Yet another one of the myths/lies in the self-development field is the notion of taking “massive action.”
When I teach my coaching members there’s no such thing as taking massive action, they usually look at me with a bewildered expression. I am the first person they have ever heard say this. Everyone else is doing what Earl Nightingale called, “following the follower.”
Similar to Socrates, I end up reducing the ridiculous to reality with a series of questions:
“2,500 years ago, Lao Tzu wrote that the journey of a 1,000 miles begins with a single step,” I begin. “So let’s see if something has fundamentally changed about walking in the past two and a half centuries. If you were on a 1,000-mile journey, how many steps would you take at a time?”
“I would take one step at a time,” someone replies.
“But what if I put both feet together and jump? Does that double the number of steps?” I ask.
“No.”
“That means, even if I double my efforts and jump as far as I can, I only get one jump at a time?”
“That’s correct.”
“But what will happen if I put my feet together and jump forward 1,000 times in a row?”
“You’ll probably injure yourself trying to speed up your progress.”
“So think about this: You take massive action, now you’re exhausted and quite possibly injured. And then you’ll be frustrated. You may begin to think that there’s no way you can achieve your goal. But this is not the case. You can achieve your goal, but you’ll do so one consistent step at a time, not via massive action.”
“That makes sense.”
“Not only does it make sense, it’s a reality,” I add. “Let’s say you decide to walk as many miles as you can every single day. Plus, to prove you’re taking massive action, you put 100 pounds of gear on your back to carry along with you. The 100 pounds represents you making sure you’re doing more than one thing at the same time. That’s your strategy to walk 1,000 miles. And you push yourself each day until there’s nothing left. Meanwhile I, have a different idea. I’m going to walk at least five miles each day. I can walk more than five miles if I’m on a roll, but if I stop at five, I’ve hit my daily goal. As for what I carry with me. A bottle of water and a towel will suffice. Each day, when you and I are finished walking, someone picks us up so we can rest and start again the next day. Now, let me ask, who do you think has the better chance of succeeding?”
“I would say that you do.”
“You nailed it. And the reason is obvious, isn’t it. I have a consistent, daily goal that is manageable. It’s not too big. It doesn’t scare me. It doesn’t drain me of physical energy. And it doesn’t wreak havoc on my nervous system. In fact, each day as I accomplish my goal, I gain energy and momentum while the massive action person loses it.”
Make a note: In Psycho-Cybernetics, there isn’t a single word about taking massive action. Not one.
The reason is simple: It’s not a natural, spontaneous, free-flowing and momentum-building approach to achievement.
The same goes for getting out of your comfort zone. There’s nothing in Psycho-Cybernetics that gives this type of advice, either.
The key is finding your comfort zone and expanding with force. You do this by having a daily achievable goal that leads you to the 1,000-mile, the 10,000 or the 1,000,000-mile marker in a relaxed, “I got this” manner.
On a daily basis, remember to eliminate the angst and anxiety of trying to build Rome overnight. You cannot build a city overnight – but you can build one, or anything else, if you keep moving, one humble step at a time.
See it. Feel it. Do it.
Matt Furey
P.S. I’ve been getting a number of questions about recommenced products you can give as presents over the Christmas season. In addition to Psycho-Cybernetics, I strongly suggest 101 Ways to Magnetize Money… In Any Economy, Expect to Win – Hate to Lose, as well as The Unbeatable Man. All three of these books are in the “can’t put it down” variety.
When to Be Positive
Here’s a thought I began to ponder a few weeks ago:
”I will remain positive and productive during the best and the worst of times.”
You may find it helpful in keeping your mind clear and your days productive.
Never tell yourself, “There’s nothing I can do.”
There is always something you can do, especially when you understand the power of prayer, visualization and the positive energy that comes through you with each and every breath.
See it. Feel it. Be it.
Matt Furey
Doing It Daily
“A goal you can accomplish and repeat on a daily basis, with such great consistency that you rarely, if ever, miss, is a goal that can move mountains, carve tunnels or build bridges to a brighter future.”
