You Can Get On Board With The Power Of Thinking

There’s a powerful force in your life. Your thoughts.

If your thoughts create palpable force, then perhaps we can draw in a little help from our old pal Newton to understand how thinking works…

I know. Physics wasn’t exactly what you were expecting. But don’t go! There are no tests here, just pure concept that even I can grasp.

A LESSON FROM NEWTON

Newton’s second law states: Force = mass * acceleration

That is, the amount of force something exhibits is the result of its “size” and speed. A grizzly bear is big enough that he can knock you over with a slow punch or a rapid smash. But the force of the rapid smash will create a crushing impact, while the slow punch will just make you fall.

A mouse who stumbles into you will leave the slightest impression – a tickle on your ankle. But a mouse who races headfirst into your ankle at his top speed is gonna make you take a step back (unless you’re braced and ready for him).

Another way to say this is that power is bred of size and timing.

And if your thoughts have power over you, it’s likely because they

• hit suddenly, even if they’re small or “inconsequential”

• onset slowly, especially when they’re big or profound

Or you could think of size as volume. Then your powerful thought might have

• high repetition, while being of average size or everyday importance,

and create a strong force in you.

(I can’t tell you how much this analogy tickles me. Such is the power of thinking over your feelings!)

THE POWER OF THINKING

Sudden revelation can feel like an actual force has slammed into your brain.

The power of that force makes you stop and take it in because you don’t really have any other option. That’s how a sudden insight can change the course of your life.

Is there a moment you can think of that rerouted your own actions in life?

Just a teensy bit of re-purposed physics “proves” that the same ability to change your life can come through the steady persistence of an everyday thought.

Why might you even want to tap into the “power” of thinking? Why should you care that it’s there whether you seek to create it or not?

Is there something about yourself or others that is true but that you struggle to embrace and believe?

You can remove the struggle.

Take the truth, package it up nice and neat, and then repeat it in your thoughts everyday.

One day, somewhere out there in the future, not only will you believe it, you will start to make decisions and take action based on that truth. (So make sure it’s actually true and useful before you begin!)

(Thought repetition can work in both good and bad ways –so please, take care with your thoughts. Avoid repeating factual falsehoods or hurtful, negative opinions (about anyone) in your thoughts. They won’t do any permanent damage once in a while, but over and over again and hurtful thinking, well, hurts.)

PUT YOUR THOUGHTS TO WORK

The power of thinking fuels action and generates changes beyond your mind. And while you may not be striving to take action on anything in particular, its still important to be aware of this equation.

There will be power in your thoughts that you didn’t know was there.

A powerful thought can propel you to say, do, or feel something you didn’t expect. And if you weren’t expecting it, you may not be prepared to take the driver’s seat with it there.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve nearly lost my sh*t for what felt like no reason at all. But somewhere in my head are the ideas, the thoughts, the experiences that tie into those moment of zero cool.

Even if you don’t have an outlet in mind for the power of your thoughts, that power will go somewhere: into your next thoughts or actions, or maybe someone else’s ear.

Start paying attention to your thoughts. You can become aware of how you react, respond, and reflect in your thoughts. Through that clarity, you can shape your actions.

To read more of Esther Palmer's work click here or follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

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