last night I was back again at The Phoenician for their awards banquet. Many trophies were given ouot for various categories. I introduced the presenters.
During some “down time” while everyone was eating, I reflected on the past two days of this 5 day convention for upper management of this large company. I thought about an aricle I published back in April of 2008, titled, “The #1 Cause of Failure.”
I decided to re-publish it here this morning. It’s still true.
The #1 Cause Of Failure
What is the biggest roadblock to success? What sabotages jobs or relationships? What is the number one cause of failure?
In asking blunt questions like these, many answers may arise as to the real cause of failure. Some would answer by saying that a lack of education is the number one cause for failure. Others would emphatically state that the number one cause is a lack of financial resources. Still others would be convinced that it must be missing out on opportunities.
Actually, hundreds of possible answers to this question exist. And I would have to agree that the answers above definitely contribute to failure. But they are not the real culprit.
In fact, in the least common denominator, there is only one basic reason for not succeeding. It is sad that few recognize it, and fewer still believe it. But it is still true.
What Is It?
The number one cause for failure in anyone’s life is what is going on inside their head. 
That is the cause! It’s not a lack of knowledge, but rather it’s the false knowledge that a person has put into their mind that they continue to accept as true. It is that false knowledge that sabotages all our efforts.
Negative thoughts are defeating thoughts. Now I know that there are people who scoff at the whole “positive thinking” idea. That is their choice. But their choice does not change what is true. The Bible has a lot to say about the thoughts we think
Consistent negative thinking in the mind will absolutely bring negatives into a person’s life. And it doesn’t matter if you call it, “The Law of Attraction,” or The Law of Vibration,” or any number of names. It is simply the way God designed our brains to work. That’s why we bring into our lives that which we consistently focus our minds on.
So if we choose to focus on negative thoughts, negative situations, negative possibilities, etc., we will absolutely bring those negatives into our lives. How few believe this powerful, critical truth! Our own thoughts are the number one cause of failure in our lives.
Want Proof?
We see proof of it every single day. Do you know someone who consistently has problems? What kind of things do they talk about? What are some of the things that you hear that individual say on a very consistent basis? I can guarantee you their talk, their outward expression of what’s on the inside, is negative.
What kind of thoughts do you think they harbor and incubate? Do you think that they consistently think thoughts of prosperity and abundance; thoughts of health; thoughts of having great relationships? Not hardly.
Do you know people who it seems like things are always going in their favor? (You know the kind I mean, the ones who seem to get all the good breaks!) Do you know people who seem to have God’s blessings just flowing to them? Sure you do, we all do.
What do those people talk about, negatives? No, they talk about positive things, and they talk about possibilities. Their talk seems to indicate that they are expecting great things to happen to them.
Wow! Isn’t that just such a great coincidence? Not!
It is no coincidence! It’s how God designed our brains to work. We all have freewill to choose our own thoughts.
Guess What?
And here’s some really good insight. Just thinking one positive thought or one negative thought will not bring it into your life. There is a part of the mind, which is called by a number of different names. But again, the name is not important. What is important is understanding how your mind works.
This is the part of the mind where you carry out who you are. This is where your core beliefs are stored. This innermost part of your mind is also referred to as your belief system, or, as the Bible refers to it, the heart.
Your life today is the result of what is inside your heart right now. And if you don’t like what’s outside, and you are tired of the same results, then make the effort to change what’s inside; change your heart, your belief system, your core beliefs.
Make Some Important Mental Changes!
Identify the negative defeating thoughts that are in there, and then make a decision to remove those thoughts, and put in their place thoughts about the positive things that you do desire in your life.
Your own thoughts, the things you have stored up in your heart can be your worst enemy. Replace negative defeating thoughts with positive thoughts of success and victory. If you do, you will see the results that you desire in your life.
The Bible says, “As he thinks in his heart, so is he.”
Michael A. Verdicchio
First published, April, 2008
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Mike,
Thank you for that clearly defined 4 step process to reversing the #1 cause of failure. Not hard to do when you know how, which you very succinctly described: Identify, decide, remove, replace.
Identifying the negative thought, deciding to remove then replace it with a positive (or as I tell my kids, replace one negative with three positives) is a free will decision each one of us can make, every day. Sometimes, I find I must make it several times a day! But it works, if you are consistent.
Thank you for this post. As usual, it was a blessing to my day.
God bless you.
Chere, you’re right, the process is not hard, but it is up to us to put off, and then put on, The results are certainly worth the effort.
My brother Mike,
I appreciate your love and dedication to God and to teaching us His word. Again i am enlightened with greater understanding of the condition of my life,and how God gives me the choice to fill my heart with what i want. It’s clear how it is my responsibility to set a guard over it, or not. God is clear, how i will reap the results of my choosing, so i better get busy allowing His words to dominate in my thinking and kicking out those things that i do not want in my life. God bless, E.
You are right, E., it’s up to us kick out the things we don’t want, and put on the things we do want. That is my job, so I might as well get busy! God bless you.