Sep 30, 2022
One Thought Can Change Everything
This is an excerpt from my new book, 2-Minute Pep Talks*. If you enjoy it, you can buy a copy for as little as $3.99 here*.What’s your best thought today? You should write it down. Maybe not for the world but definitely for yourself. One thought. One thought can change everything.
Scribble your thought on a scrap of paper. Put it in a jar. Wait for 30 days, 60 days, even 365 days, then take it out again. Look at it. Remember. Ask questions.
Is it still a good thought? Is it worth thinking again? Has it served its purpose? Did it help you through a bad day? Was it one of your best insights? Or maybe one of your worst? Did the thought accompany you all this time? Has it stuck with you? Or does it feel like a distant dream?
Your thought can be simple. “I’m okay.” “Coffee is delicious.” “Don’t argue when you’re hungry.” Your thought can also be deep. “I hate cycling because I fell off my bike when I was nine.” “I’m still in love with him.” “I’m more afraid of success than failure.” Sometimes, your thought will be an idea. “Coffee should taste like chocolate.” “Can I use my phone to make a TV show?” “What if umbrellas were less clunky?” One thought. One thought can change everything.
How many thoughts do you have each day? 6,000? 12,000? 50,000? No one really knows, but it sure is a lot of them. What is your best one today? Think! You only need one thought to mold your future more deliberately.
Write down your thought. Record it. Type it. Pin it. You might not remember it tomorrow. In fact, you may never look at it again. Your thought won’t make a big difference next week, maybe not even six months from now — but eventually, it will.
One day, you’ll look back through your pile of one-liners. You’ll stand under a waterfall of thoughts. Some memories will hit hard. Some ideas will feel refreshing. Old beliefs will roll off your shoulders. “Oh, so that’s where my attitude came from. That’s why I did this thing.” You’ll think. Reflect. Act. You’ll be a curator of your curated thoughts, and, finally, you’ll understand: One thought. One thought can change everything.
If you want to change not just yourself but the world, you should share your one thought. Don’t do it for your ego. Do it for us. Help us change, too. It works better when we exchange our thoughts.
Take your time. Work up the courage. At first, no one will see your daily thought. Then, a few people may find it. Then, a few more. Eventually, you might attract a loyal audience. They may even line up for your thoughts.
Maybe someone in that line will have the same thought. What if they go back to their jar, pull out a note, and read the same sentence? Suddenly, you’ll be connected. Two humans, one thought. One thought can change everything.
You can write your thought into your diary. You can post it on Twitter. You can turn your thought into an article or let it collect digital dust on your hard drive. Whatever you do, keep collecting your thoughts.
One day, you’ll wake up, and life will never be the same. It won’t have felt like it back when you started, but now you’ll know for sure: It only takes a single one. One thought. One thought can change everything.
This is pep talk #64 from my new book, 2-Minute Pep Talks: 67 Jolts of Inspiration for More Hope, Comfort, and Love in Any Situation*.Pep talks are vitamins for your spirit: You don’t have to take them every day, but if you don’t take them at all, eventually, your soul will feel their absence. With 67 daily messages full of hope, love, and comfort, 2-Minute Pep Talks will make sure you maintain your inner balance.Whether you’re looking for a pick-me-up, new perspectives, or more fuel to accomplish your dreams — if you’re ready to regain that light, optimistic feeling we all used to have as kids, this book is for you.You can get the book on Amazon*.
