Thinking Magically™ | The Best from 2015

I’m selfish, impatient and a little insecure.
I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle.
But if you can’t handle me at my worst,
then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best.

– Marilyn Monroe

Well, we’re well into the start of 2016. This is a perfect time to revisit my Top 10 favorite posts of 2015 so that you have them all in one place. So, here we go (and, as I’ve said in prior year’s reviews, this is kind of like picking which of your children is your favorite):

1.  From January 11 – A Birthday Present — The 5 Most Important Lessons You Could Learn in 2015

This was published on my birthday a year ago. I posed some questions. The questions were designed to help you focus on your quality of life and those things that make you happier and more successful. The answers you provide to these questions help to fuel your energy and emotional sustenance. Take a look.

https://scottgrossberg.wordpress.com/2015/01/11/thinking-magically-a-birthday-present-the-5-most-important-lessons-you-could-learn-in-2015/

2.  From January 25 – Do You Make Good Magic? Follow These 2 Steps and You Will.

I know what I’m talking about when we discuss Magic. I know, for example, that it’s easy to use and apply. In this post, I go right to the heart of creating and using and understanding GOOD MAGIC. It all comes down to respect, by the way.

https://scottgrossberg.wordpress.com/2015/01/25/thinking-magically-do-you-make-good-magic-follow-these-2-steps-and-you-will/

3.  From February 8 – Treat Your Magic Like a Lover

This article is all about one of my favorite concepts—treating your Magic like a lover. Many people I run into think that “doing magic” is an ultimate outcome — a result that you hurry to achieve. Nothing could be further from the truth. Magic, like being with a lover, is a journey, a process, an activity. Read this and get back in touch with what matters.

https://scottgrossberg.wordpress.com/2015/02/08/thinking-magically-treat-your-magic-like-a-lover/

4.  From March 22 – Finally Making Yourself Great

There’s something truly unique about consistently successful magicians. In this article, I walk you through the steps for writing a love letter to yourself. Why? Because it’s one of the best ways for you to recognize, acknowledge, and develop a HEALTHY SELF-LOVE of yourself. Be prepared. This is about creating a really romantic — perhaps even erotic — letter to yourself explaining why you are such a fantastic addition to the Universe.

https://scottgrossberg.wordpress.com/2015/03/22/thinking-magically-finally-making-yourself-great/

5.  From April 12 – The Decision to be a Magician

“The Most Magical Secret” was written for those who choose to live a life of Magic. This article isn’t just about that choice, itself, but about the 7 Steps to a Magical Life. If you want to be a systematically successful magician, you need to make the decision to be consistently extraordinary — not in the sense of imposing yourself on others but in the sense of transforming the world around you. The elements for that consistency can be found here.

https://scottgrossberg.wordpress.com/2015/04/12/thinking-magically-the-decision-to-be-a-magician/

6.  From May 10 – The 11 Traits of Believable Magic

Here are some things to think about . . . Do you have what it takes to be a wonder-worker? Would you like to trust in your magic, again? Can you wield an enchantment strong enough to make your dreams come true? Will you place enough faith both in yourself and in something greater than yourself to carry you to the end? Are you enough? Is your magic enough? In this article, I’ve set out the 11 traits I believe can turn you into a consistently successful and believable Magician.

https://scottgrossberg.wordpress.com/2015/05/10/thinking-magically-the-11-traits-of-believable-magic/

7.  From May 17 – 6 Ways to Have a Wonderfully Magical Mindset

I specialize in restoring mindsets, adjusting attitudes, and polishing outlooks. In this article, I help you to understand that Magic is a matter of priorities and a determination of what’s important in your life and what is not. So, would you like to create a wonderfully magical mindset of your own? You’ll find 6 suggestions here.

https://scottgrossberg.wordpress.com/2015/05/17/thinking-magically-6-ways-to-have-a-wonderfully-magical-mindset/

8.  From June 21 –When Magicians Feel “Unmagical” This is What They Do!

We all experience motivation challenges from time to time. Everybody has felt “empty” at one point or another in their life. Many of us have been “lost” more than a few times. I wrote this article for those times when you get to the point where you are feeling “unmagical.” Here you’ll find some simple steps to get your joy, impulse, and drive going again.

https://scottgrossberg.wordpress.com/2015/06/21/thinking-magically-when-magicians-feel-unmagical-this-is-what-they-do/

9. From July 12 – The Most Effective Way to Change Your Life (3 Minutes at a Time)

If you know anything about me at all, you’ll know I’m a big proponent of using music to create a magical lifestyle. This article is an update of my Ancient Magic, Modern Tools™ approach to creating playlists that fill you with power, passion, and positivity.

https://scottgrossberg.wordpress.com/2015/07/12/thinking-magically-the-most-effective-way-to-change-your-life-3-minutes-at-a-time/

