What does it mean to have A Monkey Mind?

Having a Monkey Mind can be the Creative Spirit's worst enemy.

It is the voice that chatters relentlessly in your mind to stop you from what you really want to do. This is how you can recognize Monkey Mind in yourself:

Your Monkey Mind will:

- sabotage your best ideas by creating doubt

- sound real in your head but once voiced can be challenged

- relentlessly feed on fears, bringing up past failures

- throw a wrench into the gears just when action is to be taken

- jump in and stop you cold just before starting something new

- make you ask yourself: "What's wrong with me?"

- not have any mercy or value of your great ideas

- not give recognition for your strengths, talents, growth, achievements, improvements

- only see the negative sides and compare you to others by pointing out their strengths and your flaws

- make you feel guilty, doubtful, and undeserving of success

- make you say no to yourself and your goals, shutting the door to your dreams

- deny your needs, desires, fun

- wrecks your good intentions and get us stuck in a rut

- pull no stops - it keeps you going in circles

- be a good liar, deceiving you that monkey mind is the true voice of reason

Did you know that Monkey Mind inside us wants us to:

- maintain the status quo and prevent change

- stay comfortable and safe

- prevent growing and risk taking

- discount our inklings and intuition

- get stuck in a rut so we have something to complain about

By listening to Monkey Mind, we loose:

- opportunities

- possibilities

- freedom

- fun

- enjoyment

- growth

- spirit

- learning lessons

What are we afraid to loose when trying out new things and taking risks?

We are often afraid to loose:

- face

- friends

- finances

- fears

- familiarity

- family

- fans

- facts

- filters

- functions

- fights

How can you escape the claws of Monkey Mind?

- train yourself to recognize monkey mind

- be aware of monkey mind and go for your dreams anyway

- hire a coach who believes in your goals

- talk out loud what monkey mind says to you

- write down the monkey mind arguments and counter argue them

- treat yourself better than monkey mind would

- turn your experiences into learning lessons

- call your coach to build an action strategy to achieve your goals

- make a list of your past accomplishments, successes and skills you learned

- make a list of your talents and gifts that you are proud of

- say "thanks for your input monkey mind, but I have already decided to take this action. If it doesn't work out, it's a learning experience I needed to have"

- recognize the if ---- then ---- trap, know it is a trap when it's negative. Turn it into a positive.

- Remind yourself that old rules are meant to be re-written

- Should, would, could are typical monkey mind words to be discarded

- When all else fails, stay positive!

More Really Creative Monkey Mind Demolition Solutions:

- set your sights high, reach for the stars, and drop Monkey Mind off on the moon

- write "Monkey Mind" on a card board box and drive over it with your car. Satisfaction guaranteed!

- Write "monkey mind" on a rock and drop it over side of the bridge. Watch it sink.

- Write all your "so-called failures" on a piece of paper and then write down everything you have learned from these experiences. Then in your strongest voice, tell monkey mind off.

- Scream out loud: "Back off, you monkey mind!!"

- Say "Stop!" - then laugh as hard as you can

- Reward yourself every time you recognize monkey mind by saying to yourself: "I am a creative genius - I am smarter than monkey mind"

Robert Paisola is an international motivational speaker, trainer and author. He is an expert in the field of Personal Real Estate Investor Training, Debt Collector Abuse and Timeshare Scams. He is a professional motivational speaker, an international journalist, an author of five published books, including CONVERSATIONS ON SUCCESS.

Robert Paisola is a media expert ( www.WesternCapitalNews.com ) and the Chief Executive Officer of Western Capital at www.MyCollector.com based in Los Angeles, California. For Complete Biographical Data see www.RobertPaisola.com

Article originally published Amzines.com 2006 Copyright RobertPaisola.com 2009