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Emotions
are the most powerful forces inside us. Under the power of emotions, human
beings can perform the most heroic (as well as barbaric) acts. To a great
degree, civilization itself can be defined as the intelligent channeling of
human emotion. Emotions are fuel and the mind is the pilot, which together
propel the ship of civilized progress.
Which
emotions cause people to act? There are four basic ones; each, or a combination
of several, can trigger the most incredible activity. The day that you allow
these emotions to fuel your desire is the day you'll turn your life around.
1) DISGUST
One does not
usually equate the word "disgust" with positive action. And yet properly
channeled, disgust can change a person's life. The person who feels disgusted
has reached a point of no return. He or she is ready to throw down the gauntlet
at life and say, "I've had it!" That's what I said after many humiliating
experiences at age 25, I said. "I don't want to live like this anymore. I've
had it with being broke. I've had it with being embarrassed, and I've had it
with lying."
Yes,
productive feelings of disgust come when a person says, "Enough is enough."
The "guy"
has finally had it with mediocrity. He's had it with those awful sick feelings
of fear, pain and humiliation. He then decides he is not going to live like
this anymore." Look out! This could be the day that turns a life around. Call
it what you will, the "I've had it" day, the "never again" day, the "enough's
enough" day. Whatever you call it, it's powerful! There is nothing so
life-changing as gut-wrenching disgust!
2) DECISION
Most of us need
to be pushed to the wall to make decisions. And once we reach this point, we
have to deal with the conflicting emotions that come with making them. We have
reached a fork in the road. Now this fork can be a two-prong, three-prong, or
even a four-prong fork. No wonder that decision-making can create knots in
stomachs, keep us awake in the middle of the night, or make us break out in a
cold sweat.
Making
life-changing decisions can be likened to internal civil war. Conflicting
armies of emotions, each with its own arsenal of reasons, battle each other for
supremacy of our minds. And our resulting decisions, whether bold or timid,
well thought out or impulsive, can either set the course of action or blind it.
I don't have much advice to give you about decision-making except this:
Whatever
you do, don't camp at the fork in the road. Decide. It's far better to make a
wrong decision than to not make one at all. Each of us must confront our
emotional turmoil and sort out our feelings.
3) DESIRE
How does one gain
desire? I don't think I can answer this directly because there are many ways.
But I do know two things about desire:
a. It
comes from the inside not the outside.
b. It can be triggered by outside
forces.
Almost
anything can trigger desire. It's a matter of timing as much as preparation. It
might be a song that tugs at the heart. It might be a memorable sermon. It
might be a movie, a conversation with a friend, a confrontation with the enemy,
or a bitter experience. Even a book or an article such as this one can trigger
the inner mechanism that will make some people say, "I want it now!"
Therefore,
while searching for your "hot button" of pure, raw desire, welcome into your
life each positive experience. Don't erect a wall to protect you from
experiencing life. The same wall that keeps out your disappointment also keeps
out the sunlight of enriching experiences. So let life touch you. The next
touch could be the one that turns your life around.
4) RESOLVE
Resolve says, "I
will." These two words are among the most potent in the English language. I
WILL. Benjamin Disraeli, the great British statesman, once said, "Nothing can
resist a human will that will stake even its existence on the extent of its
purpose." In other words, when someone resolves to "do or die," nothing can
stop him.
The
mountain climber says, "I will climb the mountain. They've told me it's too
high, it's too far, it's too steep, it's too rocky, it's too difficult. But
it's my mountain. I will climb it. You'll soon see me waving from the top or
you'll never see me, because unless I reach the peak, I'm not coming back." Who
can argue with such resolve?
When
confronted with such iron-will determination, I can see Time, Fate and
Circumstance calling a hasty conference and deciding, "We might as well let him
have his dream. He's said he's going to get there or die trying."
The best
definition for "resolve" I've ever heard came from a schoolgirl in Foster City,
California. As is my custom, I was lecturing about success to a group of bright
kids at a junior high school. I asked, "Who can tell me what "resolve" means?"
Several hands went up, and I did get some pretty good definitions. But the last
was the best. A shy girl from the back of the room got up and said with quiet
intensity, "I think resolve means promising yourself you will never give up."
That's it! That's the best definition I've ever heard: PROMISE YOURSELF
YOU'LL NEVER GIVE UP.
Think
about it! How long should a baby try to learn how to walk? How long
would you give the average baby before you say, "That's it, you've had your
chance"? You say that's crazy? Of course it is. Any mother would say, "My baby
is going to keep trying until he learns how to walk!" No wonder everyone
walks.
There is a
vital lesson in this. Ask yourself, "How long am I going to work to make my
dreams come true?" I suggest you answer, "As long as it takes." That's what
these four emotions are all about.
To Your
Success,
Jim Rohn
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