You probably know the myth of innovation as a sudden flash of insight that comes from nowhere. We read about that "aha" moment, or that light bulb turning on in the mind of some inventor or innovator, and this is true to an extent. Einstein really did get flashes of insight while shaving in the morning. However, he was of course working on the particular problems he had insight into, and he didn't suddenly have ideas for new kitchen gadgets or movie plots.
Einsteins innovations, in other words, no matter how "sudden" the original ideas were, came from past and present mental work. It is like a singer who works at his craft for ten years and then becomes an "overnight success." Innovative people only have "sudden" new ideas because they have habitually worked and thought in certain ways for some time. If you want to become an innovative thinker, then, why not start cultivating those mental habits?
Mental Habits Lead To Innovation
Problems can be opportunities. "Problem" may have a negative connotations, such as being a hassle or stressful, but any problem can lead to an innovation that improves our lives. Not knowing the time lead to clocks small enough to put on our wrists. Nasty diseases lead to sanitary sewer systems. Start looking for opportunity in every problem. Even a mundane problem like not having enough storage space could lead to a new innovation. You may just build a plywood floor in the attic, but you could invent a new type of outdoor storage unit.
Innovation begins with understanding the key elements. Metal, wood or glass are not key elements of a door to an innovator. A way to get in, a way to keep others out - these are key elements. Begin with these, and soon you're imagining new ways to make a door. You could design a door that is opened by your voice (nice when your hands are full), or one that shuts and locks itself when anyone else approaches. Think of the key elements in things.
Attitude helps innovation. The creative problem-solving technique of concept-combination involves combining two ideas to see what new idea or product results. The crucial point is that you assume there will be a useful new idea. Starting with that assumption, your mind will work overtime to produce something. A shoe and a CD have nothing to do with each other, but it took just a minute to imagine a CD player with headphones that only plays the music correctly if a jogger maintains his ideal pace. When you assume there is something there you'll often find something.
Playfulness helps innovation. A playful mind is a creative mind, and while high IQ doesn't correlate with creativity, put it together with playfulness, and you have an Einstein. Remember, he imagined himself riding on a beam of light in order to arrive at his theory of relativity. Why not start playing with ideas and things, in your mind and in your surroundings. Innovation should be fun.
Showing posts with label brain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label brain. Show all posts
December 6, 2011
Creative Solutions Using 'What If?'
For the most creative solutions you need to get your mind looking in new directions. One of the most systematic ways to do this, is with a list of words, primarily adjectives, to create "what if?" scenarios. The process starts with the question, "what if it was..." and then you insert a word from the list. "It" in the question is the problem you're working on, or the current solution or situation.
Let's explain the process with an example or two.
Example one: You have is an unpleasant co-worker. You aren't sure how to deal with him, so you ask about the problem, "What if it was..." and insert from the list "smaller." How could you make the problem smaller? Spend less time with that person? Get reassigned?
"What if it was... fun?" makes you wonder if being annoying yourself might keep the other person away from you. "Closer" makes you wonder if this person might be nicer to you if they knew you better. You continue down the list and work with each word a bit to get new ideas, which you will look at more analytically later.
Example two: Your house is too crowded because you're running your business from it. You ask, "What if it was..." and insert from the word list, "smaller." Your house is already too small, but could the business be smaller? The word "divided" might give you the idea to keep the business in just one part of the house.
Since most words on the list won't help, you can go through the irrelevant ones quickly. But don't automatically dismiss them without a few seconds consideration. "What if it was hopeless?" may seem like a useless question, or it may make you realize that you just can't keep the business in the house any longer. Moving into a rented office might be the most profitable of your creative solutions.
The Creative Solutions Word List
Feel free to create your own list of words. You'll want to use adjectives, descriptive phrases, and any words that can change your perspective. Here is a short list to get you started:
What if it was... larger, smaller, farther away, closer, sooner, later, easier, more difficult, higher, fat, rich, short, black, certain, hopeless, newer, boring, casual, subtracted from, cheaper, common, divided, more interesting, extravagant, subtle, or fun?
Just as with most problem solving techniques, it's important to allow the ideas to flow without judging them initially. You don't want to stifle the creative process. Take notes, then evaluate your ideas later, when you have a page full of creative solutions.
Let's explain the process with an example or two.
Example one: You have is an unpleasant co-worker. You aren't sure how to deal with him, so you ask about the problem, "What if it was..." and insert from the list "smaller." How could you make the problem smaller? Spend less time with that person? Get reassigned?
"What if it was... fun?" makes you wonder if being annoying yourself might keep the other person away from you. "Closer" makes you wonder if this person might be nicer to you if they knew you better. You continue down the list and work with each word a bit to get new ideas, which you will look at more analytically later.
Example two: Your house is too crowded because you're running your business from it. You ask, "What if it was..." and insert from the word list, "smaller." Your house is already too small, but could the business be smaller? The word "divided" might give you the idea to keep the business in just one part of the house.
Since most words on the list won't help, you can go through the irrelevant ones quickly. But don't automatically dismiss them without a few seconds consideration. "What if it was hopeless?" may seem like a useless question, or it may make you realize that you just can't keep the business in the house any longer. Moving into a rented office might be the most profitable of your creative solutions.
The Creative Solutions Word List
Feel free to create your own list of words. You'll want to use adjectives, descriptive phrases, and any words that can change your perspective. Here is a short list to get you started:
What if it was... larger, smaller, farther away, closer, sooner, later, easier, more difficult, higher, fat, rich, short, black, certain, hopeless, newer, boring, casual, subtracted from, cheaper, common, divided, more interesting, extravagant, subtle, or fun?
Just as with most problem solving techniques, it's important to allow the ideas to flow without judging them initially. You don't want to stifle the creative process. Take notes, then evaluate your ideas later, when you have a page full of creative solutions.
November 14, 2011
Creative Thinking: A How-To Guide
Creative thinking is a potential we are all born with. If you don't use that potential, it is probably because you don't know and apply the simple principles for developing it. We can remedy that right now.
The two basic principles of creative thinking are:
1. There are methods and techniques of creative thinking.
2. Making these methods and techniques a part of your mental habits will make creative thinking easy and automatic.
An entrepreneur sees the potential profit in a situation, because his mind is trained for that. A lawyer sees the potential problems, because that is how his mind is trained. How we repeatedly think becomes a habit, and that is how you train a mind. Learn the techniques of creative thinking, use them until they are a habit, and creative thinking will be as natural for you as lying is for a politician.
The Techniques Of Creative Thinking
There are dozens of creative problem solving techniques you can learn to use. "Concept-combination," for example, will have you mixing roses and clocks to create the first alarm clock that wakes you up with a gentle release of fragrance. Use the technique of "random-presentation" and a cell phone can give the idea to do your dictation with a pocket tape recorder while you walk, so you'll have time for exercise and still get your work done.
Creative thinking goes beyond just solving specific problems or inventing new things. A truly creative mind is always coming up with the questions too, not just the solutions. To be more creative all the time, focus on three things:
1. Challenge your assumptions. What if a restaurant didn't have employees? Customers could pay a machine as they enter, and feed themselves at a buffet. If everything was as automated as possible, maybe one owner-operator could run a large restaurant alone. Challenge everything. Do you have to go to work? Do pools need water? Is education always a good thing?
2. Change your perspective. Imagining a dog's thoughts about your busyness could clue you in to the unecessary things you do. Thinking dollars-per-day instead of per-hour could give you a plan to let employees go home when they finish a certain quota. Greater efficiency would be almost certain, and you could adjust daily pay and quotas so both you and employees made more money. Look at everything from several perspectives.
3. Let your ideas run wild. Flying furniture seems silly, but it may lead to the idea of a hover-lifter. Slide the device under furniture and it lifts it with a cushion of air, making for easy moving. Don't stifle your creativity. Relax, let ideas come, and know that you can always discard them later.
Creating Creative Thinking Habits
To make the above techniques into an automatic part of your thinking, just use them enough. Usually it takes several weeks to develop a habit, so you need a way to remind yourself each day during that time. Try writing a few of your favorite techniques on a card and carrying it with you. Pull it out throughout the day and apply the techniques to anything. Soon, more creative thinking will be a normal part of your life.
Creative Imagination
Creative imagination is more than just active imagination. To be able to actively imagine things, to see and hear things in one's mind, is an important ability. It doesn't have to involve much creativity, though, does it? Daydreaming, for example, is a process of imagination. It can consist of an elaborate fantasy world, but one full of all the things that many people think about.
Creative imagination, then, has to include the ability not just to imagine things, but to imagine original things. It is seeing things that others don't see, and coming up with new ideas. So how do you cultivate this?
Creative Imagination 101
First, exercise your basic imagination. It can be as simple as thinking in pictures more, or listening to music in your mind. Play little "movies" in your mind, until you can watch them on command. This is a simple process, but for those of us that can't easily do it naturally, it can take a lot of practice. Fortunately, it is not an unpleasant activity.
The second part of developing your creative imagination is to get more creative in your thinking and imagining. Start by paying attention to your creativity. Our subconscious minds give us more of what we pay attention to. Ignore creative aspects of your life, and you're telling your subconscious they are unimportant. On the other hand, if you note when you're creative, your subconscious mind will start feeding you more creative ideas.
