How do we keep our spirits high and not be affected by our surroundings and what other people say and do? As a child, we do not have this experience. Most of the time, children are oblivious to their surroundings. They are not affected by what others say or do.
During their growing years, most children are bombarded with negative thoughts in the disguise of good advice, from their caring parents and people around them. So, by the time the children become adults, all these ‘good advice’ became deeply ingrained in their minds. Naturally, it becomes harder to maintain a positive mindset.
For me, I noticed that I am a naturally negative person. I would always start thinking of all the bad stuff. Eventually, the bad will out-weigh the good and nothing gets moving.
I know I need to pay attention to how I think and what I say in order to overcome this problem. I need to stay positive as I know that this will definitely be detrimental to my life and new venture if I keep on being negative in thoughts and actions.
Fortunately, I have attended some motivational courses before, where I learnt how to control and change my feelings by some simple actions and affirmation.
Recently, I read Brian Tracy's newsletter where he did an article on Keeping Yourself Postive.
Brian Tracy suggested that we should take charge of those “suggestive elements” in our environment. We must make sure that whatever we see and listen to is consistent with the goals we want to achieve.
Brian Tracy suggests:
1. Listen/Watch educational or inspirational/motivational audio or video programs.
I feel that he is absolutely right. Listening/Watching educational or inspirational/motivational audio or video programs in the morning helps as it sets the pace for the rest of the day.
I learn from an online elearning website where there are many world class experts and coaches like Robert Kiyosaki, Anthony Robbins, and Stephen Pierce who discuss various topics that are very relevant to us. I cut down on the time and money spent to attend live seminars or courses even though I do attend some selectively.
Learning can also take place while you are travelling to and from work. For example, in the car when you are driving, instead of listening to the radio, one can listen to audio programs. If you go on public transport, you could also listen to the audio programs as well. You can become an expert in your area by simply listening to educational audio programs as you drive or travel from place to place.
2. Take Courses That Relate To Your Field
Besides listening and watching educational programs, it is necessary to attend courses/seminars to have an in-depth knowledge in our field. One of the ways to acquire this knowledge is to attend seminars given by experts in our area of interest. We should learn from the experts, ask them questions, write them letters, read their books, read their articles and listen to people with proven track records in the area in which you want to be successful.
3. Get Around the Right People
There are many who are energy "suckers" (pardon me if this appears to be offensive) who would sigh and complain all day long. After prolonged periods with them, these people can condemn you to a life of underachievements, frustration and failure. So make sure you stay away from them as much as possible.
By associating only with positive, success-oriented people and winners, we can become more positive ourselves. Quote from Brian Tracy - “You can’t fly with the eagles if you keep scratching with the turkeys.” In Chinese, we have a saying that goes "If you are near to the pearl, you are shiny; if you are near to the black ink, you are dark (non-shiny).
4. Visualize Your Goals and Create Mental Pictures
Visualization is an extremely powerful tool. Visualize our goals vividly and see ourselves performing at our best. See the situations that we are facing, working out exactly the way we want them to. Our subconscious mind is only activated by affirmations and pictures that are received in the present tense. The best time to do visualization is before we fall asleep and when we get up in the morning as these are the times our subconscious mind is most receptive to new programming.
In Summary
There are two things we can do, all day long, to keep our mind and emotions focused on our goals and financial success:
First, listen to audio programs in your car and when you travel around. Continue feeding your mind with a stream of high-quality, educational, motivational material that moves you towards your goal. Be a life-long learner and continously upgrade yourself.
Second, resolve to associate with positive, optimistic people most of the time. Get around winners and get away from negative people who criticize, condemn and complain. This can change your life as much as any other factor.
Self Improvement 
