We set our thoughts into motion by seeking the Silence.

This week in the Master Key Coaching Teleseminars (please click that link so you can download all seven episodes!), I spoke a bit about the “Silence,” which Haanel described as the place where we find our true power. This is the place where one can truly set his thoughts into motion because it is here that he develops his goals, creates his vision, forges his plans, and readies his actions.

The Silence is where we partake in that “hardest of work”: Thinking.

As I wrote in The Master Key Workbook:

Thought is the secret to all attainment. This is because when we think, we set into motion the law of vibration, which carries our thoughts so that they can become reality. The law of love, which works through the emotions, gives these thoughts vitality.

Your level of belief will influence how quickly your dreams become reality. Look at it this way: When you believe that something is easily attainable, then you step quickly to attain that desire. On the other hand, when you believe that what you want is “out of your reach” or a “pipe dream,” then you stall and stutter on your way, which either drastically slows your journey or impedes it completely.

We set our thoughts into motion by seeking the Silence. It is in the Silence that we can be still, and when we are still, we can think, and thought is the secret to all attainment.

As we think something more and more and see it clearer and clearer, it finally becomes automatic in our mind. We really know what we think. It moves from being a mere thought to a fact. “We are sure; we know.”

The exercises in The Master Key System teach us how to use the Silence, but we must make the effort to find the Silence first. Those who do not are depriving themselves of the place where they will find and develop their thoughts.

Do your best to enter the Silence at least once per day — either in the morning or at the end of the day.

Without distractions, without clutter, without “noise,” you will discover something perhaps you’ve never experienced: yourself.

Need more help finding the Silence? Join the Master Key Coaching Program. You’ll be glad that you did!

“My method is different. I do not rush into actual work. When I get a new idea, I start at once building it up in my imagination, and make improvements and operate the device in my mind. When I have gone so far as to embody everything in my invention, every possible improvement I can think of, and when I see no fault anywhere, I put into concrete form the final product of my brain.”

– Nikola Tesla

Haanel wrote about Tesla in Week Seven of The Master Key System.

10. The inventor visualizes his idea in exactly the same manner. For instance, Nikola Tesla, he with the giant intellect, one of the greatest inventors of all ages, the man who has brought forth the most amazing realities, always visualizes his inventions before attempting to work them out. He does not rush to embody them in form and then spend his time in correcting defects. Having first built up the idea in his imagination, he holds it there as a mental picture, to be reconstructed and improved by his thought. “In this way,” he writes in the Electrical Experimenter, “I am enabled to rapidly develop and perfect a conception without touching any- thing. When I have gone so far as to embody in the invention every possible im- provement I can think of, and see no fault anywhere, I put into concrete the prod- uct of my brain. Invariably my devise works as I conceived it should; in twenty years there has not been a single exception.”

How is this mental accuracy — this mental clarity — obtained?

Haanel wrote,

13. Clearness and accuracy are obtained only by repeatedly having the image in mind. Each repeated action renders the image more clear and accurate than the preceding, and in proportion to the clearness and accuracy of the image will the outward manifestation be. You must build it firmly and securely in your mental world—the world within—before it can take form in the world without, and you can build nothing of value even in the mental world unless you have the proper material. When you have the material you can build anything you wish, but make sure of your material. You cannot make broadcloth from shoddy.

For more information on thinking and thinking properly, please see the Master Key Coaching Teleseminars.

There is a new web site in town.

Since I started doing weekly teleseminars — the Master Key Coaching Teleseminars — I built a web site where you can download and/or subscribe to the podcasts of the calls and comment on what was discussed.

You’ll find that web site at

www.tuneinunlockattain.com

I am very excited with these calls. In our first week, we had at one point sixty people on the call! About five people asked some very good questions — and I think I gave good answers. Give the call a listen and let me know what you think.

I plan to do these calls every Monday at 8:05 pm EST into the foreseeable future. As long as people come to listen and ask questions, I’ll do them. So please, if you have the time and/or if the time is convenient for you, join the call.

If you are unable to join the call because of scheduling conflicts or you’re in a very different time zone, then please download the audio file. You can still take part by leaving a comment. You can ask a question, make a comment, or even just say hello.

Once again, the web site is www.tuneinunlockattain.com.

Oh, to answer the question you may be asking yourself, the web site is that name because at the heart of it all, that’s what we’re learning to do here. We’re learning how to tune in to the power within ourselves. We’re learning how to unlock that power and use it. We’re doing those things so that we can attain the things (goals) that we want.

