Steps to reach your goals

Step One - Stop Scaring yourself off

It is easy work yourself into a frantic state witrh worries. "What if he dies from the surgery? People die all the time from appendectomies!"
"This turbulence isn't normal!"
"The plane's going down!"
"What's that noise? - it sounds just like someone trying to break into the house, and it's 2 a.m. - nobody will hear me if I scream." This isn't helping you at all, and you will not achieve your goals in life this way. This applies to dieting and lowering your cholesterol as much as it does to passing an exam or finding happiness.

Instead, get real. I mean that literally: use statistics and positive thoughts to reassure yourself that patients rarely die from appendectomies, turbulence is normal, and robbers are most likely to break in during the day when nobody's home. Also, find the humour in the negative thought process: sitcoms always use hysteria as the basis for a good laugh. It's not as funny in real life, but if you can connect a funny character's overreaction to an event with your own life, you may see the humor in the situation. You could stop negative thinking and apply the power of positive thoughts.

Step Two - Stop Name calling

"I'm so stupid." "You're an idiot." "Anybody who drives like that must be a moron!" You call yourself names, and those names become reality. You start to believe you are stupid, you're an idiot, and only morons cut other people off. Those negative thought patterns will discolour your world, and they won't harness the power of positive thinking the way you need to achieve your goals in life.

Instead, watch your tongue. You're setting yourself up for glum thoughts and low self-worth when you call yourself names. If you don't treat yourself with kindness and respect, then who will? The Law of Attraction may help with this type of twisted thinking. To achieve your goals in life, use the power of positive thinking.

Step Three - Taking the blame

You apologise and take responsibility when it's not yours - this is similar to inappropriate guilt. "It's all my fault." "My son wouldn’t try drugs if I was a better father." "If I had cooked the steak the way he likes, he wouldn't have slapped me." Negative thinking like that sets you up for failure - and worse.

Instead, accept appropriate guilt. If you did something wrong, your subconscious should prod you to feel guilt and remedy the situation. Before you apologize and feel guilty, check if you actually did something wrong. Regarding the examples: nothing is all your fault, and many people try drugs regardless of their parents. As for abuse, you never, ever deserve a slap. Use positive thoughts to achieve your goals in life, because positive thinking works.

Step Four - Stop taking things personally

When we unpacked the groceries the other night, my husband asked me to stop buying antibacterial soap because it's bad for the septic tank. My negative thinking patterns helped me hear criticism and blame - not a simple request for a different kind soap. It's easy to take things personally: "If they liked me, they'd invite us on their honeymoon cruise." "That waiter is ignoring me." These aren't positive thoughts, nor do they harness the power of positive thinking.

Instead, realize it's not all about you. Most people aren't directly criticizing you when they comment on the report you've prepared, the design of your house, or the fact that the bacteria in the septic tank are necessary . Most people aren't even thinking of you or your feelings when they're talking - they're simply verbalizing their thoughts. It's rarely all about you - so stop those twisted thought patterns! To achieve your goals, use the power of positive thinking in life.

Step Five - Stop black and white thinking

"If you think that, then you must not love me." "One false step and all our work will be for nothing." There aren't any shades of grey: it's one extreme or the other. "If she's late for this meeting, she definitely isn't interested in my project." This negative thinking is usually completely wrong, and they aren't positive thoughts that help you achieve your goals in life.

Instead, look for balance. Few things in life are black and white, and life's better that way. You can be afraid and proceed with your new life. You can have an argument and still love your partner. You can be late for something and still want to participate in it fully. You can be sad or angry and still love life! Achieve your goals with the power of positive thinking in life.

Watch your negative and positive thoughts; they can make or break not only your mood and your day, but also your life. If you don't know if you're a positive thinker, ask for an objective viewpoint from a friend or counselor -- and consider letting go of your past.