Self-control becomes an important factor in this Course on the Law of Success, not so much because lack of it works hardships on those who become its victims, as for the reason that those who do not exercise it suffer the loss of a great power which they need in their struggle for achievement of their definite chief aim.  If you neglect to exercise self-control, you are not only likely to injure others, but you are sure to injure yourself!  -  Napoleon Hill, The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons - Lesson Eight: Self-Control, Success Manual Strategist Edition 2011 

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Free Success Ebook:  "The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons - Lesson Eight: Self-Control" by Napoleon Hill (1928) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2011

DOWNLOAD FREE SUCCESS EBOOK: "The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons - Lesson Eight: Self-Control" by Napoleon Hill (1928) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2011 

Welcome back, class. 

Today's session on The Sixteen Laws of Success by Professor Napoleon Hill is Lesson Eight: Self-Control. 

And a good Lesson it is. 

It is a fact that the majority of a man’s grief comes about through lack of self-control.  The holy scriptures are full of admonition in support of self-control.  They even urge us to love our enemies and to forgive those who injure us.  The law of non-resistance runs, like a golden cord, throughout the Bible.  Study the records of those whom the world calls great, and observe that every one of them possesses this quality of self-control! 

I should know.  Self-Control is NOT one of my strong points and there is much to learn in this great Success Manual by Napoleon Hill, which has been added to The Success Manual Free Download Library and The Napoleon Hill Success Library.  I could - indeed should - read this passage everyday for the next thirty (30) days so that it may sink though my obstinate skull. 

"Washington Before the Storm." The thick undercast from an approaching winter storm rises up from the valleys and ravines that flank the ridges of the Presidential Range of the White Mountains of New Hampshire in this view taken of Mt. Washington taken from Carter Dome. Photo by Jeb Bradley on January 17, 2010. Copyright © Mount Washington Observatory MWOBS at www.mountwashington.org. Thanks, Crew!

How often a trifle bit of restraint would have produced a much better outcome?  Or, perhaps, a bit more focus on the task at hand, rather than to be side-tracked by irrelevant diversions?  Or, to allow oneself to anger - a pure reactionary response to either internal or external factors - rather than to remain calm and exercise patience and understanding? 

Self-Control is an absolute requisite to achieving Success at any level in any endeavor. 

The little things all add up over time, that is for sure. 

An important aspect of Lesson Eight: Self-Control is The Law of Retaliation.  Unless you have already read this Lesson, and know to what Professor Hill refers, you will likely draw the wrong conclusion about this magnificent Law.  It is simply another embodiment of The Law of Attraction.  I defer to Professor Hill's explanation: 

The Law of Retaliation

Among other laws which are available to the person who exercises self-control is the Law of Retaliation.  You know what “retaliate” means! 

In the sense that we are using here it means to “return like for like,” and not merely to avenge or to seek revenge, as is commonly meant by the use of this word. 

If I do you an injury you retaliate at first opportunity.  If I say unjust things about you, you will retaliate in kind, even in greater measure! 

On the other hand, if I do you a favor you will reciprocate even in greater measure if possible. 

Through the proper use of this law I can get you to do whatever I wish you to do.  If I wish you to dislike me and to lend your influence toward damaging me, I can accomplish this result by inflicting upon you the sort of treatment that I want you to inflict upon me through retaliation. 

If I wish your respect, your friendship and your cooperation I can get these by extending to you my friendship and cooperation. 

On these statements I know that we are together.  You can compare these statements with your own experience and you will see how beautifully they harmonize. 

. . . . 

The man who attracts you to him through his pleasing personality is merely making use of the Law of Harmonious Attraction, or the Law of Retaliation, both of which, when analyzed, mean that “like attracts like.” 

If you will study, understand and make intelligent use of the Law of Retaliation you will be an efficient and successful salesman.  When you have mastered this simple law and learned how to use it you will have learned all that can be learned about salesmanship. 

The first and probably the most important step to be taken in mastering this law is to cultivate complete self-control.  You must learn to take all sorts of punishment and abuse without retaliating in kind.  This self-control is a part of the price you must pay for mastery of the Law of Retaliation. 

When an angry person starts in to vilify and abuse you, justly or unjustly, just remember that if you retaliate in a like manner you are being drawn down to that person’s mental level, therefore that person is dominating you! 

On the other hand, if you refuse to become angry, if you retain your self-composure and remain calm and serene you retain all your ordinary faculties through which to reason.  You take the other fellow by surprise.  You retaliate with a weapon with the use of which he is unfamiliar, consequently you easily dominate him. 

Like attracts like!  There’s no denying this! 

Literally speaking, every person with whom you come in contact is a mental looking-glass in which you may see a perfect reflection of your own mental attitude. 

. . . . 

The habit of “retaliating in kind” is so universally practiced among us that we can properly call this habit the Law of Retaliation.  If a person presents us with a gift we never feel satisfied until we have “retaliated” with something as good as or better than that which we received.  If a person speaks well of us we increase our admiration for that person, and we “retaliate” in return! 

Through the principle of retaliation we can actually convert our enemies into loyal friends.  If you have an enemy whom you wish to convert into a friend you can prove the truth of this statement if you will forget that dangerous millstone hanging around your neck, which we call “pride” (stubbornness).  Make a habit of speaking to this enemy with unusual cordiality.  Go out of your way to favor him in every manner possible.  He may seem immovable at first, but gradually he will give way to your influence and “retaliate in kind!”  The hottest coals of fire ever heaped upon the head of one who has wronged you are the coals of human kindness. 

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I am going to do some serious study of Lesson Eight and offer my recommendation that you do the same.  It seems the entire world could use a little more Self-Control these days. 

Following immediately after the download section, below, is another great passage from the beginning of Lesson Eight: Self-Control.  Enjoy! 

Until next time . . . 

Peace Out, and - Namasté! 

To your Health, Wealth, Prosperity and Success, 

Richard 

 ___________________________________________ 

Free Success Ebook:  "The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons - Lesson Eight: Self-Control" by Napoleon Hill (1928) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2011

DOWNLOAD FREE SUCCESS EBOOK: "The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons - Lesson Eight: Self-Control" by Napoleon Hill (1928) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2011 

Download Instructions   

If you simply want to view this ebook reference within your web browser, simply left click the link and your web browser should open the file using a PDF file plugin.  You may download the file for viewing offline in your PDF viewer by right-clicking (control-click on a Macintosh) on the following link, then choosing the option that allows you to save or download the item (depending on the browser, this option will be labeled, "Save Target As," "Save Link Target As," "Download Link to Disk," "Download Linked File As," etc.) to directly download this file to your computer. You can then open the file using your PDF viewer, such as Adobe Acrobat Reader or any other number of PDF file viewers.  Adobe Acrobat Reader may be downloaded at no cost by clicking here.   

DOWNLOAD FREE SUCCESS EBOOK: "The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons - Lesson Eight: Self-Control" by Napoleon Hill (1928) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2011 

 ___________________________________________  

Passage from Lesson Eight: Self-Control 

In the preceding lesson you learned of the value of enthusiasm.  You also learned how to generate enthusiasm and how to transmit its influence to others, through the principle of suggestion. 

You come, now, to the study of self-control, through which you may direct your enthusiasm to constructive ends.  Without self-control enthusiasm resembles the unharnessed lightning of an electrical storm – it may strike anywhere; it may destroy life and property. 

Enthusiasm is the vital quality that arouses you to action, while self-control is the balance wheel that directs your action so that it will build up and not tear down. 

To be a person who is well “balanced,” you must be a person in whom enthusiasm and self-control are equalized.  A survey which I have just completed of the 160,000 adult inmates of the penitentiaries of the United States discloses the startling fact that ninety-two per cent of these unfortunate men and women are in prison because they lacked the necessary self-control to direct their energies constructively. 

Read the foregoing paragraph again; it is authentic, it is startling! 

It is a fact that the majority of a man’s grief comes about through lack of self-control.  The holy scriptures are full of admonition in support of self-control.  They even urge us to love our enemies and to forgive those who injure us.  The law of non-resistance runs, like a golden cord, throughout the Bible. 

Study the records of those whom the world calls great, and observe that every one of them possesses this quality of self-control! 

For example, study the characteristics of our own immortal Lincoln.  In the midst of his most trying hours he exercised patience, poise and self-control.  These were some of the qualities which made him the great man that he was.  He found disloyalty in some of the members of his cabinet; but, for the reason that this disloyalty was toward him, personally, and because those in whom he found it had qualities which made them valuable to his country, Lincoln exercised self-control and disregarded the objectionable qualities. 

How many men do you know who have self-control to equal this? 

In language more forceful than it was polished, Billy Sunday exclaimed from the pulpit: “There is something as rotten as hell about the man who is always trying to show some other fellow up!”  I wonder if the “devil” didn’t yell, “Amen, brother!” when Billy made that statement? 

However, self-control becomes an important factor in this Course on the Law of Success, not so much because lack of it works hardships on those who become its victims, as for the reason that those who do not exercise it suffer the loss of a great power which they need in their struggle for achievement of their definite chief aim.

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Of the many principles relied upon by Napoleon Hill as necessary in order to achieve Wealth and attain Success are the three following primary elements: Desire, Faith and Persistence.  In fact, Think and Grow Rich devotes an entire chapter to each subject – they are that important.  Upon close examination, however, Napoleon Hill’s three primary and requisite elements to attaining Wealth and Success closely – and neatly – parallel the Three Principles taught by Anthony Robbins in Awaken the Giant Within.

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Success Strategy: The Three Master Principles of Quality Change

If you are a regular to this site – or even if you are not – then you are likely aware that most (if not all) of the ideas and concepts that comprise the underlying basis for my posts are not original.

It’s true.  I am merely a Student of Success and when I read or hear material that resonates well with me, I give it considerable thought and attention and work the ideas and concepts into an article or post with my own spin and in my own expression.  I make no claim of originality as to the underlying ideas and concepts (okay, but it is copyrighted).  In essence, I pass along those teachings – in my own words – that have proven the most valuable to me.

Today is no different.

Most of the time, to the extent that the underlying basis or theme (conceptually) is not my original idea, it is often difficult to credit a specific individual, as typically the idea/concept has been used by many individuals, each of whom have added their own perspective to it.  When the opportunity does present itself – such as with an excerpt or specific idea taken directly from a written work – I endeavor to give proper credit where credit is due.  It is simply not, however, always feasible.

Today, I can credit two Success geniuses: Anthony Robbins and Napoleon Hill.

I have been a fan of both gentlemen for a long, long time.  I remember listening to Anthony Robbins on cassette tapes back in the early 1990s.  And, I first encountered Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill sometime in the early 1980s.

Awaken the Giant Within by Mr. Robbins is simply one of the best Success Manuals ever written, in my very humble opinion, and is an absolute “must” in every aspiring Student’s Success Library.  I am reading it – again – having just started on New Years Day.  I am going to make Awaken the Giant Within my personal Success Course Book for 2011 and utilize it the way that Anthony Robbins recommends – as though he is with me as my personal trainer. (Immediately following this post is an EXCELLENT video of Anthony Robbins in action; I strongly urge you to watch it when you are done reading this piece!)

Interestingly, in Awaken the Giant Within, Anthony Robbins also notes the enormous amount of material that he has studied over the years and how his current philosophy and teachings are all based on material that he has read and studied in the past.  As I embark on my journey to read Awaken the Giant like I have never studied it before, I came across a passage from the first chapter that parallels the teachings of Napoleon Hill in Think and Grow Rich.

In Chapter 1 of Awaken, which is entitled “Dreams of Destiny,” Robbins sets forth what he calls the Three Elementary Principles of Change (under the subheading “How to Create Lasting Change,” for those of you who have this book).  As Robbins aptly notes, “For changes to be of any true value, they’ve got to be lasting and consistent.”  How true.  For any “change” that is not lasting and consistent is not really change at all.

In order to effectuate real, lasting and consistent change, Anthony Robbins articulates “three elementary principles of change” that we can use to immediately change our lives.  As he states, “While these principles are simple, they are also extremely powerful when they are skillfully applied.”  These principles are the same, whether used by an individual seeking to create personal change, a company seeking to maximize its potential or a country attempting to carve out its place in the world.

The Three Principles?  One: Raise your standards.  Two: Change your limiting beliefs.  Three: Change your strategy.

I agree.  These Three Principles are simple and they are incredibly powerful.  Yet, I sense that I have stumbled across them before, stated differently.

Enter Napoleon Hill and Think and Grow Rich.

But first, let’s examine Robbins’ Three Principles a bit closer as they are explained in Awaken the Giant.

First Principle: Raise Your Standards.  In order to effectuate honest, lasting and consistent change, Anthony Robbins teaches that we must first raise our standards.  We must be willing to no longer tolerate that which we have deemed acceptable in the past, whether it be lack, limitation or otherwise.  As he explains, when he personally made real, substantial and lasting change, he rote down all the things that he would no longer accept in his life, all the things he would no longer tolerate, and all the things that he aspired to become.  He raised his standards.

Second Principle: Change Your Limiting Beliefs.  Clearly, raising your standards is not enough to effectuate real and consistent quality change in one’s life.  The second principle requires that we change our limiting beliefs.  In other words, we must believe that we can meet (achieve) the newly raised standards.  Makes sense, right?  How can we possibly achieve that which we don’t believe that we can achieve?  As Anthony states, “We must develop a sense of certainty that we can and will meet the new standards before we actually do.”  We must change our limiting beliefs.

