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In the end determination is what carries you towards your goals. If man has walked on the Moon or is going to land on Mars tomorrow, it is the power of determination which takes him where he wants to go. If there is one gift that you can give to yourself to achieve success in life, it is the power of determination. Without it you are a mere passive spectator in the drama of life. If you have the determination to undertake a particular course of action, to achieve a particular dream, to attain a particular status or position of honor or prestige in your life, nothing can stop you and nothing can deter you. Impediments may come and delay your progress, may disturb you temporarily, may even lead you astray for some time, but they cannot withstand the sustained pressure and energy of strong determination, the power that you generate within yourself to hold on tenaciously to the course of action you have chosen and to your cherished goals. This is one of the most valuable assets you can have in your life. If you have this, you will have every thing you want in your life. You are successful or unsuccessful to the extent you are determined and committed to your goals. The human mind can do anything it wants to, but only if it has the unwavering strength of determination, of the certitude to reach the goal it has chosen for itself, of the freedom of choice it exercises in deciding the kind of life it wants to pursue. With faith in God and confidence in yourself, and with strong determination, you can achieve the impossible, realize the most difficult dreams and achieve incredible success in your life. Remember this formula, write it down some where in your house or place of work, in your note book or diary, in your memory, or in your computer :
Take up a project or goal only if you are sure that you have the will and the energy to go ahead with your plans, whatever may be the difficulties, obstacles, and complications in your path. When a strong mind and a strong character join hands with the power of determination, who can stop such a powerful juggernaut in this world, who can push back such a self assured and determined army of thoughts marching in unison, singing the song of victory ? So why not start now with the determination to have a strong determination? |
Will Power and Self-Discipline
Sometimes, you wish to go for a walk, knowing how good it is for your health and how wonderful you feel afterwards, yet, you feel too lazy, and prefer to watch TV instead. You might be aware of the fact that you need to change your eating habits or stop smoking, yet, you don't have the inner power and persistence to change these habits.
Does this sound familiar? How many times have you told yourself, "I wish I had will power and self discipline"? How many times have you started to do something, only to quit after a short while? We all have had experiences like these.
Everyone possesses some addictions or habits they wish they could overcome, such as smoking, excessive eating, laziness, procrastination or lack of assertiveness. To overcome these habits or addictions, one needs to have will power and self discipline. They make a great difference in everyone's life, and bring inner strength, self mastery and decisiveness.
Definitions of Will Power and Self Discipline?
Will power is the ability to control unnecessary and harmful impulses. It is the ability to overcome laziness and procrastination. It is the ability to arrive to a decision and follow it with perseverance until its successful accomplishment. It is the inner power that overcomes the desire to indulge in unnecessary and useless habits, and the inner strength that overcomes inner emotional and mental resistance for taking action. It is one of the corner stones of success, both spiritual and material.
Self-discipline is the companion of will power. It endows the stamina to persevere in whatever one does. It bestows the ability to withstand hardships and difficulties, whether physical, emotional or mental. It grants the ability to reject immediate satisfaction for something better.
The human being is full of inner unconscious, or partly conscious, impulses. People sometimes say or do things they later regret saying or doing. On many occasions people do not think before they talk or act.
By developing these two powers, one becomes conscious of the inner subconscious impulses, and gains the ability to reject them when they are not for his/her own good.
Will power and self-discipline help us to choose our behavior and reactions instead of being their slaves. Don't think that life will become dull and dry in this way. On the contrary, you will feel more powerful, in charge of yourself and your surrounding, and consequently much more happy and satisfied.
How many times have you felt too weak, lazy or shy to do something you wanted to do? You can gain inner strength, initiative and the ability to make decisions and follow them. Believe me, it is not difficult to develop these two powers. If you are earnest and are willing to become stronger, you will certainly succeed.
In this article you will find some exercises and techniques for developing these abilities. These simple, but effective exercises can be performed everywhere, and at any time. Go slowly and gradually, and you will see how get stronger and your life improves.
There is a misconception in the public mind regarding will power. It is erroneously thought to be something strenuous and difficult, and that one has to exert and tense the body and mind when expressing it. It is a completely wrong concept. This is one of the reasons why people avoid using it, though they are conscious of its benefits. They acknowledge the fact that the employment of will power in their life and affairs will greatly help them, and that they need to strengthen it, yet they do nothing about it.
Will power gets stronger by holding back and not allowing the expression of unimportant, unnecessary and unhealthy thoughts, feelings, actions and reactions. If this saved energy is not allowed expression, it is stored inside you like a battery, and it becomes available at the time of need. By practicing appropriate exercises, you develop your powers the same way, as a person who trains the muscles in order to strengthen them.
