July 9, 2018

This paid piece is sponsored by The Tony Ratchford Group.

By Tony Ratchford

Norman Vincent Peale and Robert A. Schuller are known as the Fathers of Positive Thinking, setting forth a theory of how our thoughts affect our lives. Tony Robbins tells the story of the Old Man in the Village and how the Old Man accepts every event or outcome without judgment. And, Denis Waitley’s “The Psychology of Winning” teaches us that “you become what you think you are.”

Does what we say and think really impact an outcome? Earl Nightingale’s famous statement, “The mind moves in the direction of our currently dominate thoughts,” cleanly expresses his belief in the potential power of our mind.

Marian York, a motivational speaker, taught us what we think and how we speak to ourselves puts us on a path similar to what Nightingale spoke on: “What we hear, what we think and what we speak determines our direction. We can, to a high degree, manifest our own destiny.”

When we determine a goal, or destination, for what we want, the best way to get there is to create a path. The actions we take will either keep us on the path or not. Giving ourselves constant positive feedback allows us to maintain clear thought on the objective and build confidence at the same time. On the other hand, negative talk or thought tends to take us off track.

Walter D. Wintle wrote a catchy poem: “If you think you are beaten, you are. If you like to win, but you think you can’t, it’s almost certain you won’t. … If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost. For out of the world we find, success begins with a fellow’s will, it’s all in the state of mind. But soon or late the one who wins is the one who thinks they can.”

In her book “The Loving Dictionary,” Marian York turned almost every negative word or statement into a possibility. She believed every word we speak sets a positive or negative direction for our life and, ultimately, the outcome.

The impressions we allow into our heads, the things we think of and the things we say make our world. We can either believe in the best or expect the worst. Those who choose to be optimistic and focus on the goodness of life seem to be the happiest. On the contrary, those who spill negativity generally are the unsettled and the angry. It’s your choice to be happy or be ugly. It’s simply a mind-set and decision to have a positive projection or not.

We believe establishing the best path for your success begins with a winning expectation. Thankfully, our success follows our belief. We invite you to call or text anytime at 605-359-4100.

This is July and a good reminder to celebrate our freedom. May you enjoy and be grateful!