Autosuggestion

Preceding Quote: A quitter never wins, and a winner never quits

Autosuggestion is the medium for influencing the subconscious mind.

Mr. Hill began the chapter on autosuggestion with the following comments:

“Autosuggestion is the term which applies to all suggestions and all self administered stimuli that reach ones mind through the five senses. Stated another way, autosuggestion is self-suggestion.”

“Through the dominating thoughts that one permits to remain in the conscious mind, the principle of autosuggestion voluntarily reaches the subconscious mind and influences it with these thoughts.”

We are bombarded throughout the day with so much information. It is actually amazing that our mind has the ability to remember anything. It is even more amazing that we have the ability to filter that which we want to remember. The conscious mind works as a gate keeper for the subconscious mind and only allows in that which we believe or are convinced is important. The conscious mind does not however differentiate negative from positive and it is obvious that not everyone exercises their ability to control what reaches their subconscious mind.

A perfect example of negative autosuggestion defeating the benefits of the subconscious mind is the impact of working with someone possessing a negative attitude. It is nearly impossible to remain positive when you are working next to someone that continually complains. In this case, the autosuggestion sent to the subconscious mind is negative and usually trumps any and all positive thoughts. This is why one naysayer can be destructive to the common goal of a team. It is important to either turn the negative attitude around or quickly extract the poison from the team

Those that desire to influence their subconscious mind with positive goals and desires enlist the power of autosuggestion. In the chapter on Desire, the six steps for getting what you desire were presented. Autosuggestion is the engine which fuels this process.

This process is very specific. It requires:

• that the item of your desire be stated in very specific terms
• that you define the exact price you are willing to pay and then
• set a definite timetable for its accomplishment.
• Once this has been completed, the system requires that a definite written plan for carrying out your desire be completed. This plan must include the specific description of that which is desired, the price you are willing to pay and the exact timetable.

The last step is where the power of autosuggestion is woven into the process. The system requires that you read the written statement aloud twice a day; once when rising in morning and just before retiring in the evening. However, reading alone is not sufficient. It is important to enlist the power of emotion and imagination. “Your subconscious mind recognizes and acts only upon thoughts that are well mixed with emotion and feeling.” In short, you must believe that your desire is within your reach and that you deserve to have it.

I believe the underlying message of this system is that you are the master of your own mind and your dreams and aspirations. It is a personal choice to control your thoughts and guard against the dark side called negativity. It is so easy to blame others or circumstances for your own shortcomings. It takes courage to decide that you are what you are because of the choices you make.

I recently was again reminded that even disciples of this system are not immune to the dark side. I personally made a choice to give my daughter total control of her preparation for the SAT exam. I did not “check in” to make sure she was on track. The result is not one I am proud of. At first I blamed her, the schools and anyone else I could think of. Finally I realized that it was my choice and that this choice could potentially harm my daughter. By taking responsibility, I granted myself the power to change the final result. I became engaged in her preparation and we will celebrate her success.

This morning my daughter and I discussed our new challenge and implemented a plan based on the six step system. She set her specific stretch goal for this exam. We discussed the process and time that would be necessaryand she committed to the price she was willing to pay. Her initial time frame is May 3, 2008. This is the next date the test is being offered. Finally, she has scribed this plan in her journal and committed to reading it out loud at least twice a day. I have done the same. Together we will build the vision of her success and begin to visualize this reality. Through the power of autosuggestion, we will train our subconscious mind to accept nothing less than success.

Please note that while we did devise a plan, I am certain that it is not perfect and that it will change. We did not allow this to hinder us from beginning. It has been said that the implementation of an average plan is far superior to a great plan not acted upon.

This process brought me to an interesting revelation. My daughter and I implemented the system as a team. This system is not just for individuals, it is for any entity that wants to succeed. The key to success for any entity; whether an individual, a team or a Company, is a specific goal that is always at the forefront of thought. By continually reinforcing this goal by the power of autosuggestion, the vision of the goal becomes reality and failure becomes impossibility. As a negative thought can destroy positive karma in an individual, a negative participant can infect the positive synergy of a team.

Faith

Preceding quote: There are no limitations to the mind except those we acknowledge. Both Poverty and riches are the offspring of thought.

