YOUR LIFE A-Z: THINK

WHAT IS THIS? 

THINK

Learning to THINK and THINK for oneself is not something that is taught at a critical level until high school or college.  THINKING is something that should be taught from the time we become verbal.  There are two main types of THINKING, analytical and critical.  Analytical THINKING explores the cause and effect of something by looking at it through multiple perspectives or lenses.  Critical THINKING is evaluative THINKING about information.  When you are hearing information about a political or religious position it is important to THINK about what you are hearing and deciding for yourself how to interpret the information.  People of power such as politicians and religious institutions or for that matter the advertising industry present information with a bias for his/her own benefit.   A critical THINKER has to learn to ask important questions like: who, where, when, what, why, and how.  Who is going to benefit and how?  Who will be hurt and how?  Why will the budget benefit or be cut?  Where is the evidence supporting the information?  THINK.  Always THINK.  THINK about your budget, your health, your relationship, and your position on important issues. When presented with new information or ideas re-THINK your position.  Learn to be flexible.  Learn to THINK ahead.  Learn to THINK and analyze situations before making major decisions or little ones for that matter. For instance, if you stop buying impulsively, how much money will you save for a vacation?  THINK before you act or speak.  THINK things all the way through from the beginning to the end. 

YOUR LIFE A-Z: GAIN

WHAT IS HAPPENING? 

GAIN

Here is a thought provoking word.  Early on in clinical psychology classes we were taught about secondary GAIN.   Secondary GAIN it a “positive feedback loop” that a client gets for a certain behavior.  For instance the black sheep of the family gets to be the center of conversation and worry because everyone is talking about him/her and trying to help him/her be better.  That black sheep has secondary GAIN, meaning that it is all about him/her.  Chaos in families is often a secondary GAIN.  Chaotic families never have a dull moment because life is continuing to bring a string of bad-luck or keeps the family pre-occupied with how bad things are.  As a result the family does not take responsibility for any of chaos because the family views it as something that is happening to them.  Whiny people get to complain because he/she finds an audience who will listen to how awful life is.  Thus this raises the question to you,  “What do you GAIN by doing what you are doing in your life?”  Do you stay stuck because it is safer than changing?  Do you stay overweight to GAIN a constant struggle in order to not focus on your behavior.  GAIN is something you get by investing something into the mix.  If you save money you GAIN interest, a reward for saving.  Secondary GAINS are paradoxical and at first you will fight this idea that you are getting something positive from your bad choices and decisions.  But non-the less you are receiving GAIN (interest) on your poor decisions.  So change them.

YOUR LIFE A-Z: VESTED

THE RAIN CAN BE BEAUTIFUL AND INVITING ...GO  ENJOY IT ANYWAY

VESTED

I have been speaking about your buy-in throughout the TWENTY MINUTE COACH.  Vested is not only about your emotional, physical, and spiritual buy-in to your accomplishment, it is your right to obtain what it is you want in your life.  The U.S. Constitution guarantees you a vested right of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.  That is your right as an American.  Perhaps all of my readers are not Americans, but the point can be extrapolated to certain rights of individuals just becauseyou are a human being.  In order for you to access those rights, you must be VESTED, you must buy-in as something that is of the utmost importance to you.  The more important something is to you the more you are willing to work to make it happen.  If your goals are not materializing by this point it is probably because you chose goals that are just not that important to you.  If you are closer than you were a month ago then progress is a result of your VESTED interest in accomplishing that which you set out to accomplish.  In employment situations, employees usually become VESTED after they have worked for a company of five or more years.  That means they get a little pension or money after they retire as a result of being “VESTED,” committed to the company.  Commitment to the finish line will only happen if you are VESTED in the outcome and that there is some personal benefit for finishing.