“There is a single mental move you can make, which, in a millisecond, will solve enormous problems for you. It has the potential to improve almost any personal or business situation you will ever encounter … and it could literally propel you down the path to incredible success. We have a name for this magic mental activity … it is called DECISION.” โ Bob Proctor
I grew up hearing, “Brian โ you create, or you disintegrate.” Dad would say this to me when I was struggling with a decision.
Indecision causes disintegration. It means you have stopped moving forward. You are stuck in indecision, which keeps you right where you are – or worse โ going backward.
Indecisive feelings include:
- “What should I do?” OR
- “I don’t know what to do.”
How often have you caught yourself saying, “I would like to do or have this, but I can’t because…”
Whatever follows is outside circumstances.
Dad would tell me, “Start right where you are with whatever you’ve got. The only question is, how bad do you want this?”
If your desire is strong enough, you will quickly move from DESIRE to DECISION to COMMITTED DECISION.
The key is not permitting your current resources to dictate your decision.
Bob Proctor was known for making decisions quickly; he would promptly take the first step and plan the rest as it unfolded. Of course, it didn’t always work out for him. But many times, it did, and it worked out well.
He would have been the first to tell you that his failure stories were as important as his success stories.
A beautiful thing about when you make a decision is that you are freeing up your mental resources for forward motion. You have eliminated the thinking and contemplation before that decision was made, and now you can go full steam ahead with a clear path.
This quote from Napoleon Hill is as relevant today as the day it was written nearly 100 years ago:
“Successful people make decisions quickly (as soon as all the facts are available) and change them very slowly (if ever). Unsuccessful people make decisions very slowly and change them often and quickly.”
Suppose you spend time thinking about the ‘what ifs” and the possibility of greener pastures somewhere else. Is this helping you?
You are wasting mental activity on the idea that there might still be something better because you are comparing your decision to options that may or may not exist.
This is a prescription for indecision and stuckness.
Making a decision is taking action. It involves commitment, responsibility, and accountability.
I like to think of a decision as a creative move: I have made a decision and will now utilize my full human potential to deliver on that decision and become the best possible version of myself during the journey.
My father was famous for putting people on the spot when they would say they were struggling with a decision and use the excuse of “I don’t have the money.” He would reply โ “You don’t need the money โ you haven’t made the decision.”
Your life is important, and at its best, life is short. You have the potential to do anything you choose and to do it well.
What you need is to become a good decision-maker, and you do that by building your confidence and a strong self-image.
When you make a firm decision, you have cleared a path โ removed the noise, and are in forward motion. This order you have brought to your mind will be reflected in your results.
Refuse to give energy to it not working out. If your mind goes there, gently move that thought aside and say, “I will deal with you later.”
Don’t be afraid of making an error โ if you are scared of that, you will stay stuck right where you are.
Learn to shrug off any perceived losses or missteps.
Honor who you are today and imagine how you can improve. You are where you are right now because of past decisions and circumstances. That is a fact that you cannot change, so honor it. And know that the path you choose now will shape who you become from this moment forward.
“You are the only problem you will ever have, and you are the only solution.”โจโ Bob Proctor
When faced with a tough choice, ask yourself, “What would I say to a friend with this problem?” You’ll likely find the answer more readily when you imagine yourself offering wisdom to someone else.
Talking to yourself like a trusted friend takes some emotion out of the equation. It will help you gain some distance from the decision and allow you to be a little more objective.
It will also help you to be kinder to yourself. While you may be likely to say negative things to yourself, like, “This will never work. You can’t do anything right,” there’s a good chance you wouldn’t say that to your friend. Perhaps you’d say something more like, “You’ve got this. I know you can do it.”
I want to end this with something my father would say to me. There is no inspiration in a plan, but there is inspiration in a vision that you have planted in your subconscious mind with emotion.
GET EXCITED ABOUT WHAT IS NEXT IN YOUR LIFE, and keep writing the script that is your life.
