Tony Michalski's Master Key Coaching

The Internet has been responsible for much of the popularity that Haanel and The Master Key System has attained. The Free Master Key web site, forums, and all things Internet have allowed people to communicate and share their views on this great work. Along the way, many myths and outright lies have been spread about the author and his great work. This article will put to rest three of the biggest lies you were told about Haanel and his perennial work.

1. Bill Gates read The Master Key System while he attended Harvard, which prompted him to drop out and form Microsoft

Did The Master Key System by Charles F. Haanel make this man the richest man in the world?

One of the bigger claims made today about The Master Key System is that it was read by Bill Gates of Microsoft whilst he attended Harvard. According to myth and rumour, the book influenced him to drop out of school and start his computer software company. The rest, as they say, is history. (The rumour usually also adds that many of the Silicon Valley millionaires and billionaires read the book and that it is their little “secret”.)

Let me preface this by saying that I have never spoken with Bill Gates. With that being said, does anyone actually believe this?

Bill Gates did not read The Master Key System while he was in Harvard. It did not influence him to drop out. It was not the impetus for him to form Microsoft. There are many tales about his time at Harvard and those tales include poker, Playboy, and computers. Poker had more to do with Gates’ success than anything! It was a move from many years of playing the game that got Bill Gates the deal he made with IBM for MS-DOS. (Read the book Fire in the Valley or watch the movie The Pirates of Silicon Valley.)

How did this myth start? I’d wager that a marketer thought that it sounded like a good idea. It’s as simple as that. There is not one statement from Gates regarding the book or anything of that nature. There aren’t even any quotes from friends or acquaintances!

But, suffice it to say that having an advertisement that says “Bill Gates, the world’s wealthiest individual, read The Master Key System“ would sell a lot of books.

Why does this myth persist? I think people continue to repeat – and in many cases believe – this because of wishful thinking. They look at Mr. Gates and think that something had to be behind his wealth other than intelligence, drive, and ambition. One of the problems with personal development is that people constantly quest for some sort of “silver bullet” that will instantaneously make them wealthy, healthy, happy – and more! And that is simply not the case. There are no silver bullets in this world. Reading The Master Key System can guide someone to developing the characteristics one would need to be much like Gates, but it is not a silver bullet.

Whatever the reasons for this rumor’s existence and persistence, the fact is that Bill Gates did not read The Master Key System whilst attending Harvard nor did it influence him to begin Microsoft.

2. The Master Key System was banned by the Church

Did the Church ban The Master Key System?

It is said that when Haanel wrote The Master Key System, the Church found out about it and banned it. Hence, copies of the book became difficult to obtain and it is one of the reasons it’s only now making a reappearance.

Why did the Church ban the book? No one really says. Some say because Haanel wrote about metaphysics that flew in the face of the Church’s teachings. Most just leave the reason blank. It’s enough that the Church banned the book.

Is it true? Did the Church ban Haanel’s work?

I decided to really investigate this claim. I couldn’t find one instance of the Church even mentioning the book let alone issuing a statement condemning the book. The closest I could find was the mention of a book banned in South Africa entitled The Master Key with no author listed.

Is this The Master Key System? By Haanel? I don’t know. It is certainly not evidence, though, of any wide-scale banning.

Think about this as well:

Who cares if the book was banned by the Church? What would that have meant in 20th century America?

It’s not like the book would be banned and people would be forced to stop selling it and would instead have to burn it. It would not have happened! If anything, if the Church really had banned the book and had spoken against it, don’t you think that that would have only increased the book’s popularity? How many times have you seen the Church speak out against something only for people to say to themselves, “The Church says I shouldn’t read this; I guess I have to go see what all the fuss is about!” Harry Potter, anyone? How about The DaVinci Code, about which the Church created a somewhat huge fuss?

Even if the Church had banned The Master Key System, the result would have been nothing. It would have been like a note passed in high school study hall. No more; no less.

From my research, though, I could find not one iota of evidence that the Church banned the book. Once again, we have a myth that has no truth to it.

3. The Master Key System was meant to be kept secret

Was The Master Key System meant to be only for a privileged few?

The third lie has to deal with Haanel and his marketing techniques – or lack thereof. It is said that Haanel never intended to market The Master Key System. He wanted to keep it a secret between himself and the “elite of society”, never intending for it to be distributed to “the masses”.

In the second lie, there are no documents that show that Haanel’s books were banned by the Church, thus proving that the book was never banned. With this lie, there are too many documents to show that Haanel did indeed market his works!

From small books and booklets to pamphlets and advertisements, Haanel not only marketed his tome, but he marketed it well using techniques that were quite innovative for the time. One small book entitled The Master Key (not to be confused with The Master Key SYSTEM) consisted of an essay that lead people to the conclusion that they should purchase the System. Following the essay was page after page of testimonials from people who had studied the System – testimonials from businessmen and politicians all the way to everyday folk.

