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CONTROL YOUR THOUGHTS

Unquestionable Rule for Life #5

Negative Thinking Limits Your Success

Controlling your thoughts may seem like something easier said than done. Truth be told it is the hardest thing anyone can ever do. Controlling your thoughts is NOT as easy as saying, “I got this.” YOU GOT NOTHING.

You do not wake up one day and start consciously controlling your thoughts.

Far from it. You have to start off small and intentional.

It begins with know what you can and cannot control. Then it moves on to understanding that there is so much more you can NOT control than what you can control.

Once you have fully accepted that fact you are more than halfway there. The rest falls on you to be vigilant and ready for when what you cannot control tries to control you. Your thoughts will work against you. Your mind will go to the dark place and put you on the offense instead of hunkering down and playing defense against the darkness, the negativity.

When you allow the negative to take over you have no room for the positive. When there is a lack of the positive, there is no growth. When there is no growth there is no success. Yes, that negativity will limit your success all because you are trying to deal with the nonsense. Taking your mind off what is important to give attention to what should never be important is a surefire way to stop your growth.

That is why you must always be on guard for the negativity will pop-up at any time for almost any reason. As you grow older, experience more, and get wiser it will become easier for you to spot and stop the negative from taking a foothold in your mind. However, as you are growing and learning you will fall into the trap of others.

It’s unavoidable, you will fall down that rabbit hole. However, as time goes by your defenses will go up. You will start to recognize the “wolf at the door” along with those with cruel intentions, but stay on guard. Head on a swivel to avoid falling into a future trap or rabbit hole of negativity, especially if the trap is in your own mind.

Guard Your Mind, Fiercely

Wisdom. As anything can change, in an instant, it falls on you to protect yourself, your body, your spirit, and your mind. Guard it all as if your mind depends on it, because it does. Things can get out of hand and spiral to the ground if you let negativity take root. Also, be on guard with who you let into your inner circle.

There will be individuals that cannot help themselves and bring their negativity into your world. Don’t believe me? Give it a minute.

FAIR WARNING: Some of those that bring that negative may be close (in relation) to you. It happens.

What does not have to happen is keeping that negativity close to you. Of course, you can always express your concern and need to keep the negativity at bay. However, if those individuals refuse to respect you (and some will) then you are well within your right to cut them loose. Set them adrift because no one has time for negativity anchoring them to lack of progress, stunted growth, and a journey down a path of misery.

That is one reason why you should protect your mind at all costs. Guard yourself, head on a swivel, and do not be fooled. Many will try to break in through your defenses. Some make through (usually out of a misguided sense of obligation) but the sooner you stop that nonsense the better off you will be.

Once you got the external under control, the next is to pay attention to the internal: Your Thoughts.

You now begin to work on staying positive, all the time, you have no choice because your own thoughts will betray you. Why? Life is not easy. You can only control what you can control, the rest is life happening at its own pace and on its own agenda (otherwise, known as the UNCONTROLLABLE).

Working to control your thoughts will take time. It will be hard work. It will be worth it. Stay Vigilant to Stay Positive.

Thank you,
David Guerra
dave@daveguerra.com

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Yesterday’s Gone

Image by JackieLou DL from Pixabay

The new year is now well underway and there is no looking back.
There is only keeping your eye on the prize, there is only looking forward.

Looking forward is only for making it happen. Doing what it takes now to achieve your goals.

Forget those “new year’s resolutions” and all that nonsense. You have a wide-open calendar ahead and the past is yesterday and yesterday is gone. I can never go back. You can never go back. None of us can ever go back.

That is because there is nothing to go back to. We cannot change the past but we can change the future. You can change your course in life, you an increase the trajectory you were on to something bigger and better.

So how do you change your future?

Folks, I am going to let you in on a secret that most people know but few would even admit:

You change your future by living the best today you can.

The present is where it is at. By living in the moment, making choices and decisions that align with where you want to be later (not now).

Right now, you are living your life. As you are living in the present there is no benefit with focusing on the past and the future is still not written. While you may be working towards building a better future, remember you still must get through today.

You must do this every day until you reach your goal or achieve your dream then you continue to do so for all the remaining days of your life.

Get to work on today to go forever forward because yesterday’s gone.

Thank you,
David Guerra

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That’s Right! Here We Go, Again!

Spring time is in full swing and summer is just around the bend. There is nothing better than waking up to cool mornings and enjoying the day as it warms up (but not too hot.)

a photo of the Ruhla alarm clock taken in 1986 by David Guerra in West Berlin Germany
DDR (East Germany) Ruhla Analog Alarm Clock (circa 1986)

Unfortunately, it does not last long. Spring in my neck of the woods is over before it really starts. Yep, down here on the Southern Border Spring lasts all of two weeks. Then, the triple digit temperatures return with such ferocity that a South Padre Island undertow feels more like a stream running across your ankles.

The seasons are merely signs of transition, time for change. Thus, the cycle begins again or does it never truly end? It really never truly stops or starts. For those that have read my writings and followed me for some time know that whether we like it or not; change is a constant.

So if you are inclined to read on, change brings us back to this place once again. It is here, in the Springtime that we must pause (NOT STOP) to reflect on what we have done, what we want to do, and most of all, what is still left to do.

Folks, this is the best time of the year to put yourself on the scale of life. This is the time to look back on the past 365 days. To see yourself as you see yourself. Paying no heed to what others see when they see you. Only what YOU SEE WHEN YOU LOOK IN THE MIRROR. You focus on you and nothing and no one else. Once you look at yourself, you see the work you have done and what is still left to do. Then you can begin to work on yourself for yourself.

As most of us are goal oriented, the Spring is the perfect time to get things started, to make things happen, especially if you want to accomplish your goals before the end of the year. You still have time do get things done be the end of this year. As of this writing (13 APRIL 2025) there are 262 days left on the calendar.

That is 8 months and 18 days / 37 weeks / 6,288 hours and the CLOCK IS TICKING! It is not going to stop.

According to the late Dr. Stephen Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, it takes 21 days to create a habit. That means you can create approximately 12 new habits between now and New Year’s Eve.

TWELVE HABITS! WOW! Let that sink in!

Ask yourself, what are the 12 new habits and how much can those 12 new habits impact your life?

However, if you are perfectly happy NOT doing something to make your life better or you feel you do not need to improve, to change for whatever nonsensical “excuse” then please know and understand you are getting exactly what you deserve.

Also, do not hate on those that are doing something to become better, you choose the path you choose, let them choose their path, especially when you that have NO skin in their game.

For the rest of us that want to succeed: Time waits for no one. The Time for change is here and now. Everyday is a new opportunity to make a change.

Take that opportunity and Make it happen for YOURSELF.

David Guerra, MA, MBA

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