I have just returned from a quick trip to Melbourne for a Sales Training Day, which was Fabulous – more later.
I truly love flying and for a couple of reasons. I always feel excited at the prospect of being 33 000 feet above the earth; what a true engineering feat. Also traveling time is perfect reading time which means it is also perfect thinking time.
I’m reading an especially good book at present “You Inc” by John McGrath John wrote this book more than 10 years ago and it is equally relevant today as then. His story is inspiring, more about that in a future blog. 
For now I need to have a bit of a “rant” about an observation of my fellow travelers; and more especially about their thinking because it got me to really wonder how many other people are thinking like this?
Flying from Sydney to Melbourne I was seated next to 2 young women. They were looking at the food menu and spent the entire time from they sat in their seats until the flight attendant came by with the food trolly discussing the food options and wondering what they would eat; some 40 minutes! I am in awe that the food options on the Jetstar in flight menu could be the sole subject of their thinking, the lengthy discussion and drawn out decision making for these 2 people, and that is in awe not in a good way! After their snacks – one toastie, one instant noodle, one pack salty chips and box Pringles and a coke – they both played games on their iPhones and there was no further discussion.
On my return flight this morning I was seated next to a 2 similar age young women. I was reading the part in John’s book where he is talking about where we give our attention and the power we have to direct our thoughts towards thinking that is beneficial to us and to reaching our goals. He writes: “At any given moment in your life you choose the mood you’re in. And you can go from feeling stress and panic to being calm and positive in an instant. You can change in the moment”
The irony:
Next to me these 2 are discussing an event that might take place in January. At first they were looking forward to it and then they start speculating how badly things might go wrong. As they discussed it further the level of catastrophising reached spiraling lows. I wanted to scream! This was the complete opposite of what I was reading and in truth the complete opposite of my personal experience.
The level of dramatics was being encouraged by each of them. I wasn’t really following the detail because it was excruciating and at the same time I was thinking “where is your evidence?” “how can you possibly imagine such disastrous outcomes?”
Then I heard “I am so stressed about this”
So stressed about this? Stressed about what? an imagined catastrophe six months away?
John’s book “If you are in disaster mode…”
I live my life by deliberately choosing not to live in disaster mode. I rarely use the disaster/ nightmare/ tragedy language that is so prevalent in today’s vernacular.
Honestly, if you truly want to be successful one of the keys is to get a grip of your thinking and one of the best ways to influence what you are thinking is what goes in – what you read, what you listen to, what you give your attention to.
Watch yourself and listen to what you are saying over the next few days. Find inspiring books to read, read articles about people who are doing interesting and adventurous things ….
