Welcome to reThink Your Perspective’s blog. To listen to this episode as a Podcast, click here!
This blog is dedicated to finding, sharing and discussing a variety of topics around the struggles our clients and audience go through. Each episode we will discuss a key concept that many humans struggle with and give you a variety of perspectives for you to see the concept through so you can find one that makes it feel easier to deal with.
We hope that you get some benefit from these blog posts, and we would love to hear your thoughts! Don’t hesitate to like, share and comment at the links.
This instalment features a book which was first suggested to me in several of the ‘Thinking Into Results’* lessons created by Bob Proctor and Sandy Gallagher at the Proctor Gallagher Institute, as well as in many of the live calls, mentoring sessions and other videos I have been watching during my journey and is one that I highly recommend on all of my own live sessions.
It is a truly revolutionary book.
Considering it was first published in 1960, it is astounding to me that it has not become a key text in schools around the world as the information contained within would make every single human a better and more productive person. Not only for the good of our species but for them as individuals as well.
The book is available in most good book shops, online and in person, and I highly recommend you get yourself a copy if my write ups resonate with you. I hope they do the book justice but they are only small snippets.
Stay tuned for my reviews over the next couple of weeks as I re-populate and update these blog posts which were originally written in 2022. My version of the book has space for reflection on each of the chapters so I have included my thoughts at the bottom of each of the chapter summaries.
* – Thinking Into Results is a life altering program that opens your mind to the limitless possibilities you have within you. Using 12 lessons ranging from adjusting your self-image, through leadership qualities and praxis, to the knowing-doing gap, this program is designed and proven to change your life in every way in your relationships, finances, careers, wellbeing and many other areas of your life. Get in touch if you want to know more about this program!
Chapter 5 – How To Utilize The Power Of Rational Thinking.
Chapter 5 of “Psycho-Cybernetics” by Maxwell Maltz is all about how to use rational thinking to improve our lives. Imagine your brain as a powerful computer that can help you achieve your goals and dreams. Rational thinking means using this computer wisely to make good decisions and solve problems.
Our conscious thinking is the control knob of our unconscious machine.
Using your higher faculty of reason, you can change negative beliefs and behaviours. Rational, conscious, logical thinking is the creator of the unconscious action. Your machine must be given instructions concerning the target (the goal, or wanted outcome). And these come in the form of conscious thoughts and ideas. Your unconscious, creative, success mechanism has no will of it’s own. It will simply strive towards any goal or target given, be it negative or positive, it cannot discern the difference.
Let sleeping dogs lie. There is no gain in dragging up the past, you can’t change it! Don’t criticise yourself for past mistakes.
Negative experiences contribute to the learning process as negative feedback data whilst you are uncovering the right way to do something. You need negative feedback to be able to correct your course as you go along. Like a torpedo, or a rocket to the moon, they are constantly correcting whenever they go off course. They fail their way to their target by adjusting course every time they drift off.
Then the error is simply forgotten!
The negatives were necessary but there is no need to then dwell on them! Do that and the negatives become the target your mechanism aims for.
Replace old ideas with new ones using rational thinking
Don’t try to change or stop old ones it will take too much effort. Too much will power and is inevitably futile. When you are feeling remorse for an action, instead convince yourself it is absurd to feel remorse or regret. You can’t change it, learn from it, let it go and focus on the goal.
Reject the foolish thoughts and feelings, they will not serve you.
Examine and reimagine your beliefs. Why do you believe them? Where are they from? Are they valid? Could you be mistaken?
When you think “I can’t”, stop your train of thought.
Change it to “Why can’t I?”
Some of your beliefs have cheated you and sold you short. Get new beliefs! Anything you can imagine yourself doing, anything you can see yourself doing in your imagination you can do in the physical world. If you follow the steps as they appear and believe that you can do it!
No more “I can’t”, you most definitely can!
If it is something you haven’t done before, how do you know you can’t do it? You’ve never tried before!
Rational thinking must be accompanied with deep feelings and the desire to change beliefs and behaviour. Dwell on what you want, not what you don’t.
It takes no effort or willpower to dwell!
Be it negative or positive, your automatic mechanism does not reason with or question the instructions given to it. It merely processes and reacts to the data you give it. Simply give it what you want.
Constantly dwell on what you want in your conscious mind, and then let your success mechanism get on with it!
How To Integrate This Chapter Into Your Own Life
Here are some tips to help you use the power of rational thinking in your daily life:
- Set clear goals: Just like entering a destination in a GPS, know what you want to achieve. This will help your brain focus on finding the best ways to reach your goals.
- Stay positive: Your thoughts have a big impact on your actions. Try to think positively and believe in yourself. This will help you overcome challenges and stay motivated.
- Practice self-discipline: Sometimes, we need to make tough choices to reach our goals. By being disciplined and making smart decisions, you can stay on track and achieve success.
- Learn from mistakes: Mistakes are a natural part of learning. Instead of getting discouraged, see them as opportunities to grow and improve. Use rational thinking to figure out what went wrong and how you can do better next time.
- Visualise success: Close your eyes and imagine yourself achieving your goals. This can help your brain focus on what you want and find ways to make it happen.
By using rational thinking in your daily life, you can become more confident, make better decisions, and reach your full potential. Just like a superhero using their powers for good, you can harness the power of your mind to create a bright future for yourself.
The copy of the book I have has spaces after each chapter to write and reflect on an experience from your past that is explained by the principles given in the chapter.
This is what came up for me:
I have always thought myself as shy. Never taking part or putting myself out there for fear of criticism or rebuke. But I have recently decided that that’s not me, and criticism is on them not me! I am now able to do things I want to do with little mind to criticism or if I might fail. So what? It is so freeing and fun to just do things rather than worry about potential outcomes that might not even happen!
I am actually very confident! Shyness was a limitation I put on myself, based on previous negative experiences and criticism. I am now fighting against that limitation, doing what I want to do in my life and not worrying about what others may be thinking or saying, consciously choosing to overcome it every time possible.
What beliefs are limiting you? What choices and habits are holding you back? Once you realise them, do you want to change them and live more freely like I am doing? I overcame mine through studying information from the Proctor Gallagher Institute and wider reading and you can to. If you would like some help, no strings attached, please contact me, or browse the courses in the store.
What Do You Think?
What is coming up for you after reading this summary? Comment below or send me a message. I would love to help you discover your beliefs and dehypnotise yourself from them!
To your success,
Jaiye
