Epigrams Series for success: Thoughts become actions, so have productive positive thoughts.

I read a very good article about Epigrams and I wish to share some of them. I believe that our thoughts become our actions. If we think only bad thoughts, we are more likely to do bad things.

Remember, whether you think you can or you think you can’t, your right. Because the first step in success is in believing in yourself.

That’s one reason I upvote my own posts, because if I believe my post is worthy of an upvote, so will others.

So I will start this series of epigrams; short little teaching moments, which are meant to fill your mind with positive productive thoughts. I read these in an article by Ryan Holiday called “21 Eigrams every man should live by.

“It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” — Epictetus

There is the story of the alcoholic father with two sons. One follows in his father’s footsteps and ends up struggling through life as a drunk, and the other becomes a successful, sober businessman. Each are asked: “Why are you the way you are?” The answer for both is the same: “Well, it’s because my father was an alcoholic.” The same event, the same childhood, two different outcomes. This is true for almost all situations — what happens to us is an objective reality, how we respond is a subjective choice.<

The Stoics — of which Epictetus was one — would say that we don’t control what happens to us, all we control are our thoughts and reactions to what happens to us.

Remember that: You’re defined in this life not by your good luck or your bad luck, but your reaction to those strokes of fortune. Don’t let anyone tell you different.<