Join the Master Key Coaching Teleseminars Every Monday at 8:05 pm EST!

To join the call to listen and/or to ask a question, dial -

Phone number: 1-218-862-1300

Conference Code: 183292

Please let me know if I can be of service to you. All the BEST!

Have fun … Tony.

What do you perceive when you look at this picture?

Do you see a vase? Do you see two faces? Can you vacillate between the two?

How about this picture?

Is it the young woman that you see? Or is it the old lady?

What do you perceive?

Now, look at a situation that is happening in your life. Is it the “vase” or the “two faces”? Is it the “young woman” or the “old lady”?

How do you feel when you perceive it from each perspective? Which feeling do you enjoy better? Which one impels you to take action and pursue your goals?

Haanel wrote in Week Six of The Master Key System

They are finding that circumstances and environment follow the trend of mental and spiritual progress. They find that growth follows knowledge; action follows inspiration; opportunity follows perception — the spiritual first then the transformation into the infinite and illimitable possibilities of achievement.

“Opportunity follows perception.”

Change your perception and you can change your world.

Try it.

Change it.

Work with it.

And follow the opportunities that follow when you change your perception.

PS – When you learn it … When you live it … Changes will happen — good changes. That’s what the Master Key Coaching Program is about. Try it for free. Get a free Master Key Coaching consultation now … and let the changes happen.

There are many things that you can do today — right now — that will increase your chances for success.

What is the BIG ONE, though?

Is there even a BIG ONE?

I know that there is.

It’s something that most people don’t do.

Why don’t they do it? Is it too hard? Don’t people know any better? What is it?

It’s theoretically simple, but it is a hard thing to do. But, once it is done, then success, while not guaranteed, is definitely closer. Success becomes in reach!

So, what is it?

As I wrote, it’s seemingly simple, but oh so hard to do.

It’s …

DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.

See? Simple.

Yet hard.

You have to make the decision that you are going to do something. You must stand by that decision. You must follow through on that decision and see it to the end. When you do that — and as you do that more and more — you’ll find yourself becoming … *gasp* … SUCCESSFUL!

Why?

Because successful people do what other people are either unwilling or unable to do.

Most people are not able and willing to make a decision — to choose a course of action — and stick to it.

Think about how many people declare New Year’s resolutions. Now, think about those people one, two, three months later. They’ve forgotten their resolutions, haven’t they? They’re unwilling and they’re unable.

But you are willing and able. Because you were meant to be successful. That’s why you’re here.

Now, please note one thing:

I did not write “DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT.”

I wrote “DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.”

There’s a big — huge! — difference between the two.

Some gurus, movies, infomercials, whatever declare that all you have to do is concentrate on the things you want. We all want things. We’re human beings. We want an infinite amount of things. Sitting around and thinking about them all the time is nothing more than mental masturbation. Or, as Haanel would write, “mental dissipation.”

While those things that you want may serve as an incentive, it’s not the thing that will bring you success

Only your actions will bring you success!

Once you begin thinking about what you want to do — whether it be starting a business, changing careers, embarking on a career, helping a charity, going on an adventure, exploring, writing a book, learning a new skill, solving a problem, going on a date — and once you make that decision, then the planning is easy. And when the plan is in place, the doing practically becomes a no-brainer.

Chances are likely that once you decide to do something, you can find someone whom you can model — and perhaps even follow their plan!

If you know where you’re going (what you want to do) and you have a map (a plan), how much will your odds of succeeding increase?

From my experience, I would say a lot. It happens with me — and I see it happen with my Master Key Coaching clients all the time.

So stop masturbating over vision boards. Become the person you want to be by your actions — by the things you do — not the things you own.

People on their deathbeds never regret not having things. They only regret the things they haven’t done!

Decide what you want to do and do it!

It’s the best — and only — way to become successful.

It’s Spring. It’s Easter. It’s a time for rebirth.

Many people look at the New Year as a time for change, a time to start anew. They make their resolutions. They make new goals. They plan for change.

That’s fine.

For me, Easter and Spring has been the time for true change.

Whether you are Christian or not, you are probably familiar with the story of Easter — about the death and resurrection of Christ. And, whether or not you believe the story is based in fact or not, it is a story that can serve as inspiration for true change.

For true rebirth.

Making changes can be hard. We’re asking ourselves to be different and to act differently. We are altering our habits and perhaps moving into uncharted — and oftentimes uncomfortable — territory. We are casting away the familiar for the foreign, the known for the unknown, the devil we know for the stranger.

