Category Archives: New Thought Leaders

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Your Subconscious Mind

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Your subconscious mind
Judith williamson 

Your subconscious mind is a powerful mental magnet. Napoleon Hill’s Philosophy of Success works more efficiently when you engage your subconscious mind in the learning process. Always advanced for his time, Dr. Hill recognized that our conscious mind was merely the tip of the iceberg.      

More advanced and more directly useful to students of success is the subconscious mind. This greater mind can be accessed through positive affirmations, meditation, repetition and visualization. Visual images can accelerate the manifestation of personalized goals and objectives.

Dr. Hill’s famous epigram: “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve” works in conjunction with the subconscious mind. By repeating this famous saying, one becomes convinced that individuals can dream, affirm, and manifest personalized goals.

Dr. Hill states that: “You may voluntarily plant in your subconscious mind any plan, thought, or purpose which you desire to translate into its physical or monetary equivalent. The subconscious acts first on the dominating desires which have been mixed with emotional feeling, such as faith.”

The subconscious mind is the seat of the emotions and responds to either positively or negatively charged emotionalized ideas. The thinker controls the thoughts – good or bad; however, the subconscious mind programs the outcome.      

How does this work? Simply put, the subconscious mind is like a fertile garden. Seeds of greatness or seeds of despair can be sown. Sowing seeds of greatness will yield a garden full of beautiful outcomes, while sowing seeds of despair will yield the opposite.

As soon as a person understands that “thoughts are things,” the process can begin. Good thoughts can be planted in the subconscious mind and positive results can be harvested and likewise bad thoughts can be planted and a crop of negative results will grow. Utilizing this process, it becomes obvious that success is achieved through a combination of good thoughts combined with good actions.      

By controlling one’s thoughts, a person can control his destiny. Dr. Hill states that: “Everything which man creates begins in the form of a thought impulse.”      

A thought aligned with strong emotion has a quicker gateway to the subconscious mind than simply a thought without the attachment of an emotionalized feeling.      

Comparing emotionalized thought to the yeast that causes bread dough to rise, Dr. Hill explains that emotion is the action element that transforms thought into action.      

The metaphor of yeast is a good one because it works slowly but uniformly; and before a person realizes it, the dough has multiplied many times over its original size. As you hand over your desires to your subconscious mind, you are planting the seeds of your desire and allowing the subconscious to take inner control and transmute your desires into reality.      

A negative thought and a positive thought cannot exist in the subconscious mind simultaneously. They cancel one another out. By focusing on the positive emotions of desire, faith, love, sex, enthusiasm, romance and hope, one can avoid allowing the negative emotions of fear, jealousy, hatred, revenge, greed, superstition, and anger to take root and destroy the positive outlook.

By disciplining the mind to only allow positive emotions to prevail, an individual conditions the mind so that negative emotions are not permitted to enter it. As the subconscious mind is given its marching orders, it also serves as an intermediary between the mind of man and Infinite Intelligence.

When a proposition is installed by a positively emotionalized thought in the subconscious mind, it next presents the message to the supra-conscious mind or Infinite Intelligence, and brings back a plan of action that when acted upon brings about the desired goal.      

In his section on Applied Faith, Dr. Hill states: “We are what we are, and where we are, because of the dominating thoughts we have permitted to dwell in our own minds.” As an individual works to clear the mind of negative thoughts, the mind is being prepared for an influx of Infinite Intelligence.

This conditioning is essential before you can acquire an active faith that will aid in assisting you in accepting the guidance of Infinite Intelligence. The subconscious mind is the gateway to Infinite Intelligence but it must be prepared as a garden is prepared before the seeds can be planted. In order to keep this gateway open, you must first mentally picture what you want.

This mental imagery combined with applied faith will begin the germination of the seed of your desire.      

Constantly remind the subconscious mind with what it is you want, by repeating short, positive affirmations in the present tense. These affirmations should be stated as if the end result has already occurred. Next, continually hold positive thoughts regarding your goal and put into action steps that will carry you in the direction or realization of this goal.

