By Melanie Benson Strick, The Big Idea Catalyst and World Authority on Optimum Performance
Chatsworth, CA USA

Some people think I’m nuts but I don’t watch the news. If I did, I think I’d be in a constant state of panic as the media churns up the frenzy by constantly focusing us on:

How our economy continues to decline.
That unemployment is at an all-time high.

Company leaders that are downright lying to the public and their employees so they can continue to build their personal wealth.

How bankruptcy and foreclosures are as common today as credit card approvals were five years ago.

Millions of people who are struggling to put food on the table, let alone discover their purpose and create a thriving business.

Sometimes I want to run up and down Melrose Boulevard screaming “Stop the Madness People!” Well, not really, but the thought has occurred to me that somewhere, somehow, this madness has to shift.

I’ve found that picking up a paradigm-shifting book is the best way for me to re-center myself. Last week I finally started reading “The Storm Before the Calm” by Neale Donald Walsh. As I was browsing through the first few pages this quote literally jumped off the page at me.

“What is needed here is not a revolution on the ground but a revolution of the mind.”

What he is referring to is that we, the people who inhabit this planet, have to stop looking for solutions and fixes out there and start shifting what’s going on inside our heads before anything will change.

Whoa. That’s a lot of responsibility. Create a revolution in our own mind.

But that’s exactly what we have to do…

And here’s how we can do it:

1. Know that everything is made up

Every single thing that happens is neutral in meaning until we as humans attach a meaning to it. What that means is just because something is happening doesn’t mean its bad – or good – it’s just happening. What could happen if we attach a meaning that has more value to the outcome we are pursuing? Heck if it’s all made up anyway then why not make it more fun, more empowering, and realize that we can actually do something about it?

Take for example, your current financial situation. What if you knew that right now in the moment you could actually create the money you are seeking – without struggle or frustration? This paradigm shift is a radical thought for many but its actually possible. Most people just tell themselves it can’t be done.

2. Stop buying into everything the media (or anyone) says

Just because it’s someone else’s reality doesn’t mean it has to be yours. For eleven years I’ve been unraveling the beliefs and decisions that no longer support my clients. The crazy thing is that the reason they are stuck and don’t have the life or business they want is because they listened to what someone else told them – and made it THEIR truth.

Even the media distorts reality — they want you to watch their show. Sales people distort reality – they want you to buy their stuff. Your family/friends distort reality – they have THEIR own experience of the truth. The only thing that matter is what YOU believe and how you act from that belief system.

3. Reconnect to what gets YOU fired up

One of the fastest, most effective ways to revolutionize your thinking is to reconnect to your purpose in life. It’s easy to forget, to let it slip away as we get focused on paying the bills and getting the daily grind of tasks done. Our passion is what fuels our momentum and drive to push past resistance and roadblocks.

When you are connected to your deepest “calling” you are an unstoppable force — a force for good to be reckoned with. If you aren’t on fire, then you haven’t really answered the call to your greatness.

4. Learn how to create your own reality

You can create the success you want by changing the story you tell yourself. It’s what Walsh meant by creating a revolution in your mind first. For anything to change on the outside you have to change what’s happening on the inside. It starts with us then it begins to impact and influence everyone and everything we are involved in.

Take the idea of creating a new reality around money. One of the presenters in the Answering The Call Virtual Summit, Elyse Hope Killoran, teaches “The New Wealth Game: How to Create the Prosperity You Deeply Desire on Demand.” I have found it extraordinarily fascinating how I can shift my financial experience instantly by making up what I want – not what I don’t want!


Melanie Benson Strick, The Big Idea Catalyst, helps thought leaders get liberated from the grind of running their business so they can achieve more impact and success. Her latest collaborative project brings together some of the world’s leading experts on achieving success by following your passion in the Answering The Call Virtual Summit! Join us free at LINK.