Many of you have probably heard or heard of Stephen Covey's 10-90 rule:

10% of life is what happens to you (out of your control) and 90% is how you react to it (in your control)

I for one and a big believer in this.

Here are some of my thoughts I have posted on my facebook in the past about the 10-90 rule:

10-90

When a student/friend/co worker tells you about the positive or negative things that are happening to them (their 10), ask them to tell you about their 90. "What actions did you take?" The 90 is what makes the difference.

10-90 time again.

You can only control you - Be the squeegee!

Don't be a sponge (or ShamWOW) to negativity, because what a sponge soaks up, it becomes (or at least smells like). Sponges also carry that negativity to other places, spreading it around, and exposing others to the disease. Sponges are easily replaced when they begin to smell.

Instead, be the majestic squeegee. The ability to wipe away negative residue in a single pass. Never taking on the characteristics of what it disposes of. Always needed, always missed when not around. They might not look like much, but they make a world of difference.

What are your thoughts?

You should give it a try!

Very wise... I manage around 40 people and could use some more squeegees!

Totally agree with you. Positive thinking is the key to overall happiness in my opinion.

The key to my happiness...I just don't give a rats arse. Let my Creator judge me on my dying day. I think the 10-90 is the recipie for karma. What comes around, goes around.

Positive thinking optimist types always make me uptight.

What is positive and what is negative is established by the person and subject to the person. Being a sponge is not a bad thing. Knowing when you need to rinse and how to rinse is the life skill I want to develope.

Being a young adult in the 60's and 70's I was very much influenced by the spiritualism movement of the times. People like Werner Erhardt, Meyer Baba ( still hang a picture of him in my home today and was the guy before Bobby McFerrin who said " don't worry be happy") had a a big effect on my outlook of life. For balance I read most books by C. Clement Stone, Napoleon Hill, Norman Vincent Peale, Og Mandino and others.......still believe in what goes around comes around, to this day.

A person has to find their own niche in life, what works for one may not for another. From an observational standpoint the people I've encountered that tend to be positive can be more pleasant to be around and have a better chance at achieving what they wish for.

Success is a journey, not a goal and can only be measured by the enrichment of ones life, money and possessions really don't matter, although some of our superficial toys are nice to have.

The secret of a happy life is having something to look forward to. It can be simple or grandiose. It doesn't matter. Heard Robert Duvall state this in a movie.

Having something to look forward to is motivating. Work for the sake of putting food on the table or a roof over our heads does not create the excitement of saving for vacation, or putting away a few bucks for that weekend fishing trip. The things we "want" serve to encourage us to work more than obtaining the things we need. In many cases, we begrudge the time we spend working to meet our needs, but don't mind working for the things we want.

No sooner is one Road Trip finished, than the attendees are already looking forward to the next. How many of you have the same enthusiasm for grocery shopping?

An old Yankee once told me that if you wanted to "make a living", do something that people need. If you want to get rich, do something that people want.

Anticipation or the lack thereof gets the juices flowing, or not.

You reap what you sow.

. How many of you have the same enthusiasm for grocery shopping?

A trip to the local Wallyworld is always an adventure.

The greatest human attribute HOPE. The way to destroy someone is not taking all they have or love, take away their hope. Without it life has no value.

As far as this 10-90 nonsense sounds like new age gobbledygoop. My kids know my philosophy, they can all quote it, "sometimes life will serve you a sh#t sandwich. The best thing to do is put mustard on it and eat it, leave it laying around and out gets more smelly and rancid." During the worse three months of my life I went from pastoring a church, having another career, a.house and a family. To homeless, no job, no family and I rolled my truck. I never felt sorry for myself or depressed, 13 years later I'm happier than ever. The kind of hope that sustains through that doesn't come from some feel good philosophy.