Finally, offer prayers of gratitude to Infinite Intelligence for the attainment of this goal as if it has already been accomplished. Some individuals like to call this “truth in advance.” It works because your subconscious mind operates best in the present tense. If you pray for something in the future, your subconscious mind will register the thought that this result does not need to happen now, but in some future time.

Offer expressions of gratitude and thanksgiving for what you have already received whether these things have manifested or not in your current, present reality. Infinite Intelligence will offer up a plan to you for the manifestation of your desire provided that your desire does not violate the rights of others. Follow this plan and it will lead you to your definite major purpose.

Once received, give back for what you have been given. The Universe expects a return on its investment just as you do.      

Gardeners understand this Law of Abundance when they reap the crop that they have sown. Single seeds that were sown now become multiplied many times over. A tomato does not produce one seed, but hundreds of seeds for the profitable gardener.

Nature practices the Law of Abundance. You reap what you plant in your subconscious mind – good or bad – because this fertile ground does not distinguish. Rather, it only follows your emotionalized marching orders.      

In conclusion, your mind works like a magnet and draws like things to you. Send out positive thoughts and your subconscious mind will draw rather than repel like-minded thoughts to you – riches, prosperity, health, and all the good things in life.

Conversely, negative thoughts feed and multiply upon themselves too. Condition your magnet for positive attraction, and feel the goodness flow into your life. Do not accept failure, poverty, ill-health, superstition, and all the ills of the world.

These ills do not have to be part of your life program. Rather, tune your subconscious mind like a highly receptive radio that hones in on the exact station you want to receive. Program your subconscious mind for success and you will have it. Accept nothing less.      

In the Midwestern United States, October is a prime month to begin your homework on the subconscious mind. Nature shows us her abundance via the colorful leaves, bountiful harvest, and Indian summer days.      

Nurture your subconscious mind now to deliver your most deserved gifts right on schedule by utilizing some of the following creative suggestions. Create your bountiful harvest and recognize the magnificent power within you!     

Conceive It ——- Believe It ——- Achieve It      

Judith Williamson, Director, Napoleon Hill Foundation    


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Fear

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Judith Williamson on fear

Napoleon Hill states that fear is nothing but faith in reverse gear. Just as what we think about we become, what we fear we draw toward us. Fear is comprised of worry, and worry is simply negative thoughts that tell our subconscious mind what to focus on and what to manifest in our lives. Most people would disagree with this definition of fear.

Many state that they worry because they do not want what they fear to turn up in their lives. This seems like a logical approach, however, given the way the mind
works we know that what we “see” on the screen of our mind works its way into our reality. Again, what we think about, we give power to and eventually become. Knowing this, it makes perfect sense to stop the worrying process.

How does one do this? Since worry is comprised of a series of negative thoughts that are repeated over and over again, a good way to combat worry is to hold positive thoughts in our mind.

This can be done through affirmations that are repeated over and over again, not just stated one time. If the antidote to worry is to retrain our mind to think positively, then affirmations must be the mental vitamins that we need to take continually to reroute our thinking.      

There are seven basic fears: fear of poverty, criticism, ill health, loss of love, loss of liberty, old age, and death. Each of the fears is real even if it is only imaginary. It is said that if you think you are sick, you are. This    
saying holds true for all of the seven basic fears as well.

Believe that we are poverty stricken, and all the wealth in the world would not convince us otherwise. Believe that we are sick, and no test results to the contrary would heal us. Believe that our freedoms are limited, and we unconsciously limit our freedoms. The list goes on and on. Again, what we think becomes our reality.      

Thinking makes it so.      

The point in knowing the basic fears is so that we can eradicate them in our lives. Like weeds, they will crop up when we are weak and have not done our mind maintenance. This crop of weeds begins to grow, takes a strong foothold, and soon smothers out all the good seeds that have begun to sprout. Weeds can take over a garden quicker than buds can blossom into flowers. It’s a fact that gardeners know all too well.      