Third Principle: Change Your Strategy.  Okay, so we have raised the bar as to that which we aspire and we truly believe that we can achieve our newly-raised standard.  But, that is still not enough.  We need to take Action and continue to take Action until we reach our goal, i.e., until the quality change is effectuated.  The problem, noted here in many posts, is that we usually don’t know how.  That’s okay.  All that is merely required is that we take Action; we will discover how.  The incredibly Successful never know how – they simply find a way, as Thomas Edison did with regard to inventing a working incandescent electric light bulb.  We must continue to evolve our strategies until the Goal is achieved and the quality change effectuated.

In this regard, Robbins states in Awaken that “One of my core beliefs is that if you set a higher standard, and you can get yourself to believe, then you certainly can figure out the strategies.  You simply will find a way.”

So, what do the Three Principles have to do with Napoleon Hill?  Let’s take a look.

Of the many principles relied upon by Napoleon Hill as necessary in order to achieve Wealth and attain Success are the three following primary elements: Desire, Faith and Persistence.  In fact, Think and Grow Rich devotes an entire chapter to each subject – they are that important.  Upon close examination, however, Napoleon Hill’s three primary and requisite elements to attaining Wealth and Success closely – and neatly – parallel the Three Principles taught by Anthony Robbins in Awaken the Giant Within.

Anthony Robbins’ First Principle to effectuating quality change requires that the individual raise his or her standards and decide – definitively – on that to which we will no longer accept, no longer tolerate and that to which we now deeply aspire.  But, isn’t this the same horse, albeit of a different color, as the “burning” Desire element taught in Think and Grow Rich?

In the chapter on Desire in Think and Grow Rich, Mr. Hill tells the story of Edwin Barnes and his burning, obsessive Desire to work with and become a business partner of Thomas Edison.  It wasn’t a mere wish on the part of Mr. Barnes – it was a deep, burning Desire that left no route of escape.  Barnes’ thought process, as told by Mr. Hill, was the following:

“He did not say, ‘I will keep my eyes open for another opportunity in case I fail to get what I want in the Edison organization.’  He said, ‘There is but ONE thing in this world that I am determined to have, and that is a business association with Thomas A. Edison.  I will burn all bridges behind me and stake my ENTIRE FUTURE on my ability to get what I want.’

“He left himself no possible way of retreat.  He had to win or perish!”

Mr. Barnes’ Desire sounds a lot like Mr. Robbins’ “Raising Your Standards.”  Mr. Barnes was no longer willing to tolerate that which was acceptable in the past and he raised his standards to pursue, with no means of retreat, that to which he deeply aspired.  As noted by Mr. Hill, Barnes left himself no possible way of retreat.  He had to win or perish.  He would no longer tolerate what he wanted to change.  He raised his standards.

This is not mere wishing.  This is “win or perish” Desire.  As Napoleon Hill further notes in this regard, “Wishing will not bring riches.  But desiring riches with a state of mind that becomes an obsession, then planning definite ways and means to acquire riches, and backing those plans with persistence which does not recognize failure, will bring riches.”

Anthony Robbins’ Second Principle to effectuating quality change requires that the individual change his or her limiting beliefs.  In other words, in order to effectuate change, we must believe – firmly and unambiguously – that we can – and will – accomplish the Desired change.  Or, as is oft-repeated by Napoleon Hill, “The man who can is the man who thinks he can.”

This is the whole point of the chapter entitled “Faith” in Think and Grow Rich.  Indeed, consider the following verse which Hill reproduces in the chapter on Faith:

Finally, Anthony Robbins’ Third Principle to effectuating quality change requires that the individual change his or her strategy until the change is accomplished.  Keep pursuing the Goal, utilizing what works and discarding what doesn’t work until you find a way.  But, regardless, never, ever give up.  In other words, Persistence is required.

According to Napoleon Hill in the chapter entitled “Persistence” in Think and Grow Rich, “There may be no heroic connotation to the word ‘persistence,’ but the quality is to a person’s character what carbon is to steel.”

Hill further notes that, “Without PERSISTENCE, you will be defeated even before you start.  With PERSISTENCE, you will win.”

Persistence, as used in Think and Grow Rich (and as the commonly accepted meaning of the word) is simply to continue to strive towards the goal in light of temporary defeats.  If efforts fail to bring you closer to your goal, then simply try a different approach.  Adopt a different strategy.  But, don’t give up!  That is what Persistence is all about.

As we embark on our journey into a new calendar year, it is important to review the fundamentals of Growth.  The Three Master Principles of Quality Change are an established and proven plan.  Whether following the Success Blueprint established by Napoleon Hill in 1937 or by Anthony Robbins in 1991, effectuating quality change requires, at a minimum: 1) an honest and sincere burning Desire, 2) Faith in God and self that one can – and will – attain the Desired Goal, and 3) taking Action – any Action – persistently and continuously until Success is achieved.

Best wishes for a Warm, Prosperous and Healthy 2011!

Until next time.

Peace Out, and - Namasté!

To your Health, Wealth, Prosperity and Success,

Richard

Immediately below is the Anthony Robbins video - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

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"You should be cautioned to learn the difference between Self-confidence, which is based upon sound knowledge of what you know and what you can do, and egotism, which is only based upon what you wish you knew or could do.  Learn the difference between these two terms or you will make yourself boresome, ridiculous and annoying to people of culture and understanding.  Self-confidence is something which should never be proclaimed or announced except through intelligent performance of constructive deeds."  -  Napoleon Hil, "The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons," Lesson Three: Self-Confidence

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Free Success Ebook: “The Law of Success – Lesson Three: Self-Confidence” by Napoleon Hill (1928) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2011

DOWNLOAD FREE SUCCESS EBOOK: "The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons - Lesson Three: Self-Confidence" by Napoleon Hill (1928) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2011

Welcome back for the next lesson of Napoleon Hill's "The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons."  Today's lecture, Lesson Three, is on Self-Confidence - a requisite for attaining Success.

As a quick refresher, Lesson One of The Law of Success Course was on the subject of Master Mind.  In Lesson Two of The Law of Success, Professor Hill addressed the objective of A Definite Chief Aim.  Today, Lesson Three covers the subjects of Fear and Self-Confidence.

"Observing the Undercast." A crew member of the Mount Washington Weather Observatory observes the undercast surrounding the Presidential Range of the White Mountains of New Hampshire on a cold February day. In the center of the photograph, the Lakes of the Clouds hut can be seen sitting atop the ridge. Photo from February 2010. Copyright © Mount Washington Observatory MWOBS at www.mountwashington.org.

Fear kills ambition and snuffs our attempts to Succeed and achieve our Goals.  Fear stops our progress dead in its tracks.  In fact, the greatest Success Teachers and Masters cite Fear more than any other reason why we fail to attain Success, change our lives and reach our Goals.

Fear may be overt and obvious, or it may be subtle and insidious.  Either way, Fear must be defeated.

The greatest weapon for overtaking Fear and removing it from your path is Self-Confidence.  We are in luck, for Napoleon Hill is a great teacher on the subject of Self-Confidence.

Today's addition to The Success Manual Free Download Library - and also to The Napoleon Hill Free Success Library - comes a little early, as I planned to upload each Lesson on a weekly basis.  However, more goodies are planned, so we bumped Lesson Three up several days.  I trust you will not mind!

Until next time . . . .

Peace Out, and - Namasté!

To your Health, Wealth, Prosperity and Success,

Richard

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Free Success Ebook: “The Law of Success – Lesson Three: Self-Confidence” by Napoleon Hill (1928) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2011

DOWNLOAD FREE SUCCESS EBOOK: "The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons - Lesson Three: Self-Confidence" by Napoleon Hill (1928) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2011

Download Instructions   

If you simply want to view this ebook reference within your web browser, simply left click the link and your web browser should open the file using a PDF file plugin.  You may download the file for viewing offline in your PDF viewer by right-clicking (control-click on a Macintosh) on the following link, then choosing the option that allows you to save or download the item (depending on the browser, this option will be labeled, "Save Target As," "Save Link Target As," "Download Link to Disk," "Download Linked File As," etc.) to directly download this file to your computer. You can then open the file using your PDF viewer, such as Adobe Acrobat Reader or any other number of PDF file viewers.  Adobe Acrobat Reader may be downloaded at no cost by clicking here.   

DOWNLOAD FREE SUCCESS EBOOK: "The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons - Lesson Three: Self-Confidence" by Napoleon Hill (1928) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2011

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Mount Washington image with permission from the Mount Washington Observatory.  Thanks, Crew!

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2. Free Success Ebook: “The Law of Success – Lesson Two: A Definite Chief Aim” by Napoleon Hill The object of this lesson is not to inform you as to what your lifework should be, for indeed this could be done with accuracy only after you had been completely analyzed, but it is intended as a means of impressing upon your mind a clear conception of the value...
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"The science of thought is as old as man himself.  The wise men of all ages have known it and used it.  The only thing I have done is to put the subject in modern language and bring to the reader’s attention what some of today’s outstanding minds are doing to substantiate the great truths that have come down through the centuries . . .  You have often heard it said that you can if you believe you can.  An old Latin proverb says, 'Believe that you have it, and you have it.'  Belief is the motivating force that enables you to achieve your goal."  -  Claude Bristol, "The Magic of Believing" (1948)

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Free Success Ebook: "The Magic of Believing" by Claude Bristol (1948) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010

DOWNLOAD FREE EBOOK: "The Magic of Believing" by Clause Bristol (1948) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010

Well, it is late on a Friday afternoon after a most challenging week.  Fortunately, we have just enough time to upload and make available an outstanding, rare addition to The Success Manual Free Download Library: "The Magic of Believing" by Clause Bristol.  This Success Manual is simply excellent.

Belief IS a fundamental element to achieving Success and attaining Prosperity.  In order to Succeed, you MUST believe that you can.  If you lack that Belief, you most certainly will not achieve your Goal, Succeed or attain the Prosperity you Desire.  Belief is FAITH, and Faith is BELIEF.  It all starts within and must be Impressed before it can be Expressed and Realized.

"Lakes of the Clouds Hut." A magnificent view of the Lakes of the Clouds Hut sitting atop the ridge of the Presidential Range just to the south of the summit of Mount Washington in the White Mountains, NH. Unfortunately, we don't know whom to credit this great photo, but it is part of the amazing Photo Journal archives at the MWOBS web site at www.mountwashington.org/photos/. Be sure to stop by the Observatory's web site - they do a tremendous job working atop the granite rock pile.

This is not hocus-pocus.  Anytime you Succeeded at any level in the past, it always initiated with the Belief that you could, and would, Succeed.  Otherwise, you would not even have tried.

The stronger your Belief, the greater your level of Success.  "The size of your Success will be in direct proportion to the size of your Belief."

As soon as you truly Believe in yourself, your Purpose and your Goal, you are immediately Empowered to Achieve.  Despite the title of Mr. Bristol's book, there is nothing magical about Belief.  It is Power in itself.

Start right now by downloading "The Magic of Believing" by Claude Bristol.

Have a great weekend!

Until next time . . . .

Peace Out, and - Namasté!  

To your Health, Wealth, Prosperity and Success,  

The Success Manual Team  

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Free Success Ebook: "The Magic of Believing" by Claude Bristol (1948) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010

DOWNLOAD FREE EBOOK: "The Magic of Believing" by Clause Bristol (1948) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010

Download Instructions   

If you simply want to view this ebook reference within your web browser, simply left click the link and your web browser should open the file using a PDF file plugin.  You may download the file for viewing offline in your PDF viewer by right-clicking (control-click on a Macintosh) on the following link, then choosing the option that allows you to save or download the item (depending on the browser, this option will be labeled, "Save Target As," "Save Link Target As," "Download Link to Disk," "Download Linked File As," etc.) to directly download this file to your computer. You can then open the file using your PDF viewer, such as Adobe Acrobat Reader or any other number of PDF file viewers.  Adobe Acrobat Reader may be downloaded at no cost by clicking here.   

DOWNLOAD FREE EBOOK: "The Magic of Believing" by Clause Bristol (1948) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010

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Mount Washington image with permission from the Mount Washington Observatory.  Thanks, Crew!

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We must understand that the undesirable events, conditions and circumstances, which we refer to as "problems," are EXTERNAL to us; the identification of those events, conditions and circumstances as a “problem,” on the other hand, is INTERNAL – a product of our thinking, beliefs and conditioned habits.  The latter is a creature of our Mind; the former is simply a set of facts without any inherent meaning – they just are.  The only meaning of those external events, conditions and circumstances is the meaning that we ascribe to these facts internally in our Mind.

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Success Strategy: The Ten (10) Step Technique to Universal Problem Solving

How to Solve ANY Problem

Are you presently facing a “problem” that appears to have no solution?  Yes?  Good.  This Post may be just what you need.

Throughout Life, we all face what we commonly refer to as “problems.”  In fact, many individuals view Life itself as a series of problems – one after another – some large, some small, but all problems just the same.  Some unfortunate Souls actually perceive Life itself as one giant “problem.”  How sad!

People “struggle” with “problems.”  And, that is quite unfortunate, because it really doesn’t have to be that way.