Haanel also produced a pamphlet entitled The Master Key Psychological Chart. It was a self-test that one could do to see where one stood regarding their potential and what they wanted to achieve. At the end, it recommends that one reads The Master Key System – “the solvent for every Physical, Social, Political, Industrial, and Economic Ill in existence.”

Haanel also advertised his books in the periodicals of his time, such as The Nautilus. The ads provided a form so that people could get a free sample of his book.

Haanel also produced a variety of marketing tools that anyone could buy for ten cents a piece, including post cards. He implored his readers to “Send Master Key Literature to Your Friends.”

It does not sound like Haanel wanted to keep things a secret.

Haanel did indeed market his books and his ideas and that the lie of him keeping things a secret is not only a lie, but it’s pure bunk.

I was asked by someone why I am “exposing” these lies that have been built up around The Master Key System and Haanel.

I have the greatest respect for Haanel and his work; I truly believe that when a person puts the lessons of The Master Key System into practice he will see positive changes happen in his life; and if enough people practiced the System, then we would see changes on a global scale.

I don’t think that those changes can happen when people are purposefully lied to, though. The “Bill Gates Lie” has been in circulation for so long that it is legendary – and many, many people believe it to be true. This hurts those people in some ways because they then proceed to read The Master Key System expecting a silver bullet that is not there. The Master Key System is not a get-rich-quick program, nor is it a shallow read that will make you feel good. It’s a tough book – one that requires the best a person has to offer: his time, patience, persistence, and effort.

Some say that these lies are OK because they attract people to the book. I say why lie about things? Why perpetuate falsehoods? Why build false and heightened expectations? The Master Key System is about questing for and discovering TRUTH, not about lies and falsehoods.

There you have it: The three lies you were told about The Master Key System and why I decided to reveal them. It is my intention that they put his writings in perspective. When we can look at things cogently and soberly – as Haanel implores us to always do – then we can truly reach for all that world has to offer.

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So you have a good idea. Maybe it’s even a great idea. Now what?

I am very happy for you. Chances are likely, though, that one of three things will happen.

1. You will tell nobody about your idea for fear of it being stolen.
2. You will think that your idea, in and of itself, has value and won’t take any action on it.
3. You will discover that someone is already doing something similar to what you thought of, so you’ll toss your idea into the waste bin.

Your idea may be good. It may even be great. But without action on that idea or access to people who can make that idea happen, your idea is about as worthless as chit-chat.

If you are afraid that by sharing your idea others will steal it, then please put that notion to rest, for the most part. After being in business for quite a while and after studying business even longer, I’ve developed a rule that in my experience has stood the test of time.

If you truly have a great idea, then not only will no one try to steal it, but you’ll have to force it down peoples’ throats to even have them look at it, let alone buy it or invest in it.

People laughed at Henry Ford. The executives at IBM wanted nothing to do with Bill Gates’ computer operating system. Politicians and citizens alike called the purchase of Alaska “Seward’s Folly.” Walt Disney was refused financing by too many banks to count. The list is endless.

A few years ago, Apple released the first iPod, with which I am certain many of you are familiar. What did the Mac fans think about the iPod when it was released?

Take a look!

After reading that, I am sure that you get the idea. Even an idea that revolutionized how we listen to and enjoy music was scoffed at – and by people who were (and are) huge fans of the company and its products! That alone should tell you something.

Now, before I go any further, I am not saying to not be careful about giving away your ideas foolishly. I am saying that if you have a great idea, you will have to share it with people that can help you realize it. And if history is any indicator, you will probably have to share your idea with a lot of people.

Before going any further, you must now realize one of the most important things about ideas:

In and of themselves, ideas are worthless.

Just because you think it would be a good idea to open a pizza shop in your area doesn’t mean jack until you actually open a pizza shop! Your idea for a book is nothing until you write the damn book. Even your ideas about redecorating your house are naught but mental fancy until you take the plunge and purchase the new furniture and design the new color scheme.

Gene Simmons of KISS fame hit the nail on the head when he wrote this about the value of ideas and how to get an idea into motion:

In order to succeed and make money, you must have access – access to the people who have the power to implement … access to capital (money) to make things happen ….

So, even if it’s not your idea, if you can get to the people and the money, you own all the right cards. You can always “buy” someone’s idea for pennies, or simply come up with your own idea. Remember, an idea cannot be trademarked or copyrighted. Not unless there is a “process” … in which case, IT’S THE PROCESS, not the idea that is protected.

