Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another. – Napoleon Hill

I have noticed a number of people recommending shutting off from the media, in order to avoid all the current doom and gloom. And I have seen a strong reaction from others who think this is crazy, especially with the US Election building to its climax and issues with the economy.

So, is a media diet tantamount to sticking your fingers in your ears and hoping the bad stuff will go away, or is it vital to your success and peace of mind?

In my opinion this discussion enters the realms of prosperity and abundance, which I promised to talk about on this blog (and so far have not mentioned).

I have been on a media diet for many years. I refuse to read newspapers or watch lengthy news reports. Am I burying my head in the sand?

Absolutely not. There is a big difference between going on a media diet and ignoring the world altogether.

I still listen to the news headlines on the radio or watch them on TV when I need to. I browse my local newspaper’s website to ensure I am up-to-date with what is happening. And I probably hear all the big news first on Twitter (honestly, I hope Reuters is following the Twitter stream)!

I do not read newspapers because I learned a long time ago that (a) they are not impartial and are governed by fewer laws than broadcast media (at least in the UK) and (b) they sell papers by being doom and gloom merchants. Newspapers are packed full of bad news… unless you read the tabloids, in which case they rarely carry news at all and are more focused on sensationalism and gossip.

Even broadcast media offers a slightly skewed view of the world by choosing what is news and what isn’t.

As if this isn’t reason enough to avoid the news, I realised that the two most negative people in my life are avid newspaper readers and TV news watchers. Is that just coincidence? Perhaps. But their negativity often refers back to the news stories they are consuming. If they were reading self-improvement books instead, or watching uplifting movies, would they be as negative? I’d love to find out. Are their lives more enriched by being more up-to-date on the minutiae of news than I am?

But there is more to my media diet than just my negative view of newspapers, I truly believe that the media plays a huge part in our successes and failures.

I’ll discuss this more in my next post, but if you need any hints beyond what I have already said, think on this other quote from Napoleon Hill:

We begin to see, therefore, the importance of selecting our environment with the greatest of care, because environment is the mental feeding ground out of which the food that goes into our minds is extracted.

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1. Take Responsibility for Your Own Abundance
2. Internet Marketing Stuff I’m Loving this Week – June 19, 2010
3. I’m Thankful