Today I want to talk about one important impact on your productivity and results that you likely don’t realize.
Just as an Olympic athlete needs the highest quality nutrients to perform at their peak level, we have to be sure we’re feeding our mind with the highest quality information we can get, if we want to operate at our highest level.
We can do that by feeding our brain.
Not in the sense of what we eat, but what we give attention to. Do you consciously think about the information you feed your mind?
Controlling our brain is tough because most of what we take in is unconscious. All day long we are bombarded with irrelevant, negative, and destructive info. It takes awareness to be selective about the information we processes.
Your brain is programmed for survival. It’s always seeking out warning signs to protect you. When you turn on the news and hear reports of a sinking economy, war, robberies, or murders, your brain will start to worry and think of ways to help your survive. Do that constantly and it will consume you.
We can’t change what evolution has done for our brains, but we can change what we deliberately feed our brains.
What will you fill in your cup?
You get in life what you create. Your thinking and inner voice is at the beginning of what you create in life.
So the question is, What are you thinking about?
The answer is simple. You’re thinking about whatever you’re consistently allowing yourself to see and hear.
Think of your mind as an empty glass. You fill it with whatever you want. If you feed it with news all day, gossip magazines talking about the latest celebrity drug addiction or divorce, or a regular dose of evening television, you’re filling it with dirty and disgusting water.
Everything you create will be filtered through that dirty water because that’s what’s on your mind. Junk in and junk out.
How much do you really need to listen to bickering on talk shows, the fighting by reality stars, the state of the economy, or why the world ending in 2012?
If that’s what you feed your brain all day long, whatever you think about will be affected by the thoughts in your brain.
How can you be productive, motivated, and focused if you’re constantly focused on negative and mindless information?
Now imagine if you put that dirty cup under a faucet and flushed out all that nasty water and filled it with pure clean water.
Where does that clean water come from? Positive and inspirational info. Stories of people overcoming seemingly impossible odds to succeed. Lessons on success, better health, better relationships, and your finances.
Learning a new skill that will benefit you. Learning ideas to grow as a person or build your business. Stories of what’s good, positive, and right in this world.
That’s the clean water. That’s what you should be feeding your mind. That’s what will give you the edge over the person who all day long decides to fill their mind with dirty water.
I know you want to be extraordinary and not average.
A clear mind will lead to optimal results. A muddy mind will lead to self doubt, lack of motivation, and average to poor results.
Obviously you can’t completely eliminate all bad news unless you live in a cave. You will come across it on TV, the newsstand, or hearing it from a friend. But you can make sure you’re feeding your brain enough of that clean water to flush out the dirty water.
Make Your Car a Classroom
One change I made this year was instead of listening to sports talk radio or music in the car, I get great instructional or inspirational audio CD’s from the library to listen to. On a typical day I may spend an hour total driving in my car. In that time, I get one hour of content that will inspire or teach me something new.
You may spend more time than that in a car. Imagine if you’re stuck in traffic. It would be so much better if you were listening to something positive. You would be using that time more wisely.
Eliminate More Dirty Water
I also have cut way back on the amount of local news I consume. I still read the USA Today but it’s much less negative than the local news. The local metro section alone is filled with local crime, accidents, and the obituary! How is that going to help me to think clearly?
I’ve had to hide all posts on Facebook from a friend’s wife cause the majority of her status updates are about how horrible the government is. I know it’s not the best but how much attention do you have to give to it? Not for me. Do you have friends like that?
I’ve had to say goodbye to the television as my constant companion when I’m home. Most of the time it’s off when I really need to work. I will still watch some television but it doesn’t control my attention. I control it now.
The average American spends 4 hours watching television each day. That’s 28 hours a week. That’s two full months a year. In a 65 year life, that’s 9 years spent glued to the television!! No wonder why they wonder they’re not doing anything with their lives!! They do nothing and get nothing in return.
