You have the power!

The creator of the world wanted to hide from humans the knowledge that they make their own reality, keeping it secret until they were ready to understand the truth. He asked the animals of the world for their ideas.

The eagle said, "Give it to me. I will take it to the moon and hide it there."

"No," the creator said. "One day, they will go to the moon and find it."

The salmon said, "Give it to me, and I will drop it at the bottom of the ocean."

"No, they will dive deep into the ocean and discover it there too," said the creator.

The buffalo said, "Give it to me. I will bury it in the Great Plains."

The creator replied, "No. They will cut into the earth and find it even there."

Then he asked the grandmother who lives deep in the center of the world. She said, "Put it inside of them. They will never find it there."

The creator nodded and said, "It is done."

This creation story from the Hopi nation shows that you can create your own reality and take action to find your passion and vision for life. Take charge of your life. You know what you want; go get it. Don't be complacent.

The term "create your own reality" means the different ways by which you can co-create your life by the energy of your thoughts, beliefs, perspectives and actions. When you change the way you see things within you and around you, it helps you to make a new outlook toward life.

You control what happens to you whether or not you realize it. This doesn't mean that you must be happy or joyful all the time. But you own your feelings. Staying kind and encouraging yourself keeps you in a happy, joyful and healthy state of mind.

When you are unaware of how to create your own reality, you feel like a victim of your life. You need to understand the process and make it work for you. We allow ourselves to believe that the people around us and those with authority over us can control our entire reality. But we are not helpless about what is going on in our lives. Life is a matter of decisions, not circumstances. It is up to you to empower yourself and create the life you want.

Don't compare yourself with others. Everyone is different. You have much to offer to the world. You may miss out on the good things in life if you compare yourself to others' standards.

Have confidence in yourself and what you want to be. Confidence doesn't come naturally to most. Even extremely successful people have struggled with confidence, but they overcame their insecurities and found a way to carve their own paths.

It is true that you will not always get what you want. Maybe your long-range plan is to rise to your dream job in a specific organization, but the job is elusive. Someone else might be better qualified, have better connections or do better in interviews. You decide what you must do to change that outcome the next time. Or maybe your grand idea for a business falls short. What do you do? Do you give up, or start all over again?

The secret to forging your own future is taking personal responsibility for your actions and decisions. The only time you are a victim of your circumstances is when you choose to be.

You almost always have a choice. No matter what uncontrollable things might happen to you, you decide how to react and deal with them. You can let seeds of hatred grow, or you can plant seeds of hope and change that will set you up for success in the future.

You have complete control over your future. Choose wisely.

Mackay's Moral: No proof is required of what is before your own eyes.

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Harvey Mackay is the author of the New York Times bestseller "Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive." He can be reached through his website, www.harveymackay.com, by emailing harvey@mackay.com or by writing him at MackayMitchell Envelope Co., 2100 Elm St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414.