CHAPTER 1
The Principle of Belief
"What the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve."
—Napoleon Hill
As we begin the journey toward greater abundance, we will also begin a journey toward a greater understanding of the dynamic laws that govern the universe, as well as our relationship to the universe. The first principle is of greatest importance because it is the cornerstone or foundation upon which all other principles stand. This is the principle of belief. Your belief system is just as real as the nervous system or any other of the twelve systems in the body. Having a healthy vibrant belief system is the first principle of inner success.
The principle of belief is universal. All the great civilizations of the world had belief systems; whether monotheistic or polytheistic, they worshiped a power greater than themselves that was all encompassing and was the fiber that held those civilizations together. The great philosophers of the world also have acknowledged the existence of a universal intelligence. This power was responsible for creation and runs our universe; it is a part of everything and every living creature in it. Universal intelligence is an a priori principle. Plato, Aristotle, Sophocles, and many other worldly philosophers realized that there was a "divine design" to the universe, and they theorized that each and every thing, as well as every person, was part of a master plan. Every major philosophy and religion recognizes there is a power greater than oneself that is responsible for everything, including life itself. This power is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. It has been called many names throughout time: nature, the Source, God, Yahweh, Allah, Jesus, Mohammad. For the purpose of this book, we will merely call this awe-inspiring, life sustaining power the universal intelligence.
Universal intelligence was first described by the Greek philosopher Anaxagoras in 450 BC as the eternal mind, or nous, which transforms chaos into order; through it, the material world comes into being. It is in all matter and gives that matter its properties. It is responsible for our very existence. Philosophers have called this universal, all-creating power the Source. The Chinese call it chi. The Greek civilization called it Physis. Universal intelligence was a term coined in 1910 by the founder of the chiropractic profession, D. D. Palmer. In his book The Chiropractor's Adjuster, he said, "A Universal Intelligence is in all matter and continually gives it all its properties and actions, thus maintaining it in existence."
Each of us being part of the universe has a part of this power called universal intelligence within us. We call the power within the inborn intelligence, or the innate intelligence. Universal intelligence communicates with our subconscious mind through innate intelligence and is responsible for five major functions in the body: reproduction, survival, adaptation, replication, and healing. Let's take a look at these functions individually.
When the ovum and sperm come together at conception, it is that amazing primary power of innate intelligence that gives the spark of life and governs the growth and development of the organism—as James William Parker describes it, "From birth to death, from the womb to the tomb, from the umbilicus to the undertaker." Innate intelligence regulates and controls every single organ, cell, and tissue in the body and coordinates all bodily functions. This amazing power allows us, as a species, to reproduce ourselves with near perfection.
The second function of innate intelligence is survival. We have been given an inborn survival instinct that takes the form of the "flight or fight" mechanism, which was first described by Nobel Prize winner Hans Selye. We have also been endowed with the godlike power to think rationally and make decisions in times of danger. The survival instinct allows us to thrive and continue the existence of our species.
The third function of innate intelligence is adaptation, to allow the body the ability to adapt instantly to changes in both its inner and outer environment. This gives us the ability to react and adapt physically, chemically, and emotionally to stressors by changing physiology and the body's reaction to both inside and outside stimuli.
The fourth function of innate intelligence is replication. Over the course of a lifetime, the human body replaces every single cell over and over, to maintain the health and well-being of the body. This allows the body its longevity.
The fifth function of innate intelligence is that of healing. Innate intelligence controls our immune system and the ability to be and stay well. The organs that houses this innate power, generated from the subconscious mind, are the brain stem and limbic system. Life and healing also comes from the same place: from above, down, and inside out. As you will see, your success, health, and happiness originate from the level of the subconscious mind.
When we intentionally train our innate intelligence to be in tune with universal intelligence at the level of the subconscious mind, we are able to harness a power that will attract the naturally right persons, places, things, and situations into our life, which will ultimately lead us to accomplish our mission, develop our god-given talents, and fulfill our destiny. All you need to begin this journey is a belief system.
No two people are alike; each and every one of us on planet earth is unique. We each have a unique mission, talent, and destiny that no other person can fulfill except us. I believe each of us is destined for something great. It is up to each individual to realize his or her own potential. Remember, our journey through life is about discovering what that mission is, developing our individual talents, and fulfilling that destiny. What it takes from you is to have a belief system.
