Toby Moore: Input equals output

Life isn’t just a straight path – it’s a series of bizarre, sometimes embarrassing, and unpredictable phases. And when you think about it, every phase reflects whatever we’re obsessing over.

When you’re a kid, you go through the “Dinosaur” phase because all your books, toys and conversations revolve around velociraptors and stegosauruses. You have so much dinosaur knowledge that, if necessary, you could confidently give a TED Talk on the Jurassic period. Then comes the “Only Eats Chicken Nuggets” phase, where every meal had to be beige or else it was unacceptable. Don’t forget about the “Think You Can Dig to China” phase because you saw a cartoon where that seemed entirely possible, so obviously, it must be true.

When you thought you outgrew phases, adulthood sneaks up with a new set of weird obsessions. First, there’s the “Mom, Drop Me Off a Block Away” phase (because nothing is more humiliating than parental affection). Then comes the “Too Cool to Smile in Photos” phase,” which, for some people, tragically, never ends. They probably saw a brooding Johnny Depp picture, noticed he never smiles and thought, Yes. This is how I shall present myself to the world now.

Life keeps shifting, and so do our perspectives.

I remember a time when everything felt terrific – I was happy, positive, and convinced life was just one big, exciting adventure. And then, I got my heart broken for the first time.

Suddenly, my world went from a Disney movie soundtrack to an entire playlist of songs where it’s always raining, and someone is whispering about lost love. That’s when I entered my “Brooding Philosopher” phase, where I was sure no one had ever suffered heartbreak as profoundly as I had. I wrote deep, angsty journal entries. I stared pensively out of the windows. I considered getting into poetry.

And here’s the thing: I stayed in that dark phase for a while. Until I realized something – I’d stay stuck there forever if I didn’t consciously shift my focus. I wasn’t just feeling negative; I was feeding myself negativity. Sad songs, dramatic journal entries, endless overanalyzing – it was no wonder my world felt bleak.

That’s when I noticed something: Humans are like computers – what you feed in determines what comes out. The thoughts, media and conversations we consume shape how we feel and respond to the world.

If you constantly feed your brain negativity, stress and worst-case scenarios, don’t be surprised when your mood and outlook reflect that. But if you intentionally focus on positive, hopeful or even just humorous things, your mind starts processing the world differently.

Simply put, we have far more control over our mindset, emotions and the phases we go through than we often realize. The inputs we choose – what we watch, listen to and focus on – directly shape our thoughts, attitudes and even our outlook on life.

I often listened to Zig Ziglar; he was all about positive input. He once said, “You are what you are and where you are because of what has gone into your mind. You can change what you are and where you are by changing what goes into your mind.”

If you binge-watch bad news, scroll through negativity and surround yourself with toxic conversations, don’t be surprised when your thoughts follow the same pattern. But your perspective will shift if you flood your brain with encouragement, uplifting ideas and solutions instead of problems.

Ziglar often compared the mind to a garden: “Whatever you plant is what you’ll grow. If you plant negativity, doubt and fear, that’s exactly what will flourish. But if you plant positivity, hope and gratitude, that’s what will take root.”

In other words, your brain is like a stubborn houseplant – water it with good stuff, and it thrives. Feed it junk, and it shrivels.

So the next time you catch yourself stuck in a negative loop, remember: You get to choose the phase you’re in. All you need is better input.

Your mindset isn’t about what happens to you. It’s what you feed it. Fill it with negativity, and your world shrinks. Feed it hope, humor and possibility; suddenly, life feels bigger, lighter and full of potential.

• Toby Moore is a columnist, star of the Emmy-nominated film “A Separate Peace,” and CEO of CubeStream Inc. He lives in Bourbonnais and can be reached through the Daily Journal at editors@daily-journal.com.