Category Archives: Intention

What Kind Of Movie Is Your Life?

Your Epic Hero’s Journey

I like watching movies. It’s one of the ways I like to “turn off my brain” and relax.

Some movies are really good, I can watch them over and over again.

Some moves are pleasant to watch, but I wouldn’t want to see them again.

I also like reading novels. I’ve noticed the same thing. There’s a few, really good novels that I read every few years.

People have been telling stories, in one form or another, for as far back as humans have been writing down history.

Interesting thing is that the same story structures keep popping up in various cultures.

I don’t know about you, but when I’m watching a good movie, sometimes I imagine myself in the lead role. How I’d respond to the situation, what I may do differently.

They say a good writer can come up with a character the audience can sympathize with. Meaning we watch the guy or girl and we root for them. If we can imagine ourselves in their shoes, the writer has done a good job.

One common “feeling” when watching movies is being uplifted, inspired, motivated.

Milton Erickson (the famous hypnotist) knew that stories were the most powerful way to quickly and permanently affect change in the lives of his patients.

He wasn’t one of those, “And how do you feel about that? What do you think that means?” type of therapist.

He was a “Hmm. Interesting. That reminds me of a story. Once upon a time…” type of therapist.

Sure, stories can kill time.

But they can also do a lot more.

One type of movie that generally gets slammed by critics, even though people enjoy the movie, are “feel good” movies. These are the movies where there’s never any question the good guys are going to win. There’s not much conflict, no real bad guys, just a happy adventure where the good guys have a good time and a few laughs.

While they feel good, they don’t really inspire anything.

It’s like eating something really sweet, with no nutritional value. Tastes good, but that’s about it.

On the other hand, movies that send us through the ringer are the ones we like. When we really don’t know what’s going to happen. When we really are relieved when the good guys win.

Which do you think is a more appropriate metaphor for life? Not just life in general, but your life?

A sappy, smiley, skip through the colorful meadow? Everything works out?

Or an epic adventure, where the hero’s got to dig deep and put it all on the line?

Since this is YOUR life, and YOU are the hero, what do you want?

Snappy theme songs and happy faces?

Or you do you want to get out there and slay some frikkin dragons?

Get Going:

Mind Persuasion

Are You Resisting The Flow of Life?

Open Up

In physics, there’re many different kinds of equilibrium.

The term equilibrium itself can mean many different things in many different instances.

But it basically means “balance.”

When I was in high school, I was on the track team as a pole-vaulter. Me and the other pole vaulters would goof around and see if we could balance the poles on our chins.

Interestingly enough, the longer the pole, the easier it is to balance, up to a certain point.

For example, take a pencil, and try to balance it in your hand. Not so easy.

But take a broom, and it’s a lot easier.

But if you took a piece of wood that was fifty meters long, it would be pretty impossible.

No matter what you’re doing in life, balance is always a key component.

Playing music, for example, requires you balance the time with musical notes and the silence in between.

Working a job requires you balance doing the part you like doing, with the part you need to do.

In the beginning of a relationship, you’ve got to balance the time you spend with your partner with the time you spend alone.

In any case, too much of one thing, at the expense of something else is pretty dangerous. Things get out of whack, and nature will eventually correct itself, with or without your permission.

In physics, there are two broad types of equilibrium, or balance. Stable and unstable.

Stable equilibrium is when you’ve got a small ball, for example, resting comfortably in the bottom of a big round glass. All the forces are equal, and unless you apply some pretty concentrated force, that ball’s not going anywhere.

On the other hand, you could have a ball balanced on the top of a seal’s nose. The slightest push, or even shift in wind (or the seal’s attitude) will send the ball to another location.

Many of us wish that life would be filled with “stable equilibrium” situations. Where everything’s set and we don’t have to do much.

Unfortunately, the world around us doesn’t always cooperate. Situations are always changing, people are always changing.

They may change slowly, but they change.

This is precisely what they mean when they say, “Stay on top of things.” There you are, balanced right on the tip (like a ball on a seal’s nose) and everything keeps shifting. So you’ve literally and metaphorically got to “stay on top of things.”

