SAMPLE CHAPTERS

How? When You Don't Know How

Chapter One: How To Reignite The Fire Within

Did you ever wonder whether or not you had what it takes to live a life of magic and adventure?

This question used to consume me before I fully engaged in this journey called life. When I got involved I sensed almost a mysterious organizing force that on request helped me achieve the most challenging goals. I began to realise that I have and always had all the resources required to lead a fulfilling life.

Now I wonder no more!

At the end of this section you will realise that you too have the power - now choose to use it and watch your life transform before your very eyes.

THE MAGIC OF MISSION.

Everybody has some special talent, which if exploited for the good of all can lead you to a life of magic and adventure. Later on in this book we explore how to identify this unique song you are meant to sing on this planet.

"Flow."

Just recently I was asked to do a one hour radio interview. The only hitch was it was scheduled for the night following my return from the States. The plane journey was tedious and draining. I arrived home late. The following afternoon I awoke still feeling very jet-lagged. A few of my friends contacted me by phone a few hours before the interview. I genuinely believe I broke the all time record for yawns per minute! One of them advised me to cancel the interview just in case I nodded off ! When I arrived at the radio station, the yawn frequency was still high.

Ear phones on, the interview starts; recharge I exploded with energy. For one full hour my tiredness had seemed to dissapear. In its place; energy and enthusiasm. I was talking about something I truly loved - I was on mission. When I returned home it was not long before the yawning pattern re-established itself.

I am sometimes asked how I meet the challenge of being asked many difficult questions on the spot while on air. Simply being on mission –doing what I love enables me to think clearly and meet these challenges positively.

Can you remember the last time you engaged in something that you executed with effortless ease yet to others your achievement was sensational?

In this chapter we spoke of the gift of magnetic attraction. When you are on mission you attract the most amazing circumstances and/or new teachers/people into your life without even trying. In the last two years I have visited different countries around the world. Without any plan I ended up with the most amazing interviews. Allow me to relate the latest magical adventure.

Flight to Israel, September, 1999

The movie "Notting Hill" had been enjoyable. Now, I needed to go to the toilet as a matter of urgency. One problem, the passenger on my right side was blocking my way and he was asleep. Not wanting to disturb his siesta time, I struggled with nature for another few minutes. Finally, I had no choice ... well actually I had but this was not a desirable option!

"Sorry" I gently shrieked.

"Can I get by you, I must go to the bathroom". He politely moved aside. Nature had obviously called other people on the plane also, as a queue had developed. Never one to miss an opportunity I engaged the girl in front of me in conversation. She was going to work in Jerusalem for a few days. A taxi was waiting at the airport to collect her. My thoughts were to go to Tel Aviv, then travel to Jerusalem a.s.a.p. and station myself there. The more I spoke to her, the more obvious it became that a direct route to Jerusalem would be the most appropriate choice. This is what I choose to do, in the interesting company of the "Belfast girl".

We arrived at her hotel in Jerusalem in the early hours of the morning. As

there was no room at the Inn where she stayed I ended up, limited budget and all, staying at the American Colony Hotel, a well known landmark in Jerusalem. And why not, I was to learn that all the stars stayed there, Lauren Bacall, Alec Guinness and Peter Ustinov among others ... but they could afford it, and I wasn't a star. Ah well, I am happy, that's all that matters! The next day I moved to my friends hotel, less than a third of the price, still too expensive! The staff were excellent, Bassam the Manager was articulate and informative. I explained my dilemma ... my objective was to interview people whose stories could teach and inspire others. The more angles to the story the better.

"Would you like to interview one of the leaders of the Palestinian Prisoners who has just been released?" he asked me that afternoon.

"Yes", I exclaimed, excitement oozing out of every atom in my body. The thought of interviewing a "terrorist" or "freedom fighter" launched adrenaline through my cells.

This was a coup, wasn't I happy that nature called at the appointed time ... or was it someone else? Yes, the magic of mission. The whole event reconfirmed in me the importance of trust. Being on mission I knew that I could let the Universe/God take care of the details. All I needed to do was turn up, trust and follow my intuitions.

