“Complaining” is a cancer that slowly destroys dreams and life.

For some reason, complaining appears to be addictive.  It is so easy to bitch and whine about anything – other people, the weather, your job, traffic, pretty much anything.  Why is this?  For many, complaining is a way to connect with others. When something great happens to you, a lot of people hate on you.  They try to tear you down.   We have all been there.  It requires courage to see the world through kind eyes.  Research has even shown that humans that are more optimistic are more resilient and even live longer yet it’s not easy.

So why is complaining so destructive?

Over 2000 years ago, the great Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius, wrote in his meditations, “The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.”  I once read that humans have over 100,000 thoughts per day. Not including the standard 8 hours of sleep, there are only 57,600 seconds in a waking day yet we have almost twice as many thoughts.  Managing your thoughts requires constant vigilance.  It requires all of you.

How can we automate Right Thinking?

Much like computers, the human mind has its version of software – beliefs.  All of your beliefs put together is your operating system.  This operating system creates the lens in which your view yourself, others and life.  Your beliefs are one of the most important aspects of life.  In fact, it may be the single greatest asset or liability you have.  As important as beliefs are to our happiness and fulfillment and our ability to love and to serve, we have never been taught to program our own beliefs. We let life happen to us and beliefs are the by product. We are unconsciously programmed by our environments – television, movies, social media, the internet, Hollywood, marketers, corporations and the people around us program us from an early age.  So here we are, in ‘default’ mode.  Part of this default mode is feeling out of control, like a victim to life.  Many feel as if life happens to them, not for them.  Many others believe,” life sucks, what’s the point” and others believe they must “hustle and achieve” and even some believe they must “plunder and conquer.”  We all do what we do because of the lens we view ourselves, others and the world.

What’s great is that we can change our beliefs and begin to view ourselves, others and the world through kind, loving eyes.  When you can master this, you are back in the drivers seat.  Life even feels easy and fun because you are no longer in survival mode. You are out of fear.  You are in flow. You don’t need to complain. 

Don’t believe me?  That’s your choice.  I can tell you I’ve been on both sides of this.  Taking control of your beliefs and mastering them is a lot of work. Most humans won’t do it.  They don’t believe it’s possible and some don’t believe it is worth the effort. Unfortunately, these people will continue to suffer.  I hope that’s not you.  I hope you become aware of your thoughts and that this is the spark that ignites your journey to self-mastery.  At the very least, I hope you realize complaining is not only annoying but destructive. Consider challenging yourself by pledging to not complain for 7 full days.  Any time you slip, keep track and see how much you can improve each day.  It’s the little things done consistently and relentlessly that lead to self-mastery and a life well-lived.

You were born a lion, my friend, not a lamb. Live Greatly.

Billy Beck III “BB3”

Ready For More? Read “How To Create An UNBREAKABLE Mindset”