Developing Will Power and Self Discipline
One way to develop and improve these abilities is to practice doing some disagreeable things in your daily life. Your mind and feelings will probably oppose doing them, nevertheless, do them. Let me explain. By doing something you do not like or are too lazy to do, you overcome your subconscious resistances, train your inner powers and gain inner strength. Muscles get stronger by resisting the power of the barbells. Inner strength is attained by overcoming inner resistance.
Remember, strengthening one of these abilities, automatically strengthens the other one.
Here are a few exercises:
1) You are sitting in a bus or train and an old man or woman, or a pregnant lady walks in. Stand up and give up your seat even if you prefer to stay seated. Do this not just because it is polite, but because you are doing something that you are reluctant to do. In this way you are overcoming the resistance of your body, mind and feelings.
2) There are dishes in the sink that need washing, and you postpone washing them for latter. Get up and wash them now. Do not let your laziness overcome you. When you know that in this way you are developing your will power, and if you are convinced of the importance of will power in your life, it will be easier for you to do whatever you have to do.
3) You come home tired from work and sit in front of the T.V. because you feel too lazy and tired to go and wash yourself. Do not obey the desire to just sit, but go and have a shower
4) You may know your body needs some physical exercise, but instead you keep on sitting doing nothing or watching a movie. Get up and walk, run or do some other physical exercise.
5) Do you like your coffee with sugar? Then for a whole week decide to drink it without sugar. You like to drink three cups of coffee each day? For a week drink only two.
6) Overcome your laziness. Convince yourself of the importance of what is to be done. Convince your mind that you gain inner strength when you act and do things, in spite of laziness, reluctancy or senseless inner resistance.
7) Sometimes, when you want to say something that is not important, decide not to say it.
8) Don't read some unimportant gossip in the newspaper, even if you want to.
9) You have a desire to eat something not too healthy. Refuse the desire.
10) If you find yourself thinking unimportant, unnecessary, negative thoughts, try to develop lack of interest in them, by thinking about their futility.
Never say that you cannot follow the above exercises, because you certainly can. Be persistent no matter what. Motivate yourself by thinking about of the importance of performing the exercises, and the inner power and strength you will gain.
Trying to attempt too many exercises when you are still a beginner, might end in disappointment. It is better to start training yourself through easier exercises at first, and gradually increase the number and difficulty of the exercises. Practice will improve and increase your power, giving you a lot of satisfaction.
Most of these exercises can be practiced anywhere, anytime. You do not have to devote special times for them. Believe me, they are very effective. Practicing them enables you to be strong and exercise will power and self-discipline in everything you do. This power becomes available whenever needed.
If you practice weight lifting, running or doing aerobics you strengthen
your body. When you need to move something heavy, you have the strength for it.
By studying French each day, you will be able to talk French when you travel to
It is important to remember not to choose exercises that might affect adversely your body or health. Deny and give up what is not necessary, futile or is harmful, but not what is vital for your well being. Always use your reason and common sense, so that you do no damage to yourself.
If for the sake of an exercise, you stop doing something that you usually do, and overcome the inner resistance concerning it, you may resume doing it, if it is not harmful. For example, if you love drinking orange juice, and for the sake of an exercise you switch to drinking apple juice, after doing so for some time and after it makes no great difference for you, you may go back to drinking orange juice, if you still like it. The point here is to develop inner strength, not make life difficult for you and continue doing things you don't like to do.
Advantages of Possessing Strong Will Power and Self Discipline
You need both of them in order to rule your thoughts and to be the boss of your mind. The stronger they are, the more control you have over your thoughts, and consequently your powers of concentration get stronger.
When you are the master of your mind you enjoy inner peace and happiness. Outer events do not sway you, and circumstances have no power over your peace of mind. This might sound too unreal for you, but experience will prove to you that all the above is true.
These abilities are essential for self growth, spiritual growth and meditation. They give you control over your daily life, help you improve your habits and behavior, and they are the keys to every success.
Practice the exercises presented here earnestly and persistently, and you will go really far.
Willpower - Your Inner Strength
Willpower is the inner strength and the inner engine that propels towards success and achievement. It is the power that pushes into action in every area of life. Willpower is one of the most important and desirable inner powers, and its lack or presence determines whether you will fail or accomplish your desires and ambitions and attain success.
Willpower is erroneously considered as a quality belonging only to highly successful people, who depend on strength and force to achieve their goals. The truth is that it can be developed by everyone, and it is important, useful and desirable in the small affairs of life, as it is in the achievement of major goals.
If you usually feel too lazy, developing your inner strength will help you to overcome this laziness. If you usually procrastinate, possess low self-esteem, feel weak and vulnerable or lack self-control, strengthening this power will help you too.