The major reason so many people don't live the life of their dreams and feel truly successful or attain real happiness in life is because of their limited beliefs. Their belief system sabotages themselves and does not allow them to fulfill their mission, talent, or destiny. They hate their jobs and therefore a good portion of their lives. When you are not happy because you are not doing what you love, life is continually a struggle. I always tell young and old people alike to follow their dreams. What would you really, really like to do? What are you passionate about? What do you believe in? The ideal job or profession is to do what you love and love what you do. That means you should do what excites you—find what turns you on and pursue it! Get educated in that area. I feel that each one of us is destined to do something great, to do something that no one else can do! All you require is a belief system. If you have a belief system, add passion and persistence, and consistently take action in the direction of your dreams, then you can do whatever your heart desires. The key to remember is you must have a sound belief system as the foundation of inner success; this is how dreams become reality.
A great many of us here on planet earth don't realize we can actually choose our future. Earl Nightingale, known as the father of motivation in America, observed, "As human beings, we are the only creatures on earth given the godlike power to think and therefore make our own decisions. No other living forms on the planet have been given free will except man. All other creatures are guided by instinct." Our lives are guided by our thoughts, our actions, and our feelings, which ultimately lead to the decisions we make. Our destiny in life, therefore, becomes the sum total of the decisions we make through our thoughts, actions, and feelings. With these points as a basic groundwork, let us look at the first principle of inner success.
The Principle of Belief
A belief is a mental act, condition, or habit of placing trust or confidence in someone or something. Beliefs can be based on evidence that we have seen with our own eyes, or they can be based on testimony or tradition that we accept without direct proof. A belief system is an internal arrangement of harmonious thoughts and perceptions about how our lives should be. What we think about ourselves becomes our reality; our thoughts, actions, and feelings create our experiences, including our success, health, and happiness. Whether our lives become a heaven or hell is ultimately determined by our belief system.
If I were to ask you these simple questions, how would you answer? What do you believe in? What do you really, really believe in? Do you believe there is a power in the universe that is greater than yourself and that is responsible for its creation? Do you believe in yourself? How much do you believe in yourself? Do you believe you can make your life anything you want it to be? Can you make your imagination your reality? Do you believe you can change your beliefs and therefore change your self-image?
In the self-discovery effort of this book, you will find the answers these questions. Creating a strong belief system is the first principle of inner success; it is this foundation that we will build upon that will determine a lifetime of success. I want you to realize that by developing your own creative imagination, that innate power within your subconscious mind, you can make your life anything you want it to be and do anything you ever wanted to accomplish. By changing your inner thoughts, you can literally change your outer world.
Let me give you a very simple, personal example of how creative imagination works. When I was a young boy growing up in upstate New York, I would watch the Tournament of Roses Parade on television every New Year's Day. The parade was broadcast from Pasadena, California. The TV commentators would always describe the weather as perfect: seventy-seven degrees and sunny. Everyone was dressed in light clothing and seemed to have a beautiful southern California tan. Meantime, I was sitting at home in front of our picture window in the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York, looking out at a twenty-degree day with two to three feet of snow on the ground, thinking, "Boy, would I love to be living in Pasadena, California!" I visualized that picture in my mind for many years each New Year's Day. I could see myself vividly and clearly living three thousand miles away in Pasadena, California. Sure enough, twenty years later I was not only living in Pasadena, California, but had the Rose Parade floats parked right on my street, directly in front of my house! Now, do you think that was coincidence, or was it some greater power at work for my benefit? A belief system is what turns your dreams into realities.
How do you develop and use your own belief system to your advantage? How do you change your limiting beliefs? How do you make your dreams your reality? It is easier than you think. Your own creative imagination, deciding on a belief system and taking action steps, can accomplish anything you want to do.
If you are not sure how to develop and strengthen your own belief system, let me give you some proven methods to help you begin.
Daily Positive Affirmations
The first and easiest way to begin your journey toward development of your own belief system is by using positive daily affirmations to train your subconscious mind. Affirmation comes from the Latin word affirmare, which means to assert or assure that something is true. When most of us get up in the morning, we don't focus on whether it is going to be a good or bad day; we merely react to what the day gives us as though we have no control. Most people do not even think about controlling or monitoring their thoughts.