Friends and family will look at us differently. They will wonder what the hell we’re doing. They’ll talk behind our backs and say what everyone says when they’re confronted with a person doing something new: “They’re crazy.” Depending upon what exactly we are changing or pursuing, they may even pull us aside and “have a little talk” with us.

If we continue with our changes — with our quest — we may feel the rocks that they throw and the barbs that they sling at us.

Worse than that, we’ll feel the doubt inside of us, gnawing and eating. While we’ll hear others’ whispered aspersions, we’ll feel like the beating of a bass drum our own thoughts of doubt and fear.

We’ll push through, though. Hopefully.

And as we leave the old behind us and continue toward the new — as we “give up the ghost” — we will see ourselves reborn, a changed person.

We’ll still meet doubters afterward, but we’ll have proof of our change. We won’t have to shout it at them, the proof will be evident for all to see.

Change is hard, but not impossible. Sometimes we’ll succeed and sometimes we’ll fail. That’s not necessarily the point, though. More often than not, the point is just in the doing.

Haanel wrote, “You can be what you will to be.” Decide what you want to be — who you want to be. Decide on the changes you will have to make — the changes you want to make. Damn the torpedoes and make those changes. Live the life you want to live.

Become reborn.

One of my favourite lines from a movie is from the movie Vanilla Sky. Sophia says to David, “Every passing minute is another chance to turn it all around.”

What are you waiting for? Embark on your “hero’s journey.”

The flower doesn’t await the sun; it reaches for it! The bee doesn’t laze about the hive; it flies far and wide!

Use this time — Spring, Easter — to become reborn. It’s your time.

You have the knowledge of your power; recognize within yourself the courage to dare and the faith to do.

A good way to really launch 2010 would be with a success story. So, that’s just what I have for you: a story about a person who attained a goal, a dream.

When Lena came to me last year as a Master Key Coaching client, she had one goal: to finish the work on her and her husband’s bed & breakfast.

After a year of hard work — both mental and physical — Lena is proud to open the doors to her newly remodeled and renovated bed & breakfast to the public.

Click here to visit the Nygard Manorhouse web site and see what Lena has accomplished and attained.

If you’re in Europe and you’re looking for a weekend getaway, then this is the place to go. Look at that web site! The work Lena has done is beautiful! From cozy rooms to homemade pastries to horseback riding and golfing, Lena has created for herself and her guests a literal paradise on Earth.

The Nygard Manorhouse in Sweden.

How did she do this?

How silly of you to ask! She did it just the way that Haanel describes in The Master Key System.

She visualized what she wanted. (She set her goal.)

When you set definite goals, it becomes easier to hit a "hole in one."

She made plans to make it happen. (She used inductive reasoning to create action steps for the attainment of her goal.)

When you think correctly, you create beautiful "rooms" in your mind, just like Lena created beautiful rooms in her bed & breakfast. "As within, so without."

She took action! (She worked hard because, as Haanel wrote, the law of success is service.)

You can take possession of that which you deem to be yours. You must take action to make it happen!

She solved problems. (When she hit a bump in the road, she didn’t panic; she allowed the Law of Attraction to guide her to a solution.)

Success comes to those who solve problems. After all, a goal is nothing more than a problem.

The results speak for themselves.

In 2010, make it your mission to select a goal — a big, lofty, worthy, and juicy goal! — and work toward its attainment.

It may not be easy, but the good things in life seldom are easy. You’ll work harder than you ever have before, but all that work is good for the soul. You may have to leave the old behind you, but what’s beyond the horizon may be better than you imagined.

It just may be your little piece of Heaven on Earth.

When you’re in Sweden, pay Lena a visit at Nygard Manorhouse. See what a dream, some right thinking, and some hard work can attain for you.

You’ll be glad that you did.

In The Master Key System, Haanel tells us to dream and act on big, worthy dreams.

One of Donald Trump‘s rules from his book The Art of the Deal is to “Think big!”

My new friend “Fireball” Tim Lawrence on his blog has as his mantra to THINK BIG.

And so should you.

Should you ever forget to think big, should you ever feel that you are thinking too big, it will do you well to remember this poem from 1918 by Jessie B. Rittenhouse.

You will get that for which you ask. So why are you only asking for “a penny”?

