Think

Firstly, thanks to the people who took the time to comment on (and email me regarding) my last Blog. I have decided to go ahead and do the course, even if it is just to broaden my horizons.

In my research to find out a bit more about the world of copywriting, I came across a recorded Seminar on copywriting, the guest speaker being the legendary Ted Nicholas. Now in case you don’t know, Ted is one of those amazing ‘rags-to-riches’ people. He started out at 21 years of age, a high school drop-out with nearly $100,000 worth of debts. He borrowed money to buy a shop and started a confectionery business and, by the time he was 29 this business had 30 franchises.

Ted went on to write countless best selling books; to found, and sell for an enormous profit, more businesses than you can imagine.

Now Ted talks much about the importance of attitude on the pathway to success. He posed a question to his audience.

‘What is it that you think about most of the time?’

His answer?

‘You think about your fears,’

For me this is certainly the truth. I don’t go around each day trembling in anticipation of a Nuclear Holocaust or an Alien Invasion. But I do tend to think about the same kinds of things that many other people think about.

What if my husband or I get sick and can no longer work?

What if we lose our major earning contracts?

What if the landlord prices us out of living here when he next raises the rent?

These are all perfectly legitimate concerns. Yet, do you see what I’m doing here? I’m preparing myself for failure. I’m working on strategies to rescue myself after my life falls in a heap.

Ted then gave an example of his much more positive way of thinking. He pointed out that with modern medicine we are within a decade or so of breakthroughs that could see us living for more than 100 years. In fact Ted fully believes that he will live until he is 110.

There is not much point, he says, in living that long if you are feeble and infirm. So Ted keeps himself to an exercise routine and a healthy eating plan. He also explains that he plans to never retire; he believes that it is his work which keeps him full of enthusiasm and excitement.

Now he is so convinced that he will live until he is 110 that Ted handed out passes to each of the members of his Seminar group - passes that would gain them entry to his birthday celebrations.

I am not sure I aspire to live until I’m 110. But I can most definitely see the benefit in Ted’s incredibly positive attitude. He is planning for the realization of his dreams and ambitions, not his failures. He is working on strategies for celebrating his achievements and not recovering from his disappointments.

Ted states that we are what we think about the most. He is a success because success is always the foremost thought in his mind.

©Lyn Murphy 2011