Willpower, which is inner strength, manifests as the ability to control unnecessary and harmful impulses. It also manifests as the ability to decide, abide by this decision, and follow it with perseverance until its successful accomplishment. This ability gives you the courage and strength to endure and overcome inner and outer resistance and opposition, difficulties and hardships.
There are many who lack the inner strength to say "no". Others find it difficult to follow and assert their ideas and beliefs. Some are afraid to take action and make changes or they lack resolution and the persistence to go on with their plans to the end. A strong power of the will can change all this.
It is the right and privilege of everyone to develop this ability. Everyone can develop it to a greater or smaller extent, depending on the desire, earnestness, ambition and time devoted to developing and strengthening this inner power.
In many of my other articles, and in the book "Will power and self discipline", I have emphasized the importance of developing this ability, and showed how to do that. You do not require super ordinary powers to develop it. You do not need to sleep on a bed of nails, fast or stand on one foot for days, as fakirs do. The concept that the development of willpower requires you to undergo suffering and physical mutilation is not true.
Developing willpower and inner strength is a gradual process that anyone can undertake. Some will be able to reach higher levels of power, while others will reach different degrees of development, but the way is open to all.
You will have to give up some unnecessary and harmful pleasures and change some unhealthy habits, but this is for a higher good. You give up something harmful or useless, in order to gain strength and power that will help you in every area of your life. In fact, the whole process can be turned into an absorbing, enjoyable and interesting challenge.
Training and exercising your willpower will fill you with strength, courage, and assertiveness. As your power grows, it will be easier for you to get rid of habits and attitudes that stand in your way to a better life. You will gain inner strength that will help you at your job and at home, in your relationships, with carrying on your tasks and with accomplishing your ambitions.
Self Discipline, Its Benefits and Importance
Self discipline is the ability to reject instant gratification in favor of something better. It is the giving up of instant pleasure and satisfaction for a higher goal. It gives you the power to follow your decisions, stick to them and not change your mind too often, and therefore be able to reach your goals.
Self discipline enables you to follow actions, thoughts and behavior, which lead to improvement and success. It also gives you the power and inner strength to overcome addictions, procrastination and laziness and to persevere in whatever you do.
Contrary to common belief, self-discipline is not a severe and limited behavior or a restrictive lifestyle. It is a very useful inner power, which enables one to persevere and not give up, in spite of failure and setbacks. It grants its possesser self control, and the ability to resist temptations and distarctions that tend to stand in the way of attaining aims and goals. In fact, it is one of the most important pillars of real and stable success.
The possession of this power leads to self confidence and self esteem, and consequently to happiness, satisfaction and real strength.
Lack of self discipline may lead to failure to reach goals, even minor ones, and to loss, health and relationships problems, obesity and other troubles.
Life often presents challenges and problems on the path to success and achievement. To rise above them, one needs to display perseverance, persistence and self discipline. To cure and overcome eating disorders, addictions, smoking, drinking, obsessions and other negative habits one also requires self discipline.
This ability is also of vital importance for studying any subject, developing any skill or walking on the paths of self improvement, spiritual growth and meditation.
Everyone knows the importance and benefits of self discipline, but very few take real steps to develop and strengthen it. Self discipline can be strengthened and developed like any other skill. There are exercises anyone can do to train this power. You can find advice and exercises at this website, in the articles that relate to will power and self discipline.
The Power of Concentration - Part One
When I was a child, I saw how a magnifying glass could burn a piece of paper, when the rays of the sun were focused through it. The fire could start only when the sun's rays were concentrated to a small point. When the magnifying glass was moved too far away or too close to the paper, the rays were not focused enough and nothing happened. This experience describes vividly the power of concentration.
This power can be described as focused attention. It is the ability to direct the attention to one single thought or subject, to the exclusion of everything else.
When our mind is focused, our energies are not dissipated on irrelevant activities or thoughts. This is why developing concentration is essential to anyone who aspires to take charge of his or her life. This skill is essential for every kind of success. Without it, our efforts get scattered, but with it, we can accomplish great things.
Concentration has many uses and benefits. It assists in studying and understanding faster, improves the memory, and also helps in focusing on any task, job, activity or goal, and achieving it more easily and efficiently.
The power of concentration enhances our inner healing powers. It is required for developing psychic powers, and is a powerful tool for the efficient use of creative visualization.
When this ability is developed, the mind obeys us more readily, and does not engage in futile, negative thoughts or worries, and we experience true peace of mind. Concentration, which is actually mental mastery, is also a very important tool for practicing meditation. Without it, the mind just jumps restlessly from one thought to another, not allowing us to meditate properly.
