Stop Wasting Your Life & Do Something by Simon Smith Read Free Book Online Page B

great discussions about philosophy and business, do you think that’s a healthy association?
     
    If, whenever you see another individual, you take drugs and go out to nightclubs, would you describe that as healthy?
     
    If, whenever you see a different individual, you go exercising and training, would you say that one is better?
     
    If you want to know if an association is healthy or not, just ask yourself these questions:
     
    One – What you do when you’re with that person?
    Two – How do you feel when you leave that person?
    Three – How does that person like to spend their time?
    Four – How does that person treat other people?
     
    If the answers to those questions are positive (and you’ve answered them truthfully) then it may be a very positive relationship.
     
    If the answers to those questions are negative (and you’ve answered them truthfully), then it may be a destructive relationship.
     
    If it’s a destructive relationship, you may want to limit your exposure to that person. This doesn’t mean that you have to point out their impact on you and tell them that you can never see them again. This simply means that you spend less time with them. If they invite out to the bar, tell them you have something on and can’t make it.
     
    If the relationship is a positive one, how can you increase your exposure to this person?
     
    Ok, so that’s your current associations. What about associations you’d LIKE to have?
     
    Who would you like to get around that you don’t currently know? Is there a local business club you could join for inspiration and friendship of the positive variety? Is there a book club where you could find some friends of like minds?
     
    Could you create associations with people at work that you admire?
     
    Could you find a group online that holds webinars or teleconferences?
     
    Could you find a mentor?
     
    Anyway, you get the picture. Think about it, and make a list of your top ten closest acquaintances. Write down how much time you spend with them, and how they affect you. If it’s positive, then great. If it’s negative, then you know what to do!!
     

Chapter 17
     
    Controlling Your Desires & Impulses
     
    So to finish off on Health, let’s look at our desires and impulses.
     
    I don’t mean our natural desires, such as food, water, shelter, love etc.
     
    I’m talking about our desires and impulses for things such as unhealthy food, alcohol, spending too much money on things we don’t need in order to treat ourselves etc…
     
    I always think of our desires and impulses like the cartoon where there’s a devil on one shoulder telling us to go ahead and do something we know we shouldn’t, and an angel on the other shoulder, telling us to be good.
     
    Which one do we listen to? How do we control these?
     
    Well one technique I use is to ask myself who’s in control! I know that this is basically talking to yourself, but because we KNOW we’re talking to ourselves, it’s not a sign of madness!
     
    When I feel the urge to stray from the path, and have a cheesecake, or miss my exercises, or eat some meat instead of a nice healthy vegetarian meal, I ask myself the question ‘Who’s in control here? Me, or my desires?’
     
    And although my desires do win from time to time, normally I win. I can override the desire to have/do what I know I shouldn’t (cheesecake is the hardest battle).
     
    This happened just this evening. It was nice and warm in my house, and it was freezing cold outside. I have set myself some exercise goals this year, and one of them is to run a certain number of miles. I needed to run tonight, but because it was so cold, my mind (the devil side), was telling me not to go out. ‘It’s too cold, you can go tomorrow’. As soon as I became aware that my mind was trying to trick me out of my run, I got my trainers on, and went for it.
     
    Again, you have to remember to use this trick which is the difficult part, but the more you practice being