Write down a list of what you fear most. Face it head on, put your hand out in a STOP fashion, and refuse to accept the consequence of what you fear. Determine that this fear does not apply to you, that you refuse to accept it, and quickly direct it to retreat to wherever it came from.

When we take the first step in eradicating fear, Napoleon Hill says that we have essentially stopped fear in its tracks. Remember to combat the thing that you fear the most, don’t pet it, don’t feed it, and don’t give it an audience. Show it the door and when it retreats, slam the door shut behind it and throw away the key.

Next, cultivate new things to be faithful rather than fearful about, and the goodness will take root and overcome the bad. Remember affirmations, affirmations, affirmations.

Heal your fears with faith! There is no better way to rid your mind garden of its ugly weeds.      


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How To Profit From Defeat

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HOW TO PROFIT FROM DEFEAT
BY NAPOLEON HILL

Every plan and every purpose in this life carries with it the possibility of defeat somewhere along the line.

The important thing is to learn that defeat does not mean failure, unless you accept it as such. This means we are never defeated by other persons or by circumstances. We defeat ourselves, unless we learn to rise above adversity.
Many people who have reached high success express gratitude for the defeats they met on the way up. These defeats provide a “testing time” which helped them gain self-confidence.

They learned that they possessed a power that was limitless and which could overcome any of the causes of defeat.

The turning point in the lives of very successful people often comes after some unpleasant experience which turns them into new paths of opportunity.

When Benjamin Franklin was a young man, he went to Philadelphia looking for a job. As he walked down the street munching a loaf of bread, a pretty young
woman was so amused at his appearance that she pointed her finger at him and laughed heartily.

Her bad manners paid off handsomely for Franklin, for he stopped and introduced himself to her so politely that she became ashamed of her conduct and apologized. She later became Franklin’s wife and his major source of inspiration while he was struggling to gain a place for himself.

Asked why he married a woman who treated him so rudely, Franklin replied that he had made up his mind to “tame” her and see if he could influence her to direct
her charming personality to something better than making fun of strangers.

Benjamin Franklin became great because, in addition to his many other fine traits and sound judgment, he learned how to look for that seed of an
equivalent benefit that comes with every unpleasant circumstance.

During the depression, Eddie Cantor lost all of his fortune. When a friend asked him what he was going to do about it, Cantor replied, “I am going to profit by the experience—and get busy making more money the way I made that which I lost.” The main thing is to recognize that every adversity and every defeat carries with it the seed of an equivalent or even a greater benefit.

Perhaps more important still, you will discover, as every successful person must, that every experience that comes your way, whether it be pleasant or unpleasant, can be of service to you in carrying out your mission in life. When you make this discovery, you will never again accept temporary defeat or failure as anything more than a challenge by which you can test the confidence you have in yourself, the faith you have in your Creator.

Source: Success Unlimited, July 1968, pp. 53-54

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How To Overcome Limitations

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How To Overcome Limitations
Napoleon Hill

Your only limitations, within reason, are those you set up in your own mind, or permit others to set up for you.      

Rid yourself of these imaginary curbs, and you can achieve any heights you desire. You can do anything – if you believe you can. There is no handicap that can stop you, unless you want it to do so.      

Thomas A. Edison became the greatest inventor of all time although he had little formal schooling. He knew what he wanted and believed thoroughly that he could get it.      

He permitted no limitation to enter his mind.      

He learned to overcome his handicap, using his active imagination to conceive new devices and then letting others with technical training perfect the inventions.      

Not too long ago “everyone” knew that Orville and Wilbur Wright were wasting their time trying to make a flying machine. Hadn’t others tried and failed?      

The Wrights, however, refused to recognize any limitations others tried to establish. They went right on  
working – and won.      

There is no greater proof of the statement that “whatever the mind of Man can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.”      

But, success comes only to those who try.      

It never comes to those who let themselves be hog-tied by limitations they believe insurmountable.

There is no such thing as a limitation which cannot be circumvented, removed or surmounted by some plan or purpose that turns the obstacle into a stepping-stone.      