“My Wage”

I bargained with Life for a penny,
And Life would pay no more,
However I begged at evening
When I counted my scanty store;

For Life is a just employer,
He gives you what you ask,
But once you have set the wages,
Why, you must bear the task.

I worked for a menial’s hire,
Only to learn, dismayed,
That any wage I had asked of Life,
Life would have paid.

—Jessie B. Rittenhouse (1918)

Always remember to get for yourself the best of everything!

Have fun … Tony.

PS – The best way to “ask for a raise”—to get the best of everything—is to tune in, unlock, and attain.

You can visit the Self Improvement Association at www.sia-hq.com.

I am very pleased and very honored to announce that an article that I wrote — and that you probably already read here — “The Master Key Is You,” has been published by the Self Improvement Association on their web site.

Please visit their site, read my article, and let me know what you think.

If you’ve already read that piece, then please read it again. I think that it bears repeating and re-reading.

As I speak with clients who are enrolled in the Master Key Coaching Program, as I email with people who have purchased the Complete Master Key Course, and even as I just speak with people in my day-to-day life, one thing that comes into the conversation all too often is the fear — or worry — they are feeling about the economic times in which we live.

Some people are fearful about losing their job. Some are facing having to deal with having their work hours cut. Many businesses are scrambling to find the credit they need in order to stay afloat.

You too have probably heard all of that — and more!

While what we are going through is bad enough —and perhaps even too much for some people — some people are even predicting that things will get worse.

So what’s one to do?

That’s the question I tackle in this article, “The Master Key Is You.” So please read it — again, if that is the case.

Other than that, while there is no one set answer to the question about what you can do since everyone’s situation is different in some respect, there are things you can do to prepare yourself.

One is that you can learn how to tune in, unlock, and attain by using what you learn in The Master Key System.

There’s a reason why Haanel’s book has been around for almost one hundred years. The reason is that when you put into practice the philosophy that Haanel espouses, you significantly improve your chances at succeeding massively!

You can also read the other books on my list of the only ten books you need to read to succeed. I limit my list to only ten because I want to see people take what they learn and spring into action rather than immerse themselves in countless books. Take the time to learn and once you have learned, then take the time to act!

It is only through your actions that you will yield results.

One other great way to prepare yourself is to work with a good coach or an able consigliere.

A good coaching relationship will not only help you stay positive or teach you about concepts, it will — it should! — be a relationship in which you are pushed, prodded, and expected to do better than you are. You will have a person who can look at your situation objectively and who will help you formulate the best “plan of attack” for overcoming any problems you are encountering.

In other words, your coach should help you to think differently so that you can attain what you want.

This can be a very powerful relationship, so I highly recommend that you explore the possibility of one.

Other than those things, I can only reiterate what I wrote in this article: don’t worry irrationally, be prepared, and do what you must do.

As Haanel wrote in The Master Key System,

Life is an unfoldment, not an accretion. What comes to us in the world without is what we already possess in the world within.

Be prepared. Be vigilant. Be ready to act. You will succeed.

In other words, tune in, unlock, and attain!

As some may know, back in 2003, I began a Group on Yahoo!: The Master Key Group. It now has over 600 members and is quite active.

Recently, a discussion developed regarding how things “manifest.” As you may or may not know, I am not a fan of the modern idea of manifestation, especially as presented by many of the “new wage” gurus and “husteldorks” out there. [For my view of manifesting, please see this article that I wrote: "How the Idea of “Manifesting” Is Ruining Your Chances of Success."]

The debate was raging when a member of the Group wrote what I am about to post here. What he wrote was so well-written and eloquent—and in my view spot on accurate—that I wanted to share it with you here. I even sent the fellow a book of his choice free of charge. (He chose The Master Key Workbook, just so you know.)

Please enjoy!

The way I see this, there are two opposing camps, two polar opposite schools of thought regarding how to accomplish things.

The purists of the materialist school would say that “manifesting” as spirit is a bunch of superstitious, new-age gobbledegook; it sees the idea of trying to visualize things into existence as naive in the extreme. There is no free lunch. Whatever you accomplish you achieve through your own efforts.

The purists of the mentalist school of thought would say that the “All is Mind“ and what we consider to be physical, objective reality is the mental activity of the All, of which we are a part, and of which Mind—our minds—are parts. Consequently by changing the inner we can change the outer; no specific activity is required on our part, whatever we desire to manifest will simply come to be through diligent visualization.

Notice I said above the purists of both schools think along those lines. And like most purists, I think they’re both extremely naive, simplistic, and completely wrong. In short, they’re full of it.

