Mind Power: Touching the Mind of God

The true power of the human mind does not reside within itself. We cannot know the height or depth of the mind's power until we begin to think beyond our own experience; until we begin to contemplate the vastness of the universe; until we begin to contemplate the intellectual and creative power used to bring it into being; until we begin to contemplate the power of Will that the physical universe demonstrates. We are at the same time separate and one with the Supreme Intelligence of the universe. It is in this relationship with the Supreme Intelligence that the true power of the mind becomes evident. Touching the mind of God is a mountain-top experience.

Summers in the southern United States are brutal. By the time August arrives daytime temperatures hover in the mid to upper nineties and the humidity is high. Only a short time outside is enough to drench a person in sweat. The summer heat and humidity is an unpleasant experience that seems to last forever.

Benjamin Blevins had grown up in the south. He lived in Jackson Mississippi with his mother and father. He had lived in Jackson his whole life. He knew about southern summers. He had experienced 18 of them. His life had been pretty much uneventful. He was a good student, He had never caused his parents much trouble, but there had been the occasional spanking that he got from his mother for being disobedient when he was a young child. He went to church with his parents. He joined the church at an early age, and was an active member.

It was a bit of shock to his parents when he came home from school one day and announced that he had decided what he was going to do after graduating high school. "I'm going to join the army," he told his parents. Their first response was to try to talk him out of it. "You need to think about this long and hard," his mother told him, "because once you are in you won't be able to get out until your time is up."
He had thought about it. The thought of joining the army tugged at him. He tried to think of reasons not to go, but there were no good reason to stay. His parents had wanted him to go to college immediately after high school, but they didn't have the money to send him. He didn't want to put them in a financial bind. The army seemed like good way to get help with college. Besides, he was still undecided on a major. Joining the army would give him time to think.

Ben reported to basic training two weeks after graduating high school. The June sun was hot as he stood at attention while the drill sargeant barked at the new recruits. He could only image what the August sun would feel like.

The army routine was a culture shock. The demands were stringent. Most of the training wasn't hard, but he did have a problem with the physical training. The physical training was exhausting. The drill sargeants' pressure was relentless. They seemed to single him out. He was too slow, he gave out too quick, he wasn't pulling his weight.

To graduate basic training the recruit had to pass a PT test. If the recruit did not pass the test he would be required the training until he passed the test. He was afraid that he would not pass the PT test. It was a fear that hung in his mind constantly. He did not want to get "recycled".

"Dear,God," he would pray, "help me pass this PT test". He said the little prayer often as the weeks passed. It was usually the last thing he did before going to sleep at night. He felt a sense of peace as consciousness would gave way to sleep.

Ben didn't know how God would do it, or when He would do it. He only knew that he needed a miracle. There was no way that he was going to be ready. Physically, he was in worst shape than when he started. Ben's problem was a God-sized problem, and it could only be solved by God.

Ben walked into the barracks the afternoon before the PT test dejected. His platoon had just been dismissed after having completing the afternoon run. He was drenched in sweat. There was just enough time to stow his gear and get cleaned up to go to afternoon chow.

He put away his gear and grabbed a towel to go to wash off. He glanced out the window that was at the end of his bunk. The afternoon western sun was bright against a blue sky. Ben noticed a lone large dark cloud in the distance. It was the only cloud in sky. "i could use a bunch of those," he thought to himself, thinking that cloudy weather would be a lot better than the sun beating down on him as he took the PT test. Then he thought that if he was going to wish for cloudy weather then he might as wish for a hard rain that would call off the PT test altogether.

He began to pray. "God, send a rain storm. Please make it rain so hard that they call off the PT test. I need to pass this test". Silently, he repeated the words over and over with such intensity that tears started streaming down his face. His soul ached to reach out to God. It was all he had. At that moment he knew what needed to be done. he suddenly felt a certainty that he had not known before.

He went to bed that night thanking God for what he was about to do. He felt in his soul that God had heard his prayer and that He would help him in his time of great need.

In the morning Ben woke and looked out the window. The sky was full of clouds! The entire sky was overcast with rain clouds. It looked like it would start raining at any minute. He was amazed. He was over-joyed. But there was one thing missing. Where was the rain?

Ben finished breakfast. No rain.

Ben's training unit marched to the PT course. No rain.

The graders briefed the trainees on how the test would be conducted and how it would be scored. It seemed that the test would start on schedule. The air was full of moisture. But still no rain.

Ben's platoon was moving into position to begin the test when he felt the first drop of rain fall on his head.There was one, then another, then several. Soon there were raindrops falling everywhere. The first rain drops were small, but as the minutes passed the size of the drops grew larger until they were some of the largest rain drops Ben had ever seen. As the graders and the platoon stood there watching and feeling the rain the intensity of the rain changed from shower to deluge.