In fact, I would suggest that there are no such things as “problems,” and that there doesn’t have to be any “struggling.”  “Problems,” in and of themselves, are nothing more than mere creatures of the mind; they have no existence on their own, and to the extent that we “struggle” with them, that is of our own doing.

Stay with me here . . .

Of course, if you presently face a significant challenge in your life (notice that I did not use the word “problem,” thereby already changing the meaning and significance of the undesirable and unwanted set of circumstances that most would refer to as a “problem”), you may find little comfort in such Wisdom.  After all, these few simple words will likely not provide the resolution or solution you seek.  It is, however, a start.

Indeed, there is a magical, surefire way to solve or eliminate ANY “problem” that may be plaguing you.  Follow these Ten (10) Steps – honestly and diligently – and I assure you that you will realize one of the following three (3) outcomes: 1) You will solve your “problem,” 2) The problem will resolve itself, or 3) You will simply no longer view the “problem” as a “problem” – it will simply seek to exist.

Regardless of which of the three outcomes you experience, the result is the same: Freedom from the “problem.”

It is really quite simple and the beauty of it is that – IT WORKS!  I personally use this technique consistently and it has never, ever failed me.  It has been thoroughly developed, re-tooled and time-tested, and it is powerfully effective.

Step One: Every Problem Has a Solution

Every “problem” has a Solution.  Not some, not most – ALL.  All “problems” have Solutions and are resolvable.

In fact, there are likely many possible resolutions to a particular undesired set of facts and circumstances.  More than one possible solution may even be optimal.

The First Step in resolving any “problem” is to know, understand and believe that there IS a solution, there is an answer.  To realize the ultimate Solution, all that is required is that you increase your personal Level of Awareness to discover the possible Solutions and then implement the one that provides the greatest benefit towards your Desired outcome.

You MUST understand and accept this fact – that every “problem” has a Solution – as TRUE.  If you do not accept this proposition as the Truth, the likelihood that you will realize the Solution is highly unlikely.  Think about it: if you do not believe that there is a Solution to your dilemma, what are the chances that you will attempt to realize it?  You won’t.  And, your “problem” will remain unresolved and continue to fester.

The simple fact is that, at present, you simply do not see the Solution.  For if you did, then the “problem” would no longer exist; it would be resolved.  Simply start with the unconditional Believe and Faith that your “problem” has a solution – many solutions – and all that is needed is for you to discover it.

Step Two: De-Personalize the “Problem”

Having accepted the Truth that there is a Solution to your so-called “problem,” the next step is to “de-personalize the problem.”

What does that mean and why is it important?

What it means is that YOU are NOT your “problem” (okay, sometimes we are our own worst enemies, but you get the point).  You are separate from your “problem” – it exists entirely outside of you.

Wait a minute – didn’t I just say earlier that “problems,” in and of themselves, are nothing more than mere creatures of the mind; they have no existence on their own, and to the extent that we “struggle” with them, that is of our own doing?  Yes, I did.  To avoid undue confusion, let’s immediately reconcile these concepts.

First, we must define what we mean when we use the term “problem.”  After all, “problem” has many meanings (e.g., “Did you finish your math problems in your homework assignment?”)  Essentially, what we all commonly refer to as “problems” are mere UNDESIRABLE conditions and/or circumstances.  “Undesirable” to whom?  The person who claims them to be a “problem.”  What may be one person’s “problem” may be another persons’ joy.  In other words, the nature, level and extent of a particular “problem” are in the eye of the beholder.

As such, we must understand that the undesirable events, conditions and circumstances are EXTERNAL to us; the identification of those events, conditions and circumstances as a “problem,” on the other hand, is INTERNAL – a product of our thinking, beliefs and conditioned habits.  The latter is a creature of our Mind; the former is simply a set of facts without any inherent meaning – they just are.  The only meaning of those external events, conditions and circumstances is the meaning that we ascribe to these facts internally in our Mind.

And that is where we need to draw the line and depersonalize the “problem.”  The undesirable events, conditions and circumstances are external facts.  They are not us – they just are.  So, as part of the Second Step, we need to distinguish and understand that the nature of the “problem” is something outside of ourselves; how we perceive a problem, contrarily, is internal and a function of Mind – something over which we may assert control and change.

We must depersonalize the “problem” and personalize the Solution.  The “problem” lies without; the Solution will be realized within.

Step Three: Open Your Creative Mind

Some “problems” may be resolved through simple, deductive reasoning (e.g., 2+2=4).  Other “problems” are not that easy – there are too many intangible variables – and, therefore, more is required.

Most so-called “problems” require something more than deductive reasoning, for if it were that simple (relatively speaking, of course), then “problems” wouldn’t (or shouldn’t) linger on without resolution – assuming that one is making bona fide attempts to resolve the “problem.”  So, how do we resolve “problems” that elude conscious analyzation?

The answer is to open your Creative Mind, your Subconscious, to the Infiniteness of Universe and all that is possible.

We have already accepted the fact that every “problem” has a Solution (Step One).  And, we have depersonalized the “problem,” and have further accepted as Truth that the Solution must come from within (Step Two).  If you don’t have the Solution now, and you have been working on resolving your “problem” for some time, from whence shall the Solution come?

When you open your Creative Mind to what is possible, you allow the answer to come to you.  Let’s face it: our Conscious Mind is not always the best “problem” solver; in fact, it probably gets us into “problems” more than it gets us out of them.

The Wright Brothers had a firm belief that they could build a flying-machine. The ability to build a “flying machine” – today a fact not even questioned – has been in existence as long as the Universe, and the Wright Brothers knew that. It (the Principle of Flight) merely required that man finally achieve the requisite Level of Awareness where the principle of fixed wing flight could be realized.

Think of the Wright Brothers and their firm belief that they could build a flying-machine.  People at that time thought the Wrights were crazy.  Moreover, their own father, a minister, harshly admonished them, claiming that they would burn in hell merely for suggesting the idea!  Yet, the ability to build a “flying machine” – today a fact not even questioned – has been in existence as long as the Universe, and the Wright Brothers knew that.  It (the Principle of Flight) merely required that man finally achieve the requisite Level of Awareness where the principle of fixed wing flight could be realized.  Nonetheless, the Principle of Flight, and the scientific laws governing that principle, always existed.

In fact, every law and principle of what may be possible in the future already exists here and now – simply waiting to be discovered.  Think of it: a unified theory of the Universe, from the grand to the subatomic, which has eluded scientists since the time of Einstein already exists.  We just don’t know it – yet.  As a race (human race), our Level of Awareness requires greater Understanding.

The same holds true for the Solution to your “problem.”  You just don’t know it yet and the way you will discover it is to open your Creative Mind.

Step Four: Remove Obstructions to Overcome Obstacles

So, how does one open his or her Creative Mind?

The crucial first step is to remove all Obstructions.  You will not realize the proper Solution to your “problem” if your Mind is clogged with needless, destructive clutter - Obstructions.

What are “Obstructions?”  Fear.  Doubt.  Worry.  Anxiety.  Negative thinking.  These are all States of Mind (mental states) that not only will fail to resolve your “problem,” but will actively and affirmatively work against realizing a Solution.  As long as you harbor Obstructions, the likelihood that you will solve your “problem” is very, very slim.

Obstructions such as Fear, Doubt, Worry, Anxiety and Negative Thinking literally clog the channels of your Creative Mind.  You cannot think in a constructive, creative fashion when you are focused on the negative and gripped with Fear and Worry.  It is simply not possible.

Moreover, Obstructions are just that: Obstructions.  They block the flow of Creative Spirit through your Conscious and Subconscious Minds.  If you were so ensconced with Fear and Anxiety – to the point of paralysis – do you think you would hear God whispering the answer to you?  God rarely shouts, and outside of Biblical accounts, I don’t know of anyone to whom God appeared or spoke accompanied by bolts of lighting and fire. 

God speaks to our Heart and the way to hear God in this fashion is to quiet the Mind.  Obstructions are anything but quiet and can produce compulsive thought and action.

In Step One we accepted the uncontroverted Truth that all “problems” have Solutions.  Truly knowing that – with unconditional Faith and Believe – is usually sufficient to instill a Peace of Heart that clears the Obstructions.  If you find yourself still hindered by these negative States of Mind, work (but don’t struggle) to remove the blockage.

Step Five: Understand that Obstructions Are a Result of Ignorance

So, how do we remove Obstructions with Peace and without struggling?  Through Understanding, Knowledge and Awareness.

We must increase our Level of Awareness, gain Knowledge and Understand the causes of Fear, Doubt, Worry, Anxiety and Negative Thinking.  While tomes may be (and are) written on the subject, it is critical to UNDERSTAND that such destructive Mental States are caused by or a result of Ignorance.

Ignorance of what?

First, not knowing WHERE the answer or solution lies.

Consider.  A young couple is deeply in debt and they both lost their jobs.  With each passing month, they sink deeper and deeper into debt.  Their levels of Fear, Doubt and Worry increase.  Negative Thinking persists.  They see no way out.

Therein lays the problem: They see no way out.

Suppose I had a bona fide magic crystal ball and could convince the young couple that the crystal ball really could show the future.  Taken a step further, I consult my crystal ball and show them the winning multimillion dollar lottery numbers for the following week.  All they would need to do is play that winning combination of numbers on the right day and they become instant winners of $50 million.

What do you think would happen to their Doubt, Worry, Anxiety, Fear and Negative Thinking (at least with respect to their debt and unemployment “problem”)?  It would immediately vanish into thin air!  Why?  Because they now see their Solution!

When we see the Solutions to our “problems” – even if those answers are not immediately available – the levels of our Obstructions immediately drop, if not completely dissipate.  As such, it is the Ignorance as to the Solution that gives rise to the Obstructions.  We fail to see from where the Good that we Desire is going to come and that fuels our Obstructive Mental States.

If we can begin to truly and honestly Understand that there IS a Solution (or multiple solutions) to our “problem,” and all that is required is that we raise our Level of Awareness to realize the Solution, an immediate effect is that we begin to overcome the Ignorance giving rise to our Obstructions.  Just knowing that there IS a solution already begins to bring Peace, which, in turn, opens our Creative Mind to receive the answer!

As long as we remained locked in the Negative, we will not see the Positive.  We need to clean the House of our Minds, and like a skilled surgeon who removes blockage from diseased arteries, we must remove the Obstructions of our Creative Mind and allow Life to flow freely.

Step Six: Reframe the “Problem”

All along, I have been using the word “problem” to describe and define the undesired set of conditions and circumstances.  Step Six is to “reframe” the nature of “problem,” including the very word “problem.”

We may start by no longer using the word “problem” as the definition or indicia of the undesired conditions and circumstances.  The term “problem” immediately delivers a negative connotation – almost signifying a situation to which there is no Solution.  That is why I have been using quotes with the word throughout this article – to establish the significance (or, more appropriately, the insignificance) of the actual word.

Instead of the word “problem,” use either the terms “Challenge” or “Obstacle.”  Immediately your perspective changes towards the undesired conditions and circumstances, for both words convey a more positive meaning and both inherently suggest that there exist solutions or answers.

Think about it: who likes “problems?”  In fact, we try to avoid “problems.”  It is human nature to run from “problems” (who awakes in the morning thinking “Boy, I can’t wait to deal with the scourge of my problems today!”)

“Challenges,” on the other hand, are an invitation for Action! (Some definitions for the word “challenge” include: “an invitation to someone to compete or fight, especially in a sport; to invite someone to compete or fight; used in the names of competitions, especially sports competitions; to test someone's skill and abilities”).  Who can turn down a legitimate Challenge – whether from someone else or ourselves?

Really, reframing the term “problem” to “Challenge” or “Obstacle” should be done as soon as one begins thinking that he or she has a “problem.”  In terms of actual timing, therefore, Step Six should be tackled right along with Step One.  Thinking of your undesired conditions or circumstances as a Challenge or mere Obstacle ab initio will do wonders for your Mental State and accelerate your progress in realizing your optimum Solution.

Next, it is highly important to understand – and further reframe the undesired conditions and circumstances that we now call a Challenge or Obstacle – that ALL Challenges or Obstacles are invitations to Growth.  Yes, indeed!  When faced with a Challenge or Obstacle, your present inability to solve or find the Solution stems from your present Level of Awareness.  In Step Five, we explored how this Ignorance gives rise to fatal-thinking Obstructions and how they must be eliminated.  This MUST be true, for if your present Level of Awareness was sufficient, you would already have the Solution.  As such, to realize the Solution, you must Grow your current Level of Awareness.

The fact that you don’t have the Solution is evidence that you must increase your present Level of Awareness.

Understand that reasons for Growth are usually irrelevant, for Growth is inherently Good.  Nature is always seeking further Expansion, Expression and Growth.  By Growing – whether intellectually, Spiritually, emotionally, physically – you are fulfilling one of the greatest of our human duties.  We were born to Grow and it is God’s calling that we all Grow and live to our full Potential.  Face it: We were not born to spend our lives on the sofa watching television.

It is therefore critical to Understand that whatever your Challenge or Obstacle, it is an invitation to GROW.  And, in some strange fashion which we may not readily comprehend, it may be a Divine mandate to do so.

When you realize the Solution to your Challenge or Obstacle, you will necessarily be at a higher Level of Awareness.  And, if the nature of your Challenge or Obstacle was most difficult – perhaps oppressive – your Level of Awareness will be even higher.  You may have even developed Character along the way, one of the greatest of all personality traits.

