Your Mind has the Steering Wheel
Have you ever risked vulnerability with a spouse or a close friend or a coworker by telling them about some strange thought you were having? You go out on a limb to tell them. You start the sentence with, “I know this makes no sense but I was thinking that ____________.”
And they responded to you by saying, “Don’t worry about it. It’s just all in your head.” And you’re like, “That’s the problem – it’s all in my head and it’s affecting my whole life.” The issue isn’t always what is true in the world. Sometimes, it’s just about what is true in the world that exists in our minds. And I don’t know about you, but I have things that enter my mind and I have no idea where these thoughts come from. I’m like, “How in the world did that just get into my head?”
Have you ever wondered how your thoughts make their way into your mind? Do you ever find yourself overthinking? Has your mind ever convinced you that something was absolutely true, only to learn that it wasn’t true at all? Whatever is in our mind will determine the course of our lives. Knowing the mind is powerful, are you convinced that your thoughts control you or is it possible that you can control your thoughts?
“Wherever your mind goes, the rest of your life goes with it.” -Dallas Willard, Life Without Lack
The mind is THAT powerful. Think about the people who have created the most beautiful things throughout history. Where did those things originate? In their minds. Think about the people who have caused the most damage and destruction throughout history. Where did those things get their start? In their minds.
But let’s not just think about famous people who have created great beauty and great evil with their minds. When you think about the most beautiful things you’ve created in your life, where did those things originate? When you think about the things you’ve done that you most regret, where did those moments begin? You’re right – the best things you’ve produced and the worst things you’ve done – all have their genesis in your mind.
What kind of life are you thinking your way into? We might not like to hear this, but we are responsible for our thoughts. And the reason we should take this job seriously is because our thoughts end up creating the particular life we live.
Are your strongest thoughts creating the life you were made for? When you think about your strongest thoughts – about yourself, others, God, work, relationships, time, money, and anything else – are your most dominant thoughts serving you well? If so, keep thinking them. If not, step away from those thoughts by engaging in the kind of thinking that will serve your future well.
What comes out in your life starts in your mind. Some people say, “Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.” I think that’s true, but so is this – tell me what you spend most of your time thinking about and I’ll show you your future.
While your mind has the steering wheel for your entire life, you have the steering wheel for your mind. While it’s true that your mind is going to take your life to certain places, YOU are the one who gets to decide where to take your mind. Knowing this, what shifts do you want to make? What inputs do you need more of? Less of? What toxic thinking do you need to run away from?
Part of my passion in writing Bring It Out is to help you with your mindset. In this book, you’ll discover how to take control of your thoughts and you’ll be amazed at the life this can lead to for you.
