“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
Romans 12:2
If you’ve been following me for even just a few months, you’ve probably heard me say, “You are always one decision away from living the life of your dreams.”
You might have also heard me say, “Your destiny moves at the speed of thought.”
There are thoughts that hold the key to your future, and thoughts that shut the door on your potential.
The quality of your life is determined by the quality of your thoughts.
The reality you are experiencing right now—and therefore the direction your life is presently moving in—is a byproduct of how you’ve interpreted your personal history.
You choose the narrative. You choose the kind of stories your mind plays over and over; the scripts of those reruns are written and directed by you.
You have complete sovereignty over the territory of your mind.
If you want to change your life, change your mind—change the thoughts that make up your inner dialogue.
Why? Because, the stories you tell yourself about what has been, set the stage for what is possible. Likewise, the thoughts you think about who you are determine who you will become.
You will never become more tomorrow than who you think you are today. (See Proverbs 23:7; 4:23.)
You will you never go where your mind can’t take you.
So how do you redirect the course of your life? How can you, in the next three minutes, change your future?
Your future hinges upon you taking responsibility for how you think: Think for a change.
Only you can choose your thoughts—you alone are in possession of your mind, will, and emotions. It is up to you to “possess your soul” (Luke 21:19).
It only takes a few moments to become aware of the state of your mind. What are the negative interpretations of past events you repeat on an ongoing basis?
Self-awareness is the first step to creating change.
Get in the habit of acknowledging the self-defeating stories or the negative self-talk that repeatedly runs through your mind.
Once you identify negative thought patterns, you can begin to rewrite the narrative. Rescript the stories of your past with the redemptive truths found in God’s Word.
“Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”
Philippian 4:8 NLT
By taking every thought captive (see 2 Corinthians 10:5)—and putting on “the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16)—you position yourself to receive the wisdom and grace you need to overcome any setback or obstacle.
But it doesn’t stop there.
You have to align your words as well as your thoughts to the new storyline you create.
You must be as intentional with what you allow to come out of your mouth as with what you allow into your mind.
“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification… neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.”
Ephesians 4:29; 5:4
Your words—as are your thoughts—are of significant importance to God. The words you speak have power to create or destroy. (See Proverbs 18:21 and James 3:2-12.)
If you want an abundant future, speak prosperous words. If you want a healthy future, speak life-giving words. If you want a bright future, speak words of light, not darkness.
A word spoken in season can change the trajectory of your life.
“A man has joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good it is!”
Proverbs 15:23
Create a bountiful future by cultivating the fruit of your lips: “From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things” (Proverbs 12:14).
Speak out the desires of your heart—give thanks as if they’ve already come to pass.
Job 22:28 sums up the power of your thoughts—or decisions—supported by the power of your words. Below is a compilation of several translations:
Decide on a matter…
pronounce something to be…
whatever you choose to do…
decide and decree…
and it shall be established for you.
Lastly, after you have paused to realign your thoughts, and then affirmed those thoughts with spoken words, you can begin to purposefully shift your energy.
Your energy follows your focus—and where you put your energy determines your future success.
Simply “act as if” you are already inhabiting the future of your dreams.
“If you want a quality, act as if you already had it.”
William James
To summarize how to change your future in three minutes (or less), take a minute to “think as if”…and another minute to “speak as if”…and another minute to “act as if.”
It sounds too simple, but it is simply creating a shift towards faith—a simple recalibration that can change any present moment into a divine opportunity to change your future.
Shifting how you occupy the present positions you to take possession of the future you dream of.
It’s not complicated or time consuming. It is simply allowing God’s Word to govern your thoughts, words, and actions.
As Paul told the Galatians, you “put on Christ, like putting on new clothes” (Galatians 3:27).
Try putting it into practice. What do you have to lose? Take three minutes right now to replace a life-draining thought with a life-giving thought, and then affirm that thought by speaking it out loud. Then stand up a little straighter, chin up, chest out, back straight. How does that make you feel?
Can you feel your energy shifting toward a brighter future?
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
2 Corinthians 5:17