10. From August 23 – The Toiling Person’s Guide to Taking On Magic

William James and I were born on the same day (January 11). He 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.” So . . . this is my “Act as if” article for you to devour.

https://scottgrossberg.wordpress.com/2015/08/23/thinking-magically-the-toiling-persons-guide-to-taking-on-magic/

11. From September 12 – If You’re Not Worried About The High Concept Fueling Your Magic . . . You Should Be

Hollywood-types like to talk about, push, and buy high concept movies and television. You might never have heard the term “high concept” before. But it’s one that every Magician needs to know because it helps you to be more effective. This article will show you how to bring a “high concept” to your Magic.

https://scottgrossberg.wordpress.com/2015/09/20/thinking-magically-if-youre-not-worried-about-the-high-concept-fueling-your-magic-you-should-be/

12. From October 11 – Crawling Inside Your Audience’s Head

I realized a profound truth a long time ago. You always have an audience. You want them to feel something. You want them to think something. You want them to do something. Here are some solid suggestions for managing what’s going on inside an audience’s head. Without an audience, a Magician can’t enchant or delight or transport someone to another place and time. It’s time to crawl inside their head.

https://scottgrossberg.wordpress.com/2015/10/11/thinking-magically-crawling-inside-your-audiences-head/

13. From November 15 – 7 Things I Would Like Every New Magician To Know

Whatever your reason for choosing a life of Magic, there are 7 things I would like you to take to heart. This may the the ONE article you need to read.

https://scottgrossberg.wordpress.com/2015/11/15/thinking-magically-7-things-i-would-like-every-new-magician-to-know/

14. From December 20 – What Are You Really Afraid Of?

Fear. It’s a strong motivator. It’s a strong show stopper. It can control our decisions, actions, and emotions. But . . . what are you really afraid of? Once you read this article and come to know what truly drives you, you will be all the better Magician. Take a look.

https://scottgrossberg.wordpress.com/2015/12/20/thinking-magically-what-are-you-really-afraid-of/

One More Thing . . . would you like to learn more about living the life of a Magician? 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.

© 2016 by Scott Grossberg. All Rights Reserved. thinkingmagically.com

Advertisement

The Masks of Tarot | Faceless

Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth. – Oscar Wilde

Recently, New York’s Enrique Enriquez and I were exchanging ideas and I shared with him some guided imagery scripting that naturally arose from my book, The Masks of Tarot. I decided that I wanted to share this with you, as well, as a further way to say Thank You and to celebrate the Kindle version release of Masks; a little guided imagery exercise that actually started out as a mnemonic device for remembering the main technique in the book. What I am about to unleash on you is a shortened version of something that quickly turned into a stand alone method on its own.

Let’s start with the belief that masks have majestic and magnificent power. They will fundamentally and forever change who you are. What you are learning today is a well-worn method for directing your own thoughts – or the waking dreams of others – so that the seeds of your imagination can give birth to some truly intuitive and penetrating understanding. I encourage you to work your way through the following steps in order and without skimming through the exercise or jumping ahead to the end. Why? Perhaps Carl Jung said it best: When you concentrate on a mental picture it begins to stir, the image becomes enriched by details. It moves and develops, and so when we concentrate on inner pictures and we are careful not to interrupt the natural flow of events, our unconscious will produce a series of images that makes a complete story. I want you to develop and wear your complete story without the interruption or overlay that skimming or skipping will cause.

So, grab a piece of paper and something to write with. Find a nice quiet place so that we can play together for a short while. And . . .

THE TECHNIQUE

STEP ONE: Imagine that you are in a costume shop. The store seems endless as you gaze about at the costumes that abound. Notice the collection of colors. Notice the different types of outfits. Then, you see the nearly boundless wall of masks. Every shape. Every size. Every type of character is there. You get to choose one that you would like to wear. That’s right. Take the one from the wall that calls out to you the most. Put it on. And notice how it fits and forms just perfectly to the contours of your face. It is as if your remarkable mask has finally found its home!

STEP TWO: With your mask still on, step outside the costume shop. Notice what it is like to look out from the mask’s eye openings. Be acutely aware that you are looking out from a disguise. You can feel the texture of your outer concealment against your face. Write down the details of the mask that you are wearing. Who do you appear to be? Then, write out three adjectives to describe your mask.

STEP THREE: As you look out from your singular disguise, you suddenly see an open and dark pit. There is a deep and disturbing rumbling coming from inside this hollow – it wants to make the ground shake . . . but it is only you that is disturbed. Soon, you see a beast, a demon, a monster start to emerge from the hole. As it comes into view, you get a clear and understandable look at it. Write down what you see becoming visible. Then, write down the three adjectives that best describe the beast.

STEP FOUR: Before the beast is able to take itself from the pit, something happens to weaken and discourage it. It almost appears to you that the beast has been blinded or has seen something that has disheartened it and stopped it in its tracks. Write out what has brought this beast to a standstill. Then, write out three adjectives to describe what you have seen.