As with many, many, many things in life, the answer lies squarely in the middle. [Tony: I have often found this to be true as well, especially in philosophical debates.]

To the pure materialists, I say that you can work as diligently and as relentlessly and as hard as possible for decades and you will never reach your goal without a plan and the ability to evaluate and change that plan in favor of new approaches based on your result—both of these activities have absolutely nothing to do with work and everything to do with mental activity.

To the pure mentalists, I say that unless you are some kind of magician as powerful as King Solomon, you can’t just think things into existence. If that were possible then none of you would have any of the myriad problems you’re in this program to overcome. Remember that old Chinese proberb: “A man who waits for a roast duck to fly into his mouth must wait a very, very long time.” [Tony: This is why I am fond of saying that I'd rather hire or work with a person who is ready, willing, and able to take action rather than a "self-helper" who would sit around and "visualize" all day trying to "use" the Law of Attraction.]

My personal belief is that we should do the mental work as prescribed by Haanel: not just plan-laying, but visualization of the “emotionalized thought” variety, diligently. [Tony: In later articles that will appear on this blog, I will be detailing what you should be getting from reading and studying The Master Key System. Here's a hint: It's not learning about how to use the Law of Attraction.] And then we need to get out into the real world, start pushing buttons, meeting people, inquiring, making contacts, trying new approaches, etc., all with the end in mind of reaching that goal, bearing ever in mind that it may come to us through avenues completely unanticipated, seeming to have little or nothing to do with our efforts. We need to do the mental work and then put ourselves in the places we need to be in order for it to give us what we need to bring our intention about.

I’m reminded of another old quote I heard years ago. “Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.” (St. Augustine, I believe.) [Tony: Yes, it was St. Augustine who said that.]

So, form your plan, build your mental images, and then get out there and make it happen!

As always, I hope that you leave a comment. In my view, it’s discussion about these concepts and ideas that help each of us to grow and, hopefully, to excel.

I received this email from a fellow who is studying The Master Key System. I actually receive quite a few emails asking very similar questions about the exercises in Week One and Week Two. Here is his email to me -

I came across your website and had a question if you have the time. For exercise #1 you are to stay still for 15 minutes and let your mind wonder. Do you keep your eyes closed or does that not make a difference?

For exercise #2, you are to not allow any thoughts into your mind. The book mentioned this would be difficult and most would only be able to do this for a few moments. But how long should each exercise session be? Should I try to do this over and over again for 15 mins to a half hour or literally just try it for a moment? This one is going to be tough for me (lol).

For those who don’t know (or who don’t remember), here are what Haanel provides as exercises for Week One and Week Two.

Week One Exercise
44. Now make the application: Select a room where you can be alone and undisturbed. Sit erect, comfortably, but do not lounge. Let your thoughts roam where they will but be perfectly still for ?fteen minutes to half an hour. Continue this for three or four days or for a week until you secure full control of your physical being.
45. Many will ?nd this extremely difficult; others will conquer with ease, but it is absolutely essential to secure complete control of the body before you are ready to progress. Next week you will receive instructions for the next step. In the meantime, you must have mastered this one.

Week Two Exercise
30. Last week I gave you an exercise for the purpose of securing control of the physical body. If you have accomplished this you are ready to advance. This time you will begin to control your thought. Always take the same room, the same chair, and the same position, if possible. In some cases it is not convenient to take the same room. In this case simply make the best use of such conditions as may be available. Now be perfectly still as before, but inhibit all thought. This will give you control over all thoughts of care, worry, and fear, and will enable you to entertain only the kind of thoughts you desire. Continue this exercise until you gain complete mastery.
31. You will not be able to do this for more than a few moments at a time, but the exercise is valuable because it will be a very practical demonstration of the great number of thoughts which are constantly trying to gain access to your mental world.

Regarding the first exercise, it is probably easier to do it with eyes closed, since you won’t have to worry about blinking, which I would consider movement and you are supposed to keep perfectly still. So just sit, relax, and not move a muscle for as long as possible.

This exercise should illustrate to you a couple of things.

First, it will show you how many of your body’s movements happen practically subconsciously (or unconsciously). In other words, it will show just how little control we truly have at times over our own body! And if we can’t control ourselves to any significant degree, how can we control anything else?

To illustrate this point, think of a time when you witnessed a person who just could not control them self. They fidgeted, they fiddled with their hair, they kicked their feet, they swayed, they rocked back and forth. Whatever they did, you could just tell that they were a mess. They were not composed.

