Programming For Success / Monthly Mentor - September 2009

 

 

The law of belief says that whatever we believe with feeling becomes our reality, and if we wish to change our beliefs about ourselves. The law of expectations says that whatever we expect with confidence becomes our own self-fulfilling prophecy, and that's why we must expect the best of ourselves and of every situation. The law of attraction says that we inevitably attract into our lives the people and circumstances that harmonize with our dominant thoughts. If we want to attract different people and circumstances, we have to change our thinking.

 

The law of concentration says that if you want something to grow in your life, you must concentrate on that thought or picture until it comes into your reality. The law of substitution says that if we wish to have positive experiences in our lives, we have to keep our conscious mind focused on positive things, positive events, positive circumstances. The law of repetition says that if we wish to change from negative to positive habit patterns, we have to practice the positive one over and over. The law of relaxation says that in all mental working, effort defeats itself - the more we just relax and confidently believe that the things we want will come into our lives, the more rapidly they appear.

 

Nobody stays the same for any period of time. We are continually changing in the direction of our dominant thoughts and goals and in the direction of our ideal self. Our job in this process is to keep very clearly in our minds the people we would like to be and the goals we would like to accomplish.

 

To continue growing, we have to let go of the past. We have to develop new habit patterns of thinking and talking and acting continuously in the manner consistent with the person we would like to be, with the attribute and characteristics we would like to have.

 

There are several methods we can use to accelerate this process of personal development. The first is affirmation. Use affirmations such as "I like myself," "I am responsible," "I feel terrific," "I am decisive." Repeating these affirmations over and over with the beliefs and enthusiasm drives them deep into the subconscious.

 

The second way we can program our minds is by visualization. Visualization is the ability to form a clear, precise, vivid, mental picture of what we want to be, have or do, and to hold that picture in our minds. The key to using visualization is to get a clear mental picture of yourself as though you already had the characteristics and attributes that you want. Form a clear mental picture of yourself performing at your very best in any situation, and visualize the situation coming out exactly the way you want it to come out.

 

The third techniques that we use is to act the part of the person we would like to be, with the characteristics or attributes we would like to have. Carry yourself as though you have self-confidence, enthusiasm, power and vitality, and within a few minutes you'll actually have the feelings that are consistent with that action. We can act or pretend ourselves into feeling the way we want to feel and act, and then it becomes a reality.

 

Autogenic conditioning is one the foremost techniques to bring about rapid and permanent behavioral and attitudinal change. In autogenic conditioning, you sit down, close your eyes and relax deeply. While you're completely relaxed and your mind has slowed down and you're completely relaxed and your mind has slowed down and you're in complete harmony with yourself, you affirm a goal, form a clear mental image, and visualize yourself with those qualities and attribute or with the things you want to be, have or do.

 

The very best time to use these methods is early in the morning. During the first hour after we awaken in the morning, our subconscious mind is more amenable to new programming than at any other time of the day. As soon as you get up in the morning, say, "I feel terrific! I feel terrific!" Then spend 20 to 30 minutes reading something inspirational, motivational or educational. From then on, all day long, make your life once continuous affirmation. Read books and listen to tapes everywhere you go. Make the decision that for the next 21 days you're going to concentrate single-mindedly on developing one new, positive habit pattern of thought.

 

The most powerful single influence on the people we become is the power of suggestion, the power of the suggested influence in the environment that surrounds us. The people with whom we habitually associate are the single most influential part of our environment. If we are seriously concerned about becoming high achievers, it's important to associate with a positive reference group of achievement-oriented individuals.

 

There are four techniques we can use to bring about rapid personality change by imbuing the subconscious with a new series of ideas and pictures and by programming our goals at a deep subconscious level. First, written-programming technique consists of writing out our goals in specific and precise language and doing so as often as possible. Early in the morning, before you start the day, take two to three minutes to rewrite your major goals. Get a clear mental picture of yourself with the goal attained exactly the way you want it.

 

Second, quick-programming technique is used before any non-recurring event of importance. Whenever you think of the upcoming event, flash a clear mental picture on the screen of your mind of yourself completely relaxed and in control of that situation. Your subconscious will give you the words, actions, gestures and responses that are exactly consistent with the mental picture you've printed on your brain.

 

Third is the sports-programming technique, which is used by athletes. They go through their entire sports routine in advance in their mind. To use this technique to attain your goals, you must see yourself going through every single step of the event exactly the way you would like to do it in reality.

 

Finally, the standard-programming technique consists of writing out your goals in the form of present-tense, personal, positive affirmations. Relax so that the conscious mind drops into a state of deep relaxation, then read the goal and repeat it three to five times. Get a clear mental picture of yourself actually experiencing the benefit of attaining your goal.