Think about how much television you’re watching per week. Sydney at Untemplater.com has taken action to overcome her television addiction. Good for her!
The media is smart. They’ve spent so much money to study the television habits of the average person. They understand the types of shows you want to watch. Why do you think there are more and more reality shows with so much drama in it? It’s what people love to watch.
Think about when you’re driving on the highway and you slow down cause of traffic. You see an accident up ahead. When you finally drive by, you see that the accident happened a long time ago but people just slowed down to see! You’re upset that people slowed down, but guess what? When you pass it, you’ll slow down also!
The media knows we response to the shocking and dramatic. It’s not only television but newspapers, magazines, and the web.
Positive stories happen every day, but that’s not what we are naturally drawn to. We have to take control if we want to feed our minds better.
If you’re driving on that same highway and see a beautiful sunset with the sun as big and orange as it can be, what do you do? You don’t slow down at all.
If you truly want to live an epic life, you have to be different from the average person. You have to do what the average person doesn’t want to do.
Turn off the flow of junk to your brain. You have to be more deliberate about what you feed your mind.
Instead, always be learning. Fill your mind with stories that inspire you. Talk to friends who support you and not look to bring you down. Read more. Turn off the television.
Garbage in. Garbage out.
Clean water in. Optimal results out.
It’s your choice.
What are you doing daily to make sure you’re filling your mind with clean water?
What are some sources of dirty water do you know you need to eliminate?
Hey Benny!
I have to tell you that I fell in love with driving the minute I discovered books and programs on tape (now CD). I must have started listening to old Nightingale and Jim Rohn programs maybe some 20 years ago. I’ve been hooked since. Now when the freeway turns into a parking lot, I’m as happy as can be as I sit in my mobile university of life. I couldn’t even begin to tell you how many books I’ve “read” on history, biography, economics, motivation, politics, psychology, philosophy, religion, spirituality, self-improvement and the like.
I love the dirty water metaphor. It’s so true! The more dirty water, the more difficult it is to direct our thoughts into the clean waters of uplifting content. I’ve noticed that the more people stay submerged in the dirt, the more accustomed they get to it. Then, when they get a glimpse or a taste of fresh clean water, they’re bored. And that’s a shame. I guess it just points to the importance of guiding our kids to the cleaner waters so they never develop a taste of the dirtier kind.
Excellent article, Benny!
Hey Ken!
You definitely have turned your car into a classroom! You really have taken advantage of it. You’re right that when people get in the dirt they want to stay there. It’s entertaining. It’s a release from whatever they are worried about. But it’s only temporary. After the shows are over, their lives will still be the same.
I’m really glad to hear that someone really has turned their car into a classroom! Thanks Ken!
Ken, I love audiobooks too. You should check out audible.com. They offer great audiobooks at a fraction of the price of audiobooks on CD. They are owned by Amazon and make listening to audiobooks much easier than with CD’s. 🙂
I’ve been doing the “car as classroom”. I also have a notebook and pen to jot down random ideas (you don’t know when the next million idea will strike you). My work just moved to a new building which cut down my travel time by half. That’s enough time to listen to short podcast or interviews that I downloaded to my mp3 player (hooked up to the car’s sound system)
Good idea Marlon to always keep a pen and notebook! Do you keep it next to your bed in case you have a million dollar dream?
When I do get a new car, I’ll make sure I can hook up my iPhone directly to the sound system.
Benny,
Great post! And so true. I think too, it is important to have some time when nothing is coming in. Our society is 100 miles an hour, non-stop messages and we have little time left to just be, to reflect and let all that clean water sort of settle down inside of us. I’d add silence and solitude to the list too.
Aaron
Aaron,
Silence and solitude is something that we dont’ get enough of. I know sometimes I like to just sit on my couch and stare at the wall ceiling. I just try to calm my mind. I’ve been trying some 10 minute meditation but haven’t done a great job of being consistent about it.
Glad to always hear your thoughts!