After 20 minutes of torrential rain the PT test was called off, and a soaked training company was marched back to the company area.

Two days later during company formation the company commander informed the trainees that due to the canceled PT test and lack of time in the training cycle to reschedule the test that each man would be given a passing grade.

Unlocking the Power of Your Subconscious Mind

 Here are several strategies to leverage the power of your subconscious mind to be more productive.

The key to making your subconscious mind work for you is in your attitude. Having a positive self-esteem and confidence in yourself can go a long way towards achieving the goals that you have set out for your mind.

While many people believe that confidence and esteem comes with your personality, which is determined at birth, it is not true. It is never too late to start cultivating and improving your inner image and resources, primarily that of your subconscious mind.

The subconscious mind is an amazing resource that is able to store memories that have been long forgotten. It has a strong effect on the conscious mind, although it is not able to think nor reason, taking direction from the conscious mind instead.

However, it is possible to reach the subconscious mind and make it work for you. Many methods are available for doing so, such as through hypnosis, subliminal programming and positive affirmations.

The most common and easy to master technique of reaching the subconscious is through positive affirmations. Whether for losing weight or increasing self confidence, positive affirmations can be applied to any aspect of your life. By inculcating a positive self esteem and confidence in your subconscious, you will be able to affect the conscious mind as well.

The subconscious mind is thus more powerful and effective than most people give it credit for. For example, positive affirmation simply activates the subconscious mind to allow it to function at its peak, handling the everyday matters. It is able to do so by imprinting messages into your subconscious through constant repetition.

By accessing your subconscious mind, you are strengthening the linkage between the conscious and the subconscious, allowing you to achieve many things. These include getting rid of negative thoughts, unhealthy habits, and boosting your self confidence and other abilities.

Unlocking the power of your subconscious mind is a simple process, requiring only your willingness and effort. Below are 3 simple steps you can take to start on making your subconscious mind work for you:

1. What Drives You
Identify the reason that motivates you to work hard and excel in life. Without knowing what makes you tick, you will be unable to recover the same level of drive when faced with setbacks or discouraged. Being able to unlock your subconscious mind depends on knowing what you want, before you can achieve it.

2. Create a Strategy
When you are able to identify what drives you, you will be better equipped to draw our your possible options and make the relevant decisions that will help you achieve your goals. Without a strategy, you will be unable to chart a clear path and risk going off track.

3. Perseverance and Passion
Once you have decided on a course of action, immerse yourself in it. With passion and a strong focus, you will be able to realize your goals, fueled by perseverance.

With these 3 steps, you will be well on your way towards unlocking the power of the subconscious mind and making it work for you.

Mind Control - Train Yourself to Ignore Distractions

Distractions are the enemy of mental discipline. Mind power is the ability to set priorities, and, by ignoring the distractions that come along, achieve the tasks necessary to reach an objective.  The expression "chasing rabbits" demonstrates how the undisciplined mind will allow any distraction equal time. Every distraction has equal value because the person chasing the rabbits does not have a dominate and defined purpose.

The only way to know a distraction is to measure against a defined purpose. 

Define your objective. Is it worthwhile? Is it something that you value enough to spend your time working for it?

It all begins with a mission that is so compelling that you will stop at nothing to succeed. Today, what is your life theme song? Have you found true meaning and purpose? Are you living it out each day inspiring others to buy into your vision? If not, what's holding you back?

Some people go through life not quite knowing what their purpose is. But you can know more about yourself by examining the things you spend your money on and the way you spend your time. These activities reflect the true priorities. Look at your checkbook and calendar and you can immediately see where your heart is.

Once you look closely at your life you may realize that most of your activities have been nothing more than a series of distractions keeping you from what you really need to be doing. Have the courage to change course and move in the right direction. You will begin to feel better about yourself, and you will find the strength to resist distractions because you will finally know what a distraction looks like.
Achievement is all about making value judgments, and some of the most important value judgments we make are about how we spend time.

Time is a medium of exchange; just like money. Time is money. We exchange our time for money. The money we receive in exchange for our time is the value that we place on our time -- our self-worth. How much should our time be worth? There is no intrinsic value of time. It is what we make it. We set the value of our life and it is reflected in the decisions we make. Giving in to distractions shows we do not value our time, and it also shows that we assume we will always have plenty of it to spend.

Are you making excuses for your lack of success? There is no conspiracy to make you fail. Failure is not final. Life is trail and error. Test and correct. Failure is a teacher. There is some success in every failure: if you are wise enough to look for it. Learn from every failure. Listen to what failure has to tell you, and it will lead you toward success. You are not a "failure" until YOU believe you are. It is your attitude that determines your destination.

One reason for failure is trying to do too many things at one time. Trying to do too many things at the same time means nothing gets done. Break your goal into tasks and assign a priority to each task. Go down the priority list, focusing on accomplishing that priority. Don't leave the task until it is complete, then move on to the next item on the list. Accomplishment builds confidence.