Lastly, keep in mind that all Obstacles are mere stepping stones to achieving a greater Good – a certain Goal or Success.  In order to achieve any objective, you must necessarily face and overcome the Obstacles or Challenges along the way requisite to attaining that Success. (See Posts, "Success Strategy: Converting Obstacles to Stepping Stones: The Key to Victory," March 7, 2010, and "Success Key 5: Embrace Obstacles, the Stepping Stones to Success," January 23, 2010).

Step Seven: Take Action

Step Seven is simple: Take Action.

What kind of Action?  Any Action.

The key here is that you need not necessarily know precisely what to do to – just begin.  If you knew the precise set of Action Steps to realize the Solution, you would have already taken that course and the Obstacle resolved.  What is important is that you begin solving the Obstacle by taking any Action – as long as it is not impulsive and based on irrational emotion or Obstruction.

Action is Empowering.  Action increases Levels of Awareness.  Action creates Opportunity.

Once you have taken that first Action step, you are on the path to finally addressing the undesired conditions and circumstances.  Even if those first Action steps are just tiny steps, you are nonetheless on the way and knowledge of the simple fact is quite empowering.

It is important to note that, while the initial Action Steps may not lead you in the right direction, valuable information – in the form of feedback – is always gained.  At the very least, you will discover what doesn’t work – and you may move on to Plan B.  No Action taken ever results in failure; valuable information is always obtained.  The key is to keep trying, keep moving, and keep taking Action.  You will find the way!

Sometimes taking Action is 50% of the process towards realizing the Solution.  You may think that attaining the resolution will take much time and effort, but then after taking that first Action step, you come to realize that the Challenge is not as substantial as you previously thought – perhaps it is even easy.  I cannot tell you how many times that the “bark” that I feared was actually worse than the “bite.”  The so-called “problem” turned out to be an easy, no-brainer and I regretted the fact that I had not taken Action earlier – it would have saved me significant time, energy and resources.

You will usually discover as you take Action that what you perceived to be insurmountable isn’t, and that solving the situation will not be the effort that you imagined.  You will not come to that realization, however, unless and until Action is actually taken.

Roll up your sleeves and get started.

Step Eight: Time and the Law of Gestation

Everything has its season and the Universe works in cyclic, rhythmic fashion.

If your present Challenge is to find a way to feed your family today, the solution is not planting corn.  There is the Law of Gestation: after planting, the corn seed must geminate, sprout, grow (and grow and grow and grow) and bear fruit.  The fruit, the ears of corn (really a grain) must properly mature and then you must harvest it.  All of this will take a certain amount of time over which you have very little control.

All seeds – including Seeds of Thought and Greatness – have a gestation period.  There is a Law of Cause and Effect, but there also is the Law of Gestation, which states that the Effects of the Cause will take the time that the Universe (Nature, through our Infinite Creator) requires.

Depending on your particular Challenge or Obstacle, and the Action steps that you take – and the ultimate Solution desired – there will be the factor of time as determined by the applicable Law of Gestation.  Often, we don’t know how long it may take for fruit to bear, but as long as we remain steadfast and true to realizing the Desired result, there will be fruit.

This is also another reason why it is important to be consistent – and persistent – with our Action steps.  With continued Action, Persistence and Perseverance, it is possible to accelerate the process of realizing our Solution within the confines of the Law of Gestation.

For example, suppose that realizing the Solution to a particular Challenge by a particular individual necessarily must require a total of fifty (50) hours of bona fide, consistent Action (by application of the Law of Gestation).  If the individual only dedicates one (1) hour per day towards that objective, it will take fifty (50) days before she finally realizes the ultimate Solution .  However, by devoting two (2) hours of bona fide, consistent Action per day (instead of only one hour), she can accelerate the process and realize the ultimate Solution in half the time: twenty-five (25) days.  Now, if she was really motivated and determined, in theory, she may dedicate ten (10) hours of bona fide, consistent Action per day towards overcoming her Challenge.  Assuming that fatigue, Obstructions, and other inhibiting factors are kept at bay, she can further accelerate the process and realize her ultimate Solution in a mere five (5) days!  So while the Law of Gestation may establish certain time constraints over which we have no or little control, we may accelerate the overall process by more continuous, consistent and persistent Action.

Another insight to understanding the Law of Gestation is a quote from Anthony Robbins: “God’s delays are not God’s denials.”  In other words, God works on a different calendar and clock than we do.

Why is this so important?  Because when many individuals fail to realize the Solution to their Challenge or Obstacle immediately, they simply quit.  Give up.  Abandon ship.  When that happens, one thing is for certain: they will NOT solve the Challenge.

Quitting is “game over.”  Failure.

If you do not immediately realize your Solution, keep trying, keep taking Action steps, keep working these Ten Steps.  You WILL realize the solution.  Chances are that the mess you are in didn’t happen overnight, so it may be unreasonable to think or expect that it may be cleaned up overnight.

Time itself may be just another aspect or feature of the Challenge that you face, so view it as such.  Reframe the nature of the Challenge or Obstacle to further include the time variable.  Don’t make the issue of time another, separate “problem.”  Patience may be required and that virtue is yet another characteristic of Growth.

Persevere.  Persist.  Work it.

Step Nine: Have Faith

The importance of Faith – Faith in yourself and Faith in God – cannot be overstated. 

We could write volumes on the significance of Faith to finding a Solution to your Challenge or Obstacle; time and space do not permit that here.

Napoleon Hill has stated many times, “The man who can is the man who thinks he can.”

If you already accepted the notion that every Challenge or Obstacle has a Solution (Step One), then why not accept the Faith and Belief that you will realize that Solution?

“Ya gotta believe, baby, ya gotta believe.”

If you do not Believe or have no Faith that you will realize a Solution, will you honestly pursue the Solution?  If you answered this question in the affirmative, then you must fancy in chasing ghosts.

Step Ten: The Attitude of Gratitude

Finally, as Step Ten, despite the nature, level and extent of your Challenge or Obstacle, remain Grateful for all that you have.  Seek the Good in your Life and by doing so, the significance of the Challenge or Obstacle will diminish.

Relinquish resentment.  Drop jealousy and envy.  Adopt the Attitude of Gratitude.

Studies have shown that patients with the most severe illnesses fair best in treatment when they are grateful for the Good in their lives – despite the illness – and they reject negative attitudes such as resentment, anger, jealously or envy.  Such mental states are nothing more than Obstructions, discussed in Steps Four and Five.  They not only block your Creative Mind, but they stain your Spirit and become a focal point of your concentration.  This eventually leads to self-absorbed self-pity – and there is no way you will overcome your Challenge or Obstacle if you are engaged in that game.

Be grateful.  Rejoice in the Good all around you!  If you focus on the Good, more Good will come; contrarily, if you focus on the Negative, then you will receive more of the Negative.  This is the Law of Attraction, pure and simple.

If you have trouble seeing the Good and finding Gratitude, grab a notebook and pen and find a quiet, comfortable place to sit by yourself for an hour or so and begin writing all that for which you are grateful.  It may take a little time to get started, but once the juices start flowing, you will be astounded at how much you have written – how much there is in your life for which you should be Grateful.  By the time this exercise is done, you will feel profoundly different and view your Challenge or Obstacle in an entirely different light.

When I feel overwhelmed by a Challenge or Obstacle and see myself starting to slide in a negative fashion, I work my “Gratitudes” by stopping whatever I am doing and spending some time with my children.  An hour of building blocks, reading or just playing with them – and seeing the unconditional Love and excitement of Life in their eyes – has an amazing impact.  Problem?  What Problem?

Adopting the Attitude of Gratitude with honesty and sincerity is the quickest way to jump start out of a “stuck” position.  It works – every time.  But, you need to actually work it, and if that requires some quiet time in isolation with your thoughts and a notebook, then do it.

Conclusion

That’s it.  The Ten Steps to Universal Problem Solving.  With continued practice and patience, you will find these Ten Steps will work Miracles in your Life.

Believe.

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Success Strategy: Abandon Your Comfort Zone, Face the Fear and Do It Afraid

[Publisher's Note: Recently, we featured a guest Post by Myles Miller entitled, Success Strategy: The Power of Conquering FEAR!  Today's Post is a great follow-up to Myles' article, as we examine this thing called our "Comfort Zone," why we use it, how it prevents us from Advancement, Growth and Success, and how we can face down the irrational Fear that keeps us locked in the self-imposed prison of the Comfort Zone.  I look forward to any Comments, so please feel free to chime in and add your two cents worth!]

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 1.          Why We Fail

Why do most people fail to achieve their Goals?  Why do most people fail to attain Success?  Why do most people fail to acquire Wealth?  There are many reasons, but one reason stands out ahead of the others.  Indeed, it is obvious: The main reason most people Fail is because – they QUIT!

I have said it many times before and I will note it again: If attaining Success was easy, many more would Succeed; if acquiring Wealth was easy, many more would be Wealthy.  The fact of the matter is that many who wish for Success or Wealth either never really get off the ground trying in sincere effort or they simply Quit – usually shortly after beginning their quest.

Persistence, a necessary ingredient to attain Success or acquire Wealth, may be defined as “sustained effort in the face of all odds or adversity.”  Of Persistence, Napoleon Hill states in his classic Success Manual, Think and Grow Rich, that it “is an essential factor in the procedure of transmuting Desire into its monetary equivalent.”  (See page 312 of Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill (1937 Version) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010).  If one is truly Persistent, as the above definition points out, Quitting is NOT an option.

Yet, how often do we see people – ourselves included – embark on a journey to achieve Success or attain a Goal and then Fail?  Thousands and thousands of times.  I am not referring to temporary defeat, which even the most ardent Successful experience – as they necessarily must – in order to Succeed.  ALL Success requires a certain level of temporary defeat, set backs and obstacles that must be overcome.  (See Post: Success Key No. 5: Embrace Obstacles, the Stepping Stones to Success).  I am referring to FAILURE.  Failure (Quitting) is fundamentally different than temporary defeat.

No one really Fails unless and until one Quits.

Consider how many individuals make so-called “New Year’s Resolutions,” only to “break” the resolutions within months, weeks, days or even hours after the start of the New Year.  Initially, there is great Enthusiasm – usually before the New Year begins – but because of flawed internal programming, the resolution cannot be kept.  And, so, in an effort to save face, fool themselves and fool others, a litany of excuses is developed to justify Quitting.  Quitting the pursuit of one’s honest and sincere Desire is never justified; you are only Quitting on yourself.  Temporary defeat and even retreat, on the other hand, is sometimes necessary (or even unavoidable) as sound strategy.

But, this all still begs the question – why, then, do people Quit?

2.          The Real Reason: FEAR

The real reason people Quit – and, therefore, fail to Succeed – is FEAR.

I am not referring to the natural “fight or flight” form of Fear which God instilled in the human species as an involuntary system of survival.  Rather, the type of Fear to which I refer is the subtle, irrational Fear that keeps us stuck, prevents us from Growing, and thus, thwarts any meaningful attempts at attaining Achievement, Success or Prosperity.

By way of example, if you narrowly escaped a potentially fatal car accident, or awoke one night to find an intruder in your home, or jumped at the sound of an alarm because your office building was on fire, you better have Fear.  For it is this type of Fear that provides your mind and body with the adrenaline, hormones, corticosteroids and other body chemicals critical to your survival.  Without these nature helpers, your ability to overcome the danger you face would be lessened and your chances of survival greatly diminished.  Fear, produced by these substances is a good thing.  This type of Fear keeps you alive.

But there is another kind of Fear that lurks within our conscious and subconscious minds that is not natural; and, worse, in the long run, it does us harm.  This form of Fear is not a product of involuntary and instantaneous gland production and it does not immediately transform us into super-human survival mode.  This type of Fear is self-induced, pernicious and irrational.  It works in stealth mode and its objective is simple: to keep Change and Growth at bay and keep you locked in your “Comfort Zone.”  This type of Fear causes a slow, painful death.

Understanding the abnormal form of Fear is critical to Advancement, Growth, and ultimately, Success.

3.          The Comfort Zone

The so-called “Comfort Zone” is a hazard to your well-being.  Yes, you heard that right.

You see, your Comfort Zone loves you more than you love it.  It wants you to stay, make yourself at home and never leave.  And, it achieves this objective by making your internal intellectual, emotional and spiritual home nice and comfy cozy.  Ironically, while natural Fear fosters survival, unnatural, abnormal Fear inhibits survival!

The latter, therefore, cannot be an expression of Nature or of our Universal Creator, for Nature always seeks further and fuller expression of itself, i.e., Growth.  And, the source of this insidious form of Fear?  US – we do it to ourselves.

Our Comfort Zones: The internal hiding places that imprison us and prevent us from Growth, Advancement and Success. When we venture outside of our Comfort Zone, we must expect to experience a respectful level of discomfort as we embark into unchartered territories.

It wasn’t always this way.  We were all born with a God-given, natural ability to wander (and wonder) out of our personal Comfort Zone.  Watch young children play and you will immediately see this as fact.  They don’t know what is and what is not “dangerous,” and therefore act as little danger magnets, taking risks that take our breath away.  They explore their world with reckless abandon, absorbing every experience into their little minds.  They have no self-imposed limiting beliefs of themselves.  They just are.  They are true little Zen masters.

But, what happens as they grow and begin to form beliefs about their world – particularly on emotional issues and matters?  They learn to become irrationally “afraid.”