Just by looking at them we could tell something was … not quite right with them.

Don’t let that be you! We can tell a lot about a person (and we usually do tell ourselves a lot about a person!) by the way that person handles them self. So, on a very practical level this exercise has an application.

Second, since ALL of our actions begins with a thought, either conscious or subconscious, these unconscious movements indicate that there are unbidden and unknown thoughts occurring in our heads. Thus, by keeping ourselves still, we are limiting those thoughts, perhaps acknowledging that they are there, and setting the way for us to truly control our “inner world.”

There is no need to become a monk while doing the exercises in The Master Key System!

Just to make things clear, while it is important to master this exercise as much as possible, as I like to tell people, there is no need for you to become a monk! Do your best. Make sure that you can still your self, but by no means do you have to work to the “Zen monk” level of sitting still.

For the Week Two exercise, yes, you are supposed to quell all of your thoughts. Frankly, it is doubtful that you will reach fifteen minutes. Even five minutes may be pushing it! I think it is optimal to go for as long as you can, be that five seconds or five minutes.

While it would be nice to quell your thoughts for as long as you like in the “Zen monk” fashion, I think the main point of the exercise is to show you that you can notice when errant thoughts are there and that you can quell them at will. For me, the bigger point is when you put it into action in everyday life.

For example, we all run into those situations where we get into a mental log jam because too many thoughts are hitting us at the same time, thus causing our actions to be erratic or clumsy. That is when this exercise comes into play. You should be able to quell those thoughts, clear your head, and choose the best action for the situation–all at the flick of a switch. A mental switch, of course.

So, for the Week Two exercise, it’s not so important that you can quiet your thoughts indefinitely. The important thing to take away from this is that you can quiet those unbidden thoughts at will. That, my friend, is the key point you should take away from this exercise.

I hope this helps. Over time, I will write about the other exercises in The Master Key System. For now, just work with these. As always, feel free to email me your questions. If you really want to get into learning how to apply these exercises in your life, consider joining the Master Key Coaching Program.

I read a very good article written by Kimberly Palmer on Yahoo! Finance entitled “10 Secrets of Millionaires’ Money Management.” Here is the link to the article, which I strongly encourage you to read -

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/10-Secrets-of-Millionaires-usnews-14921158.html

A couple of the “secrets” that stand out are

1. Believe that you can do it.
2. Articulate your vision for success.
3. Work hard–and you’ll get lucky.
4. Live below your means.

In the article, the author wrote that Alan Corey, author of A Million Bucks by 30, did something that I often tell people to do: read all the biographies and autobiographies of millionaires that you can. When you do, you’ll see that what they achieved was the result of a (sometimes) good idea, thorough planning, and hard work, as well as a belief that they can do it.

Or, to paraphrase Haanel in The Master Key System,

First, they had knowledge of their power; second, they had the courage to dare; and third, they had the faith to do.

When you read biographies and autobiographies, you will see beyond the trite anecdotes that you often hear. You’ll see them in all their naked, sometimes unflattering, glory–warts and all.

Hopefully, you’ll see a little of yourself in them and you’ll be convinced on a very deep level that you can achieve the success you want.

Another point on which the author of the article touched was an idea with which you are probably familiar. That idea is that vague and general goals are of not great value; rather, you should be somewhat specific about your goals. From the article,

Jen Smith, author of the Millionaire Mommy Next Door blog, says that the saying, “I want to be rich,” is too vague. Instead, she recommends imagining what your ideal life as a millionaire will look like. Smith offers this example: “I want to have $2,000,000 invested so that I can live off of the interest. Then I will quit my job so that I can volunteer, travel, learn to play tennis and watercolor, and enjoy picnics at the beach with my family.”

One of the best books that you can read to hone your vision of success is The Master Key Workbook. Get it, read it, do the exercises, and you will have a very clear picture of what you want–and a plan to achieve it.

There are two words that have earned me the ire of some devotees of The Master Key System. Those words are “hard work.”

I have always encouraged people to embrace hard work, as that is the true “secret” of any success, regardless of what some infomercials and “gurus” will tell you. As my proof, I cite every successful person with whom I’ve spoken or whose biography I’ve read.

I also cite Mr. Haanel. From Week Seven of The Master Key System -

4. This is another psychological fact which is well known, but unfortunately reading about it will not bring about any result which you may have in mind; it will not even help you to form the mental image, much less bring it into manifestation. Work is necessary—labor, hard mental labor, the kind of effort which so few are willing to put forth.

