"You can if you think you can!"

"With a positive attitude you can accomplish anything you heart desires."

"Whatever the mind believes the body can achieve!"

If you've read much of anything in the self-improvement and personal-improvement literature you've seen quotes similar to the ones above. Well, I'd like to jump off the curb and in front of the great, big I-think-I-can bus and warn you away from this type of personal success theory.

Why?

Because quotes like the ones above have created what I call the "Motivation Myth." What is the Motivation Myth? It's the belief that thinking you can do or achieve something means you will.

Trust me, I've spent a lot of time thinking I ought to be wealthy, spending my days snorkeling in the waters of Trunk Bay at St. Johns (in the U.S. Virgin Islands). It hasn't happened yet.

Do you know why?

Because I haven't gotten past the "thinking" stage yet. Oh sure, I'm wishful, desirous, motivated in wanting to achieve this goal but until I stop thinking about it and start DOING, it's never going to happen. That's because THINKING merely creates goals but ACTION achieves them.

You must take action to get the things you desire, wishing it so is not enough.

You must DO more than you THINK to get what you want. --Don't worry, you can still think big, just be prepared to ACT BIG as well!

I think you're up to this challenge.

The question is will you act on it?

About the author:

Jim M. Allen, The Big Idea Coach, runs the self-help site www.MyNewAttitude.comand writes a regular blog at:
http://bigidea.typepad.com/bigidea