Attention is Essential

"That which holds our attention determines our action."

-William James

I am sure everyone has heard the phrase "You are what you eat!".  Without question, you understand and likely agree with its point.  Ironically, your body and brain operate very similarly, however, less emphasis is on mental input.  The more I study success principles, the more I learn the importance of good input.  And strangely enough, the more that I study, the more that I enjoy it.  

There are certain societal norms that can be huge distractors when striving for success.  And ironically, the biggest and most alluring distractors will often be the most detrimental.  You see we all have the same amount of time in the day.  Everyone has 24 hours.  But successful people are great managers of time.  

I will admit something to you, however, and that is that I hated cutting out detrimental behaviors.  I don't know anyone who doesn't.  I knew that T.V. was a time waster and that it wasn't directing me toward positivity in my life.  But ironically, every day I would sit down and watch it anyways.  My point is not T.V. is bad, however.  I already did a blog post in cutting out the time wasters in life.  I digress to T.V. all the time, because that had a huge hold on my life.  My point today is that positive input is so essential.  But too often we don't have time for good input because we are flooding our systems with other things.  One of the greatest things I have learned is that the more removed I get from distractors, the less of a hold it has on me.  Same goes for any obsession or addiction, I am sure.

John C. Maxwell stated that most people want and are willing to change as long as it isn't inconvenient or costly to them in any way.  This is the problem.  We don't want the best for ourselves enough.  I think everyone wants better for themselves, but they either don't think they are worth it, or don't want it enough to make the long term commitment to better themselves.  It's hard to be better.  But the more you surround yourself with good, the more the good will hold your attention above the bad.  Not that it will be easy.  There will be days when the comfort zone is more appealing than growth.  But it is in that moment that you have to want more and believe that you deserve it. 

"You can tell when you are on the road to success.  It's uphill all the way.  It will take time to reach new heights, be patient knowing anything worthwhile is worth working for.  Although change itself is not progress, it is the price we pay for progress."  -Paul Harvey

"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." -1 Corinthians 10:13