Chapter 10 | Looking Inside and Outside Yourself

(Part 1 out of 2)

In this chapter I'll discuss:

* Assessing and facing your fears:

- Worry as a lever to fear.

- Bad influence as a lever to fear.

* Your brain and thought:

- How emotions influence our sub-conscious.

- The brain's potential - how much does your brain cost and how much is it worth?

* Types of people you meet on a daily basis, according to their character - are you one of these types?

* Do you choose to be at the beginning of the convoy or at its end?

* Are you a "sucker"?

* Habit as a lever to perfection.

* What is poverty and where can you find wealth?

Looking inside and outside yourself:

Everything you'll read in this chapter was gathered to the chapter before last, and for a good reason.

Much of what is written here could have been integrated into previous chapters, but I found it necessary to embody them in this chapter for two reasons:

1. Not to break the continuance of your reading.

2. The discussed topics are important enough to justify assigning them a special chapter.

This chapter is organized slightly different - there is an introduction before each subtopic.

Also, it has a large variety of quotes, sayings and expressions to help you better understand its content.

Additionally, I'll mention a few topics you've read about in previous chapters.

I recommend you read them again, after reading this chapter.

Assessing and facing our fears:

In his book "Think and Grow Rich", Napoleon Hill refers to six major fears.

You're probably familiar with some of them, others you might think don't influence you but they're in your subconscious.

Recognizing these fears is essential (I strongly advise you to read this book), but more important is the insight Napoleon Hill has reached, which is: "fears are nothing but a state of mind".

He continues with an even more eminent sentence: "A person's state of mind can be controlled and directed".

Understanding the two sentences above is the starting point of the process to facing fear.

Worry as a lever to fear:

Worry is a state of mind based on fear.

Worry is a form of 'intensified' fear, caused by lack of decision – that's why it's a state of mind that can be controlled.

Here are some examples of influences of fear deriving from worry, and ways of coping with it:

1. Fear of defeat: how many people do you know who fear defeat? Do you fear it?

Coping with it: decide not to acknowledge defeat, change your state of mind from dreading defeat - to searching for ways to victory.

Remember this quote: "Man isn't defeated until he accepts defeat as a reality".

2. Fear of failure: how many people who are afraid to fail, do you know? Are you like them?

Coping with it: Understand that failure is a part of success - You try something, if it's not working you learn from it, find some other creative way and try once more reapting the process till you accomplish your goal!.

It was Thomas Edison who said:

"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work".

3. Fear of criticism: ideas alone are lifeless, you need to 'inject' the spirit of life in them by making clear plans for immediate action.

The origin of fearing criticism comes from wasting the majority of the ideas, that never reach the stage of planning and taking action.

Coping with it: decide not to acknowledge criticism that isn't constructive, change your state of mind from concern of criticism to inner strength and high self-esteem.

In his book "Think and Grow Rich", Napoleon Hill summed up the issue of fear like this:

Kill the habit of worrying, in all its forms, by making a general and comprehensive decision, that nothing in life is worth the price of worrying.

With this decision will come reason, serenity, and fortitude that will bring with them happiness.

Bad influence as a lever to fear:

Test yourself attentively, how vulnerable are you to negative thoughts?

Great harm can result from bad influence, since it's not tangible.

Like worry, bad influence is a state of mind.

Sometimes it gets to your head by well-meaning words of a close relative.

Other times it comes from within us, by our approach.

It's lethal, though doesn't kill quickly.

Coping with bad influence:

To protect yourself from bad influence, as I mentioned before regarding worry, decide not to acknowledge it.

Instead, "clear the road" to your willpower and start using it regularly until you are immune to negative influences - make it a habit.

Seek the company of people who influence you to think and act for your own benefit.

By company, I don't necessarily mean they literally have to be there with you.

Such people can be found in books for example and on this site too.

Here's a brilliant quote: "Don't expect trouble, since they have a tendency not to disappoint the ones expecting them".

Don't leave your "door" open to negative influence from people around you, make a habit - close it when around such people.

"Good friends" tried to convince Thomas Edison he couldn't build what later would be called a radio, simply because no one has built anything like that before... Edison knew the brain can manufacture anything it can grasp and believe in, and that's what raised Edison above the herd of ordinary people.

"Wise men" mocked Henry Ford when he took his first car (a prototype), for a test drive on the streets of Detroit.

Some said no one would pay to buy this machine...

His decision to trust his judgment brought him incredibly great wealth, not even five generations after him could spend.

Speaking of which…

Brain and Thought:

You might have been told many times, that verbal communication is a very small part of a variety of tools and measures with which we communicate.

Coming up, you'll find another major fraction of our non-verbal communication.

Your subconscious receives and files impressions and thoughts of all kind.

You can plant in your subconscious, of your own accord, any plan or goal.

Sub-conscious is influenced by thoughts mixed with emotions.

Napoleon Hill mentions seven main positive emotions and seven main negative emotions.

The seven negative emotions insert themselves in the sub-consciousness, whereas the positive must be inserted by faith and self-persuasion.

The emotions are:

Remember: positive and negative emotions can't occupy the brain simultaneously.

One of them has to be superior.

You must ensure the positive emotions are the dominant influence on your mind - practicing and rehearsing all the ideas in this site will help you do that, until you make it a habit.

Note: your subconscious never ceases to function. If you don't plant it with aspiration and aim, it will nourish from thoughts that'll come as a result of your negligence.

Now, with the information you've just read and what's written above regarding fear, it's important to understand that sub-conscious has the power to turn a thought emanated from fear to a reality, with just the same willingness it will make a thought emanated from courage and faith become a reality.

In the chapter concerning your knowledge base, history will help you better understand the power of thought.

I assure you that while reading the pages of history, starting from the Bible times to nowadays, you'll reach one conclusion:

The battles of life aren't defeated by the most powerful or the fastest, but sooner or later the winner is the one who thinks he can (win).

There's a lot to be revealed yet regarding the brain, thought and subconscious; but the capability is certain.

If you have misgivings, read more about Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and countless other people whose success doesn't leave any doubt whatsoever.

I also advise you to expand your knowledge on the subject of human-animal communication, particularly dogs.

Now, in light of what's written in this chapter, you won't be surprised to know that dogs react to your state of mind.

You can be angry at a dog and yell at him for as long as you want, but if your overall feeling is fear he will recognize it.

If your state of mind inspires calmness, assertiveness, and leadership - the dog will react accordingly.

You're more than welcome to try it.

Your brain is a valuable tool. It's priceless and doesn't cost you anything...

Do You need proof? Start today your journey to success, and your brain will make sure your success is inspirational.

Our brain is like a fast race car... It can drive at a speed of 25 mph.

It's called living or surviving, and most people "drive" at such speed.

Still, it doesn't mean that's the car's value or its ultimate capability.

Be one of those people who make valuable use of their brain.

Try "driving" your brain at the fastest speed possible – the more you practice and use your brain, you're guaranteed to increase your "driving speed" (just like when you first start working out you can barely do five push-ups, but with practice and training you'll be able to do fifty).

Your brain is certainly cut out for it – all you need to do is take advantage of it.

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Continue to Chapter 10 | Looking Inside and Outside Yourself - Part 2

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* Chapter 9 | Nurturing Your Lifestyle - Part 2

* Chapter 9 | Nurturing Your Lifestyle - Part 1

* The Magazine