Can you remember the last time you were drawn to something that you hadn't legislated for in your plans?

Did you follow this path?

Do you now regret not trusting your intuitions?

WE HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS!

A few years ago I went through a very traumatic phase in a relationship. It was time to decide whether or not to commit myself long-term. Having agonised over the decision for a few months, I decided to look for help. Having always believed that we have all the answers, I referred my dilemma to my powerful inner wisdom. Just before I went to sleep, I asked for help. I needed an answer. What should I do? My indecision was causing too much pain. The following weekend I enjoyed some more time with my girlfriend. But as I was driving away, I was again confronted with my indecision. Why was I reluctant to commit? Unwilling to go further I decided to relax and listen to some music.. The first song on the radio blasted out the message "Time to say goodbye". Was this my answer, I wondered?

The following day I invested in some new tapes. As I was driving home a message came over loud and clear from the tape: "Choice is the difference between selecting what you want and what you want more."; between what you want and what you want more. I really, really liked this girl, more than anybody ever, but ....

Another "messenger" was to arrive a few days later. I was visiting a new client. My brief was to advise him on marketing his business. After a while the conversation turned to relationships (unusual for a first meeting). A few years previously he had dated a girl who was, at the time, engaged to someone else. In his own words "We got on superbly, to me everything in every way was perfect". Each week they spent as much time as possible together. Suddenly the woman disappeared completely from the scene; the next time he heard from her she was married. Two years later, the newly-weds had separated. My client started meeting up with the woman again and at the opportune moment asked the all important question."Why did you marry him when it was obvious you didn't love him?" She said "oh, all the wedding preparations had been completed; I felt sorry for him, I didn't want him to suffer".

As he related his experience I got a particular ill feeling that shot through my system like a tidal wave. His story in some way mirrored my experience. I didn't want my girlfriend to suffer either, and thus termination was not an appropriate decision. Every time I was asked why I would not finish the relationship, I responded "I don't want her to suffer". The universe had given me a very consistent answer.

It was time to say goodbye. I accepted the verdict. Two weeks later, I parted company from my girlfriend.

I realise now that "I" knew the answer all along. My unwillingness to commit was simply my inner wisdom protecting both me and my girlfriend from a relationship which would ultimately be good for neither of us. The universe had just organised everything in my external world to help bring the decision to conscious level. Though very painful, it was the right decision.

****************

A few months later I got a phone call from my friend Graeme, who was suffering with a slipped disc. He had been informed by the doctor, that he was run down, and that full recovery would take a long time. Graeme is a business consultant with one of the largest consultancy firms in the world. Most of his life is spent going from country to country; assignment to assignment, finding little time to himself to "be", to relax. Though convinced of the need for rest, Graeme found it difficult to commit to a break from his exciting yet stressful career. Indecision started to consume him. Pondering life's' options one day the phone rang. It was an old friend. They hadn't spoken for a few years. Unaware of Graemes health challenges he excitedly informed him of the joys of taking time out from work. He had been on sabbatical since the start of the year. "A sabbatical, may be this is just what the doctor ordered!", Graeme mused. A few nights later sitting on his hotel room bed, he turned on the television. On the box was a programme about health. Interesting? "OK, it is time for the news", he thought. After the news he switched channels. A new channel but not a new programme! Programme topic: health. "I get the message," he sighed.

He has now set a goal to rebalance his life. Health now comes before wealth.

Yet again Graeme "knew" but the organised events acted as the catalyst for making the decision.

Reflections

You have all the answers.

All that is necessary is:

(A) To ask - ask for help/direction.

(B) To be aware.

Ask: The best time to ask is when you are relaxed, just before falling asleep at night (the last ten to fifteen minutes are usually the most effective) or before you leave bed in the morning or during relaxation exercises which will be described in detail in future chapters. You can also pray for inspiration. A trip to the East literally convinced me of its merits. Most people's food for life comes from their prayer life.