Different surroundings can also encourage your creativity. Want more creativity in your love life? Hike up a mountain with your partner. Do you write? Try sitting on a roof to write. Want new ideas for your business? Take a notebook to the park and sit by the duck pond. A change of environment can get your thinking out of it's ruts.
You can play games that exercise your creative imagination. One such game uses a technique called "concept combination." Alone or with other players, you combine random concepts or things in new ways, to see who has the best idea. A thermometer and a billboard, for example, could generate an idea for a sign that checks the weather and adjusts the message accordingly ("Come in out of the heat for a cold beverage," or "Come in out of the rain and warm up with our gourmet coffee.").
Don't Wait For Creative Imagination
Creative inspiration certainly can strike at any time, but it strikes more often when there is work instead of waiting. So if you want to come up with creative inventions, start mentally redesigning everything you see. Imagine a better bicycle, a faster mail service, or a better chair. Continue this for three weeks, and it will become a habit.
Of course, creative imagination goes beyond solving specific problems or inventing things. Truly creative minds are always coming up with the questions too, not just the solutions. If you want to be more creative all the time, focus on three things:
1. Changing your perspective. A child might think that working just to not work (to retire) is silly. Thinking from that perspective might give you ideas for how to make money doing things you enjoy. Seeing the world as a bear sees it might give a painter imaginative new ideas. Looking at things from a customer's perspective is a sure way to find creative improvements for a business. See everything from several perspectives.
2. Challenging your assumptions. What if restaurants didn't have employees? Visitors pay a machine as they enter, feed themselves at a buffet, and everything is as automated as possible, so one owner-operator could run a large restaurant alone. Challenge all your assumptions for practice. Do you really have to pay rent? Do swimming pools need water? Can exercise be a bad thing?
3. Let your ideas run wild. Does a flying bed seem silly? It could lead to the concept of a helium mattress. When you get off it in the morning, it floats out of the way, up to the ceiling. Perfect for small apartments. Don't stifle your creativity. Relax, and let ideas come. You can always discard them later.
For these techniques to be a habitual part of your thinking, use them regularly. Since it takes several weeks to develop a habit, remind yourself to use them each day. Jot a few of your favorite techniques on a card and carry it with you. Look it over throughout the day and apply the techniques to anything. Soon, you'll have a more creative imagination.
Creative imagination, then, has to include the ability not just to imagine things, but to imagine original things. It is seeing things that others don't see, and coming up with new ideas. So how do you cultivate this?
Creative Imagination 101
First, exercise your basic imagination. It can be as simple as thinking in pictures more, or listening to music in your mind. Play little "movies" in your mind, until you can watch them on command. This is a simple process, but for those of us that can't easily do it naturally, it can take a lot of practice. Fortunately, it is not an unpleasant activity.
The second part of developing your creative imagination is to get more creative in your thinking and imagining. Start by paying attention to your creativity. Our subconscious minds give us more of what we pay attention to. Ignore creative aspects of your life, and you're telling your subconscious they are unimportant. On the other hand, if you note when you're creative, your subconscious mind will start feeding you more creative ideas.
Different surroundings can also encourage your creativity. Want more creativity in your love life? Hike up a mountain with your partner. Do you write? Try sitting on a roof to write. Want new ideas for your business? Take a notebook to the park and sit by the duck pond. A change of environment can get your thinking out of it's ruts.
You can play games that exercise your creative imagination. One such game uses a technique called "concept combination." Alone or with other players, you combine random concepts or things in new ways, to see who has the best idea. A thermometer and a billboard, for example, could generate an idea for a sign that checks the weather and adjusts the message accordingly ("Come in out of the heat for a cold beverage," or "Come in out of the rain and warm up with our gourmet coffee.").
Don't Wait For Creative Imagination
Creative inspiration certainly can strike at any time, but it strikes more often when there is work instead of waiting. So if you want to come up with creative inventions, start mentally redesigning everything you see. Imagine a better bicycle, a faster mail service, or a better chair. Continue this for three weeks, and it will become a habit.
Of course, creative imagination goes beyond solving specific problems or inventing things. Truly creative minds are always coming up with the questions too, not just the solutions. If you want to be more creative all the time, focus on three things:
1. Changing your perspective. A child might think that working just to not work (to retire) is silly. Thinking from that perspective might give you ideas for how to make money doing things you enjoy. Seeing the world as a bear sees it might give a painter imaginative new ideas. Looking at things from a customer's perspective is a sure way to find creative improvements for a business. See everything from several perspectives.
2. Challenging your assumptions. What if restaurants didn't have employees? Visitors pay a machine as they enter, feed themselves at a buffet, and everything is as automated as possible, so one owner-operator could run a large restaurant alone. Challenge all your assumptions for practice. Do you really have to pay rent? Do swimming pools need water? Can exercise be a bad thing?
3. Let your ideas run wild. Does a flying bed seem silly? It could lead to the concept of a helium mattress. When you get off it in the morning, it floats out of the way, up to the ceiling. Perfect for small apartments. Don't stifle your creativity. Relax, and let ideas come. You can always discard them later.
For these techniques to be a habitual part of your thinking, use them regularly. Since it takes several weeks to develop a habit, remind yourself to use them each day. Jot a few of your favorite techniques on a card and carry it with you. Look it over throughout the day and apply the techniques to anything. Soon, you'll have a more creative imagination.
October 31, 2011
How To Increase Creativity
To increase creativity, you need to do two things. First, you need to encourage it. Second, you need to train your brain. Start on both of these right now, and you can experience greater creativity today.
Encourage creativity and you'll increase creativity. This is true of most things you want to see more of in your life. Encouragement can work wonders. How do you encourage creativity, though?
First, by paying attention to it. Your subconscious mind tends to give you more of what you pay attention to. If you ignore the creative aspects of your life, you are telling your subconscious that they are unimportant. If you consciously note when you are creative, and you look for opportunities to be creative, your subconscious mind will start feeding you more creative ideas. Look for it and you'll find more of it.
Another way to encourage and increase creativity, is to write your ideas down. Keep an "idea journal." If you do this regularly, you'll notice that you often start having more ideas the moment you start to write. A so-so idea may normally be forgotten, but by writing it down, you may remember it, your subconscious works on it, and it can transform into something very creative.
You can also encourage greater creativity in yourself by putting creative ideas into practice. If you paint or write, for example, try anything new. Even just driving a different route to work to see if it is quicker can help. The point is to get you mind working outside of its regular patterns.
Just changing your surroundings can encourage creativity. If you want more creativity in your love life, go hike up a mountain with your partner. If you write, try sitting on a roof to write. If you need new ideas for your business, take a notebook to the park and sit by the duck pond. A change of environment can get your brain out of it's ruts.
Creativity Training
If you want to dramatically increase creativity, develop creative habits of mind. Watch a good comedian and you'll see that she has trained her mind to look for the "different angle" on everyday things. You can train your mind to do the same.
Challenge assumptions, for example, until it becomes habit. Looking for ways to get customers into your store? Stop and say, "Do I really need more customers?" The question suggests other creative solutions, like finding ways to make more money off existing customers, or ways to cut expenses. These may lead to more profitable ideas. Challenge assumptions to increase the creativity of your solutions.
As you drive to work, randomly choose anything around you and ask how it may be connected to whatever problem you are working on. A helicopter overhead might make you think about a way to track where the car goes when you loan it to your kids. A palm tree may lead to a new design for patio umbrellas.
The above techniques are called "Assumption Challenging" and "Random Presentation," and are two classic creative problem solving techniques. There are dozens more. Train your brain to habitually use these, and provide it with a little encouragement, and you really can increase your creativity.
How To Increase Creativity
To increase creativity, you need to do two things. First, you need to encourage it. Second, you need to train your brain. Start on both of these right now, and you can experience greater creativity today.
Encourage creativity and you'll increase creativity. This is true of most things you want to see more of in your life. Encouragement can work wonders. How do you encourage creativity, though?
First, by paying attention to it. Your subconscious mind tends to give you more of what you pay attention to. If you ignore the creative aspects of your life, you are telling your subconscious that they are unimportant. If you consciously note when you are creative, and you look for opportunities to be creative, your subconscious mind will start feeding you more creative ideas. Look for it and you'll find more of it.
Another way to encourage and increase creativity, is to write your ideas down. Keep an "idea journal." If you do this regularly, you'll notice that you often start having more ideas the moment you start to write. A so-so idea may normally be forgotten, but by writing it down, you may remember it, your subconscious works on it, and it can transform into something very creative.
You can also encourage greater creativity in yourself by putting creative ideas into practice. If you paint or write, for example, try anything new. Even just driving a different route to work to see if it is quicker can help. The point is to get you mind working outside of its regular patterns.
Just changing your surroundings can encourage creativity. If you want more creativity in your love life, go hike up a mountain with your partner. If you write, try sitting on a roof to write. If you need new ideas for your business, take a notebook to the park and sit by the duck pond. A change of environment can get your brain out of it's ruts.
Creativity Training
If you want to dramatically increase creativity, develop creative habits of mind. Watch a good comedian and you'll see that she has trained her mind to look for the "different angle" on everyday things. You can train your mind to do the same.
