In the middle of a very boring afternoon, someone told me a secret that would change the rest of my life.
"Your thoughts create your future."
I was struggling to stay awake in a company event, early in my career. Thankfully, the horrible engineering presentation ended and our top sales performer was next.
As he reached the podium, he held up a copy of Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill and proclaimed, "There is a secret in this book that will show you how to beat any life goal and create the future of your dreams."
As if slipping into some altered state, time seemed to slow down and I became hyper-focused on the speaker. Having never experienced this before, I was starting to worry whwen he turned to look directly my way and say, "You need to buy this book and read it cover to cover."
Even though something deep inside me felt triggered, I kept telling myself I was just suffering from fatigue. I had a young family and spent most nights either waking to a crying baby or tossing and turning with financial worries. There was a rational explanation for this.
But, over the next few days, that moment kept popping into my mind like an annoying advertisement. Then, while waiting to board a flight on my next business trip, I spotted a star shaped helium balloon hanging above a book shelf in a news stand further down the terminal. Although I couldn't see the title from that distance, I knew which book was on that top shelf. I bought it and decided to read it end to end.
The stilted, early 20th century language of Think and Grow Rich makes for a difficult read. But its premise that there is a cosmic consciousness in the universe that can be activated to create whatever we desire was so outlandish that I couldn't stop reading. The activation process was simple.
Every morning as you stand in front of a mirror,
look yourself in the eye and, in the most convincing manner possible,
assert that you have already achieved your goal and
it's just a matter of time before your success becomes apparent.
Finishing the book later that night, I thought to myself, "I know this is crazy. But something is definitely telling me I need to try this." So in the privacy of my hotel room the next morning, I looked myself in the mirror and said, “I am already making 20% more money, it is only a matter of time until it is in the bank."
I couldn't help giggling the first time. But soon, I found myself repeating the process in the evenings as well. The next day, I began to feel as if I’d already solved my financial problems. I slept soundly that night no longer worried about paying bills.
But, the real miracle began to unfold on my return. A friend mentioned that my largest competitor was recruiting from a hotel down the street. Two days later, their VP of Sales was asking me how much money it would take for me to join his team. Within a month, I was making almost twice my previous salary!
Needless to say, this was a life altering experience. The skeptic in me said, "this is merely coincidence". But, I had just been introduced to an awesome power. I had no choice but to immerse myself in, what would become a lifetime of, exploring the connection between the our consciousness and the universe.
Today, I help others create the future they desire through my work as a life coach and mindfulness guide.