Taking Out the Garbage

You always empty the deleted files in your computer's trash folder. How do you manage what goes into your brain?

By Roger Seip

Garbage in, garbage out. Right? On a computer, that’s how it works. Stuff comes in that you don’t want, and you bounce it into the trash folder. But with the computer we call our brain, the process is more like garbage in, garbage stays in, which messes up every aspect of your life. Since we can’t delete stuff in our brain permanently, how do we manage those files?

The things we allow into our minds unquestionably influence the results we see in our careers, families and lives. Unfortunately, the default setting for these input sources is predominantly negative. Think about the things you read, watch and listen to. If you give too much attention to them, it’s really easy to feel you are surrounded by death and destruction. If you think about the people you surround yourself with, you know many of them will regularly drain energy from you. And if you listen carefully to your inner voice, you’ll hear it beating you like you do an omelet.

IF YOU WANT TO PROGRAM YOURSELF FOR SUCCESS, CUT OUT ONE HOUR OF TELEVISION PER DAY AND DEVOTE SOME OF IT TO READING.

What can you do about these negative input sources? They are going to remain negative until you do something about them, but the good news is that you can—and that is one of the best changes you can make to your life. Here are some of these sources and things you can do to make them positive and uplifting rather than destructive and draining.

Input source No. 1: What you read. Everyone can find 15 minutes a day to read something educational or inspirational. There are tons of fantastic books on success, financial prosperity, health, selling and motivation. If you’re wondering what else to read besides this magazine, check out the recommended reading list at www.deliverfreedom.com/reading.html.

Input source No. 2: What you watch. The average American household has the television on for seven hours per day. Just let that sink in: seven hours per day! Now I’m not here to denigrate television (I watch some myself), but most of what’s on the tube is never going to help you reach your goals. If you want to program yourself for success, eliminate one hour of television viewing per day and devote some of it to reading.

Input source No. 3: What you listen to. The time you spend in your car—commuting, travel, etc.­—is valuable. Instead of listening to the radio all the time, devote that time to listening to something useful. Every millionaire I know is fanatical about listening to educational material while on the road, and it’s one of the most life-changing, least time-consuming habits you can develop.

Input source No. 4: Your self-talk. I encourage you to listen to your internal dialogue first thing in the morning. I know sales professionals who have doubled and tripled their income by doing one simple thing. When they get out of bed, they say: “It’s going to be a great day.” It may sound a little nutty, but try it once. I dare you not to have a better day!

Input source No. 5: Who you hang out with. A mentor of mine once told me, “The average income of your five best friends at this moment will be your income in five years.” I realized I needed some new friends immediately. Now I’m not saying to ditch all your poor friends—just the negative ones. Whether you realize it or not, you will either rise or sink to the level of your closest friends. Be mindful of their influence; it’s powerful.

Pay attention
One of my favorite business philosophies is: “What gets monitored and measured accurately, improves.” When you pay attention to what’s going into your mind, you’ll find that things begin to get better. This, in turn, improves the quality of your practice, family and life, and that’s really what it’s all about.

Roger Seip is co-founder of Freedom Speakers and Trainers (www.deliverfreedom.com), which offers workshops on memory training, goal setting, time management and communication skills. He can be reached at 888-233-0407.