Achievement will become a habit.

WHEN ALL YOUR WISHES COME TRUE

Image yourself at an estate sale exploring the items for sale when you run across a brass oil lamp. Immediately your mind begins to manufacture images of an Arabian young man dressed in ragged clothing rubbing the lamp you have in your hand. The scene is from a cartoon that you have watched many times with your children. The images make you smile, and you think about buying the lamp for no other reason than the fond memories it conjures up.

You finally track down the person to give your money to. You know nothing about the people who are conducting the estate sell, nor do you know the person whose estate it is. You have been able to piece together that the person was a history professor at a nearby university. You marvel at the numerous trinkets that the person has accumulated. The pictures on the wall chronicle a life of travel and numerous acquaintances.

When you get home you take the lamp out of the bag and give it a closer inspection. There is no telling how old it is. The brass is tarnished and in bad need of polishing. Does it have some historical value? Why would an object of historical value be sold so cheap? If the price was any indication, the lamp was nothing but a cheap made-in-China dust collector.

You raise the lid and peek into the interior of the lamp just to make sure the resident genie is not inside. You are a little disappointed to find not even a small wisp of smoke. You think: what would I have wished for if the lamp had contained a genie?

The question is a good one: for all of us. What would you wish for? Would you wish for a large home, or a new car, or all the money in the world, or wish to be a monarch and live in a golden palace, or to be marooned on a desert island with the person of your dreams? Would you wish for all your wishes to come true?

Are you still in touch with your dreams and wishes? Are they real to you, or are they on a shelf somewhere collecting dust? Can you describe the dream? Can you put it or them into words? Can you visualize them?

More important, do you have faith in your dream? Do you believe that it will come true? Do you really want it to come true? Could you handle the consequences that the materialization of your dream would bring?

What if you had the power to make every one of your wishes come true? Wouldn't that reality force you to be careful for what you wished for, knowing every wish that came from your brain would materialize whether good or bad. Wouldn't that ability change the way you think?

The immediate reaction is skepticism. Why? Your disbelief betrays your thinking. You don't believe. You have no faith in yourself or your wish, nor do you have the understanding of how to use the lamp that is between your ears.

HOW TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS: THE POWER OF A FOCUSED MIND

Image yourself at an antique store exploring the items for sale when you run across a brass oil lamp. It looks very old.  The brass is tarnished.   Immediately your mind begins to manufacture images of an Arabian young man dressed in ragged clothing rubbing the lamp you have in your hand. Your imagination gets the best of you and you buy the lamp.

When you get home you take the lamp out of the bag and give it a closer inspection.  As you raise the lid you ready a wish. You peek inside: not so much as a small wisp of smoke. You dismiss the wish from your mind.

Think back for a moment.  What was the wish you had in your mind? Was it a wish for a large house, or a new car, or all the money in the world, or a wish to be a monarch and live in a golden palace?

The wish left your mind quickly.  Your mind dropped the thought and picked up another.

It was just some trivial little fantasy; just a throw-away piece of imagination; just a passing thought.  Was it?

Humans are prone to trivialize the value of their thoughts.  There is the old saying “a penny for your thoughts.”  We value our thoughts so little.  We rarely treat thoughts with the respect they deserve.  We rarely treat our brain with the respect it deserves.  What does the attitude say about our self-worth?

The human brain has such an enormous processing capacity. On an average day it processes thousands of thoughts.   Just imagine how many of those thoughts keep you distracted from what you should be doing. Assuming that it only takes a single thought to motivate a particular task, there are thousands of other thoughts in your head competing for your attention.

How did all those thoughts get into your brain?  You let them in.  How?  By not exercising the one power that all humans have: the power to control our thinking.  Your mind has the power to achieve any purpose; make any dream come true -- if you focus the power of your mind on what you want to achieve.

All humans have the ability to focus and concentrate but they lack the discipline of will to harness the full power of their mind.  The ability to concentrate is resident in the human mind.  But you have to know how to unleash it.  To achieve success you must be able to focus your entire attention upon the purpose you want to achieve.   The person that is able to concentrate and focus their creative energy on accomplishing a goal will accomplish that goal. 

The first step, then, is to begin to pay attention to your dreams and aspirations.  Write them down. Map out what you want to accomplish. Plan it out. A written plan gives you a point of reference and a measure of your progress. And it gives you a reminder to stay focused.

The second step is to change your expectation. Our subconscious mind acts on the expectation it receives.   Sadly, most peoples' expectation is failure. Their expectation activates the Law of Attraction, and they attract exactly what they focus on: failure.

Rather than spending time looking for ways to succeed, they focus on ways to fail. They complain, they worry, they think up one thousand reasons for something not to work.

