Tony Michalski's Master Key Coaching

Luck is something that many people who get involved with self-help and personal development shun. Most shun it with good reason, as the people who say that others are “lucky” tend to do so out of a sense of helplessness or hopelessness. Other people who shun the idea of luck do so without acknowledging that something like luck exists at all.

A classic – and quite poignant – definition of luck is

Luck is when preparedness meets opportunity.

When you prepare yourself for anything, the time will arise when you will have to use your skill or knowledge. And when you succeed, you’ll be called “lucky” because you knew what you needed to know.

For example, let’s say a person studied computers in school. When he went to get a job, chances are pretty good that he got a very decent paying job. People will say he was “lucky” because he prepared for when an opportunity would arise.

Likewise, a person who didn’t even graduate high school, doesn’t practice any trade or skill, will continually decry his “bad luck” as he looks in envy at those who succeed around him – those he calls “lucky”.

As you prepare yourself to handle different situations and events, as you continue learning and meeting new people, you’ll be ready for those times when opportunity presents itself.

Why is it that the people who win massive lotteries eventually return to the same dire financial straits they had before they won?

Not only because of their mental attitude (or lack mentality), but because they were not prepared to deal with wealth of that magnitude. Hence …

Not only is a fool and his money soon parted, they were lucky to ever get together in the first place!

Keep yourself prepared and ready for the opportunities that life presents. Plan your goals and prepare for them well before you reach them.

A writer is a person who writes daily; he will have a portfolio ready for when an editor needs a sample.

A singer will be ready to audition at the drop of the hat.

A salesman is always on and knows how and when to close the deal.

Opportunities present themselves all the time.

The only thing that isn’t always there is one’s preparedness for those opportunities.

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© Anthony R. Michalski/Master Key Coaching | Print This Article | (2) Comments

One of the most asked questions about The Master Key System sounds silly, but it is not as silly as it sounds. The question is -

How does one read The Master Key System?

You see, it does sound silly, until you realize that the book is divided into twenty-four chapters (weeks) and each chapter ends with an exercise, which Haanel implores you to practice for a week or so.

The confusion about how to read this book comes from the fact that originally The Master Key System was a correspondence course of sorts. In his “General Instructions to Students”, Haanel wrote -

The Master Key System consists of twenty-four parts, names of students are placed on an addressing machine and one part is mailed each week. They go forward automatically, and cannot be sent more frequently nor can they be held back.

Haanel implored his students to read each part at least once per day until the next part arrived. Then -

… write the replies to the questions in the first part, cut off and mail to me.

The completion and the sending to Haanel of the questions at the end of each chapter was necessary. These papers were returned to the student “with the correct replies for comparison.”

It should also be noted that Haanel at this time did not sell a bound volume (book) of The Master Key System. One had to complete the correspondence course before a book of all the lessons would be sent.

The bound volume is never sold to any one at any price, unless they have completed the study and made payment in full.

So, should one, when first encountering The Master Key System, approach the book as directed by Haanel?

While Haanel’s method is good, I have found that in some ways the times have changed and a somewhat different method is required.

If a person is approaching the book for the first time, I encourage them to read through it just as if they were reading a novel or any other book. I tell them to go from cover to cover and read, don’t pay too much (if any) attention to doing the exercises, and just get acclimated to the work.

Once the person has done this, then – and only then – have I found that he or she is ready to actually study the book with an emphasis on the exercises.

In my experience, far too many begin studying the book before they are ready – and within a few chapters they find themselves burned out or worse … Bored. I’ve found that when a person reads through the book and becomes familiar with Haanel’s jargon and style, then that person sees where the book is headed. They don’t get caught up in the minutiae. They’re not “excited” about what’s coming next because they already know. They’ve got the gist of it and now they are ready to truly experience the book and the exercises.

Think of it this way: It’s much like going somewhere for the first time. When you get there that very first time, you basically want to do everything at once. Your mind is running a million miles per minute and you are constantly distracted by everything because it is all new to you. Thus, you miss out on a lot – and you never really enjoy yourself.

But by the second or third time going there, you get to know your way around. You are calmer. You know what to expect and what you are going to see, so you can keep your eyes open to what truly interests you. And you can take it all in calmly and decidedly.

If this is your fist experience with The Master Key System, then read it from cover to cover. See what it is about. Then, when you are ready, take the time to study it as Haanel instructed – going week by week, reading each lesson once per day for a week, and practicing the exercises.

Most of all, when you commit to studying it, don’t quit. Finish your study. The Master Key System is the most cogent system of study for developing your mental powers of concentration and visualization ever written. The real value in the book is not necessarily what Haanel wrote regarding his philosophy and metaphysics, it is in the exercises. Take your time with them and truly work to master them as best you can.

The Master Key System is a powerful book, but it must be approached properly. Take your time with it. There is no need to hurry. As I often say, you must keep in mind that this is a race of endurance, not speed.

Or as Haanel would put it-

If a part comes before you are ready for it, put it aside until you are ready. There is no occasion for haste.

There is no occasion for haste – only understanding.

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© Anthony R. Michalski/Master Key Coaching | Print This Article | (3) Comments