Well I first would like to say that Yes, I have been reading a few too many self-improvement books in the past few weeks. I guess its not really too many but enough o where people think you're sounding like Dr. Phil or something if you start talking about them. On top of the self-improvement I've read a few on succeeding in business, finances and pretty much being happy with life in general and they all share the same underlying message that it all starts with where your mind is?
A good place to start would definitely be with yourself, even the first chapter of "Tony Soprano on Management" is about knowing yourself. Know who you are, know what you've got, and know how to use it. This is echoed through many
many different works by
many many different people, but its still something that people don't really tend to do. The reason all those people feel it is so important to know yourself is because knowing yourself is where you'll receive true knowledge that will better help you understand everyone else as well. It seems funny how knowing yourself can lead to a better understanding of others.
Setting goals is another thing that is shared among the books I've read. Without a clear definition of where you are going, how are you ever going to get there? Most people just tend to wander long enough until they bump into something and get stuck. Setting goals and actually writing them out gives you a framework for a plan and it shows you what you're aiming for. With that it is also said that once you have your goals in mind that it seems that everywhere you turn there are opportunities that help you get one step closer to that goal. Its sort of like the thought of your goal flips this switch in your brain to where you start to see all the opportunities around you, that may have already been there in the beginning. The same concept when you get a new car and then everywhere you turn you start to see other people driving the same car.
So knowing yourself, setting goals, and then your thoughts will show you opportunities, what else? Doing what you love and what makes you happy is next on the list. Now I know a few people (me included) that aren't always on the path to do what you love or what makes you happy. The things we do are based on other peoples' feelings, their thoughts, could be based on money...bills, willingness, determination, dedication... there are so many different reasons why people don't do what they love and they end up just doing what they are told. Even with being happy we all want to get there but it seems no one has a map, and then some of the people with the maps don't want to get there because the road is seemingly difficult. To some true happiness may not mean a mansion overlooking the ocean off the coast of Spain, it could be something very small and simple like being able to help people that can't help themselves. With either one of those though people will find it equally difficult to do. The goal to help people may have to come at the cost of a lower paying job and the mansion in Spain may only come about after years of saving money and strict financial planning. Either way people have to really know themselves to determine if their true happiness is something their willing to sacrifice for.
I won't go into every topic that I saw in the books but a lot of what you do in the world, what in the world, and how you see it beings with your thoughts. It affects so much of our lives but people don't seem to use them effectively.
