In a continuation of our life coaching articles series on Jim Rohn, let’s explore the second and third piece that comprises his Life Puzzle. 

Attitude

Jim Rohn defines attitude by stating: "Your attitude is defined by how you FEEL about the past, the present and the future.  This is the emotional side of the puzzle.  How we FEEL about our experiences in life can either stop us in our tracks or inspire us to action."

We all have a choice that we can make: we can let the past overwhelm us, or we can let the past educate us.  And unless we can learn from the past, the chances are that our future will be much of the same.

But there’s something special about this moment: you can decide right here, right now where you want to be in twelve months.  That’s the incredible power of attitude.

Rohn makes two important notes while talking about attitude:

•  The power of associations.  Who am I around?  How are they influencing me? Is that okay
•  The notion of building a high self-worth in order to create a better future.

He brings in this fantastic quote to sum up the above points:

"If there is one are in the knowledge department where we cannot afford to be lacking, it is the knowledge and awareness of our uniqueness.  We do not feel better about ourselves for the simple reason that we do not really know ourselves.  For if we truly knew ourselves- our strengths, our abilities, our resources, our depth of feeling, our sense of humor, our unique accomplishments – we would never again doubt our ability to create a better future."

I’d like to take a moment to tie this section into a topic that’s been a constant presence in the media today: bullying.  When you don’t feel valued, or when you have a low sense of self-worth, the future becomes very bleak.  When some children are bullied, they think their futures are so bleak that they take their own lives.  This is UNACCEPTABLE in the society we live in.  It’s not just the school system that’s failing these kids; “we” as a society are failing these kids.

In the words of Rohn, “We become a powerful force when each of us understands how powerful all of us are and when all of us understand how valuable each of us is.”

Therefore it is our responsibility as a society to teach kids the importance of understanding how valuable each person really is, no matter what the color of their skin or sexual orientation.  But if we keep sending messages that it is NOT okay to be different and unique, then we can only find fault within ourselves.

Teaching shouldn’t be just about algebra and science; we need to help children learn to understand themselves, discover their unique talents and accept the uniqueness of all.  Personal development SHOULD become part of the school curriculum. 

Activity

Rohn starts off this section with another powerful quote: “But a growing awareness and a positive attitude are not enough in and of themselves.  What we know and how we feel merely determine our potential for achievement.  Whether we actually achieve our goals is ultimately determined by our activity.”

In other words, even the best intentions are useless without action.  To live a successful life, you must take steps towards you ultimate goals, no matter how small those steps may be.  After all, taking action – even a tiny step – is still activity.

Why would anyone be afraid of success?  Spiders, yes. Fear of heights, sure. Anxiety and fear of public speaking, of course. But fear of success?

It might surprise you to know that many, many people - if not the majority - are actually afraid of being successful. This comes as a surprise to many people because it seems so counter-intuitive and because we often never realize that this is at the heart of achieving the results we deserve in our professional and personal lives. Consider the following thoughts and beliefs that often surface during life coaching dialogues:

• the thought that you are unworthy of having good things happen to you—good things only happen to other people
• being paralyzed by the thought that if you try and you fail, it will be too devastating
• believing that you're just not good enough, not talented enough, not competent enough, not deserving enough, etc.
• thinking that somehow anything you accomplish will explode and turn into something bad or painful down the road
• the idea that no matter how much you win and succeed, it'll never be enough to satisfy you or fill up your emptiness
• only being able to see the other people in the world that you perceive as being better than you are and feeling intimidated by them
• thinking that once (or if) you get to the top, you won't be able to stay there
• believing that once you start a project and get your hopes up, your motivation will fade and you'll just be letting yourself down

Do any of these thoughts sound familiar? If so, the first step is to recognize and acknowledge that you are sabotaging yourself with self-destructive thinking based on erroneous belief patterns. Once you identify the limiting belief(s), ask yourself what holding this belief achieved for you in the past? You see, we don’t adopt beliefs that serve no purpose. Only when you recognize and fully understand the positive purpose of the belief can you not only challenge it but replace it with a more empowering belief. Examples of positive and empowering beliefs are:

• "I am really good at giving and receiving."
• "I deserve to be paid well for my work."
• "I am good enough to have what I want."
• "I am as good as anyone to have what I want."
• "I can have what I want and be really lovable"
• "I'm the kind of person who gets what I want by asking."
• "I deserve to have what I want in life."
• "I can have what I want, and help others get what they want."
• "When I follow my heart, I create what I want."
• "I can have money and be close to my family."
• "When I really know what I want, things come to me naturally."
• "My needs are as important as anyone's."
• "I can achieve whatever I set my mind to do."
• "I can have what I want and still be connected to God."
• "I am safe to be all of who I am."

If you realize now that you do have a fear of success or you recognize that you’re still holding on to limiting beliefs, consider working with a trained and qualified life coach for assistance and guidance.