I am the greatest.
I said that before I even knew I was.
– Muhammad Ali
An interesting thing happened on the way to my new book being published. You have to choose categories for your book to be found at the retailers sites and in their stores.
The Most Magical Secret – 4 Weeks to an Ecstatic Life is about happiness and success. Great delight comes from feeling happy AND feeling that you are a success.
Happiness.
Success.
They say you must choose one. They’re mutually exclusive categories, I’ve been told. They’re not a combined category.
Isn’t that odd. That we apparently compartmentalize our well-being and our accomplishments so that they don’t integrate. Perhaps that’s the hidden challenge we ultimately all must face.
So I decided to take a stand. At the risk of compromising the book’s overall ratings, I chose BOTH categories. I believe that to be a whole person you must be happy AND successful. Not happy OR successful.
And I know such ecstasy is attainable.
And this has nothing to do with belief. Beliefs are a dime a dozen.
This is about knowing.
I want you to know what it takes to be successful and happy.
Williams James was a philosopher, physician, and psychologist in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He wrote about many topics including metaphysics and mysticism. He and I share the same birthday, by the way! He once wrote: “Success or failure depends more upon attitude than upon capacity successful men act as though they have accomplished or are enjoying something. Soon it becomes a reality. Act, look, feel successful, conduct yourself accordingly, and you will be amazed at the positive results.”
Immanuel Kant before James, in the 18th century, also said: “Act as if the maxim of thy action were to become by thy will a universal law of nature.”
There’s even an entire 20th century book from philosopher Hans Vaihinger entitled: “The Philosophy of ‘As If.” Vaihinger wrote: “It must be remembered that the object of the world of ideas as a whole is not the portrayal of reality – that would be an utterly impossible task – but rather to provide us with an instrument for finding our way about in this world more easily.”
Think about that.
If you want to be successful AND happy, you need only:
1. Act as if you are successful.
2. Act as if you are happy.
3. Just act.
“That’s absurd,” you say. “It’s laughable to suggest that success and happiness can be achieved and obtained by pretending.”
Well . . . A great many very successful and happy individuals have used the “act ‘as if’” principle.
RELATED: FINDING MAGIC
https://scottgrossberg.wordpress.com/2010/08/08/thinking-magically%E2%84%A2-finding-magic/
RELATED: FINDING MAGIC (Part 2)
https://scottgrossberg.wordpress.com/2010/08/15/thinking-magically%E2%84%A2-finding-magic-part-2/
Let’s backup a moment and get an understanding. I am not suggesting that a rose-colored glasses approach to life is the path to ecstasy. Far from it. I’m recommending that you ACT like what you who you want to be and ACT like you already have that which you desire.
Do you want to be a millionaire?
What does that LOOK LIKE? How does the type of millionaire you want to be ACT? How will your life be different when you’re a millionaire?
You can ask the same questions for anything you want as an outcome.
Once you have your personal answers, then the process is simple.
Using our example:
1. Act as if you’re happy because you already have a million dollars.
2. Look as if you’re successful because you already have a millions dollars.
3. Fool me (and the rest of the world) into believing you have a million dollars.
Give this a go and you’re going to find out that you get instant energy and a push in the direction of your dream.
RELATED: ALWAYS PRESUME MAGIC IS AFOOT
https://scottgrossberg.wordpress.com/2015/04/05/thinking-magically-always-presume-magic-is-afoot/
This “As If” concept has even been used to great effect in something now known as the Raikov Effect (or Deep Trance Identification technique). I first read about this system in Adam Smith’s book, The Powers of Mind (I believe it was called Artificial Reincarnation in the book).
The technique is straightforward – you first determine who you want to model and then take on the physical actions and mindset of that person. In other words, you ACT AS IF you are that person. Think of it as a form of Method Acting (for those of you in the entertainment field). Simply put, method acting involves an actor creating the thoughts, feelings, and actions of a particular character in order to bring forth the desired performance (outcome).
You can do the same thing with any result your heart desires.
You carefully consider the reasons behind what you want to achieve. You either find someone to model or create such a model in your mind. You imagine the emotional state of someone (or yourself) doing, being, and having what you want to achieve. And then you ACT AS IF you already have it.
RELATED: 10 WAYS GUARANTEED TO MAKE PROSPERITY HARDER
https://scottgrossberg.wordpress.com/2014/10/05/thinking-magically-10-ways-guaranteed-to-make-prosperity-harder/
Most of us are incredibly busy with our lives. We have family to attend to. Health issues to address. Money to earn. I get it. You’re too busy to make all this work. Use the foregoing technique and I assure you that you will instantly start to see and feel results. I don’t think you’re too busy for “instant,” are you?
One More Thing . . . would you like to learn more about how to create a life of Magic? If so, then consider reading The Most Magical Secret – 4 Weeks to an Ecstatic Life. You can order my new book right now through Amazon >>> http://www.amazon.com/dp/0692420010
Remember, you can also continue this conversation by subscribing to my blog at http://thinkingmagically.com or you joining me on any of the major social media sites to take this discussion to an even deeper level.
SCOTT GROSSBERG thinkingmagically.com 
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