PSYCHOLOGY OF SUCCESS.

FAITH AND SELF-CONFIDENCE
From birth until death the mind is always reaching out for that which it does not possess. The little child playing with its toys on the floor sees another child with a different sort of toy and immediately tries to lay hand on that toy. To put it in another way, “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence”, as it seems to the jackass. With such an attitude of mind, the individual begins to learn that happiness and contentment are not of this world. In desperation, he turns to religion for hope and encouragement.

However, the individual wonders which brand of religion offers the safest passageway, until hope vanishes. Always seeking, but never finding — thus might be described man’s struggle for happiness and contentment.

Life is an everlasting question mark! Our power to “Acquire” is always a decade or so behind our power to “Desire”! And if we catch up with the thing we want, we no longer want it! How beautiful the mountain yonder in the distance. But, the moment we draw near it, we find it to be nothing but a wretched collection of rocks, dirt and trees. Out of truth grew the oft-repeated adage, “Familiarity breeds contempt”.

Happiness, contentment and beauty are states of mind. They can never be enjoyed except through vision of the afar. If the hope of unfinished dreams in man’s heart is destroyed, or the moment he ceases to cherish the vision of future achievement, he is finished. Nature has built man so. Man’s greatest and only lasting happiness is that which he feels in the pursuit of some yet unattained object. Anticipation is sweeter than realization. That which is at hand does not satisfy. The only enduring satisfaction a man keeps alive in his heart is the ‘Hope of Future Achievement’. When that Hope dies write ‘FINISH’ across human heart. Thus, while struggling to achieve his object and to grow in life, he has to keep his hope alive.

GROWTH THROUGH STRUGGLE: Opportunity for growth may be found wherever one really looks for it and nowhere else! Do not worry because the grass looks greener on other side of the fence. Nature intended it so. Thus does she allure us and groom us for the life-long task of ‘Growth Through Struggle’. After removal of discontentment and confusion over your selected goal, you have to struggle for the visualization of and belief in the attainment of your desire. Thus, you must develop faith in your definite chief aim to realize your desire.


CREATION OF FAITH THROUGH AUTO-SUGGESTION: Faith is a state of mind that develops our complete trust or confidence in achieving a desired object. When faith is blended with thought, the Sub-Conscious Mind instantly picks up the vibration, translates it into its spiritual equivalent and transmits it to Infinite Intelligence, as in case of prayer.

Faith may be induced or created by affirmation or repeated instructions to the Sub-Conscious Mind through the principle of Auto-suggestion (self-suggestion). Repetition of the instructions to your sub-conscious mind is the only known method of voluntary development of the emotion of faith. All thoughts that have been emotionalized or given feeling and mixed with faith begin immediately to translate themselves into their physical equivalent or counterpart. Faith gives life, power and action to the impulse of thought. Faith is the only agency through which the cosmic force of Infinite Intelligence can be harnessed and used by man.
AUTOSUGGESTION WORKS LIKE MAGIC: Every man is what he is because of the dominating thoughts, which he permits to occupy in his mind. Thoughts which a man deliberately places in his mind and encourages with sympathy and which he mixes with any one or more of the feelings of emotions, constitute the motivating forces which direct and control his every moment, act and deed. Consequently, thoughts constitute a magnetic force, which attracts other similar or related thoughts. A thought thus “magnetized” with emotion may be compared to a seed which, when planted in fertile soil, germinates, grows and multiplies itself over and over again.

Any idea, plan or purpose may be placed in the mind through repetition of thought. Through this process, you may resolve to throw off the influences of any unfortunate environment and build your own life to order.

NO ONE IS DOOMED TO BAD LUCK: yes, no one is doomed to bad luck, provided you are living in a good system of society. There are millions of people who believe themselves “doomed” to poverty and failure, because of some strange force over which they believe, they have no control. They are creators of their own “misfortunes”, because of this negative belief, which is picked up by the Sub-Conscious Mind and translated into its physical equivalent. It is essential for achieving success to encourage the positive emotions as dominating forces of your mind and discourage and eliminate negative emotions.