Be Aware: Watch out for those apparent coincidences/intuitions, those 'chance meetings', that inner wisdom. We receive messages all the time --from the radio, from idle conversations and from chance meetings. Simply tune in for your answers. Just remember that the moment you ask - you will receive. Awareness is paramount. A lack of awareness usually cripples people's attempts to move from debilitating patterns.

Have you experienced anything like this before? Have you found answers ... moreover, have you been listening?

CLEVER CHILD

Nothing is going to stop me!

By the age of five most people have learned how to walk. Learning how to walk was a very interesting process - You crawled, you got up on your feet, within moments you hit the deck. Painful or not you tried again, readapted, up again; bang, down again. Not to be discouraged, you kept trying. Ultimately learning how to master the art.

Furthermore, by the age of five you had acquired a vocabulary of over eighty per cent of the words necessary to communicate daily. Impressed? Lets' put those achievements in context. If you had failed repeatedly in your quest for a job, would you do as you had done as a child learning to walk? Would you continue to try? Would every stumble represent another defeat or a step that brought you closer to success.

What about attempting to become proficient in a new language, without the aid of any direct instruction, textbooks, tutorials ... quite a challenge, Not so for the 'uninhibited child'. Free from the chains of social conditioning, everything is possible.

It comes and goes!

Did you ever notice how a child can be crying one moment and in bliss moments later? Isn't this amazing? How come adults don't do this? It's because the clever child doesn't play the sad story over and over again in their mind. Too often we stew in a pool of self pity. This process unfortunately helps to create an internal atmosphere in which disease can prosper. Children let it go ... They know how to master their emotional state.

Trust

I have realised that as we "journey" we move through different stages. For me ironically ending up where I started; with trust in my heart. No left brain analysis, no looking for proof, just pure undiluted trust. In summary it is obvious, the child knows.

Fun

The child has a great sense of fun. Just an empty box can be the source of much amusement - often to their parent's dismay, when the expensive contents are left aside. Kids love to mess. Untouched by ego they will go where no man goes!

Honesty!

As I was re-editing this script, the phone rang. It was my friend Johnny Recently he and his beautiful child Ciara visited my house. It was just before I departed for the States. At that time I had virtually little or no furniture, i.e. no fridge, table and chairs, sofa, washing machine, etc. All were sold in an effort to repay my debts before I departed. This had been the case for 7 months. I could hear Ciara in the background so I decided to say hi. Ciara is three years of age and has all the energy and enthusiasm of the uninhibited child. After exchanging hellos I was reminded of what was most memorable about her trip to my house."You have no chairs!", she declared. Just as well it wasn't a sore point. Johnny and I laughed.

For those journeying towards inner peace, honesty is the only policy. You like Ciara never have to worry about remembering what line you may have "spun" to others. Every time the phone rings you don't need to agonise over the callers motivation.

For those companies attempting to create a high trust culture, honesty is the only way forward.

Again we can all learn from the child.

Do you need any more proof?

"If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything; it is open to everything. In the beginners' mind, there are many possibilities, in the experts' mind, there are few" - Zen Master Suzuki-roshi

THAT MAGNETIC POWER!

Decisions, Decisions.

If I asked you what are the biggest material decisions you have made or are likely to make in your life, it is highly probable that moving house or buying a car would feature prominently.

Because of their relative importance, we expend a significant amount of time and energy on them. When you think about anything at length it moves from your conscious to your subconscious mind. When that occurs, "interesting" things start to happen.

A few years ago, I decided to buy a new car. As my job involved quite a lot of driving, I was familiar with most Irish towns. This time the journey appeared different. As if by magic, new car dealerships seemed to appear out of nowhere. Indeed in my local town it almost seemed as if the car dealer premises had a more imposing structure, it had moved even closer to the road! Time for a rest, lets' look at the paper. Again absolutely nothing in it except car adverts. As for the TV and radio, the motor industry must be their only source of advertising revenue! Finally I bought the car. I hoped, I made the right choice. I did. Over the next few days I saw many people driving the exact same car model and colour as mine! Good decision! Of course. This ability to create an external environment in line with your internal desires can have both positive and negative consequences. Just imagine you are completely negative about everything you experience. What do you think your external world will reflect? What type of people do you think you will attract? What type of circumstances and events will you be exposed to?

