The Power of Beliefs and Thoughts on Circumstances: William Shakespeare, James Allen, Viktor Frankl and St. Paul
The ideas embodied in the BAR Formula™ are not new. There are as old as mankind itself and they restate a universally true set of principles: that which man contemplates and chooses to believe through his thoughts will become reflected in his actions, which inevitably lead to the results he achieves.
William Shakespeare summed this up when he said "There is nothing good or bad but thinking makes it so."
Three centuries later James Allen, author of "As a Man Thinketh," wrote, "A particular train of thought persisted in, be it good or bad, cannot fail to produce its results on the character and the circumstances. A man cannot directly choose his circumstances, but he can choose his thoughts, and so indirectly, yet surely, shape his circumstances."
Viktor Frankl, Nazi prison camp survivor and author of "Man's Search for Meaning", encouraged us to ask of ourselves at any moment in time, “What is life asking of me, in this moment? Exercise your freedom to choose in answer to this question. This is the most distinguishing, fundamental principle that sets man apart from the rest of creation.”
These three authors were in effect stating the BAR Formula™. That is, while we may not be able to directly change the circumstances in which we find ourselves, we CAN directly affect our response to them through our Beliefs and our Actions. In doing so, not only will we directly influence our Results, but by exercising our unique ability to choose our attitude and to find the seed of meaning in every situation, we will influence our circumstances.
St. Paul understood this connection between thoughts, beliefs and results when he wrote in Chapter 4 of his Letters to the Philippians that our thoughts should remain on those things that are positive and uplifting: "...whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
Action, then, starts from a conscious decision to reframe our beliefs around those things that are beautiful, excellent, and possible within each one of us. With that mindset, we can approach the circumstances of our lives with a much more empowering set of beliefs, which in turn will enable us to find the meaning in our lives and will drive our actions in a positive direction. Doing so will lead to circumstances that support those beliefs, reinforce our actions, and lead us on a path of continuous improvement and fulfillment.
William Shakespeare summed this up when he said "There is nothing good or bad but thinking makes it so."
Three centuries later James Allen, author of "As a Man Thinketh," wrote, "A particular train of thought persisted in, be it good or bad, cannot fail to produce its results on the character and the circumstances. A man cannot directly choose his circumstances, but he can choose his thoughts, and so indirectly, yet surely, shape his circumstances."
Viktor Frankl, Nazi prison camp survivor and author of "Man's Search for Meaning", encouraged us to ask of ourselves at any moment in time, “What is life asking of me, in this moment? Exercise your freedom to choose in answer to this question. This is the most distinguishing, fundamental principle that sets man apart from the rest of creation.”
These three authors were in effect stating the BAR Formula™. That is, while we may not be able to directly change the circumstances in which we find ourselves, we CAN directly affect our response to them through our Beliefs and our Actions. In doing so, not only will we directly influence our Results, but by exercising our unique ability to choose our attitude and to find the seed of meaning in every situation, we will influence our circumstances.
St. Paul understood this connection between thoughts, beliefs and results when he wrote in Chapter 4 of his Letters to the Philippians that our thoughts should remain on those things that are positive and uplifting: "...whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
Action, then, starts from a conscious decision to reframe our beliefs around those things that are beautiful, excellent, and possible within each one of us. With that mindset, we can approach the circumstances of our lives with a much more empowering set of beliefs, which in turn will enable us to find the meaning in our lives and will drive our actions in a positive direction. Doing so will lead to circumstances that support those beliefs, reinforce our actions, and lead us on a path of continuous improvement and fulfillment.
posted by Chris Kenny at
6:32 AM