Do you now realize, why it is very important and worthwhile to develop and improve the ability to concentrate?
To develop this power you need to train and exercise it. Forget all your excuses about not having the time or being too busy. Do not say that the circumstances are not appropriate or that you cannot find a quiet place to exercise. With a little planning, desire and motivation you can always find the time to exercise each day, no matter how busy you are.
The Restless Mind
Thoughts claim our attention incessantly, and waste our time and energy on unimportant and useless matters. They actually rule our life. We have become so used to this slavery, that we take it for granted, and have become unconscious of this habit, except on certain occasions.
While breathing, we do not need to pay attention to each inhalation and exhalation. We become conscious of the process of breathing, only when we have some difficulty with breathing, such as when our nose is clogged, due to a cold, or when we are in an unventilated room.
It is the same with thinking. We become conscious of the constant onslaught of our thoughts, and of our inability to calm them down, only when we need to concentrate, solve a problem or study. We are also acutely aware of them when we have worries or fears.
Look at the following familiar situation. You need to study something for your job or for an exam. You sit comfortably on the sofa with the book in your hands and start reading. After a while you feel hungry and go to the kitchen to eat something.
You return to read, and then hear you people talking outside. You listen to them for several moments and then bring your attention back to the book.
After a while you feel restless and switch on the radio to listen to some music. You continue to read for a little while, and then remember something that happened yesterday, and you start thinking about it.
When you look at your watch, you are amazed to find out that one complete hour has passed and you have hardly read anything.
This is what happens when concentration is not strong enough to ward off all disturbances. There are many situations in life, where a little concentration can make a great difference. Think, and you will find out many such situations. Imagine what you could have accomplished, if you possessed even just a little of this ability!
Work that requires physical strength, such as carrying heavy loads for example, develops physical strength. Yet, it is not as exercising daily to the gym in a systematic manner. It is the same with concentration. Reading, studying and trying to pay attention to what we do, develop some of this ability, but practicing exercises diligently each day is something else, it is like training in a gym.
Resistance to developing concentration
In order to develop this ability we have to train our minds. Most people think that concentration is a strenuous and tiring activity, and that it involves exertion and tension, which are difficult and unpleasant.
One of the reasons for this belief comes from childhood. Parents and teachers expect children to study, do their homework and bring good grades. This brings up in the children a feeling of being coerced and forced to do something they don't like doing.
Studying needs concentration, and as children are often reminded that they are not concentrating good enough, they develop a loathing for concentration, and often for studying too. They become associated with coercion, lack of freedom, doing something they do not like to do, and which is against their will. When they grow up, it is no wonder that their powers of concentration are weak, and there is no desire to strain mentally.
We acknowledge the fact that good concentration is a great asset, yet most of us do nothing to strengthen it, mostly because we do not know how. Reading and thinking about its benefits, and about the reasons why it should be cultivated can help us change our attitude toward it.
Concentration can be fun if approached in the right way. It should be practiced with joy, fun, optimism, and understanding of its great possibilities. It has to be approached in a positive manner and then success dawns.
The benefits of developing concentration
Sometimes you can find strong powers of concentration in yourself. When you really and earnestly want to excel in your studies, pass an important exam or solve a problem, this power becomes available to you. In such cases, it appears because of some need or desire, but developing it in a systematic way, brings it under your control, and grants you the ability to use it intentionally, whenever you need it.
Real and good ability is developed gradually, through daily work, and with special exercises. It has to be approached in a reasonable and practical way.
Consider what you can gain
by developing the power of concentration:
-Control of your thoughts.
-The ability to focus your mind.
-Peace of mind.
-Freedom from futile and annoying thoughts.
-The ability to choose your thoughts.
-Better memory.
-Self-confidence.
-Inner strength.
-Will power.
-Decisiveness.
-The ability to study and comprehend more quickly.
-Inner happiness.
-Enhanced capability to develop psychic abilities.
-More powerful and efficient use of creative visualization.
-Enhanced ability to meditate.
-And much more...
Seems too good to be true? Develop the power of concentration and find out for yourself!
So what about starting to develop concentration power today?
In part two of this article you will find advice and exercises for developing and strengthening this ability.
Sharpening the needle of concentration requires practice, as everything else in life. Do you go to the gym? If you do, how many times during the week and for how long? Do you study a foreign language? If you do, how much time do you devote to it? Developing concentration is not different; training is required. Even ten minutes a day of concentration exercises will do you good.
The mind does not like discipline and will resist your efforts to discipline it. It loves its freedom more than anything else, and will try to stand in your way to master it, in any way it can. It will cause you to forget to do the exercises, tempt you to postpone performing them or make you feel too lazy. It will find many tricks to stop and disturb you, but you can and must be stronger.