The reason I keep stressing “ideas mean little” is simply because it’s true. People don’t believe that. And, when they finally get to jump into the water and try swimming in the deep oceans of business, you will be shocked when the real rules of business come slamming down on you. And, you may point to all sorts of reasons why the “idiots out there” don’t recognize the genius of your idea. Oh, they may recognize the genius of your idea. But if you can’t make it happen, you are worthless to them.

Those are some tough words for many people, but if you want to succeed, then you must take them to heart. More times than I can count, a person says to me, “Hey! Here’s a great idea for you.” I generally appreciate their enthusiasm, but I eventually have to tell them that I have a surfeit of ideas here and that the real problem I have is having the time and access to get most of them into motion.

To paraphrase that credit card commercial:

Ideas are a dime a dozen. Making them happen in priceless!

What if you have an idea and then you discover that someone (or many people!) already are doing what you thought? That can actually be a good thing, believe it or not. In essence, someone else is doing your market research!

Returning to our pizza shop example, just because there’s already a pizza shop in your area, doesn’t mean that they are satisfying everyone. Keep your ears and eyes open. Perhaps they don’t deliver. Maybe they’re a little pricey. Whatever the case, just because they have the same idea as you doesn’t mean that you can’t copy it and do it your own way.

McDonald’s was the first fast food burger joint; then there was Burger King and Wendy’s. Apple made the first GUI computer operating system; Microsoft was second. Coke and Pepsi. Hershey and Nestle.

Much of our economic system is based on that – copying – happening. It’s called competition - and you shouldn’t be afraid to engage in it. Some would even argue that merely by throwing your hat in the ring you are succeeding. And I would more often than not agree whole-heartedly.

So, is your idea the one that will make you millions and change the world in the process?

Maybe.

If you do one of the three things I listed, then it definitely won’t be. But, if you

Take action on your idea,

Find the people who can help you with your idea,

Execute your idea properly,

then maybe, just maybe, you’ll make the millions.

Listen, ideas are important. But they are not the be-all end-all. They are the seeds from which action must sprout. Don’t you find it funny (or annoying) that people who haven’t ever had an original idea are making millions, while you (or some people you know) are wallowing in nowheres-ville?

Guess why that is. It’s action. So forget about trying to think about that one big super-original idea that will rock the world. Instead, just take an idea – any idea – and run with it and make it happen.

As Haanel wrote in Week Twenty of The Master Key System

Thought necessarily precedes and predetermines action; action precedes and predetermines condition.

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One of the best ways to approach goal setting that I ever heard was from a speaker named Fred Gleeck. He is a speaker who holds seminars about sundry topics from how to be a professional speaker to how to market different products. In addition to that, he is a pretty cool guy. If you get a chance to attend one of his seminars, I highly recommend it.

When he begins his seminar, he talks a little about goal setting. Basically, he says to plan your ideal day or how you would like to live every day. Many people don’t like their average day and instead live for the weekend or those days when they can “do what they want.” That isn’t much of a life, is it? Our goal should be to have every day be a good day – a day to which we look forward. It all begins to defining what that day would look like.

Now, we have to begin by being completely honest about it. Let’s face it, many right now would say that they want to relax by the pool and do a bunch of nothing, but that would not last too long. Why? We would get bored! Look at how many retirees go completely nuts because they have nothing to do! Or worse, look how many basically opt to die because they aren’t useful anymore.

Furthermore, it has been found that work-related stress is not the killer it was once thought it was. It has been found that stress in those situations actually improves one’s life! As a healthy human being, one needs to struggle, one needs to compete, one needs to set high goals and work to attain them.

These are the things that not only define us and give meaning to us, they give us life.

So, with that in mind, define what you love to do. List those things that you absolutely love and would like to do every day. Maybe you’d like to awaken at eight or nine and relax with a cup of coffee or tea whilst reading the paper or listening to the news. Afterwards, you work – either you go to a job that you enjoy or you have a business. Perhaps you’d like to workout or go to the gym; maybe even take a sauna or steam. Do you want to prepare dinner at home? Go out to eat? What do you want to do in the evening?

In other words

What would be a perfect every day for you?

You see, as you hone what you want and what you are passionate about and as you get that clear picture in your head, you will discover the ways and the means to make it happen. It may not happen over night, but by keeping your eyes open to the possibilities around you, you will attain that day – every day.

Plan your perfect day. Find the ways and means to make it happen. And live it every day.

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Whatever we want in life – be it money, happiness, success – requires that we have power. It does not necessarily mean power over men such as a potentate has, but the power to realize and attain what we desire. Some of the most powerful men in the world desired no political power, but they had the knowledge required to get what they want.

Haanel wrote in The Master Key System

“The real secret of power is consciousness of power.”

This consciousness of power is the realization that each and every one of us has the tools necessary for our continual growth and advancement. We need only to claim them and put them into motion – and it all begins with our thoughts, as this is what brings into reality the results we that we desire.