They focus on what they don't want rather than what they do want.

Believe in the Law of Attraction and understand how it operates. Believe that you are worthy of success. Start expecting good things to happen in your life. Expect the best; then, do what needs to be done to make it happen, and have faith that it will happen.

Don't give up on your dreams. No matter how distracted you may feel.   You already possess the ability to Focus.  All that’s needed is the discipline to say “no” to distractions. The first “no” is the hardest. Focus on what needs to done. Believe you can do it!  It will become a habit.  You will achieve!

THE SIXTH SENSE

The Sixth Sense is that portion of the subconscious mind referred as Creative Intelligence.  It is the part of the brain where ideas, plans, thoughts, and epiphanies are received.  All six senses serve a perceptive purpose. Five of the six senses deal with the physical world.  The sixth sense deals with the extrasenory realm of our existance.

Hunches and inspirations are part of the sixth sense. Sometimes thoughts come so fast they are described as flashes. The conscience is a part of the sixth sense.  The sixth sense warns of impending dangers and alerts when opportunities are at hand.  It can open the door to the temple of knowledge that resides beyond physical existence.

An understanding of the sixth sense can only come from meditation, self examination, and mental development that comes from serious thought.

Somewhere in the cell structure of the brain the sixth sense resides.  It is a area of the brain that receives thought vibrations ordinarily called "hunches."  These "hunches" are actually accurate information that comes from sources other than the physical senses.

The understanding of the sixth sense leads to a unique awareness of self, others, and the laws of nature.  Trusting your sixth sense is part of a complete philosophy that can be used by any individual to achieve whatever they ask of life. 

A exceptional level of achievement comes into its fullness only through the mastery of the sixth sense.

THE POWER OF A POSITIVE SELF IMAGE

The most important psychological discovery of the 20th century was the discovery of the “self-image”.  Whether realized or not, each of us carries a mental blueprint or picture of ourselves.  It may be vague and ill defined to our conscious mind, or not even consciously recognizable.  Nevertheless, it is there – complete to the last detail.  This self-image is our concept of “the sort of person I am”.  It has been built from our own beliefs about ourselves.  Most of these beliefs have unconsciously been formed from our past experiences; our successes and failures, humiliations and triumphs, and the way people react to us.

Self-image is the key to human personality and behavior.  Self-image defines the boundaries of individual accomplishment; defines what you can and cannot be; determines the way you think, the way you behave, and the way you perform every activity.

Your self-image is formed by the beliefs held in your sub-conscious mind.  The beliefs comprise a belief system that includes all the beliefs you possess about everything in your life – work, education, family, religion, what you read, write, sing, dance, your parents, dress, speech, etc.

You cannot see your self-image, even though your wear it like a coat.  But everyone sees it.  Behavior and performance is the physical manifestation of self-image; your appearance is a presentation of self-image – hair, clothes, walk, voice inflection, and the world forms its opinion of you primarily from the opinion you have about yourself.  You are responsible for how you are received (accepted) by others.

You must accept responsibility for your self-image.  Self-image is either a catalyst or a brake.  It either propels or holds back.

Self-image is projected by 7% speech, 38% voice (tone inflection), and 55% body language, facial expression, general posture, and body movements.  Your emotional disposition affects all three areas.

Self-esteem is the emotional component of self-image, and is the core of human personality.  It is the most critical element affecting all performance.  Self-esteem is always true to the image you hold in your mind – the person you keep telling yourself you are.  Self-image affects your mental attitude.

Attitude is the habitual manner of acting, feeling, and thinking that shows your dispositions, opinions, and beliefs about life.  Eighty-five percent of accomplishment comes from attitude and 15% is due to aptitude and abilities.  Winners are made, not born.  The winner is in you.  You are responsible for drawing it out.  You already possess the ability to excel in at least one area of your life.

• The dominant force in your existence is the thinking you are engaged in.
• You are empowered to create your own reality.
• There is some benefit in every adversity.
• Each one of your beliefs is a choice.
• You are never defeated until you accept defeat as a reality, and decide to stop trying.
• The only limitations on what you can accomplish in your life are those you impose on yourself.
• There can be no great success without great commitment to a definite purpose fired by a determined desire.
• You need the support and cooperation of other people to achieve any worthwhile goal.
• It should be self-evident that if you harbor any failure thoughts, then all your endeavors will result in failure.
• The rewards you receive in life come as a result of your performance, not your potential. Your self-image determines your performance.
• There is never a storm so violent that it is not followed by the sunlight.
• Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out.

Our physical actions are simply the outward manifestation of our inner thoughts.  This recognizes the universal truth that we are and will become that which dominates your thoughts.  People have in their lives today exactly what they keep telling their mind they want.  All that you accomplish, or fail to accomplish, in life is a direct result of the images you hold in your mind. 
           
