by Steve Kroening
Thought control. The words conjure
up images of oppressive governments or Jim Jones-type religious cults. But if
you really want to find success in life, these words could be two of the most
powerful you ever consider.
Obviously, I'm not talking about power in terms of some
external force controlling what you think. I'm referring to your ability to
control your own thoughts. Many people don't think you can control your
thoughts. They just happen, so why fight it? This is why we have so much
wrong-headed thinking these days. People think whatever they want to, and that
always leads to their own destruction.
People can control their thoughts. They do it all the time,
especially when they're involved in their work. You've heard of single-minded
people. These are people who have their minds set on accomplishing one thing.
They have trained their mind, consciously or not, to focus on finishing one
task.
In fact, finding success in anything, whether it's business, relationships, health, or any other endeavor,
requires you to control your thoughts. Much like a computer, you need to
control what goes into your mind, what your mind does with material it doesn't
need or shouldn't have, and what your thoughts will focus on.
The Bible tells us, "whatever is true, whatever is
honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is
commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise,
think about these things" (Philippians 4:8). So God expects us to control
our thoughts.
In one sense, thought control is easy. Simply telling you to
think about some things will get your mind going that direction. But our minds
tend to wander. That's when it gets tough. So here are some things to think
about as you learn to train your mind.
Thought control requires that you actually think about your
thoughts -- and take action on them. Change them, even. Good and productive
thoughts don't just happen. You have to make an effort to make them happen. If
you've been thinking bad things about your spouse, make an effort to think
about their good attributes. Then train your mind to focus on these, not the
negatives.
Thought control allows you to use your time wisely. Letting
your mind wander is a waste of time. Letting your mind think about evil things
is a waste of time. And letting your mind think about others the wrong way will
force you to waste a lot of time repairing relationships.
Thought control allows you to control your emotions and your
desires. Without thought control, you're more likely to panic in
life-threatening situations. But if you train your mind to think, you'll be
able to handle the most difficult situations. You'll also be able to control
your appetites around the dinner table and in other tempting situations.
Thought control allows you to control your speech. Many
people talk about how hard it is to control one's tongue. But I think it's even
more difficult to control one's thoughts. Since the tongue speaks what you
think, controlling your thoughts will effectively control your tongue.
Thought control allows you to overcome obstacles instead of
obstacles overcoming you. Some people stop when they're faced with an obstacle.
If you have control over your thoughts, you can continue to move forward and
figure out a way to deal with the obstacle -- or go around it.
One area where many people struggle with thought control is
in determining what to do with their lives. They don't know where to focus
their thoughts, so their thoughts tend to wander. This is normal. But it needs
to be limited. Even in determining direction, you need to help your thoughts
focus on specific areas of skill. Ask yourself the right questions, or find
someone who can help you do that. Once you get your mind on the right track,
everything else in your life will fall into place. It doesn't guarantee
success, but success is very elusive without it.
Steve Kroening writes for Success
magazine and also publishes Wisdom's Edge. You can get Biblical tips on health,
finance, relationships, parenting, and success, delivered to your email inbox
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