If you change your thoughts, can you change your outcome?

"Positive Change is usually not a question of capability, it is almost always a question of Motivation."

Most of us fear change because it ...

• Threatens our comfort zone
• Could be for the better or the worse
• Has an adjustment period that varies from individual to individual
• Could be uncomfortable
• Upsets our control over the outcome

Change can be a gut-wrenching experience for those who won't let go. Flexibility is the key to creating a more positive outcome from change. 

Why change is important

I believe that there is a pattern that accompanies change. When you make the decision to change, your confidence will increase and will grow with each new change. Confidence is what creates the spark and injects vitality into your life. Vitality creates the momentum that catapults you into your next venture to change. As this pattern is repeated, you'll find yourself infused with enthusiasm and energy as the pattern to change becomes infectious.

How I embraced change

"Be not afraid of change, Some achieve change and some have change thrust upon them"
 ~ Xen Angelides ~
(inpsired by William Shakespeare)

I had change thrust upon me at a very young age. With the impending invasion of Cyprus by the Turkish army, my family made the decision to escape the ensuing hardship. We arrived in Melbourne, Australia and lived temporary with my uncle and auntie. As a seven year old, ripped away from my grandparents and extended family, not able to speak a word of English, trying to understand what WOG (very derogatory and racist term) meant ... change was thrust upon me!

Attending school was extremely daunting. When my attempt at assimilation and coping with school bullies failed miserably, my only guiding light was my teacher, Mrs. King. She would comfort me by reminding me every day that I would overcome this change. I did. I discovered another way to communicate. Not through language but through sport - basketball in fact. Despite my small stature, I was very, very agile and quick at learning. In a sport where everyone else towered over me (even the girls' basketball team), I proved my worth as a team member over and over again.

My dedication in practising that extra hour of basketball drills, my passion for the sport, listening to my coach and mentor, I was eventually rewarded. I became the captain of the team. Along with which came the privilege of travelling to the different states of Australia representing my school and leading the basketball team. We won some, we lost some. However, Ted Weston, my coach, always reminded us to "Focus! Look for the opportunity and you WILL turn this game around." Because of Ted's positive reinforcement, opportunities would arise where I was able to lead the team to victory again and again.

Turning Point

"Create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life, because you become what you believe."
~ Oprah Winfrey ~

A turning point is the point at which a very significant change occurs; a decisive moment. In 1997, a turning point came for three individuals, my friend Charmaine Idris, my then girlfriend, Elynn and myself. For my friend, Charmaine, life changed in a dramatic way. One day she was walking and running and the next, she was paralysed. I know there are many people out there who have suffered spinal cord injuries and are subjected to a life of immobility but for the help of a wheelchair. No matter. Elynn and I were shocked to our core. At once devastated and sad, we could not even begin to imagine how Charmaine and her family felt about this change.

Of course, it would've been easier to accept the outcome but we made a pact - to bring about change in the life of our friend. It was a very bumpy ride. A rollercoaster of emotions that drove us to try every possible strategy. The journey we embarked on together vanquished any feelings of hopelessness. Instead, it was replaced by an awakening, a mental toughness that is still prevalent today. Charmaine is the proof!

So remember that you are not here to be trapped by internal/external limitations. You are here to achieve your highest potential and to be the best at whatever you do. By employing the right system and concepts that gets you emotionally charged, you can control the direction of your life.

We have heard of the X-Factor in sportsmen and women, in entertainers, statesmen – But for the mere addition of "extra". they are no more EXTRAordinary than you or me. It is a matter of discovering the X-Factor within ourselves. Uncover your EXTRAordinary inner resources and tap into your incredible powers to achieve your desire. As a wise man once said, "As long as you are going to think, why not think great thoughts and get great results in your life through change." Let's be clear on this. When change begins, you start to attract into your life all the people and resources you would need to achieve any goal you have set for yourself.

In conclusion, if you change your thoughts, you CAN change your outcome.

About the Author: Xen (The X Factor) Angelides is the founder of X-Factor Human Performance Systems. Xen Angelides is a proven veteran of the fitness industry, an accomplished educator and professional speaker. As a certified results coach and master practitioner of neuro linguistic programming (NLP) and neurological re-patterning, Xen has helped many individuals transform their thinking and performance. For more information, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .