There are many gated communities throughout the United States. Typically, mostly upper middle class and wealthier people live in these neighborhoods. In addition to their home security systems, living in a gated community is another way for these people to prevent thieves from stealing what they’ve worked so hard for in life. Unless you have the entry code or provide the correct information to the security, you will not be allowed to enter the neighborhood.
Similarly, you have to treat your ears like security gates that are protecting you from the garbage that tries to enter your mind. To do this, you must analyze what you're listening to on a daily basis especially the background noise in your office, home and car. How many times have you turned on the television while you cleaned house, worked on your computer or had dinner with your family? Most people don’t realize that their unconscious mind is focusing on that background noise and taking in every negative word.
Not only are you unconsciously feeding your mind garbage, studies have shown that children growing up in an environment where the television is always on may suffer in speech development and social interaction. If you have to have something playing in the background at all times, wouldn’t it make more sense to turn on some inspirational music or pop in a motivational CD or DVD? Reach up and grab your ears. Yes, this sounds silly but do it anyway. Grab your ears. As you see, they are attached to your body and you own them. It’s time for you to exercise your ownership rights and decide what you allow to enter your ears.
Romans 10:17 says “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word.” If you are constantly hearing negative conversation, depressing news on television, etc., then how do you expect to receive the faith that you will need to achieve your Why in life? Your ears are not only like security gates that keep the negativity out, but also your faith gates that allow the positive material into your ears that will build faith in your heart.
I have a huge high definition television on my desk. However, I don’t watch the news or any other negative nonsense on it. I turn up my surround sound and watch inspirational stations. That’s right…I have teachers like Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, Rod Parsley, John Hagee, Joel Osteen, Creflo Dollar and Eddie Long pumping through my speakers twenty four hours a day. Even when I’m on coaching calls or writing at my desk, I have motivational messages lightly playing. I am flooding my faith gates with positive, empowering messages.
I was born and raised in Yonkers, New York and my wife was raised in rural Tennessee. I have a very strong New York accent and she sounds like she just walked off a farm. Why? Because we were raised by parents with the same accents and grew up around others that sounded just like us. Your accent comes from what you hear from birth through your developmental stages of childhood. Basically, the sounds that we heard as children eventually flowed freely from our mouths. Our early opinions and ideas about the world are also formed by what we heard from our family and friends.
This doesn’t simply stop once we reach adulthood. Whatever or whoever you are listening to everyday will determine who you are as a person. It also determines the level of faith in your heart. Remember, faith comes by hearing. If you are constantly speaking gloom and doom and have no idea how you could possibly achieve your dreams in life, then take a good look at who and what you are listening to.
I’ll be very direct. It irritates me when I meet people that proclaim to be professionals in the personal development industry, but negative words flow out of their mouths like water raging over Niagara Falls. Their words do not match what they claim to be. I’ve devoted my life to assisting others with achieving success, and I focus daily on my Why in life. With that known, would it make any sense for me to go throughout my day complaining, moaning and groaning? No, that’s foolish. But so many people do just that. They claim to be one thing and then act like another.
This clearly proves that what goes into your ears comes out of your mouth. I doubt those same people are listening to inspirational, motivational material on a daily basis. I doubt they even think about protecting their “faith gates” by refusing to listen to negative garbage. Now, take a long, hard look at yourself. Is this you? Do you talk one way and then walk another?
Imagine if you recorded the words that came out of your mouth for just one full day. What would that recording sound like? I can promise you that the words that come out of your mouth will match the material that is going into your ears. Whatever you allow to enter your faith gates will program your heart, spirit and mind to reveal who you really are as a person.
You don’t learn this in school or usually in your home. I know that I didn’t. I have great parents and a supportive family yet I didn’t learn about developing my faith gates. Now, I read the Bible a lot and it finally hit me when I read that faith comes by hearing and hearing of the Word. I knew at that moment in my heart that I had to flood my faith gates with positive affirmations, success oriented words and powerful teachings from people that have done what I want to do in life.
Let’s commit. I’m giving you eight challenges so this is the first one. I challenge you to turn off the negative background noise and flood your ears (faith gates) with positive material for thirty days. You have to agree that you won’t compromise on this challenge in which you will refuse to allow any negative conversation, music, television or any other form of media to enter your faith gates. You must also listen to the words coming out of your mouth. Do they represent who you really are? Remember, whatever goes into your ears will come out of your mouth. It’s time to challenge yourself to change!
Adapted from the book 7 Principles to Live a Champion Life by John Di Lemme
Motivating Champions Worldwide!
John Di Lemme
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