There are all kinds of experts in the world today – business experts. life coach experts, food experts, etc. Lordy, everyone has a sure-fire way to make us successful. There’s so much advice it’s enough to drive one batty. The truth is, there is no one single sure-fire way to success. But there is a way that will get you there quicker, and I can prove it.

In late February 2015 I woke up and my husband smiled at me and said, “Hi honey, you are in the hospital. You’ve been in a coma. Nice to see you awake now. You’ve had a stroke. I love you. I’ll go find the doctor.”

Something inside my brain screamed: “NOOOOO! Not possible. I am not disabled. I am not dependent on my husband. I am not disabled. I am perfectly fine.”

Now, I am not a doctor. I have no training as a medical person of any kind. I just knew I was not prepared to permanently relinquish my role as chief bread-winner; nor was I prepared to give in to any kind of disability. What I did not know then was that I had not had just one stroke, I had two.

I had Streptococcal meningitis – a not uncommon infection. It starves the brain and spine of oxygen. Lack of oxygen means convulsions and strokes and death. I was in pretty bad shape. Even though the medical system is pretty good in Canada, brain injuries are notorious for being difficult to fully diagnose and fully treat. The hospital rehab treatment program is only two months long. (Which I later learned is quite generous but not nearly long enough.)

I treated getting better the same as anything else in my life – I went at it full tilt. It did not matter that I could not read or talk properly, or even think. I looked at the positives. I could go to the bathroom alone, get dressed (albeit slowly), and eat. I did not slur my words, had no pulls on the side of my face and still found humor in many things.

I became the patient from hell. I demanded four times the amount of work from myself. If one thing was asked of me, I did four times that. Homework was my second name. I used to be able to read at a rate of 300 words a minute. 30 words an hour was my new normal. A clock became a sun with a frown. Throwing a ball and doing sit-ups took forever. No matter – I did everything to the power of four. Did I get frustrated? Absolutely! Did I swear? Like a sailor! However; by the time I left rehab, the therapists could not believe what they saw. They had never seen such a recovery. Within a year, my reading speed was up to 275 words a minute. My doctors still call me a walking medical miracle.

I say 85% of your success is between your ears. So, picture your success today as if you already OWN it!

When I was in my late teens, someone much smarter than I told me to visualize what I wanted. I pictured an image of me behind a big desk in a corner office wearing a short skirt and six-inch heels. (True power in those days!) I realized that dream by age 27. Thereafter, every time I wanted something, I just held a picture in my mind’s eye and then worked my tail off to get it. It worked every time.

I am not special. I was not born on the right side of the tracks, nor have I ever been on the receiving end of an inheritances. I put myself through college and I have always been the one most everyone relies on. However, I have always had a completely different attitude about life. As I have gotten older, I have moved from being focused on me to being focused on you. That has made an enormous difference in how fast the success gods have smiled on me.

No matter how many experts and gurus you choose to listen to and buy from, I know that your success is 85% dependent on what lies between your ears. Your brain can not distinguish between reality and fantasy.

Really ponder upon that – then act accordingly.

 

NOTE: Look for “It’s True! It’s All in Your Head” (Part 2) on Thursday, September 20, 2018.