Love it, love it! It requires a great deal of discipline to consciously eliminate the ‘dirty water’. My daily Ashtanga yoga practice grounds me every morning and sets me on the right course. I’ve managed to embrace only those relationships that make me feel loved and valued. My biggest vice – Big Brother. I’m embarrassed to admit it. I don’t watch any other television. Okay…maybe The Bachelorette, but it’s over at least for the time being. Don’t tell…
One day I may have to try out some Yoga. I’ve heard nothing but great things about it. You still watch Big Brother? I didn’t know they had it on TV still! LOL. I used to watch it and I can see why it’s addicting. The Bachelorette is still a favorite by many women. The reason I know is cause I see it on my Facebook stream.
I know you’re looking forward to the next season. I won’t tell…
I especially like your analogy of not slowing down when we see a beautiful sunset but we always slow down for the dramatic car wreck. You are right – the powers that be in media know this and so they focus on the “dirty water”.
I completely eliminated television about a year and a half ago. I also eliminated the ‘always on’ 3G smart phone. This helped cut back on the dirty water.
For clean water, I love my Kindle. I think I’ve tripled the time I spend reading since I got it. I also enjoy visiting blogs of people who do inspiring work. Many thanks.
Thanks for sharing the changes you have made Vic. As humans, we are drawn towards those “traffic accidents”. Whether it’s on the road or in the lives of messed up celebrities. We can’t help but want to turn and look.
Kindle is an amazing piece of technology! I hear the same thing from many friends who have one. They all read more!
Thanks for visiting Vic!
I get a lot of crap from people in my life that say I need to watch more news and read more newspapers. To an extent they have a point because I usually have no clue about current events. On the other hand, when I do try to attempt to make a change and watch something (never FOX news though!) I get really disappointed, depressed and then I obsess over some really sad story.
I think it is important to stay informed so that we are not so much in the closet and are able to make changes in our world, but I also think it can be a huge waste of time and mental energy.
I am a thinker in every way possible, so I need to take this advice and make sure that I am filling my brain with positive and not negative.
There’s knowing current events and then there’s knowing way too much about what’s going on. You can follow current news by glancing at the front page of the newspaper. I enjoy following currents events but I don’t watch CNN or FOX news for hours just to learn more about what’s going on.
So I agree there has to be fine line. My fiancé is a thinker too. Sometimes she thinks too much about 2012 being the end of the world. I tell her that’s crazy and don’t think about it. LOL!
Hey Benny, Just found your site…nice to see more people inspire other…
Like you said it comes down to awareness…how do we develop awareness?..the best way I feel is meditation…
Meditation if done earnestly will help you understand your mind, what is mind, what is the nature of thought…
If you keep at it, then you will realize that ultimately who you really are is not your thoughts…but the witness…if you learn to stay grounded in your witness…then you will develop the awareness to not become identified to your thought process…then social conditioning will not have the level of influence it does now…positive thinking is good in comparison to negative thinking…but eventually you need to transcend thinking itself…so that you can see reality as it is, and not through the biases and prejudices that your mind creates…you learn to live moment to moment..you think when it’s needed and then put it aside when it’s not and just learn to “be”..which means being yourself in the most intimate way…being identified to your thinking is being stuck in the past and imagining the future…you live a life of reaction….
Hi Ivan, thanks for finding my site. I’ve been trying to get into some simple 10 minute meditation to just clear my mind. May have to try that again after reading your comment. Thanks!
Thanks for the mention Benny! 🙂 Ever since I wrote that post my desire to watch TV has dropped dramatically!! I thought it was going to be so hard having one TV free day a week, but it’s so much easier than I thought and lately I’ve been averaging 3-4 TV free days a week now! I feel so much better not feeling tied to the tube.
My next goal is to improve my focus! -Sydney
You’re welcome Sydney! I noticed the same thing too. When I kept my TV off it became a normal thing. It would be late at night and I would realize that I didn’t even turn on the TV at all. That would have never happened! Now that football season is starting, it’ll be on a bit more.
