Which people do you gravitate to at work, at home and on your commute (current or old one).

Make a note next to the sources about how they make you feel. For example, some sources of information may make you cross, inspired, determined or calm. Get clear on what you get from following them. And what you are not getting. Would you like more or better?

If you want to see into your future, be clear on who is your oracle, guide or core five. At that point, you will be better able to decide if these are your desired tribes and if this is a track you want to continue on.