โWe think in secret and it comes to pass. Environment is but our looking glass.โ โ James Allen
Thank you for a great article on decision! I can just hear Bob saying the words. It is just what I needed to read this morning.
Thanks Jennifer, Yes, those are definitely words from my father that I have heard for a lifetime and it brings me immense comfort.
Hello Brian, I am thrilled to read this decison article today, the absolutely perfect teaching for me on this particular day. I love “there is no inspiration in a plan…etc… that supports me in clarifying my vision and really feeling the feeling of being that person.
I look forward to your newsletter, so grateful for you.
Thanks Mary, I am very happy to hear that the timing of this is what you needed. That is never an accident. I appreciate you.
Hi Brian and Cory. I love this lesson about decision. Especially the suggestion to talk to yourself as if you were talking to a friend. Doing that will be so important to me because I am famous for talking/thinking negatively about myself. I will try to do better using this technique. I already feel more positive and encouraging to myself by visualizing this. Love you guys and love your blog and newsletters!
Thanks Jane, you always bring a smile to my face. I appreciate your words.
Brian Your ideas and advice is very well written and I find that you further explain the ideas for whatโs required for a person to move forward. My paradigms are so strong and the ideas and principles you have discussed here really help me to understand the wisdom.
I so look forward to receiving these messages from you.
I so admired respected, and really looked up to your late father and by reading your book and your blog, I can see that he taught you very well and that you were a great student and son.
Iโm pretty sure heโs looking down upon you and is so very proud of you and saying
Yes Brian, move it forward, youโre doing so great!
Thank you so much Bill. Your words mean the world for me. I remember meeting you at our events and it seems so long ago now. Remember your strong paradigms are only that way when we feed them. Feed the good ones, and starve the bad ones.
Knowing that nothing in this universe is destroyed or created and that energy is always moving from one form to another. I give an enormous amount of my thoughts and energy to understanding that all the knowledge that has been shared by Bob, John, Lyland, Brian ect.. is accessible. This information has the ability to transform when accessed. I make it part of my daily “habit” to meditate on these words, information and knowledge to change the results in my life. Iam very thankful for the renewal of mind. I am also full of gratitude towards Brian and Cory as “Torch bearers”. It is truly a blessing.
Thank you kindly ๐
Thank you Dave! This message means the world to both Cory and me.
Thanks for sharing your insights.
Hello Brian, this is so good! From all the concepts Iโve learned from Bob trough Thinking Into Results, whenever he talked about commuted decision I felt there was something I wasnโt quite grasping, until one day it clicked. You have a very accessible way of explaining this concept. Thank you!
Thank you!
I am so very blessed to be reminded by you of the great lessons from your amazing father Bob Proctor. Thank you for sharing more life changing messages.
Thanks Jo-Anna, this is one that I was taught my entire life. ;o)
Great post Brian. The ability to make decisions swiftly and decisively can indeed be a catalyst for overcoming challenges and achieving success in both personal and business realms
Thank you so much! I am very happy to hear that this post resonated with you.
Brian, I would love the opportunity to connect with you.
Brian, I’m just finishing up your book, “My Father Kew the Secret.” Been marking it up with all my notes, to pass it along to my partner, who is really struggling with inaction. In fact, this quote, โSuccessful people make decisions quickly, and change them very slowly. Unsuccessful people make decisions very slowly and change them often and quickly,โ really sums up the difference between the two of us!
On my part, I am producing an animated series for PBS, called https://www.lifeups.org I’d love to hop on a call with you to discuss the possibility of having you as a guest contributor.
Thanks Catherine, it was always important to me that the book would connect people in ways like you have stated. I hope your partner will get some good value from it. I would love to connect about what you are doing.
This is a brilliant Article Brian. Decision is the catalyst to anything and your dad was right.
Thanks Didier, Yes, my father had so much wisdom to share. Glad you enjoyed the article.