You will find below, some simple exercises to perform. Always remember that the choice is yours, to be a slave to the mind and its whims, or to be its master. By practicing mental exercises, it is possible to train the mind and master it, and put it in its proper place, as your servant, and not as your boss and master.
You are not the mind nor the thoughts that pass through it. Though it might be hard to accept this idea, the mind is not you, the real you, but only a tool that you use. It is an instrument, which has great value, but it has to be taught to obey you.
Most people believe that they are the mind, and erroneously believe that controlling the mind means holding themselves back and denying their freedom. They feel that controlling their mind is not natural, and that it is some sort of repression. These beliefs are not correct.
The proof that we are not the mind comes with training. Accept the idea in theory, and in time, as your control over your thoughts grows, you will know it as a fact. In reality, you, the real you, is the one mastering the mind. It is not the mind mastering itself.
Preliminaries Before The Exercises
Find a place where you can be alone and undisturbed. You can sit crossed legged on the floor if you can, or on a chair. Sit with your spine erect. Take a few calm deep breaths and then relax your body. Direct the attention to your body, and relax each muscle and part of it.
I will now give you some exercises to practice. Sit down to practice for about 10 minutes, and after a few weeks of training, lengthen the time to 15 minutes.
Start with the first exercise, practicing it daily, until you are able to do it without any distractions or forgetfullness, and without thinking about anything else, for at least three minutes. Every time you get distracted, start again, until the 10 or 15 minutes pass away. You have to be honest with yourself, and proceed to the next one, only after you are convinced that you have practiced it correctly and with full concentration.
No timetable can be given, as this may be frustrating. If for example, I tell you that a certain exercise has to completed in a week, two things may happen. You may get disappointed, if you cannot get the desired concentration within a week, or you may move on without practicing the exercise correctly. Mastering the exercises successfully might take days, weeks, months and sometimes even more.
Put your whole attention into the exercises, and do not think about anything else. Be careful not to fall asleep, daydream or think about other matters. The moment you find yourself thinking about something else, stop the exercise and start again. After you become proficient, lengthen the time, and if possible, include another session in the afternoon.
Do not attempt too much at the beginning, and don't try to perform them all at once. Go slowly, do not overdo or tense you brain.
If you find it too difficult, or thoughts distract you and make you think about other matters, don't despair. Everyone encounters difficulties along the way. The successful ones are those who go on and never give up. If you persist in spite of difficulties and disturbances, success will crown your efforts. Remember, even those with powerful concentration had to exercise their minds.
It does not matter if your concentration is weak now, it can be strengthened. Where you reach, depends on how much time, energy and earnestness you put into this project.
In time, you will find out that you can concentrate anywhere, anytime, no matter where you are. Do you understand what does it mean? To be able to concentrate, think and function under the most trying circumstances, while remaining calm, relaxed and collected. The reward is worth the effort a thousand fold.
Now to the exercises. Some of them may be familiar to you. Some may seem too easy to perform. Some were taken from various sources and others created by me. When your concentration and knowledge about concentration increases, you will be able to create new exercises by yourself.
For full benefit, it is advisable that you practice each exercise for one additional week, after you are convinced that you are practicing it correctly and with full attention.
Concentration exercises
Exercise 1
Take a book and count the words in any one paragraph. Count them again to be
sure that you have counted them correctly. Start with one paragraph and when it
becomes easier, count the words in a whole page. Perform the counting mentally
and only with your eyes, without pointing you finger at each word.
Exercise 2
Count backwards in your mind, from one hundred to one.
Exercise 3
Count in your mind from one hundred to one, skipping each three numbers, that
is 100, 97, 94, etc.
Exercise 4
Choose an inspiring word, or just a simple sound, and repeat it silently in
your mind for five minutes. When your mind can concentrate more easily, try to
reach ten minutes of uninterrupted concentration.
Exercise 5
Take a fruit, an apple for example, and look at it from all sides. Concentrate
your attention on it and examine it from all sides. Devote the whole session to
concentrating on it. Do not be carried away by irrelevant thoughts that arise.
Stay with the apple. It could be any other fruit. Look at it and do not think
about the shop were you bought it, about the way it is grown, its nutritive
value etc, only about the object in front of you. Just look at it, see it,
smell it and touch it.
Exercise 6
This is the same as exercise number 5, only that this time you visualize the
fruit with your eyes closed. Start by performing again exercise number 5 for
five minutes, and then do this one. Try to see, feel, taste, smell the fruit in
you imagination. Try to see a clear and well defined image. If difficulties
arise open your eyes, look at the fruit, close them again and continue the
exercise.
