“People do not attract that which they want, but that which they are.” — As A Man Thinketh

We recently received a very “unusual” email. The subscriber’s question was a simple “What can I do to be successful that doesn’t involve changing anything about who I am or how I think?”

My first response to the question was a hearty chuckle at the seeming naive-ness of the writer. The chuckle turned into sadness as I realized the pain the writer must feel at the thought of changing — wanting success but fearing change.

But the longer I thought about it, I realized that while most of us may never verbalize that question, our actions indicate that we believe that it is possible to achieve the success we desire without going through the necessary changes.

I know so many people who work very hard and diligently and sacrifice greatly in an effort to create wealth. But they haven’t undertaken the personal changes necessary to reach their goal. Until they begin to think and act like wealthy people they’ll never attract the wealth they seek. Wealthy people don’t think and act the way they do because they have wealth. They have wealth because they think and act that way.

The same goes whether the goal is weight loss, physical fitness, quitting smoking, etc. As long as you think and act like a smoker, you’re sure to keep smoking regardless of the patches, hypnosis, drugs or other cures you may seek. I know — I did it for 20+ years.

To put it another way: When you stop working on what it is you’re trying to get, and start working on YOU, only then will you get what it is you want. When you change, your results will change. Simple but true.

It really is very basic when you think about it. Jim Rohn says, “To attract attractive people, you must be attractive. To attract powerful people, you must be powerful. To attract committed people, you must be committed. Instead of going to work on them, you go to work on yourself. If you become, you can attract.”

And that’s worth thinking about.