My youngest son is almost four years old.  When he was two, he was Mr. Fearless.  The dark, being alone, climbing stairs and ladders – whatever – he did and he wasn’t afraid.  Fast forward two years later, and he is now afraid of certain things that previously he didn’t even know existed.  What happened?

His mind developed, and with it, the ability to scare himself – irrationally – through self-imposed beliefs (of course, he doesn’t know that).  The dark two years ago is the same dark as today.  The events themselves did not change – he changed.  The way he interprets his world changed, and in accordance, his behavior followed suit.  As a result, his fear of the dark now prevents him from doing (being, doing and having more) what previously was a “no brainer” (no pun intended).

As adults, we have created so many abnormal, unnatural and irrational fears in our head that the only safe haven left is our Comfort Zone.  Most people “don’t want any problems” and prefer to just “punch the clock and make a living.”  They just want to wait out their lives in a nice easy fashion with no risk of any kind.  In other words, they never, ever venture outside of their Comfort Zone – for any reason.  Bob Proctor would say “Well, why are they here?”

4.          Growth and Advancement Require Abandonment of the Comfort Zone

If you are ever going to advance in life and seek to be, do and have more, you must – necessarily – leave the cozy confines of your Comfort Zone.  There is no other way.  Period.

Think about it.  If your goal is to achieve something that you have never accomplished in life, for example, a very ambitious financial Goal, you must venture into uncharted territory.  You don’t have a choice.  Why?  Because that is where the Goal is.  If there is one place where the Goal is not, it is in your Comfort Zone.  If it was, guess what?  You would already have it.

As Jim Rohn once stated, “If you want more of what you’ve been getting, keep doing what you’ve been doing.”  If you want something different – especially if it is a big something different – then you must do things differently – very differently.  In other words, you must be prepared to change and indeed change by taking the appropriate internal and external Action – Action that you have never taken before.  This can be very unsettling.  This is what holds people back.  This is why most people Quit.

If you have sincerely set your sights on an ambitious Goal in new territory, this will require that you do things unfamiliar.  Examples may include (but are certainly not limited to) meeting new people, doing new things, writing proposals, speaking to groups, researching, planning, meeting, adopting a solid work ethic, working twice as much as you do now, getting up early, going to bed late, organizing, concentrating, imposing self-discipline, acquiring self-confidence, giving up certain recreations and STOP WATCHING TELEVISION EVERY NIGHT.  If you have not been doing these things and such activities are new to you, this will require you to step outside of your Comfort Zone.

WARNING: Your Comfort Zone doesn’t like these things and will use every trick in the playbook to keep you in place!

The loftier your Goal, then the greater the distance you must expect to travel from your Comfort Zone.  Just as the size of your Success is in direct proportion to the size of your Belief, the size of your Success is in direct proportion to the distance you must travel from your Comfort Zone.  Everyone’s Comfort Zone is different, so the roads and distances to travel are different for everyone.  Regardless of your point of origin, however, be assured that higher intellectual faculties must come to bear.  You must raise your creative levels higher than you have ever pushed before.  This isn’t easy; the easy way is to retreat back to your Comfort Zone, plop on the sofa and turn on “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” (or whatever).

Humans, generally speaking, do not like change, particularly any change that requires us to leave our Comfort Zones.  When required to do so, we act like a dog whose master has rearranged the furniture in the room.  The poor creature lost its favorite comfy spots and doesn’t know what to do.  Somebody messed with its Comfort Zone!

Leaving your Comfort Zone increases anxiety and doubt, both of which induce Fear – the bad kind of Fear.

5.          The Bad News: Enthusiasm is NOT Enough

Simple garden variety Enthusiasm is not enough to overtake and subdue the gravitational effects of the Comfort Zone.  Yes, Enthusiasm is a great attitude (state of mind), but standing alone, it is simply insufficient.

Consider again the New Year’s Resolution scenario.  The vast majority of individuals who engage in the annual tradition of making such resolutions usually do so with unbridled Enthusiasm – a good thing, agreed.  They get “pumped” and soundly resolve that this is the year to do (or refrain from doing, depending on your perspective) this, that and the other thing (to steal a chapter title from How to Grow Success, The Success Manual’s latest addition to The Success Manual Free Download Library).  And, they mean it, they really mean it.

But, Enthusiasm is all they have in their arsenal.  Being an attitude, a state of mind, Enthusiasm can come and go like the wind on a moment’s notice.  Without the proper mental conditioning, Enthusiasm can dissipate faster than a sinking soufflé.  I can hear it now – pssssssssss . . . .

So, what happened?  Whence cometh and goeth Enthusiasm?

Doubt, worry, anxiety . . . all of the psychological trappings used by your Comfort Zone made an appearance and Enthusiasm bolted out the back door.

Often, all it takes is until the next morning before doubt creeps in: “I don’t know . . .”  “I can’t do that . . .”  “Who am I kidding . . .”  “I’ll start tomorrow instead . . .”  “Maybe I’ll start next week . . .”  “Maybe next month, when the weather is warmer . . .”  “Maybe next year, when . . .”

And the excuse parade is in full swing.

Nothing has changed, except the individual’s resolve.  Circumstances have not changed.  The individual has not changed.  In fact, the individual has remained steadfastly the same.  The demons of old conditioning, habit and thinking – as embodied in the resolver’s personal Comfort Zone – have exerted their gravitational pull to keep the person from experiencing the uncomfortable emotions of doubt, anxiety, and thus, Fear.  In order to quell those uneasy feelings, retreat is made to the Comfort Zone.  Just the thought of postponing the start date of the resolution by one month brings immediate relief.  Whew!

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

As noted by Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Of what use to make heroic vows of amendment, if the same old lawbreaker is to keep them?”

Dr. Maxwell Maltz stated that “We act, behave and feel according to what we consider our Self-Image to be and we do not deviate from this pattern.”  Well, the same analogy can be made with our Comfort Zone: “We act, behave and feel according to what we have established as our Comfort Zone and we do not deviate from this pattern.”

But, what are we really afraid of?  The answer may be startling: Fear of GROWTH.

If you want to Grow, and thus Succeed, you MUST be willing to experience a significant and proportionate amount of discomfort, i.e., Fear.  Fear and Growth go hand in hand.  You cannot separate the two.

6.          The Good News: You Are NOT Your Comfort Zone

Unfortunately, over time we begin to identify our Comfort Zone as ourselves.  “I am shy, I could never do that.”  Or, “I am not good with people.”  Or, “I get tired easy and need to sleep 18 hours a day.”  Not only are these self-imposed beliefs extremely limiting, but worse, we use them to define who we ARE, thereby creating a false Self-Image.  And then, as Dr. Maltz points out, we do not deviate from that pattern.

The strangest aspect of this process is that we tend to complain about what we have or don’t have, but yet, we undertake no effort to deviate from the pattern of our self-imposed Self-Image, as defined by the limitations of our Comfort Zone – a Comfort Zone that we created.  Where is the logic in that?  Yet, this is how the vast majority of people live their lives!

The fact of the matter is that you can be, do and have anything YOU DESIRE.  You are not defined by your Comfort Zone unless you allow yourself to be so defined.  God certainly does not identify and define you by your self-imposed beliefs of personal lack and limitation, so why do you?

At most, your Comfort Zone is only a hiding PLACE that you use to prevent yourself from venturing out – from Growing.  Like any physical place, you can leave the mental and emotional location of the Comfort Zone anytime you choose.  God gave you Free Will; use it.  As Bob Proctor has repeated many times, “It’s your movie, you can make it any way you want.”

So, remember these critical FACTS:

• You are not your Comfort Zone.
• At best, your Comfort Zone is merely a place.
• Because it is a place, you can choose to leave your Comfort Zone anytime you Desire.
• You will leave your Comfort Zone – and thus, experience the Growth that God intended you to experience – when your Desire to Grow, Advance and Succeed is GREATER than your Desire to remain in the cushy, comfy confines of the Comfort Zone (Fear avoidance).
• Universal Law: As long as you stay in your Comfort Zone, NOTHING will ever change.  Period.  It’s IMPOSSIBLE.

 7.          Success Strategy

So, what can be done to defeat the death-pull of the Comfort Zone?  How does one defeat the irrational, abnormal Fear that accompanies the journey out?

Actually, quite a bit and we can write volumes on the subject.  One particular action is more powerful than any other and cognitive behavioral psychologists have been using this method for decades.  But, first it is always important to examine – and understand – the “Fear Factor.”

Understand that Fear – the bad kind of Fear – is almost always the result of ignorance.  Yes, that’s right – ignorance.  For if you had the knowledge, understanding and requisite levels of awareness of what is to be gained, what is required, and the true levels of risk of venturing out of the Comfort Zone, there would be no hesitation to leave immediately.  We hold ourselves captive through our own ignorance.

When you find yourself trapped in your Comfort Zone, ask yourself – and be real, real honest – what is the absolute worst that could happen if I pursue this new Ideal (Goal, Objective, etc.)?  Seek the Truth, for it shall set you free.

Let’s use a simple example for demonstration (and a scenario that many of us have experienced in life):

Boy likes girl (Desire).  Boy wants to go out with girl (Desire).  As a result, boy wants to ask girl out (Aspiration).  Boy thinks about asking girl out (continued Aspiration), but that would mean he actually must take Action and ask her (leaving Comfort Zone).  Boy is afraid (Fear induced merely by the thought of leaving Comfort Zone).  Boy doesn’t ask girl out (retreat to Comfort Zone).  But, boy really, really likes girl.  (Desire increases).  Boy is still afraid (Fear), but realizes that if he doesn’t ask girl out (stays in Comfort Zone), he will never go out with girl (excellent observation).  On the other hand, he could ask girl out and she could say “no” (worst case scenario).  Or she could say “yes” (icing on the cake, for the real goal here is asking her out, although boy probably doesn’t see it that way).  Rightly realizing that he has nothing to lose (overcoming ignorance and increasing level of awareness), boy asks out girl (takes Action, overcomes Fear).  The boy’s Desire to go out with the girl was greater than his Desire to remain “safe” in his Comfort Zone.

So, here we have a young gentleman totally stricken and immobilized by Fear just over the thought of asking a girl out.  How absurd!  Yet, how many of us have actually lived this same experience.  Be honest.  We’ve all been there in some capacity, probably many times.

Yet, what does the worst case scenario represent in this example?  Nothing more than a temporary defeat – that’s all.  If she says “no,” it’s not the end of the world, not the end of his life, not the end of anything.  To the extent that he takes a denial and extrapolates and interprets that as meaning anything more than the simple fact she said no, then he is doing it to himself.  But that is another story for another day.

Now, let’s go back to that single most powerful Action step to overcome Fear.  It was actually mentioned in our example above.  Did you catch it?  It is so obvious, you might have missed it.

All the boy needed to do in order to overcome this particular Fear of asking the girl out was to simply go ahead and ask her out.  That’s it.  Once he asks, regardless of the outcome, the Fear is gone.  He stepped out of his Comfort Zone and he defeated Fear, and he accomplished this by increasing his level of awareness, overcoming his Fear-based ignorance and understanding that he had nothing to lose.  There was, after all, no downside to asking her out.

And, while he may not realize it, the real goal here was taking Action and asking out the girl.  Why?  If she says “yes,” then he gets to have his cake and eat it too.  If she says “no,” he has still conquered his Fear and the next time he wants to ask out a girl (or even the same one), it will be easier.  He already ventured out of his Comfort Zone into unchartered territory.  The second time out, it will not be so unfamiliar.

As the Nike Company would say, “Just do it.”  Or, as Paul Martinelli would say, “Do it afraid.”

Nothing is more powerful to overtake the insidiousness nature of the Comfort Zone and instill self-confidence than to march forward and face the enemy – in this case, irrational Fear – until it dissipates and completely dissolves away.

If you want to Grow, and thus Succeed, you MUST be willing to experience a significant and proportionate amount of discomfort, i.e., Fear. Fear and Growth go hand in hand. You cannot separate the two. In order to overcome Fear - DO IT AFRAID.

Sometimes, you need to “fake it until you make it,” and when it comes to the irrational Fear that prevents you from leaving your Comfort Zone, faking it is incredibly powerful.  (See Success Manual POST: Key Success Strategy: Image Making – Acting “AS IF”).

Shakespeare stated, “Assume a virtue if you have it not.”

And, in The Secret of the Ages (Volume I of The Law of Attraction Prosperity Bible by Princeton Cambridge Publishing Group), Robert Collier states, “Look the part.  Dress the part.  Be successful in your own thought first.  It won’t be long before you will be successful before the world as well.”

In his book Applied Psychology and Scientific Living, David V. Bush says “It is just as easy to think in terms of abundance, opulence and prosperity as it is to think in terms of lack, limitation and poverty.”  Reframing this concept to the issue at hand, “It is just as easy to think in terms of doubt, worry, anxiety and fear as it is to think in terms of courage, self-confidence, strength and Success.”

That being the case, let’s always think in terms of courage, self-confidence, strength and Success.  Assume the virtue if you have it not.

Always remember that abnormal, unnatural and irrational Fear is a product of ignorance.  Come to understand the Truth of venturing outside of your Comfort Zone, and you can face and conquer the enemy.  Leaving the safe confines of your Comfort Zone will almost always produce some level of discomfort, but keep in mind: No Fear, No Growth; No Growth, No Fear.