Life is one big flowing and unfolding of situations, events, mysteries and secrets.

Just like a river, you could fight the current, hang on to something and hope you don’t drown, or simply embrace the ever changing nature of reality.

Because when you swim with the current, you can get going pretty fast, and get to some pretty interesting places.

Release resistance, and embrace the flow of life.

Kundalini Activator

Secrets Of Your Desires

Listen To Your Inner Silence

I’ve been watching this pretty interesting TV show on Netflix lately.

They are all different episodes with different characters, and all have to do with the future, technology, and some dark side of human nature.

One was pretty frightening.

It was these guys who had to “power” the city by riding these stationary bikes all day long, watching these big TV screens.

They’d get “credits” which they could use to buy food, or entertainment.

They lived in these tiny cubicles, and the walls were pure TV.

Here’s the horrible part. Whenever they played a commercial, the sensors would sound an alarm and charge them credits if they closed their eyes.

Meaning they were forced to watch what the rulers wanted to show them.

Now, this may seem like some horrible future that will never happen, right?

But many of us are TERRIFIED of being left alone with our own thoughts.

Just this morning I saw several joggers, all with mp3 players stuck in their ears.

Are our thoughts so frightening that we need to drown out ANY silence with anything we can find?

It’s been said the problems of humanity can be traced back to our inability to sit alone with our thoughts.

When I was younger I used to do a lot of backpacking. One of my favorite parts was lying awake at night, just listening to the sounds.

Often times we look outside ourselves for solutions, when the answers are within us.

They HAVE to be. Because the only thing outside of us are other people, or the things those other people have created.

Are you willing to let other people, most of whom you’ve never met, and never will, control the flow of thoughts through your mind?

Now, you don’t have to pitch everything and go live in a cave. But it is useful to spend just a few minutes a day with your own thoughts.

Either thinking them or writing them down.

There is so much more to you than you realize now, or will ever realize, or are even capable of realizing.

Life is meant to be one long journey of self discovery, that ONLY gets better.

But ONLY if you decide to take the journey. Nobody is going to take you by the hand and lead you.

Within you lies the secret of everything you desire.

Are you willing to listen?

Kundalini Activator

How To Become Naturally Attractive

Turn On The Permanent Charm

There’s a difference between the natural players you see on TV, and natural players in real life. The natural players on TV are fictional characters, made up by writers who couldn’t seduce their way out of a paper bag. Most of the stuff on TV is fake, and it only LOOKS like it’s real so you don’t automatically assume your watching some fantasy-land show.

Even the way people talk. Remember, these are actors, who are saying lines written by writers, and they’ve practiced them over and over again. They sound super witty, with rapid fast comebacks and super confidence.

But remember, they’re only pretending. Watch that same actor in an interview, or giving a speech, and they sound a lot less confidence, and the stuff they say is lot less “well thought out.”

This is what happens when they don’t have people writing their lines.

What about guys in real life that are ultra charismatic?

One thing you can do is simply pay attention to the guys that are always talking to cute girls. You’ll find them to be super happy, rather than super poised. Super relaxed and comfortable in their own skin rather than always coming up with the super snappy comebacks.

You’ll also find that they genuinely enjoy being around people. Not just some people, but all people. They are eager to simply have a chat with somebody just to pass the time. They enjoy making people feel good about themselves. They enjoy making people smile.

How can you become that person?

Easy!

Just start talking to people. The idea that you can glide through life as the silent, lone wolf, but then suddenly turn on the charm when you see Miss Right is kind of far-fetched.

It’s MUCH easier to simply learn to enjoy talking to people.

Truth is that humans are HIGHLY social creatures. It won’t take long to find out how good it feels just chatting people up.

The more you practice, the easier it will get.

Then you’ll start giving that wonderful vibe that attracts people (including cute girls) like bees to honey!

Then you’ll have your pick!

Here’s a step by step manual to help:

Girlfriend Generator

Choose The Right Tools For The Job

Hammers and Nails

One of the usual elements of the “Hero’s Journey” is some kind of tool.