STEP FIVE: With renewed conviction, you return to the costume shop and reverently place the mask that you have been wearing back on its place on the wall. You do so with gratitude and a sense that you have been left with some significant message to remember. You step back from the wall and almost start to leave. But . . . your eyes catch sight of one more mask – it is one that you would never want to wear. In fact, it is one that almost makes you want to shrink back in disgust at it – it is that disturbing. Write out the details of this mask that you detest so much. As before, you next write down three adjectives to describe it.

STEP SIX: Now, turn your attention back to the mask that you originally chose. Be content in your decision to have chosen this mask and thankful that you don’t have to wear any other mask, ever again, if you don’t choose to do so.

STEP SEVEN: Finally, you remember that there was a message you were given while you were wearing your mask. What is it your mask revealed to you? Write it down.

INTERPRETATION

The Mask – This is how you view yourself, what you are attracted to, what makes you who you are, or perhaps the quality that you take for granted in yourself.

The Beast – This represents what you resort to under stress, what you excuse in yourself, how others view you (as opposed to how you view yourself), or your instinctive motives.

The Light (what repelled the Beat) – The Light (as I call it) it what you need to gain balance in your life, what others wish you had more of, what you look at with wonder when other people demonstrate this trait, or what you desire to accomplish.

The Shadow (the mask you did not want to wear) – This represents what you see in others that you do not want to acknowledge in yourself, what you must still learn to control, what you become when all else fails, or what you just thought you had left behind (but still need to address).

You can use this technique for some grand self-exploration. You can also use this method for giving some truly inspiring and deeply stirring readings.

Just some thoughts. If you enjoyed this, please click below to share this with others.

And make sure to sign up for my blog mailing list so you get all future postings delivered directly to your inbox.

© 2012 by Scott Grossberg. All Rights Reserved. thinkingmagically.com

Thinking Magically™ | A Place at the Table

Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action. – W.J. Cameron

Every year, at the same time, with the same declaration that 364 days have passed too quickly, and with the same promise that it’s still not too late to proclaim our gratitude, Thanksgiving arrives.

It can materialize quietly or with a dazzle of activity. Whether by way of a hushed and private moment or with the impressiveness of a parade and a large gathering of people, we all still reflect in the end upon the many blessings we have been given. Thanksgiving is a muse of sorts, you see; a whimsical and orchestrated social event that nevertheless inspires us to do better and act better and be better to each other.

This year, you have a special celebration in mind. It’s not something you can resist. Besides, who wants to fight against feeling thankful and admiring? So you take a piece of paper and sit down discreetly with just a pen and your innermost thoughts.

Staring at the spotless page in front of you, you imagine a holiday table is about to be set and adorned. The first plate is situated. It is yours. So, at the head of the table (wherever you imagine that to be on your paper), write your name and then draw a circle around it – a symbolic dish, of sorts. You take a moment to enjoy the solitude of sitting at an enormous table all by yourself. There is delight, at times, in an unescorted life, isn’t there?

But, then, your thoughts turn to the real magic of life; the excitement and charm of connecting with other people. All sorts of people. For it is the friendships and romances and relationships that bring vitality and energy to the world around you. It is the bond you share with others that gives you your edge and passion.

So you look at the paper in front of you – your as-of-yet unattended table (except for you) – and you start to wonder: Who else might show up for the celebration? And you pick up your pen, and you start to write . . .

Begin drawing 11 more circles/plates – one on either side of your setting, and then 3 plates on each of the remaining 3 sides of the table. Inside each of the circles, write down the names of 11 people you know and whom you’d like to have a good time with. When you are done, you will have a table with 12 place settings! There is no rush. You have all the time in the world to fill your festive table with guests.

Now, take a moment and really look at your table. John Donne was quite right – no man is an island. You are not friendless nor alone. There are people who care about you and love you.

So . . . take some time and conjure up the sounds, the smells, the look, and the tastes that your marvelous party bestows. Actually hear the conversations taking place. Savor the food that has been brought to your special get-together. See how everyone has dressed. Really imagine and enjoy the gathering as you call up all the joyous feelings you experience being around this outstanding and remarkable group that has assembled – just for you!

Soon, you start to notice that the center of the table is still bare. Alas, your party is hollow without nourishment and the sustenance of life. So you start to write some more . . .

Pick up your pen and, for each of your guests use the center space of your paper table to write down the 3 things that they are bringing to your party; the 3 personal qualities, traits, or characteristics that truly make them part of your feast of life! What is it about each of your guests that you are thankful for and respect? For example, someone may bring creativity, love, and a spectacular sense of humor to the affair. Another might bring wisdom, gallantry, and courage. Still another guest might bring intrigue, tenderness, and trust.

