Over the past weekend, I was at a seminar with some incredible and successful speakers and achievers.

Seminars are not just about what you learn. They are just as much about what you do, the connections you make, and being in a room full of people who are taking action to make a difference not only in their own lives, but in the lives of others as well.

One of the areas that was discussed is the area of mindset. A lot of people see mindset as something that is not essential for everyday life. Others view mindset as only important if you want to build a massive business or become an Olympic athlete.

The reality is that your mindset has more influence over your life than anything else.

In the past, I have mentioned quotes that your life in five years’ time will be the average of your five closest friends and the books you read (these days, read and listen to). So, is there a contradiction here? Not at all. These two areas are where you get most of the input into your mind. Unless you don’t read much, in which case it’s most likely TV.

Puberty Blues

Let’s look at the TV angle for a minute.

There is a show on TV at the moment called Puberty Blues. It is well-produced, with well-developed and well-cast characters. These are all aspects that create good TV and make you want to watch it.

However, if you take a step back and look at the overall plot of the show and what it’s saying, if you want to build a strong marriage, raise respectful kids and become a good parent, this is probably not the best thing you could be putting into your mind.

Are You Up for a Challenge?

This challenge has three steps:

1. Turn off the TV, including the news, for two weeks.
2. Download some motivational/entrepreneurial podcasts.
3. Read one of the following books (or part of the book):

• John Maxwell – 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership
• Zig Ziglar – See You at the Top
• Stephen Covey – 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
• Dale Carnegie – How to Win Friends and Influence People
• Napoleon Hill – Think and Grow Rich

Here’s the challenge:

1. Listen to two podcasts per day (or listen to two CDs per day). We all have time while driving to work, ironing, mowing the lawn, sitting in the bath, etc.
2. Read ten pages of your chosen book per day.
3. The hardest part – but still possible. Only hang around people who speak well of other people and scenarios, i.e. not people who complain about the government, their job, their spouse, the kids’ school or anything else.

After two weeks, let me know the difference in how you feel, and if you notice a difference in how people talk.

“Once your mindset changes, everything on the outside will change along with it.”
― Steve Maraboli, ‘Life, the Truth, and Being Free’

What has this got to do with family and parenting?

People will often tell you that at certain ages, children play up, get into trouble, become rebellious, etc.

If I expect that to happen, and if they believe that will happen, it will happen. However, if I have an expectation that it doesn’t need to be that way, I will build character in my children, instil integrity into my children and believe that I am training leaders; my actions will line up with this.

The Bible puts it this way in Proverbs chapter 3: As a man thinks, so is he.
Henry Ford put it this way – If you think you can, or if you think you can’t, you are right.

What do you believe about your children?

Are you speaking and acting in a way that will build and train the children whom you really want?

___

Originally published at Mum Daily. Photo by Tatiana Syrikova.