The Path to Self Destruction

This is something I have been contemplating quite abit recently.

Ive begun to realize that our lives are driven by Focus or a lack thereof.
This Focus can be negative or positive. Many people like me struggle day to day with a Negative Focus. I have come to realize this is a very bad thing.

When we focus on the negative, something phenomenal and synchronous happens. From what I understand, our True Will or Subconscious Will is somehow affected by a negative or postive focus. A negative focus is in essence a Path to Self Destruction.

Its something I have seen first hand from family members and friends over the years. Focus on the negative and your essentially Willing Self Destruction. One will lose confidence and become like a magnet for all manner destructive phenomena. Its as if your sending an invitation out to all manner of negativity.

This Path of Self Destruction is a very dangerous and hazardous path. Its a path wrought with failure, misery, injury, illness, accidents, and trauma. In a way one could see it as cursing one's self.

This isn't just negative thoughts and visualization, but they do play a huge role. Its many of things we surround our selves with, our actions, words, symbols, and even things like music and imagery.

All of these, play a part in negatively focusing our subconscious and creating a living nightmare.

Ive come to conclude having no focus at all is better than having a negative one. I would say most people are like this. They drift through life as if in a river. They just go where it takes them, good or bad. In a sense this is like gambling.

To further use the chance analogy, when we have a negative focus we seem to be affecting the odds and having them against us. Without any focus we just take what we get.

Things can change for the better.

A negative focus can be changed. It sounds easier than it seems to be and I'm still in the process of changing my focus. A key component is self control or self discipline. Another is self awareness. Both of these must be utilized in order to make a change. Control and Awareness are key to overcoming negative thoughts and actions. One must be aware or conscious of their thoughts and actions. One must also control those thoughts and actions. From my point of view, these are key intial principles.

The ultimate goal is to have a positive focus where the odds are in our favor.



[edit on 16/7/08 by MikeboydUS]

By negative focus do you mean having a bad outlook on life? Or are you talking about focusing your life on a negative subject (such as studying serial killers, etc).

If you are talking about outlook, this kinda sounds like "the secret".

If you are talking about a negative subject I would still think this would spill over into your outlook because of the negativity involved in constantly view a bad subject.

I have thought about personal self destruction a lot too, myself, being completely guilty of it.

I have to wonder though, WHY somebody gets caught into such a mind-set? Is it a lack of self confidence? Is it a form of suicide? Sorry, I wish I had more to add. But, this subject has been affecting me for many years.

The news tends to portray a very negative reality to us. Maybe that has a little bit of influence..?

Well, anytime your confidence goes astray, so does the rest of your life. As we males know, females gravitate towards confidence. A man without confidence is a lonely man indeed. He finds himself alone and tends to turn self- destructive.

People need to learn that he/ she are responsible for how they feel. We can always find contributing factors, but in the end, we have to look in the mirror and point at our self in regards to self image.

I have borderline personality disorder, which tends to give one a distorted self image. So, I know about this first hand.

reply to post by MikeboydUS


I saw this on History Channel, where this WWII vet was talking about how he could tell, when raw reinforcements would show up, who was going to die first.
It was always the one with the most negative attitude.

What the OP is talking about is basically the law of attraction. I see this mechanic at work daily in my life, although I still struggle to retain a positive focus.

The problem for me is that I feel forced to be around this negativity constantly. Family, work... just people in general tend to bring me down. It's like the rest of the world is so negative and the more I'm around it, the more pessimistic I become. Maybe it's not like this everywhere, but all I know of is the USA, and the general sentiment here hasn't been all that positive lately. I feel this overwhelming urge to get away from it all, but I'm not sure where to go. Is it like this all over the world???

Just yesterday was a fine example for me personally. I left work grumpy. It then took me an hour and a half to get home. It usually takes a half hour, and despite being held up in traffic for so long, I never saw a reason for all that traffic to exist. There were no accidents or road closures. The people around me seemed frustrated as well.

In the morning after getting a good night's rest, there was hardly any traffic at all. A stark contrast. My mood was different each time. Good in the morning, bad in the evening. Sure you could say it's just "coincidence", but this sort of thing happens so often to me now that I know it's more than mere coincidence.

reply to post by SpeakerofTruth


I have BPD as well!

