“In much the same way, our attitudes, emotions, and beliefs tend to become habitual.” – Maxwell Maltz, M.D. – Psycho-Cybernetics: Updated and Expanded
When my son, Frank, was three years of age, he was introduced to Wendy’s chicken nuggets, which he loved.
One evening, when it was late and we had been traveling all day, he was hungry and wanted his favorite food. We told him that Wendy’s was closed, but he could get the same food at Chick-fil-A. This did not go over well. No matter what we said, his response was, “No, I want my chicken nuggets.”
After this happened, I flashed upon being in grade school and how the teacher taught “facts” that I now believe to be totally false, yet for much of my life, if someone told me anything other than what I heard from that teacher, I would immediately reject their ideas. Looking at another opinion objectively was not an option for me at that time in my life. It was too much for me to believe that someone had taught me wrong.
Today, when I am presented with an idea that is diametrically opposed to what I initially learned, I often have a completely different attitude. How do I know that what I learned first is correct? Just because I learned something one way as a youth doesn’t mean that all other options are permanently rejected.
The good news is that my son grew out of the chicken-nuggets-or-nothing phase after he sampled another style of chicken. How many types of chicken has he enjoyed over the years because he expanded his mind? I would imagine the number is easily more than two dozen.
Is there an area of your thinking you want to expand beyond what you thought of as the only option?
Matt Furey
Today’s email is an excerpt from my new book, Psycho-Cybernetics 365, which is already being listed as “must reading” on various social media. This daily devotional is the perfect way to start your day out with a winning mindset. Get your copy now by clicking here.
