The Sears Catalogue

Different kind of Sears.  I’ve been enjoying the work of F.W. Sears recently.  He taught about 100 years ago in New York and many of his writings are now available in digital format for free.  I’ve just completed his “New Thought Lectures Vol.1” and am starting in on Vol.2.

Just now, he is telling a story of a young man who came to New York and was unable to get a job.  He wasn’t unable to get a job for lack of skill or lack of jobs available.  He wasn’t getting a job because he kept “seeing” himself without a job.  His fear of not getting a job was absorbing all of his focus.  He had given up his personal authority to his fear and that fear was running his imagination.  The more he stayed in the fear, the more it rolled out of him and the “atmosphere” surrounding him was off-putting.  

This got me thinking about me.  What do I imagine the majority of time?  What is running my image factory by default?  Is it my highest intention for my life?  Is it my fear?  Do I pay so little attention to it that it continues to pump out the images that it is used to doing?  The way to tell is to look at your life.  

When I look at my life, if I’m being really honest with myself, I’d estimate that about 65% of the time, I’m in default mode - same old images creating the same old experiences.  Same old, same old.  Fear controls the imagining about 5-10% of the time and the pull to something greater creates the images the remaining 25-30%.

65% same old images
25-30% growth images
5-10% fear and doubt images

At first glance, those might seem like bad percentages, and they certainly aren’t where I would like them to be.  But look again.  My foundation, upon which I will grow, is solid.  After the fear % is deducted from the growth%, I’ve got a slow, but noticeable, growing edge of imagination at 15-25%.  The person in the story probably looked more like this:

25-45% same old images
50-75% fear images
0-5% growth images

No solid foundation, fear eroding what foundation there might be, and limited growth potential.

So, what is your analysis of your life?  How much time do you spend imaging in each of these categories?  (Hint:  If you aren’t aware you are imaging, you’re probably in same old, same old mode.)  Are they where you want them to be?  If so, great!  You get to pick what the “right” distribution is for you.  If not, you now have an incredible tool to change the percentage.  That tool is awareness!  Catch yourself in fear-based thinking?  Shift into thinking about something exciting!  Find that you’ve been kind of brain-dead for a while, going through the ordinary motions of your day?  Choose to focus on what you want your next adventure to be instead.  

Nobody but you has the authority to set or change the images you hold in your mind.  My intention is to knock about 15% of that same old, same old category and add it to the growth percentage.  What about you?  Share in the comments section!