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Psychology

Learning to Think Like a Winner

by Geary L. Smith

Do you want to think, act and be like a winner?

Anyone can think like a winner once they learn how to respond to the circumstances in life. For, it is not what happens to you that is of great concern, but how you internalize the event and respond to it. You can be a winner when you are determined to take action.

For example, I was just a 12 year-old, tenderfoot scout, when I made up my mind that I could obtain the highest honors of eagle scout. I surrounded myself with other eagle scouts and learned all they had to teach. And before long, I was an eagle scout with others looking up to me. In addition to scouting, I studied martial arts. From it, I gained self-confidence and mental toughness. With each belt color, my confidence grew in what I could achieve in life.

Later when I was a freshman at Morehouse College, I enrolled in a psychology class taught by Dr. Allen. I found that his lectures slowly transformed my life and my beliefs about what I could achieve and accomplish not only in college, but in life.

"It is your ‘locus of control’", said Dr. Allen, "whether it is internal and external, that many times will affect how you think about yourself and how you view the world." Simply, ‘locus of control’ means who or what determines how you respond to your environment. Do you take responsibility for your decisions or actions (internal), or do you tend to rely on others (external)?

When you believe that you can change and control things in your life, you will have peace of mind and well-being. Having the ability to control your thoughts and beliefs will give you the freedom to pursue your goals and professions in life. You cannot predict what will happen to you, but you can decide how you will respond.

How can you take control in your life? Try to surround yourself with images, people, pictures, and sounds of what success might mean. For example, positive thinking will help you reach your goals and dreams in life. Have you ever been around a very successful person? Just being in their presence or listening to their words can help you feel more self-assured. Hearing a song that makes you smile can make you feel that nothing is impossible. Thinking about or even visiting a place that brings back memories of achievement can boost your confidence. You can change the way you see life by surrounding yourself with positive influences.

Lastly, you may want to consider studying Neurolinquistic Programming (NLP), which helps individuals sort, see, and organize their thoughts and actions for positive change and control. Richard Bandler and John Grinder first developed NLP in the early 70’s from studying the thinking and behavioral patterns used by several successful people, like the noted family therapist, Virginia Satire and world-renowned psychiatrist, Dr.Milton Erickson. Books and tapes on NLP are available all over the country. With the help of NLP, you can transform your way of thinking and believing and take control of your thoughts and actions.

When you take action, you will become a winner. You cannot fail. With unwavering confidence and assurance, nothing will be able to stop you. I once heard a quote that stuck with me to this very day, "Always shoot for the moon, even if you don’t make it, at least you will be among the stars."

The End

Married to Tonnette, Geary L. Smith has two daughters, Jessica and Somer. Mr. Smith has a B.S in psychology from Morehouse, M.Ed. Stephen F. Austin and is currently working as counselor/administrator in a juvenile center.

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