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Name of author Rick Baker, P.Eng.

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There's Wanting & Hoping, then there's Believing

by Rick Baker
On Mar 9, 2016

I am fascinated by the English language. Perhaps, some could say I get bogged down in thinking about it. For example, we have so many variations to describe our aspirations and desires...and that causes me to stop and think. This post is about sorting out thinking around those words for aspirations and desires...with a focus on the verbs: with a focus on the verbs 'want', 'hope' and 'believe'.

These verbs, naturally (at least in my mind), raise consideration of the of the 'Law of Attraction'. In the past, I have posted some thoughts about the Law I of Attraction.

Want: Want is in an incredibly common word. Almost everybody says it frequently. It's a word we use to describe a wide range of things we desire. These things can range from fleeting desires to major life goals. The word lines at the low end of the "expectation scale": maybe we will get what we want, maybe we won't. When we use the word we are not signaling our expectation of success.

Hope: When we use the word Hope we send stronger signals. We signal that we think there is a possibility we will obtain the object of our desire. So, the word Hope combines the word Want with at least a small expectation of achievement.

Believe: When we use the word Believe we send even stronger signals of our expectations. We tell people we think our desire will be achieved. That aligns with confidence and bolsters conviction.

Napoleon Hill taught, "What the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve."

As hinted at above, there are are many good reasons to reduce our use of the words 'want' and 'hope' and replace them with increased use of the word 'believe'.

Tags:

Abundance | Attitude: Creating Positive Attitude

Self-control, Self-discipline, & Self-organization.

by Rick Baker
On Mar 7, 2016

Napoleon Hill placed 'Organization' very high on the list of traits/abilities required for success in life. He made it clear he was talking about 'self-organization', which meant much more than having a neat desk, arriving at meetings on time, and presenting your thoughts concisely and clearly. He meant all those things and much more. As a sampling of his thinking - when Napoleon Hill talked about being organized, he meant:

  • having a 'definite purpose in life', which he also called a 'definite chief aim'
  • having the self-control to avoid bad habits and practice autosuggestion, particularly that aimed at clarifying goals and building self-confidence
  • having the planning and organization skills and the self-discipline to 'plan the work and work the plan'

Throughout recent years, I have written about 3 critical success ingredients:

  • Intelligence
  • Self-Control
  • Drive/Energy

Self-control and self-discipline are tightly intertwined…we could argue they are essentially the same thing…or, we could argue that self-discipline is the ‘cause’ and self-control is the ‘effect’. Either way, the goal is controlled/directed thinking and action. And, controlled/directed thinking and action require intelligence and they both take energy when they are performed.

Organization – Personal Organization as contemplated by Napoleon Hill – requires constructive and harmonious use of intelligence, self-control, and drive/energy. So, an Organized Person is one who has mastered the use of the 3 critical success ingredients: Intelligence, Self-Control and Drive/Energy.

Tags:

Hero Worship | Thinking as in Think and Grow Rich

Humouring your demons

by Rick Baker
On Mar 3, 2016

Most of us, at least from time to time, are troubled by our little demons. Some of us, occasionally, are troubled by our large, persistent DEMONS.

Either way, there is value in humouring our demons. As I write the word 'humouring' I'm thinking in terms of 'tolerating'. I'm also thinking about 'lightening things up'...perhaps even trying to have some fun with our demons. (It's possible we may be able to extract some benefits from the wisdom embedded in that saying, "Laughter is the best medicine.")

We don't run to the door to welcome our demons when they knock. Most of the time they sneak up on us...then, they consume our minds. Our demons are not welcome but they show up anyhow as personal agonies and automatic negative thoughts - ANTs. Personal agonies and ANTs can invade our thoughts...these demons spoil our thoughts and remove our ability to focus on the things we want to focus on.

What are we going to do about that?

What are you going to do about that?

One thing you can do - you can humour your demons:

  • You can choose to tolerate your demons - Be present, observe your demons without giving in to them...be calm and civil with your demons...but do not accommodate them…treat them with the courtesy you would extend to an unwelcome but harmless guest
  • You can choose to inoculate your demons with humour – Are you courageous enough to put your demons into a humorous perspective? To throw a little humour their way? If you think you can do that then plan ahead. Think about your top 3 demons and plan some humorous surprise messages for each of them. Practice your delivery of the 3 humorous messages. Enjoy the secret - you are armed with demon-neutering humour.

 

 

Bully Fantasy

by Rick Baker
On Mar 1, 2016

Troubled underdeveloped minds grind away, trying to rule their frightened little worlds. Oh yes, those troubled minds argue and assault...especially, when they feel trapped in their own sticky webs.

And, when cornered by a stronger, more-impressive bully we find them whining weakly or cowering in victimized silence.

But, most of the time they live the bully fantasy...parading bully-deviations...oozing bully-bluster.

Wrapped up tightly in their own fears, they eagerly gobble up the gifts of tolerance they receive from most of the people they encounter.

The bully fantasy is a personal-strength-fantasy…a half-believe in personal strengths and self-worth…a strength-seeking mind under never-ending siege…completely surrounded by relentless personal weaknesses…always losing ground…always fighting…losing…denial…internal turmoil.

Who wants to improve?

by Rick Baker
On Feb 29, 2016

You probably spend quite a bit of your time watching people perform and noticing some people tend to do things really well while others tend to do things poorly. At least from time to time, you probably think about people making changes and improving…learning how to make fewer errors, figuring out how to have more-positive attitudes, etc.

But, do you ever step back and consider the question – Who wants to improve?

You know some people do want to improve – you see them seeking out motivational speakers and courses. These people want something and recognize the status quo isn't going to bring that something.

You know some people don't want to improve – you see them more or less doing the same things day after day. They discount or ignore the advice they receive (regardless of how it is delivered). Sometimes, they blame others for their predicament...as victims do. For example, you may have heard people say things like, “I like being poor. I am supposed to be poor. I have no desire to change anything.”

But - is that actually true?

I mean - do many people truly/sincerely have no interest in improving? Or, is that just what they say...their way of victim-speaking...their way of justifying lassitude/laziness/lack of ambition…their way of blaming Fate or Destiny for their shortcomings?

Certainly, some people have this mindset: life has beaten some people down.

Other people believe in the overarching control held by Fate or Destiny or other beyond-our-control things that place limits on people’s accomplishments.

Whether we agree with these sorts of beaten-down or fatalistic mindsets or not, we can understand how other people can think that way. For example, we can understand how lingering, serious health problems can wear down the spirit and cause people to give up on life.

However, aside from extreme cases that provide reasonable justification, are people being sincere when they say they do not want to improve?

It's all a matter of mindset

by Rick Baker
On Feb 25, 2016

Life is states of mind.

Life is a relentless stream of states of mind. Business life is a relentless stream of states of mind. States of mind cover a huge range: some pure ecstasy; some pure agony. States of mind can change quickly and radically. 

Some people maintain ‘even keel’ mind states as their lives unfold…rarely, if ever, experiencing the ecstasy or the agony…only experiencing moderate states of mind.

Some people’s mind states are like never-ending roller-coaster rides…series of ups and downs…sideways jerks and irrational re-directions…lots of noise and lots of stomach churning.

Most people experience periods of ‘comfortable’ mind states intermingled with periods of extreme positive mind states and periods of extreme negative mind states.

Few people understand they possess the power to alter their mind-state habits.

Even fewer people do what it takes to use that power to choose their mind-state habits then do the hard work required to build the mind-state habits they have chosen.

That said...

What mind states have you chosen? 

 

Copyright © 2012. W.F.C (Rick) Baker. All Rights Reserved.