Now, think about a major purchase in your life, for example, your car. See if you can identify any parallels with my story. It does not necessarily have to be a significant purchase. New mothers will tell you that suddenly all they see when they go anywhere are other mothers with their infants. All experience is relevant to what level of priority it takes in your life.

You will soon start to see that this magnetic power has been operating your whole life. Your challenge is to start exploiting this resource - Now!!

Attracting teachers, they are waiting!

Have you ever noticed that teachers always seem to appear when you are ready to learn?

I recall pitching for a consultancy contract in the agriculture industry. The veterinary staff questioned my knowledge of their business. As I was raised in a shop and interactions with the farming world were minimal, my existing knowledge was poor. I admitted "I knew very little but I was committed to learn". Two weeks later, the contract was mine. Immediately I engaged my sponge facility, the goal being to learn as much as possible about agriculture. That night, after delivering a personal excellence presentation in a Monaghan town, I retired to a hotel lounge to watch a soccer match. Engaging the person beside me in conversation he disclosed his profession- agricultural consultant. The teacher had arrived. I riddled him with a record-breaking number of 'dumb' questions! The following morning, before I got involved in the usual morning rituals, the names of potential teachers popped up in my mind. Many of my friends were agricultural science graduates, others were big farmers. Two months later, the company vet congratulated me on how quickly I had got a grasp of things. (I, the student was ready!).

Reflection

When you dwell upon anything, it goes from your conscious mind to your subconscious. The more you think about it, the stronger the connections in your nervous system, the more deeply ingrained it becomes. Your subconscious has an efficient filtering system that on instruction will help you see what you want to see. More amazingly, it will attract into your life circumstances, people and information that will help you achieve your goal. To make the most out of these circumstances, you must be willing to adopt the most persuasive strategy in life: ask 'dumb' questions (more about that later). The flip side of this is one must be happy to dilute the ego.

When you truly commit yourself to a goal and you passionately believe in a positive outcome, things start to happen which will make it a reality in the external world.

Think about times in your life where this magnetic power has manifested itself.

POSITIVE EXPECTATIONS WORKED!

"Optimism is the fault that leads to achievement" - Helen Keller

Every time I think something positive is going to happen, it does

Agree?

What about the number of people who go to their local GP with 'flu, a cold or whatever, and, without medication feel better after consultation. After receiving a piece of paper professionally known as a prescription the illness starts to dissipate. They expected to be cured, and were oftentimes without even the prescribed medicine.

What about those people who are cured after taking a placebo. The placebo is something that has all the cosmetics qualities of a drug, but has no medicinal properties whatsoever. Dr Beecher conducted a study proving its effectiveness in Harvard University. Two groups were used in the experiment. One was administered morphine, the other a placebo. Both groups of post-operative patients were told they were being given something to relieve the pain. The pain was controlled in 52% of patients who received morphine, and in 40% of cases receiving the placebo. The conclusion: in many cases, people can cure themselves by just expecting a positive outcome; by just believing something works.

Belief is the most powerful drug in the world

Ten years ago, I received a phone call about my first potential contract. I had been advised that two local companies needed marketing training. To secure the contract, I would need to visit each of the two companies. If they were satisfied with my ability, the contracts would be mine. I remember getting off the phone and rushing into my assistant Amanda exclaiming "we've got work!" I was prudently reminded that I hadn't even met the client yet ... "No problem", I declared, "I'll get it" ... and I did. My excitement, my conviction could see no other outcome.

Before every sales presentation, I see myself getting the deal. I become absolutely convinced there will be no other eventuality and in the majority of cases there rarely is.

Remember when you believe the deal is inevitable you adopt that physiology in tune with a positive psyche. You walk, you talk with confidence and energy. This is without doubt half the battle!

What about those people who don't need alarm clocks, confident they will wake up on time, regardless of what time that may be.

Or indeed, those who expect to get a car parking space, mentally booking it in advance ... even in the city!

