Thoughts Rule the World

"We are what we think. All that we are, arises from our thoughts. With our thoughts we make The world."

These are the first words of the Dhammapada, the sayings of the Buddha. For centuries, people from many different faiths, traditions and philosophies have devoted their lives to achieve the potential of the Buddha's words. It is as if, collectively, humanity for all these centuries has been saying, "Wouldn't it be great if I could empower my thoughts to create the reality I want?" It's almost too much to hope for, as though we could somehow, suddenly, attain magical powers, thereby bestowing upon ourselves and our loved ones, complete peace and happiness and accomplish whatever we choose. Perhaps the idea is not at all that farfetched. We can become aware of our thoughts. We can master our thoughts. And we can empower our thoughts to be on purpose, to achieve what is significant and of value for each of us.

Everything we say, do, and create first begins in thought. We first have ideas, then desires, intentions, goals, plans and strategies—all thoughts—until finally we take action and say, do, or physically manifest something. How do your thoughts rule your world? How do your thoughts rule your life, relationships, career, organization and family? Are your thoughts producing positive results, or are they preventing you from growing fully into your potential? Do your thoughts inspire you, or are they plagued with self-doubt, fear, and worry? Are your thoughts causing you to feel happy and peaceful, or are they causing you to feel stressed and victimized? Do your thoughts result in a life of joy and perfect health, or do they result in a life of pain and   suffering? Do your thoughts cause you to live your life the way you want to live it, or do your thoughts paralyze you, undermine your intentions, or sabotage your efforts? Do your thoughts serve you? Or are you helplessly at their mercy?

Most of us would not imagine that in one moment, we can actually change the course of our lives, our families, and our organizations through our thoughts. When we practice being aware of our thoughts, without blame or judgment, we have the ability to discover what we truly want and how to achieve it. We have the ability to choose thoughts that move us in the direction of our purpose—working for us and not against us, releasing our destructive thoughts that waste time, energy and money, to reshape our circumstances,achieve significant results and create the life we intend.

We achieve results by focusing on the moment. The results we achieve—bad, good, or significant—depend on what we choose to focus on in each moment. We choose to be aware of our thoughts--our feelings, attitudes, emotions, beliefs, passion and purpose—because these are what drive our actions and behavior. When we do so in a wondrous way, without blame or judgment, we develop our ability to get in touch with our higher awareness and devise creative ways to fulfill our goals, intentions, and resolutions—and ultimately actions—that serve our purpose and, in so doing, bring us peace and inspire us to touch the pinnacle of success.