Constructive Mindset with Guided Action

We all know that our actions follow our thoughts. For example,

• You think of walking before you walk
• You think of talking before you talk
• You think of reading before you read

However, little do we know the power of action over our thoughts.

If your mind is thinking negative, it may be due to your negative actions.

For example, when we are discussing negative things about people or doing negative things like harming someone, our thoughts become negative.

The best way to convert your thoughts into positive is to stop doing the negative things and start doing the positive things.

It involves two steps.

Step 1: Stop Negativity

You have to stop the negative thoughts filling your mind first to allow the positive thoughts to come in. The best way to avoid negative thoughts in your mind is use the Triple Filter Test of Socrates.

One day an man ran up to Socrates excitedly and said, "Socrates, do you know what I just heard about Diogenes?"

"Wait a moment," Socrates replied, "Before you tell me I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."

'Triple filter?" asked the acquaintance."That's right," Socrates continued, "Before you talk to me about Diogenes let's take a moment to filter what you're going to say.

The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"

"No," the man said, "Actually I just heard about it."

"All right," said Socrates, "So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about Diogenes something good?"

"No, on the contrary..."

"So," Socrates continued, "You want to tell me something about Diogenes that may be bad, even though you're not certain it's true?"

The man shrugged, a little embarrassed.

Socrates continued, "You may still pass the test though, because there is a third filter, the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about Diogenes going to be useful to me?"

"No, not really."

"Well," concluded Socrates, "If what you want to tell me is neither True nor Good nor even useful, why tell it to me or anyone at all?"

Step 2: Act Positive

While the step 1 prepares you for positive thoughts, you can’t think positive unless you do some positive acts.

You must, therefore, start doing something good like reading good books, writing, playing, talking to your friends, listening some good music or carry on your daily routine like cooking, washing cloths, or cleaning the utensils.

Once you start doing a positive thing in your life, positive thoughts would invariably follow your actions and you would start feeling happy.

The former British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli said this so wisely, “Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action.”

The only way to think positive and to retain positivity in life is to keep doing positive things in life and dispel the negative thoughts when they are trying to enter in your mind.

-Awdhesh Singh