Yes, positive expectations work, but the reverse is also true.

Negative expectations unfortunately work!

Everytime I think something negative is going to happen, it does

Popular self fulfilling prophesies:

'It is time to die."

What about those who retire to die and do! Did you ever notice how dramatically some people age between 65 and 66, in contrast to the more gradual process 0 to 65?

Most people are programmed to believe that on reaching this one date in the calendar year 'their day is nigh'. They reach this age with no aspiration, no purpose, no longing and invariably wither and die.

Sometimes this 'death-wish' surfaces even earlier in life after the intervention of Dr Destiny! Let me explain.

Doctors are very much a revered profession in the community, many people believing unconditionally what they have to say ... why? because the general consensus is "they know". Thus, when Dr Destiny says "you have 6 months to live," some people accept this reality, prepare to die, and do, bang on time! It is my opinion that nobody can tell, so for someone to come up with a deadline is unacceptable and unrealistic.

Indeed, children can also have inadvertently negatively affected their parents belief systems. A group of older people were recently put through a training course conducted by my colleague, Mr Pat Campbell of FAS (Ireland's national training organisation). I was informed that the biggest challenge the participants encountered was the continual disempowering advice from their children. "You should not be doing this . You are not able- take it easy". Conforming to their advice was a regressive step.

The reality is that, contrary to the prevailing wisdom, these people were never needed more. If you feel challenged by the ageing process here are two reasons to continue to live life to the fullest.

1. The working world needs you.

With the current demographics in the industrial world, the ongoing involvement of the over 60's in the labour force is assured due to an acute shortage of skilled personnel. The 65+ age group is fast becoming the new age career people. Indeed, it is ironic that many of the more famous people's best work happened after the age of 65, Carl Jung, Verde, among others.

As Martin Luther King advised: "No one should retire from life at any age"

2. The next generation needs you.

No one needs love more than the child setting out on their journey through life. There is nothing more potent, more valuable, than the unconditional love shown to children by grandparents. In the prevailing 'nanny culture', where children experience limited access to their parents, I cannot overemphasise the importance of this role.

Furthermore you deserve to relax; to be; to pursue your interests and hobbies.

The bottom line - prepare for your retirement as you prepare for other significant events in your life. Expect to enjoy it; watch what happens.

Tip: Change your thoughts and words to - "It is time to live."

"This relationship aint going to last!"

In a recent study 57.4%, 63.7% of male and female high school seniors respectively who expect to stay married to the same person for life. This is scary particularly considering that statistics uphold their prophecies- ..surprise, surprise. As always our wonderful psyche will help create any desired reality including this. Your dialogue need to change dramatically to "I am committed to living out the fairytale with my spouse."

"It's going to be a dreadful day"

How many times have you awoke with the following inner dialogue?

"Oh today is going to be terrible." Were you ever prophetic? Those horrible self-fulfilling prophecies

Tip: Say "This day is going to be great "

"Don't hit the water"

If you are a golfer the following story will certainly strike a chord. You are standing on the tee, looking at the green up ahead. To get there you have to "creatively" avoid the water. This internal voice, like a tape, is playing over and over again "don't hit it in the water" ... miracously it finds water!

Tip: Use the following inner dialogue "the ball is in the hole". Visualise like all great golfers, playing the perfect shot into the middle of the green.

"I am going to be sick"

Even more wondrous, how about those people who successfully invite diseases, which duly arrive. "Oh! there's a flu bug going around .... I always catch it". How come I can never catch these bugs! Indeed, for years I have battled with my father over the necessity for health insurance. My opinion: what's the point - I'm not into disease. Thus for the last 13 years I have had no health insurance. Am I lucky to have survived this long or is it more than that? Is there method in my madness?

Tip: Inner Dialogue "I am a healthy happy person".

"I will not play well"

My soccer career! We were playing the county final. I had played quite well on the run-up to the match. In the previous rounds I had scored a few goals. That day, one of the lads was late; for whatever reason I started to believe I was going to have a disastrous match. I predicted that the moment he arrived, my time was up. I wasn't wrong! I was substituted for the first time in my life in the first half.