Do you limit your actions to have no more success than you unknowingly believe you deserve and are comfortable?  We often get the results we subconsciously believe we deserve.  Our self-image defines our comfort zone.

What do you really believe?  Do your actions show you believe you deserve better in every area of your life?  If they do not why not?  Is it possible that the world we live in encourages us to deny better?  It is not a matter of doing better than others do.  It is a matter of doing better in the present and the future than what we have done in the past and in the present.  Old programming of self-defeat or self-limits must be purged, and new programming put in its place.   Do not drive with the parking brake on!

A positive, strong affirmed self-image is vital to realizing the power locked inside your mind.  Self-image is a key component in building belief.  What we do mirrors what we believe.  If you passionately believe in something, you will be compelled to make it happen.

A healthy self-image is the difference between thinking BIG and thinking small.  Self-image acts as either a multiplying or a dividing factor, and combines with other key factors of success you possess to produce performance.

We always create a self-image according to the basic beliefs we have about our abilities, the world, and ourselves.  The beliefs are based on conscious decisions we made about ourselves and what we are capable of achieving.  The decisions are repeated to our subconscious.

Become more aware of your inner communications – what you see and say to yourself because of daily events and work to control it.  From these experiences, the mind constructs a picture of who we are.  Once an idea or belief about ourselves goes into this picture, it becomes “true” as far as we personally are concerned.  We do not question its validity, but the subconscious mind begins to act on it just as if it were true.  A human being always acts, feels, and performs in accordance with what he images to be true about himself and his environment.

The self-image is important for two reasons:

1.  All your actions, feelings, behavior – even your abilities – are always consistent with this self-image.  You will act like the sort of person you conceive yourself to be.  The self-image is the foundation upon which your entire personality rests.
2. The self-image is changeable.  One is never too old or too young to change their self-image.

Self-image determines Self-worth.  Time valuation is part of self-worth.  Self-image is the determination of the value you place on what you do and what compensation you receive from life, and how prosperous you become.

At least ninety-five percent of people have their lives blighted by feelings of inferiority to some extent, and feelings of serious inferiority handicap millions.

Feelings of inferiority originate from inaccurate thinking that produces negative conclusions drawn from evaluation of facts and experiences.  We judge ourselves and measure ourselves, not against our own norm, but against some other individual’s norm.  We let someone else define our reality.  We conclude that we are not worthy and do not deserve success and happiness.

• Laziness and hypochondria are indications of undervalued self worth.
• Things turn out best for those that make the best of the way things turn out.

Self-image influences our actions.  If the image is changed, actions will also change.  Repetitive actions build habits.  Habits are stored on the sub-conscious level of the brain.  Habits are behavior programming that motivates our actions in ways we are oblivious to.  Habits are familiar territory – the comfort zone.   Habits are the landscape of our reality.  They are landmarks that steer the conscious mind.  Ninety-five percent of our behavior, feeling, and response is habitual.

Modify, change, or reverse behavior (habits) by simply making a conscious decision, and then practicing or acting out the new behavior with constant watchfulness and practice until the new behavior pattern is thoroughly learned in 21 days.

Self –image is realized in identity.  Identity is the image we have of ourselves. Israel identifies itself with the temple in Jerusalem.  Christians identify themselves with the cross.  Companies have a brand or logo that identifies them.  Think about your identity.  Who are you?  How do you see yourself? Can you describe yourself with only a few words?

We are all unique, unrepeatable, miracles of God, and we should live our lives in that realization.  There will never be another person like you.  It is that uniqueness that gives life value. We should revel in the knowledge that we are one-of-a-kind – not regret it, or accept someone else’s opinion of us as superior to our own opinion.  It is self-image that controls our reaction to external stimulus.

Do you limit your actions to have not more than the success you unknowingly believe you deserve and are comfortable with?  We often get the results we subconsciously believe we deserve.

What do you really believe?  Do your actions show you believe you deserve better in every area of your life?  Is it possible that the world we grew up in encourages us to deny better?  It is not a matter of doing better than others do. It is a matter of doing better in the present and the future that we have done in the past.  The old programming of self-defeat or self-limits must be purged, and new programming put in its place.  We must learn to drive without the parking brake on.

What we believe is reflected in what we do.  We choose what we believe.  We are responsible for what we believe.  We are in charge of what to believe and not to believe.  The reality of life is made up of beliefs, and life is nothing until we decide what we believe.

THE LAW OF GIVING AND RECEIVING

Is there something you want, but you are convinced that you will never have it? 

You have resigned yourself to the notion that the thing you desire is far beyond your reach and you can't see any way of ever getting it.  Your dream has seemingly been denied by higher powers, and the realization that you must accept present circumstance as the pattern and destiny of your life gnaws at you like a hungry lion.  You are surrounded by hopelessness and it fills you with despair and even anger to think that you are one of the unfortunates of the world.  The parade of life has passed you by, and someone has handed you a broom to clean up the mess.   You have been singled out to suffer undeserved penalties of loss and grief while the rest of the world goes on its merry way to prosperity.