But that’s great you’re not tied to the tube!
Great post. I was just talking about this the other day. I have a very close friend of mine who has been consumed by all of the crap. He is seriously afraid of everything. It’s like a sublet form of brainwashing by news and the media.
It’s really sad actually.
I try to consume as very little negative ‘anything’ as possible. It’s just cancer for the soul.
Hi Cal!
Cancer for the soul. That’s a great way to put it. There are so many people like your friend. They are worrying about so many things that they have no control over. It is pretty sad though. Such a bad way to live.
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Benny,
Great article. I like the image of a cup of water – clever device.
I am in total agreement with information consumption filling your mind with things you don’t need. Here is my problem. I need to watch TV MORE! Let me explain:
I untethered from watching the news and crappy TV a few years ago. I now fill my time reading, as you describe, inspirational and information stories. I read, a lot.
The two problems this has left me with:
– My wife points out that I don’t really take any time out to relax. Sometimes watching a bit of crap for an hour on TV is great for helping you unwind and collect your thoughts.
– I consume so much information I have a to do list a mile long. Every great bit of content I consume leads me to put another thing I want to do on my list.
It is an addiction. I actually believe that the Internet is far more dangerous that TV now.
I could go in to more detail about filters as well. You talk of media companies controlling the information that we watch and you are totally right.
What we consume online is filtered even more. Through Google knowing a lot about us, to us only reading tweets of the people we are interested in. This isn’t a bad thing. But we need to be conscious of that.
The key line for me:
“You get in life what you create.” <–You are living this.
Keep on rockin' it Benny.
Chris
Hey Chris,
I totally agree with you that unwinding to TV helps. I do still watch TV and sometimes even reality shows. I started watching one on Sunday and watched it for 1.5 hours! It was pretty entertaining actually. Then now American football is back on TV so I’ll be watching lots of it. It’s a way for me to unwind for sure.
The internet is bad for sure. I can lose track of time clicking on one link to the next. I can spend an hour easy on Youtube. I could go through Yahoo front page and read the headlines. It can be bad. So much information at our fingertips.
For me I know it’s about controlling it. Not spending too much time doing both things. But I still like to watch dumb television and see people do stupid things on Youtube. I work and I try to play.
Awesome comment. Thanks so much!!
Another great post, Benny. What better way to live an epic life than to intentionally manage what I brain consumes. Garbage in, garbage out… Same thing my pastor said in one of his sermons. You’re absolutely right.
Four hours of watching tv really add up, don’t they? I know the news is important, but I don’t hardly watch or listen to it. I can certainly tell the difference when I get a dose of it though.
I agree, we “do” have to get rid of the negative influences in our lives, whether it’s hiding a post on Facebook or minimizing our tv time.
I like the idea of replacing them with positive information instead. Now, that’s a great use of time!
Take care and thanks for the article!
Allyson
Hey Allyson! Four hours of TV a day can add up. It doesn’t even have to be consecutive. An hour in the morning and a few hours of night is really easy!
I saw your guest post at Smart Boy Designs! That’s awesome! Heading over there now to leave a comment!
Thanks, Benny! You know, I appreciate it.
Hey Benny,
I like the garbage in garbage out reference. It’s so true! We wouldn’t allow garbage into our physical environment, our homes, yet we allow it into our minds. WHAT were we thinking?! LOL
We need to spend time guarding that most powerful resource – our thinking!
🙂
Lori
Hi Lori!
It’s like parents wouldn’t want their kids watching TV all night long or spending time w/ bad influencers but some adults do that! Garbage in and garbage out. Our thoughts have so much control on what we can achieve. Like right now I have a headache and it’s makes me not want to do anything! LOL
Thanks for sharing Lori!
What you say here is true. But I’m a bit strange. I usually work and have the TV on in the background. I can’t work in complete silence, I need a little background noise.
