Where are you thinking about?

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I’m at the Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana, CA. It hasn’t changed much since the last time I was here but I feel a bit strange because I’m not wearing a suit. My wife was called for jury duty and I’m keeping her company.

One thing that has changed about the civic center is the scope of the homelessness problem. Outside the third floor window, I see a massive encampment. It’s like nothing I’ve seen before.

I’m not going to think about that right now, however. Right now I’m thinking about the words I’m typing for this post and about the book I’ll be finishing up after that.

I do my best to focus on things I can control. I think about where I want to go and what I need to do to get there. If a negative thought arises or a problem occurs, I deal with it appropriately and then push it aside.

I hope you do the same.

Earl Nightingale urged us to think about what we want, not what we don’t want. He said, “. . .the man who has no goal, who doesn’t know where he’s going, and whose thoughts must, therefore, be thoughts of confusion and anxiety and fear and worry, becomes what he thinks about. His life becomes one of frustration and fear and anxiety and worry. And if he thinks about nothing. . . he becomes nothing.”

So, what are you thinking about?

Are you worried about how you’re going to make overhead this month or are you planning your next big project? Are you frustrated by problems at work (or outside your window), or are you excited about the many opportunities at your feet?

If you’re like most people, you spend a lot of time focused on the work you have to finish today and very little time thinking about your future.

That allows you to survive, not thrive.

If you want a brighter future, you have to think about that future. Because we become what we think about.

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