To acquire that power, here is the process that Haanel outlined:

Every thought creates an impression on the brain.

Experiences come to us through the law of attraction.

The predominant thought or mental attitude is the magnet.

Like attracts like.

The mental attitude is our personality and is composed of  all the thoughts that we have been creating in our mind.

By persistent effort, we can change the mental attitude.

To do this, replace the pictures you have in your mind with new pictures of what you want and desire.

When you have done this, you will begin to attract to  yourself those things.

Build into your mental pictures the necessary essentials, such as determination, ability, talent, courage, power, and anything else.

Aspire to the highest possible attainment in anything you undertake.

Repeat this process as repetition builds habit.

Everything that we have is a result of this process. Everything. Be it good or bad, what we want or what we dislike. This process describes how our  predominant mental attitude about everything is formed. Whether you like it or not, you are using this process. Now that you know how this process works, you can use it consciously and of your own volition.

As you can see, a good portion of this process deals with our mental attitude – what we think habitually. Like Henry Ford once said, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right!” If you think (and believe) that something can’t be done, then chances are likely that you will not accomplish the task at hand or attain the goal you have set. But as you shift your thoughts to ones of success and achievement, you raise the chances that you will get what you want.

For example, if you walk into a job interview like a nervous little whelp, what do you think your chances of being hired are? If it is for a good paying job, your chances are nil. If you walked into the same interview but instead of being mousy you were confident and calm (not to be mistaken for cocky or arrogant), then your chances all of a sudden become very good! What changed? Merely your mental attitude – what you were thinking.

Haanel said that “life is an accretion”, which means that we are building upon what we have and what we know. We are growing. Use the process Haanel outlined here to help you grow in a confident and strong fashion.

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A Zen story goes something like this:

A student was having a meal with his Master. When they were finished eating, the student asked his Master, “What should I do now?”

The Master replied, “Clean your bowl.”

At that moment the student was enlightened.

This story illustrates one of the most important ideas that we all should take to heart: whatever we start, we must complete. Leaving a task undone, unfinished, or incomplete is the surest path to failure. Success in life can be summarized in a sentence:

Show up and complete the job.

It’s amazing how few people fail to do those two seemingly simple things. That is what separates the winners from the losers.

In Week Four of The Master Key System, Charles F. Haanel held no punches when he wrote:

12. Unless you do this, you had better not start at all, because modern Psychology tells us that when we start something and do not complete it, or make a resolution and do not keep it, we are forming the habit of failure – absolute, ignominious failure. If you do not intend to do a thing, do not start. If you do start, see it through even if the heavens fall; if you make up your mind to do something, do it; let nothing, no one interfere; the “I” in you has determined, the thing is settled; the die is cast, there is no longer any argument.

As Haanel stated, not completing something forms within a person the habit of failure. Once a person begins to quit the things he endeavors to do, he finds that it becomes easier and easier to quit the task at hand rather than complete it. In the end, then, what does he have? Nothing.

If man had stopped at the launch pad rather than launching and landing on the Moon, would we have that amazing accomplishment to inspire us?

If Jonas Salk never completed his investigations into disease, we would still be suffering with polio (and probably other illnesses) to this day.

When the going gets tough, we are often told, then the tough get going. They don’t “get going” the other way, though; they go toward the trouble and get the job done.

A good analogy to illustrate these points is to think of your life as having a checking account. Every time you set yourself to do something and you attain your goal, then you deposit money into your account. You become richer. You’re life becomes fuller. You have bettered yourself. When you leave something incomplete, when you quit before you’ve attained your goal, then money is removed from your account. You are a little less than you were before you started. You’ve attained nothing, but lost the time you put into whatever little efforts you made.

A friend of mine made it his goal to become a master parachutist. (Please excuse me, but I do not know the proper term for someone who completes one hundred parachute jumps. “Master parachutist” will serve the purpose for this illustration, though.) He went through months of training and finally went on his first jump. After the jump, someone asked him how he liked it. My friend said that it was “the worst thing he ever did” and that he “couldn’t wait until it was all over.” He was then asked why he would keep on jumping if he hated it so much. He answered that he had to complete what he set his mind to.

Once he made his one hundredth jump, he quit jumping and has never done it since. He had attained his goal and in the process set himself up for future success. (He currently owns his own company and is very successful.)

Life, when all is said and done, is about the things we’ve done and the things we’ve accomplished and attained. Even something as little as buying something, if left incomplete, would leave us lacking in some way or other. Imagine needing a television, but never leaving the house to buy one or never committing to a particular model. You’d be inconvenienced for a very long while.

Complete your tasks; complete your goals; attain all that you can. Life might be a race, but it is a race of endurance, not speed. It matters not how we finish something nor how quickly. The fact that we finish is all that a person needs to be on the path to success.

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