If you aren’t familiar with the Hero’s Journey, it’s what Joseph Campbell discovered several years ago. Most myths have the same basic structure, and contain the same basic elements.

Some normal guy gets pulled (usually against his will) into some kind of adventure, in which he has to conquer some kind of evil force or person.

And he usually gets certain tools along the way, and usually creates a close group of helpful friends.

It’s amazing how many stories have this blueprint in popular movies and TV. Even goofy (but popular) TV shows like “Chuck” have this same model.

Crucial to most fictional (and real) Hero Journeys is some kind of tool. Chuck (if you’re familiar) had the “Intersect.” Harry Potter had his wand. Luke had his light saber. Dorothy, from the wizard of Oz, had her ruby slippers. Spartacus (in the recent TV series) had his sword and shield. Even Walter White had his meth lab.

Tools are essential to human life. It’s what makes us unique. We use tools to make more tools, to make even more tools.

Toasters, cars, shoes, all can be considered “tools” that we use to make life easier.

On a deep psychological level, we see tools in the same mental category as we see other people.

For example, linguists have discovered that the prepositions we use with words determine what kind of category that word belongs to.

Fall “in” love. Love is a some kind of container. (in).

“Defend” an argument. Arguments are war. (defend).

We went “over” that problem. Problems are obstacles. (over).

I went the store “with” my friend. Friends are companions. (with).

I cut the bread “with” the knife. Tools are also companions. (with).

Without tools, it’s just us, our hands, and the cold hard world. Even our hands are considered tools, or companions. (I built my business with my bare hands).

But with tools we can do quite a bit. Build cities. Cure diseases. Create beautiful works of art that will be enjoyed for generations. Walk on the moon.

What tools do you use?

Of course, it can be tough to choose the right tool before you know what the job is. So a better question might be, what kind of life are you building? (Life is a “creation.” You build it).

Choose your tools, and get started:

Mind Tools

The Coming Storm

Are You Ready?

I remember watching that movie “Ice Age” a long time ago.

That one squirrel who couldn’t the nut out of the ice was the best part, IMO.

Anyhow, the movie was about a real ice age that happened 10-15K years ago. Now when ice ages come, they don’t show up over night. It’s not like you go to sleep one night when it’s all sunny and wake up and everything’s frozen.

But it does happen quickly. Quickly enough that the people at the time knew it was a good idea to get the heck out of dodge.

Now, whether or not they fully understood what was happening and why it was happening is open to debate.

But they did know it was getting colder. Then they’d move a little bit, to a warmer place. Then that place would start getting colder. Those that didn’t respond to the changing environment didn’t do very well.

Since all the animals were doing the same thing, those that figured they’d just “suck it up” and stay where they were soon found there was nothing to eat in addition to the colder and colder temperatures.

One of the biggest skills you can develop as a human is to accept the changing conditions, and respond accordingly.

If you figure you’ll “suck it up” hoping things will magically get better, they usually won’t.

The most successful people of all time realized that you can never really let your guard down. You’ve got to keep your eyes and ears peeled not only for opportunities, but for advancing dangers.

Economic changes don’t really happen over night. Sure, they’re easy to pinpoint a couple of decades or more after they’ve run their cycle, but not when you’re smack dab in the middle of one.

It’s like a line I like from the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie.

The Heroine looks at the bad guy (a ghost pirate) and says:

“But I don’t believe in ghost stories!”

To which he replies:

“Well ya best believe in ’em, cause you’re IN one!”

People that wait to be told what to do may be waiting a while.

But those that can sense changes coming, and act accordingly, usually do pretty well.

Because in every crisis, in every dramatic change, expected or not, welcomed or not, lies HUGE opportunities.

Will you see them?

Will you act on them?

Then this is for you:

Prosperity Generator

Do You Have Guiding Principles?

Both Positive and Negative

What is the prime directive of your life?

I used to be (still am) a HUGE fan of Star Trek. The old ones, new ones, pretty much all of them.

When they would visit a primitive planet, they had to follow the “Prime Directive,” their most important rule.