Challenge assumptions, for example, until it becomes habit. Looking for ways to get customers into your store? Stop and say, "Do I really need more customers?" The question suggests other creative solutions, like finding ways to make more money off existing customers, or ways to cut expenses. These may lead to more profitable ideas. Challenge assumptions to increase the creativity of your solutions.
As you drive to work, randomly choose anything around you and ask how it may be connected to whatever problem you are working on. A helicopter overhead might make you think about a way to track where the car goes when you loan it to your kids. A palm tree may lead to a new design for patio umbrellas.
The above techniques are called "Assumption Challenging" and "Random Presentation," and are two classic creative problem solving techniques. There are dozens more. Train your brain to habitually use these, and provide it with a little encouragement, and you really can increase your creativity.
September 1, 2011
An Age Old Secret For Accessing Knowledge
Over the centuries, human beings have developed many techniques to gain access to their inner wisdom and improve learning.
One technique that many people have found very beneficial is to have an imaginary guide that they can call on for advice and insight.
A modern variation of this technique has been developed by intelligence researcher Dr. Win Wenger and it is detailed in his book “The Einstein Factor”
This exercise is sometimes called “Putting on the Expert’s Head”
This technique enables you to access some of the enormous untapped potential that resides in the mind of every individual. This technique can even accelerate your ability to develop a new skill. It gives you access to parts of yourself that you are normally not aware of.
The first step is to decide what knowledge or skill you would like to develop in yourself. What are you interested in that you would like to do better? You might wish to improve your skill at archery, portrait painting, doing mathematics, or playing a musical instrument.
Once you have decided what skill or knowledge you would like to develop, take some time to think about those people you consider an expert in this chosen field. Whose skills do you admire? Who do you think of as a great role model and expert in the field?
The person need not be currently living. Before you move ahead with this exercise, you may wish to research the life of the person you have chosen.
You might even decide you want to see the world from the perspective of your favorite animal or bird, such as a wolf or an eagle.
When you are ready to do the Expert’s Head exercise, prepare yourself by deeply relaxing your body and your mind. Take some time to get comfortable in a place where you will not be disturbed. Internally scan your body for tension, and allow your muscles to relax. Breathe calmly and smoothly in a relaxed way.
Now think: is there a particular place where you would like to meet your imaginary expert? You might want to meet this guide in your own home, but feel free to imagine another site. For example, you could visualize meeting in a beautiful garden, in a forest, on top of a mountain, or some other location.
You can improve your ability to visualize imaginatively by speaking out loud your inner impressions to a tape recorder, or to another person. Eventually, even the slightest glimmer of imagination will be reinforced and amplified by consistent practice of this exercise.
If you are not yet able to easily imagine a location in which to meet your chosen expert, don’t worry. Simply move forward to the imagined encounter with this person, whenever you are ready.
Your imaginary encounter may go exactly as planned, or there may be surprises in store for you. Perhaps someone you weren’t expecting shows up. Perhaps your chosen expert does not want to participate. If no one appears in your mind’s imagination, ask for someone to come forward, and then wait.
When your imaginary guide appears, handle the encounter with as much politeness and respect as you would a real life encounter with a real person. Do you feel comfortable in the presence of this expert? Do you have the sense that the expert feels comfortable with you?
Even if these guides are figments of your inner mind, you still need to be sure you are accessing a part of yourself that wants to promote only the best for you.
If you get any sense of discomfort between you, thank the expert for coming, and politely dismiss him or her. Think of another expert you admire in your chosen field and create an imaginary encounter with that person. You may even have to create a totally fictitious character to be your imaginary expert.
Once you have established a meeting with your chosen expert, mentally picture yourself and your visiting expert standing facing each other in an attitude of great respect. Gently put your arms out and slowly remove the expert’s head from his or her body. Since this is only an imaginary person or animal, the head should come off quite easily.
Place the expert’s head above your own, facing the right way, and lower it over your own head. Now believe that you are looking out at the world through the eyes of your chosen expert, hearing through the expert’s ears, smelling through the expert’s nose.
Take the time to allow the expert’s mind to slowly merge with your own mind. Now gently pull the expert’s body towards you, and step into it. Feel as if it fits you perfectly. Feel that you have merged with the expert’s body and can feel and do the same things.
When you feel that you are actually in the expert’s body, notice what seems different to you. Does the world look different in any way? Do any of your attitudes feel different? How does your body feel different? Can you feel the confident attitude of the expert? Memorize the sensation.
Focus on the differences you notice and start to talk about them out loud. Spend at least five minutes doing this step. When you have finished, gently step out of the borrowed imaginary body and carefully remove the expert’s head from you own. Respectfully return the head and body to the expert. Thank that person for allowing you to have this experience.
You can use the Expert’s Head technique to improve your skills at some desired activity, or to accelerate your ability to learn to do something you have never done before.
First spend a few weeks performing the Expert’s Head exercise daily to familiarize yourself with it. Once you are accustomed to the process of donning the expert’s head, you are ready to use this technique to accelerate your skills development.
First spend a few minutes performing the desired skill entirely in your mind. Feel as if you are actually performing perfectly it and that you really know how to do it. Then move to the Expert’s Head exercise, and spend about 10 –15 minutes, performing the activity in real life, but mentally be the character of the expert, wearing the expert’s head and body.
After about fifteen minutes, gently remove the expert’s head and step out of the expert’s body. Thank the expert for the use of his or her body, mind and talent. Ask the person to continue filling your mind with more of their expert knowledge and ability even when you are not practicing this exercise.
Before the experience starts to fade from your memory, spend a few minutes writing down or speaking out loud everything you can remember. Write down or speak everything you can remember that was really different when you were in the expert’s mind and body, rather than as yourself.
When you wish to improve a particular skill, first spend about 15 minutes mentally doing it as yourself. Then slip into the expert’s head and body to continue the exercise in real life for another fifteen to thirty minutes. If you repeat this process about three times a day, you will experience a greatly accelerated ability to master the skills you desire.
Please realize that advice and knowledge received in this manner is not infallible. Do not feel obligated to act on any advice received from your inner dialogue with your imagined guides unless you are absolutely convinced it is appropriate for you at this time.
This technique can greatly increase access to your inner creativity and wisdom, but you will still need to make informed and reasoned decisions about what you do.
One technique that many people have found very beneficial is to have an imaginary guide that they can call on for advice and insight.
A modern variation of this technique has been developed by intelligence researcher Dr. Win Wenger and it is detailed in his book “The Einstein Factor”
This exercise is sometimes called “Putting on the Expert’s Head”
This technique enables you to access some of the enormous untapped potential that resides in the mind of every individual. This technique can even accelerate your ability to develop a new skill. It gives you access to parts of yourself that you are normally not aware of.
The first step is to decide what knowledge or skill you would like to develop in yourself. What are you interested in that you would like to do better? You might wish to improve your skill at archery, portrait painting, doing mathematics, or playing a musical instrument.
Once you have decided what skill or knowledge you would like to develop, take some time to think about those people you consider an expert in this chosen field. Whose skills do you admire? Who do you think of as a great role model and expert in the field?
The person need not be currently living. Before you move ahead with this exercise, you may wish to research the life of the person you have chosen.
You might even decide you want to see the world from the perspective of your favorite animal or bird, such as a wolf or an eagle.
When you are ready to do the Expert’s Head exercise, prepare yourself by deeply relaxing your body and your mind. Take some time to get comfortable in a place where you will not be disturbed. Internally scan your body for tension, and allow your muscles to relax. Breathe calmly and smoothly in a relaxed way.
Now think: is there a particular place where you would like to meet your imaginary expert? You might want to meet this guide in your own home, but feel free to imagine another site. For example, you could visualize meeting in a beautiful garden, in a forest, on top of a mountain, or some other location.
You can improve your ability to visualize imaginatively by speaking out loud your inner impressions to a tape recorder, or to another person. Eventually, even the slightest glimmer of imagination will be reinforced and amplified by consistent practice of this exercise.
If you are not yet able to easily imagine a location in which to meet your chosen expert, don’t worry. Simply move forward to the imagined encounter with this person, whenever you are ready.
Your imaginary encounter may go exactly as planned, or there may be surprises in store for you. Perhaps someone you weren’t expecting shows up. Perhaps your chosen expert does not want to participate. If no one appears in your mind’s imagination, ask for someone to come forward, and then wait.
When your imaginary guide appears, handle the encounter with as much politeness and respect as you would a real life encounter with a real person. Do you feel comfortable in the presence of this expert? Do you have the sense that the expert feels comfortable with you?
Even if these guides are figments of your inner mind, you still need to be sure you are accessing a part of yourself that wants to promote only the best for you.
If you get any sense of discomfort between you, thank the expert for coming, and politely dismiss him or her. Think of another expert you admire in your chosen field and create an imaginary encounter with that person. You may even have to create a totally fictitious character to be your imaginary expert.
Once you have established a meeting with your chosen expert, mentally picture yourself and your visiting expert standing facing each other in an attitude of great respect. Gently put your arms out and slowly remove the expert’s head from his or her body. Since this is only an imaginary person or animal, the head should come off quite easily.