You are dropping some serious heat in this Blog! Love it, and super impactful. This stood out for me…”I like to think of a decision as a creative move: I have made a decision and will now utilize my full human potential to deliver on that decision and become the best possible version of myself during the journey.” This helps create the “Burning Desire” Within, the feeling of it, the passion. I think of Napolean Hill’s quote that your Dad would share, ” I see only the objective, all other obstacles must give way.” another thought that comes to mind is I heard your Dad always asking the question, What do you really want? We can ask ourselves this and others, even our young kids in moments when they get ‘derailed.’ we can ask them what they want to connect, even if what they desire in that moment is not possible right then, it absolutely can be and it is good to acknowledge to ourselves what we actually desire….Thank you so much for sharing!
Thanks Valene, It sounds like you have been a student of my father’s for a long time. I really appreciate this message and how it confirms all I was brought up with.
Dear Brian,
I wanted to express my sincere gratitude for your incredible insight and the inspiring shares that you have received from your father, Bob. Your knowledge and wisdom have truly made a positive impact on me. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the article you shared, and I plan on spreading its message with others. Thank you for enriching my life with your contributions.
With heartfelt appreciation,
Tara
Thank you Tara, you are such a gift in this world.
Hi Brian, this is such an insightful article on Decision. I have found that confidence and changing my self image have been the most important in assisting me to move forward. With more confidence and a better image I also find myself being more kind to me. Thank you for the reminder of the inspiration being in the vision.
In gratitude,
Tracy
Thanks Tracy, Every time I see your name I picture that big warm smile. I’m glad you enjoyed this blog.
Hi Brian, Your article seemed to arrive at a time just when I needed it, so I am very grateful. Thank you for keeping alive the spirit of the erudite Bob Proctor, and thank you for sharing all the wisdom you have learned directly from him. As his son you are in a unique position to impart knowledge learned up close and personal, I love to hear your stories. I love the James Allen quote too, deep! Keep on doing what you’re doing, your dad is proud i’m sure. Give thanks.
Thank you Kari! It is messages like yours that really make this all worthwhile for me.
Thank you so much
for this so important post
Mr Brian Proctor.
Honestly ,
Thank YOU. ๐๐
EVERY SINGLE WORD , YOU HAVE SO SPECIFICALLY WRITTEN DOWN HERE FOR US ๐ฅน๐ท๐ IS OF HUGE IMPORTANCE FOR ME.
It is like is was written JUST๐๐๐ท FOR ME ! ๐๐ ESPECIALLY THIS PARTICULAR DAY ๐๐
๐ท
So ,
THANK YOU. ๐๐
Really !!!
Henceforth,
I will take and follow your advice and send TO YOU ๐๐ , Mr Brian Proctor , one more,
Of HUGE importance as well :
โBP CONFIDENTIALโ๐๐ E~mail.
Thank you Mr BP ๐๐๐ซ๐ซ๐ซ๐ซ
THANK YOU ๐๐
Thanks Christiana, I am very happy that you have found value in this.
Brian , thanks for always sharing. I always look forward to reading your blog I find them inspirational. If I can’t have the live Bob, you are a wonderful substitute.. Keep up the amazing work. There is a sticker on my back bumper which reads ” Expect Abundance” It’s a constant reminder without having expectations your dreams will probably go unanswered.
PS: my eleven year old daughter tell me it’s on there so I can find my car. She maybe right.
Furthermore, maybe you could help me. I was receiving your thought for the day. I stopped receiving them a couple of days ago. I may have pressed the unsubscribe botton by mistake. If Proctor and Gallagher still provides them I would like to be added back to their list. My email is below. However, I will give it to you. kenzieleigh444@gmail.com
Hello Bobby,
Thank you so much for this. Very happy that you are finding these posts inspirational. I LOVE the bumper sticker…that sounds like my father.
I have not been with Proctor Gallagher for over a year and a half so unfortunately cannot help you there. They should have links on their site.