If a secret formula existed that could help you get the thing you wanted would you be interested in finding out what it was?

People are naturally suspicious of getting something for nothing because they know there is no such thing as a “free lunch”.  Everything has a price and someone will eventually have to pay it.  Spectacular deals are usually spectacularly disguised scams.  Most people have the attitude that good deals just don’t happen to them.  Their life is the embodiment of Murphy’s Law and their “luck” just isn’t that good. 

You can’t get something for nothing.  Everybody intuitively knows that. And this intuitive knowledge is expressed as skepticism of any promise that promises too much, or “sounds too good to be true”.  And if you will study the underlying attitude of the people who feel that way, you will find the very secret of getting what you want.

If it is true that I can’t get something for nothing, then the reverse must also be true that I can’t give anything without receiving something for it.  It is true.  It is a law.

Think for a moment about the people you come in contact with.  How do you feel about them?  When you like or dislike a person, doesn’t that person usually return the feeling you "gave" them? A company produces (gives) goods or services to the marketplace that enables it to receive revenue, and to make repeat customers it gives good service, courtesy and good will to its customers in exchange for continued business.   To receive wages or a salary an employee gives a day's, or a week's, or a month's work. To get a raise the employee gives a little more than he is paid for.    An artist, writer, singer, actor, or athlete wins fame by giving the world a work of art, some great literature, a beautiful song, or a magnificent performance. A farmer gives seed, water, and care to the ground to get a crop. Friendship is received by giving friendship first. 

Do people ever get something for nothing by giving nothing for what they take? Who are these people and how did they get something for nothing? The woman who marries a rich man only for his money or social position; The gambler who divides his time between casino and track; The thief who steals and robs at the point of a gun; The con-man who cheats an unsuspecting person out of his property; The real estate broker who sells worthless lots for big prices; The heirs who destroy the old will or forge a new one so that all the property comes to them; The counterfeiter who makes hundred-dollar bills out of mere paper and ink; The person who writes a worthless check; the embezzler who falsifies the company books; the company officers who manipulate the company’s stock price for their private gain; The son or daughter who imprisons an elderly parent in a nursing home to get possession of the parent’s property.

Though we might classify what was done in these examples as “nothing” they all have debts posted to their accounts.  There is a big distinction between taking and receiving.  Taking implies deception or force, while receiving is the act of accepting something that is voluntarily given. Each act denotes the character and attitude of the parties involved in the transaction.  The more you watch the individuals who do these things the more you'll see how the law worked out in their lives. Was there ever a gambler who was able to keep his money? Did any burglar ever have anything left after he paid his debt to society? Are counterfeiters respected members of the community who donate their time and money to charities that benefit the common good? Did the woman who married for money ever find happiness?

Did any of these something-for-nothings escape the consequences of violating the law?  Don’t answer until you investigate the lives of people who try to get something for nothing.  They cannot break the law; the law breaks them.

What, then, makes the law of giving and receiving work?

Is hard work the key?   No. Hard work does not make the formula work. There are plenty of people who have worked hard but have gotten almost nothing for it. It is better to work smart than hard.

Is honesty the answer? No.   But it is one of the building blocks of character.

Does dishonesty pay? It does produce a return.  Every action produces a corresponding consequence, and the inevitable conclusion of dishonesty is loss and ruin.

The operation of the law of giving and receiving rests on one thing: obedience.  The actions and reactions of the law are as predicable and consistent as any law that governs our existence, and has as much control over people’s lives as the law of gravity does.

Everyone is subject to the law of gravity.  It doesn’t make any difference whether the person is good or bad, honest or dishonest, crooked or straight, saint or sinner, rich or poor, fat or lean, white or black, handsome or homely.  The law of gravity works infallibly, invariably, inflexibly, universally, impartially, and eternally. 

The same is true for the law of giving and receiving. It works with the same infallibility and continuity as all other laws. It makes no distinction between individual personalities, or location, or body weight, or hair color, or character. This law works for everyone. It operates to the benefit of everyone who lives in harmony with the law, and the detriment of those who seek to oppose it.  And no other law can stop it; because all the laws of nature are linked together, work together, help one another; are interdependent.

The truth embodied in law is demonstrated anywhere and everywhere in the present and in the future, and is not affected by human conditions. The mathematical law of two plus two equals four is true and absolute regardless of location, culture, social standing, educational level, legal standing, financial standing, or historical period.  Clouds might obscure the light of the stars to the eyes, but beyond the clouds the stars still emit their light. Static interferes with the reception of the individual radio and the person’s ability to hear the broadcast, but the broadcast signal is there just the same.