Place the expert’s head above your own, facing the right way, and lower it over your own head. Now believe that you are looking out at the world through the eyes of your chosen expert, hearing through the expert’s ears, smelling through the expert’s nose.
Take the time to allow the expert’s mind to slowly merge with your own mind. Now gently pull the expert’s body towards you, and step into it. Feel as if it fits you perfectly. Feel that you have merged with the expert’s body and can feel and do the same things.
When you feel that you are actually in the expert’s body, notice what seems different to you. Does the world look different in any way? Do any of your attitudes feel different? How does your body feel different? Can you feel the confident attitude of the expert? Memorize the sensation.
Focus on the differences you notice and start to talk about them out loud. Spend at least five minutes doing this step. When you have finished, gently step out of the borrowed imaginary body and carefully remove the expert’s head from you own. Respectfully return the head and body to the expert. Thank that person for allowing you to have this experience.
You can use the Expert’s Head technique to improve your skills at some desired activity, or to accelerate your ability to learn to do something you have never done before.
First spend a few weeks performing the Expert’s Head exercise daily to familiarize yourself with it. Once you are accustomed to the process of donning the expert’s head, you are ready to use this technique to accelerate your skills development.
First spend a few minutes performing the desired skill entirely in your mind. Feel as if you are actually performing perfectly it and that you really know how to do it. Then move to the Expert’s Head exercise, and spend about 10 –15 minutes, performing the activity in real life, but mentally be the character of the expert, wearing the expert’s head and body.
After about fifteen minutes, gently remove the expert’s head and step out of the expert’s body. Thank the expert for the use of his or her body, mind and talent. Ask the person to continue filling your mind with more of their expert knowledge and ability even when you are not practicing this exercise.
Before the experience starts to fade from your memory, spend a few minutes writing down or speaking out loud everything you can remember. Write down or speak everything you can remember that was really different when you were in the expert’s mind and body, rather than as yourself.
When you wish to improve a particular skill, first spend about 15 minutes mentally doing it as yourself. Then slip into the expert’s head and body to continue the exercise in real life for another fifteen to thirty minutes. If you repeat this process about three times a day, you will experience a greatly accelerated ability to master the skills you desire.
Please realize that advice and knowledge received in this manner is not infallible. Do not feel obligated to act on any advice received from your inner dialogue with your imagined guides unless you are absolutely convinced it is appropriate for you at this time.
This technique can greatly increase access to your inner creativity and wisdom, but you will still need to make informed and reasoned decisions about what you do.
August 5, 2011
Ever Wondered Why Everyone Except You Is Moving On?
“I attend courses, read books, listen to CD’s, yet I am still not living the life I want to and am unhappy with the life I have. How can I have the life I want to have?”
This is a surprisingly common dilemma. There are many people out there who could be called “Seminar Junkies”. They go from course to course, book to book, guru to guru desperately seeking answers, yet never finding them.
They watch the people around them have magical transformations in their lives, and feel frustrated and resentful that they are not getting the same results. These people typically continue to attend course after course until eventually they give up and live a life of quiet desperation.
Now, I’m going to share a huge secret with you, though you have to promise not to tell everyone else, because otherwise all these people who make their living from self help seminars and books will get very upset at me for sharing this secret.
The majority of people who attend self-help seminars, read the books, listen to the CD’s are all desperately looking for someone else to change their lives. They refuse to take responsibility for their lives and firmly believe that the only way they can change is if some guru waves their magic wand and blesses them. Then, and only then, will they have permission, and the ability, to change.
Here’s a newsflash.
No guru, no self help book, no seminar, no CD is going to change your life.
The only way you are going to change your life is if you decide to change it.
You can attend the courses, listen to CD’s and read the books, but if you are not willing to take responsibility for what you have in your life and accept your own power and ability to change it, you are never going to get the changes you want.
That’s right. You’ll just stay the same.
People are far too willing in today’s society to give away their personal power and responsibility for their lives. They are always jumping from diet to diet or from health fad to health fad or whatever, hoping that one of them will actually make a difference for them.
If you want to change your life you need to follow these 5 steps:
Make a decision right now that you are going to change your life. There are many different ways to do this, and I teach a number of motivational techniques on my courses and in my workbooks you can use to help you make this decision.
Take responsibility for everything that is in your life, no matter how good or bad. You created and accepted it into your life, and as such, you can change it.
Decide what you do want in your life, what you are going to accept and what you are not going to accept. If you don’t know what you want, look at what you don’t want, and the opposite of that is what you want. Decide on who and what you want to be. Create an action plan for change. Create a plan for how you are going to make these changes.
And the most important step of all, DO IT. That’s right, do it and make the changes. This is the step that separates the achievers and successful people from the dreamers living a life of mediocrity.
If you have been attending all these seminars, reading these books and you still haven’t managed to change your life, then look inside yourself and ask this question.
“Am I taking responsibility for changing my life?”
If the answer is no, then take responsibility and start changing your life today. Whether you work with someone else, or you work with me, take responsibility and use the knowledge of the “guru’s” and the courses and the books and implement them into your life and create the life of your dreams; the life you deserve.
You can wait for an eternity for someone else to make the changes for you, and it’ll never happen. YOU just have to DO it yourself. Stop putting things off now, because the more you put things off the more painful and difficult it will get.
P.S. If you are reading this and saying “I tried” or “I can’t” or something similar then you absolutely need to re-read this article right now two or three times and implement it into your life. It is time to stop trying and start doing.
This is a surprisingly common dilemma. There are many people out there who could be called “Seminar Junkies”. They go from course to course, book to book, guru to guru desperately seeking answers, yet never finding them.
They watch the people around them have magical transformations in their lives, and feel frustrated and resentful that they are not getting the same results. These people typically continue to attend course after course until eventually they give up and live a life of quiet desperation.
Now, I’m going to share a huge secret with you, though you have to promise not to tell everyone else, because otherwise all these people who make their living from self help seminars and books will get very upset at me for sharing this secret.
The majority of people who attend self-help seminars, read the books, listen to the CD’s are all desperately looking for someone else to change their lives. They refuse to take responsibility for their lives and firmly believe that the only way they can change is if some guru waves their magic wand and blesses them. Then, and only then, will they have permission, and the ability, to change.
Here’s a newsflash.
No guru, no self help book, no seminar, no CD is going to change your life.
The only way you are going to change your life is if you decide to change it.
You can attend the courses, listen to CD’s and read the books, but if you are not willing to take responsibility for what you have in your life and accept your own power and ability to change it, you are never going to get the changes you want.
That’s right. You’ll just stay the same.
People are far too willing in today’s society to give away their personal power and responsibility for their lives. They are always jumping from diet to diet or from health fad to health fad or whatever, hoping that one of them will actually make a difference for them.
If you want to change your life you need to follow these 5 steps:
Make a decision right now that you are going to change your life. There are many different ways to do this, and I teach a number of motivational techniques on my courses and in my workbooks you can use to help you make this decision.
Take responsibility for everything that is in your life, no matter how good or bad. You created and accepted it into your life, and as such, you can change it.
Decide what you do want in your life, what you are going to accept and what you are not going to accept. If you don’t know what you want, look at what you don’t want, and the opposite of that is what you want. Decide on who and what you want to be. Create an action plan for change. Create a plan for how you are going to make these changes.
And the most important step of all, DO IT. That’s right, do it and make the changes. This is the step that separates the achievers and successful people from the dreamers living a life of mediocrity.
If you have been attending all these seminars, reading these books and you still haven’t managed to change your life, then look inside yourself and ask this question.
“Am I taking responsibility for changing my life?”
If the answer is no, then take responsibility and start changing your life today. Whether you work with someone else, or you work with me, take responsibility and use the knowledge of the “guru’s” and the courses and the books and implement them into your life and create the life of your dreams; the life you deserve.
You can wait for an eternity for someone else to make the changes for you, and it’ll never happen. YOU just have to DO it yourself. Stop putting things off now, because the more you put things off the more painful and difficult it will get.
P.S. If you are reading this and saying “I tried” or “I can’t” or something similar then you absolutely need to re-read this article right now two or three times and implement it into your life. It is time to stop trying and start doing.
July 21, 2011
A Key To Success
Emulating successful people is one key to success. Be careful, though, if you ask them for advice. Often, people don't really know why they succeed, but they will give you as many explanations as you want anyhow. One night on the news, I saw a 100-year-old man explain that smoking a big cigar every day was one of the secrets of his longevity. It might be nice to know why he has lived so long, but I'm pretty sure we won't learn by asking him.
Key To Success - Study Successful People
One key, then, isn't in doing what successful people say, but rather doing what they do. This is how to learn success. Naturally you have to look closely and apply a little brainpower to see what they are really doing that is causing their success.
A successful real estate investor told me he didn't believe in setting goals. However, watching him and listening to him, I came to realize that he knew just where he expected to be with his projects in six months. This, of course, is goal-setting - he just called the process something else.
Never stop listening to what successful people have to say, but read between the lines. Listen for insight into how they think about things, how they approach their challenges. Suppose the advice of a successful basketball player is just to practice more, but he casually mentions "I saw that going in," after a great shot. Isn't it time to start visualizing your shots going in?