Finally, in the very center of your table, write down the 3 things that you bring to this holiday banquet! What 3 qualities, traits, or characteristics do you bring to the lives of your guests that makes their world more lavish, meaningful, and significant?

When you are done writing, examine all that you have noted; all those people who make your world a better place and life worth living. Notice, too, the notable blessings you pass on to others. You see, this table is now an inviolate place of grace and true thanksgiving, isn’t it? And, you have created a written celebration of life that can serve as a constant reminder of what you have, who you have, and what you offer.

If you’re an overachiever and want to take this celebration to the next level, write to each person whom you’ve invited to your private party and let them know the 3 things you are thankful for. And, don’t forget to share with them the 3 things you add to the relationship, as well. You won’t be sorry! I promise.

Have a Happy and Magical Thanksgiving!

Just some thoughts. If you enjoyed this, please click below to share this with others.

And make sure to sign up for my blog mailing list so you get all future postings delivered directly to your inbox.

© 2011 by Scott Grossberg. All Rights Reserved. thinkingmagically.com

Thinking Magically™ | Getting Just What You Deserve

Deserve your dream. – Octavio Paz

Do you have a right to be successful?

Are you worthy of chasing after your ambitions?

Are you qualified to use your personal magic?

Coming up with your answers to these important questions deserves your focused consideration. You see, I believe that a significant ingredient for taking your personal success to the next level is your ability to appreciate that you deserve the magic in your life. In other words, everything that happens to you takes place because, on some higher level, you have asked for it.

Please notice that I have not conditioned the concept of deserving as a type of reward; that you only receive in some necessary proportion to what you have already earned. Rather, I suggest to you that being deserving is about your skill in effortlessly recognizing and powerfully comprehending what you can attain. It is not always conditioned on some mystical type of endorsement or validation of prior deeds.

Now, I am not asking you to engage in some artificial or fabricated thinking. No, indeed. I am asking you to start engaging all of your senses and aim them at why you have an absolute right to be successful. Why you are worthy of chasing after your ambitions. And why you are qualified to use your personal magic.

So, how do you awaken to this new belief? The technique is easy; actually completing it, however, is demanding. It has been written about before by other authors. You will be creating a list of 100 reasons why you deserve whatever it is that you want. In other words, you take a piece of paper (or use your computer) and start off with the introduction:

I HAVE A RIGHT TO BE SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE . . .

or

I AM WORTHY  OF CHASING AFTER MY AMBITIONS BECAUSE . . .

or

I AM QUALIFIED TO USE MY PERSONAL MAGIC BECAUSE . . .

Then, you just write and write and write and write. You don’t take breaks. Get rid of or ignore all interruptions. Don’t worry about repeating yourself. Don’t censor what you are putting down. You just write.

Many of you will try and do this exercise in your head rather than physically writing anything down. DON’T!

Many of you will start this exercise and then stop part-way through the process, thinking that 100 items is excess. DON’T!

Many of you will not even start this activity, claiming that you’re life is too busy or that this exercise is silly. DON’T!

The whole reason for writing out such a long list of items is to force yourself past your normal in the box thinking, and move you to a comprehensive and full-scale realization. You see, the initial things you write down will be reasoned, usually ego-centric, and even superficial. It is after you write 15-20 items that you begin to find the real, spontaneous treasures; the real structure of what you want or believe or accept as true starts to emerge. Eventually, your good sense resigns and your wisdom takes over. Then, your stream of consciousness emerges and the flow begins to deepen. Each of these steps serve a purpose and are important.

S0 . . . just write.

At the end of this exercise you will have a collection of thoughts – some repeated, some unique. Once you are done, look through them and start finding the patterns that arise from the recurrence of your common themes.

After you discover your standard themes, meditate upon them! What emotions do they spark in you? How does your body feel as you mull them over? Do your themes prompt still other memories and thoughts? Write all of these down and get ready to set in motion a new powerful and vital energy in your life!

If you want to explore the idea of making lists of 100 things, you can also look into the writings of:

Michael Gelb – How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci

Kathleen Adams – Journal to the Self: 22 Paths to Personal Growth

Just some thoughts. If you enjoyed this, please click below to share this with others.

And make sure to sign up for my blog mailing list so you get all future postings delivered directly to your inbox.

© 2011 by Scott Grossberg. All Rights Reserved. thinkingmagically.com

Thinking Magically™ | Lessons Learned

I am still learning. – Michengelo

Today, let’s have some fun as I share with you some of the things I’ve learned from watching Presley, Gracey, and Marley play their way through life! I think the following pretty well sums up what they’ve taught me, so far. I’m sure there will be other lessons in the future.

Just some thoughts. If you enjoyed this, please click below to share this with others.

And make sure to sign up for my blog mailing list so you get all future postings delivered directly to your inbox.

