Belief – Page 4 – Mobiusman

Questions/Answers – Think and Grow Rich

by David

Is Think And Grow Rich By Napoleon Hill Enough To Build A Strong Belief In Yourself?

I’ve written about Napoleon Hill before. But recently I was in an online forum and I’m always amazed at the attention and interest the work of Napoleon Hill still get’s so many decades after his death.

In the post I was reading the person who started the thread was asking people to explain in our own words what we thought Hills most famous book was all about. Elsewhere on the same thread the poster came back and commented that he thought it was about faith and total belief.

Here’s how I responded:

You are absolutely right on about the total belief thing. But here’s the rub. Any belief no matter what it is about can only be established through one of these two ways:

1. Argument – a story, a discussion, a great book read over and over such as Think and Grow Rich (you get the idea) 2. Hard evidence – If you put your finger over a flame you will from then on be able to totally believe anyone who says that fire burns.

Now, I’m sure that you would agree hard evidence trumps mere argument any day.

How To Build A Strong Belief In You

by David

As a critic of personal development as it is done today I’ve come to notice that there is one universal direction that vendors in this industry all move in. They all want to change the way their clients see themselves. In other words, what they think of themselves. Their belief level.

I don’t have a problem with that.

To accomplish this change in thinking the Personal Development (PD) gurus try to give people a boost in the belief department. For a short time it almost always works. But then, just as the client has left the very positive and supportive atmosphere of the counseling room or seminar, it happens.

It starts to fall apart.

I won’t guess at the numbers but I’ll bet the recidivism rate is high. As easily as the self-belief was suggested into existence it’s wings of gossamer break like those of a bird hitting a window. Pumped up for now they go back to their lives. But the hardness of existence is far more real than the fuzzy echoing of affirmations (“you can do it”) they are encouraged to embrace.

Here’s to 20 years with Madiba

by David

Nelson Mandela in 2008. Photo Credit: www.sagoodnews.co.za

Madiba is not a name most of you will recognize right of the bat.

I didn’t.

That’s because, for one thing, I’m not South African and for another I didn’t take the time to closely educate myself about the man whose unfailing belief in his cause changed his whole country first and later the world.

If you just look at the picture on this page you’ll know right away who Madiba is.

Just in case you’re wondering (and I didn’t know this myself either till I found it here) the other name of this man is of course Nelson Mandela. Madiba is an honorary title adopted by elders of his clan.

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the day that he walked out of prison a free man after being locked up for an entire third of his life (Mandela is now 91).

What kind of strength of mindset does it take to survive 27 years in a prison cell and then come out of it and not seek vengince on those who condemded him to all those years?

I only have a clue.

…But

It’s not just positive thinking (although that might help)

It’s not deep-breathing excercises (though that’s a good one for health)

It’s not keeping really busy doing something else (though I think he certainly did that too)

It’s all of those things and something more. Something natural and a mystery at the same time.

A phenomenon really.

I have a name for it. I call it Mindset Immunity

It kept him from becoming a bitter and resentful beast.

It does it for you too if you’re very lucky to have it strike your insides.

Happy anniversary Madiba!

More power to you.

…David

Catching a New Age Ray.

by David

James Ray's organization is now a tumbling house of cards — James Ray’s organization is now a tumbling house of cards. Photo: Flickr

A few days ago I was watching the news on-line about the situation surrounding new age guru James Arthur Ray’s fouled up retreat experience that left three participants dead. I picked up on a post by an astute writer who happens to run a New Age type blog. So I checked it out.

Belief in you

by David

“Whether you think that you can, or that you can’t, you are usually right.” – Henry Ford

Belief is a powerful thing. It can define a life in either direction be it good or bad.

But belief is established two ways: via argument or hard evidence.

A really good argument could be made about the finding that fire burns. All sorts of facts could be brought to bear to reinforce the argument that if you put your finger near a lit match you’ll be burned by its heat.