The law of giving and receiving states that what I give out returns to me; multiplied --always. This means that you are where you are and have what you have because of what you have given out.  Whatever you give out will return to you -- multiplied.  The farmer reaps what he sows -- multiplied -- always.  The size and kind of the harvest will always be in proportion to amount and kind of seed sown.

You can change the size and kind of crop you are reaping, but there's just one way to do it: you must change the quantity and kind of seed that you are planting.  Change your attitude toward the world and the people in it; change your reaction to the events in your life; begin to look for the good and not the bad; be generous; be enthusiastic; live in a spirit of gratitude for what you have and what you receive; be a channel, not a dam.  The law works, and nothing, or nobody, or no circumstance can stop it. Any life can be transformed by transforming the emotions and reactions that is given out.  Practice mental alchemy – change the bad thoughts to good.

When will the change be noticed?

It begins the instant you make the decision to start. The law works for you the moment you begin to obey it.

A wrong answer to any math problem is a result of working the problem by the wrong method -- contrary to principle -- in opposition to law.  But the right answer comes immediately once the right method is used.  Obedience can correct the mistakes of yesterday, or of last year. 

Begin today -- this very moment -- to apply the law of giving and receiving in your life and notice the instant changes that take place in you, and everything around you.  It is such a basic and fundamental law that it affects every part of our life and every thought that enters our mind.

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE WORTH?

Is your life on track to be what you want to be, or have you settled for what you have now?

Consider this:

“I bargained with Life for a penny,

And life would pay no more,

However I begged at evening

When I counted my scanty store.

“For Life is a just employer,

He gives you what you ask,

But once you have set the wages,

Why you must bear the task.

“I worked for a menial’s hire,

Only to learn dismayed,

That any wage I had asked of Life,

Life would have willingly paid.”

Your mental attitude is what determines your station in Life.  You are responsible for the mental attitude that resides in your mind.  Belief is what powers your mind.  If you believe that you cannot go any further you won’t.  The world is in constant state of creation and destruction.  If you stop where you are then you have decided to assume a defensive position, and have decided to participate in the destruction of what you are and what you have.  Defense is a waiting game.  It is a negative position that begins producing loss the moment you take up the position.  You have in effect said to Life, “I give you permission to take everything I have.”

If I accept whatever job I can find at whatever pay the employer says he will pay, then I will be planted in that job for however long it lasts because I have no purposeful plan for my life.  The job will hold no satisfaction for me and I will have to struggle with the difficulties without the benefit of a purpose, and will become bitter in the process.  I will have no enthusiasm for the job and my performance will show it

Is my life worth only what my employer pays me?  If I agree to work for him then that is exactly my belief.  And I will reap the consequences of my belief.

Your reward in life is based on the value you place on yourself. And that valuation comes from your beliefs about what you deserve.

CREATIVE THINKING

A major obstacle to creative thinking is the fear of criticism, the fear of ridicule, scorn or rejection. We have been conditioned from infancy to seek and value the approval of others and if we feel a new idea will trigger laughter or cause us to feel foolish afterwards, we just keep our mouths shut.


It is useful to remember that ideas that originally sounded ridiculous often become the basis for major breakthroughs.


At the beginning of the space race to put a man on the moon, the major obstacle to be overcome was one of weight. The problem was that fuel is very heavy and if the rocket were to carry enough fuel to break the earth's gravity, travel to and land on the moon and then blast off again breaking the moon's gravity to return to earth, it would be too heavy to leave the earth in the first place. A real Catch-22.


The breakthrough idea was when one of the scientists suggested that perhaps the whole rocket need not be landed on the moon’s surface. This idea led to the development of the lunar module, and the landing on the moon by Neil Armstrong in 1969.


Challenge your assumptions continually. What are you assuming to be true or fixed that might not be true at all? We have been "conditioned" to accept many things as true, or not to ask questions, or not to delve too deeply into a situation.  Do not be afraid to ask questions.  Do not be afraid to investigate.


What can you change?


Be prepared to suggest ridiculous approaches to a need or obstacle. Be as silly as you can. This approach often triggers creative breakthroughs.


Two things can stimulate creative thinking: intensely desired goals and pressing needs. Your creative capacities need something to home in on and your job is to provide it.


Intensely desired goals, clearly defined with detailed plans for their accomplishment, act as a continual stimulus for ideas to achieve them.


To trigger your imagination, write out a clear description of your ideal end result or goal. Be clear about the goal, be flexible about the process. Think about it, visualize it as realized over and over. Project your mind forward to the picture of the realized goal and then look back to the present.


Think on paper. Make a plan and then work on the plan, updating it, changing it, adding to it as you think of new ways to work toward the goal. The more clearly defined and keenly desired your goals, the more of your natural creativity will be released for goal attainment.


