Control : Carnegie & Breedlove
Control (noun) : The power to influence or direct people’s behavior or the course of events.
Thanksgiving is usually the time and place to give thanks to what we have. It is masked by a day of eating turkey and watching football. Here is the catch for me, I don’t like turkey and quite don’t care to watch football, thus my time from Thanksgiving through Christmas is spent focusing on family and friends. I am somewhat embarrassed to realize that the holiday season is the largest catalyst to this “thankful” focus. It isn’t my own doing but that of my environment that makes me notice the distance I have between myself and my family and friends. I would like to think that I am in more control of myself than my surroundings are but at this particular point in time, I feel that I am not. This needs to change, now.
So, what does Control have to do with Carnegie & Breedlove?
On a recent drive from Atlanta to Knoxville I grabbed my first Audible book, “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill. Long story short (as I am not finished with the book and have some homework to do), Hill was tasked by Andrew Carnegie (Carnegie Steel) to research how and why people were successful at attaining their goals of riches, fame, career pursuits or spiritual being AND share his findings with the world. One of Hill’s principles that is currently top-of-mind is auto suggestion, the practice of repeating positive thoughts in order to influence your subconscious mind and behavior. Yes, on the surface it sounds hokey, but repeating anything over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again will produce a results that you have intended. Flapping your arms around everyday will not make you fly, it will give you sore arms and showcase your ignorance of physics. The process of informed positive repetition is a KEY to control.
Breedlove is in reference to the viral video and tragic story of Ben Breedlove, an 18yr old kid that recently passed away on Christmas from his 4th heart attack. His short but full life story was told on hand written note cards for the world to consume. Breedlove’s story reminded me that control is not always in my hands and maybe that the control I am able to reign in should be grabbed now and used wisely. I can’t control time but I can control me.
My take away, do my “Think and Grow Rich” homework today and re-evaluate what I desire so that I can start start taking positive steps towards that goal. I promise to post a follow up soon. -sD