8.          Take-Aways

 You hold the Key.  Unlock the shackles of your Comfort Zone and GROW.

Do it tired.

Do it sick.

Do it afraid.

Just do it.

No excuses.

NO FEAR!

Grow, Baby, Grow!

 _______________ 

Until next time . . . .

Peace Out, and - Namasté!

To your Health, Wealth, Prosperity and Success,

The Success Manual Team

 And remember - DO IT AFRAID.

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Genuine power is always good, beneficial, and necessary.  That is just one reason why it is not only your right but your duty to seize every ounce of power available.  Actually, there are ten thousand reasons why you should be strong, and not a single reason why you should not be . . . No man need at all fail to achieve what he wants – as long as he does realize how extraordinarily powerful he really is at the present moment.  His realization is the switch that whirls his personal motors toward generating new energies in his behalf.  -  Vernon Howard, "Success Through the Magic of Personal Power"

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Free Success Ebook: "Success Through the Magic of Personal Power" by Vernon Howard - Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010

DOWNLOAD FREE SUCCESS EBOOK: "Success Through the Magic of Personal Power" by Vernon Howard - Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010

I will get right to the point.  If you don't download and read today's upload to The Success Manual Free Download Library, "Success Through the Magic of Personal Power" by Vernon Howard, you are missing out on a phenomenal Success Manual.  Period.

When I participated in Bob Proctor's personal Success coaching program, I noted that Bob extensively quoted Vernon Howard (not as much as Ralph Waldo Emerson, but probably more than any other individual).  I had never heard of Vernon Howard - not that my ignorance means anything - but I did make a mental note to track down some of Vernon's material.  I was not disappointed.

The first rime ice of the season coats thin, wind-resistent conifers just below the treeline of the Presidential Range of the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Photo by Roger Albright on September 19, 2009.

The title - Success Through the Magic of Personal Power - says it all.  Long before Anthony Robbins practically made "Personal Power" a household term, Vernon Howard was crafting his views on the subject.  Having studied and read Anthony Robbins material as far back as the early 1990s, and having now read Vernon's masterpiece Success Manual on "Personal Power," I suspect that Mr. Robbins adopted much of his teachings on the subject directly from Vern.

Success Through the Magic of Personal Power is filled with practical, anecdotal examples, brilliant insight, good old common sense, and, of course, Vernon Howard's amazing wit and humor.  Vern delves deeply into thorough explanations of our innate, God-given abilities - our "Personal Power" - in straightforward fashion, and yet, is able to avoid the esoteric aspects that can be a turn-off when one is seeking real life answers to real life issues, problems and challenges.  Vern does an outstanding job.  And, Success Through the Magic of Personal Power seems to have everything for everybody.

Success Through the Magic of Personal Power is an absolute, must-have Success Manual for your personal Success Library.  Don't skip this one - it may have the precise answer that you are seeking.

On another note, today is my birthday and I am a seasoned, but very young, 51.  On this day in 2002, I received the best birthday gift EVER - the birth of my first child, my daughter Sophia.  Yup, she was born on my birthday!  How nice it is for us both to celebrate our birthdays together every year - a very special father-daughter bond indeed.  I cannot convey how special it is.  I am very, very grateful and blessed.

Love to all!

Until next time . . . .

Peace Out, and - Namasté!

To your Health, Wealth, Prosperity and Success,

The Success Manual Team

PS - If you are a "quote freak" like me, than Success Through the Magic of Personal Power is for you.  Not only are there many, many quotes from Vern himself, but the book is filled with great scores of Success quotes from others - including some of the greatest Success Minds.  An absolute MUST for Twitter if tweeting quotes is your fancy! 

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Free Success Ebook: "Success Through the Magic of Personal Power" by Vernon Howard - Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010

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DOWNLOAD FREE SUCCESS EBOOK: "Success Through the Magic of Personal Power" by Vernon Howard - Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010

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Mount Washington image with permission from the Mount Washington Observatory.  Thanks, Crew! 

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It has never struck you that you possess a machine?  That machine is yourself – you are the most fascinating bit of machinery that ever was.  Considering that we have to spend the whole of our lives in this human machine, considering that it is our sole means of contact and compromise with the rest of the world, we really do devote to it very little attention.  When I say ‘we,’ I mean our inmost spirits, the instinctive part, the mystery within that exists.  And when I say ‘the human machine’ I mean the brain and the body – and chiefly the brain.  -  Arnold Bennett, "The Human Machine"

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Free Success Ebook: "The Human Machine" by Arnold Bennet (6th Ed. 1913) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010 - Free Immediate Download

DOWNLOAD FREE EBOOK: "The Human Machine" by Arnold Bennett (6th Edition 1913) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010

If you read yesterday's post - a personal story of my est training back in 1980 - then you would know that today's addition to the Success Manual Free Download Library is "The Human Machine" by Arnold Bennett.

What does this 6th Edition of "The Human Machine," published in 1913 have to do with somebody's participation in The est Seminar Training Program 30 years ago in 1980?  Well, my greatest experience of the training program occured during a profound portion of the seminar's final day when the trainer was barking at us "Don't you get it? You are ALL machines!  You are a 'human machine!'"  And, that was going to be my segway into Arnold Bennett's classic book.

However, the training program - and all that it was about - was such great fodder that I couldn't resist making it a separate post.  And that I did - yesterday.

Which now brings us back to today and "The Human Machine" by Arnold Bennett.

The Human Machine. Conditioned, Automated and Reactive.

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If you haven't read this book, I strongly urge you to download it now, before you forget, and start reading it immediately.  The title is just as it suggests, and throughout this masterpiece, Bennett demonstrates (with wit and humor, I may add) that we are, quite ridiculously, machines - human machines.  So much of what we do is automated and automatic and we exercise far less free will than we tend to realize.  We really do.  By eliminating the "machine" aspects of our human character, we are liberated and therefore able to more freely and effectively live our lives.

We don't have to automatically respond in anger when somebody says something nasty to us, cuts us off while driving, or when we lose money when the stock market tanks.  We don't have to automatically experience doubt and anxiety when we don't have the anwers to our "problems" (challenges, really) or know how we will be able to afford something necessary that is seemingly out of reach.  We don't have to automatically fear that which we do.  We can CHOOSE otherwise.

"A man will wake up in the middle of the night (usually owing to some form of delightful excess), and his brain will be very active indeed.  He will see all his wife’s faults and the hopelessness of trying to cure them.  He will admit all the shortcomings of existence, will face them like a man, grimly, sourly, in a sturdy despair.  He will mutter: ‘Of course I’m angry!  Who wouldn’t be?  Of course I’m disappointed!  Did I expect this twenty years ago? . . . Now, if things were different . . .’"  -  Arnold Bennett, "The Human Machine"

The problem is that so much of how we live our lives has been automated for so long that we don't even see it.  Think about when you drive a car to a place frequently traveled and the trip highly familiar, such as a commute to work that you have been doing for years.  How many times have you done that trip and then don't even remember the drive there or home?  You were on auto pilot while piloting a 4,000 pound vehicle at 60 mph and you don't even remember it!  Now extrapolate that same type of experience to other instances, such as responding to a question by your spouse when, in fact, you don't even know what she has asked.  Or the same with your children.  Now, apply it to other instances,  such as when your husband or other loved one says or does something insensitive to you, which you have asked him (time and time again, of course) NOT to do or say, and you feel disappointed or that he doesn't respect you.  What is your response?  Or, is it even a response?  Is it more of a reaction?

There are major differences between a "response" and a "reaction."  A response is generally considered at length before given, is well-reasoned and non-emotional.  A reaction, on the other hand, is almost always immediate, is based on little - if any - reason and is almost always very emotional (and usually meant, at some level, to "get back at" or cause the other harm at some level).

A reaction is an second action that occurs automatically upon the occurence of a first action (hence, the name RE-Action).  Think of it: Action-Reaction.   Look at Newton's third law: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.  The reaction is an automatic result of the initial action, and it is equal and opposite.  You cannot have one without the other.

Machines react.  Human machines react.

Life doesn't have to be that way.  We don't have to be machines; we can choose to live life anyway we want.  And, we can choose to experience Life's experiences anyway we want - nothing has to be automatic unless we let it be.

We don't have to live a life in which we merely REACT to the circumstances, events, conditions and people around us. Our experiences don't have to be in the form of a REACTION.  Rather, we can choose to live a life in which we RESPOND to the circumstances, events, conditions and people around us.  Our experiences can be RESPONSIVE and not REACTIVE.

So, roll up your sleeves, people, and wake up and take control.  Let's use the God-given abilities to THINK and exercise FREE WILL in which we have been blessed and actually do something meaninful for ourselves, our family, our planet and our God.  It's the least we can do.

Until next time, my Friends, many Blessings, Peace - and Namaste!

To your Health, Wealth, Prosperity and Success,

The Success Manual Team

IMPORTANT NEWS: FINALLY - this week (REALLY!!) - Princeton Cambridge Publishing Group releases its Exciting New Products: THE WATTLES PROPSERITY BIBLE, THE LAW OF ATTRACTION PROSPERITY BIBLE, and THE WATTLES QUOTABLE BIBLE - See Our Prior Post for IMPORTANT INFORMATION!

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FREE Success Manual Download: "The Human Machine" by Arnold Bennet (6th Ed. 1913) - SUCCESS MANUAL STRATEGIST ED. 2010

 DOWNLOAD FREE EBOOK: "The Human Machine" by Arnold Bennett (6th Edition 1913) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010

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 DOWNLOAD FREE EBOOK: "The Human Machine" by Arnold Bennett (6th Edition 1913) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010

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With respect to any particular Goal, at any point in time (and regardless of the number, nature and extent of all Goals, for we all have many) you are either moving towards your Goal or away from it.  There is no in between.  Standing still doesn’t count, for if you are not progressing forward, then you are moving backwards.  As such, if you truly Desire to attain the Goal, it is highly critical to know whether you are progressing forward in the right direction or whether you are merely moving backwards.  If you are NOT moving towards your Goal, then you MUST know that fact AND you MUST find out why.

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Success Key: S.M.A.R.T. Goal Achievement Method – Part 2: MEASURABILITY

Last week, we opened a discussion on the SMART Goal Achievement Method – a precise and highly effective system that significantly assists you in the process of working towards a Goal, thereby greatly increasing your likelihood of ultimate Success.

As you may recall, SMART is an acronym for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time.  In last week’s post we addressed in detail the first element of the SMART Method: “S” or Specificity.  Today, we will take a close look at the “M” or Measurability.

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On its surface, there probably doesn’t seem much to say about Measurability.  Your initial response may have been, “okay, the Goal must be measurable,” or “progress towards the Goal must be measurable.”  But it is more than that.  And, when we examine why progress must be measurable, we come to a greater understanding of the Goal and Success attainment process, thereby increasing our levels of awareness and increasing the likelihood that we will Succeed.

Measurability is really a four-fold element.  Measurability means that: 1) you must be capable of measuring your progress as you work towards your Goal (i.e., your Goal must be Specific enough (the “S”) so that at any point in time anyone may objectively determine whether or not the Goal has been achieved), 2) you implement a system capable of periodically measuring your progress towards your Goal, 3) you actually use your system of measuring your progress towards your Goal, thereby collecting valuable information of your progress and, if you are not progressing towards the Goal, why not, and 4) in response to the information collected through your progress measuring system, you take appropriate remedial or corrective action that will bring you closer to achieving your Goal, with the action comprising both speed/efficiency and/or direction towards the Goal.

Now this may all seem like quite a bit of work, but in practical reality, it truly isn’t.  In fact, using your Goal progress system – whatever it may be – will save you untold amounts of time in the long run, and may even be the saving grace that keeps ultimate failure at bay.

With respect to any particular Goal, at any point in time (and regardless of the number, nature and extent of all Goals, for we all have many) you are either moving towards your Goal or away from it.  There is no in between.  Standing still doesn’t count, for if you are not progressing forward, then you are moving backwards.  As such, if you truly Desire to attain the Goal, it is highly critical to know whether you are progressing forward in the right direction or whether you are merely moving backwards.  If you are NOT moving towards your Goal, then you MUST know that fact AND you MUST find out why.

A well established Goal progress system will answer both questions.  It will allow you to evaluate – in an objective fashion – your progress, and if you not making progress, why not.

Why is this so critical?  Because if you determine that you are not moving towards your Goal and you have objectively identified why not, then you are in position to take remedial, corrective ACTION to get you back on track.  That is how ALL Success is attained and ALL Goals achieved.  Through this evaluation process, the individual is able to determine whether or not they are moving towards the Goal, and if not, then why not, and in response, the appropriate corrective ACTION may be taken.  It is the only way.

The best laid plans (Definiteness of Plan) at the beginning of any venture rarely will bring you directly to your destination.  You must modify your trip along the way.  It is HOW Success is Realized!

Measuring Progress. A well established Goal progress system MUST anwer two questions: 1) Whether you are moving towards your Goal, and 2) If not, why?

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There’s more to Measurability and we will continue this discussion in our next Success Key post on the subject of SMART.  But, there are some great take-aways from this discussion which you may adopt and implement immediately.

