There are moments in life when we listen but do not hear, or when we hear but are not listening. Unless you are isolated from civilization, you will be constantly bombarded by information. There is nowhere on Planet Earth we can go where people do not transfer information.

I remember sitting with a family member and friends in the living room of my grandmother’s house. We were discussing our lifestyle values and goals. I was expressing my views on time management and how important every second of the day is to me. How it matters how I spend my time in life. My cousin turned to me in front of the whole family and stated that he had heard a rumor about my lifestyle. Many thoughts raced through my mind because of his statement. I then smiled, turned to him, and asked what the rumor was. He tilted his head to the side and looked at some of my other family members before saying, “I heard that you do not watch television.”

I continued smiling as I looked at him and my other family members. The only sound I could hear were commercials playing from the television in the room. My cousin turned to me with a look on his face, much like he had medicine in his mouth. In other words, he looked as if he had just tasted something nasty. He went on to say, “It’s really weird that you do not watch television. There is something really wrong with that.”

I continued to smile as I squinted my eyes a little and thought about how to respond. The first thing that left my mouth was a burst of laughter. I could not hold it in any longer. By the time I was done with my belly laugh, my cousin was looking at me with a straight face, as if he was concerned about my well-being. The remote control was in his hand while the television was still running. There was a talk show on with people fighting and screaming loudly. I could tell that my cousin was having somewhat of a difficult time focusing on our conversation and watching the television at the same time. One eye was on the television and the other on me. It looked like he was watching a tennis match in the living room. I began to explain how when you watch television there are messages going out with no restraint. With television there is no engaging in dialogue. Instead, an internal dialogue is provoked after the viewer receives messages visually and audibly. The danger in having one-way communication is that only one opinion, view, and or mindset is expressed within the communication.

Many of us have embraced the culture of sitting in front of a box and absorbing everything that is projected. When I was a teenager, I had no understanding of the importance of what I watched. I did not understand that I would internalize the messages I received, and what I internalized would manifest in my life. Now that I have matured, I recognize that one value that keeps me balanced is aiming to do everything in moderation. There are times that I fall short, but I believe the first step in thinking progressively in this area is awareness. I believe that we should be open to others’ opinions provided their opinions are conducive to our personal values. We are not cookie-cut people; we each have individuality and a unique purpose.

Seeking the opinions of others on a frequent basis can be dangerous. What if I had listened to my cousin’s opinion of me and had planned to watch television a minimum of seven hours a day? There are systems set up that drive the progress of many through television. I find it amazing how watching a movie can affect our vibrations (feelings) and thought patterns so much that it inspires something— good or bad—to manifest in our lives. I am not saying that I think television itself is evil or bad. But its lack of balance and awareness can corrupt all that we are and all that we will become through one-way communication or even a negative conversation, depending on the source. Before attempting anything good or great, we need to be mindful that people will have their opinions, and their opinions can affect us in good ways or in bad ways if we allow it. This is why it is vitally important to evaluate constantly those who are in our spheres of influence. The people we allow close to our hearts and minds can be tremendously impactful, to the point of altering our visions, purposes, dreams, goals, and destinies. Suggestive thoughts are seeds that can grow into something so significant that they define who we are. Opinions come in the form of words, and these words can keep us caged by fear or free us.

As you read this book, your subconscious awareness is being heightened to the point of understanding that you will no longer be held hostage by another person’s opinion of you. There are standards that are being raised up that will ultimately smack fear out of your mindset and lifestyle. Have you ever thought of doing something daring? I’m not talking about putting your life in danger. What I am talking about is making a plan to fulfill a vision that scares the living daylights out of you because of all the obstacles and impossibilities surrounding it. There are whispering voices in your head that tell you what you can and cannot do. These voices stem from your childhood, your past, and current environment. They have their opinions about you, and it is up to you to decide whether you will allow someone else’s negative ideas about you and what you desire to live or die. These voices are sometimes unconscious. We often cannot detect them unless we tune in to our emotional states. Whenever we feel negative—meaning down, discouraged, or hopeless—this may indicate that fear is standing in our pathways, attempting to block the fulfillment of our destinies and our joy along our journeys. Bruce was one of my favorite fighters in my early childhood. I started taking martial arts at the age of six.

There are many things that I remember about Mr. Bruce. He seemed to have a keen sense of focus while in training and during combat. I remember watching a scene with him walking down the road and being confronted by some opponents. I thought they looked very threatening. They served a purpose in meeting him on his path toward his desired destination. His opponents—or should I say, opposition—would reveal his DNA and ultimately the blueprint of his destiny in the story. If he had not been willing to fight through the opposition, he would have been beaten to death by adversity. I believe the other purpose the opposition or adversity served was to reveal the greatness that existed inside him.

Fear can come in the form of words that create an image in the mind of something happening. Fear is usually linked to trepidation, failure, or any other thoughts that invoke negative feelings. When Bruce was confronted with fear, he would start to dance on his toes and move around with a rhythm of his own. The way he did things was part of his branding and his legacy. He was intentional in attacking the hell out of his adversaries, and he did so with tenacity, consistency, focus, and accuracy until ultimately conquering what might have appeared unconquerable. He was hurt at times and even put down. But I loved how he pushed through and the loud smacking sound that was made before his opponents fell at his feet.

What is your desired destination? Are you willing to push through to see its manifestation? People may laugh at your ideas; they may use words of discouragement. There may even be gossip about the desire you have expressed. See yourself accomplishing what you set out to do. Speak aloud; tell yourself what you desire to accomplish. The words that we speak have future implications, and there is a process of conception that takes place in the mind. The words we speak over ourselves have the potential to override the voices of discouragement within our unconscious minds, or even the negative words other people use intentionally or unintentionally.

Get used to speaking what you desire to accomplish aloud and alone in a quiet place. Repeat these declarations with faith and feeling: “I believe in myself. I am successful. I am intelligent. I am working toward greatness. I love myself, and I am loved. I am focused. I have power to gain wealth and help other people. I am a beautiful person.” Even if you do not believe what leaves your mouth right away, try repeating these declarations aloud twenty times, and watch what happens to your emotional state. If it is done with faith, you will notice that you feel encouraged.

It is good to remember that everyone works at a different pace. There is some deprogramming involved in this process, which is known as intentional suggestion. We are prone to suggestion when we repeat both negative and positive things about ourselves. Never speak negative words over yourself, even in a joking way. Do not tolerate anyone you interact with to speak negative words over you. You are special, and you are chosen for greatness. Close your eyes, and visualize to the point of feeling what it is that you have hoped for. Free yourself from the opinions of others.

Once you begin to think fearlessly, some of those around you will pick up your frequency of confidence. Some may resent your flow toward success. In all humility, you and I have the power of choice in every circumstance. This power is sometimes ignored or forgotten. You are free to be the best that you can be, you are free to pursue true happiness, you are free to live by your own values. And you are free to shut down every opinion that either yells or whispers words that do not correlate with your destiny. Grasp the awareness that the most significant factor to consider is not the opinions of others and how they see you. However, take into consideration the most important opinion is how you see and think of yourself.

The above is an exclusive excerpt for my new book, "Think Fearlessly", where, as a six-time champion boxer, shares my insight on sports, business and relationships for readers to reach their full potential.