Your Mind Is A Powerful Thing

Story Inspiration from Bible Numbers 13-14

Your mind is a powerful thing. It inspires your words and action. It can lead you to victory or destruction. Often we are not aware of it as our thoughts often function subconsciously. Let’s read the few statements below. After reading each statement, write down how you feel or describe your first thought about it.

Statement 1. Very few people can do the work they enjoy and make a profit from it.

Statement 2. The rich will become richer, and the poor will become poorer.

Statement 3. Science says only 8 percent of people actually achieve their goals. 

Do these statements sound familiar to you? For example, what do you tell yourself when you are doing work you don’t really enjoy? Do you actually do research exploring your career interest to find a way out? Or do you tell yourself, “very few people can do the work they enjoy and make a profit from it” “guess I’m not the lucky one,” and end up choosing to continue doing the work that doesn’t excite you?

Henry Ford once said: “Whether you think you can or you can’t, either way, you are right.” Sometimes it’s not that we are not capable of achieving success. It is our mindset that is stopping us.

1. Do a spring cleaning on your negative thoughts.

What are the negative thoughts that have been stuck in your head for years (without you even knowing them)? Let it go and replace them with positive thoughts. You may need some time to focus on your thought intentionally to capture the negative self-talk. One of the thoughts I let go of is, “Very few people can do the work they enjoy and able to make a profit from it. And I am not the lucky one.” I instantly feel much happier and much lighter. It also helps create space for my mind to focus on my dreams and goals.

2. Stay Away From The Naysayers.

According to the bible story Numbers 13-14, twelve spies followed Moses’s instructions and went on to explore the promised land before they began to enter. When the spies report to Moses, ten spies gave the negative report, focusing on how powerful their opponents were, and they were like grasshoppers. Soon enough, the whole Israelite community sees themselves as grasshoppers despite the other two spies Joshua and Caleb told them about how good the land was.

In lives, there might be naysayers who tell you can’t achieve the things you want out of their own fear and security. Stay away from the naysayer, surround yourself with positive people, identify the “Joshua” and “Caleb” around you, and let their positivity and courage inspire you. 

3. Gratitude Instead Of Complaining

I can’t help but felt a bit shocked when I read Numbers 14:3 “Why is the Lord taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? … Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?” And soon enough, they plotted to choose a new leader to lead them back to Egypt, the land that kept them as slaves. What were they even thinking?

God has done many things to protect these Israelites, including guiding them with the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night, providing them food such as quail and manna, giving them water when they need to drink. Imagine if the Israelites were willing to be grateful for what the Lord has done for them instead of whining and complaining. Their mindset could have been shifted, how things could have turn out differently!

What are we focusing on in our daily lives? Do we give thanks to the lord or constantly complaining and blaming others? May we practice gratitude and intentionally focus on the positive things in our lives so that our mind shift could be shifted and help us get closer to achieving that big goal or God’s promise.

4. Step Out Of the Comfort Zone, Take Action

Part of the reason these Israelites are complaining is that they don’t have the confidence to fight. They refuse even to try, even though God has clearly promised them victory. My heart ached as I read how they end up in the wilderness again for forty years. After all the wilderness training they’ve been through, victory was finally getting close, yet they rather stay in their comfort zone, and they even choose to go back to the state of slavery. 

On the journey of pursuing our dreams, or pursuing God’s promise, often we have to step out of our comfort zone, take the risk, get in action to claim the prize. While taking risks sounds scary, you might get rejected, you might fail, and even lose some money. Staying in the comfort zone, in fact, is not comfortable at all. Eventually, you’ll pay the price, the consequences might not be that severe as what happened to Israelites (they died in the wilderness), but the thought of “what if I have done that, things could be different,” the thought of not living your dreams while seeing others thrives and achieve success alone is torturing enough.

What are your goals and dreams, and what’s hindering you from going after them? What are the actions you will take, and what are the consequences of not taking any action?

Let us remain positive and courageous like Joshua and Caleb, dream big, take action, and God bless you.