Kay:
Hey there, Questers – and welcome! We’ve got an awesome quote for you today! It is Thursday, June 18th, and this is Episode 119. Today’s quote comes from someone who was considered to be the father of personal growth and development, and that’s Mr. Napoleon Hill! And, he says, “Mind control is the result of self discipline and habit. You either control your mind or it controls you. There is no halfway compromise.”
Shi:
BOOM! Coming at you from the author of Think and Grow Rich – which, as Kay mentioned, is probably the most famous and classic text of the personal growth and development industry! Napoleon Hill really has such profound teachings. And, if you’ve never read the book, it’s kind of one of those “required readings” for anyone who’s interested in that growth and development sector. But, I think this quote in particular just beautifully demonstrates the fact that your brain and your mind are really the control center, and there is no “in between”. And, of course, there are different shades of gray between that black and white, but it is a control center – which means it WILL control. So, you can either be in control of that by grabbing the wheel and controlling it through discipline, or, it will control you. And, I think that this is just such a helpful way to remember that you can’t just hang out on easy street and stay neutral!
Kay:
I think some of us have the tendency to think that mind control is something that is put upon us by another person, right? Like we imagine some alien foil hat and vibrating brain, and we also tend to think that mind control is really about somebody else controlling me, or the media controlling the masses. But, what I think is cool about this quote is that Napoleon Hill is putting mind control into your hands. He’s saying that YOU have the ability to control your own mind! And, the power to do so is the result of self discipline and habit. Which means: you get to be in charge of your mind through your self-discipline and your habits!
Shi:
Yep! It’s that combination right there that gives us that control, and helps us grab that wheel. Now, nobody is saying it’s fun, right? Self-discipline isn’t fun. But, then again, you get to choose. So, if you decide, “Well, I want to have fun and I want to slack off” – that’s still your choice! And, in that case, that would mean that you are controlled by that lack of discipline and that habit that you’ve created in the opposite direction. And, you know, the Kardashians might be mind controlling, but that means there is a mind to control, and that means somebody gets to be in charge of the controller. And, what’s so incredibly miraculous about humanity is that we have the awareness to be the controller and not just the controlee…
Kay:
What’s really cool too about having that awareness – and utilizing it prior to something very controlling coming along into your life – is that you have the ability to strengthen yourself up against something that Napoleon Hill talks about in another one of his books, which is: The Hypnotic Rhythm. So, for example: if a friend comes along, who you think is glamorous, and monetarily successful, and they’re rocking and rolling and raging for like 72 hours every single weekend….Before you know it, you’ve probably got yourself in at least 48 of those 72 hours of raging every single weekend with them! And so, this hypnotic rhythm of a strong, powerful, and influential person comes on in your life. And, since you haven’t built self-discipline and habit for yourself, all of the sudden, you find that your mind is controlled by someone else. And, you might be thinking, “Well, that’s not me because I’m strong enough.” But, we just don’t know if we don’t have those self discipline and habits in place…
Shi:
That’s a great example of that awareness piece, and it really shows how it can so easily sneak into our habits. Because, you know, if this person is funny, and they’re successful, and they have a good time – in this day and age – their social media highlights will look like they’re just the best time EVER! And so, of course you want to be involved in that, and not have that FOMO, or Fear Of Missing Out. And so, all of a sudden, you’re making those same choices… You’re putting more money on your credit card than you should, because you want to look good in front of this group…And, you’re thinking, “It doesn’t matter if I don’t get those emails returned, or get my workout in, or if I miss that hike with my other friend, because I’m living this glamorous life.” And that is handing your control over to something, perhaps nefarious, that’s not in alignment with what it is that you want to achieve in your life. And so, I just think that this is a really powerful quote, that Napoleon brings forward. And, to remind you of it, it is, “Mind control is the result of self discipline and habit. You either control your mind, or it controls you. There is no halfway compromise.”
Kay:
Okay everybody! SO – today’s quest is to: Partake in a short exercise of mind control. This could be through a mindful minute in silence, a meaningful meditation led on YouTube (which would highly suggest the 13 minute Chakra Balancing Bowls! They are pretty fun and very vibrationally awesome). Or, maybe try changing your mental state through just a little bit of intentional gratitude! But, whatever you do, seek to control your own mind today…Are you ready?
Kay & Shi:
Let’s quest!
