Concentration of attention directed at any point will magnify that point. Other things become smaller in comparison. A personal crisis puts everything in life into a different perspective; everything else becomes trivial in comparison.
Magnification can be good when it is on the right things, or the right side of the issue. Continuously reminding any individual of their strengths will affect that person in a positive manner and allow them to intensify and utilize those natural talents to grow. Focus on a business problem will put other priorities down the list in terms of importance. That problem will likely get resolved.
However, focus on the negative will magnify the negative. The intensification of problems will not yield positive results. This is similar to planting weed seeds in a garden and then purposely watering them. The weeds will eventually choke out anything good.
You likely know at least someone that spends a great deal of time and energy on the negative. They can be pessimistic about almost anything. Perhaps you are like this. What can you (they) do about this? Unfortunately nothing. Outside of getting a lobotomy, this kind of person is doomed to a life of mediocrity, problems and diminishing returns – they will eventually get sick and die young.
I am kidding . . . sort of.
It is possible for the pessimistic to change but not easy. Using the earlier analogy, one must plant good seeds and water so that they will grow and choke out the weeds. Our thoughts become our words; to change our thoughts, we must change our words. If I speak constructive and positive – I plant good seeds. They [spoken words] may not be what I believe – at first, but by speaking them, I plant the seed in my mind. And, if I continue to speak what I want vs. what I have, they will eventually grow and become my thoughts.
Be careful of your thoughts, for your thoughts become your words.
Be careful of your words, for your words become your actions.
Be careful of your actions, for your actions become your habits.
Be careful of your habits, for your habits become your character.
Be careful of your character, for your character becomes your destiny.
Adapted from a quote by Mahatma Gandhi
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