There is an old adage: "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” How people think determines what they will do. We can say that people who think positively and intelligently behave in ways that are smart, leading to success.
So what happens when you or others have "dumb" thoughts?
One of the most common admissions of the highly successful is that they surround themselves with great people. Half of that equation is that they avoid dumb people. Dumb ideas lead to dumb actions, and that results in danger.
Tune in to your local news and there is no shortage of people doing dumb things that were probably preventable had someone just paid attention to what these people say.
Maybe the new saying should be: “Beware! As a man thinks and says dumb things, sooner or later he will do dumb things.”
I’ve been an entrepreneur for more than 30 years. I, like many of you, have dealt with all kinds of people who have said and then done all kinds of crazy things. After a while, you see a pattern.
You are able to come up with the real meanings behind the dumb things people say. Here’s a list I took the time to codify.
Dumb Saying What It Means
| 1. Patience is a virtue | I am not in a hurry to do anything. |
| 2. I just want to be comfortable. | A life with me will be long and miserable. |
| 3. Money won't make you happy. | I am broke and trying to make sense of it. |
| 4. It's the journey, not the destination. | I have no clue where I am going. |
| 5. I don't have time. | This is my “go to” excuse. |
| 6. I'm living the dream. | I compare myself to others that have less. |
| 7. I will do it when I get to it. | I’m overwhelmed and will never get to it. |
| 8. That's impossible. | I quit before I even try. |
| 9. Time heals. | I’m sick of hearing about your problems. |
| 10. We can’t do that. | I use policy when convenient. |
| 11. It takes money to make money. | I lack courage so I brag about being broke. |
| 12. Thank God it’s Friday. | I wasted the whole week. |
| 13. Can’t wait for the weekend. | I’m not productive and hate my job. |
| 14. I hate Mondays. | I have no clue what I’m going to do this week. |
| 15. I'm only human. | I’m a walking billboard for screw-ups. |
| 16. I will be happy when ... | I am not happy and never will be. |
| 17. I am too old (too young). | I only think about myself. |
| 18. It is what it is. | I play Candy Crush a lot. |
| 19. That's not my job. | I am a follower, not a leader. |
| 20. I’m a lover not a fighter. | I won’t fight for me, you, or us. |
| 21. I am trying. | I am about to quit. |
Quit being so forgiving of people saying dumb things, because that only leads to people doing dumb things.
Keep this list close to you so you can quickly decode what dumb really means. If you admit to saying some of the common things on this list, choose to switch the think. What you think, say, and do either creates your success, or keeps you from it.
SEE ALSO: 8 Ways To Manage Someone You Don't Like