© 2011 by Scott Grossberg. All Rights Reserved. thinkingmagically.com

Thinking Magically™ | Shambhala

Eden is that old-fashioned house we dwell in every day

Without suspecting our abode, until we drive away. – Emily Dickinson

When asked to consider the concept of Paradise, many people either imagine a Heaven that is somewhere up there, a long-forgotten Garden of Eden, or some other place they believe to be fanciful and unreal. But . . . what if a way of life filled with pure ecstasy and delight – a heaven on earth way – could be yours now?!? How would things be different for you if you stopped wanting to retreat from the hassles of life and, instead, started savoring all that came your way? All too often, we think of a heaven on earth that could only exist if we either withdraw from the ills of everyday life or we vanquish all that comes in our path. Here’s a test: If I asked you, right now, to describe your idea of nirvana or bliss or ecstasy, what would you say? And if I then asked you what having such serenity means for you, would you answer me in such a way that reveals you are running away from the pains of life rather than running towards the joys it offers?

This article is not about showing you a way to seek refuge from the daily pressures of life. Rather, I am suggesting to you that heaven on earth comes when you welcome everything about your life – the highs and the lows; when you adopt a new appreciation of what things and people mean to you. The events and people in your life don’t need to change. You need to change what they mean to you! Simply, when you finally adopt the philosophy that everything that happens to you materializes because you have asked for it, you gain a new attitude and frame of mind.

Most of you know that I admire Richard Bach’s various projects. He once wrote, Argue for your limitations, and sure enough they’re yours. For today, let’s rewrite this to read: Argue for your hell on earth, and sure enough it’s yours! If you want to experience pure joy and happiness, I am convinced you have to believe it’s already yours. Here’s a fresh concept for you to easily wrap your heart and soul around: Start acting like you’re happy!  You always have a choice in life. You can choose to be miserable. You can choose to walk on air.

Now, I’m not suggesting you go through life with rose-colored-glasses. I am proposing, however, that you can probably stand to change the interpretations you have given to many things and people. As you go through your day today, keep asking yourself what the things and people you are coming into contact with really mean to you and what they have to offer you in a positive way. Is your lunch just a way to have nourishment? Or could it mean something more? Is that conversation you have on the phone today a waste of your time? Or could it signify something greater in your life? Start paying attention to how your internal scripting is programming you and setting your expectations throughout the day. Then ask whether that dialogue is keeping you from appreciating the massive largeness of life! I invite you to start seeing the gifts you are given everyday, rather than only seeing some torment.

So, let’s practice for a moment.

STEP 1: Write down a few of the people you met or the things that happened to you yesterday or today:

1.__________________________________________________________________________

2.__________________________________________________________________________

3.__________________________________________________________________________

4.__________________________________________________________________________

5.__________________________________________________________________________

6.__________________________________________________________________________

STEP 2: So here’s the part that requires you to stretch your own beliefs. For each of the items or people listed in Step 1 – whether you originally viewed them as good or bad – write out how they positively contributed to your personal heaven on earth.

1.__________________________________________________________________________

2.__________________________________________________________________________

3.__________________________________________________________________________

4.__________________________________________________________________________

5.__________________________________________________________________________

6.__________________________________________________________________________

STEP 3: Finally, for each of the people or items listed in Step 1, write out the new, supportive meaning you will now associate with each of those people or things.

1.__________________________________________________________________________

2.__________________________________________________________________________

3.__________________________________________________________________________

4.__________________________________________________________________________

5.__________________________________________________________________________

6.__________________________________________________________________________

Take a moment and do a comparison. What’s going through your head now that wasn’t there before you started writing? I’ll bet the way you felt before doesn’t hold a candle to how you feel now. Are you now more relaxed or more excited about your life? Are you revitalized or perhaps more confident? Take a moment and notice whether you’re more optimistic or more lighthearted. You see, you just have to focus your attention on the things you want in order to change the way you feel. The goodness of life is always there for you to experience. You can start creating your own personal Shambhala by realizing happiness is something you can create – it is not always something you wait to happen to you!

So, where do you go from here? Resolve to yourself that you are going to be more engaged in the life you want rather than the life you believe is thrown your way. Make up your mind that you will find the honor, truth, and kindness in life for they are your birthright. Choose happiness! You deserve no less!

Just some thoughts. If you enjoyed this, please click below to share this with others.

And make sure to sign up for my blog mailing list so you get all future postings delivered directly to your inbox.