Some people can do it for sure. I know some people write with music playing. I guess I’m not that good at doing both. I’ve tried but am not as productive as if I just turned off the TV. So you’re not strange at all!
I stopped watching the news several years ago. Don’t get me wrong, I know it’s important to learn what’s going on in our world today but I have my Mom for that. Trust me, she’s going to be filling me in. But just watching the local news is depressing so I learned a long time ago that I can’t do anything about the crime in our city so why watch all of that and get all depressed.
I also listen to motivational information while I’m driving too but now since I bought an iPod Touch, I have that all downloaded on that so when I work out, go for my walks and am in the car I can listen to that instead.
I still watch some TV but only a few shows I still enjoy. I tape them all and fast forward through the commercials so I always watch things that are enjoyable and not violent or depressing. That’s not my thing.
Great topic though as always. Thanks for sharing with us Benny and happy to hear all is well in your world my friend.
Adrienne
Adrienne!! I like to know what’s going on in the world and that’s why I read the USA Today. It’s not nearly as bad as the local news. Gosh I used to read it every day. No wonder my life was so different before!
I knew you fill up your cup with pure clean water all the time. That’s why you’re so productive and doing great things!
Great post! Reminds me of a quote that says “If you want to do the many things most people can’t do, simply do the few things most people won’t do.”
It’s important to filter what goes into your conscious and subconscious mind. What you think about effects your feelings and ultimately the action / inaction you take.
TV is a plug-in drug and a time-suck.
Hi Matthew, that’s a great quote. Thanks for sharing that.
TV is a plug-in drug now there’s hundreds of channels it’s easier to find at least something to watch at any time during the day! Can easily lose hours a day just watching TV. Thanks for your comment!
hi bennny! congrats on your recent successes!! 🙂 you deserve it! i am working on less electronics at night…i have been working on some decluttering which i notice helps literally clear the room for more activities and simply less clutter in my mind. i am mostly subscribed and actively reading positiveness on fb. so here are my goals that i’ll keep working toward: plan out 1-2-3 nights per week where i wind down with one tv show. the rest of it is minimal or no electronics time (includes laptop and blackberry) and focus on clearing my papers/projects/clutter so i can get to working on my creative work (writing/art/new things). 🙂 thanks for your fabulous blog!!
Hi Marina! Welcome to Get Busy Living. So glad you came by and left a comment.
Yes we have to declutter our brain to make room for the good things. Clean water in and dirty water out.
That’s great you’re making a plan to turn off the electronics less so you have more time to do more important things. You”ll find that you have so much free time and you won’t miss the TV. Since I’ve cut back, I haven’t regretted not watching more TV.
Thanks again and look forward to hearing from you again soon!
Heck yeah!
I fill my glass with positivity, energy, goals, personal development, and success. The second I come across negativity – I get away from it asap. I don’t like it. It bothers me.
Surround yourself with positive people and goal-setters, and you’d be surprised what can change within your life. Pretty cool stuff!
Thanks for the reminder! 🙂
Brock! You’re on top of it! I feel like I need to step it up a bit now. 🙂
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Excellent post. I could not agree more. Apart from gratitude, I love to fill my mind with my daughter’s laugh, God’s word and of course valuable information about business. I enjoy reading articles like this as well.
PS Wanted to make sure you saw your blog on my new CommentLuv enabled blog list!
Hey Ana!!!
Thanks for reading. I’m sure you can attribute much of your success and how you’ve shaped your life because of how you say you fill your mind. You just seem like a great person to be around as well.
I went over and saw that I’m listed! Thanks! I was going to submit but wasn’t sure if I technically fit the categories you were looking for. Thanks so much Ana! Great to hear from you as always.
My favorite line “If you truly want to live an epic life, you have to be different from the average person. You have to do what the average person doesn’t want to do.”
I couldn’t have articulated that any better myself!
