Prepare for Prosperity
July 2010
***This is an article that describes what may seem to be a radical approach to success and problem-solving. It is actually the foundation of much of the practical advice we hear about how to succeed. When I remember, I use it to solve all sorts of frustrations, like debugging websites, for example. Give it a try and see if it works for you.***
What does it mean to “Prepare for Prosperity?”
In simplest terms, it means that if you want to succeed, you must keep your attention—moment to moment—on what you want rather that what you don’t want. In practical terms it means you must to do all those things that you are supposed to do on the outside, external to you. And you must do some things on the inside too—in your mind.
Do you know where your attention is?
You may believe you are already focussing on what you want. If you pay particular attention to what you are thinking and imagining during a typical day, you may find you are spending most of your mental time and energy on how to avoid what you don’t want, rather than how to enjoy what you do.
As an example, suppose what you want is to have more customers. Are you thinking about what it is like with more customers? Or are you thinking about how many customers that shop down the street is getting?
Don’t take my word for it.
You can find out easily if you are pointing your mental compass in the direction you actually want to go. Monitor your thinking for just one day. It’s easiest to do between tasks—when you are commuting, for example. Notice all your various topics of thought. Use a recorder to make a note of them. There’s a handy one in the iPhone. Be sincere. No one but you needs to know the details.
This isn’t "Positive Thinking.”
What I’m suggesting isn’t about being nice or naive or “magical.” It’s about deliberately using your mind as one of your business or project resources. Your brain regulates what goes on in your body. It tells your sensory system what to notice, what to filter out, how to react, and what choices to make. Your brain and sensory system, your neurology, is greatly influenced by what you have on your mind; especially if there's a lot of emotion associated with it. Consider what happens when you watch a scary movie.
What I'm going to describe is a way to use your imagination to develop a sensory-based model of what you want. By doing this, you are showing (vs. telling) your mind—in a language it understands—how to direct your body. It’s like sculpting a living, moving, 3D image, and letting it change your biochemistry.
Take Action
Like like re-organizing your files or bookkeeping system, you can set aside time to re-organize your thinking. You’ll need to make a kind of effort you may not be accustomed to, but you can do it. With regular practice, you will begin to notice opportunities, creative solutions, and even supportive people that you were prevented from noticing before. Try the following exercise.
Let’s assume what you want is more customers. Imagine what having “more customers” would mean to you and your business. Don't just say so. In your imagination, sculpt a model of what you would see, hear, touch, taste and smell.
See what you would see.
Would it be at nighttime or day? Would there be crowds in the lobby or at the register? Would they be moving around or sitting? Would cars be filling the parking lot?
Hear what you hear.
What would it sound like? Phones ringing? Registers ka-chinging? People talking, maybe even laughing. Actually hear the sounds in your imagination.
Feel what you feel.
In this exercise, “feel” means touch rather than emotion. What will you be sensing kinesthetically when you have more customers? Will you feel crowded? Will you be sitting or standing? Notice the feel of your shoes on the floor or ground. Will it be hot, cold or a comfortable temperature. What will be the atmosphere? Rushed, exciting, vibrant, or stressed?
Okay, that's it. Practice this frequently just five or so minutes at a time and you are sure to notice results.
What if — What is
Yes, humans are violent and there are dangers all around. But what is happening in your world right this minute? Unless you are in a war-torn country, or a gang-infested ghetto, you are probably not in immediate danger. We are all heavily conditioned to expect trouble—crime, competition, scarcity, legal attacks, illness, and so on. Indeed, we are so saturated with an atmosphere of danger that you might experience some anxiety if you try to resist.
Don't let that stop you from trying though! You’ll be paying more attention to the things that matter and less on the things over which you have no control. Your world will begin to fill with with people and activities that support your success.