28. Thought force is the most powerful means of obtaining knowledge, and if concentrated on any subject will solve the problem. Nothing is beyond the power of human comprehension, but in order to harness thought force and make it do your bidding, work is required.

Now, I can cite this article, which quotes Donald Trump -

Donald Trump attributes his success to his hard work, which to outsiders often appears to be luck. But Trump says luck only comes from working hard. “If your work pays off, which it most likely will, people might say you’re just lucky. Maybe so, because you’re lucky enough to have the brains to work hard!” he says.

One last point from the article that I want to address is that many successful people (millionaires) live below there means. Frankly, many that I have met are down-right cheap! Two highly successful people that I know have a friendly competition about who got the better deal on their purchases. (For example, one will point to his shoes and say, “Target. Fifteen bucks.” The other will smirk and reply, “I used a coupon and got these for twelve.” Yes, they are that cheap.)

This is not to say that you should be misery with your money, but to quote Haanel from Week Four of The Master Key System -

8. Those who recognize this principle have a great advantage in the affairs of life. They do not wear themselves out. They can eliminate vagrant thoughts with facility. They can readily concentrate to the highest possible degree on any subject. They do not waste time or money upon objects which can be of no possible benefit to them.

Far too many “gurus” are out there today selling a lifestyle for my taste. They brag about their car collections or their huge mansions. They also say silly (if not outright stupid) things such as if you want to make money, then give away money.

As an insider in the self-help industry, I know that many of these “gurus” are playing smoke and mirror games. They brag about cars they don’t actually own (or if they do own them, they go into massive debt for them) or they film themselves in homes they rented for a video shoot. Read this article about the MTV show “Cribs” to see what often happens in the name of promoting an image -

http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.2683

Don’t base your lifestyle on what you see these “gurus” promoting on their blogs and videos. Instead, live life on your terms–and below your means. You will find yourself happier–and wealthier–in the long run.

Take these ideas to heart.

More importantly, put them into daily practice.

Attaining a million dollars is very doable as long as you go about it intelligently. Of course, you can purchase lottery tickets and wish and pray for your one-in-a-billion chance to win the money.

Or you can plan your work and work your plan and practically guarantee your success.

One path is more difficult than the other. One path is also more rewarding. Not just on a materialistic level, but on also on any scale you can think of–mental, spiritual, and moral.

Listen to what real millionaires and successes say about becoming a millionaire. Put their words of wisdom into practice. It may be difficult in the beginning, but you’ll be glad that you did.

With all of the talk on the news and just about anywhere one goes, one would swear that a collapse of some kind–economic, political, whatever–was not only immanent, but happening at this very moment!

For a while now I have been receiving calls and emails asking about these ”tough economic times.” Some folks are worried. Some are down-right scared.

Others don’t know what to make of it and are wondering how they “attracted” these “hard times” into their life.

Just so you know, this isn’t one of those articles telling you to ignore reality and ”not take part in the recession.”

Frankly, that’s stupid. Events are happening and people are being affected. That’s a fact.

Hiding your head in the sand and ignoring reality is not the thing to do. It’s not a matter of thinking positive and wishing things away. That’s not what Haanel wrote about in The Master Key System.

Haanel wrote about facing problems and solving them–overcoming them–not hiding from them. And definitely not living in a fantasy world.

So, what did you do to attract this chaos in your life? That’s the question I am being asked the most.

The answer is: probably nothing. To quote Forrest Gump, sometimes “shit happens.”

As many of you know (and as some of you are soon to discover), I am not one of those people who believes that we “attract” EVERYTHING into our life. Some things, yes, yes we do; other things just happen.

It’s life. Sometimes it’s sweet; sometimes it’s sour; sometimes it sucks. We hope that it is sweet more than the other two–and it generally is. But there will always be times that try us, that test us, and that, if we allow them, break us.

While we don’t attract everything into our lives, what we can control is how we respond to them and how well we are prepared for them.

When the proverbial shit happens, are you going to be the person who loses it and runs about like a chicken with its head chopped off? Are you going to sulk and shiver in a corner?

Or are you going to look at the situation with a calm and collected eye and make your plans for what you have to do to get yourself from the situation.

That, my friend, is what Haanel writes about in The Master Key System.