Exercise 7
Take a small simple object such as a spoon, a fork, or a glass. Concentrate on
one of these objects. Watch the object from all sides without any
verbalization, that is, with no words in your mind. Just watch the object
without thinking with words about it.
Exercise 8
After becoming proficient in the above exercises, you can come to this
exercise. Draw a small geometrical figure, about three inches in size, such as
a triangle, a rectangular or a circle, paint it with any color you wish, and
concentrate on it. You should see only the figure, nothing else. Only the
figure exists for you now, with no unrelated thoughts or any distractions. Try
not to think with words during the exercise. Watch the figure in front of you
and that's it. Try not to strain your eyes.
Exercise 9
The same as number 8, only this time visualize the figure with the eyes closed.
As before, if you forget how the figure looks like, open your eyes for a few
seconds and watch the figure and then close your eyes and continue with the
exercise.
Exercise 10
The same as above in number 9 but the eyes open.
Exercise 11
Try for at least five minutes, to stay without thoughts. This exercise is to be
attempted only after all the previous ones have been performed successfully.
The previous exercises, if practiced correctly, will endow you with the ability
to impose silence on your thoughts. In time it will become easier and easier.
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The secret of success is constant practice. The more time you devote to the exercises the faster your success arrives. Go on gradually; ten minutes at the start and in time as you gain the ability to concentrate, give it more time. When you see that you are successful, you will begin to love the exercises, and in time they will become a habit. You will be able to concentrate your attention easily and effortlessly upon anything you want to concentrate on.
Are you jogging, exercising at the gym or studying a foreign language? How difficult it was in the start? How many times you wanted to quit? Yet, after a while you started to like what you were doing. It became a habit, needing no effort to perform. So it is with developing the power of concentration.
After some of time you will start to feel differently. It will be easier to concentrate. Your mind will be calm and relaxed and you will radiate peace into your surroundings. Things, circumstances and events that used to agitate and anger you, will not influence your inner calmness. You will experiment happiness, content and satisfaction, self-confidence and inner strength. You will be able to cope more easily and efficiently with the outer world.
You will feel a new form of consciousness growing in you, bringing you peace of mind. It may come every now and then for a brief moment, but in time it will grow and fill you completely. You will be able to make the mind work for you when you need its services, in a most efficient way. You will be able to silence it when its services are not needed.
I assure you, from personal experience, that the attitude to life and the reactions to events change after starting to practice concentration. It is some kind of automatic and gradual process. You come to know many things about the mind and how it functions, and you learn to deal with it efficiently.
The Power of Positive Thinking
Positive thinking is a mental attitude that admits into the mind thoughts, words and images that are conductive to growth, expansion and success. It is a mental attitude that expects good and favorable results. A positive mind anticipates happiness, joy, health and a successful outcome of every situation and action. Whatever the mind expects, it finds.
Not everyone accepts or believes in positive thinking. Some consider the subject as just nonsense, and others scoff at people who believe and accept it. Among the people who accept it, not many know how to use it effectively to get results. Yet, it seems that many are becoming attracted to this subject, as evidenced by the many books, lectures and courses about it. This is a subject that is gaining popularity.
It is quite common to hear people say: "Think positive!", to someone who feels down and worried. Most people do not take these words seriously, as they do not know what they really mean, or do not consider them as useful and effective. How many people do you know, who stop to think what the power of positive thinking means?
The following story illustrates how this power works.
Allan applied for a new job, but as his self-esteem was low, and he considered
himself as a failure and unworthy of success, he was sure that he was not going
to get the job. He had a negative attitude towards himself, and believed that
the other applicants were better and more qualified than him. Allan manifested
this attitude, due to his negative past experiences with job interviews.
His mind was filled with negative thoughts and fears concerning the job for the whole week before the job interview. He was sure he would be rejected. On the day of the interview he got up late, and to his horror he discovered that the shirt he had planned to wear was dirty, and the other one needed ironing. As it was already too late, he went out wearing a shirt full of wrinkles.
During the interview he was tense, displayed a negative attitude, worried about his shirt, and felt hungry because he did not have enough time to eat breakfast. All this distracted his mind and made it difficult for him to focus on the interview. His overall behavior made a bad impression, and consequently he materialized his fear and did not get the job.
Jim applied for the same job too, but approached the matter in a different way. He was sure that he was going to get the job. During the week preceding the interview he often visualized himself making a good impression and getting the job.
In the evening before the interview he prepared the clothes he was going to wear, and went to sleep a little earlier. On day of the interview he woke up earlier than usual, and had ample time to eat breakfast, and then to arrive to the interview before the scheduled time.
He got the job because he made a good impression. Of course he had also the proper qualifications for the job, but so had Allan.