Key To Success - Model Successful People
You won't always know what is causing a person's success. Internet marketers promote their websites by exchanging links, but when I first tried to exchange links with other websites, the owners didn't respond to my emails. Then I found a simple email letter used by a successful internet marketer to get links. It sounded silly to me, and I wanted to change it, but I tried it anyhow. It worked repeatedly.
It is more important to do the right things than to understand why they are right. To also understand is great, but at first, it may be best to just copy many of the actions, attitudes and approaches of someone who is succeeding. Try to model success, even before you understand it.
As you learn more, you can drop those parts that aren't contributing, and add elements of your own. If you model a successful parent, for example, and life with your children gets better, does it matter if you know right away which changes were the most effective? Of course not.
Is it better to understand why what you are doing is working? Certainly, but you may not ever understand why some things work, and this is okay too. It is better to have success than to explain it, so find successful people and do what they do, not what they say. It is an important key to success.
Key To Success - Study Successful People
One key, then, isn't in doing what successful people say, but rather doing what they do. This is how to learn success. Naturally you have to look closely and apply a little brainpower to see what they are really doing that is causing their success.
A successful real estate investor told me he didn't believe in setting goals. However, watching him and listening to him, I came to realize that he knew just where he expected to be with his projects in six months. This, of course, is goal-setting - he just called the process something else.
Never stop listening to what successful people have to say, but read between the lines. Listen for insight into how they think about things, how they approach their challenges. Suppose the advice of a successful basketball player is just to practice more, but he casually mentions "I saw that going in," after a great shot. Isn't it time to start visualizing your shots going in?
Key To Success - Model Successful People
You won't always know what is causing a person's success. Internet marketers promote their websites by exchanging links, but when I first tried to exchange links with other websites, the owners didn't respond to my emails. Then I found a simple email letter used by a successful internet marketer to get links. It sounded silly to me, and I wanted to change it, but I tried it anyhow. It worked repeatedly.
It is more important to do the right things than to understand why they are right. To also understand is great, but at first, it may be best to just copy many of the actions, attitudes and approaches of someone who is succeeding. Try to model success, even before you understand it.
As you learn more, you can drop those parts that aren't contributing, and add elements of your own. If you model a successful parent, for example, and life with your children gets better, does it matter if you know right away which changes were the most effective? Of course not.
Is it better to understand why what you are doing is working? Certainly, but you may not ever understand why some things work, and this is okay too. It is better to have success than to explain it, so find successful people and do what they do, not what they say. It is an important key to success.
July 7, 2011
Concentration Finds the Way
Everyone has two natures. One wants us to advance and the other wants to pull us back. The one that we cultivate and concentrate on decides what we are at the end. Both natures are trying to gain control. The will alone decides the issue. A man by one supreme effort of the will may change his whole career and almost accomplish miracles. You may be that man. You can be if you Will to be, for Will can find a way or make one.
I could easily fill a book, of cases where men plodding along in a matter-of-fact way, were all at once aroused and as if awakening from a slumber they developed the possibilities within them and from that time on were different persons. You alone can decide when the turning point will come. It is a matter of choice whether we allow our diviner self to control us or whether we will be controlled by the brute within us. No man has to do anything he does not want to do. He is therefore the director of his life if he wills to be. What we are to do, is the result of our training. We are like putty, and can be completely controlled by our will power.
Habit is a matter of acquirement. You hear people say: "He comes by this or that naturally, a chip off the old block," meaning that he is only doing what his parents did. This is quite often the case, but there is no reason for it, for a person can break a habit just the moment he masters the "I will." A man may have been a "good-for-nothing" all his life up to this very minute, but from this time on he begins to amount to something. Even old men have suddenly changed and accomplished wonders. "I lost my opportunity," says one. That may be true, but by sheer force of will, we can find a way to bring us another opportunity.
There is no truth in the saying that opportunity knocks at our door but once in a lifetime. The fact is, opportunity never seeks us; we must seek it. What usually turns out to be one man's opportunity, was another man's loss. In this day one man's brain is matched against another's. It is often the quickness of brain action that determines the result. One man thinks "I will do it," but while he procrastinates the other goes ahead and does the work. They both have the same opportunity. The one will complain of his lost chance. But it should teach him a lesson, and it will, if he is seeking the path that leads to success.
Many persons read good books, but say they do not get much good out of them. They do not realize that all any book or any lesson course can do is to awaken them to their possibilities; to stimulate them to use their will power. You may teach a person from now until doom's day, but that person will only know what he learns himself. "You can lead him to the fountain, but you can't make him drink."
One of the most beneficial practices I know of is that of looking for the good in everyone and everything, for there is good in all things. We encourage a person by seeing his good qualities and we also help ourselves by looking for them. We gain their good wishes, a most valuable asset sometimes. We get back what we give out. The time comes when most all of us need encouragement; need buoying up. So form the habit of encouraging others, and you will find it a wonderful tonic for both those encouraged and yourself, for you will get back encouraging and uplifting thoughts.
Life furnishes us the opportunity to improve. But whether we do it or not depends upon how near we live up to what is expected of us. The first of each month, a person should sit down and examine the progress he has made. If he has not come up to "expectations" he should discover the reason, and by extra exertion measure up to what is demanded next time. Every time that we fall behind what we planned to do, we lose just so much for that time is gone forever.
We may find a reason for doing it, but most excuses are poor substitutes for action. Most things are possible. Ours may be a hard task, but the harder the task, the greater the reward. It is the difficult things that really develop us, anything that requires only a small effort, utilizes very few of our faculties, and yields a scanty harvest of achievement. So do not shrink from a hard task, for to accomplish one of these will often bring us more good than a dozen lesser triumphs.
I know that every man that is willing to pay the price can be a success. The price is not in money, but in effort. The first essential quality for success is the desire to do--to be something. The next thing is to learn how to do it; the next to carry it into execution. The man that is the best able to accomplish anything is the one with a broad mind; the man that has acquired knowledge, that may, it is true, be foreign to this particular case, but is, nevertheless, of some value in all cases. So the man that wants to be successful must be liberal; he must acquire all the knowledge that he can; he must be well posted not only in one branch of his business but in every part of it. Such a man achieves success.
The secret of success is to try always to improve yourself no matter where you are or what your position. Learn all you can. Don't see how little you can do, but how much you can do. Such a man will always be in demand, for he establishes the reputation of being a hustler. There is always room for him because progressive firms never let a hustler leave their employment if they can help it.
The man that reaches the top is the gritty, plucky, hard worker and never the timid, uncertain, slow worker. An untried man is seldom put in a position of responsibility and power. The man selected is one that has done something, achieved results in some line, or taken the lead in his department. He is placed there because of his reputation of putting vigor and virility into his efforts, and because he has previously shown that he has pluck and determination.
The man that is chosen at the crucial time is not usually a genius; he does not possess any more talent than others, but he has learned that results can only be produced by untiring concentrated effort. That "miracles," in business do not just "happen." He knows that the only way they will happen is by sticking to a proposition and seeing it through. That is the only secret of why some succeed and others fail. The successful man gets used to seeing things accomplished and always feels sure of success. The man that is a failure gets used to seeing failure, expects it and attracts it to him.
It is my opinion that with the right kind of training every man could be a success. It is really a shame that so many men and women, rich in ability and talent, are allowed to go to waste, so to speak. Some day I hope to see a millionaire philanthropist start a school for the training of failures. I am sure he could not put his money to a better use. In a year's time the science of practical psychology could do wonders for him. He could have agencies on the lookout for men that had lost their grip on themselves; that had through indisposition weakened their will; that through some sorrow or misfortune had become discouraged.
At first all they need is a little help to get them back on their feet, but usually they get a knock downwards instead. The result is that their latent powers never develop and both they and the world are the losers. I trust that in the near future, someone will heed the opportunity of using some of his millions in arousing men that have begun to falter. All they need to be shown is that there is within them an omnipotent source that is ready to aid them, providing they will make use of it. Their minds only have to be turned from despair to hope to make them regain their hold.
When a man loses his grip today, he must win his redemption by his own will. He will get little encouragement or advice of an inspiring nature. He must usually regain the right road alone. He must stop dissipating his energies and turn his attention to building a useful career. Today we must conquer our weakening tendencies alone. Don't expect anyone to help you. Just take one big brace, make firm resolutions, and resolve to conquer your weaknesses and vices. Really none can do this for you. They can encourage you; that is all.
I can think of nothing, but lack of health, that should interfere with one becoming successful. There is no other handicap that you should not be able to overcome. To overcome a handicap, all that it is necessary to do is to use more determination and grit and will.
The man with grit and will, may be poor today and wealthy in a few years; will power is a better asset than money; Will will carry you over chasms of failure, if you but give it the chance. The men that have risen to the highest positions have usually had to gain their victories against big odds. Think of the hardships many of our inventors have gone through before they became a success. Usually they have been very much misunderstood by relatives and friends. Very often they did not have the bare necessities of life, yet, by sheer determination and resolute courage, they managed to exist somehow until they perfected their inventions, which afterwards greatly helped in bettering the condition of others.