– Matt Furey
10X Your Ability to Visualize
“Daily practice will bring these mental pictures, or memories, clearer and clearer. The effect of learning will also be cumulative. Practice will strengthen the tie-in between mental image and physical sensation. You will become more and more proficient in relaxation, and this in itself will be “remembered” in future practice sessions.”
– Maxwell Maltz, M.D.
Yes, you can visualize. On a scale from 1-10, you might be a 1, but this doesn’t mean you “can’t do it.” It only means that you CAN and WILL get better at it with consistent practice.
Visualization is the same as any other skill you have already mastered. You didn’t master it by reading about it and “trying” it once or twice. You practiced religiously. Whether you want to improve a little bit, or to 10X your skills, practice is the path you tread.
If you want to learn to draw, play a musical instrument, build homes or become a professional in any given task, you get better and better with daily practice. No one escapes this truth.
True, some people catch on faster than others, but being slower out of the gate doesn’t mean you “can’t” compete.
Reality proves that being slower in the beginning is oftentimes a tremendous blessing because you now have an opportunity to dedicate yourself to learning the finer details of WHY something works the way it does. Fast learners are prone to taking their abilities for granted, of overlooking the details, and this leaves them susceptible to being surpassed by the “less-talented” person who follows the Laws of Practice.
You can and do picture things in your “mind’s eye” all day long. You do it with your eyes open. You do it when you dream. You do it when you close your eyes and remember a scene from the past or preview a goal you want to accomplish.
As I teach you in Theatre of the Mind, if you have trouble with your eyes closed, practice with your eyes open. This will help you SEE that you are visualizing, you are imagining, and YES, you CAN DO IT.
See it. Feel it. Become it.
Matt Furey
The Deadline
“One of the most powerful forces
in human history was the
discovery of the deadline.
Without a deadline,
some things get accomplished;
with it,
everything.”
Matt Furey
Overcoming obstacles
Here’s my Monday memo:
“Overcoming obstacles is infinitely easier when you change your mental images from impossibility to probability; from there is no way to here’s the way.”
Matt Furey
Eliminates Pre-Election Anxiety
The main stream media wants everyone in panic-mode. All the time.
If it’s not something in the United States, it’s France, Germany or Russia.
If it’s not the first wave, then it’s the second, or the third. It’s its not this bug, then it’s the next one.
Everyone is out to get you and it’s not even Halloween yet. Makes you wonder who the real spooks, ghosts and goblins are.
Where’s the positive reporting on all the good going on in the world? Where’s the positive spin on what is truly positive?
Anyone can be negative. It’s as easy as chomping down a slice of pie or gorging on chocolate. But to give up negativity, that takes some thought, some imagination, some mind power.
Giving up bad habits begins with small steps. We only get one moment at a time, so I believe in giving up a bad habit for a short while (a day), then I keep extending the time frame.
For example, back on July 13, I decided to give up coffee. No particular reason other than to see how life would be without it.
I started with one day. And then, I added a day, and another. I kept adding days until I got to 108.
On day 108, I decided to have a cup of Turkish coffee. I enjoyed breaking the streak but I didn’t enjoy the coffee as much as I thought I would. What a letdown.
The next day I was back to starting another streak. How many days will I go? I don’t know. I don’t have a set agenda, other than to be conscious each day of what I am giving up and what I am adding to fill the void. [Yes, it’s important to replace a habit you don’t want to own anymore with another that you would rather embody.]
I’ve done the same with fasting. I start with a small commitment, then I add on. This approach has helped me to extend an 18-hour fast into 8 days, 5 hours and 15 minutes.
One of the greatest habits I have ever uncovered, one that makes it much easier to give up unwanted habits, or extend good ones, is the daily practice of Dao Zou – a type of moving meditation/visualization that the longest-lived people in China believe extends your life by reducing negative emotions such as grief, anger, angst and so on. It also gives your brain and nervous system a well-deserved feeling of relaxation.
It’s amazing how the program works. You don’t make any attempt whatsoever to be less negative or to feel good. You just follow the program and voila – peace of mind cometh.