© 2011 by Scott Grossberg. All Rights Reserved. thinkingmagically.com

Thinking Magically™ | From Ruts to Roots

There are those who would misteach us that to stick in a rut is consistency – and a virtue; and that to climb out of the rut is inconsistent – and a vice. – Mark Twain

We’ve all had it happen – we get into the groove of life and then we get entrenched in that little routine we have created for ourselves. We become frozen in place and start to settle for what we have because it’s easier. And we stop finding what’s interesting because it can be hard to stay stimulated, so we resolve to allow the uninteresting to be our safe and easy trend. In other words, we assume – no, we choose – a life of monotony. Well, that’s all about to shift . . . because I believe if you’re not changing, you’re settling. And if you’re settling, you run the risk of easily sinking into a boring existence. And you don’t want that, do you? I didn’t think so. Today, we shoot up out of your rut by learning to grow roots. Literally.

This is another one of those techniques that requires you to grab a piece of paper and something to write with.

THE TREE

STEP 1: Think back to a tree that you have seen which captured your imagination, enthralled you, made you wish you could just lie under it for awhile, or sparked your creativity. In other words, what tree has made the most impression on you (for whatever reason).

STEP 2: Write out three (or more) adjectives to describe your tree.

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

STEP 3: Now, describe what you remember or noticed about your tree’s trunk. Use as many descriptive words as possible in writing out your recollection.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

 STEP 4: Next, write out what you remember of your tree’s branches and leaves.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

STEP 5: Then, write out what you imagine the rootstock and foundation of your tree to be like. Take care to imagine and then describe the essence of your tree and how it grew from a tiny seed.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

KEY TO THE TREE: The tree that you have visualized represents your spirit, your essence, your deep-rooted nature. Like us, trees come in an array of shapes, sizes, textures, colors, families, and growth patterns. Just like your tree, your spirit can never be stuck in a rut, because it is always growing up and away from where it started. Your essence is unshakable, profound, and powerful just like the tree you remembered.

As your tree produces life-sustaining oxygen into the atmosphere, so does your spirit bring a unique expression to the world. And, like your tree’s root system which provides it a foundation, your spirit provides a means for you to consume the nourishment of life while it reaches for the sunshine of our experiences.

Bring your imagination to bear and start to notice that your true nature provides you a base from which to continually grow, while your creativity and intent allows you to branch out into the world and touch everyone and everything that you come into contact with. To truly experience what I have been talking about, fill in the following to give you a new appreciation of your true gifts and authentic self.

My true nature is (use the adjectives from Step 2)

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

My true strengths are (use the descriptions from Step 3)

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

My true influence in life is (use the descriptors from Step 4)

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

My true ability to succeed arises from (use descriptors from Step 5)

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Take some time to contemplate what you have written down. Notice how, like your tree, you don’t have to be the strongest, the stoutest, the tallest, the largest, or the oldest. But . . . you are continually growing. So you have no choice but to thrive, adapt, and keep moving towards happiness (sunshine).

EXTRA CREDIT: For those of you who practice yoga and have the physical wherewithal, go into a Tree Pose (Vriksasana). As you stabilize your posture, imagine yourself as the tree you have imagined in Step 1. Notice what it feels like to be the tree of your dreams. Feel the energy in your body, the strength in your core, and the grounding onto and into the earth. Use this as a meditation. Then, write down the impressions that came to you.

If you have not practiced a Tree Pose before, you can find some information on it here:

Yoga Journal
Santosha
Wikipedia

EXTRA, EXTRA CREDIT: Look up the cultural, religious, and mythological meanings of your tree. Incorporate what you find into your daily thoughts about yourself.

Just some thoughts. If you enjoyed this, please click below to share this with others.

And make sure to sign up for my blog mailing list so you get all future postings delivered directly to your inbox.

© 2011 by Scott Grossberg. All Rights Reserved. thinkingmagically.com

Thinking Magically™ | Friends with Benefits

A friend in need is a friend indeed.

Today we’re going to do a little experiment. I believe you’ll really like it. There’s only one rule . . . you’ve got to promise that you won’t speed read through these instructions in order to skip ahead to the end without actually doing the work! Give me your word? Okay, here we go:

Step 1: Take a piece of paper and a pen, and quickly write out the names of 5 of your friends or family members (you can always print out this page and use that).

1.  ________________________________________________

2.  ________________________________________________

3.  ________________________________________________

4.  ________________________________________________

5.  ________________________________________________

Step 2: Below each name that you have written, write out one thing you would say to them that, if they followed your advice, would change their life for the better.

FIRST NAME

What you would say:  ___________________________________________________________

SECOND NAME

What you would say:  ___________________________________________________________

THIRD NAME

What you would say:  ___________________________________________________________

FOURTH NAME

What you would say:  ___________________________________________________________

FIFTH NAME

What you would say:  ___________________________________________________________

Step 3: Take each of the statements you wrote out in Step 2, and now reflect on how each of those critiques/suggestions actually applies to you! Rewrite each of your Step 2 friend recommendations for your use! Write these out, by the way, in the  present tense. For example, if you put forward the advice that a friend needs to lose weight, you would rewrite this for yourself as, I am now losing the weight I need to be healthy.

