“Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right”. This famous quote by Henry Ford speaks volumes to the power of our minds.
Too often we operate somewhere in the middle of that spectrum, living in partial belief regarding what’s possible. The problem with this is it leaves room for both options to occur.
We receive a mixture of some things working in our favor and some things not working in our favor. And with this mixed experience, we never quite believe in one half of the statement over the other.
However, the power of the mind is still one hundred percent at work. Instead of proving one half of the statement to be true, it’s proving the partial belief we’re holding by giving us experiences that match the partial belief.
Most of us confuse cause and effect when it comes to our beliefs, perceptions and experiences. We think our experiences are the cause for our beliefs, yet our experiences are the results, or effect, of what we believe.
Our beliefs drive our perception of our experiences and our perceptions witness to our beliefs.
We’re constantly stacking energy and experiences in accordance with what we believe.
Adjusting our beliefs feels like a daunting task when we think we need our experiences to prove our faith in the new belief.
But it’s just the opposite.
Our faith in our new beliefs create experiences that witness to (or prove and support) the new belief.
When we learn to right this relationship between cause and effect, we gain the full power of our mind to better direct our experience.
We see that leaving room for something not to work dilutes the full power of our mind by leaving room for energy to flow in two simultaneous directions.
So we begin to streamline our thoughts under the power of singularly directed beliefs and intentions that move energy in accordance with where we desire to go.
We stop leaving space for things not to work (through fear, doubt, worry and general disbelief) because we see that it only serves to dilute the power of our minds.
This has never been more obvious or true for me, in my own experience, than a few years ago when I was in Peru doing a morning hike up Machu Picchu Mountain (from within the Machu Picchu grounds).
It was constant stone steps going up, up and UP (over 3000 steps).
I didn’t want my friends waiting on me, so we all made a pact to go at our own pace and meet at the top.
I started plugging away knowing I’d get there eventually.
I wasn’t worried I’d peter out and not have anyway to let them know.
That just wasn’t an option in my mind.
At some point while hiking up these never ending stone steps I just started saying to myself “I can do this” over and over again.
Then, I passed a young fit looking guy on his way down who‘d decided it was too hard to keep going so he’d turned around without making it to the top.
I’m sure he was in better shape than me, where the only other difference was that I‘d DECIDED I would make it to the top and he hadn’t.
He’d left room in his mind for another option, whereas I hadn’t.
This is so true of success in any endeavor, whether it’s a physical, mental, emotional or spiritual goal.
If you leave room for a doubtful option, it appears as a choice between it and success.
And you risk being lured in by the power you’ve given it.
Decide now with whatever you desire to apply yourself towards that YOU CAN DO IT.
And leave no room for another option.
That’s how you utilize the power of your mind to move in the direction you desire.