All my team-mates agree, if they are running in on goal, and a negative thought crosses their mind like "you are gonna miss, gonna miss," they usually do.

So what's the message?

Our lives are not moulded so much by our experiences but our expectations - expect the best!

YOU ARE INTELLIGENT!

I'm not intelligent enough!

Well, which intelligence are you referring to ... do you believe that linguistic intelligence, i.e. being verbally elite; having the alphabet after your name, is a true monitor? This is a flawed analysis. Consider the number of 'intelligent people' who do not get past the first job interview because of their inability to communicate. Think about the number of "intelligent" people you know whose life is a misery because of their inability to prosper in the university of life. Since I wrote this book I have been exposed to so many intelligent people who are emotionally numb - emotionally illiterate.

It is obvious that a major rethink of our education system is required. Wisdom- not knowledge; must be our compass.

What about your interpersonal intelligence, i.e. the ability to get on well with people, the ability to understand, empathise with other people, to know how they are feeling? How do you rate? That is a very important skill.

What about your intrapersonal intelligence, the ability to know oneself, to motivate oneself, to take action?

It is interesting to note that interpersonal and intrapersonal are the most highly paid intelligences in the world. Both are accessible to most, and you don't need a PhD to qualify!

Maybe you are destined to become the next great architect or interior designer using your high degree of spatial intelligence.

What about your musical intelligence; are you the next Mozart? What about being the next sporting hero (bodily/kinaesthetic intelligence)?

What's my point? It is time we moved away from our flawed analysis, which argues that grades reflect intelligence. Everybody possesses all of Harvard University's Howard Gardners '7 intelligences' in varying degrees. Indeed, as all of them can positively contribute to your growth and happiness- you are intelligent.

WHAT A PHARMACY!

Each day the human body creates billions of cells. Our skin changes once a month, liver every 6 weeks, stomach lining every 5 days, even our skeleton changes every 3 months. We have the potential to produce endorphins, feel-good chemicals the bodies equivalent of morphine.

During deep relaxation the body produces calming chemicals in the right amounts which it sends to the right area and with no side effects! Interesting, when one considers the following fact: Last year in America approximately $1bn was spent on pills to help people overcome the side-effects of other drugs.

While you read this book the power within is regulating your breathing, controlling your blood supply, recreating your body.

More and more people are understanding the distinction between curing and healing. For the latter to happen we need to take responsbility for our health; we need to acknowledge our role in the healing process. All the drugs in the world wont necessarily bring about healing. Their success is truly dependent on the internal environment we create.

Do you know how powerful you are?

YOU CAN RECREATE EXCELLENCE ON REQUEST!

Did you ever notice how listening to one of your favourite songs can immediately raise your spirits, while another song can evoke sad memories, immediately damping your spirits? Or how, on seeing the national flag being raised while the national anthem is being played you immediately experience an adrenaline rush through your system. On the other hand how when you see something it evokes negative emotions. Recently in New York, I met Nadezja Dokovic, a Croat. She is a survivor of the Balkans War. Sadly she told me that everytime she sees toilet paper, immediately she relives many of the negative emotions she experienced during the war. In this time they had no access to even the basics, including toilet paper. It had become anchored into her system, as a visual symbol for the living hell she survived.

What we are describing here is how one event in time, something you see, hear, taste, whatever, can change the way you feel instantaneously.

Just imagine if you could make yourself feel empowered on request .... the good news is you can!

Music does it for me!

Did you ever hear a song which changed the way you felt instantaneously? Your mood changes from happy to sad, from down to exhilarated?

Everytime I hear "be not afraid ... I stand before you" I become sad. When I first heard the song at Knock, the Pope was anointing people, one of whom came from my home town. My neighbour had cancer. The whole experience really saddened me. I began to associate the song with these feelings. Now, any time I hear this song, I immediately find myself in bad humour.

For many,"Candle in the Wind" by Elton John, immediately evokes the emotion they experienced on the day Princess Diana was laid to rest.

