Many years ago, I was given a first edition autographed copy of Napoleon hill’s book, Think and Grow Rich. I gave the content of the book little attention, but because it was a rare book, I put it on my desk (in the office), for everyone to notice.

One day a friend came in and began casually examining the book while waiting for me to finish up some business on the phone. He let out a loud ‘WOW’. He held the book up and pointed to a paragraph, saying, “read this.” I hung up the phone to read the paragraph. In that instant, I realized that I owned a book of considerable value for its contents, not because it was an autographed edition by a famous author.
 

This discovery aroused my interest in self-help books. I took the time to read the book thoroughly and the information in the book gave me a brand new perspective on myself and life.

I now recognize the value of a good book when I read it, AND I don’t assume I have mentally digested it in one reading. The best way to treat the mind so it serves you is to offer your mind an opinion, insight or working principal of life – drip, drip, drip – one idea at a time. The mind is influenced by mindful repetition. I’d learned this while reading Napoleon Hill’s book and I immediately set out to apply it. I have read Think and Grow Rich no less than 300 times.
 
 

If you intend for your mind to serve you, you must first serve it with what you want it to accept as true; serve it with repetitious loving spoonfuls (not giant buckets). President JFK’s father called his son ‘President John’ for years before John had even finished high school – drip, drip, drip. Any more than that, and it boggles the mind.

With what idea will you treat your mind? What book are you willing to read a dozen times?

I was reading about a Chinese panda car that can do stunts. This subcompact car can rear up off its hind wheels, can hop around and even do a reverse donut! Wow, if a car can do that, what can I do that I’ve not yet imagined?

The truth of your unlimitedness comes with pure awareness. (I know the word unlimitedness is not in the dictionary, but I think it should be) When we are willing to forsake our collection of self-limiting beliefs, we see ourselves very differently. The engineers of the Chinese Panda car began looking at cars in a very different way – no limits!

If you want to really experience your unlimitedness, then don’t listen to that self-talk that says, “I’m ONLY human.” Consider that kind of inward chatter like meaningless background music that you hear on an elevator – let it just pass on through.

When I listen deeper than my automatic self-talk, I become aware of a still, small voice that tells me of my bottomless reserve of unrealized potential. That voice is what continually urges us to try new things. Children love trying new things because they’ve not yet learned that they are ‘ONLY human’. My newest thing is writing … I love, love, love it!

I love proving to myself I am more than ‘ONLY human’. Clearly there would be no human footprints on the moon if everyone listened to the world-voice’s chant” ‘be careful, after all – you are ONLY human – if man was meant to fly he would have been born with wings’.

What do you dream of doing, but have not yet made a move toward that dream because you are ‘ONLY human’… not smart enough… too short… too old… too young… born on the wrong side of town… ad infinitum?

Listen to that still, small voice with perfect awareness – what once seemed impossible becomes a possibility for you! Listen… be aware… and a very different quality of desire shows up in you.

The month of May is meditation month; what a great reminder that we are not our minds, but rather… we are independent beings who are able to take command of our minds. Your mind is your personal bio-computer, and it has the awesome ability to create.

I have learned that if I do not stay alert, my mind is a step ahead of me telling me what to think, say and do. A mind that is conditioned to tell you what to do cannot create anything new, it can only imitate. I remind myself of this daily. I choose to create newness in my life, not have my mind serve up pictures of my past and have me dancing like a marionette to old tunes.

Meditation is a fabulous way to take command of the mind. Meditation requires understanding the mechanics of the mind. The mind chatters incessantly unless you take direct control. The best way to take control is to practice reflecting deeply on one subject; that is all that meditation is about. When other ideas pop in, simply refocus you attention on the subject you have chosen. There is great power in this.

When you spend the time to meditate, you are able to create your future to unfold as you want it to. I encourage you to try it. Take baby steps. Begin with a few minutes and then expand your meditation time.

What might you meditate on that would change your life in ways that would please you?

1. More money.

2. Harmonious relationships.

3. A job promotion.

4. Taking that exotic vacation.

Watch out what you meditate about…. you just may get it!

It was a few years back that it came to me that my most important relationship in the whole wide world was with MYSELF. If my relationship with myself is not working, my relationship with the world and the people in the world will not work, no matter how hard I try.

So, what did it take to establish a fabulous relationship with myself; a relationship that has me very happy with the very intimate person that I wake up to every morning – ‘ME’! If I am NOT happy with me – my day is surely going to prove to be testy. Can you agree with that?

Here are four fabulous rules to follow to create a fabulous relationship with yourself:

Rule # 1: Absolutely Accept Yourself just as you are. Perhaps there are changes you may want to make, but if you resist who you have created yourself to be, you give power to the parts of your personality that you want to improve. That which you resist shall most definitely persist. Why? Because you are pushing at it, and what you push always pushes back!

Rule # 2: Now that you have accepted yourself as you are, hold yourself responsible for making necessary changes. Look ahead and KNOW how you want to be, and set up projects in your life to support the NEW YOU that you are creating. If you are going to be healthier – join the local health club, go jogging, promise to eat vegetables every day – chunk your projects down into manageable parts so that you can accomplish them.

Rule#3: Create a ‘Learning Center’ in your mind where you can go and look at how you are doing. When you find yourself falling back, take the time to notice the mistakes, and ask yourself what you can do to refine your action so you can improve your plan to move toward your aspiration. If you joined the local health club but are not going there – then write a schedule and promise yourself to keep the schedule and reward yourself when you do. “I will go every Mon, Wed & Fri after work for one hour. When I succeed, I will treat myself to a great movie in town.” Keep your promise to yourself.

Rule # 4: Pay attention to how you speak to yourself. Your inward self-talk is a very important part of your growth and development. If your self-talk is scolding, it will discourage you. You will find that you keep falling back to where you were when your self-talk is discouraging. Memorize supportive inward self-talk and refer to it often. My favorite is this: “I am marvelously made and destined to win at whatever I set my mind to.” I remind myself of this often, and especially when I am procrastinating or coming up with excuses to quit my project.

I hope these Four Rules help you with creating a version of you that you love to be with. When you love to be with ‘YOU’, you love to be with others in the world; you love life. What a gift you give yourself and everyone around you. You can do.

You are marvelously made, rob

On April 30th, Vice President Biden spoke of the ‘Recovery Act’; what it takes for the country to recover from it’s current lows. We can all work miracles in our own individual lives when we take the time to put together a ‘Recovery Action Program’ that puts our mind back on track.

When I find myself caught in challenging circumstances, it is important that I take immediate command of my mind. The mind can be wavering and wobbly when things are not working out as hoped, and if I may paraphrase ancient text: “he that wavers is tossed to and fro by the winds of life.”

The first thing to do when life is challenging you is to pause to concentrate all of your creative energy on how you want your life to be; put together a ‘Recovery Act Program’ that clearly tells the mind the outcome you intend to achieve. “I intend to eat right and get over the flu quickly.” “I intend to begin a savings program and get out of this debt.” Mean it when you say it. This requires exercising your Power of Will, which is infinite!

If it is to be, it is up to thee; what will you decide about yourself and your future that will support your aspirations and aims? A ‘Recovery Act Program’ requires not only focusing your attention on how you want your life to unfold; it also requires changing your behavior patterns so they support your new visions. Spend time pondering what you DO want and what you will do to make it happen… and give little time to what you do NOT want. The mind is an awesomely powerful creative tool when used rightly. What is the ‘Recovery Act Program’ that will put your mind back on track?