The place to start is in your own mind – by maintaining a positive mental attitude, by knowing exactly what you want and keeping your mind so busily engaged in achieving it that there is no time left for discouragement.      

The only limitations that can hold you back are those you willingly accept as unbeatable.      

You’ll never know the miracles your mind can perform until you acquire the habit of casting off these imaginary shackles. Only you can do it. Others might encourage and urge and advise, but the final blow for freedom of the mind is yours alone to strike.      

Remember that those things that have never been done before offer the greatest challenge and opportunity. The pioneer who first accomplishes them is the one who reaps the reward.      

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Overcoming Fears

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Overcoming Fears

An important part of opening your mind to faith is ridding your mind of the fears which limit your belief. There are seven basic fears. Nearly everyone suffers from at least one; some of us must conquer all of them. Here are the seven fears:

1. Poverty – This is the most destructive fear and the hardest to master because it brings so much suffering and misery. Much of the fear of poverty comes from our bitter experiences in dealing with others who have proved untrustworthy and willing to exploit us for their own benefit.  If you resent poverty and are determined to be rid of it, analyze yourself fully for signs of this fear. then fasten your mind on substitutes for the negative habits which this fear inspires:

   – lack of ambition

   – Failure to make your own decisions

   – Making excuses for your failures

   – A negative mental attitude

Developing definiteness of purpose is the first step toward replacing a negative mental attitude with a positive one. Find out what you want and look for it all the time.

2. Criticism – Fear of criticism can affect you in ways both trivial and serious. It can lead you to buy the latest fashions, the fanciest cars, the most sophisticated stereo systems because you fear being left behind the times, out of step with what “everyone” is doing. It can prevent you from acting on ideas that are revolutionary, ideas that would give you independence. It robs you of your individuality and your faith in yourself. These are the most obvious symptoms of a fear of criticism:

   – Keeping up with the Joneses

   – Bragging about your achievements

   – Being easily embarrassed

3. Ill Health – This is closely related to the fear of death but is much more dependent on habits for its growth. You may very well have acquired it simply by growing up around others who shared it. It too, can prevent you from taking risks, and its simple presence can actually bring about the very situation you fear.  You want the power of your mind focused on maintaining your health, but certain habits demonstrate your enslavement to the fear of ill health. You must break them:

   – The drugstore habit – do you run to the pharmacist every time some new cure-all is advertised? Have you consumed mountains of garlic, ginseng and oat bran?

   – The habit of self-pity. do the slightest pains and discomforts keep you in bed? Is some condition your excuse for not acing?

   – The habit of substance abuse. It may be drink, it may be drugs, but it’s there only to cover up  your fear of some mental or physical pain.

4. Loss of love

5. Old Age – the fear of old age causes you to slow down and develop a feeling of inferiority. Whether you’re thirty, forty, sixty or seventy, you become convinced that you have let opportunity slip by and that your best years are behind you.

6. Loss of Liberty – No matter where you live, in any country, the fear of loss of freedom is present. The only way to fight this fear is to take an active role in defending the institutions that preserve your liberty.

7. Death – this fear is the grandfather of them all. It is very difficult to whip because it is so universal in our society and because it is constantly reinforced on a daily basis. It can stop you in your tracks a lot sooner than actual death.

Replacing Fear With Hope

The fundamental lesson in dealing with the fear of death is learning to set it aside. This should be your goal with each of the fears, for whatever you fear will follow you around like a puppy. Your mind attracts anything it dwells on. Most people go through life thinking about things they don’t want to happen, and they probably experience every one of them.

Wouldn’t it be a better idea, then, to refuse to think about the things you don’t want and to feed your mind with pictures of the things you do want?  There is nothing more important than learning the art of keeping your mind focused upon the things, condition and circumstances you really want. When your mind has definiteness of purpose, you are in a condition to start having faith. Faith exists only so long as it is used. You cannot develop muscles by not using them; you cannot increase your capital by not investing it. Persistent action backed by definiteness of purpose will pump up your faith.

Source: Napoleon Hill “Keys to Success”

Terrie