1.  I am now ___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

2.  I am now ___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

3.  I am now ___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

4.  I am now ___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

5.  I am now ___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Step 4: Rinse and repeat periodically to gain some new insights.

USER NOTES

There will be times when you write out a recommendation for a friend that, on first blush, does not seem to apply to you. For example, in using this technique myself, I used the statement for a friend, stop smoking! Now, I don’t smoke so I certainly can’t rewrite this as I am now a non-smoker and healthier than ever. However, I examined what I wrote and started perceiving that what I really wanted my friend to do was to stop smoking so they would be healthier. I wanted them to stop putting bad things into their body. That awareness then allowed me to recast my statement (for me) into I am now putting healthier and healthier things into my body so that I can be powerful and fit.

Also, you might simply have some comments for your friends that sound like this: keep up the good work! That’s great, too. You can turn those around into self-serving pledges like:  I just keep getting better and better because I know what works!

Oh, and one more thing – this technique makes an insanely great party game. When used in a group setting, you can actually go around the room and people share their wisdom for others and then are told that the advice is actually for them. Now, I don’t suggest that you have the participants share which friend they are talking about – that could be prove to be hurtful. So, as a reminder, you are just letting guests share their advise, and then use it on themselves.

As you can see, the way I am using the phrase friends with benefits is not about relationships that lack emotional involvement. Rather, this technique is built around two concepts; namely, we sometimes know our friends better than we know ourselves, and (as Richard Bach said) we teach best what we need most to learn. Your friends (at least your notions about your friends) bring with them a lifelong instruction manual for providing you with well-being, rewards, and comfort!

Use your musings about your friends well.

Just some thoughts. If you enjoyed this, please click below to share this with others.

And make sure to sign up for my blog mailing list so you get all future postings delivered directly to your inbox.

© 2011 by Scott Grossberg. All Rights Reserved. thinkingmagically.com

Thinking Magically™ | Essential Skills

What is essential is invisible to the eye. – Antoine de Saint-Exupery, from The Little Prince

Today, I’m going to open the door for you to a secret – actually the important secret of how creating success works.

Meaning. Conviction. Wonder. Effort. Four short words – four building blocks, if you will – that combined are great forces for change.  The absence of any one of these ingredients is usually an explanation of why something isn’t going right in your world. For example, are you one of those people who doesn’t make a decision until your personal level of unhappiness or discontent becomes so great that something has to change? If that’s the case, then you can probably stand to spend more time exploring the meaning or significance of your life. Are you one of those people who knows exactly what you want out of life, but nothing seems to go your way? If so, finding a meaning isn’t your prime issue – you need to refocus your beliefs and expectations. And what if you know precisely what you want to accomplish and how to get there? You already know that’s not enough to get you the triumphant consistency you desire! You can have all the meaning and conviction and curiosity in the world but without action – actually doing something – victory is uncertain.  Let’s explore these concepts in a little more detail.

Meaning is the purpose for what you do. It is the answer to someone asking the question, So what?  It is the theme of your life. It is the answer to the question you undoubtedly ask yourself, Why does it matter at all?  Simply, this is where we discover your passion, your desire, and your spark. When there is meaning to something – when you understand why you are moving in a certain direction or towards a specific goal – the how almost magically appears for you.

Conviction is your unshakable belief  in what you are doing, in who you are, and what you want to achieve. This is more than simply wanting or needing a result. This is knowing, without fail, that you deserve the outcome. Conviction usually follows on the heels of consistency. In other words, when you are being authentic with your own beliefs, feelings, thoughts, and emotions, you have a harmony and peaceful knowing about you that is unstoppable.

Wonder is the ability of still being able to be amazed. It is that childlike state that allows you to both question and believe at once. It is the power you feel when you are aroused by things and people that are strange and surprising and embracing the awe of the world around you.  This is the expectation that breathes life into your visualizations while allowing you to detach from what others call the real world. It is wonder that permits you to surrender to what if . . . rather than being limited by what is. This is the positive state of mind that turns you from What if this doesn’t work? to the more empowering question, What if this does?

Effort is the forcefulness and energy you use to bring life to your dreams. Effort is made up of the steps you take, and the deeds you accomplish. Simply, all the Meaning, Conviction, and Wonder in the world will not work consistently, unless you work consistently. You need to feel like Friedrich Nietzsche when he said, He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance; one cannot fly into flying. When you employ Effort, you are bringing your intention – your conscious application of personal power – from a mere mental process to a potent physical undertaking.

When creating consistent success, Meaning, Conviction, Wonder, and Effort become so strongly connected that they are often firmly inseparable. In fact, like any good science experiment, they are repeatable and provable (to yourself and others).  These four miracle-inducing words stand ready to create steady success in your own life. Use them well!

Just some thoughts. If you enjoyed this, please click below to share this with others.

