The Root of Thought

The Root of Thought

When I think about my thoughts, I see the power behind them—to either hurt or help me. It all comes down to the stream of self-talk running through my mind and my consciousness. I can only be helped or hurt by my thoughts.

As I reflect on this early morning, I see how thoughts that are not true create illusions—stories we tell ourselves that hurt us. But when we align our thoughts with truth, our standards, and the values we stand on, our thinking begins to serve us instead of sabotage us.

Every day is a reminder to ask:

What is my compass set on?

Is it pointing toward who I am, or what I’m doing—or not doing?

That alignment gives us a solid foundation, a base to build thoughts of optimism, gratitude, and growth. Our thoughts are branches, but those branches grow from the roots we’ve planted—our belief systems, principles, and the people we surround ourselves with.

In sports, I’ve seen teams and individuals with incredible talent fail because the culture was rooted in preference, not principle. They were led by emotion—a rollercoaster ride. When things were good, they felt great; but when performance dipped, the spirit dipped with it. The same happens in life. If your identity is rooted in outcomes or applause, you’ll live in constant fluctuation.

So the reflection today—and the application for life—is this:

What are you rooted in? Preference or principle?

Each day we choose our thoughts, and those thoughts grow from the soil of our roots. When our roots are grounded in truth, faith, and gratitude, we naturally produce good fruit—even when no one’s watching. The results come not from chasing outcomes but from nurturing the root system that creates them.

Ground yourself daily.

Rest in who you are, not in what you do.

Move through the day with your compass set toward personal excellence.