Here’s an email I received recently about how much the program helps you:
Dear Matt,
I wanted to thank you for making the Dao Zou videos available. I only actually made it through the first video before starting to practice. I have now completed over 30 days and have so much more clarity, focus, better balance, inner happiness and peace than I had before. I never miss a day now…30 mins., simple breathing and a smile in my heart, as you taught. This practice has made all the difference for me in many ways.
Thanks again,
Donna
P.S. Do you do any certification to allow people to teach Dao Zou? I believe people my age (I’m 67) could really benefit.
M.F. Hi Donna. So great to hear about your results. It truly is remarkable, isn’t it? Yet… it is totally predictable. As you’ve discovered, you feel it the first day, and when you work the program regularly, the results accumulate. The idea of having a certification has entered my mind numerous times this year. I will definitely look into having one as it would be HUGE.
All for now, my friend.
Best,
Matt Furey
The Strongest Force Within You
The Creator gave us a potent and powerful force that we use to build ourselves up, tear ourselves down… or to try to remain relatively neutral.
Although this force is within us and we use it every day of our lives, it is also hidden. It’s not deliberately hidden. It’s hidden only because we haven’t been taught how to recognize it.
We don’t see it, yet it is there at all times, in every waking and dreaming moment.
This force is encoded in every mental image we form.
What we repeatedly view in our mind’s eye, what we imagine to be true about ourselves, begins to move into our lives.
Most people use this force randomly. They picture one goal today and another one tomorrow. Because so many people are inconsistent with what they picture, they get average and/or inconsistent results. But the person who consistently pictures the same idea or goal in his or her mind, this person appears to make quantum leaps.
Yet, the leaps this person makes aren’t quantum. They are predictable.
Changing your life isn’t a matter of changing your words, your beliefs or self-talk, although these ideas can help a bit.
But the biggest key to turning your life around is changing the mental imagery playing inside your mind. If the imagery doesn’t change, no amount of positive self-talk or belief changing will make a difference.
Many people have been erroneously taught that they are not “visual.” Not true. If you’ve struggled with the idea of visualization in the past, it’s not because you’re not visual. It’s because you were taught a one-size-fits-all approach to it that only works for some people.
As my clients have found, there is an easier and faster way to get started with mental imagery, one that brings results quickly, and no, it’s not closing your eyes and seeing everything in high-definition.
See it. Feel it. Be it.
Matt Furey
P.S. For more insights and information on visualization, take a gander at my products, Theatre of the Mind and Dao Zou.
P.P.S. Interesting in coaching, then click here.
How NOT to Begin Your Day
Earlier today I was a coaching a young man who is having a banner year. In spite of all the shutdowns, lockdowns and quarantines, he’s crushing it.
We went over his daily routine, starting with the first thing he does when his feet hit the floor. And whaddya know, he doesn’t instantly check his dumb phone to see who texted or emailed. He doesn’t look at Twitter, FB or Insta.
Instead he begins with Theatre of the Mind. Then he does the Dao Zou workout he learned from me.
In the past, this man used to push himself to fatigue and failure. Now he pushes himself – but never too much. Instead he stops when he’s still within his comfort zone – and once he finds his comfort zone, the CZ expands spontaneously, without effort.
It’s not about push, push, push… harder, harder, harder.
Reminds me of someone who went from straight F’s to straight A’s. This wasn’t accomplished by telling him to “get out of your comfort zone.” It happened because we helped the young man become comfortable, so comfortable that he WANTED to LEARN.
I realize there are a lot of people preaching this “get out of your comfort zone” mentality. The truth is they only give you part of the story. No one puts himself or herself into an uncomfortable situation unless and until the person is comfortable.. INTERNALLY.
Remember how a few years ago, the ice bucket challenge became a thing? Get a 5-gallon bucket, fill it with ice water and have someone filming you as you dump it over your head.
It’s a simple task. Once the bucket is filled, all you have to do is lift it over your head and turn it over. Only takes a couple seconds… and you’re done.
If you saw people accepting this challenge, but you declined, ask yourself why. Why didn’t you do it?
