Here’s the A-HA:
Many people get up each day and read from something inspirational or motivational. They may read for 30-60 minutes to start their day. This is very sound and practical.
Here’s a slight twist to the above: Instead of reading for 30-60 minutes, I pull out a quote, a passage or a poem that I’m fond of. Then I open my journal and instead of writing about my day, I do as Mark Twain advised, and record something I want to remember.
Think of this. If you hear or read something profound, but you can’t recall it verbatim, you don’t completely own it.
But when you can recall the verse, passage, poem or quote, it becomes a guide in your life.
I write all my entries in cursive because it’s proven to fire up the brain at a much higher level than printing or typing. In fact, it’s not even close. Research for yourself if you don’t believe me.
While focusing on my breathing, I write something in the very best handwriting I can muster on that day. I relax and breathe as I write.
For the first few days I may write the same passage this way, with no pressure to remember. Then, after a few days, I decide if I want to memorize it. If so, I begin using the Power of Mental Imagery to memorize it rapidly. If you use mental imagery (not rote memorization), you can memorize much, much faster.
Where to begin?
You could pull a passage from the Bible, such as Psalm 23. Or you could uncover Robert Frost’s poem, The Road Not Taken.
Or you could find a quote you love that you want to be guided by during the day.
Give this a whirl and let me know if you have any other questions about it.
Matt Furey
