Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Do We Really 'Become What We Think About Most?'

Did Earl Nightingale get it all wrong?

Contained in the classic recording - 'The Strangest Secret' Earl Nightingale proceeds to tell us that we unanimously... 'become what we think about most'.

And, supporting him in that belief, Earl quoted a number of other learned wisdom makers - Marcus Arelius, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Napoleon Hill...

But do you know what...?

I think they got it all wrong!And, I'll prove it to you.

Let's dissect the line that seems to have built an entire army of followers to that particular creed of thought."We become what we think about most" Now, say I want to become a doctor, information entrepreneur, million dollar writer, movie actor, or whatever... what's my first move?

Well, if we take the instruction to think about becoming whatever it is want, then that should be the starting point, right?

Okay, say now that a few hours have passed, what then should be my second move?
I'm not sure about any other instruction apart from the one that says... "we become what we think about the most".

So...

Let's get thinking again as we did for the first couple of hours.

Now, it's dark, all sane people have tucked themselves into bed and... we're still there... thinking about what it is we would like to become.

A few more days of this and... we'll surely materialise into our lives what it is we want... right?

A few days indeed, pass.

The headache starts to worsen.

In fact, we're much worse off then before beginning the whole process of becoming what we think about most!

You see, here's the BIG problem: Merely thinking about something gets us no closer to the goal. In fact, it's a surefire recepie for delusion and disaster.

If we were to honestly follow to the letter what Earl Nightingale said "We become what we think about most" all that will be produced is a universe of thinkers, all propogating and promoting that fact that mere thinking creates practical answers.

ACTION helps.

Shelfbook wisdom is a disease that somehow, gives us comfort from ever DOING anything.

If I merely thought my way into becoming a business and advertising writer, I'd be rubbing the soothing balm into the side of my head for weeks on end... and... moving even further away from the goal in the first place.

Be sure to question what it is you're picking up, even if it's from the celebrated and the toast of the party.


Raja C. Hireker
www.RajaHireker.com