Joy Ignites Success

Success Principle #13:  Take Action

The Principle in a Nutshell: Do something!  The universe rewards action.

Discussion: This is one of the simplest principles to understand, yet still demands exploring.  As I see it, there is a great divide between many goal-oriented and success programs and spiritual programs, where there needn’t be.  Sometimes on a spiritual path we can go into magical thinking and expect the world to open up for us because we have meditated or visualized.  On the other path of success and goal-oriented seminars, we can push too hard and think we are the only factor in what happens.  In between, there is a path of taking action and letting go.  Of doing, what Bernardo Monserrat, of CRS in Santa Fe, says is our 10% (the universe or God being the 90%).  In my experience, we don’t even have to figure out the right action, we just have to let the universe know that we’re in.  We do this by taking action. Read More

Success Principle #12:  Act As If

The Principle in a Nutshell: Start acting right now as you would when the goal is achieved.  

Discussion: There are many things we can do now that will put the gears in motion for being where we want to be.  We can change our clothes, our attitude, our business cards, our websites and more to reflect the changes we want in our lives.  For health and relationship goals, this may take a little more creative thought, but acting as if sends a clear message to the universe and reprograms our brain.    
When we act as if, it is possible it will bring up some feelings of grief, anger or lust about not already having it.  The following release is designed to help you let go of those feelings. Read More

Success Principle #11:  See What You Want, Get What You See

The Principle in a Nutshell: Use visualization to support your success.

Discussion: The power of visualization has long been used by sports psychologists and performance coaches.  Seeing yourself engaged in an activity primes the brain and the body for peak performance.  Supporting the visualization process with emotion is key.  As you feel into the experience, you are toning the body-mind to allow for more and different opportunities.  Researchers have found that the brain can’t actually distinguish between a real activity and a visualized activity; it responds in the same way.  When we visualize, there may be a negative reaction or thought that arises, rather than pushing it away, use releasing to move through it.   Read More

Success Principle #5: Believe In Yourself

The Principle in a Nutshell: You must believe in your own ability to be successful and effect change.  

Discussion: Very closely related to principle #4 (you must believe it’s possible); the self-doubt will sabotage steps towards success.  As simple as this principle sounds, it is one of the most difficult to put into practice.  Negative self beliefs are wound pretty tight for most of us and can be challenging to let go of.    

Example: When we believe success is possible, but not for us, we start to feel like victims.  The world only works for everybody else.  This results in thoughts such as ‘why bother?’ ‘it is never going to happen’ and ‘I’m just wasting my time’.  Resulting or related behavior includes being easily distracted, addiction, procrastination, blaming and more.   Read More

Canfield Principle #3: Decide What You Want

The Principle in a Nutshell: What do you most want for you?  What do you want your life to look like?

Discussion: If you don’t know what you want, the course of your life is without direction.  Others (people and universal forces) will not know how to support you if you are unclear.
Getting clear can be challenging.  Our parents, caretakers and society all have ideas about what our lives should look like.  We often grow up thinking we want what they want for us, and don’t realize we are trying to live someone else’s dream.

Case Study: I’m a great case study for this one.  My dad was an accountant and I idolized him and became an accountant as well.  Though I knew as a child that my passion was movement and performing, I suppressed that because of many messages about succeeding in the arts.  Eventually, I was able to define what I wanted and redesign my life.    Read More

Canfield Principle #2: Be Clear Why You’re Here

The Principle in a Nutshell: Know what you have been put on Earth to do.    

Discussion: Your purpose is always tied to your passions.  Exploring what you love to do and doing more of it is good for you, good for others and good for the planet.  
I have seen way too many clients in angst over not knowing their life purpose and feeling paralyzed trying to figure it out.  Taking a step, any step, will start the process.  Don’t wait until you think you have it figured out.

Case Study: Lydia was in a field she hated for many years.  She was afraid to leave because she didn’t know what she would do for income.  As she learned to allow herself to have fun with the exploration, she started a blog on one passion and shortly thereafter, another opportunity presented itself in another area she was also passionate about.  Within just a few months, she was able to quit her job. Read More

Canfield Principle #1: Take 100% Responsibility For Your Life

The Principle in a Nutshell: Give up blaming and complaining.  Recognize that you have the power to change the circumstances in your life through your actions and responses.  

Discussion:  Recognizing that you are not at the mercy of others can be very empowering.  Knowing that you can take charge of your life, make changes and be master of your responses provides strength to move forward and take action.
Using this principle to blame yourself and take responsibility for everything that happens in life can become destructive and crazy-making.  Too often people will exhaust themselves wondering why something happened to them instead of accepting it, learning from it and moving on.  Remember, when you give up blaming, that includes blaming yourself. Read More