Since they were explorers, always going new places, they needed a rule to guide them. And this rule was to observe, but never interfere. Meaning if they found a bunch of cavemen running around throwing rocks at each other, they couldn’t beam down and give them all advanced weapons.

Having rules to live by can make it pretty simple, especially when we get into tough situations.

However, most of the time the “rules” are really pretty flexible, meaning that they can be broken, and often times should be broken.

Of course, some rules are pretty universal, like don’t kill, don’t steal, etc. These show up in all cultures.

But these are rules that are society wide, and apply to everybody. Certainly there are special cases.

On an individual level, having rules is also helpful.

Many movie characters have personal rules they live by. These are usually based on experience.

Many people also have personal rules. Never kiss on the first date. Never give out my phone number to strangers. Never buy something more than $100 on impulse, etc.

Most rules are meant to protect us. To keep us from stepping over the line, or getting in over our heads.

But what about rules that help us? To make sure we take opportunities when they are presented?

One famous “rule” is by Ben Franklin, that old school kite flying guy who ended up on the $100 bill.

“Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.”

Not exactly a rule, more like a guideline.

But what the heck does waking up early have to do with becoming wealthy?

Does it give you more hours of labor? Does going to bed early give you better sleep so you’ll be more efficient on the job?

Maybe, but I don’t think that’s what he was getting at.

I think what he meant was that it’s better to plan your life with your conscious mind, and not live according to your instincts.

For example, if we ONLY did what we “felt” like doing, we’d sleep in every day, and stay up until dawn.

By CHOOSING to go to sleep early, and CHOOSING to wake up early, we are showing dedication to creating something.

Now, I’m not saying that going to bed early or waking up early is the magic cure for everything.

But from a big picture view, the more you can choose and plan your life consciously, the more money you’ll make, and the smarter you’ll become.

Live awake and on purpose, and get rich.

Live asleep and unconscious, and get just enough to scrape by.

Which do you prefer?

Prosperity Generator

Be A Man With A Plan

Do You Know Where You’re Going?

Imagine if you were on a paddle board, out in the middle of the ocean. Imagine you had plenty of food, and water, and sunscreen. But being on a paddle board in the middle of the ocean was pretty limiting, and pretty boring.

You’d like to find a boat, and go somewhere better. You wouldn’t mind getting a job on the boat to earn your keep. Swabbing decks, cleaning windows, whatever.

And you kept seeing boats going by. Some were big, some were small. Some were zig-zagging all over the place. Some were going so fast you couldn’t grab hold.

Some even slowed down and almost stopped when they saw you. They literally begged you to come on board. Of course, you’d never do that. They might be pirates, or cannibals. After all, why the heck would a boat stop in the middle of the ocean to pick up some stray paddleboarder?

Think of your ideal boat. One going in a pretty straight direction. One that didn’t seem to be filled with pirates. One that was moving pretty decently, but no so fasts you couldn’t grab on. And one that kept going along the same route. Not one that stopped and asked where you’d like to go.

Of course, this is just a metaphor. You are the boat. The girls you are hoping to “pick up” are the paddleboarders.

They want a “boat” that knows where it’s going. But not so fast they can’t grab on. They don’t want a captain so unsure he keeps changing direction.

They want a strong boat, that won’t look like it will sink in a small storm. Hopefully you’re looking to pick up a paddleboarder who’s willing to earn their keep, not just some lazy paddleboarder looking to sun herself on a luxury liner.

How does this translate to your life? Before you even think of picking up girls you hope will turn into a serious relationship, you’d better have a plan for your life. Because she’s going to ask.

And you’d better have a plan that you are committed to, with or without her (or any other particular girl).

Most guys don’t.

Even if your dreams seem a million miles away, at least have some. Plan your life, starting today, on a five or ten year plan. What would your ideal outcome be?

That way, when she asks about your job, or major or even hobbies, you can put it in the right context.

If she see’s you as a “man with a plan” that’s one more leg up you’ll have on the competition.

mindpersuasion.com

Your Greatest Skill Of All

Essential Language Skills

If you were dropped in the middle of a city you’d never been to, what skills would you need?

