When you plan for success, do you really plan for success or do you think about all the things that could go wrong, all the stupid mistakes you could make and the negativity that could crop up, and try to work out ways to avoid them?

self help

Following on from my August article detailing some of my favourite people on Twitter, here’s a few more. These guys are fun, entertaining, and most importantly interesting. Plug into these guys communications, check out their sites and blogs and your life will be a better place. Click on the names to see the page.

So, in no particular order…

1. @askanditisgiven
2. @Jack Canfield
3. @PluginID
4. @mistyjenneiahn
5. @walterdoc
6. @thewarriorsage
7. @yogamagic
8. @andrew_johnson
9. @envisionfreedom
10. @scotteverest
11. @avenefica

self help

Often when I post something on Full Contact Living or one of the awesome lovely special sites I visit, I will get a reply along the lines of “I like what you say and I’m trying it. But it’s so hard to apply to everyday life and I find myself failing…”

Is there anyone who doesn’t relate to this? I’m not raising my hand to this one and I suspect you’re not too. I know only too well the frustration of reading something inspirational in an Antony Robbins book one week, and nothing having changed the following week. Something to remember here is a point I touched on recently regarding successful people. Let me remind/clarify. I can strip down the key qualities to success to just TWO ELEMENTS.

Successful people know where they want to go.

Successful people are willing and prepared to do whatever it takes to get them there.

That’s it. Personal Development was never so easy!

Once a successful person is on course, they will put in the effort – and most importantly the time – to get them to their goal. A musician will practice for hours. An athlete will run laps, lift weights, watch their diet. An academic will study, and study… and study. To the point where most people have got bored and walked away YEARS previously.  In short – Successful people will spend far longer rehearsing than they will actually performing. I know from personal experience – I’ve probably spent more hours in a single day of rehearsal than I have in a studio during my entire music career. How many months – or years – did Usain Bolt have to train in order to run that 100m? Years of prep for a task over in less than 10 seconds. I’ve known close up magicians who will practice for hours a day on just one tiny trick – that you won’t even see happen!

HOW COME?

Successful people put more focus on the joy of success than on the discomfort of failure. As a musician, I would practice a riff for HOURS. I’d get it right maybe 1 time out of 20, if I was lucky. But it felt sooooo good when I got it right, I just kept on going until I was nailing it 2 times… 5 times… 10 times… eventually every time (Pretty much!).  If I got it wrong, I’d just laugh and start it again. It’s no biggie if I drop a note, I just keep on forging through those 19 bum notes for the euphoria of playing that tune perfectly on the 20th attempt. I’ll apologise to the neighbours tomorrow.

The person who will write a response such as the one at the opening of this issue will have a different thought process. See if you recognise this (I know I do!)

I set a goal or decide on a course of action. I get a picture in my mind of exactly what will happen when I’m successful. I know exactly what I should do, how it should feel. It doesn’t turn out just like expected so I get frustrated and despondent.

Being positive, being “up beat”, changing lifelong conditioning and disempowering beliefs takes time. Most importantly. It takes PRACTICE. It takes ACTION. More accurately, it takes CONSISTENT ACTION. Whining doesn’t figure in this process, and nobody ever said it was easy or will happen in a week.

Believe me, if whining could take the place of action I’d have made it as the most successful person in the world in 2005!

Moving on…

self help

As regular visitors to Full Contact Living will know, I’m a big fan of the polynesian philosophy of Huna. I’d definitely say “fan” rather than “expert”. There’s more than a little crossover between what I believe is essential to creating a better life – and indeed a better world – and what the Kahuna have known for generations, and this is not a coincidence (But then, nothing is).

Below are the Seven Principles of Huna, as described by my absolute favourite commentator on the subject, Pohaku. Check out his fantastic podcasts and website, HunaTrainer.  I’ve removed the Hawai’ian names just to keep things streamlined.

