Tice Talk Thursday: Week 1

Welcome to Tice Talk Thursday! This will be my first of 12 Tice Talks... you guessed it--on Thursdays ;)

If you don't know who Tice is, where on earth have you been? Just teasin'...  

I am referring to Lou Tice--author of Smart Talk and founder of The Pacific Institute. 

A mentor and GOODe friend of mine introduced me to Mr. Tice (via his book--not in person) and his Smart Talk and I have to tell you it really changed the way I think about a lot of things. 

Ya know there are those people that people just can't say enough GOODe things about them... Tice is one of them. Truth be told, everyone that had encountered his books, emails or trainings all said the same thing. I HAD to read this book... 

So, I did and guess what? Now I go around tellin' (and sometimes throwing copies at) people that they GOTS to read this book and they GOTS to sign up for PX2 group on Facebook to get regular encouraging messages from Tice.

Now, don't get me wrong--this book ain't magic. Truth be told, it ain't really anything new. I am always struck with how much scripture comes to mind when I read Tice's stuff. 

Tice puts it all out there in black and white and reminds you that YOU are really the only thing holding YOU back.  Sure there are situations, circumstances, hardships...

But here is the glorious news: YOU always have a choice in how you react and in determining YOUR next step, regardless of the circumstance. Your choice may be to let something happen and not get upset about it. It might be to find a creative solution. It could be in how you choose to feel about the situation. Bottom line is YOU have control of YOU--not the circumstance or situation or relationship or schedule or job or __________. That is the glorious free will our creator gave us. Plain and simple.

In some ways that stinks doesn't it? Would be nice to blame someone else...but truth be told, when we look around our lives and are disappointed by something or even lots of things-- the only person who we can blame is the person in the mirror. OOOh boy, maybe I should have called this Tough Talk Thursdays ;) 

Are your toes hurtin'? Mine sure are. The tough talk is really for me ladies and gentleman. I gots lots going for me, but I have my own challenges--just like everyone else-- and they have been getting the better of me. Truth be told, my attitude is well below where I'd like it to be. 

Some days my attitude is just rotten... Just sayin'. 

I am tired. 

I am beat. 

And, frankly--I am better than this ya'all.

So... now that confessional is over, let's dive into Chapter 1: The Here and The There. Tice talks about how believe =achieves. The old adage "If you think you can or you think you can't, in both cases you are right" comes to mind. We hear these things everyday, but have you ever REALLY thought about it? If you think you can't, you aren't going to try... even if you "have to" due to circumstance. We humans are pretty ego driven...so if you have told yourself you can't, you are certainly not going to try to prove yourself wrong. However, if you think you can, you set yourself up in problem solving mode.

I heart problem solving--truly, I do. 

It is the BEST form of creativity. It is just changing the way you think about a situation. Tice says "If you change the way you think, you change the way you act". This isn't ignoring problems or heading off to lala land with rainbows and butterflies... it is changing your thinking to help you make change.

For example: Say you rip the seat of your pants (never happened--honest ;) ) and you don't notice. You go walking around all day...You be thinkin' nothin' be wrong and therefore you act like nothin's wrong. Suddenly a draft hits your bum and now the world must STOP until you find a solution to your problem... It's been there all day... but now, now you are uncomfortable. Now your thinkin' has changed and now I bet you get creative real fast. Ya might change pants...ya might sew it up... ya might find a nice magazine to temporarily cover your bum... ya might run to the bathroom and cry and then do something... point is, it is up to you.

Ladies and gentlemen, if you are unhappy about anything... be it your messy house, your spiritual life, an unhealthy friendship, a stressful job, your weight, your work/life balance, a financial mess: 

PSSSTTT... YOU ARE WALKING AROUND WITH A HOLE IN YOUR PANTS. 

We only got one life to live and Tice reminds us that our "current reality is not fixed". Don't get "trapped in the mistaken sense of this is the way it is".

Tice teaches that you should start with "the why and the what" you want with "the end result" in mind and let the "how" come later. It is this type of thinking that I first noticed from my friend that led me to ask about Tice. I saw her living her life in such a powerful way and she shared with me how she always thinks of the solution or goal and the "how to get there" falls into place when she is truly focused on her goal. 

Wow. You mean I can dream again? Really? I thought the hamster-wheel of adulthood was about getting real and makin' due.

Tice reminds us that "the only thing that is going to stop you is your lack of vision, lack of mission, old patterns, old habits, old excuses and beliefs that are inappropriate". 

Tice encourages you to develop "your why and your what" and engage in positive self talk and influence positive talk around you... negative talk just brings everybody down dude.

So, here is the challenge for the week:--Share if you like or quietly follow along-- Develop your whys and your whats you gots to be changin'... seriously folks... I can see your bum ;)