One of the best ways to start the day is by training your mind to think positively from the get-go. Affirmations can open your mind to endless possibilities. Buckminster Fuller said, "What the mind can conceive and believe; it can achieve!" Affirmations are positive statements describing a thought, action, or feeling that, when repeated over and over, will impress the subconscious mind and trigger it in to positive action. This is the simplest action step you can take to stimulate your subconscious mind and raise your self-awareness. Through repetition and conviction, with time you can impress a new belief on the subconscious mind, which will slowly but steadily change your attraction value.
Personal affirmation was previously known as autosuggestion. Napoleon Hill first coined the term, and it applies to all suggestions and self-administered stimuli that reach the mind through the five senses. Hill, the author of Think and Grow Rich, stated that "autosuggestion is self-suggestion. It is the agency of communication between that part of the mind where conscious thought takes place, and that which serves as the seat of action for the subconscious mind."
Your mind moves in the direction of your dominant thoughts, whether they be positive or negative. When you become an active part in the decision-making process of your thoughts, you take control of what thoughts reach your subconscious mind. Most people subconsciously repeat negative affirmations and negative self-talk on a regular basis without even knowing it; the consequence of this is they attract negative situations, people, events, and things into their lives. They may subconsciously think, "I can't have that," or "I'm not good enough," and the subconscious mind accepts it as true. By actively replacing the negative with positive affirmations, you can easily reprogram your subconscious mind from a negative to a positive nature!
Let me give you a few rules regarding affirmations. The first rule is to keep them short so they are easy to remember, and the second rule is to repeat them often. I particularly like repeating them upon awakening in the morning and before bedtime. In the morning is the time when your mind is at its clearest; the first thought of the day will stay with you all day. Have you ever heard a song on the radio while driving to work in the morning, and then you hummed the song all day? Affirmations work the same way. What is on your mind at the beginning of the day tends to stay there throughout the day. Your subconscious mind will also hold the last thought given to it before you go to sleep, so give yourself a positive thought on which to sleep. It will help you get a great night's sleep, and you will awaken refreshed and well rested in the morning.
Rule three is to relax and clear your mind before you begin. Find a quiet place where there will be no disturbances or interruptions; forget about your problems. Rule four is to keep it positive and in the present tense, so that you're subconscious mind can see and feel it in the present. By making positive affirmations a habit, you can reprogram your mind from a negative to positive nature easily.
Here are ten positive thoughts to get you started. Choose one of these affirmations, write them down on an index card and repeat them at least three times daily, especially each morning, at noon, and at night before retiring.
1. I am happy, healthy, and successful!
2. Everything in the realm of my imagination is in the realm of my possibility!
3. What anyone else can do, I can do!
4. My own creative imagination, deciding on a belief system, and taking action steps can accomplish anything I want to do!
5. I will act one step bigger than I feel.
6. I will push myself beyond my comfort zone.
7. I've got pep in my step and a smile all the while!
8. Lord, I do give you thanks for the abundance that is mine!
9. I am getting happier, healthier, and more successful every day!
Remember, there is tremendous personal power in the use of affirmations. Just as exercising a muscle forces it to grow; exercising your brain forces your belief system to grow. Daily use of this exercise will erase limited beliefs, and it will transform and transcend your belief system in a very short time.
Visualization
The second exercise you can utilize to help you develop and empower your belief system is visualization. Visualization is simply the act of creating vivid pictures in your subconscious mind. Visualizing uses the power of your imagination to create a clear image, idea, or feeling of what you want to manifest in life. When you focus continually on a picture, idea, or feeling, giving it positive reinforcement and energy, it eventually becomes objective reality. This is a terrific technique to strengthen your belief system and help you internally see your goals.
According to Jack Canfield, author of The Success Principles, visualization can greatly accelerate achievement of success in three powerful ways.
1. Visualization activates the creative powers of your subconscious mind.
2. Visualization focuses your brain by programming your reticular activating system [RAS], to notice available resources that were always there, but were previously unnoticed.
3. Visualization magnetizes and attracts to you the people, resources and opportunities you need to achieve your goal.
