Success is Determined by the Way You Think
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“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:” Proverbs 23:7
Can you think your way to health and riches, and does it work the opposite: can you think your way to poverty, illness and death? I intend to show that there is an element of truth for both of those concepts.
Is success determined by the way a person thinks? Does the way a person thinks determine their life for good or bad, better or worse. The false doctrine, “Law of attraction,” of the new age movement has taken this idea to the extreme by suggesting that we attract things to ourselves, by the way, we think, whether they are bad or good. There is no truth in that way of interpreting “As a man thinketh.” You certainly are not going to get a new Porsche by simply attracting it to you by your thoughts. It is going to take some hard work and saving your money, or good credit and making the payments.
Although the truth is, we do cause things to happen by our thoughts. For example, if your thoughts are those of bitterness and hatred, it is going to tear down your health, and you are going to die before your time. Experiments with animals and observation of humans has proven many times that stress, hate and anger are killers to the body.
The thoughts of the mind can cause psychosomatic illness. “Psychosomatic illness is a disorder that involves both mind and body. In other words, the illness may be emotional or mental in origin but have physical symptoms. Psychosomatic illnesses are not imaginary. They are physical disorders in which both emotions and thought patterns are believed to play a central role, and usually develop when a person’s disease-fighting ability is weakened due to stress. After a particularly stressful event, like the loss of a loved one, for example, an individual might develop high blood pressure shortly afterward or even have a heart attack. In another person, the same situation might lead to a peptic ulcer or a series of asthma attacks. A third individual, equally as grief-stricken, might not get sick at all. For a psychosomatic illness to occur, a person must first be vulnerable in a particular body system. It’s important for these illnesses to be recognized and treated soon as they occur.” [1]
Positive thoughts create a positive attitude, which strengthens the immune system and wards off illness. Negative thoughts work the reverse. Napoleon Hill said in his book, “Think and grow rich” that our thoughts play a major role in whether we grow rich or not . . . Is that true . . . Yes, to a degree. We are able to do those things which we think we can do, or unable to do those things which we think we cannot and, therefore, do not even try. Henry Ford said, “If you think you can, or you think you can’t, you are right.” Therefore, yes, our thought patterns do play an important role in success or failure.
When William Amherst Vanderbilt Cecil, Jr. Inherited the 250 room Biltmore Mansion, (still the largest private home in the United States) after his grandfather’s death, George Vanderbilt, he was told that it was utterly impossible to make the mansion ever to be profitable as a privately held museum. At the time, the mansion was losing a quarter of million dollars a year. Nevertheless, Cecil believed he could do what the professional minds said was impossible, but it took years and a tremendous lot of hard work and millions of dollars. Today Biltmore Mansion shows a profit and is visited by around 900,000 people per year. He could have accepted what others believed but did not. He believed that he could and he did.
What we think does play a crucial role in all that we do. For the best results, we need to use precision thinking, which goes further than ordinary thought. It includes knowledge and wisdom. There is a way of thinking as prescribed by the Bible that goes even beyond the physical and includes the spiritual. The following verses outlines the course of thinking that truly does make the difference in how we live:
- “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:” Phil 2:5
- “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2
- “Think on things that are pure and honest and of a good report.” Philippians 4:8.
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:” Phil 2:5
What kind of mind did Christ have?
There is no doubt today that Jesus is the most influential figure of history. However, how did he think? Did he think about getting rich? Did he think about becoming famous? Did he think about building his own earthly kingdom like his predecessors, King David and King Solomon? His actions did not bear out that he considered any of those things. His actions always were directed in helping others. He could have altered his message, included thousands of followers, and became wealthy, but he did not and consequently thousands turned to follow him no more. He primarily spent his time on earth teaching 12 men and one of those, Judas, betrayed him.
When Jesus died on the cross, he had only about 120 followers to show for 3 years of labor, and all he owned was the clothes on his back. Today, however, there are literally millions who know and trust in Jesus because of the time he spent teaching 12 men how to spread the gospel.
Jesus had a mind that wanted to serve and help others. What he did, did not make him rich but it does those who trust in him. Not rich in material things particularly, but in spiritual things which make life here on earth worthwhile, as well as the promise of eternal life in heaven where there will be mansions and streets of gold.
Napoleon Hill in his book “Think and grow rich” recognized this truth that thinking of others and their needs does, in fact, also lead to material wealth. It is the premise upon which his book was written.
Be not conformed to the world
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2
It is hard to be an individual and think for yourself and not as the world thinks. However, the concept of refusing to conform to the world plays an important part in our life and can determine what quality of life we live and in some cases how long, we live. I have known those in my life who would have still been living, probably, had they not conformed to the world’s standards. Some of them left this world at a very young age. This is seen quiet often in the drug-ridden entertainment world: Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston, three of the greatest entertainers of the 20th century all died young of drug related deaths.
A definition of conforming is to yield to another’s pattern of life, a desire to be like someone, look like someone, act like someone, or dress like someone. A conformist is afraid to be themselves and does not feel like being who they are is good enough. The fact is that being yourself is the best possible way to be the best possibly.
The danger in conforming is that it will cause you to do things you would not ordinarily do. Conforming to the world’s standards includes three things the Bible warns against:
- Conforming to the lust of the flesh (immorality)
- Conforming to the lust of the eyes (materialism)
- Conforming to the pride of life (arrogance)
Paul encourages us to be transformers rather than conformists. Being a transformer is what personal growth is about: transforming into something better. The choice is ours to make. We can refuse to be driven like sheep to the slaughter, and instead stand on our own principles, even if we must stand alone, and that does takes backbone.
Think on the right things
Think on things that are pure and honest and of a good report. Philippians 4:8.
We are only able to think one thought at a time, and we choose what it will be. It can be a stream of unproductive, negative thoughts, or we can fill our mind with things that have purpose and meaning, which leads to a productive life. Great thinkers waste little time on trivial thoughts of hate and anger, but instead think on those things, which make a difference.
Conclusion:
Since our thought patterns are so important, I challenge you to reconsider your own thought patterns. Be objective and determine if you are thinking your way to better things or if you are headed for a train wreck because of thoughts of hatred and bitterness or a combination of generally negative, unproductive thoughts. It has long since been my belief that my relationship to God has enabled me to rid myself of hate and bitterness and center my thoughts on the positive things in life. I do know for sure that it has brought peace and contentment into my life.
[1] -U-M Health System
About the author: Jimmie Burroughs is a motivational speaker and author who has been involved in teaching Christian Personal Development for more than 30 years. There are hundreds of articles to help you on this website (Website Contents) in your personal growth.
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