If you could replay your thoughts for the last 24 hours on a television screen, what would you see? I would easily be able to tell if you were on the right track because the quality of your thinking determines the quality of your life.
I’ve emphasized taking control over your thoughts several times before but it’s not something that you do one time and you’re “fixed.” Renewing the way you think is a daily practice. Changing the way you think is not an event but a process.
Our thoughts are easily influenced by our circumstances, what we see happening around us and the opinions of others. What you may feel is “keeping it real” is nothing more than an ingrained, conditioned way of thinking that has been set-up to keep you from thriving in your purpose.
The only way that you are going to successfully achieve your dreams is by becoming exceptional in your thinking and attitude. Being exceptional means to do something extraordinarily well, therefore, it’s time to evict any thoughts that are less than exceptional from occupying space in your mind.
Your moods and your attitudes are directly influenced by your thoughts. Your thoughts dictate your words, your words dictate your actions and your actions dictate your destiny. When you begin to become exceptional in your thinking then you will begin to see your destiny unveil itself. Even if things don’t change overnight, your exceptional attitude will give you a fresh perspective over your current condition because all storms will eventually come to an end.
When you’re exceptional in your thinking you don’t think according to what may have happened to someone else. The key word in exceptional is “except.” So when you become exceptional in your thinking, you think in terms of being the exception to the rule. When you are thinking like that, you are thinking the way God intended you to think. You are thinking with faith not fear. If cancer runs in your family or if everyone around you is living in poverty, an exceptional thinker thinks, “Although it happened to all of them, it will not happen to me.” If you’re surrounded by co-workers who only see their current job as the end all, be all of success – an exceptional thinker thinks “I will not stay in this pit because I know I was created to thrive not just exist.”
You’ve got to get your thoughts to work for you instead of you being a slave to them. You own them, they don’t own you! Stop allowing your emotions to control you and become an exceptional thinker.
Exceptional thinkers are not easily swayed by what they see. An exceptional thinker understands that no matter what you see, your circumstances can change in one moment. An exceptional thinker knows that God is always working on your behalf and even when things may not work out the way you hoped, you know for a fact that all things are working together for your good.
An exceptional thinker doesn’t think the answer to your prayer is years away but believes that God not only hears your cry but will give you more than you could ever ask for or imagine.
An exceptional woman understands that if you are around ordinary thinkers for too long, your “exceptionalism” will soon clash with their ordinary thinking. When you begin to experience that, understand that you’re not better than anyone else but you’re exceptional in your thinking and they haven’t gotten there yet. Try to encourage others to master their mindset but if they choose not to then it’s not your job to change that.
Ordinary thinking produces ordinary results, exceptional thinking produces exceptional results. Be exceptional!
XOXO,
Maria I. Melendez
@embraceherlegacy