Have You Got Ants in Your Pants?

Mindset Matters
In order for us to think we require some sort of stimulation (conscious or unconscious). And it is this stimulus that we attach ‘our thinking’ to and then we respond according to our thinking. We are often unaware of the thoughts as they are operating at a million miles an hour in the background of our mind unless of course we tune into them.

Between stimulus and response, you have the freedom to choose. This is your greatest power. One of the most important things you choose is what you say. Your language is a great indicator of how you see yourself. A reactive person uses reactive language “I can’t; I must, if only etc”. A proactive person uses proactive language such as “I can, I will, I prefer“ A reactive person doesn’t believe they have a choice.

Has there ever been a time when you’ve avoided making a call to a client, a colleague or a supplier? Why do we act and feel these responses? The simple reason is because we’re all creatures of habit and routine. We may have had a nasty experience with calling in the past therefore we think it will happen again with a similar person in the future so we adopt a ‘avoidance’ thinking pattern when placed in an environment, situation or circumstance similar to one in the past and we respond accordingly – run for cover!

Thinking Activity
Think about the last time you lacked confidence. What was the event/situation/circumstance? Divide a piece of a paper up into 3 columns. In column 1 write a brief summary of the event, in column 2 write down a brief summary of what you did (i.e. mulled over the call for some time, got nervous, got defensive when you made the call etc.) and in column 3 write a brief summary of what you were thinking at the time that made you respond and react this way.

Get mentally fit!
If you always do what you’ve always done, you will always get what you’ve always got! In other words, if you want to change your outcomes in life, you need to change the thinking that created them in the first place. Just like going to the gym, you need to go regularly to get and stay fit. The same goes for your mind. In order to change old habits, you need to replace them with new proactive ones, not just every now and then but every day in every way!

Your life doesn’t just happen. Whether you know it or not, it is carefully designed by you – or carelessly designed by you. It is after all, your choice. You choose happiness. You choose sadness. You choose failure. You choose courage. You choose fear. Every moment, every situation, provides a new choice. And in doing so, it gives you a perfect opportunity to do things differently to produce more positive results.

Being proactive is about taking responsibility for your life (at work and at play). You can keep blaming your parents, children, co-workers, customers and even your boss! Proactive people recognise that they are “RESPONSE-ABLE”. They don’t blame the circumstances, conditions for their behaviour. They know they choose their behaviour. Reactive people, on the other hand, are often affected by their physical environment. If the weather is good, they feel good. If it isn’t, it affects their attitude and performance.

Have You Got Ants in Your Pants?
Have you ever tried to put the skids on an ant? It’s virtually impossible. They never stop. Put one to the test someday. Pretend you’re five years old again and make a little hill in an ant’s path. The ant will walk up and over the top without braking. It will go into a hole, over a log, through grass. If it can’t go through, it will go around. An ant will never turn around and walk the other way, no matter what obstacles are in its path.

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Summary
Try applying that tenacity to your life and your career. Of course you want to use your brain too. But in the determination department, be an ant! Refuse to be stopped. Keep going, make proactive choices and learn as you go. People who patiently persist finally see their dreams come true.

So until next week you remember to keep struttin your stuff!

Kylie Bartlett – The Web Celeb!

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