Mind Control is Real. Promise.

We’re still in beginning of the year mode, thinking about our mid-to-long-term plans and how we can achieve them. On the most recent Clarity Compressed podcast, I spoke on a subject that I believe is very important to achieving your goals this year.

This one one simple phrase should be one of the keys to accomplishing your 2019 goals AND improving your life and relationships: “You get to choose”.

If that sounds grandiose, then think ask yourself this. Have you ever wished you could have the power of mind control? Well you actually do. You can control your OWN mind.

This is such a basic concept that it gets overlooked in the everyday fog of life. I was recently thinking about a book I love that gave me some clarity on this this idea. The book is Discipline Equals Freedom by Jocko Willink. Here’s a relevant snippet:

People are not who you want them to be. Kill your idols. Sure, there are things you can learn from people -- but people aren’t going to be what you think they are -- what they should be.

People, even those people you have put up on a pedestal, are going to be faulted, weak, egomaniacal, condescending. They’re going to be lazy, entitled, short-sighted. They will not be perfect. Far from it.

Because you can’t control other people. You can’t make them what you want them to be. You can’t make them who you want them to be.

The only person you can control is you. So focus on making yourself who you want to be:

Faster. Stronger. Smarter. More humble. less ego.

Discipline Equals Freedom is a “field manual” for getting more out of yourself and out of life by being disciplined. I’ve gotten a lot out of this section this quote is from, called “The Person You Can Control”. The main takeaway is that you control you.

You get to choose.

Think about the things that prevent you from accomplishing your goals. All these situations and people you CAN’T control. They make you feel like a hostage. As a business leader, you’re hostage to consumers, risky markets, politics, financial outlooks. As a spouse, significant other, or parent you’re hostage to your partner or kids. You’re hostage to your co-workers, your friends, your social feed.

The problem with this hostage outlook is the thought you have no choice.

Before you say it, yes, sometimes there are things we can’t choose or control. Sometimes the train is delayed or you get in a fender bender. Someone does something 100% unpredictable. The important thing to remember is that yes, there are exceptions and no, you’re not one of them This is a mindset, not a law of physics.

The goal of this mindset is for you to take ownership.You don’t feel proud of other people’s things and accomplishments. You feel proud of things you own - projects, wins, goals completed.

My hope is that together, we’ll gain enough CLARITY to stop blaming and start CHOOSING.

Choose to give customers what they want instead of complaining about their preferences.

Choose to own our own feelings instead of making them someone else’s fault.

Choose to contribute at our jobs instead of being a part of the problem.

Choose to take our control of our thoughts before they carry us away.

It means so much to me that you invest some of your time with me and the rest of the CLARITY community. You can hear more about how you get to choose on this week’s podcast. Please listen AND share it with someone you think might get something out of it.

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Also, if we aren't connected on social, we should! I try to bring a little different flavor to each:

• LinkedIn is the biz dev and career dev spot.
• Instagram is where I get more personal and practical.
• Twitter is where I listen and comment most.
• Facebook is more general and overarching.
• My family also has a little spot on Instagram where we have some fun