And make sure to sign up for my blog mailing list so you get all future postings delivered directly to your inbox.

© 2011 by Scott Grossberg. All Rights Reserved. thinkingmagically.com

Thinking Magically™ | From Sacred Cows to Holy Cow!

The fact that I have no remedy for all the sorrows of the world is no reason for my accepting yours. It simply supports the strong probability that yours is a fake. – H.L. Mencken

Your own thinking is likely not serving you well! But it could. Stop thinking your own way out of success, and get on with having what you want. Ready to stop your bad behaviors and bad thinking and bad feelings?

Read on . . .

First, take a moment and consider how many of your own thoughts are considered, by you, immune from question or criticism. And I mean by yourself or others. We all have them. Those sacred cows of personal belief; the untouchable convictions we have formed that we think form the foundation for our security in the world. These might not be things we know, but we certainly are convinced of their truth, aren’t we?

If your thinking is not thoroughly and completely and utterly serving you well, then it’s time to start disputing your beliefs. Find the impressions, theories, and conclusions that obey you (they make your life work) and keep those. The rest (the ones that don’t work)? Get new ones! Move from pleasing others to choosing for yourself.

So . . . how do you discover what works and what doesn’t? Take a piece of paper or use your computer and jot down (in a spontaneous and stream-of-consciousness kind of way) all the judgments, ways of thinking you enjoy, convictions you have, and opinions you hold that you know – deep in your heart – are keeping you from having the success you want. Be savagely honest! Have a straightforward confrontation with your soul! This is not the time to be gentle or humane.

Then, take one of your this-isn’t-working-for-me-anymore notions, and ask these questions:

1.  Do I hold this belief because I care what people think of me? If you are holding a belief because you are concerned about what others think of you, you are allowing them to lead you in the direction of their dreams. Challenge the norm. Be yourself.

2.  Have I stated my opinion concisely and compactly? If you can’t express what you believe quickly and clearly, chances are you are spending waaaaay too much time lost in the maze of your own mind. To paraphrase Hannibal, either find a way out of your tangled thoughts or make one. Here’s a technique that will work for you: pretend that your belief is going to be written up in TV Guide. What is the tagline that will appear that will compel someone else to tune in to your show?

3.  Do I have too much drama attached to my belief? Admit it, you like the spectacle, the crisis, the excitement, don’t you? If you want to use drama to thrill you into action, terrific! If, on the other hand, you are allowing drama to create turmoil and inaction, LOSE THE DRAMA!

4.  Do I own my belief? People can spot a fake a mile away! So, start asking yourself, do your deeds, your appearance, and how you are heard match your internal belief? Or, are you just giving lip-service to the belief because it’s the thing to do and you’ve been taught the belief by someone else? Give yourself permission to have a unique point of view, a one-of-a-kind personality, and an uncommon look. Stand out from the others. Most importantly, be congruent with yourself.

5.  Does my opinion express either what I like and what I don’t like? You have a lifetime of experience. You know what you like and don’t like (or should). Be okay with those choices. Yeah, that’s right, make a few waves in other people’s thinking.

6.  Do I say what I want, when I want to? But . . . this isn’t about being rude. You can still express your authentic self in an elegant way. And, you don’t have to talk over or walk all over someone else to be heard. In fact, give focused listening a shot for awhile. By listening, first, and speaking, second, you will surely find that your words and opinions have more impact.

7.  Have I considered that everyone has different ideas? Unless you’re in that type of setting and the agenda is warranted, most of the time you are not on this earth to force other’s to conform to anything. Rather, you are here to live your life and walk your talk, and show or explain what you do. Let everyone else conform to the world’s expectations and standards. Be a living example of your truth. You might be surprised to find that you become a model for others.

8.  Have I crossed the boundaries of success? Look, I’ve just been going on and on about being an original YOU and owning your own thoughts and reexamining what you previously held as sacred. That does not mean you should give yourself permission to go out and be a nonconformist, heretic, or rebel just for the sake of being a jerk. Your maverick, free-spirit self can express itself while still staying true to the ultimate question: Is my belief serving me well? Oh by the way, today’s technique is designed to enable you to attack concepts, ideas, and beliefs – not people. Very rarely are there good reasons to make others feel or appear small.

9.  Is my belief a natural extension of me and not contrived? Who is the real you? Let others see and hear and experience who you really are! You can’t be someone else.

1o.  Am I taking things personally? Don’t take anything personal. Ever.

Today’s exploration has been about the freedom of questioning, exploring, and enhancing your own successful thoughts and beliefs. To do that, simply remember:

Don’t just worship your own beliefs – feed your thinking

Just some thoughts. If you enjoyed this, please click below to share this with others.

And make sure to sign up for my blog mailing list so you get all future postings delivered directly to your inbox.

© 2011 by Scott Grossberg. All Rights Reserved. thinkingmagically.com