Everyone really wants to do something, but there are few that will put forward the needed effort to make the necessary sacrifice to secure it. There is only one way to accomplish anything and that is to go ahead and do it. A man may accomplish almost anything today, if he just sets his heart on doing it and lets nothing interfere with his progress. Obstacles are quickly overcome by the man that sets out to accomplish his heart's desire. The "bigger" the man, the smaller the obstacle appears. The "smaller" the man the greater the obstacle appears.
Always look at the advantage you gain by overcoming obstacles, and it will give you the needed courage for their conquest.
Do not expect that you will always have easy sailing. Parts of your journey are likely to be rough. Don't let the rough places put you out of commission. Keep on with the journey. Just the way you weather the storm shows what material you are made of. Never sit down and complain of the rough places, but think how nice the pleasant stretches were. View with delight the smooth plains that are in front of you.
Do not let a setback stop you. Think of it as a mere incident that has to be overcome before you can reach your goal.
I could easily fill a book, of cases where men plodding along in a matter-of-fact way, were all at once aroused and as if awakening from a slumber they developed the possibilities within them and from that time on were different persons. You alone can decide when the turning point will come. It is a matter of choice whether we allow our diviner self to control us or whether we will be controlled by the brute within us. No man has to do anything he does not want to do. He is therefore the director of his life if he wills to be. What we are to do, is the result of our training. We are like putty, and can be completely controlled by our will power.
Habit is a matter of acquirement. You hear people say: "He comes by this or that naturally, a chip off the old block," meaning that he is only doing what his parents did. This is quite often the case, but there is no reason for it, for a person can break a habit just the moment he masters the "I will." A man may have been a "good-for-nothing" all his life up to this very minute, but from this time on he begins to amount to something. Even old men have suddenly changed and accomplished wonders. "I lost my opportunity," says one. That may be true, but by sheer force of will, we can find a way to bring us another opportunity.
There is no truth in the saying that opportunity knocks at our door but once in a lifetime. The fact is, opportunity never seeks us; we must seek it. What usually turns out to be one man's opportunity, was another man's loss. In this day one man's brain is matched against another's. It is often the quickness of brain action that determines the result. One man thinks "I will do it," but while he procrastinates the other goes ahead and does the work. They both have the same opportunity. The one will complain of his lost chance. But it should teach him a lesson, and it will, if he is seeking the path that leads to success.
Many persons read good books, but say they do not get much good out of them. They do not realize that all any book or any lesson course can do is to awaken them to their possibilities; to stimulate them to use their will power. You may teach a person from now until doom's day, but that person will only know what he learns himself. "You can lead him to the fountain, but you can't make him drink."
One of the most beneficial practices I know of is that of looking for the good in everyone and everything, for there is good in all things. We encourage a person by seeing his good qualities and we also help ourselves by looking for them. We gain their good wishes, a most valuable asset sometimes. We get back what we give out. The time comes when most all of us need encouragement; need buoying up. So form the habit of encouraging others, and you will find it a wonderful tonic for both those encouraged and yourself, for you will get back encouraging and uplifting thoughts.
Life furnishes us the opportunity to improve. But whether we do it or not depends upon how near we live up to what is expected of us. The first of each month, a person should sit down and examine the progress he has made. If he has not come up to "expectations" he should discover the reason, and by extra exertion measure up to what is demanded next time. Every time that we fall behind what we planned to do, we lose just so much for that time is gone forever.
We may find a reason for doing it, but most excuses are poor substitutes for action. Most things are possible. Ours may be a hard task, but the harder the task, the greater the reward. It is the difficult things that really develop us, anything that requires only a small effort, utilizes very few of our faculties, and yields a scanty harvest of achievement. So do not shrink from a hard task, for to accomplish one of these will often bring us more good than a dozen lesser triumphs.
I know that every man that is willing to pay the price can be a success. The price is not in money, but in effort. The first essential quality for success is the desire to do--to be something. The next thing is to learn how to do it; the next to carry it into execution. The man that is the best able to accomplish anything is the one with a broad mind; the man that has acquired knowledge, that may, it is true, be foreign to this particular case, but is, nevertheless, of some value in all cases. So the man that wants to be successful must be liberal; he must acquire all the knowledge that he can; he must be well posted not only in one branch of his business but in every part of it. Such a man achieves success.
The secret of success is to try always to improve yourself no matter where you are or what your position. Learn all you can. Don't see how little you can do, but how much you can do. Such a man will always be in demand, for he establishes the reputation of being a hustler. There is always room for him because progressive firms never let a hustler leave their employment if they can help it.
The man that reaches the top is the gritty, plucky, hard worker and never the timid, uncertain, slow worker. An untried man is seldom put in a position of responsibility and power. The man selected is one that has done something, achieved results in some line, or taken the lead in his department. He is placed there because of his reputation of putting vigor and virility into his efforts, and because he has previously shown that he has pluck and determination.
The man that is chosen at the crucial time is not usually a genius; he does not possess any more talent than others, but he has learned that results can only be produced by untiring concentrated effort. That "miracles," in business do not just "happen." He knows that the only way they will happen is by sticking to a proposition and seeing it through. That is the only secret of why some succeed and others fail. The successful man gets used to seeing things accomplished and always feels sure of success. The man that is a failure gets used to seeing failure, expects it and attracts it to him.
It is my opinion that with the right kind of training every man could be a success. It is really a shame that so many men and women, rich in ability and talent, are allowed to go to waste, so to speak. Some day I hope to see a millionaire philanthropist start a school for the training of failures. I am sure he could not put his money to a better use. In a year's time the science of practical psychology could do wonders for him. He could have agencies on the lookout for men that had lost their grip on themselves; that had through indisposition weakened their will; that through some sorrow or misfortune had become discouraged.
At first all they need is a little help to get them back on their feet, but usually they get a knock downwards instead. The result is that their latent powers never develop and both they and the world are the losers. I trust that in the near future, someone will heed the opportunity of using some of his millions in arousing men that have begun to falter. All they need to be shown is that there is within them an omnipotent source that is ready to aid them, providing they will make use of it. Their minds only have to be turned from despair to hope to make them regain their hold.
When a man loses his grip today, he must win his redemption by his own will. He will get little encouragement or advice of an inspiring nature. He must usually regain the right road alone. He must stop dissipating his energies and turn his attention to building a useful career. Today we must conquer our weakening tendencies alone. Don't expect anyone to help you. Just take one big brace, make firm resolutions, and resolve to conquer your weaknesses and vices. Really none can do this for you. They can encourage you; that is all.
I can think of nothing, but lack of health, that should interfere with one becoming successful. There is no other handicap that you should not be able to overcome. To overcome a handicap, all that it is necessary to do is to use more determination and grit and will.
The man with grit and will, may be poor today and wealthy in a few years; will power is a better asset than money; Will will carry you over chasms of failure, if you but give it the chance. The men that have risen to the highest positions have usually had to gain their victories against big odds. Think of the hardships many of our inventors have gone through before they became a success. Usually they have been very much misunderstood by relatives and friends. Very often they did not have the bare necessities of life, yet, by sheer determination and resolute courage, they managed to exist somehow until they perfected their inventions, which afterwards greatly helped in bettering the condition of others.
Everyone really wants to do something, but there are few that will put forward the needed effort to make the necessary sacrifice to secure it. There is only one way to accomplish anything and that is to go ahead and do it. A man may accomplish almost anything today, if he just sets his heart on doing it and lets nothing interfere with his progress. Obstacles are quickly overcome by the man that sets out to accomplish his heart's desire. The "bigger" the man, the smaller the obstacle appears. The "smaller" the man the greater the obstacle appears.
Always look at the advantage you gain by overcoming obstacles, and it will give you the needed courage for their conquest.
Do not expect that you will always have easy sailing. Parts of your journey are likely to be rough. Don't let the rough places put you out of commission. Keep on with the journey. Just the way you weather the storm shows what material you are made of. Never sit down and complain of the rough places, but think how nice the pleasant stretches were. View with delight the smooth plains that are in front of you.
Do not let a setback stop you. Think of it as a mere incident that has to be overcome before you can reach your goal.
Labels:
achievement,
brain,
exercise,
fears,
goals,
happiness,
life,
love,
peace on mind,
power,
time management
June 26, 2011
Brain Function and Exercise
Better brain function with exercise? The evidence is clear. Not only can you get long-term benefits for your brain from exercise, but you can boost you brain power in the next ten minutes. Exercise can help your brain work more efficiently and actually make you smarter.
The thinking ability of subjects was tested in one study. After these tests, the subjects ran on a treadmill for thirty minutes. When their hearts returned to normal resting levels they took the follow-up tests. During all tests the subjects were connected to an EEG (electroencephalogram), in order to track their brainwaves.
Researchers found that exercising had increased the speed their decision-making. It was considered a significant difference (beyond normal statistical variation). They also found that the subjects answered more accurately after the exercise than before.
Participants were between 18 and 24 years old, but researchers think the findings will hold true for other age groups as well.
One study showed that just ten minutes of moderate exercise each day can improve mood and reduce fatigue. Brain function specifically wasn't tested, but it seems likely that less fatigue means better brain power.
Best Exercise For Brain Function?
The research has focused more on the duration of exercise more than on the specific type. Aerobic exercise seems to be the common element in the studies that have shown improvements in brain function, however. It's likely that running, bicycling, swimming, dancing and any other aerobic exercise will have the same effect.
