Mind-power, prayer and results

There's always a debate as to whether we are what we think, and how the way we think can influence our lives and those of others. I do believe that a healthy self-image that make us believe in ourselves has proven itself over time as a potent recipe for reaching our goals.

The more we'll positively focus on reaching our most valuable goals, the easier we'll get there. Can this strategy also be likened to a form of prayer? I would say so and add that it's probably the only form of prayer that has proven its worth.

Next, can we influence others by creating the propitious conditions that may help them act in ways that could be good for them and while we're at it, good for us too? Perhaps, but this time, a positive outcome becomes a longer shot as we can't ever claim to control that third party, whose active participation is so vital in the success we wish for them or from them. Let's call this a highly uncertain probability.

Now what happens with the way we look and think at issues that are totally out of our control? Could we say that we could pray for good weather or good fortune if we don't control their particular levers? The answer to what is considered the core of traditional prayer is pretty clear to me: Not a fat chance!