1. The world is what you think it is. Be Aware.

You create your own experience by your thoughts. Thoughts of fear, anger and resentment can make us sick and diminish our effectiveness, while thoughts of confidence, love, determination, and forgiveness can increase our health and performance. Learn to recognize the effects on experience of attitude, expectation, telepathy and belief. Thoughts will telepathically attract their equivalent. Positive thoughts will attract positive people and events. Negative thoughts will attract negative people and events.

2. There are no limits. Be Free.

Everything is connected. A single thought of love or hate influences the whole universe. Connectedness may be described as a web or infinite electromagnetic fields. Anything is possible. By assuming such interconnectedness we assume the possibility of influence at a distance. Our energy or spirit extends to the ends of the Universe because there are no limits. Keep the connection clear by continually releasing mental and physical stress and tension.

3. Energy flows where attention goes. Be focused.

Those aspects of your present experience which seem enduring are the result of sustained focused attention. If you don’t like your present circumstances then find some way to shift your attention to a new pattern. (Meditation or hypnosis are some techniques.) Keep your intentions, objectives, goals and purpose in mind, including frequently reviewing your motivation. This lends a high degree of efficiency and a low degree of frustration.

4. Now is the moment of Power. Be present.

Remember your beliefs, thoughts and behaviour change your world. It is futile to live in the past or the future. The greater your presence in the now, the greater your effectiveness. Be more consciously aware of the input from your senses. Be aware of sounds, colours, shapes, lines, touch, energy. Decide for yourself what is worth following up on.

5. To love is to be happy with. Be happy, praise.

Criticism kills relationships, praise builds them. Whatever you criticize or praise increases and grows. Self criticism causes stress, anxiety and inhibits awareness memory and energy whereas self praise increases awareness, energy, strength, memory, and contentment. Whenever you are criticized personally praise yourself aloud or silently and the criticism will have no effect. Sending blessings is as important as praise. To bless is to reinforce actual or potential good, to acknowledge beauty, admire skill, appreciate kindness and give wishes for success and safe journeys. Telepathic blessings can be just as effective.

6. All power comes from within. Be confident.

Confidence is vital because without it, it is difficult to function. All the power that creates your own experience comes from your own body, mind and spirit. You create all your experiences through your beliefs, desires, fears, expectations, reactions, and responses. Neither affirmations, prayers nor visualizations will be effective if they are spoken with wistful hope and feelings. Confident authority is the key to all conscious creation and manifestation. Suitable confidence raising affirmations are – “I approve of myself. I send praise to myself and others. I speak, think and feel with conscious authority and belief, I and everyone have the power to create our own experiences. I am doing well. I feel great”.

7. Effectiveness is the measure of truth. Be Flexible.

What is really important is what works. Every problem has more than one solution. There is always another way to do anything. This translates as the way you do anything determines the result, definitely not the reverse. Reach success through helping others.

As you can imagine, this is a very short summary of the principles and definitely worthy of continued exploration and reflection. I’d also recommend visiting www.hunatrainer.com and diving into their forums for more info and discourse on this fascinating subject.

BRB

self help

Sorry for the recent black out, guys.  I’ve been tying up loose ends, dealing with the last remnants of crap in my life, and completing some huge projects that required my full focus. Oh, and I met some great people and taught at some truly awesome events. Thanks to everyone who made it happen and took part! A speaker without an audience is a pretty sad sight, and you tend to get looked at funny and given plenty of space at bus stops.

I’ll be picking up where I left off next week, meantime here’s something that the universe threw at me just when I needed it. It’s from Marshall Sylver. He’s not the most savoury of characters, as some would testify, but in the points below he’s bang on.

• THERE IS NO ALMOST
• YOU EITHER DID IT OR YOU DIDN’T
• YOU’RE EITHER WINNING OR YOU’RE LOSING
• YOU ARE EITHER MOVING CLOSER TO YOUR GOAL OR FURTHER AWAY
• YOU ARE EITHER STRIVING FOR MORE OR STRIVING FOR LESS
• DOES WHAT YOU’RE DOING RIGHT NOW WORK FOR YOU OR AGAINST YOU?

I’ll be back…

self help