Mental Diet Challenge

Have you heard about the 10-Day Mental Diet? I am currently on my 7^th book and came across this topic. “A mental diet is an opportunity to eliminate the negative and destructive patterns of thinking and feeling that inevitably come from living life in an emotionally reactionary and mentally undisciplined fashion”  . In my understanding, the idea of mental diet is to take control of our thoughts focusing on positive thoughts and solutions on our problems instead of thinking about the problem and worrying. I am starting this mental diet today and I invite you to join me. This is especially for those who struggles sticking to the usual diet (like me!)

Here is the challenge as written down in Anthony Robbin’s Awaken the Giant Within Book

For the next ten days, beginning immediately, commit to taking full control of all your mental and emotional faculties by deciding right now that you will not indulge in or dwell on any unresourceful thoughts or emotions for ten consecutive days.

Rules of the Game

Rule 1. In the next ten consecutive days, refuse to dwell on any unresourceful thoughts or feelings. Refuse to indulge in any disempowering questions or devitalizing vocabulary or metaphors.

Rule 2. When you catch yourself beginning to focus on the negative – and you certainly will – you are to immediately use the techniques you’ve learned to redirect your focus toward a better emotional state. Specifically, use the Problem-Solving Questions as your first line of attack; for example: "What's great about this? What's not perfect yet?," you're presupposing that things will be perfect. This will change your state while you identify what needs to be changed.

In addition, set yourself up for success each morning for the next ten days by asking yourself the Morning Power Questions. You can do them before you get out of bed or while you're in the shower, but make sure you do them right away. This will focus you in the direction of establishing empowering mental and emotional patterns each day as you awake. In the evening, use the Evening Power Questions, or any questions you believe will put you in a great state before you drop off to sleep.

Rule 3. For the next ten consecutive days, make certain that your whole focus in life is on solutions and not on problems. The minute you see a possible challenge, immediately focus on what the solution could be.

Rule 4. If you backslide, that is, if you catch yourself indulging in or dwelling on an unresourceful thought or feeling - don't beat yourself up. There's no problem with this as long as you change immediately. However, if you continue to dwell on unresourceful thoughts or feelings for any measurable length of time, you must wait until the following morning and start the ten days over. The goal of this program is ten consecutive days without holding or dwelling on a negative thought. This starting-over process must happen no matter how many days in a row you've already accomplished the task

I am beginning this diet today after completing the Morning Power Questions.  Do share your success story once you complete the ten day challenge.

The Morning Power Questions

Lifted from Anthony Robbins book Awaken the Giant Within

The Morning Power Questions

Our life experience is based on what we focus on.
The following questions are designed to cause you to experience more happiness, excitement, pride, gratitude, joy, commitment, and love everyday of your life. Remember, quality questions create a quality life.

Come up with two or three answers to all of these questions and fell fully associated. If you have difficulty discovering an answer simply add the word "could". Example: "What could I be most happy about in my life now?"

1. What am I happy about in my life now?
What about that makes me happy? How does that make me feel?
2. What am I excited about in my life now?
What about that makes me excited? How does that make me feel?
3. What am i proud about in my life now?
What about that makes me proud? How does that make me feel?
4. What am I grateful about in my life now?
What about that makes me grateful? How does that make me feel?
5. What am I enjoying most in my life right now?
What about that do I enjoy? How does that make me feel?
6. What am I committed to in my life right now?
What about that makes me committed? How does that make me feel?
7. Who do I love? Who loves me?
What about that makes me loving? How does that make me feel?

Evening Power Questions
1. What have i given today?
In what ways have I been giver today?
2. What did I learn today?
3. How has today added to the quality of my life or how can I use today as an investment in my future?

Eat That Frog

If you are to eat an ugly frog in the morning for breakfast, what can happen during the day that will make it worse? None right? That is the premise of the book Eat that Frog! by Brian Tracy.

He tells us to start our day by writing all the things that we need to do then listing them down according to importance. The tasks that we know are important should be the first order of the day. Even if we hate it. Even if we don't enjoy doing that particular task. Setting all aside and working on that single important particular task will do wonder. After writing off that task, nothing worse can happen in your day.

Tackle that ugly frog first. 

I followed that approached and it helped me get things done. Even before reading the book, i always start my day writing down the lists of tasks that i needed to do and cross them off my list once the task is done. But there is something common in my list every now and then. A task that i do not enjoy doing so day by day the task will appear in my list. It will reappear until it reaches the point where the task is really due and i am all stressed and with all might and effort, i will finally focus on the task and get it done. Sure, it was done but i completed the way i finish a speed training; heaving and panting. Not good.

So i applied what Brian suggests. I start working on the most important items on my list even if i don't enjoy doing them. I start trading off with activities that i really enjoy but less important. I tell myself that eating these frogs will make me feel better later so i need to do it. And after i am done with the ugly frogs, i start working on the tadpoles. Those tasks that I know will become an ugly frog if i don't eat it as early as now. So again, i focus on the important tasks that i enjoy and get them off my plate.

After that, my day is good. I start working on the tasks i call dessert. Blueberry cheesecake. These are the tasks that i enjoy doing but of less importance. But since i am done with the ugly frogs, i get to enjoy the day. I get to finish these blueberry cheesecake and it covers all the foul taste that i got from eating the frogs. 

So there you go. How do you stop procrastination? Any tips? Books to suggest?

P.S. This is my sixth book for the year and its July. Six more to go.