YOU ARE WHAT YOU BELIEVE:
The most important quality you can ever develop is having belief in yourself. Withe the belief nursed as faith you can, without a shadow of doubt achieve success in the area of life. Virtually every person has the capacity to do wonderful things with his or her life. But the greatest single obstacle for most people is self-doubt.

The Universal Law of Belief says that whatever we believe, with feelings becomes our reality. We don’t believe what we see; instead, we see what we believe. Our beliefs become form, a screen as to how we see the world, and we never allow any information that is not consistent with our beliefs to pass through it. Even if we have beliefs that are totally inconsistent with reality, we won’t let them through because our beliefs have become true for us.

The most common and the most harmful beliefs are the ones that are self-limiting. These are beliefs about yourself. For example, believing that you can’t achieve something because you don’t have enough money or education. You might believe that you can’t achieve something because you are the wrong sex; race, age, or it is because of the economy. Most of these beliefs are not true, but nonetheless they will hold you back. The fact is you deserve every good thing that you are capable of acquiring through the use of your talents.

The only real limitation on what you can be and have is if you lack the desire. If you set a goal and want to achieve badly enough, nothing in the world can stop you from achieving it, as long as you are willing to persist long and hard enough.

To develop positive beliefs, you have to decide exactly where you want to end up in the future. Once you have clearly decided on the type of person you want to be, you will have already taken a major first step in developing new beliefs. In order to incorporate your new beliefs into your every day life, you have to discipline yourself to act exactly in every situation as if you already were that person. When you begin to act like the successful ones you want to become, you will actually adopt their values, qualities and characteristics. And they will then become a permanent part of your personality.

When you act like that, your attitude will change and become more positive. This will then build stronger and more positive beliefs. And your beliefs will then, exert a positive influence on your values.

You have no limitations on your potential except for those that you believe you have. Successful people are not extraordinary or special in any way. But all successful people do have the unwavering belief that they can accomplish any thing that they really want in life.

From this day forward, see yourself as the very best you can be, and refuse to accept any limitations on your possibilities. Once you develop that belief in yourself, and you act in accordance with your beliefs, your future will be unlimited.

FAITH GIVES COURAGE AND WORKS WONDERS UNSEEN:
Historian Will Durant has described the age we live in as the ‘AGE OF REASON’. This era has succeeded the 'AGE OF FAITH'. However, Rabinderanath Tagore has said, “Faith is the bird that sings when dawn is still dark.”

Faith is not blind. Faith is seeing with the eyes of the mind. With the eyes of faith we can perceive goodness, peace and joy all around us.

It has been said that faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible. When fear knocks at the door of your heart, send faith to open it and you will be free from distress. Faith believes that God loves you.

On the pathways of life we face different types of weather including stormy and smooth, wild and mild. We come face-to-face with difficulty and danger, disease and death. We feel frightened. If only we cultivate the faith that such experiences come to us not without a purpose, we need never be afraid.


SELF-CONFIDENCE:
Taking inventory of mental assets and liabilities, you can discover that your greatest weakness may be lack of self-confidence. This handicap can be surmounted and timidity translated into courage in the following manner through the aid of Autosuggestion.

1. Have confidence in your ability to achieve the object of your definite
purpose in life through continuous, mentally persuasive persistent action
toward its attainment.

2. Clear picture of the person you intend to become should be created
in the mind. Concentrate your mind for 30 minutes daily upon thinking of
the person you intend to be.

3. Develop self-confidence through Autosuggestion, because any desire
you persistently hold in your mind will eventually seek expression
through some practical means of realizing it.

4.   Have a description of your definite "Chief Aim” in life to realize it
through the strict application of the principle of efficient satisfactory
service.
5. Develop the habit of doing that which you fear to do. As you follow this
principle you will gradually start embracing success. That will strengthen
your self-confidence.

6. No wealth or position can long endure unless built upon truth and
justice. Therefore, engage in no transaction, which does not benefit all
whom it affects. Attract cooperation of other people by first serving them.

7. Develop love for all humanity by eliminating hatred, envy, jealousy, selfishness, and cynicism. It is because you know that a negative attitude toward others can never bring you success. Cause others to believe in you, because you will believe in them and yourself.

