I remember the day I decided to become extremely successful. It was in my penultimate year in medical school. Up until that time I'd been passing my exams, just sailing along, not putting in much effort and not getting much out as a result. The funny thing (funny wierd, that is, not 'funny - ha ha') was that without realizing it, that same mediocre mindset had permeated other aspects of my life. I felt deeply dissatisfied and wasn't enjoying myself. I was also in the habit of blaming others or external circumstances when thing things didn't go my way.

One day I just felt fed up. I realized I didn't want to go on living like this. I knew I was capable of doing better than I was doing. It dawned on me that it was my life in question here - nobody could live it for me. Nobody could achieve the results I desired but me. And right then one of the results I wanted was to excel in my studies. I wanted to be the best medical student that school had come across. I realized it was up to me to make that happen. Not my parents, not my friends, not even my lecturers.

So on that day I 'took my life in my hands' and said in essence, "from this day on I will do what I need to do in order to excel in med. school. I will operate in 'Excel Mode' from now on in every aspect of my life. I'm tired of being mediocre. I will excel. I choose to be extremely successful".

Making a conscious decision to change was enough to get me all fired up. My attitude and actions changed during classes too: I asked more questions, answered more, took more chances to learn things and so on.

To cut a long story short, that day was the beginning of my experience of 'The Universal Principles of Success' (see chapter 2 of the book: www.daysofsuccess.com/successbk.htm). I coined that phrase after my experience, without knowing that there was a body of knowledge already existing, about the same sort of information. Truly, there is one Universal Mind at work. But more on that later.

I passed my finals with distinctions in every subject. I won several awards for being the best student in each subject and then won a special award for being the overall best graduating medical student for the year 1997.

That experience opened my eyes to the power we each have to choose which way our life goes. I hope it opens your eyes too. You have so much potential in you right now, mostly lying dormant. You can literally become and do anything you want - you simply need to choose to do so and then go for it.

You've got what it takes to be the best in your field, or the best you can be. I tell you, there is more than enough room at the top for you when you choose to excel.

Even if you are a Stay-at-home-parent, you can choose to make it the most fulfilling experience of your life. It's all up to you. Don't let anyone's words or opinions hold you back from making the right choices for *you*. It's your life after all.

This power to choose the direction of your life is one of your most important qualities. Have you been using it wisely?

You have the power to choose how you feel. Isn't that amazing? I think it is. If someone treats you in a way that should get you all upset, you can choose to feel upset or (which is more powerful) you can choose to rise above their level and be happy regardless. Be happy about what, you ask. Be happy that it's up to you to control your emotions. Be happy that you are using this power correctly. Be happy because it's a better state of mind to exist in.

You have the power to choose your thoughts. This has got to be the most important quality you have right now. Why? Because 'it all starts with a thought'. That's right. Your feelings start out as thoughts (spend enough time thinking about the most irritating person you know, and guess how you'll feel. The opposite is true too.). Your actions start out as thoughts. Consequently the results in your life today started out as thoughts. Likewise, you are determining your future results right now by the thoughts you are thinking. And you have the power to choose those very thoughts! Talk about having creative ability.

Your words start out as thoughts (at least I hope they do:)). Your actions start out as thoughts too. Yes it's true: you ARE what you think.

Right now you have the power to choose thoughts that empower you to be the person you want to be. Absolutely nothing stops you from doing so, except yourself.

One of my clients had major problems with the thoughts she allowed to stay in her mind. They were mostly self-depreciating thoughts. No wonder then that she felt worthless and insecure. She had all these dreams and desires but wasn't doing anything about them because she felt she'd fail anyway.

As part of the process of change, I had her do a series of exercises which involved 'thought conditioning' or changing her thoughts about herself to positive, empowering ones. By the time we finished working together, not only had she become much more confident and positive, she'd achieved one of her major goals that she'd dreamt of - she now works abroad in a job she loves. It all started when she 'changed her mind', so to speak.

You can choose how to spend your time. You have goals and dreams, right? Well each moment, you're either doing something that's taking you towards your dreams or taking you away from them. When you think of time that way, I think you'll spend it more wisely.

You can choose what you eat. Just like time, each time you put something in your mouth, you're either nourishing your body and getting healthier or you're not.

Once you realize this truth, your life will take on a renewed energy. You will know that you alone are in control of your future. Hopefully you'll take things into your own hands instead of letting external circumstance dictate your life.

It's your choice.

Dr Kem Thompson
http://www.successeminars.com/