What You Put in a Mind…

What you put in a mind, comes out in a life.

Many of you know this is my favorite quote as of late; I have it popping up all over the place… it is so very true and reminds me of an anecdote my husband told me recently:

A strong Native American warrior was troubled and went to his chief for advice.  “Oh wise Chief, please help me,” he said.  “I have a terrible dilemma.  I seem to be at war inside myself.  It is as if my head is filled with a good dog and a bad dog; they bark and growl and fight with one another constantly.  The good dog tells me things to do that make a difference in the world.  He tells me to make smart choices, be kind and move towards my dreams.  Yet the bad dog is louder and more vicious: he encourages me to take as much as I can, to rush through life, ignoring those around me… he yearns to be heard and wants to be the center of everything.  I am truly a good man, Chief, yet I can’t quiet his loud voice and he often wins out.  What do I do?”  The chief sat quietly for what seemed like hours until he finally raised his head and met the warrior’s gaze with warmth and love: “My son, the answer is simple… which dog are you feeding?”

This story is poignant for most of us.  The gap between who we are and who we are committed to being is often much more vast than we care to admit.  The “bad dog” in our heads often pushes us to make choices we know don’t serve us and such actions push us further from fulfilling what we know as our potential.

Are you continuing to feed your “bad dog” with negative self-talk, second-guessing and poor self-esteem?  It’s time to let him starve.  Begin today by feeding your “good dog” with your mission statement, inspirational messages and personal “you can do its.” 

ASK YOURSELF:  Which dog are you feeding?