This subject is near and dear to my heart. I am hard-wired to be a very negative and self-destructive person. I have been diligently policing my thoughts for a couple of years now and it's a very uncomfortable thing to do. Every time I think a nasty thought about myself or someone else, I try to stop and change my thought. It's exhausting.

I have concluded that negative things have a way of producing positive things. Pointing out the positivity of a thing only strengthens it's negative aspects.

Originally posted by LostNemesis
I have thought about personal self destruction a lot too,

I have to wonder though, WHY somebody gets caught into such a mind-set?

Is it a lack of self confidence? Is it a form of suicide?

i really wouldn't call that mindset as a path toward self-destructio or suicide...
i'd look at it more as ...''Just how far are my limits?'
and testing one's stamina/virility/commitment/desire/life enegy
...just how far to the 'edge' can one go, or balance themselves, and still come out alive and wiser and ready for the next challenge

..of course some depressed people are figuratively walking on the railroad tracks as the train approaches... just for the final experience



I got really kicked around (verbally and metaphoracally) because i used the term 'intent' instead of focus as the driving force...
let's see how your thread/post does in comparison.



[btw, i'm not scoring but i am pointing out something of substance
(at least to myself)]

Examples of what I'm talking about:

Someone visualizes and thinks of themselves in a demeaning manor, imagining failures, accidents, and other negative events. Like someone who thinks they are worthless or below others, expecting to be ignored or mistreated by others. Going so far as to visualize these expectations constantly. Instead of fantasizing about goals or positive events, the person has what I might call Anti-Fantasies. These may include the above and worse.

Negative subjects can be problem, depending on the imagery and mindset going into researching it. Like unhealthy fascinations with dead things, death, gore, mutilation, torture. There is a vast difference between being a profiler who studies serial killers, a coroner who does autopsies and a person who is excited by films like Hostel or other Libertine "fantasy".

I think the confidence issue is a symptom and not a cause. I agree though we are bombarded with negativity by the media. Even people we work around or live with can have a negative influence. In the end though we should be able maintain self control and awareness. Its alot harder than it sounds I agree. I'm struggling at it myself. If someone wants to change they have to take responsibility to control and be aware of their focus. Again it sounds easier than it really is.

I also agree it has some kind of connection to "coincidences" or negative synchronous phenomena. I have seen this firsthand from experience and from events dealing with other people I know. It almost seems like constant negative visualization and expression becomes like an exercise that brings about external negative events. I have no idea how it works, but I have seen it happen to me and others numerous times. It reminds me of the concept of a Jinx but at times potentially much worse.

great post

I experience positive synchronistic experiences on a daily basis all the time.everything in my life seems to work out perfectly and every day I seem to further the growth of my self and am in a constant process of learning/teaching every where I go. Whether its at work, at the mall, the library, the bar, the lounges, here on ats, at the grocery story, at blockbuster...wherever there is energy. And thats everywhere!

a positive focus is necessary to adapting in the life. I admit that it is tough to look at the positive aspect in certain situations, but it is these specific challenges which allow us to grow.

I see the mind as a powerful entity that comprises my entire body and comprises me. bodymindsoul being one.

Most importantly, I see thoughts as very powerful things. Whatever thoughts you choose to focus on will become your reality.


Lets say its tough for you to focus on the positive. First of all you should just breathe. Breathe deep and when you breathe in expand your STOMACH AND ABDOMEN. You should flex the muscles in your abdomen slightly at the crest.
Exhale and bring your stomach in and slightly tighten the muscles again at the end of your exhale.
Breathe deep and get some oxygen flowing into your brain. Do this 10 times.

Realize that somehow, extraordinarily, you are alive on the planet earth. Which is revolving around the sun in the solar system. Visually picture this in your mind while you continue your breathing...The solar system is but one amongst billions in the milky way galaxy, and the galaxy one amongst billions in the universe. Perhaps Trillions, I ought to check it out.

You are ALIVE!
Right now you should feel extraordinary! If not and you are programmed to focus on the negative you should definitely check out this book

and you should also take up meditation, because thoughts are more powerful than you think.