Attention to Detail

“Know well what leads you forward and what holds you back, and choose the path that leads to wisdom.”
– Buddha

SPECIFICITY. Are you aware of the content of your thoughts? Are you speaking abundance or lack? Do your actions reflect deliberate choices or unconscious rote behavior?

My sister and I both eat very particular foods. I don’t eat meat, pork or seafood, and we both stay away from sugar and certain grains. When we were traveling in Beijing last year, we had a challenge finding foods that fit our desired diets. After sampling many questionable items in local eateries, we finally decided to try the five-star restaurant in our international hotel. The menu was in English, so we felt safe. I perused the “Vegetables” section and ordered the “Spicy Mixed Vegetables with Bean Curd.” It tasted fresh, but had an odd texture and eventually caused my stomach to hurt. I later found out that it had pork in it – something I hadn’t eaten for over 20 years. I had made the wrong assumption that the dish was vegetarian. That experience reminded me of the importance of being very specific in everything. When I am traveling abroad, I now know to carry a card that states clearly, in the native language, what I do not eat!

From a scientific standpoint, the word “specificity” refers to a measure of a test’s effectiveness. A test with a high specificity has a low error rate. In the computer world, “specificity” refers to the process of assigning a value to a property in order to create style rules and HTML code. That code will then manifest as a website. Depending on what values you assigned, the website might be red or blue, two-column or three-column, etc. In the world of Power Living®, “specificity” is being specific about your thoughts, words and actions. In this context, the practice of specificity allows you to create a personal code of conduct to manifest an effective and authentic life – what I call true PWR®: Purpose With Results®. Like in science, if you live with high specificity then you are likely to have a low error rate. In other words, you are likely to achieve your vision.

The Science of Mind teaches that within us is a mental law, working out the will and purposes of our concious thought, and when you verbalize that thought it gains power. It goes back to the Power of Choice and the Law of Cause & Effect. The Bible sums this up by saying, “It is done unto you as you believe.” In very simple terms, you reap exactly what you sow. It’s all up to you. To effectively use this power and achieve Purpose With Results, you first need self-awareness – understanding your own thought and behavior patterns, living with your eyes wide open. Then, you can get to self-control – making smart and deliberate choices, living with specificity. Don’t make assumptions about your Self or others. Monitor your thoughts, measure your words, and manage your actions. Remember, the “little” things you say to your Self in jest; are the big things that manifest. If you want a truly delicious life, make sure your mind is consistently ordering the right thoughts!

ACTION STEPS: