Who do you want to be?

If you could have any superpower, what would you choose? I know you have thought about this question before, especially if you have enjoyed any Marvel movies.

I want the superpowers of Captain America. Besides being a handsome, clean-cut gentleman, Steve Rogers (aka Captain America) has enhanced human qualities.

According to www.marveldirectory.com, his speed, strength and reaction time are superior to any Olympic athlete who ever competed. In essence, this patriotic superhero who uses a red, white and blue shield in battle has nothing supernatural about him. He just fully uses his human abilities.

Are you using your human abilities to their peak efficiency? Why cannot we all be more like Captain America?

The most robust superhero weapon that we have, and the only weapon that we can strengthen and grow our entire life, is our brain. We have the power to create our success. Harvard scientists are proving how our thoughts cycle in our brain to design our results.

Technically, our thoughts create our emotions. Emotions create our actions, and our actions create our results. These results then, in turn, produce more thoughts or beliefs. We need to change our thoughts if we want to change our results.

Have you ever thought about where our thoughts originate? We do not just think of random great ideas. Our thoughts come from circumstances in life. (Are you sitting down because this next piece is a mind-blowing revelation?)

All circumstances in our life are neutral. That means that conditions in life are not good nor bad. If a positive or negative tag is connected to a circumstance it is because we chose that label. We choose how to spin our thought cycle.

Here is an example: What do you think about traveling through O’Hare Airport in Chicago?

Two of my friends had upcoming flights through the fourth busiest airport in America. One friend said, “I hate O’Hare Airport. They always lose my luggage.” The other friend said, “I enjoy the hustle and bustle when traveling through O’Hare Airport.”

The neutral circumstance is traveling through O’Hare Airport. Friend No. 1 chose to think negatively about the opportunity; friend No. 2 selected positive thoughts.

Which friend do you think had perfect flights and a fabulous vacation? (Yes, friend No. 2.)

I know that it is unrealistic to expect perfect travel experiences just because we think positively. However, by choosing positive thoughts we are choosing who we want to be.

When we do experience hiccups in our plans, if we are positive, then we also will be problem solvers and make the best out of any situation.

For example, if my flight is delayed, I will be grateful that the mechanics are concerned for our safety, and the issue was found before we left the ground. I will smile at the flight attendants and be cooperative when we do board the airplane.

Ben Parker, Spider-Man’s uncle, said it best, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Are you prepared for the responsibility of this superpower?

We are the thinker, not the thoughts. Even though we have 60,000-80,000 ideas running through our minds every day, we choose which ideas we want to dwell on and how to react. Who do you want to be? The choice is yours.