Before I write on the subject of Faith, I want to make it clear that I am not discussing Faith in its religious terms and do not intend to get into a deeper conversation on the topic. Although I believe Mr. Hill did attempt to make this correlation.

Hill believes that Faith is a state of mind that may be induced or created by affirmation or repeated instructions to the subconscious mind through the principle of autosuggestion. This is the only known method of voluntary development of the emotion of faith.

He explains that any impulse of thought that is repeatedly passed on to the subconscious mind is finally accepted and acted upon by the subconscious mind which proceeds to translate that impulse into it's physical equivalent. From this statement it is apparent that the subconscious mind will translate into its physical equivalent a thought impulse of a negative or destructive nature just as readily as it will act upon thought impulses of a positive or constructive nature.

Hill is a firm believer that people who believe they are doomed to poverty and failure because of some strange force over which they have no control are actually the creators of their own misfortunes because of their negative beliefs which are picked up by the subconscious mind.

As discussed in my previous post on desire, the six step formula for transmuting desire into its physical equivalent has a better chance of success if the plan is specifically written out and read out loud at least twice daily.

Faith is the reason that these two steps are so important. The world is full of negativity. This dark karma can easily taint the subconscious mind and ruin any well thought out plan. Only by dedication to a definite of purpose and constant positive affirmation can the subconscious mind stay the course to deliver the physical equivalent we desire.

There are scores of examples where success has been pulled from the jaws of failure. Faith is the only known antidote for failure.

No plan will ever go exactly as envisioned forever. There will be setbacks and “issues”. This is the time when those with little or no faith give up. The subconscious mind makes no distinction between constructive and destructive thought impulses. It works with the material we feed it though our thought impulses. It will translate into reality a thought driven by fear just as readily as one driven by courage or faith.

Mr. Hills analogy was “Like the wind that carries one ship east and another west, the law of autosuggestion will lift you up or pull you down according to the way you set your sails of thought”

Mr Hill offers the following verse to describe the power of autosuggestion:

If you think you are beaten, you are
If you think you dare not, you don't
If you like to win, but you think you can't,
It is almost certain you won't

If you think you'll lose, you're lost,
For out in the world we find,
Success begin's with a fellow's will-
It's all in the state of mind

If you think you are outclassed, you are,
you've got to think high to rise,
You've to to be sure of yourself before
You can ever min a prize

Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man,
But soon or late the man who wins
Is the man WHO THINKS HE CAN.

Desire

Preceding Quote: Whatever the human mind can conceive and believe it can achieve

It is Mr. Hills belief that Desire is the starting point of all Achievement. By having a definite goal, placing all your energy, all your willpower, all your effort, everything in back of that goal, you can turn desire into the burning obsession of your life.

The core of the "secret" to transmuting the desire for riches into its physical equivalent consists of six definite, practical steps. They are:

• Fix in your mind the exactly what you desire. It is not sufficient to think in generalities. Be definite as to that which you desire.
• Determine exactly what you intend to give in return for your desires. (there is no such reality as "something for nothing"
• Establish a definite date when you intend to possess your desires.
• Create a definite plan for carrying out your desires, and begin at once, whether you are ready or not, to put this plan into action.
• Write out a clear concise statement of your desires, name the time limit for its acquisition, state what you intend to give in return, and describe clearly the plan through which you intend to accumulate it.
• Read your written statement aloud, twice daily, once just before retiring at night, and once after arising in the morning. As you read - see and feel and believe yourself already in possession of that which you desire.

These steps were scrutinized by Thomas Edison who placed his stamp of approval upon them as being, not only the steps essential for the accumulation of money, but for the attainment of any goal.

These steps should not be revelations. For years I have watched athletes utilize this process. This is the beauty of competition. It provides the perfect incubator for us to perfect our skills.
Whether competing on a team or individually, the desire begins with the establishment of a goal. This is a specific goal as in "I want to be the best in this specific event".

In these competitions, the definite date when possession of your goal will become reality is normally established by outside forces. Competitions happen on specific dates.

This is a true benefit. This definite time horizon assists the novice dreamer in determining what they are willing to give in return for their desires. For example, the girl’s state swimming championship is normally the second weekend of February. That means that a person with the desire to win the championship in an individual event has approximately 11 months to train. This allows them to work backwards and design a training regiment to transmute this desire into a State Championship. This plan will include both the necessary physical and mental requirements.

