When you really get down to it - down to the level of our deepest core beliefs - I believe most people don't believe it's possible to be successful and have a life of ease. It takes hard work to succeed, right? I hear people often say that it's good to work hard. Hard work is a virtue, and has its own just rewards. 'The early bird gets the worm.' Laziness and idleness are vices that lead to poverty and struggle.
We live in a time and a culture of constant activity, where often the underlying belief is that stress is necessary to achieve success.
I've always had a problem with that belief because, when I am honest with myself, some deep part of my body, mind, and soul prefers laziness and inactivity to stress and activity. Given the choice between getting up early and showering and shaving and heading off to work or getting up whenever I feel like and doing whatever I feel like all day, with absolutely nothing marked 'to do' on my calendar, I'll take that second choice every time.
Until I was well into my thirties, I believed I didn't have what it takes to succeed, because I was a total poverty case, and believed success required a lot of hard work, stress, and constant activity that I was simply unwilling (or unable) to do.
Transformation In Core Beliefs
Then I read a few books and went to a few workshops that focused on our deepest core beliefs, and showed us how to examine them and see if they were really true or not. We did a simple little exercise called 'the core belief process,' and I learned something important about all the beliefs we hold so deeply:
Our beliefs are not necessarily true in themselves, but our thinking makes them appear to be true in our lives.
If we believe we have to work hard to succeed, if we believe we have to constantly be active in order to make it in life, then that belief becomes absolutely true in our life experience.
So I decided, in my early thirties, to do an experiment: I wanted to created the greatest success I could imagine, but see if I could do it in an easy and relaxed manner, in a healthy and positive way.
Doubts And Fears
Of course, as soon as I thought those words, in full force, my doubts and fears rose up. They were adamant, insistent, and loud: "You think you can become successful and still be lazy and disorganized? Impossible! It's never been done in the history of humanity. You have to work hard to succeed at anything!"
The first and most important bit of work I had to do was to deal with those doubts and fears. Fortunately, I had the 'core belief process' to work with. The essence of the process is simple: Look at the stream of thoughts you have when confronted with any problem. Express your thoughts out loud, and you'll soon see which ones are negative or limiting core beliefs, telling you why realizing your dream or goal is impossible.
"I don't have what it takes to succeed" is a common negative belief.
Maybe you're lazy or disorganized or broke (I prefer the phrase "financially challenged") or you feel inexperienced or too young or too old or not talented enough or whatever. There's a fearful part of all of us who can come up with reason after reason why we can't succeed, why we can't live the life of our dreams.
Once we clearly express that belief - in the simplest words possible - we can find words to counteract that belief.
Expressing them in the form of affirmations is the most effective way I've found to deal with those old beliefs. "I am enough!" is a good one. "I have everything I need to create the life of my dreams."
Personal Transformation
In my early thirties, I did a single session of this process, all alone, driving in my car, that changed my life. I was struggling with money. There was never enough. I looked at the thoughts going through my head, and this core belief popped up: "I am a fool with money. I am out of control."
Once I had nailed that core belief, I came up with these words: "I am sensible and in control of my finances. I am creating total financial success, in an easy and relaxed manner, in a healthy and positive way." (Sometimes I added, "…in its own perfect time, for the highest good of all.")
I kept repeating that affirmation, and it became true in my experience. Over the years, in spite of my doubts and fears, I replaced a lot of my old beliefs with new ones.
I found it was possible to have success with ease. It is possible to have a balanced life, with plenty of time for yourself, family, and friends, and still succeed.
In my experience you can create the life of your dreams without being in constant activity all day long and without being a workaholic.
Whether you're naturally always active or laid back, whether you dream of great success or simple comfort, I believe we can realize our dreams in an easy and relaxed manner, in a healthy and positive way.
The choice is up to us. So often, we unconsciously choose a life of stress and struggle. Now I know, we can consciously choose a life of ease and lightness.
Marc Allen is an internationally renowned seminar leader, entrepreneur, author, and composer. He co-founded New World Library (with Shakti Gawain) and has guided the company, as president and publisher, from a small start-up to its current position as a major player in the independent publishing world. He has written several books with the most recent being The Greatest Secret of All: Moving Beyond Abundance to a Life of True Fulfillment.
Based on the book The Type-Z Guide to Success. Copyright 2006 by Marc Allen. Reprinted with permission of New World Library, Novato, CA. www.newworldlibrary.com or 800/972-6657 ext. 52.