Alternatively, I hear other songs like "Simply the Best" and I feel empowered, because of an experience associated with the song. The song was very much my ex company's anthem. So I had associated the song with the good times I enjoyed in England. For many people, the national anthem is an empowering trigger.

In summary, the music is the anchor.

Just a taste!

Playing the lead in the school production of "My Fair Lady" in front of a sell-out crowd was always going to be a thrilling experience for Orla. As part of the build-up she was under teachers 'instructions to keep her voice intact. To achieve the desired result, every day she got a packet of Vicks from her mentor to protect her throat. The show was a huge success. Three months later, while out shopping, one of her colleagues who had a cold offered her a Vicks. Amazingly, the minute the lozenge connected with her taste buds, feelings of exhilaration and nervous excitement were triggered off in her body. She was reliving her musical experience. The taste was the anchor!

Just a Touch!

Think about when someone special in your life died. At the funeral people offered their condolences. Many may have patted you on the shoulder in sympathy, others may have shaken your hands. It is not unusual for people to relive these emotions months later when someone comes up and taps them on the shoulder. Some can reignite this emotion just by shaking hands. Why? The touch is the anchor.

Just a quick flash!

Some people can immediately change state on seeing anything.It obviously must be significant to them. Unfortunately if you are after having a huge argument with your partner it is possible that your face becomes the visual anchor. I wonder is that the reason people don't like looking at you during an argument!

What has happened?

When you are in a peak emotional state, any trigger, anything you see around you, anything you hear in the background, a person's touch, even a taste becomes associated with the experience. When you see that object or hear that sound, the event and associated feelings immediately come flooding back into your system. Thus it is possible to change states in seconds, even from disappointment to elation.

Anchoring is an incredibly powerful technique. Before any major presentation, I take time out. Retreating to a place where I won't be disturbed, I close my eyes and remember the last successful presentation. Running through the whole experience in my mind, reliving the feeling and simultaneously saying to myself - "this will be excellent, this will be excellent, I am ready for action and feeling fine."

I feel very empowered at the start of all presentations as a result.

Anchoring is very powerful. It always happens when you are in a peak emotional state, positive or negative.

How do you anchor yourself?

How can we recreate excellence on request?

Let us look at a few possibilities.

ACTION 1

Power Music

Note: When we close our eyes and relax, the majority of us see images flashing in front of us. It is as if we are sitting in a cinema, only this time the screen is within ourselves. This is what I mean when I talk about he mental screen.

Objective: Create a positive anchor, which will allow you to feel empowered on request.

For those who like music, choose the following plan of action.

Retreat to your favourite place, remember a time in your life when you felt really strong, everything was just fantastic. See what you saw, hear what you heard, feel how you felt. Feeling great, turn on the music. Now, as you relive this experience in your mind, brighten it up, bring it closer in your minds eye, make it the size of your mental screen, make it a full colour, surround-sound movie, relive these experiences in full .... enjoy yourself.

Do this once or twice every day for five days.

Your mind should have started to associate the music with these intense positive feelings. Try it out. Turn on the music. How do you feel? If you get that special feeling again, you've got it, otherwise you need to keep working on the association.

When you have got it, the trick is to play the music before any significant event in your life.

Imagine walking into that important interview, feeling empowered, and totally relaxed.

This is obviously a better state than where one experiences their legs shaking, hands trembling and heart throbbing!

ACTION 2

Just one touch/Just one word!

Again, retreat to your favourite place, think of a time when you felt really, really amazing. Relive the experience in full, see what you were seeing, hear what you were hearing, and relive the feeling. As you think about it brighten up the movie more, make it full colour, bring it closer in your minds eye, make the event the size of your mental screen, add in sound. Recreate those special feelings. When you are getting that special feeling, say a word unique to you or use a kinaesthetic trigger, e.g. press your index finger at the nail, hold it while you are really enjoying the experience. Hold throughout the experience, then get up and move around.

Come back, run through the experience again. Remember to press your index finger nail when you are feeling great, holding it throughout the experience. Run this experiment 5/6 times. Then test it.