It will become apparent very quickly the “sacrifices” that will need to be made. Nothing worth having comes without a price. There will be hours spent in the pool when friends are doing other things that would be more fun in the moment. There will be times when friends and family will tempt them with comments like “It is only one practice, what can it hurt?”

In so many instances, the difference between those who attain their goals and those that fall short lies in the last two steps of the formula.

Those that succeed write out their specific goals with the time frame, what they are willing to give in return and the plan for attainment. They then use this written plan as a tool. It is never out of their mind. By reading this plan out loud at least twice a day and visualizing possession of that which is desired, they invoke the powers of faith and auto-suggestion. Incredibly, their mind will begin to believe that it is already in possession of the coveted desire.

A sophomore boy, Kyle Whitaker beat a state record in the 200 Individual Medley this past year. There were many in the state that thought this record would never be broken. Not Kyle. Mr Whitaker was quoted in the paper the day after the state meet as saying “the race went almost exactly how I had visualized it.” Though this and several other comments, it was apparent that Mr. Whitaker had implemented the power of the six steps.

In the words of Mr Hill, “Wishing will not bring riches, but desiring riches with a state of mind that becomes an obsession, planning definite ways and means to acquire riches and backing those plans with persistence, which does not recognize failure, will bring riches.” “The application of these steps does call for sufficient imagination to enable one to see and to understand that accumulation cannot be left to chance, good fortune and luck.” “You can never have riches in great quantities unless you can work yourself into a white heat of desire and actually believe you will possess it.”

Why is it that so many young athletes understand and implement the power of desire and so many grown adults can not implement this power in their professional and personal lives?

Think and Grow Rich

For the next 12 days, I am going to take one chapter of the book “Think and grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill and discuss the contents.

This book was published in 1937 after over 20 years of research. Mr. Hill was urged by Andrew Carnegie to study the exceedingly successful and wealthy men of the time and write a book on the "secret" of making money.

In a latter chapter of “Think and Grow Rich”, Mr. Hill mentions that this secret is not just for making money. When questioned on why his focus was on money, he responded that people are paralyzed with the fear of poverty and that this fear limits their abilities to sustain their spirits. He readily admits that there are riches that can not be measured in terms of dollars, but if we are driven by this fear of poverty, we will be unable to implement the teachings. Therefore, Mr. Hill focused on the pursuit of money, fully aware that the secret is the key to anything the human heart could desire.

A quick glance at the title of the book and the titles of the chapters gives a profound clue as to the nature of the “secret”. The titles of the chapters are:

Desire
Faith
Autosuggestion
Specialized knowledge
Imagination
Organized planning
Decision
Persistence
Power of the master mind
The mystery of sex transmutation
The subconscious mind
The brain
The sixth sense
The six ghosts of fear

Isn’t it amazing how the “secret to success” has not changed over time.

Cooperation

Napoleon Hill stated "No individual has sufficient experience, education, native ability, and knowledge to ensure the accumulation of a great fortune without the cooperation of other people.”

We recently brought thirteen exceedingly dedicated associates together for an off site strategic planning meeting. Our purpose was to determine the direction of the Company through direct questioning, specifically designed exercises and constant interaction.

At first the personalities of the participants played out as anticipated. However, as the process and time progressed, the group morphed into its own entity. We began to feed off of each other. The thought process was awesome. We seemed to relearn the importance of precise communication and respect for our customers, vendors and fellow Guardians.

For the first time in several years, I was feeling the sprit of the “Guardian”. The commitment and dedication to the success of the entity “Sign Craft” was alive and well. We took the time to have empathy for our fellow Guardians and to respect the knowledge and talents they bring to the Company. In addition, we made a pact to hold each other accountable.

In order for Sign Craft to ensure the accumulation of a great fortune, the combined experience, education, native ability, and knowledge of each Guardian must be working in concert to deliver a product to our Stakeholders that meets or exceeds the value they anticipate.

A special thanks goes out to all who participated in our journey with added kudos to our facilitator. You all did an amazing job in setting the course for this Company. We must all now band together to make it happen. Remember, an average plan put into action is better than a brilliant plan that is not acted upon.