I’m willing to bet that that you refused because you were “uncomfortable” with being cold, or have a fear of getting sick from ice cold water.
The people who accepted the challenge put themselves into a situation where they were probably going to be physically uncomfortable. So why did they do it? Because they were internally comfortable with the ideas of being physically uncomfortable.
I’ve played around with cold water dousing enough to recognize what I’m saying is true. I’ve gone from barely getting my feet wet to full submersion in cold water. I’ve gone from bailing within 30 seconds to hanging out for 15 minutes, and enjoying it. The secret to hanging in there is finding the comfort zone within.
One of my favorite ways to help people change their results is the daily practice of Dao Zou. It not only helps rewind your mind, it also helps you reverse the flow of negativity in your life.
If you’re getting straight F’s, that can be reversed with a change in how you think and move. If you’re terrified of the cold, or the heat, you can reverse this thinking by reversing the way you picture things in your mind.
If you’re afraid of being broke, or you’re afraid of being prosperous, understand that both of these realities begin as ideas, as images in your mind.
The same goes with anything else. Walking is nothing more than walking until you change one tiny detail of how you walk. If it’s snowing or raining or the temperature is below freezing, maybe you’re less comfortable doing it.
Imagine, though, a way of walking that was so therapeutic that it rewound your mind and made you feel fabulous, without effort; it put you into an internal comfort zone so you could effortlessly expand into realms that were only a figment of your imagination before.
Yes, I believe there is a way of walking that changes your thinking and your life, helping you transcend circumstances.
It’s called Dao Zou. And it may be the answer you’ve been searching for without even realizing it.
See it. Feel it. Be it.
Matt Furey
Why Changing Your Beliefs is Unnatural
Here’s how a lot of self-development people tell you to change your beliefs.
First, you figure out what your negative self-talk is on any number of subjects. Perhaps you think you’re not good at math. Or you tell yourself you can’t write, draw or make money.
Second, you set out to change what you think of yourself. Gotta get rid of those negative beliefs.
Third, you record your negative thoughts/beliefs on paper, analyze them and figure out the opposite, which you then record as your NEW beliefs.
“I can’t play the piano” is changed to “I can play the piano.”
“I weigh 390 pounds” is changed to “I am now at my ideal weight.”
“I’m broke” is changed to “I am a millionaire.”
Tell me the truth when I ask, “How’s that working out for you?”
Chances are excellent that all the “work” you’re doing to change your beliefs isn’t bearing fruit. And there are plenty of reasons. The biggest of all is that words are not mental images.
The reason positive thinking doesn’t work is because you are only dealing with words. If your words do not match the mental images you have in your mind, positive changes will not take place.
The same goes with prayer. If you pray in a state of fear, your imagery doesn’t match your request. But if you pray in a state of confidence and faith, the power is out of this world.
Positive affirmations, for many people, are band-aids. They cover up the wound, the scar, the infection, but they do not fix anything.
The same goes for all those attempts to change your beliefs. If the image you have in your mind doesn’t shift to something much more appetizing, your beliefs will remain the same.
This is why I teach you to make no conscious effort to change your beliefs. Most of your beliefs took hold in your mind unconsciously and effortlessly, therefore, attempts to upgrade them should also be effortless and spontaneous, not forced or rehearsed.
This is where Dao Zou comes in. This program is designed to be used without effort or will power. This means it puts you into a “feel good” state without “trying.” And it doesn’t matter whether or not you believe this feel good state will happen. It just does.
Effortless effort is the idea you want to allow into your mind. Stop trying so hard to make changes in your life. Start with small stuff and build momentum; build a sense of flow. Once you have momentum, anything becomes not only possible, but doable.
Feeling good is much easier to accomplish when you engage your physical body along with your mind. The practice of Dao Zou grabs hold of your brain and nervous system and reorganizes your emotions to be much more positive and productive, naturally, without pressure or angst.
Dao Zou accelerates the practices of Psycho-Cybernetics and Theatre of the Mind substantially. That’s why I recommend it to you so often.
See it. Feel it. Become it.
Matt Furey
