A positive work-out for your brain for business owners and would-be business owners alike

There are many of us that go to the gym to give our bodies a work-out, but how many of you give you mind a work-out too?

I would hazard a guess that not many people give their brain a physical work-out; there are those of you that have bought the “Nintendo Brain Tease“, which is said to help our brains and our memory. However, this is not many people that even do this and what I have in mind is to change your thinking to a positive mode of thinking, so here goes my idea for a brain work out:

1. Each day you wake up make sure you “Think in a positive way”. Begin your day with a big smile and take your mind off to a lovely place, a special place you would love to be. This could be a Caribbean Island or by your favourite lake, it does not matter, all that matters is that when you think about this place it makes you feel really good. You must get a warm feeling and even better that when you think about this place it brings a smile to your face. Spend a while (the amount of time is up to you, the longer the better though) thinking about this place and relish in the wonderful thoughts and feelings that this brings to you.
2. If during the day if you get a negative thought; stop what you are doing and “reframe that negative thought into something positive”. Imagine your special place again and “wash-out” that negative though with some positive feelings and energy. Replace the negative though with something positive, so if for example you thought “My business is failing” change this to, how can I make my business successful. The brain likes questions and normally wants to go in search of answers. Keep giving your brain questions in the positive and it will find the answers for you.

3. Spend at least once a day thinking about what it is you want to achieve that day and then spend a few minutes writing this down. As the day goes ahead, cross off the tasks you achieve and “Pat yourself on the back” metaphorically speaking and smile. I defy you to smile (and I mean a proper smile) and think negatively, it’s impossible. This is your “daily positive task list”.
4. At the beginning of each week think about what you would like to achieve over the forth-coming week. Spend a few minutes writing this down and then as the week goes by cross off the tasks. As before, pat yourself on the back for achieving each of your tasks. This is called your “weekly positive tasks list”. Also smile and be happy!
5. At the beginning of each month think positively about what you want to achieve over the next month and over the coming months. This can be to spend more time with your family, make more money (be specific on this one*), book a holiday, start to write that book you have always been meaning to write, call a friend you have not spoken to in a while etc. Take a few minutes to write these tasks down and then as the months progress cross the tasks off your list. Again as before, pat yourself on the back for achieving these long-term goals. This is your “longer-term positive task list”. Don’t forget to smile.
6. If you hear a news program come on the TV that is talking about negativity, switch the channel or turn the TV off.
7. Stop buying the newspaper and stop reading negative news. Buy some good positive thinking books there are loads out there. Or listen to some positive thinking tapes or CDs.
8. Remind yourself about the importance of how “We become what we think about most of the time”, in other words, if you constantly think in the positive and keep your mind in a “positive goal oriented mode” then that is exactly what will happen to you. Your mind and your imagination are much more powerful than you probably even realise and your imaginative subconscious will always win the day over your conscious logical mind! So spend time imagining wonderful things and life will be wonderful!

9. Either print this page and put it up in your bedroom so you can read it each morning as a reminder or visit this page every day until this becomes your routine. You need to be disciplined in this, it is all too easy to read this page and think yes that sounds great and to go away and forget. Put this page into your favourites or even better, add it as your default web page when you open up Windows Explorer or Firefox or what ever web browser you use.

Please try this for a few days, a few weeks or even a few months and come back and comment here to let me know how this is going…I look forward to your comments.

* When you write down a task about “Making more money” don’t just write “I want to make more money” as this is not specific enough for your brain. You need to say things like “This week I will aim to sign up xx new clients to my business” This is a specific task, which in itself does not mention money, but relates ultimately to money in your pocket and is a specific task that is achievable.