First, take an inventory of ALL of your Goals.  Okay, I know you have many.  But, in each case, to what extent have you implemented “Measurability?”  Again, Measurability means:

1. You must be capable of measuring your progress as you work towards your Goal (i.e., your Goal must be Specific enough (the “S”) so that at any point in time anyone may objectively determine whether or not the Goal has been achieved),
2. You implement a system capable of periodically measuring your progress towards your Goal,
3. You actually use your system of measuring your progress towards your Goal, thereby collecting valuable information as to your progress and, if you are not progressing towards the Goal, WHY NOT, and
4. In response to the information collected through your progress measuring system, you take appropriate remedial or corrective ACTION (or, as Anthony Robbins would say, "MASSIVE ACTION") that will bring you closer to achieving your Goal, with the ACTION comprising both speed/efficiency and/or direction towards the Goal.

If you do not have a progress measurement system in place, no matter how “primitive” it may be, you will not be able to determine if you are moving towards your Goal or away from it.  And, as pointed out last week, if your Goal lacks Specificity (the “S” in SMART), then you will not even be able to implement the “M.”  So, if you haven’t done last week’s homework and refined any non-specific, vague or ambiguous Goals (they must be objectified so that any third party can determine when the Goal is achieved), get going on that so that you can move onto the “M.”

This is very important stuff.

Until next time, Peace my Friend, and - Namaste!

To your Health, Wealth, Prosperity and Success,

The Success Manual Team

 PS - Exciting News: THE WATTLES PROPSERITY BIBLE, THE LAW OF ATTRACTION PROSPERITY BIBLE, and THE WATTLES QUOTABLE BIBLE - See Yesterday's IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!

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Negative thinking is a sneaky little enemy which silently steals its way into a man’s consciousness and, like a thief at night, steals not his purse, but robs him of that power which makes him poor indeed.  It is a sinister and destructive influence that works night and day to prey on a man’s soul.  It is man’s worst enemy, and life’s meanest foe.  It is worse than war, and largely the cause of war.  It is the curse of the human race.  It is as blind to reason as an owl is to light.  It turns friends into enemies and enemies into foes.  It robs a man of reason.  -  Earl Prevette, "How to Turn Your Ability into Cash"

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FREE Success Ebook: "How to Turn Your Ability into Cash" by Earl Prevette (1949) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010

DOWNLOAD FREE EBOOK: "How to Turn Your Ability into Cash" by Earl Prevette (1949) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010

Today's addition to the Success Manual FREE Download Library is a very practical Success Manual, "How to Turn Your Ability into Cash" by Earl Prevette.  Earl Prevette was quite an accomplished individual and speaks from his own personal experience on how to achieve Success, highlighting the very techniques that proved powerfully effective to his amazing achievements.

The law of nature is: “Do the thing and you shall have the power.” 

Consider the following: Prevette was an accomplished writer/author, reader and orator.  In his prior book, "How to Sell by Telephone," Prevette reveals his secrets on how he sold more than $10,000,000 worth of life insurance to strangers by cold-calling.  That is quite a feat, particularly in light of the fact that he accomplished that feat some 70 years ago! 

Enthusiasm is one of your greatest assets.  It is better than money, power or influence – with enthusiasm you become the master of these.

In 1915 at the age of 19, Prevette was awarded the Andrew Carnegie Medal for writing and delivering a speech on International Peace.  His subject was: “Is War Rational?” The opening sentence was: “War is as old as the human race, and as young as the last breath you breathe.”  This sentence was quoted in newspapers throughout the world.

Puffy undercast clouds rise above the horizon of the Mt. Washington Autoroad, an incredibly scenic drive originating from the base of the mountain and transcending to the Summit of 6,288-foot Mt. Washington of the Presidential Range, White Mountains, NH. Photo by Peter Hapgood, May 30, 2004.

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On February 21, 1947, Prevette was named in Ripley’s “Believe it or Not,” for having accomplished the following unfathomable feat: He completed 32 courses in Law, passed the State Board of Examiners, was licensed as an Attorney-at-Law and graduated with a college degree – ALL IN 5 MONTHS!  In "How to Turn Your Ability into Cash," Prevette reveals how he achieved this amazing accomplishment.

"How to Turn Your Ability into Cash" by Earl Prevette is a GREAT practical Success Manual.  It has real, practical and valuable information and instructions that you may implement immediately in your journey to achieve Success and attain Prosperity.  It is that good.  You will not be disappointed in the least - in fact, I believe that you will be quite grateful that you stumbled upon this gem!

Following the Download Section, below, is Chapter XIII from "How to Turn Your Ability into Cash," titled: "How to Turn Your Ideas into Money."  Now that is a great concept!

Until next time, Friend - Peace, Love and Namaste!

To your Health, Wealth, Prosperity and Success,

The Success Manual Team

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FREE Success Manual Download: "How to Turn Your Ability into Cash" by Earl Prevette (1949) SUCCESS MANUAL STRATEGIST EDITION 2010

DOWNLOAD FREE EBOOK: "How to Turn Your Ability into Cash" by Earl Prevette (1949) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010

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If you simply want to view this ebook reference within your web browser, simply left click the link and your web browser should open the file using a PDF file plugin.  You may download the file for viewing offline in your PDF viewer by right-clicking (control-click on a Macintosh) on the following link, then choosing the option that allows you to save or download the item (depending on the browser, this option will be labeled, "Save Target As," "Save Link Target As," "Download Link to Disk," "Download Linked File As," etc.) to directly download this file to your computer. You can then open the file using your PDF viewer, such as Adobe Acrobat Reader or any other number of PDF file viewers.  Adobe Acrobat Reader may be downloaded at no cost by clicking here.

DOWNLOAD FREE EBOOK: "How to Turn Your Ability into Cash" by Earl Prevette (1949) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010

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How to Turn Ideas Into Money

Earl Prevette

There are three separate departments of the United States Government.

First: Legislative Department.  Second: Judicial Department.  Third: Executive Department.

First: The Legislative Department.  The function of this department is to prepare bills for legislation.  After debate and consideration, the bills proposed are either passed upon or shelved.  Those passed upon become laws.

Second: The Judicial Department.  The function of this department is to render judgment and to determine the validity of any law passed by the Legislative Department.  Is the law in harmony with the Constitution?  Does it conform?  Does it meet a need?  These are questions which the Judicial Department may ask concerning any law.  The Judicial Department can declare any law passed by the Legislative Department null and void.

Third: The Executive Department.  The function of this department is to execute, and to put into action all laws that have been passed upon by the Legislative Department, and that have not been disapproved by the Judicial Department.  The Executive Department makes the law a reality.

There are three separate Departments of the Mind which deal with ideas.  The function of these Three Departments of the Mind bears a striking similarity to the three Departments of the Government.

First: The Emotion is the Legislative Department of the Mind.  Emotion comes from the Latin word “emovere,” which means to “move out.”  It is a vibratory thought moving out of the mind, which is attracted by an outside influence expressed or manifested either in another idea, suggestion, symbol or thing.  It is to be aware of something instinctively or intellectually.  The Emotion is the antenna of the Mind radiating and emitting thoughts into space, and also receiving them from space.  All ideas, thoughts, suggestions or impulses that come to the Mind are received by the way of the Emotion.  An idea of quality and merit is given consideration and passed upon by the Emotion, which is the Legislative Department of the Mind.

Second: The Judgment is the Judicial Department of the Mind.  Judgment is the act of judging the operation of the Mind, involving comparison and discrimination by which knowledge of values and relations are mentally formulated.  To analyze, to reason, to interpret and to discern is the power of the Judgment.

After the idea has been passed upon by the Legislative Department, the Emotion, it is turned over to the Judicial Department, the Judgment.  The Judgment weighs every detail of the idea to determine its quality, its usefulness and to ascertain whether it meet a need and also to establish its validity.  The Judgment also acts as the supreme arbiter and can declare any idea or impulse null and void, even though it has been passed upon by the Emotion.

After the Judgment establishes the validity of an idea, it is then ready for enforcement and action.

Third: The Desire is the Executive Department of the Mind.  Desire is the ardor of feeling.  A longing to see the idea in action.  The Desire executes and puts the idea in operation.  The Desire transforms the idea into a Reality.

It takes all three Departments of the Government to make a law a Reality, and likewise it takes all three Departments of the Mind to turn an idea into a Reality.  The Emotion passes upon the idea, the Judgment establishes the validity of the idea, and the Desire executes the idea into a Reality.

An understanding of these three Departments of the Mind will help you to make your dreams come true, qualify you to have an abundance of everything, and enable you to turn your ideas into money.  A knowledge of all three Departments of the Mind is essential, but the ultimate and complete fulfillment of an idea is dependent upon Desire.  Desire is a combination of feeling and action, and brings into force all the qualities, attributes and powers of the Mind.

What is an Idea?  An Idea is an image formed in the Mind.  It is a mental picture of something seen, heard or thought.  The formation of a pattern by which something is developed or created.

Ideas are incessantly striking the Emotion.  Some are declared null and void by the Judgment.  Others are consumed in daydreaming, and passed off as fleeting notions.  Others take wings and fly away.  Ideas come and go, and are usually dropped with a wish.  Thus the old saying goes: “If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride.”

A wish is all right in its place, but seldom does it turn into money.  On the other hand, some of your ideas are good, and can be turned into money.  On these you want to concentrate, and convert into money.

How can you turn your idea into money?  This is a simple and fascinating process, and one to enjoy.

It matters not whether you work with people, words or things.  It is very essential to have a vehicle in which to convey your Idea to others.  The best vehicle to convey an Idea is a Plan.  A Plan gives to the Idea a Body.  A Plan transforms the Idea into an Ideal.  An Ideal is a perfect image, and establishes a true conception of the thing you want to create, or the event you want to bring about in your experience.

Everything you observe in nature is an Idea of God, and is manifested in a Plan.  This Plan gives to the Idea a Body expressed in form, size and color.  If this were not so, it would be impossible to identify and classify the different varieties and species as they appear in nature.  This is a definite clue as to why all ideas to influence people or to create things must have a Plan.

This great principle is manifested all about us.  Everything created by man had its origin in Mind.  It is an invisible idea before it is a visible thing.  It is a thought, then a product.  All successful ideas for accomplishment must have a Plan.  A Plan not only identifies your Idea, but it also distinguishes it and gives it the momentum to operate.

Three definite Principles are essential to create a Plan for your Idea.

First: Create a Plan for the thing you desire.

Second: Develop a Process to put the Plan in Action.

Third: Produce an act to make the Plan a Reality.  A plan for the thing you desire entails a very definite and specific idea of the thing, position or situation you want.  After a definite decision has been reached, then proceed to build a Plan around this Idea.

 First: Develop a Plan.

It is a very simple process to build a Plan, and do it scientifically.  It must be planned.  A mass of material thrown together will not build a house.  Every brick, every plank and every nail must have its place.  The same is true in building a Plan.  Every word, every thought and every sentence must have its place.  A Plan is organized knowledge for portraying the reasons why the thing or position desired should become a Reality.  It is the art of creating in the mind of someone else a belief in the Idea you wish that person to accept.

The most scientific way to build a Plan is to get all your material together, get all the facts, and find out everything you can about the thing you desire.  Get its history, background, economic relation and the part it plays in life.  Analyze these data, catalogue them, classify them, organize them, define them, refine them and take the best parts of them and translate them into your Plan.  Include in this Plan anything that will improve business, anything that will contribute to the welfare of others, anything that will add peace of mind to people, anything that will enrich the happiness of others, or anything you can find that will help you to turn your Idea into Money.

Present this Plan in sequence, enumerate each point step by step, and try to use meaty words with a picture meaning.  Speak or write your Plan in concrete terms, not in abstract phrases.  Make it brief, concise, direct, definite, forceful and by all means understandable.  Season the Plan with the savor of personal interest, flavor it with the spice of enthusiasm and sweeten it with the sugar of kindness.

Second: Develop a Process to put the Plan into Action.

By inaugurating the Plan for the thing you desire you have decided definitely what you want.  The Plan to accomplish this is now established.  What is the next step?  To develop a Process, to put the Plan for the thing you desire into action.  A Process is the act of proceeding to put the Plan in operation.  This is brought about by the application of Four Definite Laws, and each one is essential to the fulfillment of the Plan.  These Laws are:

1.            The Law of Faith

Paul gave to the world the greatest definition of Faith: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”  Faith is believing and trusting wholeheartedly in the invisible forces of God which are the substance of things hoped for; and by adhering strictly to this Faith, the substance of these things will become the evidence of those forces, and make their appearance in your experience.

Someone asked Andrew Carnegie what he considered the greatest thing in his phenomenal success.  He answered: “Faith in myself, Faith in others and Faith in my business.”  The world always makes way for the man who knows what he is doing, and where he is going.

On the evening of December 12, 1900, a young man, thirty-eight years old, was invited to speak at a banquet held at the University Club in New York.  The guests at this banquet included men prominent in industry and finance, and was headed by J. P. Morgan.  The topic of the young man’s speech was: “The Future of the Steel Industry.”  He spoke for one hour and thirty minutes.  His unfaltering Faith in The Future of the Steel Industry, and the Plan for initiating it was so scientific, dynamic and forceful, that all those present were moved to action.  J. P. Morgan, was expected to leave after the first few minutes of the speech, was so entranced and so impressed that he decided to form the United States Steel Corporation.

The speaker of that evening was Charles M. Schwab.  As a reward for that speech demonstrating the Law of Faith in an Idea, Charles M. Schwab was made the first president of the United States Steel Corporation, at a salary of one hundred thousand dollars per year.  It pays to demonstrate Faith.

