This article contains passages from Orison Swett Marden’s An Iron Will.

In our day-to-day life, we do what we think about. We think about going to a movie, then we go. We think about what to wear, then we put it on. We start by thinking what we want for lunch, then before you know it, we’re eating. We do what we think about. It is a fact so simple that it can’t rationally be argued with.

We do it day in and day out, thinking then getting, thinking then getting. We do it without even noticing. The sad thing it that most people never realize that it works for big things, too.

Let a man radically alter his thoughts, and he will be astonished at the rapid transformation it will effect in the material conditions of his life. Men imagine that thought can be kept secret, but it cannot; it rapidly crystallizes into habit, and habit solidifies into circumstance.

If you started thinking every day about being healthier, what do you think would happen? You would start to subconsciously motivate your self into living healthier. Then you would actually start living healthier. The trouble is that this works in the negative direction, too. If all you ever think about is how bad you have it you will just get depressed. You will never find a way out until you start looking for it.

A particular train of thought persisted in, be it good or bad, cannot fail to produce its results on the character and circumstances. A man cannot directly choose his circumstances, but he can choose his thoughts, and so indirectly, yet surely, shape his circumstances.

Nature helps every man to the gratification of the thoughts, which he most encourages, and opportunities are presented which will most speedily bring to the surface both the good and evil thoughts.

If you ask yourself a question, you will get an answer. If you ask yourself why you are so poor, your head will readily come up with excuses: my boss won’t give me a raise, I’m not the type that will ever ear more than $10 an hour, my family is just so sick, etc… Great. Now you have a bunch of other horrible things dragging you down. If you ask yourself how you could earn more, you will come up with that answer, too. The answer you need will not just fall from the sky, unless you’ve already been looking for it.

Here’s an exercise you can try. Make a list of goals, then ask yourself questions about them as if you know for certain you are going to be successful. “How will I get that raise?” “How am I going to find sleeping arrangements for the whole family?” “Where will I get the money for that car repair?”

If you practice asking yourself good questions, you will train your mind to think positively. Give it a try.