Ann Starrette

Working With Soul

First, You Believe.

“Wouldn’t it be great if you could know ahead of time which goals you would actually follow-through with so you could save yourself weeks, months, even years of wasted time and energy? It all begins,” the workshop leader continued, “with getting your belief system in alignment with your desired outcome.”

Tell us something we didn't already know. The workshop leader was however telling us that we were probably not doing what we already knew to do--namely, creating a mental and written vision of our desired outcome. She asked us to spend 80 percent of our time on our beliefs, and suggested the rest would follow almost effortlessly.

Truth is, our subconscious accepts exactly what we tell it - true or false, good or bad. For instance, if you tell yourself you’re not good at this or that, that you’re powerless, incapable, a victim, then your subconscious creates that picture. Your thinking, talking and doing will always support your picture--always. You and I move toward and become like that which we think about. Although this is a universal truth, most of us just don’t get it.

Throughout history, people have felt afraid, inadequate, and worse. Yet something propelled them forward. It begs the question, “What was the ‘something’ that caused modern day heroes like Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela, and Dorothy Day (to name but a few) to believe they had what it took to change the landscape of their world?

Something didn’t just happen in Rosa Parks’ psyche (Mother of the Civil Rights Movement) that December day in 1955. Something had been brewing for a long, long time. That something was her vision of freedom. She thought about it, talked about it, dreamed about it. Her belief system was in alignment with her desired outcome.

Bone tired from a long day’s work and soul-weary from being mistreated, Ms. Parks walked to the bus stop. So tired and weary, in fact, that on that particular day she effortlessly declared to the world:

“I am enough. I’ve had enough.
I believe I’ll sit down and I believe I’ll sit down right here.” (my paraphrase)

Because she refused to give her seat to a white man she went to jail and helped set a nation of God’s people free.

When asked if she was scared to do such a brave thing she answered, “No, actually I had no fear at that particular time. I was very determined to let it be known how it felt to be treated in that manner — discriminated against. I was thinking mostly about how inconvenienced I was . . .”

This week, I invite you to pay close attention to your thinking. Make no mistake about it, you are moving toward and becoming like that which you think about.

• Do you like who you’re becoming?
• Do you like where you’re going - personally, professionally, and spiritually?
• Is your belief system in line with your desired results? If not, do what these great way-showers did:

  1. Get clear on what you want.
  2. Focus on that vision with determined belief. Belief is like putting your foot on the gas so your car will go. If you’re afraid to put your foot on the gas, ask yourself “Why?” Perhaps you’re not prepared.
  3. Determine what you need and get prepared. Vision plus belief plus preparedness leads to action.
  4. Step up and step out in faith.

Gandhi encouraged us to be the change we wish to see. Change your thinking and you change your life. It’s that simple. . . and that hard.

Next time I’ll offer some pointers on becoming clear about what you want. In the meantime, consider reading James Allen’s inspirational classic “As a Man Thinketh.” It could change your life.