Stop The Stinkin Thinkin!!

This weekend, I began reading a new book recommended to me by a colleague, mentor and friend. Although I haven't yet finished it, I can already tell you that it is by far the most important book that I will read this year! In just a few short pages it grabbed a hold of me and shook me pretty hard...

But, before I tell you the name of the book, let me set the current situation...the reason I think this book has grabbed my attention. I'm betting many of you may be able to relate!

Have you ever felt like the world is just moving WAY TOO FAST?!? Like somewhere along the line somebody turned up the speed dial but forgot to tell you to "hang on". I think most people have times in their life that are like this...my problem though, is that there seem to be more and more of these times. I find myself getting bogged down in the minutia of running a business, treating sick and hurting people, caring for my family, paying my bills, attending the never ending meetings...etc, etc, etc. And in the process of all of this...forgetting to have fun...enjoy...breath...look around. The world is a complicated place...mostly because we have made it that way...and it can easily overwhelm you if you let it. All of those things I just mentioned are necessary and should be enjoyable (yes...even the paying the bills part) but NOT when they are viewed as just "part of the grind". You know what I mean...just one more cog in the day...one more in a never ending set of tasks...another day another meeting. Are you guilty of this mentality? I certainly am!

Here is my thought on why we fall into this trap ("its time to make the doughnuts") that causes life to lose its luster...its joy...its meaning. It is because we forget to think big...we forget to set and work towards goals. NOT just "make it through the week" or "get that next bill paid". No! I mean big things...really big things! Things that almost seem unachievable! Business things, personal things, family things. It is these big things that make us stretch...that make the "daily grind" have importance...that make things fun. Working toward these goals (or expectations as I like to call them) give us purpose and direction. They help us prioritize all the "things" in our day. They even help us make decisions about what we will and wont do. Its simple...if a particular decision isn't going to get me closer to my goal(s) then I probably won't go that way. Boy, that makes decision making easy!

BUT, then it happens...even if you did get those goals set. Even if you did start off good in working towards those expectations. Even if they were big things that made you tingle and made you excited to get up in the morning. Life! things happen, distractions occur, let downs come around. And, if you aren't careful, suddenly you have forgotten the goals and your decisions are getting made not by what is best for the expectations you set...but by what is needed to get by in the moment. How does his happen? Oh man, the opportunities are endless; buying into and continuing to listen to the media, an issue with your child, a fight with your spouse, an unexpected business occurrence, a financial crunch...(by the way, I came up with this list from my own experience over only the last 4 months!). And just like that, you are off track...distracted, not having fun, failing your daily challenges, grouchy, angry. A business coach of mine calls this "stinkin' thinkin'".

It is important that we recognize first, how important it is to have goals to strive for and secondly, how easy it is to get off track if you let your guard down. We must constantly remind ourselves of our goals...the directions we want to go, the things we want to reach for. the joy and the success and the "living" come in the work and efforts we put forth in working towards these goals. But we must be diligent about reviewing and reminding ourselves of these goals DAILY! We must remind ourselves everyday to think big, think positive, stay focused. Why? Because no one else will do it for you. In fact, there is much in the world that will conspire against your success...the media (when was the last time they reported something that uplifted you?), the government (not much positive or supportive coming from that direction lately), even your friends (many will revel in your failures because it keeps you closer to their lot in life), just to name a few.

And so this book made me realize that I had fallen pray recently to my own stinkin thinkin. My last few months have seemed to contain more negatives than positives. And I had not pulled out my goals for review in quite a while. I got caught in the spiral of thinking small...looking only at the things going on in the moment...and then dwelling on them. Perpetuating them. I allowed a few bumps in the road...a few cogs in the wheel to get me looking...and then moving in the wrong direction. This book has encouraged me to think BIGGER. And to do it a lot (like all the time!). It has reminded me that life is much more fun when I am striving to achieve big goals...I look forward with anticipation to all the opportunities that tomorrow and next week bring to move closer to those goals (instead of just getting up to face another week).

I've re-evaluated my goals...and in some cases have even increased them a bit. They are big...exciting...scary. I will raise a lot of money for an Autism cure, I will see 80% of the people in my area receiving chiropractic care, I will complete my first Marathon in 2010, and many others. I'm excited, I'm thinking bigger already. Next week is still as busy as it was scheduled to be when I left my office on Friday. There are still a lot of potential distractors. However, from my re-adjusted view now...there is a lot less "grind" to it and so much more opportunity to move closer to my goals...my big goals. And boy that sounds like FUN!

By the way, the book that I am reading is called The Think Big Manifesto by Michael Port. Check it out...I hope it shakes you up as it did me.

Until next time...Live Healthy!