When You Change, the World Around You Changes

What differentiates the rare few who create an extraordinary life for themselves.

"Give me a lever long enough, and a prop strong enough. I can single-handedly move the world"--Archimedes

Oftentimes, the difference in people's lives is the difference in the standards to which they hold themselves accountable. As Newton's Third Law of Motion dictates: "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." It's that obvious and, equally, that simple, albeit often requiring a Herculean effort to achieve Herculean results.

People who achieve the unachievable are, by definition, naturally unreasonable. It seems as though they make the conscious decision to replace their desires with unreasonable needs. Everything they partake in seemingly requires relentless determination, intensity, and a consistent element of risk to make sure they are constantly operating at a peak performance mode. A quest for a life of uncertainty, combined with a positive belief system, is what they excitedly wake up for each day. A "seize the day" mentality, versus "Oh crap, it's morning already."

In one sentence--the only thing that creates an extraordinary life is an extraordinary mindset. People who have that mindset often are viewed as a little "out-of-balance" by many in their lives.

What differentiates the top 1 percent of the population from the remaining 99 percent is the simple dichotomy of thought process. Those who choose mediocrity do so due to lack of self-belief, or simply a lack of desire to even begin to contemplate their end goals.

One of the most powerful traits of the 1 percent is their acute ability to seek opportunities in and out of every negative situation.

"I took the road less traveled by and that has made all the difference"--Robert Frost

Most people think this poem is about taking the underutilized road. However, if you read the poem, in-depth, the chosen road is moot. It is entirely about the choice of making that first step on whichever road you choose.

Master the trait of taking the first step, and anything is possible. Unreasonable people dominate their future by taking calculated risks and reveling in their own moxie. They live up to their own hype and believe their own vision. They must--otherwise, who will? In short, unreasonableness is defined by taking steps nobody else bothers taking.

Change is not a question of ability; it is a question of will.

The "out-of-balance" people who take the road less traveled are those who simply make a cognitive decision and then execute with little caution.

The more you demand out of yourself and the world you wish to create, the higher your standards become. The rare few who have a clear, compelling, avid understanding about why will inevitably make their move and leave the rest behind.

"He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how"--Friedrich Nietzsche

Those who succeed have a laser focus on their end goals. Our mind reacts to images, snapshots, and short films that we create and file in our memory bank. When envisaging the end goal, those of us with total determination have a tendency to magnify this image, add vibrant color and even animation. Those who never commit are focused solely on the anticipated turbulence of their journey.

Our animated mental pictures "salivate" our soul. The soul is only "satisfied" once the end result is achieved. Thirst … quenched!

"Where success is concerned, people are not measured in inches, pounds, or college degrees, or family background; they are measured by the size of their thinking."--David Schwartz

To ultimately bridge the gap between today and your desired future, you must focus on what you want versus what you don't want.

Imagine for a moment that all the turbulence, uncertainty, and risk paid off, and now your life becomes a smash hit? Soak in that feeling when doubt creeps in. In fact, revel in it.

Many of those in power will agree that their biggest fear is ultimately themselves. Being aware of one's extensive capabilities and unlimited potential can be daunting. Realizing that if they do not take full advantage of these abilities, they will inevitably become a victim of their own demise.

The best way to avoid realizing this fear is to simply take action. Energy flows where attention goes. Therefore, when doubt slips in, change your mindset, get up, get out, and do something!

When you change, the world around you changes.

From Inc. Magazine