STRUGGLE BUILDS UP SELF-CONFIDENCE:
It is a well established fact that the faculties of mind like limbs of the body atrophy and wither away, if not used. Self-confidence is no exception. It develops when used, but disappears if not used.
Far from disadvantage, struggle is a decided advantage, because it develops those qualities, which would ever lie dormant without it. Because, not only does the lack of necessity for struggle lead to weakness of ambition and will-power, but what is more dangerous still, it sets up in a person’s mind a state of lethargy that leads to the loss of self-confidence. Thus, forced idleness is the worst punishment.
One of the chief disadvantages of inherited wealth is the fact that it too often leads to inaction and loss of self-confidence. Inaction leads to atrophy and this in turn leads to loss of ambition and self-confidence. Thus, without these essential qualities of ambition and self-confidence, a man will be carried through life on the wings of uncertainty, just as a dry leaf may be carried here and there on the bosom of stray winds.
While carrying out struggle, believe to earn every thing through faithful and honest service. At the same time, be patient with other people and tolerant with those who do not believe in it. Believe that success is the result of intelligent effort and does not depend on luck, sharp practices, and fellow men, double-crossing friends or your employer. You will render the best service of which you are capable, because you have pledged yourself to succeed in life and that success is always the result of conscientious and efficient effort. Fix such ideas in mind through Autosuggestion.
In this context Emerson has said, “Nothing can bring you peace but yourself”! You might well keep in mind that nothing can bring you success but yourself. Of course you will need the cooperation of others, if you aim to attain success of a far-reaching nature. But, you will never get that cooperation unless you vitalize your mind with the positive attitude of self-confidence. Self-confidence is contagious, it is impelling, it is persuasive and it attracts others.

DISASTER OF NEGATIVE THINKING: Just as electricity will turn the wheels of industry and render useful service if used constructively, or snuff out life if wrongly used, so will the law of Auto-suggestion lead you to peace and prosperity or draw down to the valley of misery, failure and death according to the degree of its understanding and application.
GENIUS LIES ASLEEP IN YOUR BRAIN: Success begins with your will – it is all in the state of mind. Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or faster man. Sooner or later, the person who wins is that person ‘Who Thinks He Can’. Somewhere in your make up there lies sleeping, the seed of achievement, which, if aroused and put into cultivation would carry you to heights, such as you may never have hoped to attain. Abraham Lincoln was a failure at every thing he tried, until he was well passed the age of forty. He was Mr. Nobody from nowhere, until a great experience came into his life, aroused the sleeping genius in his heart and brain and gave the world one of its really great men.

A GREAT PSYCHOLOGICAL TRUTH: Skepticism – the Deadly Enemy: It is a great psychological truth that skepticism is the deadly enemy of progress and self-development.


ERADICATE CAUSES BEHIND LACK OF SELF-CONFIDENCE:
In any field, with the process of time the situations may change. However, the person who adapts himself to face the requirements of new situation is considered a self-confident individual. Lack of self-confidence under various situations creates the sense of insecurity. It is necessary to analyze the causes behind lack of self-confidence and remove them in the following manner.

1. Evasive attitude: Becoming capable, as per the demand of situation or circumstances is the sign of self-confidence. However, to run away from the situation or resort to procrastination is the sign of lack of self-confidence.

2. Negative attitude: To have negative feelings of weakness or incapability while dealing with a situation is indicative of inferiority complex. By removing inferiority complex and feeling self-confident to deal with a particular situation you can face the new challenges.

3. Positive comparison: If under any situation, you are always in the habit of comparing your fate with others, then it again indicates your lack of self-confidence. If at all you have to make comparison, it should be positive to excel others. Always remain in touch with those who possess a positive attitude and cheerful nature.

4. Persistent efforts: If you are not persistent in your efforts after one or two set backs, it also indicates lack of self-confidence. There are some works that require persistent and powerful efforts. Therefore, always be prepared for such efforts to achieve your object. Remember, Napoleon Bonaparte was right when he said that the word “impossible” was to be found in the dictionary of fools.