An Inside Job “People are just about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” –Abraham Lincoln

“I have noticed that happy people are constantly evaluating themselves, and unhappy people are constantly evaluating others.” -Dr. William Glasser

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“My life would be better if I could change ________________.

Outside World vs. Inside World Life at home Life at school Life at work Life at practice/activities Stuff “out there” Your thought life Beliefs Attitudes Opinions Decisions What you think about stuff “out there”

Of the things that you want to change…which ones are inside world and which ones are outside world?? What percentage of your success is tied to the outside and what percentage is tied to the inside? Are you 10/90 or 90/10?

Top 20s vs. Bottom 80s Believe that 90% of success is tied to inside world and only 10% of their success is tied to the outside world. This belief helps avoid a victim mentality. If you improve your inside world, you will improve your outside! Believe that only 10% of their success is tied to the inside world…this does not give them much control over their own success. Results in a victim mentality; blaming others for their results and an inability to change things (powerless)

Attached to every outside experience is an inside experience (the part you control). You get to decide what your inside experience is. Ex: Stuck in really bad traffic on way to school Give examples of a negative outside experience that you were able to have a positive inside experience (growth).

Blame Blame is claiming that someone or something else is responsible for an action. When we blame someone, we give up that power. Therefore, in blaming others, you give them all the power and leave yourself with none. You are essentially saying, “There’s nothing I can do.” How can you use blame in the traffic jam, late for school story? Think of a time you used blame or an excuse for something you had done…share with pod.

Group A: common excuses students use at school Group B: common excuses students use at home Group C: common excuses students use with their peers/friends

Time For Action Take out your notebook and answer questions 1-3 on page Identify an area in your life where you need to take more responsibility. 2. Consider an outside situation over which you have little or no control. What is your current attitude about this situation and how can you change that attitude for the better? 3. What situations in your life are you using blame as a shield? Drop the blame shield and accept responsibility for this situation. When you do that, you can actually start to change it.

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