Notice that ten minutes of exercise is apparently enough to have effects on the brain. Also, while most scientists probably expected to find better brain function from long-term exercise programs, the study using treadmills showed an immediate effect. In other words, get up and run around, and you can be smarter ten minutes from now.
Some people find that walking is a great way to boost brain power. There are the aerobic benefits now being proven by recent studies, but there seems to be something more. It may be due to it's rhythmic and relaxing nature that many people report their clearest and most creative thinking when walking.
We already knew that exercise was good for sleeping better, a healthier immune system, weight control, and a lower risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Now you can add brain power to that list. Why not take a walk today for better brain function?
The thinking ability of subjects was tested in one study. After these tests, the subjects ran on a treadmill for thirty minutes. When their hearts returned to normal resting levels they took the follow-up tests. During all tests the subjects were connected to an EEG (electroencephalogram), in order to track their brainwaves.
Researchers found that exercising had increased the speed their decision-making. It was considered a significant difference (beyond normal statistical variation). They also found that the subjects answered more accurately after the exercise than before.
Participants were between 18 and 24 years old, but researchers think the findings will hold true for other age groups as well.
One study showed that just ten minutes of moderate exercise each day can improve mood and reduce fatigue. Brain function specifically wasn't tested, but it seems likely that less fatigue means better brain power.
Best Exercise For Brain Function?
The research has focused more on the duration of exercise more than on the specific type. Aerobic exercise seems to be the common element in the studies that have shown improvements in brain function, however. It's likely that running, bicycling, swimming, dancing and any other aerobic exercise will have the same effect.
Notice that ten minutes of exercise is apparently enough to have effects on the brain. Also, while most scientists probably expected to find better brain function from long-term exercise programs, the study using treadmills showed an immediate effect. In other words, get up and run around, and you can be smarter ten minutes from now.
Some people find that walking is a great way to boost brain power. There are the aerobic benefits now being proven by recent studies, but there seems to be something more. It may be due to it's rhythmic and relaxing nature that many people report their clearest and most creative thinking when walking.
We already knew that exercise was good for sleeping better, a healthier immune system, weight control, and a lower risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Now you can add brain power to that list. Why not take a walk today for better brain function?
May 1, 2011
A Place of Sanctuary - Creating Sacred Space
The World Health Organization (WHO) describes health as “the condition of perfect bodily, spiritual, and social well-being and not solely the absence of illness and injury.” As described by the WHO, how many of us feel emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually healthy on a daily basis? We work in structures called ‘sick-buildings;’ we go home to care for families so tired we are almost unable to function; and we increasingly lose our connection with any sense of our place in the universe. How do we reclaim our life and start to think that our life matters and that we are important in the overall scheme of things? One way of doing this is to create our own sanctuary/sacred space.
Creating our own sacred space restores our peace of mind and enables us to stand back from the turmoil in our lives in order to provide a place where we can reconnect with our sense of self and reclaim our power. Exploration of sanctuary is to create a link to the Divine as our soul asks us to love, accept, and provide hospitality to ourselves when we are spiritually hungry. Spirituality is more than a psychological and emotional need: it is an inherent biological need as our energy, our spirit, and our personal power is all one and the same force. We need daily sanctuary as our heart and soul depends on it. When we give ourselves the gift of sacred time in a special place, we are feeding our spirit. Theodore Roszak writes, “We can now recognize that the fate of the soul is the fate of the social order; that if the spirit within us withers, so too will all the world we build about us.”
Creating Sacred Space in your Home, Workplace, and Garden
The first consideration in creating a sacred space in your home, workplace, or garden is defining the purpose in doing so. Some of the questions for consideration include:
1. What is it that you want your sacred space to provide for you?
2. Where will your sanctuary be located?
3. What feelings do you want?
4. What attracts you to your sanctuary?
5. What features do you want?
6. What colours do you want?
7. What sounds do you want?
Ideas and Options for Creating Sacred Space in your Home, Workplace, and Garden
In your place of sanctuary, some of the items you could include are:
· Candles – you can use candles to provide colour and when burning provide a point of focus for meditation. Scented candles can add a touch of fragrance to your environment.
· Plants – your plants will require care, and not only will make the air more healthy, but will encourage you to attend your place of sanctuary. Plants can also be used to enhance particular colours and fragrances you wish to add to your well-being.
· Water – adding desktop water fountains to your place of sacredness will not only provide the soothing sounds of water, but will also block out other noises in your environment.
· Music – music as my Dad used to say, “feeds the soul.” Use music you like, such as, sounds of nature or instrumental music, to provide a place of soothing for your soul.
· Aquariums – live fish and the sounds of water provide healing energy for your sacred space. In the Chinese culture, live fish are thought to be ‘good energy.’
· Rocks and stones – are considered in many cultures to be sacred. Use in your place of sanctuary and, when you are tired or stressed-out, re-arrange your ‘rock garden.’
· Walls – walls can be used to act as, or hang notice boards on, where you can post favorite pictures, quotes, and ideas.
· Spend at least 10 minutes a day (20 is better) in refreshing and renewing your spiritual self.
Finally, in creating your sacred space, remember you are unique. There will never be anyone on the planet like you and you have a right to spend time caring for yourself. As Richard Bolles in his book What Colour Is Your Parachute says, “You are God’s gift to the planet and your uniqueness is the gift to the rest of us.”
Creating our own sacred space restores our peace of mind and enables us to stand back from the turmoil in our lives in order to provide a place where we can reconnect with our sense of self and reclaim our power. Exploration of sanctuary is to create a link to the Divine as our soul asks us to love, accept, and provide hospitality to ourselves when we are spiritually hungry. Spirituality is more than a psychological and emotional need: it is an inherent biological need as our energy, our spirit, and our personal power is all one and the same force. We need daily sanctuary as our heart and soul depends on it. When we give ourselves the gift of sacred time in a special place, we are feeding our spirit. Theodore Roszak writes, “We can now recognize that the fate of the soul is the fate of the social order; that if the spirit within us withers, so too will all the world we build about us.”
Creating Sacred Space in your Home, Workplace, and Garden
The first consideration in creating a sacred space in your home, workplace, or garden is defining the purpose in doing so. Some of the questions for consideration include:
1. What is it that you want your sacred space to provide for you?
2. Where will your sanctuary be located?
3. What feelings do you want?
4. What attracts you to your sanctuary?
5. What features do you want?
6. What colours do you want?
7. What sounds do you want?
Ideas and Options for Creating Sacred Space in your Home, Workplace, and Garden
In your place of sanctuary, some of the items you could include are:
· Candles – you can use candles to provide colour and when burning provide a point of focus for meditation. Scented candles can add a touch of fragrance to your environment.
· Plants – your plants will require care, and not only will make the air more healthy, but will encourage you to attend your place of sanctuary. Plants can also be used to enhance particular colours and fragrances you wish to add to your well-being.
· Water – adding desktop water fountains to your place of sacredness will not only provide the soothing sounds of water, but will also block out other noises in your environment.
· Music – music as my Dad used to say, “feeds the soul.” Use music you like, such as, sounds of nature or instrumental music, to provide a place of soothing for your soul.
· Aquariums – live fish and the sounds of water provide healing energy for your sacred space. In the Chinese culture, live fish are thought to be ‘good energy.’
· Rocks and stones – are considered in many cultures to be sacred. Use in your place of sanctuary and, when you are tired or stressed-out, re-arrange your ‘rock garden.’
· Walls – walls can be used to act as, or hang notice boards on, where you can post favorite pictures, quotes, and ideas.
· Spend at least 10 minutes a day (20 is better) in refreshing and renewing your spiritual self.
Finally, in creating your sacred space, remember you are unique. There will never be anyone on the planet like you and you have a right to spend time caring for yourself. As Richard Bolles in his book What Colour Is Your Parachute says, “You are God’s gift to the planet and your uniqueness is the gift to the rest of us.”
April 23, 2011
A Rested Mind Can Improve Your Productivity
Imagine that you’re working late at night on a project due in the morning. Your body is tired and your mind is numb, but this project must get done, so you push on. You continue to work, despite the distinct feeling that the project would be much easier if you went to bed and approached it again in the morning. You feel obligated to do it now, so you stay up until the wee hours of the morning, producing less than desirable work in much more time than it would have taken with a rested mind. This was likely not the wisest move, since not only productivity was lost, but quality as well.
Having a rested mind really can make a difference in our daily productivity, whether it's work or housework we are trying to accomplish. Our minds were not meant to work for hours on end with no downtime. They need breaks and vacations. They need the ability to recharge from the daily overload of sensory and thought perceptions. Constantly running our minds on overtime without frequent periods of restoration can be detrimental to our work, our attitude, and even our physical health.
Luckily, there are a few simple steps you can take to prevent your mind from working on overload. Follow these helpful tips and ideas for increasing your daily productivity:
Get more sleep – Adequate sleep is crucial to allowing our subconscious minds to let go of all the stress of the day. During sleep our minds recharge themselves, generating the stamina and renewed perception needed for a fresh new day. If we fail to get adequate sleep, our minds will be sluggish and slow, essentially shutting down from the overload of stimuli. This creates conditions in which we cannot effectively think, speak, or act to our fullest potential.
