This morning I woke up at five-thirty, looked over my goals – then took out a book to read.
At six o’clock I looked out the window to witness a familiar site. No, it wasn’t the sun dawning on a new day. It was the 40+ years young lady practicing tai chi in the park 25 floors below me.
She’s there every morning at six – and she trains without ceasing until eight. When she begins – she is all by herself, but she is not lonely – nor is she alone. She trains with an internal guide – an observer who watches, critiques and analyzes her every move – driving her to become MORE than she is right now.
This woman’s mind is activated toward the positive. And her daily practice is an example of the power of cosmic habit force – a term made popular years ago by Napoleon Hill.
Each and every one of us is a creature of cosmic habit force. We’re either using it in a positive way – or we’re not. Getting up early to exercise is doing something positive that can benefit every area of our lives. On the other hand, getting out of bed and reaching for a smoke and a bottle of booze – that’s an example of cosmic habit force taken to the negative extreme that we call addiction.
Being compelled by a positive habit force is good. Being an addict is not.
The key thing to remember is that both good and bad habits begin with a single repetition. And in most cases, neither habit is truly enjoyed at first.
The first day this lady got up early to practice tai chi – she probably did so with moans and groans. But now she does so with joy and it radiates from her with every movement she makes. She makes a daily choice to continue on this path, and it serves her well. At this point in her life, it would be difficult to not get up and practice. She has the habit – and the force of the habit has her.
Whenever you see a successful person – take note of his or her habits. He didn’t begin with positive habits. They were learned. They were repeated over and over until the habit took hold and little if any thought about ‘should I or shouldn’t I?’ takes place.
No matter what you want to accomplish in life, you can do so when you know the thoughts behind others who have succeeded before you – as well as the daily habits these people followed. And the good news is that if you think the same way and do the same sort of things, you’ll reap similar rewards.
Dr. Maxwell Maltz noted that it takes 21 days for a new habit to begin to take hold. The same goes for the creation of a more powerful self-image. If you spend time each day rearranging the furniture in your own mind – putting yourself on the winner’s track – within a few weeks you won’t want to go back to your previous thinking and behavior. You will become accustomed to the NEW YOU – the person with more empowering thoughts, beliefs and habits.
Think of a new, positive habit you’d like to form. See yourself engaged in that habit – then follow through with action. Do this every day without fail for 21 days and you’ll have changed your life.
It doesn’t take much to change – but it does require a decision to be more than you are right now.
What is it you’d like to do? Picture it – then do it. Today.
Best,
Matt Furey
P.S. The latest printing, first edition of 101 Ways to Magnetize Money is nearly sold out. Edition number two will have a totally different cover, making edition numero uno a collector’s item. Get one or more while supplies last.