Haanel wrote about a man who had a child that was born deaf and about whom the doctors said there was no hope. Did the man curl into a ball and give in? Did he acquiesce?

No. He looked at the situation and formulated a plan. He kept the faith and followed through with his plan.

And his plan worked. His son lived a normal life.

The man did not ignore the situation. He did not merely wish and hope that all would be well. He saw what he had to do and he got to doing it.

He succeeded.

And you will, too.

With all of the fear and worry being bandied about by the news and talk shows, you may have some doubts, but if history is any indicator, you will be fine, just as long as you are prepared, willing to do what needs to be done, and are wiling to look at what is and work to make things how you want them to be.

You may be worried, though, or even scared.

Sometimes you fear something for a very good reason. If you are walking alone in a parking garage and you suddenly feel the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end, it just may behoove you to take a very good look at your situation as you may be in very real danger.

Fear can be a tool that we use to warn us of something bad that may befall us!

Think about that for a moment.

Fear (or worry) can be a warning mechanism.

Now, I am not saying that you should succumb to the fear and let it overtake you and your actions. What I am saying is that you should listen to it and investigate if it has any validity or not.

If you are afraid of what may happen to you economically during these times, then you should take stock of what you have and what you can do if the worst happens.

In other words, you should make sure that you are prepared!

Do you have money saved? Do you have a skills that you can use to move to a new position or business? Have you networked so that you have people you can contact to help with a new position? Are you willing to do what you need to do so that if need be you can get through a “tough time”?

If your answers to any of those questions worries you, then do what you have to do to make yourself “bulletproof.” Start setting some money aside. Get your résumé polished. Start connecting with friends and associates about possible job openings.

And the big one: Do what you need to do to get yourself through the tough times.

You might have to take a job that you’d rather not take. Do it anyway until something better comes along.

The only thing constant in life is change. The only thing that helps a person succeed in life is adapting to that change. In other words, you don’t wear your summer clothes outside when it’s winter!

The point I want you to understand is this: Any economic stimulus begins (and in many cases ends) with you.

As a corollary to that, it must also be said that if the worst happens to you, if the shit does indeed hit the fan, then the only person who can help you rise above the fray is YOU.

There is one point about The Master Key System that most people fail to grasp. That point is this:

When Haanel talks about a “master key,” he is not talking about something outside of you, something separate from you. He is talking about YOU.

The Master Key is YOU.

You have the power. You have the ability. You have the will.

It is your duty to use it.

You are the only one who can open the doors put before you.

Be proud, be fearless, and be bold–and take advantage of that.

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.

Visualization, the process of seeing in your mind a vivid picture of what you want or what you would like to accomplish, is an important step in problem solving, attaining what you want, and improving yourself.

People often ask how they can improve this skill. Here are a few ways.

1. Do the exercises that are in The Master Key System regularly and diligently. 

One of the main goals of reading The Master Key System is to develop the mental focus that allows one to clearly visualize things. Doing and mastering the exercises that Haanel provided is one of the best ways. Work with the exercises and practice each one until you truly master it. There are no magic formulas or silver bullets to help you with this. Just persistent and diligent work.

2. Exercise your brain.

Get a math book and do some math problems. Complete a few crossword puzzles. Get a pad and pencil and learn how to draw.

These activities may seem trivial, but they all exercise the brain in different ways – just like the equipment in a gym work and exercise different muscles.

Math problems will help you to visualize numbers and logic and relations.

Crossword puzzles will help you to see words and connections.

Drawing will exercise your whole brain and help you to see things more clearly.

The brain is a muscle and if you don’t exercise it, then you are letting it atrophy. As the old saying goes, “Use it or lose it.”

3. Relax.

As you are visualizing, be sure to allow yourself to relax. As you relax, you allow things to flow better and you allow the pictures in your mind to become clearer and clearer.

This is why the first few exercises in The Master Key System are so important. Relaxation is very much a key in getting clear mental pictures. As your mental pictures become clearer and clearer, you can better develop solutions to attaining what is in those pictures or translating those pictures into reality.

Visualization is a key skill to master if you want to succeed in almost any facet of your life. It will help you to solve problems, it will help you to define the things that you truly want, and it will assist you in putting your plans into action.

As you get better at visualizing, you will also begin to see the bigger picture – how not only things are related on the micro (small) level, but how they relate on the macro (large) level. As you make those connections, life will take on a much grander meaning for you.

Master the skill (and art) of visualizing. It is one of the first steps to becoming who and/or what you desire to be.