The second stimulant to creativity is pressing needs. A need is commonly mis-identified as a "problem".  All problems are needs in disguise.  The key to idea generation when you face a need is to approach the need confidently, expectantly, with the attitude that there exists a logical, practical solution just waiting to be found. The most creative people have a relaxed attitude of confident expectancy that causes their minds to function in original and imaginative ways. Remember, need (necessity) is the mother of all invention.The solution for today's needs cannot be found with yesterday's thinking.


Define your needs clearly in writing. Accurate diagnosis is half the cure. Sometimes you will find that you are dealing with a "cluster need," one that is made up of several smaller need. Your job is to sort them out and then go to work on each one separately.


In many cluster need, there is a core issue surrounded by a lot of symptoms. Creative thinking requires that you separate the core issue and then focus on resolving that before worrying about the smaller needs.


Be absolutely clear about your goal. Write it down and make a plan to achieve it. Think of different ways you could accomplish it.


Define your needs clearly and then make a list of all the possible solutions to your need. Take action on at least one idea immediately.

STEPS TO A SUPER ATTITUDE

It is not what happens to you that counts. It is how you react to what happens to you, especially when you have unexpected problems of any kind. In this message, you learn powerful strategies you can use to keep yourself thinking and acting positively and creatively. Here are four things you can do to assure that your attitude is the very best it can be, under all circumstances.

FOCUS ON THE FUTURE
Whatever challenges you face, focus on the future rather than on the past. Instead of worrying about who did what and who is to blame, focus on where you want to be and what you want to do. Get a clear mental image of your ideal successful future, and then take whatever action you can to begin moving in that direction. Get your mind, your thoughts, and your mental images on the future.

FOCUS ON THE SOLUTION
Whenever you’re faced with a difficulty, focus on the solution rather than on the problem. Think and talk about the ideal solution to the obstacle or setback, rather than wasting time rehashing and reflecting on the problem. Solutions are inherently positive, whereas problems are inherently negative. The instant that you begin thinking in terms of solutions, you become a positive and constructive human being.

LOOK FOR THE GOOD
Assume that something good is hidden within each difficulty or challenge. Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, a major proponent of positive thinking, once said, “Whenever God wants to give us a gift, he wraps it up in a problem.” The bigger the gift you have coming, the bigger the problem you will receive. But the wonderful thing is that if you look for the gift, you will always find it.

LOOK FOR THE VALUABLE LESSON
Assume that whatever situation you are facing at the moment is exactly the right situation you need to ultimately be successful. This situation has been sent to you to help you learn something, to help you become better, to help you expand and grow.

DO WHAT SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE DO
A Positive Mental Attitude is indispensable to your success. You can be as positive as you want to be if you will simply think about the future, focus on the solution and look for the good. If you do what other successful people do, if you use your mind to exert mental control over the situation, you will be positive and cheerful most of the time. And you will reap the benefits enjoyed by all successful people.

START NOW

Become solution-oriented with every difficulty you face. Make a habit of looking for the answers to your questions, the solutions to your problems.

Seek for the valuable lesson in every adversity. Make a list of every idea or insight you can gain from every setback or difficulty.

Think on paper. Take some time to write out every detail of the problem, and then take the most logical next step to

UNDERSTANDING the SOURCE of DYNAMIC POWER

Where does dynamic power come from?

Dynamic power depends totally on the quality of positive life force you are able to project.

Dynamic power is the ability to take, maintain, and enhance a position, and from that position, project a flow of positive life-force energy toward a specific outcome.

Thus, one's ability to direct flows of positive energy depends totally on one's ability to control one’s thinking.

Einstein is said to have made the statement that we are using only 1% of our potential.

Question: "Why do we allow our potential to be dormant?"

Answer: "For the same reason that we neglect the muscles of our body."

If potential could be expressed as money why do we refuse to write a check against an account that holds millions of dollars? 

If a thing can be proven to exist and function according to predicable laws and be accessible to everyone, why do we not take advantage of it? 

The only explanation is lack of belief.

What are you accomplishing with your thinking?

Are you being held prisoner in your own box that your negative thinking built? 

Has your negative thinking negated your abilities? 

Are you fighting with imagined enemies? 

Your potential is locked in your ability to maintain and project a positive mental attitude.

Attitude explains why some people are able to succeed consistently, while others struggle just to get by, or why some people are powerful and others weak, or why some athletes can maintain form while others perform inconsistently, or why some people make fortunes while others live in poverty.

A person must be able to harness and direct the flow of positive life-force energy, and belief and faith directly impacts a person’s ability

The basic force in the universe is life force.

Your accomplishments in life are determined by your ability to focus the energy of your life force toward a specific outcome..

The complete --whole -- person is someone who has brought the positive energy of his life-force under his control and uses to produce positive results in his life..

When focused your life-force can cause a dynamic upward shift in power, wealth, achievement, and happiness.