What do we learn from these two stories? Is there any magic employed here? No, it is all natural. When the attitude is positive we entertain pleasant feelings and constructive images, and see in our mind's eye what we really want to happen. This brings brightness to the eyes, more energy and happiness. The whole being broadcasts good will, happiness and success. Even the health is affected in a beneficial way. We walk tall and the voice is more powerful. Our body language shows the way you feel inside.
Positive and negative thinking are both contagious. All of us affect, in one way or another, the people we meet. This happens instinctively and on a subconscious level, through thoughts and feelings transference and through body language. People sense our aura and are affected by our thoughts. Is it any wonder that we want to be around positive persons and shun negative ones? People are more disposed to help us if we are positive. They dislike and avoid anyone broadcasting negativity.
Negative thoughts, words and attitude bring up negative and unhappy moods and actions. When the mind is negative, poisons are released into the blood, which cause more unhappiness and negativity. This is the way to failure, frustration and disappointment.
In order to turn the mind toward the positive, inner work and training are required. Attitude and thoughts do not change overnight.
Read about this subject, think about its benefits and persuade yourself to try it. The power of thoughts is a mighty power that is always shaping our life. This shaping is usually done subconsciously, but it is possible to make the process a conscious one. Even if the idea seems strange give it a try, as you have nothing to lose, but only to gain. Ignore what others might say or think about you, if they discover that you are changing the way you think.
Always visualize only favorable and beneficial situations. Use positive words in your inner dialogues or when talking with others. Smile a little more, as this helps to think positively. Disregard any feelings of laziness or a desire to quit. If you persevere, you will transform the way your mind thinks.
Once a negative thought enters your mind, you have to be aware of it and endeavor to replace it with a constructive one. The negative thought will try again to enter your mind, and then you have to replace it again with a positive one. It is as if there are two pictures in front of you, and you choose to look at one of them and disregard the other. Persistence will eventually teach your mind to think positively and ignore negative thoughts.
In case you feel any inner resistance when replacing negative thoughts with positive ones, do not give up, but keep looking only at the beneficial, good and happy thoughts in your mind.
It does not matter what your circumstances are at the present moment. Think positively, expect only favorable results and situations, and circumstances will change accordingly. It may take some time for the changes to take place, but eventually they do.
Another method to employ is the repetition of affirmations. It is a method which resembles creative visualization, and which can be used in conjunction with it. It is the subject of another article on this website.
The other articles at this website, about the power of concentration, will power, self-discipline and peace of mind also contribute to the development of a positive mind, and are recommended for reading and practicing.
Achieving Your Dreams And Goals
Turning dreams into reality
Achieving your dreams and goals depends on several factors:
1. You should have a specific goal.
2. You have to be sure that you really want to achieve your goal.
3. You need to have a clear mental image of your goal.
4. You need a strong desire.
5. You need to disregard and reject doubts and thoughts about failure.
6. Show confidence and faith and persevere until you gain success
How many people fulfill all the above-mentioned requirements? Just a few! Most people do not know that there are some laws governing success, which should be followed.
It is so easy and simple to daydream and then say, "Well it is just a daydream. It will never come true". It is so easy to give up due to lack of faith.
Achieving your goals shouldn't be a tough ordeal. In fact, it can be fun and pleasure, if you go in the right way. It is not so much hard physical work that brings success. Big success does not require hard physical labor. In fact, you need mental work.
Visualization and affirmations consist of this mental work, and are an important part of achieving success. When you visualize and affirm you focus and channel your energies toward your goal. Your mind is geared toward finding solutions to bring your goal into manifestation.
By thinking in a positive manner on your goal, and do not letting any doubts enter your mind, your intuition starts working, you see opportunities, and you have energy at your disposal to follow your goals and dreams.
Some people listen to subliminal messages, for programming their minds for success. There are many CD's available today, which implant subliminal messages into the mind, so as to activate its power. Some people prefer to use them, because this does not require any effort on their part. It is said that these subliminal messages, which go straight to the subconscious mind, bring faster results. Maybe they do, but then you have no control on what goes into your mind.
When you visualize and affirm your goals or write down, you gain much more then just programming your mind passively with subliminal messages. The attention, intention and energy you channel toward visualizing and affirming, develop in you inner strength, concentration, willpower and self-discipline. You actively develop your inner powers.
One of the advantages of visualization and affirmations is that you can use them wherever you are, at any time, without the necessity of any external instruments. All you need is your mind.
Success appears in various ways, sometimes in a miraculous way, sometimes in an ordinary way, and sometimes through an opportunity that appears. A door opens, but you have to get in and take advantage of the opportunity.
Correctly following these methods will bring you more ambition, inspiration and motivation, which would enhance your chances of success.