Without the level of awareness and alertness that a rested mind provides, our pace slows down and productivity is lost. When our minds are overworked we often fall into "space cadet" mode, and we have trouble focusing on the tasks at hand. Thoughts frequently wander, and the ability to concentrate is lost. Most people know how much sleep they require to feel refreshed, but we rarely allow ourselves such a luxury. Try viewing adequate sleep as an investment into your overall well-being, and reap the rewards the next morning.
Reduce stress – Excessive stress can be very debilitating. It makes us feel overwhelmed and distracts us from getting our work done, and even worse - it promotes the formation of negative thoughts. Stress can hinder our productivity by making us more scattered and unfocused. We are unable to concentrate on one thing at a time because the cause of the stress is always in the back our minds, demanding attention.
Reducing the stressors in our lives will go a long way in allowing us to lead more productive and happy lives. Try to remember that some things are just not worth worrying about, and there is no sense in stressing over things we have no control over. Since much of our stress is the result of worrying about things beyond our control, allowing ourselves to let go of these thoughts can greatly reduce the stress in our lives.
Quiet the mind – Meditation is a great way to quiet our minds and develop clear thought processes. Try this exercise at least once a day: Find a quiet room with no interruptions, sit in a comfortable position, and close your eyes. Allow all thoughts to leave your mind, and try to focus on the silence within you. As thoughts begin to float through your mind, simply push them gently but firmly back out. This technique takes practice to perfect, but sticking with it will help you to develop intense focus that can be harnessed in other ways as well.
Meditating on a regular basis will ultimately improve our productivity because we will develop the ability to focus clearly on each task, and ultimately get more done in less time.
These are just a few of the easy ways we can contribute to a rested mind, which will help us to release stress, improve our focus, and increase our productivity.
Having a rested mind really can make a difference in our daily productivity, whether it's work or housework we are trying to accomplish. Our minds were not meant to work for hours on end with no downtime. They need breaks and vacations. They need the ability to recharge from the daily overload of sensory and thought perceptions. Constantly running our minds on overtime without frequent periods of restoration can be detrimental to our work, our attitude, and even our physical health.
Luckily, there are a few simple steps you can take to prevent your mind from working on overload. Follow these helpful tips and ideas for increasing your daily productivity:
Get more sleep – Adequate sleep is crucial to allowing our subconscious minds to let go of all the stress of the day. During sleep our minds recharge themselves, generating the stamina and renewed perception needed for a fresh new day. If we fail to get adequate sleep, our minds will be sluggish and slow, essentially shutting down from the overload of stimuli. This creates conditions in which we cannot effectively think, speak, or act to our fullest potential.
Without the level of awareness and alertness that a rested mind provides, our pace slows down and productivity is lost. When our minds are overworked we often fall into "space cadet" mode, and we have trouble focusing on the tasks at hand. Thoughts frequently wander, and the ability to concentrate is lost. Most people know how much sleep they require to feel refreshed, but we rarely allow ourselves such a luxury. Try viewing adequate sleep as an investment into your overall well-being, and reap the rewards the next morning.
Reduce stress – Excessive stress can be very debilitating. It makes us feel overwhelmed and distracts us from getting our work done, and even worse - it promotes the formation of negative thoughts. Stress can hinder our productivity by making us more scattered and unfocused. We are unable to concentrate on one thing at a time because the cause of the stress is always in the back our minds, demanding attention.
Reducing the stressors in our lives will go a long way in allowing us to lead more productive and happy lives. Try to remember that some things are just not worth worrying about, and there is no sense in stressing over things we have no control over. Since much of our stress is the result of worrying about things beyond our control, allowing ourselves to let go of these thoughts can greatly reduce the stress in our lives.
Quiet the mind – Meditation is a great way to quiet our minds and develop clear thought processes. Try this exercise at least once a day: Find a quiet room with no interruptions, sit in a comfortable position, and close your eyes. Allow all thoughts to leave your mind, and try to focus on the silence within you. As thoughts begin to float through your mind, simply push them gently but firmly back out. This technique takes practice to perfect, but sticking with it will help you to develop intense focus that can be harnessed in other ways as well.
Meditating on a regular basis will ultimately improve our productivity because we will develop the ability to focus clearly on each task, and ultimately get more done in less time.
These are just a few of the easy ways we can contribute to a rested mind, which will help us to release stress, improve our focus, and increase our productivity.
April 10, 2011
Your Powerful Imagination
It is a common belief that the human brain is somehow empty at birth, and as the child begins to grow and receive stimulus, the neurons start making connections. Science is now discovering, however, that the reverse may be true. The infant is actually born with many more neuron connections than most adults have. It may be that learning does not happen by making neuron connections, but rather by “weeding out” those that are not used. If this is true, then we are all, literally, born with brilliant minds and we must “use it or lose it.”
In the first weeks of life, most babies will babble every possible sound imaginable. Yet, these children will later lose the ability to create sounds that are not a part of the language they have been trained to speak. Therefore, the child’s environment will play a tremendous role in brain development.
Scientists claim that in our society the average individual uses only 5 - 10% of the brain's potential. Imagine what your life could be like if you were able to stimulate your mind into activating even a small portion of that unused potential!
Begin by asking yourself:
1. If I could have anything at all, what would it be?
2. What would I need to do to attain it?
3. What stops me from doing those things now?
4. How can I overcome those challenges to attain the life I desire?
These questions move us into the realms of imagination and positive thinking -- the qualities that will allow you to awaken that other 90% and keep those neurons firing! Now you might say to yourself, “I already have a positive attitude,” or, perhaps “that positive stuff doesn't work -- all I need is willpower!” But the following demonstration proves that the imagination is far more powerful than willpower can ever be.
Okay, ready for the test? Gather all of your strength and "willpower." Be sure NOT to do the following … here it comes … DON'T think of a red firetruck!!
What happened?
You automatically thought of a red firetruck, right? This is because when the “will” and the “imagination” are in conflict, the imagination always wins. Most people spend a great deal of time telling themselves what they DON’T want, instead of what they DO want. Even with every ounce of willpower they can muster, they somehow end up with more of the same old thing. That’s because the mind works in pictures, not words. Imagination is the secret ingredient of life. If people imagine themselves “rich,” regardless of the amount of money they have, chances are they will be healthy and strong and live an abundant life. If a rich man imagines himself poor or on the brink of losing his fortune, it is likely that trouble and sickness will plague him to the grave.
All that we are searching for in life is already present within ourselves. The sooner we come to believe in the power of our own imagination, the easier our lives will become. I challenge you to stretch your mind to the possibility of accomplishment beyond your present aspirations. What if, in an attempt to reach your goals, you awakened the powerful latent genius within? How would you feel if you found the cure for AIDS or cancer? Think of the people who would benefit from your achievement. The reality is that until everyone on the planet imagines a world of health and vitality for all, there will always be disease and woe. Take charge of your life now. Imagine your way to health and happiness and it will be so.
In the first weeks of life, most babies will babble every possible sound imaginable. Yet, these children will later lose the ability to create sounds that are not a part of the language they have been trained to speak. Therefore, the child’s environment will play a tremendous role in brain development.
Scientists claim that in our society the average individual uses only 5 - 10% of the brain's potential. Imagine what your life could be like if you were able to stimulate your mind into activating even a small portion of that unused potential!
Begin by asking yourself:
1. If I could have anything at all, what would it be?
2. What would I need to do to attain it?
3. What stops me from doing those things now?
4. How can I overcome those challenges to attain the life I desire?
These questions move us into the realms of imagination and positive thinking -- the qualities that will allow you to awaken that other 90% and keep those neurons firing! Now you might say to yourself, “I already have a positive attitude,” or, perhaps “that positive stuff doesn't work -- all I need is willpower!” But the following demonstration proves that the imagination is far more powerful than willpower can ever be.
Okay, ready for the test? Gather all of your strength and "willpower." Be sure NOT to do the following … here it comes … DON'T think of a red firetruck!!
What happened?
You automatically thought of a red firetruck, right? This is because when the “will” and the “imagination” are in conflict, the imagination always wins. Most people spend a great deal of time telling themselves what they DON’T want, instead of what they DO want. Even with every ounce of willpower they can muster, they somehow end up with more of the same old thing. That’s because the mind works in pictures, not words. Imagination is the secret ingredient of life. If people imagine themselves “rich,” regardless of the amount of money they have, chances are they will be healthy and strong and live an abundant life. If a rich man imagines himself poor or on the brink of losing his fortune, it is likely that trouble and sickness will plague him to the grave.
All that we are searching for in life is already present within ourselves. The sooner we come to believe in the power of our own imagination, the easier our lives will become. I challenge you to stretch your mind to the possibility of accomplishment beyond your present aspirations. What if, in an attempt to reach your goals, you awakened the powerful latent genius within? How would you feel if you found the cure for AIDS or cancer? Think of the people who would benefit from your achievement. The reality is that until everyone on the planet imagines a world of health and vitality for all, there will always be disease and woe. Take charge of your life now. Imagine your way to health and happiness and it will be so.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)