By Tommy Wittig -

It’s been tossed around so much that it’s practically become a cliché but regardless of how time and repetition may have diminished it’s strength, I still find it sobering; “Think about what you’re thinking about.”

I was reminded of this catch-phrase while reading “Excuses Begone!” by Dr. Wayne Dyer. In Dr. Dyer’s book he speaks of awareness and the benefits we can experience by simply being aware of our thought habits. That’s right, our thought habits. Our thinking is habitual. How we think and what we think is all steeped in a lifetime of practice.

I recently wrote an article called “Asleep At The Wheel” (you can read the entire article here) where I talk about going through life on Auto Pilot. So often we get stuck in our ruts, our habits and our comfort zones and end up spending much of our time sleepwalking through life. We go through the motions, numbed and dumbed, oblivious and truly unaware of the world around us, not to mention unaware of our selves. Unless something comes along and shakes us up we remain in this trance-like state of being and before we know it, years have passed and we ask ourselves, “Where did the time go?”

It’s my opinion that if we’re going to wake up from our comatose existence and experience life we need to start by waking up our minds. Clear, controlled and conscious thinking is what differentiates us from the zombies. (Yes, I’m aware that zombies aren’t real – but it’s a good analogy and you know it!)

Consider this quote and try to tell me otherwise: “No matter where you go or what you do, you live your entire life within the confines of your head.”  ~Terry Josephson

So what are you thinking about? Is it your habit to let your thoughts control you or do you control your thoughts? Again, it’s my opinion, but based on the experiences I’ve had, I have seen so many hurting people out there who have never heard this simplistic message. People who have been controlled by their own thoughts, living a lifetime of inferiority, depression and horrible self-esteem have never realized that it’s their own thoughts that have held them captive. Not once have they considered nor recognized their thoughts for what they were doing to them. They react to their thoughts as opposed to creating their thoughts.

I happen to believe that our thoughts never stop. Our minds are constantly at work whether it’s a a song stuck in our head, a fear or concern that we might be obsessing over or something as simple as “I’m hungry. I’m tired.” Whatever it is, the brain just doesn’t stop. That’s why it has to be our responsibility to control this magnificent muscle that lies inside our skulls.

So how can we control our thoughts? It’s not as difficult as you would think. Controlling what you think is as simple as controlling what you say. (Okay, I realize that many of us need a LOT of help in that area, but we’ll save that for another message). You simply Think before you Think.

Inside each of us is an all day, everyday dialogue that never stops. The problem is, much like a boring speech or a nagging spouse (yikes! I actually said that!) that drones on and on, we tend to tune out these thoughts of ours, thus we let them go wherever they want. We become lazy and let our minds drift while we go through the motions on Auto Pilot. But if there’s one thing I can vouch for from my experience, it’s only when we take control of our thoughts that we can experience any kind of success in this life. Let’s face it, our human nature is undisciplined at best. We don’t like to be uncomfortable, few of us like change and more often than not, it’s our tendency to take the path of least resistance when faced with choices and decisions. And our thinking habits are no different.

Our thinking has to be disciplined. Our thoughts have to be reeled in on a moment by moment basis or they will simply get away from us. Or worse, they will actually begin to atrophy. Our minds are meant to be exercised, just like every other muscle in our body, or they will become weak. They need to be fed with “nutritious” content, just like our bodies, to be strong and healthy. If you feed your mind with “Junk Food” (i.e. – meaningless Television, uninspired music and “Jackass” movies) then your thoughts will be the by-product of what it was fed. And if you don’t control your thoughts, then your thoughts will invariably control you. You will find yourself worrying about things that you perceive as uncontrollable. You will be less likely to embrace change. You will pass up opportunities that might require you to go outside of your comfort zone. You will do these things because your thoughts will react to each of these situations by choosing the easy way out as opposed to you taking control of your thoughts and taking the path less traveled. (Note: The path less traveled is usually the path to true success.)

So what’s it going to be? Are you aware of your thoughts right now? Are you paying attention to the dialogue that’s going on inside that noggin of yours? If not, I urge you to get a grip on your thoughts and bring them under your jurisdiction. You are the only one who gets to have the final say on your thoughts. You have to live within the confines of your own head for the rest of your life. It’s up to you to BE controlled or IN control.
….now think about it and get back to me.

Tommy lives in Brooklyn Center, MN with his Wife, Kimberly and their three children, Jayden, Rachel and Zachary. When he is not writing or speaking, you will find him playing Guitar and Drums with his Band. A self-taught musician and Head-Banger at heart, Tommy takes his love for Rock And Roll center stage with a style that is rare in the Self Improvement field. “I coined the phrase ‘No suit, No tie, All business’ because I wanted to be different in my approach to the people I hope to reach. You’ll find a long-haired, T-shirt and Jeans wearing guy lecturing you on Personal Responsibility and Integrity. We’ve all heard it from the Suits, and while I am not knocking them, I think there is a new generation of people coming up that don’t wear the suits and ties and want someone they can relate to. That’s where I hope to come in.”

To learn more about Tommy, you can find him on Twitter [@tommywittig], Facebook and his Blog, www.expertofnonexpertise.blogspot.com
You can also email him at tommywittig@gmail.com.