Friday, July 18, 2008

The Strangest Secret

"The Strangest Secret"
In 1957, Earl Nightingale, speaker, author andco founder of the Nightingale-Conant Corporation,recorded his classic motivational record "TheStrangest Secret." "The Strangest Secret" soldover one million copies and made history in therecording industry by being honored as the firstGold Record for the spoken word. Nightingale,known as the "dean of personal development,"concluded that life's "strangest secret" is that webecome what we think about all day long.

Your belief system, like your computer, doesn'tjudge or even question what you input; it merelyaccepts your thoughts as the truth, the whole truthand nothing but the truth. Think thoughts of defeator failure and you're bound to feel discouraged.Continuous thoughts of worry, anxiety and fear areunhealthy and often manifest in the body as stress,panic attacks and depression.

At the core of Earl's message, he reveals the incrediblepower of positive self-talk, belief and expectation. Whatyou vividly imagine and hold in your subconscious mindbegins to out picture as your reality. Your belief systemnot only defines your reality, but it also shapes yourcharacter and determines your potential.

The Placebo EffectThe ability of the mind to cure a disease even whenthe medicine is known to be worthless is known as the"placebo effect." This occurs in medical trials wheredoctors give patients sugar pills, but tell them they willcure their illness. Often it does, even though the pillscontain nothing of medical benefit. The only thing ofvalue in these medical trials is the patient's own beliefthat the sugar pills will cure them. It's the power of thepatient's belief and expectation alone that produces theimprovement in his or her health.

I recently read a remarkable story about a group ofcancer patients who thought they were being treated withchemotherapy, but were actually given a placebo. Beforetheir treatment began, the patients were informed aboutthe complications associated with undergoing chemotherapytreatment, such as fatigue and loss of hair. Amazingly,based on nothing more than their belief and expectation,nearly one third of the patients who were given the placeboreported feeling fatigued and actually experienced hair loss!

The Power of Affirmation and Positive Self-talkIf you had access to a powerful tool that would enhance yourself-esteem and allow you to reach your full potential wouldyou use it?
A good way to create positive self-talk is through affirmations.An affirmation is a positive statement that represents yourdesired condition or outcome. Interesting enough, yoursubconscious mind doesn't know the difference between areal experience and a vividly imagined "mental" experience.

When he was a struggling young comedian, late at night JimCarrey would drive into the hills overlooking Hollywood andyell at the top of his lungs "I will earn ten million dollars ayear by 1995." When 1995 finally arrived, Jim was the starof the movie "Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls", for whichhe was paid twenty million dollars!

World-class athletes understand the value of affirmation andrecognize the impact of their mental preparation on theirphysical performance. They use the power of positiveaffirmation to reduce anxiety and increase their expectationof achievement. To be of maximum benefit an affirmationmust be simple, encouraging and stated in the present tense.By repeating an affirmation over and over again it becomesembedded in the subconscious mind.
To be effective your affirmation must be stated aloud...

1. In a positive manner with the focus on what you want. Whenyou catch yourself saying or thinking something negative aboutyourself, counteract the negative self-talk with a positiveaffirmation. Start your affirmation with words like "I am..." or"I already have..."
Example:"I close sales with little or no resistance."
"I take good care of my customers and they show theirappreciation by referring their friends to me."

2. In the present tense. Your subconscious mind works in thepresent tense, so avoid words such as can, will, should or could.
Example:"I love doing my work and I am richly rewarded creatively andfinancially."

3. With strong emotion and conviction.

4. Repeatedly. I suggest you read your affirmations eachmorning upon awakening and again each night just beforefalling asleep. Close your eyes and picture the end result.Feel the emotions associated with the affirmation.

Here are some of my favorite affirmations:
"Every day in every way I'm getting better and better!"
"Everything comes to me easily and effortlessly!"
"I love and appreciate myself just as I am!"
"I love doing my work and I am richly rewarded creativelyand financially!"
"I now have enough time, energy, wisdom and money toaccomplish all my desires!"
"Infinite riches are now freely flowing into my life!"
"I am relaxed and centered!"
"I feel happy and blissful!"

Do affirmations really work and can they be used to propel aperson to achieve greatness? As a young boy growing up inLouisville, Kentucky, 12-year-old Cassius Marcellus Clay dreamedof someday becoming the heavyweight boxing champion of theworld. When working out in the gym, Clay would continuouslyaffirm to all within earshot that he was indeed the greatest boxerof all time! While many felt he was brash and boastful, few peopleactually took this 89-pound youngster seriously. Mohammad Aliused his affirmation to become the undisputed heavyweight boxingchampion of the world and arguably one of the most popular andrecognized sports figures of all times!

"Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Choose yourwords, for they become actions. Understand your actions, for theybecome habits. Study your habits, for they will become yourcharacter. Develop your character, for it becomes your destiny." - Anonymous
You show me a salesperson with high self-esteem, a positiveattitude and a healthy work ethic and I'll be able to predict hisor her success in advance... I guarantee it.

John Boe presents a wide variety of motivational andsales-oriented keynotes and seminar programs for salesmeetings and conventions. John is a nationally recognizedsales trainer and business motivational speaker with animpeccable track record in the meeting industry. To haveJohn speak at your next event, visit orcall 877 725-3750.

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