As you squeeze the nail on your index finger, how do you feel. Are you getting that special feeling back? What happens when you repeat the word?

Keep working at it until the association is in place.

"One must always remember that every man in a sense represents the whole of humanity and its history. What was possible in the history of mankind at large is also possible on a small scale in every individual. What mankind has needed may eventually be needed by the individual too" - Carl Jung

CONCLUSION

For years I have listened to the uninspired attribute other people's happiness to luck, to coincidences, to external events. After your awakening, you can understand why it is important why you should dismiss these perceptions.

Have no doubt that your life can be amazing. Things start to happen when you commit to adding value to the universe, when you expect a positive outcome. If you make the decision to act now you will find that teachers will appear, circumstances will conspire to show you the way. In summary, you will notice you have all the resources you need, regardless of your background, regardless of your current situation.

Go for it!

ACTION 3

Time to wake up!

Objective: To become more aware

Get a notepad/pencil. Note all the 'apparent coincidences/intuitions; those 'inner knowing's in your life. Follow this on by noting your dreams.

Is the universe giving you a message?

Next Move: Trust with your heart and act upon these hunches. Remember the worst possible outcome is failure. When you learn from your failure, you are closer to achieving your goal. Remember "the clever child".

"I wake up from dreams and go: 'Wow! put this down on paper'. You hear the words, everything is there in front of your face. That's why I hate to take credit for songs I've written. I feel that somewhere, someplace it has been done and I'm just a courier bringing it into the world" - Michael Jackson

ACTION 4

Expect the best- being the star in your own movie.

Objective: To imprint your own personal blockbuster movie on your mind.

Let's assume you are planning for that job interview. It does not matter what the event is, as long as it is something you really want in your life.

Procedure - close your eyes, relax, focus in on your breathing, follow the rise and fall of your abdomen as you breathe in and out. Imagine that you are inhaling clear blue air and exhaling grey toxic air. Visualise what you are wearing; the view through the window. Notice how confident you look. See the interviewers nod their heads in agreement as you speak.

Now associate with this image, move into this body as if you were there seeing through your eyes, feeling very confident, delighted with the positive feedback you are getting from the panel. Notice how confident your projection is.

Note that fantastic feeling you are getting as you answer all the questions with ease and confidence. Listen to yourself answering with assurance. Notice the feelings generated when the owner comments how delighted he is that you could make the interview and looks forward to speaking to you in greater detail in the future. Intensify that feeling, feel the warmth of he people's handshake on departure. Appreciate that t his truly this has been an excellent experience.

Return to this movie, every night just before you go to sleep or in relaxation periods, when your brain is running at alpha levels of consciousness (this is a state of relaxed alertness allowing you to imprint your desired reality on your subconscious.

Create the desired movie in the mind , watch what happens.

Mental rehearsal, i.e. running the desired outcome in movie format, is not a new phenomenon. Did you ever watch athletes lining up for a track event? Notice how focused they look, almost as if they are in a trance. What is happening? They are running the race in their mind. In fact, it is likely they will have run the race in their mind 20 or 30 times before they start. It is critical we begin with the end in mind - the fait accompli. This is powered by the fuel; belief. What about those footballers or rugby players who have a certain routine when they are taking frees or penalty kicks. What is happening? You can bet that ball has gone over the bar hundreds of times in their minds- it pays to rehearse!

Remember your external world is a mirror reflection of your internal world.

ACTION 5

Empowering words.

Objective: Appreciating the power of words and indeed thoughts, on our nervous system. Choose to filter everything at source.

For example, next time you are about to say "problem", change to "challenge"; change "failure" to "learning experience"; it can't be done" to "we are going to find a way". Nothing is impossible. Change "there is nothing I can do" to "if it is to be, it is up to me" ... and so on.

Change your vocabulary to include only positive, constructive, responsible language.

"Spoken words are the symbol of mental experience" – Aristotle

Reflect on the following:

What have you learned?

How are you going to benefit from this new understanding?

What are you going to do today to integrate this into your life?

END OF CHAPTER ONE

*****

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