#BeInspired Mondays with IK: 3 Types of Thinking you Should Do Away With

Our minds are our greatest assets albeit neutral – it can do for you, what you permit it (whether knowingly or unknowingly) to do for you.

It’s not news that our bodies act on the influence of thought processes in our minds, and these actions create our reality. Hence, (most of) our realities are influenced by our thoughts.

“If you think you can, or you think you can’t, you are right”, says Henry Ford. There are some thoughts that may seem harmless, but can actually be harmful. I’ll be sharing three of those today. Let’s go:

There is no money anywhere

The saying that money has wings and can fly is true, even though it’s always used to advise people not to squander their funds, especially when it is coming regularly and in large volume. The statement is also used to persuade people to give because “the money you are hoarding can disappear, so it’s better to help people with it,” as someone puts it.

While those statements can be true, the lesson I want to draw from that statement is that money is available, waiting for where to sit and grow. However, it is limiting to think that there’s no money anywhere to do anything. Whether there is or not, it just stops us from doing anything because of lack of funds. Everyone wants to grow their money, and if you have an idea that can make this happen, you’ve found your money.

People who are doing better than me should help me

This is following what I said above. Because you don’t have money doesn’t mean the world should make sure you do or give to you to fund your ideas.

Money answers to value; provide one and you’ll get money. No one owes you anything – not even your family. Recently there was a discussion on Twitter about parents demanding so much from their children and how it creates a hole in the pockets of these children. The discussion is a very wide one and it’s difficult to comment on it and not sound insensitive or lacking in experience. However, if your parents have provided value for you (upbringing and all the sacrifices that come with them), naturally, you owe them a duty of care, as they can no longer work and you are the only investment they had. However, I believe you can only do what you can afford to and not incur debt or go bankrupt for something not life-threatening or worth the risk (you decide what “worth the risk” is).

I’m special (more special than others)

Please before you crucify me, let me explain. You see, I agree that we are unique and special in the sense that we all bring different things to the table and no two people can do the same thing exactly the same way. Just like we have musicians who specialize in different genres, people can have similar talents but add their personal uniqueness to get things done.

However, I want to clear the air that thinking of yourself as special in the sense that you are better than everyone else in the room is deadly, because you are not. Look at this, if everyone is special in the way it is being propagated, it then means “special-ness” as a concept is not really special in the sense of the word. Hence, the statement you are unique and special just means you can do something differently and it still makes sense. It’s not about you in comparison with other people, but about the set of abilities that you possess.

This being said, thoughts don’t go away like that; you can’t successfully remove a mindset without replacing them. Replace dangerous thoughts with more positive and uplifting ones.

What, in your opinion, are other dangerous or potentially dangerous thoughts we should kick out the door?