Remember, there are big goals and there are many small daily goals, which visualization and affirmations can make them easier and faster to achieve.
People often erroneously think that goals mean only big goals, such
as:
becoming wealthy,
getting an expensive car,
possessing a big house with a swimming pool,
building a very successful business.
The truth is that the following are no less important goals:
getting to work on time,
spending more time with the family,
reading a book,
going to see a movie,
eating less.
How do you visualize and affirm?
Are there any special rules and instructions?
Yes, there are!
Like any other subject, if you want to do it right you need to study it right.
It is simple and easy to learn to achieve success through visualization and
affirmations. Anyone can learn to use them right. The books "Visualize and
Achieve" and "Affirmations - Words of Power" will teach everything
you need to know in order to use these wonderful powers.
These books are much more than just books. They are textbooks, that teach in a very clear and easy to understand way all about visualization and affirmations. They have been written in a way that everyone can easily understand, follow and implement what they teach.
If you really want to change your life, consciously program your mind for success, and gain inner power and strength, then you have to read them.
Personality researchers have proposed that there are five
basic dimensions of personality. Evidence of this theory has been growing over
the past 50 years, beginning with the research of D. W. Fiske
(1949) and later expanded upon by other researchers including Norman (1967),
Smith (1967), Goldberg (1981), and McCrae & Costa (1987).
The "big five" are broad categories of personality traits. While
there is a significant body of literature supporting this five-factor model of
personality, researchers don't always agree the exact labels of each dimension.
However, these five categories are usually described as follows:
These dimensions represent broad areas of personality. Research has demonstrated that these groupings of characteristics tend to occur together in many people. For example, individuals who are sociable tend to be talkative. However, these traits do not always occur together. Personality is a complex and varied and each person may display behaviors across several of these dimensions.
American psychologist Henry Murray (1893-1988) developed a
theory of personality that was organized in terms of motives, presses, and
needs.
Theories of personality based upon needs and motives suggest that our
personalities are a reflection of behaviors controlled by needs. While some
needs are temporary and changing, other needs are more deeply seated in our
nature. According to
The following is a partial list of 24 needs identified by Murray and his colleagues.
According to
Each need is important in and of itself, but
Other psychologists have subjected
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List of very good Articles by Mr.V.Jayaram:-
The Power of Positive Affirmations by V.Jayaram
Coping with Failure
by V.Jayaram
Thirteen ways to Deal with Adversity by V.Jayaram
Morals from Aesop's Fables intro by V.Jayaram
Dealing with the problem of Loneliness by V.Jayaram
The Power of Your Thoughts by V.Jayaram
Pillars of Prosperity by V.Jayaram
The Problem of Self- esteem by V.Jayaram
How to improve your memory by V.Jayaram
The art and craft of Effective Listening by V.Jayaram
Becoming Aware of Yourself by V.Jayaram
Maturity of Mind and Adult Behavior by V.Jayaram
Stop Blaming Others by V.Jayaram
As a Man Thinketh: by James Allen
The need for self development by V.Jayaram
The art and science of relaxation in three parts. by V.Jayaram
Positive Thinking the road to success... (in 3 parts) by V.Jayaram
Pray for peace but wage your war by V. Jayaram
Simple Pleasures of Life by V.Jayaram
Eye Care For a better vision and healthy eyes by V.Jayaram
How to achieve and maintain mental peace by V.Jayaram
How to choose priorities in your life by V.Jayaram
Healthy Suggestions for a healthy life by V.Jayaram
On problems and problem solving by V.Jayaram
The Power of Determination the key to success. by V.Jayaram
Success and successful people by V.Jayaram
The secrets of effective negotiations by V.Jayaram
How do you spend the 24 hours on any given day ? by V.Jayaram
Suggestions for a successful career in six parts by V.Jayaram
Plus other articles:
Unresolved Conflict is Organizational Bloodletting by Rhoberta Shaler, PhD
1 Simple Key To Happiness by Gordon Bryan
10 tips to kick start your self esteem by Julie Plenty
5 ways to kick the
procrastination habit! by Julie Plenty
10 ideas to help you
remember by Maria Gracia
10 Intuition Busters by Susan Dunn
10 Planning Tips by Donna Birk
10 Steps to Worry Free
Life by Louise Morganti Kaelin
Forgiveness by Jacqueline
Hale
Performance Anxiety by
Margaret Paul
10 Assumptions that Kill Success by Jim Allen
Why Most People Will Never Reach Their Goals by Thomas J Stevens
On Losing Your Job by Myrtis Smith.
The strength of
stillness by Sri Aurobindo
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A very good site: http://www.autostok.com/
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