Along the same note – thought I would share this video I saw today from over at the passivepanda blog, knowing you enjoy sports. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
How bad do you want it?
http://youtu.be/Jal4OkZtz8g
Average effort gets average results! Thanks for showing me that video! I feel like my workouts are too easy compared to that! Great video. Got my blood pumping for sure. I’ve bookmarked it when I need some inspiration.
Thanks Paul!
Hey Benny!
I also had to cut back on my tv consumption because it was getting out of hand. I cut off my cable and actually I don’t even have a digital antenna or anything.
Now I just watch dvd sets or movies when I truly have time for it or want to do the escapist thing for a bit.
I do keep a giant screensaver either of rolling clouds or beaches with waves rolling in on my tv while I work, it actually helps me to have that ambient activity in the background.
Frankly, a lot of local news I get from friends and family, and even that is usually all bad. As others have said, it’s good to keep abreast of these things but you don’t need to saturate yourself with negativity, either.
Anyway this was a great one, man, I’ll see you around!
Thanks for sharing John! You definitely sound like you’re filling it up with more clean water. I like to know what’s going on in the nation and the world but not be consumed by it day and night.
Always good to hear from you John!
This is one aspect of personal development that I wrestle with – not sure I buy into it entirely.
Generally speaking, I agree. However, I think you still have to maintain some balance. For example, watching the news and seeing what people are going through in the wake of tragedy – earthquakes, floods, terror, or currently closer to home, wildfires – activates our sense of compassion. It is in the face of the worst that we are at our best. I don’t think we should dwell on it, but I don’t think tuning it out is healthy either.
Also, I think there’s a place for both creating and experiencing “negative” art. Anger, sadness, loneliness, pain, etc., are all part of the human condition. Art, in all its forms, often provides catharsis, not only for the artist, but for those who experience it. Having a moment of “someone else understands my pain” can often help you release it and move on, rather than dwelling in it.
People like Carl Jung and Debbie Ford have done some great work on embracing your shadow. I think it’s a key to growth to spend some time with your shadow side, whether it’s listening to Marilyn Manson, reading Edgar Allan Poe, playing a violent video game, or writing about your own darkest thoughts.
Again, it’s a question of balance. All too often I’ve seen people take the whole positive thinking thing too far — to the point of being in total denial of reality until they’re punched in the face with it — getting fired, evicted, divorced, etc.
What do you say to somebody who has truly bought into the whole positive thinking thing, only to have their life turn out not at all as they’ve envisioned? Sure, we see the many success stories of famous people who’ve achieved remarkable success by following these principles? But what about all the people who follow the principles and still get terrible results? Are we really going to tell them, “You’re just not doing it right?”
Hi Scott,
Thanks for your well thought out comment. Yes I agree there needs to be some balance. We shouldn’t live in a bubble where we think the world is perfect. I definitely get my balance. I consume reality show sometimes. I read the USA Today. I’ll see what the viral video is on Youtube. I’ll read stories of loss in tragic situation. Then I realize that life is really precious.
We definitely can’t appreciate the good if we don’t know what’s bad. If we haven’t been down in the dumps, we’re not going to appreciate the wins.
For those people who have bought into the positive thinking thing but aren’t getting the results, I’d tell them they have to try something different. Maybe they are living in a bubble and not experiencing life. Maybe they’re too into personal development. Like you said, there has to be some balance. So for those people who are into the whole positive thinking but not getting results, I’d say don’t keep doing it exactly the way they have been. Obviously it’s not working. There’s something missing in the puzzle. So I’d l have to get to know them more and the results they are getting and try to help figure out how to get more results.
You make great points Scott. Thanks.
Hey, Benny, great post! I completely agree. It took me a while, but I finally realized that life is too short to have negative friends, thoughts, etc.
I now listen to audiobooks and podcasts in the car. I love arriving at my destination feeling as if I learned something.