I mean if you didn’t know anybody, only had enough money for a couple days worth of food, couldn’t call anybody for help.

Basically on your own.

If you could build up three or four “mind” skills, what would they be?

A bunch of successful entrepreneurs were asked this question. It kind of strips away any kind of idea of relying on your “connections.”

One skill was the ability to talk to strangers effectively. Meaning not to timidly walk up and ask somebody the time, but to interrupt a complete stranger on the street, and self confidently start a lengthy conversation.

Another skill was to be incredibly flexible in your thinking. For example, if you used to be a chef in your old city, and you’re only idea of scratching out a living in this new city was to cook, you may be in trouble.

On the other hand, if you could seize any opportunity that came your way, you’d be in better shape.

One more skill was language. Being able to speak persuasively. After all, you’d need to quickly turn strangers into supporters. Not to go and seize the castle or anything dramatic like that. But you’d at least need to get people on your side.

I suppose you could just sit there and ask people for money, but that may not be the best idea.

If you could convince people that it would be in their best interests to help you, you’d be better off.

If you could further convince people that THEY would be better off as well, then they’d WANT to help you.

And this is the secret gold mine of human communication.

Every single person alive today is a HUGE collection of unfulfilled needs. Nobody is ever satisfied for long. Our mind-body systems are simply not wired like that. We’re always on the move. Always searching to fulfill some need.

When you learn to talk to people in a way to elicit those unmet needs, and show them that by helping you, they’ll also benefit themselves, they’ll help you do anything, create anything and build anything.

Just stop and think for a moment how good it feels to be working with somebody else, and KNOWING that everybody is going to benefit, compared to working alone, or worse, working where you suspect somebody else is getting the better part of the deal.

This is what that corny “win-win” strategy REALLY means.

And right now, on Planet Earth, there are literally BILLIONS of opportunities just waiting for somebody like you.

Learn How:

Covert Hypnosis

How To Give Your Life Purpose

Choose Your Mission

When I was a lot younger, I used to go on “seek and destroy” missions at my local mall during Christmastime.

This was how I did my Christmas shopping. I imagined all the people I was buying for, and then tried to buy everything, in one fell swoop, in under an hour.

I know, sounds crazy. And some of the gifts I ended up getting for people were pretty crazy.

But it was a lot of fun.

I was like the Terminator, walking quickly, my head always turning side to side scanning all the shops.

The only thing on my mind was the list of people I was buying for.

Often I would see something “cool” and then buy it, not yet knowing who I would give it to.

But they always enjoyed them. Always surprised. Always different.

On the other hand, when I’d go to the mall to watch a movie, I’d get there an hour or so earlier just to kill time.

Wander around, check people out, bring a book. Find someplace to kick back and read it for a while.

And even though I was in the same place during both situations, it seemed completely different.

One was killing time. When I was finished, I was just as bored as when I’d started. Sure, movies are fun to watch, and people are fun to watch, but afterwards, I’d always had a feeling of “OK, now what?”

But when I went seek-and-destroy shopping, I had a completely different feeling when I’d finished.

I’d be walking back to my car, lugging all kinds of bags feeling like I’d just conquered the world.

That feeling would even linger over the next few days. Anytime I’d see anything related to Christmas, I’d remember that feeling of accomplishment.

On the other hand, if I went to see a so-so movie, and then later in the week somebody would ask me what I did the previous weekend, it would take a while to conjure up the memory.

Most people spend their entire lives like this. No plans, no dreams, no goals. Just drifting from place to place, job to job, relationship to relationship.

Hoping to get something good and at the same time, hoping to stay out of trouble.

But when you’ve got some solid dreams, goals and visions, the world looks completely different.

Especially if you’ve got an internal set of filters helping you sort through all the stuff out there to help you find what you want.

All it takes is a decision.

A decision to take ownership of your life. To take responsibility for choosing what you want, and the courage to go after it.

What do you want?

Are you willing to get it?

This will help:

Belief Change