Faith is a belief in the favorable outcome of anything undertaken.  Faith gives life, power and action to your Plan.  Faith inspires you with absolute confidence to demonstrate your Plan, and qualifies you to turn your ideas into money.  By all means practice Faith.

2.           The Law of Repetition

In nature the Law of Repetition is continuously and regularly repeating the same things.  Every day the sun rises in the east, and sets in the west, with absolute precision.  The night follows the day with immutable certainty.  The four seasons are consecutively repeating themselves one after the other with inexorable accuracy.  The astronomer sets his clock by this undeviating law.

The Law of Repetition has been one of the contributing factors in teaching you most of the things you know thoroughly in life.  For example: When you were little, it took you quite a long time to learn how to walk.  Then you finally learned by the Law of Repetition.  You kept repeating the same movements every day in every way.  Finally, through your own experience you acquired sufficient knowledge, poise, and confidence to qualify and perfect you in the Art of Walking.  In the beginning it was a very difficult task, but once you acquired the knowledge and experience of how to walk, it became very easy.

You learned to talk by the same law.  As time went on, to school you must go, and again the Law of Repetition became your teacher.  Over and over, it drilled you in memorizing the A, B, C’s, the multiplication table, and that first poem you recited before the class.  The things the Law of Repetition has taught you are embedded into your consciousness.  They are a part of you and the application of them is natural and easy.

The trick of the magician looks easy.  It is easy for him.  He has made it easy by the Law of Repetition.

As applied to the Process to put your Plan in Action, the Law of Repetition is the act of perfecting your Plan.  You do this by practice.  You learn to know it, you learn to time it.  You know when to speak and when to be quiet.  You sense the proper pitch and inflection to give each word.  You have confidence in your Plan.  You learn to feel your lines and every thought in them becomes more inspiring and more invigorating.  It becomes a part of you.  You can give it in perfect sequence and in perfect co-ordination.  You find it has magic in it, not only for you, but for those to whom you present it.  By practicing and demonstrating your Plan, it gathers its own momentum, and throws out its own aura.  Your thoughts become magnets and you can make others feel the impulse of your Plan.

Every time you go over your Plan, you learn something new.  You learn to develop new inspiration, new interest, new zest and new enthusiasm.  By all means rehearse and try to perfect your Plan by applying the Law of Repetition.

 3.           The Law of Imagination

Imagination is the power to think in terms of images, words or things.  It is the workshop of the mind.  Here the Plan is given shape, form, and made ready for action.  This faculty of the Mind is able to visualize and imagine an idea in action.

To illustrate the dynamic power of the imagination to develop an idea, it will interest you to know this story.  About fifty years ago an old country doctor created a very wonderful formula.  He did not know what to do with it, yet he realized its great value.  He took this formula to a young drug clerk and explained its contents.  This formula was only an idea to the old doctor but the drug clerk paid him five hundred dollars for the idea.

What did the young drug clerk do?  He turned the idea expressed in that formula over to his imagination.  He visualized its value.  He discovered that the contents of that formula contained all the essential elements to supply people with a cool and refreshing drink, that would make them pause and give them a lift.  The idea thrilled and urged the drug clerk to formulate a Plan, to put the idea of that formula into action.  He wasted no time in creating a Plan for the distribution of a world-famous drink.  That drug clerk was Asa Candler.  The drink was Coca-Cola.  Today the name Coca-Cola is on most billboards, and the taste of it on most tongues.  That little piece of paper, with an idea mixed with the imagination of Asa Candler, turned into hundreds of millions of dollars.

A sequel to this story is that some years later when the Coca-Cola Company was well on the road to prosperity, a young man walked into Mr. Candler’s office and suggested to him that he had a Plan to double the business of the Coca-Cola Company.  For this Plan he wanted $25,000.  The Board of Directors met and agreed to the offer.  That Plan was short and to the point, and possibly contained fewer words than any other Plan ever offered to double a company’s business.  The Plan was: “Bottle it.”

Imagination is one of the most valuable faculties – by all means develop it.

4.          The Law of Persistence

You can have Faith in an idea, you can perfect an idea through the Law of Repetition, you can use the power of the Imagination to visualize the idea; but with all these you must carry through.  You must demonstrate Persistence.

Persistence comes from two Latin words, “per,” meaning “to,” and “sistere,” meaning “stand.”  To stand or be fixed, and face all difficulties with un-daunted courage.  To go on resolutely with your Plan, in spite of all opposition or adversity.  To persevere with dogged determination until your Plan is manifested, and your efforts are crowned with success.  Persistence is an attribute of character that guarantees the fulfillment of the Plan.

It is estimated that over twenty million people have read the book or seen the moving picture, “Gone with the Wind.”  Something accounts for this phenomenal popularity.  What is it?  Scarlett, the heroine of the story, remained all through the play the master of her fate, and never its victim.  No obstacle, no tragedy, no disaster, no adversity, no catastrophe, no circumstance, and no condition daunted her unconquerable spirit.  She met and conquered all of them with indomitable Persistence.  A demonstration of the Law of Persistence enabled her to conquer fate, and to crown her efforts with personal triumph.  This demonstration was a challenge to others to emulate her.  They were eager to find out how she did it.

Each year at Wake Forest, where I went to college, Doctor Tom, the old colored janitor, was invited to address the student body and to offer his words of wisdom.

Doctor Tom’s great admonition was repeated year after year.  It was “Be sure you are right, and then be sure to go ahead.”  This is a vivid illustration of Persistence.

The Plan is right, you are right and Persistence will not fail to make the Plan work, and turn your ideas into money.

Success of any Plan is like pressing out cider with a cider press.  You squeeze and squeeze and it seems as though the cider will never come; and then one big squeeze and out it comes.  Persistence is the last big squeeze that makes the Plan successful.  It has no substitute and it is well to remember that a “quitter never wins, and a winner never quits.”

Third: Produce an act to make the Plan a Reality.

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.”

In the first Principle we acquired the knowledge essential for the Plan.  In the Second Principle we learned the Laws necessary for its fulfillment.  Now comes the Third Principle, the Act of Making the Plan a reality.  In the last role we become a Shakespearean player.  All the forces of character and all the attributes of personality must be generated to put the Plan into action.

An idea is an image.  An idea with a Plan is a perfect image.  It is an ideal.  An ideal is something real, whether it be visible or invisible.  It is a compound idea made up of many ideas.  What happens when a Plan becomes an Ideal?  The idea in the Plan becomes real to you.  It is a part of you.  The Plan is given a big reception in the Grand Ball Room of Consciousness.  Here it meets urge, spirit, motive, confidence, courage and impulse of action.  At this reception Faith embraces the Plan.  Imagination praises the Plan.  Repetition repeats the Plan and Persistence guarantees the fulfillment of the Plan.  To visualize a Plan is to see it as a composite whole.  To idealize a Plan is to feel it in action.  Idealize is putting the “I” in the deal.  You can feel yourself initiating the Plan with skill and performing every step with alacrity and precision.  You feel its influence, not only on yourself but on all those with whom you come in contact.  With this power behind an idea, the Plan becomes so potent that soon it becomes a driving force behind you.

To illustrate the theory on “How to Turn Your Ideas into Money,” I want to tell you how I actually do it.  Some years ago, I told a general agent of a life insurance company that I wanted to sell life insurance by telephone.  He said that it was impossible.  A few years later this gentleman was surprised to know that I had sold ten million dollars’ worth of life insurance to strangers over the telephone.  To accomplish this unparalleled record it was necessary for me to know something about ideas, and how to get these ideas over to people in order to get results.  I liked the idea of life insurance.  This was only an idea that struck my Emotion.  The Judgment passed on the idea and declared it sound.  The Desire was aroused and convinced me that the idea could be turned into money.  The question was how to do it?

Selling is a good deal like farming.  The farmer has to plant the seed.  In doing so, he has no assurance of a crop.  He does know that he must sow before he can reap.  The Bible teaches him: “Whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap.”  The Mosaic Law tells him that everything in nature increaseth after its own kind.

The farmer is like the salesman.  The farmer plants seed.  The salesman plants ideas.  The ideas of your product, like seeds, will never grow a crop of sales unless they are planted.  The salesman reaps as he sows.  The more ideas he sows, the more sales he will reap.

To sell by telephone it is necessary to build ideas around your product.  These ideas must convey the value of the product to the prospect.  He can only react on ideas.  He is the negative force; you are the positive force.  Suggestions must come from you.  Reactions will follow from him.  The ideas of your product are the seed you plant.  The telephone helps you to plant more seed in a more scientific and systematic way.

Therefore, I realized, in order to have a crop of life insurance sales, I must sow a crop of life insurance ideas.  I lost no time in building a Sales Plan around the idea of life insurance.  In building this Plan I studied life insurance from every angle, not a phase of the subject was overlooked.  I sought every available source for knowledge and information.  I read every book I could find on the subject.  I compared all major companies.  I analyzed all important types of policies, including Term Insurance, Ordinary Life, Limited Payment Life, Endowments, all forms of Annuities and Retirement Income Plans.  I reckoned with mortality tables, compound interest tables, life expectancy tables, cash reserves, disability clauses, waiver of premium clauses, and tables for optional settlements.  I studied Life Insurance for partnerships, corporations and for tax purposes.  I searched tax laws relating to estates, wills and trusts.  I got acquainted with inheritance tax laws, both State and Federal.  The social, economic and financial aspects of life insurance as an institution were carefully weighed and considered.  I found the institution of life insurance was the steel girder holding together the economic structure of the nation.

After getting saturated with life insurance knowledge, I began to study the prospect.  Where does he fit in?  Where is his place in this great network of economic, social and financial relations?  I decided that the whole system was set up for one purpose and one purpose only, and that was to serve the needs of the prospect.  A life insurance policy was a declaration of financial independence, embodying guarantees that would solve his social, economic and financial problems, and make secure his hopes, ambitions and needs.  The prospect did not know this.  I must tell him.  Therefore, I made the prospect the center of interest in the Plan.  I made him the hub in the wheel.  I made him the spider in the web.  I draped a life insurance policy around his shoulders.  I idealized the Plan to him.  I made it talk.  I made it visualize and reveal its benefits and what these meant to him and his family.

The idea of life insurance incorporated into a sales plan of two hundred words, put in action by Faith, became a force.  It arrested attention, it incited interest, it persuaded and convinced the prospect to act.  It created sales, it produced results, it turned the idea of life insurance into money.  (The Sales Plan I used is quoted verbatim in Chapter III under “Law of Reason.”)

Ideas are inexhaustible, they are limitless.  Capture one, adopt it, create a Body for it, and make a real child out of it.  The child sometimes grows to be a giant.

John D. Rockefeller captured the idea to furnish light to millions of people, by the use of oil.  He gave the idea a Body.  At first it was a little, tiny baby, but twenty-five years later it was a billion-dollar giant.

Adolph Ochs, the late publisher of the New York Times, captured the idea to present the news truthfully and impartially and around this idea built one of the finest publications in the World.

Henry Ford captured an idea of transportation.  He gave the idea an automobile body, painted it black, and called it Model T, and turned it into a fortune of over a billion dollars.

Cyrus McCormick had an idea.  Around this idea, he evolved a reaper to cut and bind the wheat all in the same operation.  The International Harvester Corporation was the result.

Edison gave his idea a body – “The Phonograph.  His Master’s Voice.”  He certainly had no worries about where the next meal was coming from.

All those who have made contributions in the form of services, inventions, discoveries and science, have given their idea either a Body or a Plan.  An idea can mean nothing until it is incorporated into a Plan or built into a Body.

A dwelling house, an office building, a bed, a chair, a desk, a locomotive, an automobile, a steamboat, a Declaration of Independence, a Democracy, a Republic and even a Peace Treaty, are all ideas someone has given a Body or a Plan.  An idea to be of service must be incorporated into a means of conveyance.

The Idea of Democracy (People Rule) had been in the process of development for three thousand years before Thomas Jefferson incorporated the Idea into the Declaration of Independence.  In this immortal document, Jefferson denned the Idea of Democracy in these words: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

This is the soul and essence of Democracy setting forth the purpose and object of Democracy.  The Declaration of Independence gave the Idea of Democracy a Plan on which to work, and laid the foundation for a Constitution and our present American form of government.

An idea takes form as it is conceived in word, thought, thing or action, according to your belief in it.  Believe in your idea, concentrate on it, give it a Plan or a Body.  The minute you concentrate on your Idea, new thoughts, new ideas, new measures, new ways and new methods are opened up to help make it a reality.  Drop a pebble into a pool of water.  It starts a series of ripples that expand until they encompass the whole pool.  This is what happens when you give your idea a Plan.  It seems that you tap that great creative force within.  It turns that dynamic hidden something from within into a thousand friends all eager and willing to help you.  It makes others feel about your idea the way you feel.  It gives you all the power necessary to put your idea into action.  You can persuade and convince.  It makes the idea a vital, living force, the most subtle and irresistible force in the world.  The idea strengthens your character and gives form, color, essence and substance to that which you desire.  You can outstrip every unfavorable situation, solve all problems, and master every condition that stands in the way between you and the accomplishment of your idea.  You can have anything you want – anything your heart desires.  You can turn your Ideas into Money.  Try it.

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 Mount Washington image with permission from the Mount Washington Observatory.  Thanks, Crew!   

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