The Weeds of Negativity

tip-o-the-morning

Tom Corley boats - crop

It’s always smart to remove weeds. Left unchecked, weeds will quickly take over any garden.

The same holds true for negative thoughts, which act like weeds inside the mind. Left unchecked, negative thinking will take over, altering your behavior, emotions and decision-making.

Studies have shown that positivity increases focus, cognitive ability (IQ) and risk tolerance. Since you need all three of these to succeed, you can not allow one weed of negativity to grow in the garden that is your mind.

Negative thinking also suppresses your prefrontal cortex, which is critical for creativity, decision-making and acts as the command and control center of the brain.

What are the weeds of negativity that must be removed?

  • Envy
  • Greed
  • Fear
  • Hatred
  • Self-Pity
  • Sadness
  • Anger
  • Doubt

How do you remove these weeds? By replacing every negative thought with its counterpart. The moment a negative thought arises, replace it immediately with a positive thought:

  • Replace Envy with Gratitude – Express gratitude for something good in your life.
  • Replace Greed with Generosity – Think back to when you did something good for someone or donated money to some worthy cause.
  • Replace Fear with Courage – Think back to when you did something you were afraid to do and succeeded. This is why I encourage you to maintain a Victory Log. Victory Logs are real-life proof that you conquered some fear.
  • Replace Hatred with Love – The moment hatred for something or someone enters your mind replace it by thinking about the things and people you love.
  • Replace Self-Pity with Confidence – Think back to a time when you took on a challenge and succeeded. It will renew your confidence in yourself. Again, this is why you should maintain a Victory Log.
  • Replace Sadness with Happiness – The moment sadness enters your mind, think back to moment you were truly happy.
  • Replace Anger with Kindness – Remember a specific moment in which you showed someone kindness.
  • Replace Doubt with Certainty – Once again, a Victory Log comes to the rescue. Look at your Victory Log every time you doubt yourself.

Do not allow negative thoughts a moment of life. They are not your friends. They are the enemy. Treat them like an enemy and immediately destroy them with positive thoughts.

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Thomas C. Corley About Thomas C. Corley

Tom Corley is a bestselling author, speaker, and media contributor for Business Insider, CNBC and a few other national media outlets.

His Rich Habits research has been read, viewed or heard by over 50 million people in 25 countries around the world.

Besides being an author, Tom is also a CPA, CFP, holds a master’s degree in taxation and is President of Cerefice and Company, a CPA firm in New Jersey.
 
Phone Number: 732-382-3800 Ext. 103.
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