I had a really interesting day a few weeks ago. In the morning I met a potential new client for coffee. In the afternoon I met a potential new client for coffee.

These two potential new clients – unknown into each other – shared a common profession, they were both stockbrokers.

My morning coffee was with a 40-ish stockbroker who had contacted me to inquire as to whether it was possible for me to help him salvage the remains of what appear to be a failing career.

The afternoon coffee was with a fortyish stockbroker who contacted me to inquire as to whether  I could help propel his rocket fueled career higher and faster.

My morning coffee companion spent considerable time filling me in on how “tough times are out there.” The economy is in the tank, no one is buying anything, people are afraid of the market, and the opportunities for making a living range somewhere between slim and none.

My afternoon coffee companion filled me in on the fact that 2013 was shaping up to be his best year ever, even better than 2012 which had been better than 2011 which had been far superior to 2010. Opportunities abound, people were optimistic, the market was the market and regardless of what was happening, there was money to be made.

Interesting, don’t you think? Two people in the same industry with access to the same data and with the same knowledge of the same events arriving at such different conclusions and consequently, realizing such different results.

For those of you who have been my loyal and regular readers what I’m about to say will no doubt sound like a broken record (for those of you under 30, a record is a piece of vinyl with a hole in the middle. This is placed on something called a turntable which rotates. A needle is then placed on the rotating vinyl and produces a sound called music. Weird huh?).

My morning coffee guy had built a belief around how difficult the times are, how challenging it is to make a living. My afternoon coffee guy had built beliefs around prosperity, opportunity and success.

As we have so often discussed, everything we believe to be true is, indeed, true for us, and the actions we take tend to validate those beliefs.

Finally, after many years of searching this planet for answers, I have discovered the greatest secret of all.

Here it is. Life’s a BCH.

Without vowels, I’m not quite sure how to pronounce the word, but please allow me to explain. BCH stands for Beliefs, Choices and Habits and I am now convinced, beyond any reasonable/unreasonable shadow of doubt that it is how we bring the meaning and application of those three words into our lives that will determine our destination.

I believe it was Earl Nightingale, who many, many years ago, in his epic speech, “The Strangest Secret”, told us that the great secret to success – or failure – lies in these words, “We become what we think about.”

As discussed above, everything we believe to be true is true for us and both Coffee Guy Number One and Coffee Guy Number Two, in their own opposing ways, proved the validity of this secret.

Coffee Guy number one has created a belief centered on economic doom and gloom. As is true with all of us, the choices we make are hinged on the beliefs we have developed and his beliefs had pretty much pointed him to the conclusion of “What’s the point, it’s hopeless?” And he had given up trying. He repeatedly gave up trying, he repeatedly put in half-hearted effort, if any effort at all. He adopted, and mastered, the habit of ineffectiveness. And so his beliefs, his choices and his habits have brought him to the brink of despair.

For him, life truly is a BCH.

Coffee Guy Number Two has created beliefs around opportunity. He believes that he is destined for greatness, success is his to grab and is well within his realm of possibility. From this belief he has chosen to make valiant, energetic, passionate effort and, in doing so repeatedly, has created the very habits that ensure success.

For him, life truly is a BCH.

We become what we think about because as we think and believe, we choose to act and then, as we repeat those actions, we form the very habits that produce results in our lives.

I couldn’t wait for the coffee meeting with my morning guy to end. For a few moments I feared that if I listen to him long enough I might even start believing his doomsday prophesies.

Conversely, I didn’t want my afternoon coffee meeting to end. As I listened to him, I found myself wrapped up in his zest for life and I was inspired to do more, and to do better.

My afternoon coffee reminded me to seek the company of others just like him so as to immerse myself in their positive energy. Hopefully they will reciprocally draw the same energy from me.

Each time we share our views with others, we are, indeed soaking them in our energy.

If we want our world to be filled will upbeat, uplifting and optimistic thoughts, feelings and beliefs we need to surround ourselves with folks who radiate positive energy so as we trade energy with them, our compounding, collective positivity contributes to the betterment of all.

This is truly a team effort and we need to assemble teams filled with Coffee Guys Number Two.

Life truly is a BCH.

And there’s no I in BCH.

Till we read again.

P.S. My company, Strategic Pathways, this week introduced our newest Personal Coaching experience called Boot Camp for Your Brain. Please click here and take a peek at our Ebrochure

–  I had the privilege of doing my first ever radio interview a few weeks ago. The topic of the interview was my book, Life Sinks or Soars – the Choice is Yours. Here is a link to my interview.

Two weeks later I did a second interview. Here is the link.

Yesterday I did my third radio interview.

I would love to hear your thoughts, ideas or suggestions once you have listened to the interviews. Please contact me at rael@raelkalley.com and share your thoughts

–  My book Life Sinks or Soars – the Choice is Yours now has its very own website. Please visit us at  www.lifesinksorsoars.com  and let me know what you think.

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