I may be the rare bird, but I do stop for beautiful sunsets. In fact, I often try to take pictures of them to preserve their beauty. My kids complain because I am constantly pointing out the beauty of our surroundings as I drive. We live in a beautiful area of the country and I greatly appreciate that I drive by amazing waterfalls, covered bridges, colonial homes and beautiful woodlands as I drive around my area.
Thanks so much, Benny, for the reminders that the joys of life are there if you just take the time to clean out that glass! 🙂
Yes Carolyn! Listening to audiobooks and podcast in the car leave me feeling more energized. I have to listen to them over and over cause I know I don’t hear everything the first time.
You are the rare bird I think but stopping to see sunsets is a great excuse to stop. It’s always so amazing when the sun is so orange and red. It never does get old.
Thanks for sharing your story Carolyn! You seem like you do enjoy the little things that nature offers us.
Benny, you should have seen the sunset our family witnessed tonight as we were driving in the car. It was breath-taking. The rim of the clouds was glowing like a silver lining. I thought of you. It’s nice to know there is someone else who stops and appreciates the joys of life! 🙂
Thanks for sharing Carolyn! Seeing more sunsets would be a great goal in life. Sunrises would be great as well but it’s a bit too early for me. 🙂
I think it was Brian Tracy who called turning your car into a classroom is like having a mobile University. It has done wonders for my commute. I’m glad you mentioned watching TV too. People have no idea how much time and energy that actually consumes. Its mind-boggling! Great post Benny!
Hey Ralph! Yeah I’m sure the idea has been passed on from personal development gurus. It’s a valuable lesson. It has done wonders for my commute too. Frankly, the radio stations here play terrible music. People don’t have any idea how much Tv they watch unless they write it down. It’s so easy to consume two hours of Tv a day and not even know it.
Thanks for reading and commenting Ralph!
Benny,
I couldn’t help but remember an old Buddhist parable. The lesson isn’t exactly the same, but it also encourages the control over your mental state, and watching closely (And filtering) what goes in and out.
An old monk told me that the mind is like a glass of dirty water. Ordinarily, you can’t see through to the bottom because there is so much dirt, sediment, and particles floating around.
But if you calm the mind (water) down, the dirt can settle to the bottom and you are left with clear water. Most of us have got this constant chatter in our brains, the constant distractions from the outside world. You have to be quiet inside to see through it all 🙂
Thanks man, awesome reminder
Hi Alexander. I assume mediation helps calm the mind. That’s why it’s suggested to do a short meditation to help stop that chatter in our brain. I like that thinking though. There’s always going to be some dirt in the brain but we want the water to stay calm so it settles to the bottom.
Thanks for sharing that with me!
I agree with this and it is quite an important topic in life right now. I do enjoy filling my mind with crap at times though. I know it is not productive or helpful in anyway but I watch some awful TV just for pleasure alone and I don’t think there is anything wrong with that. I try and stay away from the news though, all too gloomy!
Hey Ramy, no there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s just that some people aren’t making any progress with their goals or feel they keep hitting unlucky streaks. Sometimes they need to fill their brain with some clean water. They need to step away from the TV and find more free time. Nothing is wrong with it as long as it’s in moderation. Too much of anything can be bad.
Yeah Benny, I completely agree with you there. Nothing is good in excess, even working!
Spot on! The part about making your car a classroom is a great idea. I recently started doing that instead of listening to music and have already learned a lot by listening to past TED talks via podcasts. There’s a lot to be said for continuing to challenge ourselves to improve each and every day.
Great suggestion!
Hey Nelson!
I started it this year as well and though I don’t see external proof that it’s working, this year has been the best year of my life business wise and I’m sure it’s been a factor. I’m sure w/ traffic out there, listening to TED talks makes the traffic a bit more tolerable. Why not use the valuable time in the car for something productive? I’m glad you’re doing it! Great to hear from you!
Great message as usual Benny! Cutting out bad news, negative thoughts and focusing on being positve and productive. Makes a world of difference. Thanks!
It sure does Buck! Makes such a big difference in the long run!