Symmetry and Selection Rules
8.3 Classification of Vibrations
Certain qualities and skills are common to most successful people. The main ones are in the sections below.
Self-beliefis fundamental. Without it, you’re likely to underachieve in every life area, and have problems in all your personal and professional relationships.
Ask yourself:
■ Do I believe deep down that I am worthy of the good things I can create for myself?
■ To what extent do I show faith in myself in the way I speak and behave?
■ How much do I like, respect and approve of myself?
Self-reliance: successful people know that the responsibility for making their lives work lies with them. Although they enjoy being and working with others, they also know that it’s important to trust themselves and rely on their own judgement.
Those who are quick to blame bad luck when things go wrong are seldom happy and rarely accomplish very much.
■ Do you trust yourself?
■ When was the last time you made a major decision using your own judgement in the face of opposition from others?
■ Do you feel you need other people’s approval?
■ Do you feel free to make your own decisions, which truly reflect
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Commitment: committed people are motivated and disciplined in their approach. They are able to put aside all doubts and fears, and get on with the task in hand. Without commitment we are tempted to make excuses and look for an escape route when problems arise, rather than rolling up our sleeves and looking for a solution.
Look at your current list of goals. What is your level of commitment to each goal? Write a number between zero and ten next to each, where ten means you are totally and irrevocably committed, and zero means no commitment at all. Be completely honest with yourself. If you awarded less than, say, five, it’s probably not a genuine goal at all; six – eight, and it may be worth rephrasing your goal; nine or ten, go for it!
Vision: successful people tend to have a clear vision or purpose. They are forward looking. They create a wonderful life for themselves in their imagination. They’re inspired because they have so much to look forward to.
Do you have a vision of how you want your life to be? If so:
■ Is it clear?
■ Does it feel real?
■ Does it excite you?
■ What could you do to clarify your vision and make it even more real?
Self-control: the power for our lasting success and happiness lies in being able to do what needs to be done when we need to do it, and in avoiding what would not be advantageous. This takes discipline and self-control. We don’t always feel like doing those essential but unpleasant tasks.
Self-control is not necessarily synonymous with pain and suffering; just concentrating on what’s important until the job is done. Doing what we love doesn’t mean we won’t occasionally have to make short-term
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sacrifices, but when we feel good about our goals disciplined effort doesn’t feel that bad.
Ask yourself:
■ Do I always complete what I begin?
■ Do I have any bad habits I can’t seem to break?
Concentrationis focusing your mind on what you’re doing and what needs to be done.
When we concentrate any form of energy, including mental energy, it intensifies. Place a piece of wood in the hot sun, and nothing much would happen; but, as any schoolboy knows, focus the sun’s rays through a magnifying glass and it bursts into flames. Never underestimate the power and potency of concentrated mindpower.
Concentration needs to be worked on and developed. Over the past 20 years the average attention span of adults has halved. In most young people it is less than ten minutes.
Exercise to improve concentration. How good is your concentration? If not good enough, do this exercise every day.
■ Sit in a chair, back straight, feet flat on the ground, hands in your lap. Keep your body still.
■ Close your eyes, take a couple of deep breaths and allow yourself to relax more deeply with each breath. Allow your mind to settle.
■ Concentrate on one thing. Place a single image on your mental screen – a flower, a candle, a circle, anything that comes easily. Focus on that single image.
■ Whenever you find a stray thought entering your mind, stop it. Think only of the image on which you’re concentrating.
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Knowledge: there are three types of knowledge:
1 Knowledge that is useful or essential to achieving your goals. This kind of knowledge is in itself priceless, providing it is applied. Seek it, use it, develop it, cherish it.
2 Knowledge that is pleasurable and fun to acquire, for example the sort that features in crosswords, quiz shows and general knowledge games. Welcome it, enjoy it.
3 Knowledge that is useless, misleading or destructive. Train yourself to recognise it, and avoid it.
What additional knowledge do you need in order to achieve your goals? Where could you find this information? In a library? DVD? Internet? From a friend or colleague? Do you need to go to college or take a self- study course? Would you consider going back into full-time education?
Enthusiasm: one of the most identifiable qualities of a total winner is an overall attitude of optimism and enthusiasm. This comes partly from having the right goals, but also from a general feeling of self-esteem and a conviction that life is to be enjoyed. Enthusiasm is infectious – to yourself and other people.
■ Are you enthusiastic about life generally?
■ Are you enthusiastic about achieving your goals?