WORKEROUTER said:
Good point. Care to elaborate?
Why not?
From reading books by and studying numerous self-help "gurus", coaches, professional athletes, businessmen, etc. (Tony Robbins, Tom Hopkins, John Wooden, Chet Holmes, Zig Ziglar, Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra, Michael Jordan, Arnold Schwarzeneggar, Joe Vitale, Dr. Wayne Doyle Staples, Joel Osteen, Dale Carnegie, Andrew Carniegie etc. etc.) - to even the voices behind the controversial "PUA" community: David DeAngelo, Mystery, Style, Durden, and of course our beloved Pook - in fact, any successful figure in the history of mankind... one can easily find a common thread that exists within each individual, and it is this: They ALL had a high degree of MASTERY over THEMSELVES.
It is said that the body consists of three basic natures. The Mind, The Body, and The Soul/Spirit.
Just as water has three elemental forms in one distinct nature - solid, liquid, gas... so goes with the human being.
Now, I don't know what your particular beliefs are (again, there's a clue), but the general consensus is that the Physical Body (Flesh and Blood), along with it's lusts, emotions, adrenaline rushes and utter depression phases, etc, are the net result of the actions of the two higher planes of existence - the Mind and Spirit. Anything that your body experiences is the result of signals being transferred to it via the Brain signals. A championship game, you're performing in front of a thousand screaming fans, or, even more relative, you're doing your first set with 2 HB9's... the Brain, in it's natural course, reacts... NOW HERE'S THE KEY: THE REACTION CAN BE TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM ONE PERSON TO ANOTHER PERSON... IT ALL DEPENDS ON 1)THE PARTICULAR PERSON AND 2)THE WAY HE THINKS (via experiences and formed or synthesized BELIEFS).
One person, who, after years of BELIEVING that he ain't **** and doesn't have **** to offer the chick, is fidgeting with his hands, which are greasy as all ****, his eyes are starting to twitch when hers connects with his, and his voice starts to tremble a bit. In other words, he's being a little biaaaatch.
Well, that there is the result of what his BELIEFS are.
Again... the BODY submitted to the MIND. The MIND told the BODY how to react, and he had no control over this.
I only use this illustration because of the context of the Discussion Forum we're in, but I hope you get the picture. The BODY submits to signals from the MIND. No if's, and's, or buts. Tony Robbins says that your body's physiology can influence your mental state, but then again, going on to my next point, it's IMPOSSIBLE for the body to get into it's stimulating physiological position if not FIRST directed to by the MIND.
So, understanding that the BODY submits to the signals from the MIND, in the same fashion, the MIND submits to signals from the SOUL or the SPIRIT of a man.
Now, I don't want to get any deeper than stating my personal BELIEF that it is the SPIRIT of a man which directs his MIND.
Without trying to get too New Age-y, I simply believe that the SPIRIT of a man is that conscience within him/her that can "see" within, that which is not on the ******d, and yet still believe it enough, so that it manifests in the ******d. As it's said, "seeing things that are not as though they already were".
I believe the reason why so many men and women fall victim to themselves and self-sabotage themselves and don't live that life that their spirit tells them they can live, is not only because of self-sabotage, but, more specifically, because they don't FUNCTION from a SPIRITUAL level. In other words, they can't BELIEVE enough in that which is not reality (a dream/passionate desire, or a fantasy, or desired result, etc.) to actually transmit that thought to the MIND, which in turn controls their BODY.
Most men and women fall victim to letting their BODY control them first and foremost. The Bible calls this the "lusts of the flesh". Not because it just sounds cool, but because that's exactly what it is. We don't work out because our BODIES don't like stress. We don't approach women because our BODIES don't like fear. And, for that very same matter, we don't do the things our SPIRITS craaaaave to really do, because our BODIES just can't seem to leave it's comfort zone. Not that you don't really want to, but because your BODY tells you "NOOOOO!!!"
Hence we become mastered by our flesh, and not by our SPIRIT. The SPIRIT is, in essence, the personality of our THOUGHTS. Both cannot be seen, though both can be felt. Just as in physical reality, one's clothing and possessions communicate a person's particular lifestyle, so does one's THOUGHTS communicate a person's particular SPIRIT. Ultimately, unless you allow your life to be under the authority of your SPIRIT (those thoughts which are always focused on the main and most important things in your life, which focus on those things that have higher value, the highest value at that), then you'll forever be at the mercy of your flesh.
All this to say, unless you master your THOUGHTS (Spiritual living), then you'll never have the tools to win in any avenue in life. It takes BELIEF to get fit. It takes BELIEF to win in business. It takes BELIEF to get that woman of your dreams. It takes BELIEF to live the life of your DREAMS <----- also SPIRITUAL.
You want to learn to be a better persuader/communicator? Well guess where you're going to have to master that first and foremost. That's right, your THOUGHTS.
Hope that helped.