YOU are Responsible for What YOU Think

“As a man thinks so is he says the book of Proverbs and James Allen…it is not possible for you to do anything without it having come from inside you…for what you think is what you are – is what you do…” — Rick Cox.

Those who become successful by setting the bar high understand the awesome responsibility of thought and choice, for they know they do have the option of choosing what they think. It is these people who make no excuses for what they think. They know through control of their thinking they are controlling their future. One of the easiest and most used copouts is the excuse of not being able to control what you think. This is simply not true, for as a man thinks so is he. What you think is what you will become. Your predominant thought will determine what you will do, which is why those who are angry eventually carry out their anger. This is also why those who are bitter become like those who they are bitter against for this is all they think about.

I learned early in life if I was full of hatred or bitterness my thoughts were always consumed by those with whom I was bitter or hated. This in turn had me becoming something other than I was intended to be and had others, those I hated or was bitter against, running and ruling my life. As previously stated, it is why those who do control their thinking do control their future. It is why those that do control their thinking become successful.

It is important you give serious contemplative thought to the fact that you are able to choose what you think. The mind and heart does have the ability to choose and thus it is up to us to exercise the choice of that which we think. When you control what you think you control what you are and what you become. It doesn’t matter if you are in a prison cell, or in slavery, you still have the ability to choose what you think and therefore, change the world around you for the better. Several people who have been in prison cells can attest to this truth such as Joseph the son of Jacob in the Old Testament; Paul the apostle who spent much of his time behind prison bars and even modern men such as Nelson Mandela and John McCain.

Joseph was the free born favorite son of a man by the name of Jacob. It was obvious he favored Joseph and as a result his brothers despised him for it. Eventually, his brothers sold him to a band of thieves who sold him to the Egyptians as a slave. Jacob was told his son was killed by a lion. After being sold into slavery, Joseph was unjustly accused and spent twelve years in jail. It was only due to his positive thoughts as well as right attitude he was able to rise to become the number two leader of all of Egypt and eventually the savior of his people. Paul was one of the most educated Pharisees as well as one of the strongest persecutors of Christians in his day. Due to a traumatic incident, he had a profound change of heart leaving his persecution of Christians and joining their movement in an effort to turn people to a true belief in God through the sacrifice Jesus Christ. Although Paul traveled all around the known world to preach the gospel he also spent many years in prison. But prison did not dampen Paul’s spirit or his beliefs. As a matter of fact, in spite of the horrid conditions of the prison Paul & Silas were singing and praising God when the prison gates were all miraculously opened not only setting them free but freeing many others. Paul even said in his writings he had learned to be content regardless of his surroundings for he had learned that happiness came from that which was within. He learned it was best not to be governed by what was on the outside.

Nelson Mandela, regardless of your opinion, stuck to his beliefs holding fast to them while spending twenty five years in prison. The story goes that he was locked up in his cell during the daylight hours, deprived of music and most simple pleasures for decades. However, due to living a disciplined life both physically and mentally, he always woke early (even in prison) starting his day at 4:30AM beginning his workout regimen thirty minutes later, which would last for one hour. He held fast to his democratic beliefs that no one should be dominated by another; that all were born to be free. Fully recognizing thought are things he learned to control his thoughts and thereby, wound up controlling his destiny. Eventually he was pardoned and even became president.

Mr. Mandela’s motto is: “I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”

After being shot down John McCain parachuted into a lake breaking both arms and a leg. He was then taken to a prison camp in Hanoi where he spent five and one half years. The prison camp became known as the Hanoi Hilton. Twice he tried to hang himself only to be cut down and assaulted by the guards. He was beaten, put in leg irons and kept in solitary confinement for two years for assaulting a guard. During this entire time he kept reminding himself of his family and friends. He began to take control of his thoughts and focused them on the positive rather than the negative. This thought control not only made the time he spent pent up in his little cell easier; it was also what kept him sane throughout this entire ordeal. Many, who have been in the same situation did not control their thoughts and wound up not being as fortunate. For those that snapped during imprisonment some had physical outbursts, which became the reason they were put to death. For others, though living through the ordeal, their mental and emotional state was no longer one which added or contributed to society. When they snapped, it was as if they shut out the world around them; existing in a space somewhere in their mind only. McCain said he left all of that behind. The unfortunate fact is that the majority do not.

While it might be true most of us have never been in such extreme circumstances where the decision required letting go and dying or holding on to that thread of hope in order to live. On the other hand it is quite possible you have been in some difficult situations requiring tough decisions and though these decisions didn’t require you to choose either death or life they did involve making a choice that would lead to eventual failure or success. It all comes down to what you think in your heart – for as a man thinks, so is he…

Best of LUCK as you
Labor Under Correct Knowledge…

Respectfully,

Rick Cox