What Are the Seven Big Ideas? – Big Idea #1: Know Who’s in Charge

Excerpt from Are You Up for The Challenge? By Rod Hairston

What Are the Seven Big Ideas?
“People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are: I don’t believe in circumstances.
The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they
want, and, if they can’t find them, make them.”
— George Bernard Shaw

There are also Seven Big Ideas that form the framework of this program. They are briefly
explained below. You may think, “These are common sense.” That may be true. The question
is, Are they common practice? Just because we know something or agree with it doesn’t
necessarily mean we’re doing it.

You may think, “I’m not sure if I agree with these.” For now, please suspend your
skepticism and operate as if they are true. While you are free to question any idea
that contradicts your current beliefs, I’m hoping you’ll do yourself a favor and give
these a chance. Take 45 days to operate with this mindset and see what happens. I think you’ll
join the thousands of others who have reaped tangible rewards as a result of adopting these
constructive philosophies.

A big part of this book is showing that people who blame what they don’t like in their
life on circumstances are looking for excuses. We’re not looking for excuses here. We’re
looking for enlightenment. My goal is for you to understand what’s been going on in the past
that has been undermining your efforts to be your best self — and then to apply your new knowledge
to create a higher quality of life and lasting positive change.

Big Idea #1: Know Who’s in Charge

From the moment you wake up to the moment you go to sleep, you have two forces struggling to
take charge of your life. These two forces are your conscious and unconscious minds.
Your conscious mind wants to get better. Your unconscious mind wants to stay the same. Your goal
is to learn how to enlist both minds to get the results you want.