Law of Attraction

What you throw out to the universe will come back to you.

We heard a lot about the Law of Attraction a few years ago when “The Secret” was hot on everybody’s reading list, but the book’s concept was really nothing new.  It was merely presented in a different way. From ancient philosophers to modern business successes, harnessing the power of the subconscious mind has been lauded. The Bible also has numerous references to creating your realities by setting your heart and mind in the right direction (of course that direction is above).

The Law of Attraction is a simple concept that very few people take advantage of. Sure it takes a conscious effort to gear the subconscious mind in the right direction, but more importantly it takes a proper attitude. For many, a change in attitude requires a complete personality overhaul, which is not an easy commitment to make.

There are so many examples of people who have successfully harnessed the Law of Attraction, that trying this technique should come as a no brainer.

Consider the story of Cynthia Stafford, as told in the article by David Hochman in last week’s Parade Magazine. Stafford was an office worker who dreamed of being a film maker. As is the case with all of us, life got in the way. After her younger brother’s untimely fatal car crash, Stafford became the sole caretaker of her five nieces and nephews.

Barely able to make ends meet, Stafford began lulling herself to sleep in January 2007 by visualizing herself holding a lottery check worth $112 million. She could have wallowed in misery and cried herself to sleep, but apparently that was not Stafford’s style. She even imagined the green blouse she would wear when she did get that check.

The article subtly points out several tactics that I find are common among self-made successes. From Dale Carnegie to Napoleon Hill and countless entrepreneurs in between–focus, determination, visualization, hard work, and charity are among the top ingredients in fulfilling dreams.

Let’s unpack Stafford’s story.

Visualization
The adoptive mother of five was the sole winner of a lottery jackpot worth exactly $112 million on Mother’s Day 2007. Stafford made the expected commotion after realizing she had won, but was apparently not too surprised because she truly believed she would “get there.” Her visions were not merely a dream.

Focus
Stafford could easily have opted for a life of luxury upon scooping up her $67 million lump-sum payout. Instead, she set out to accomplish her goal of becoming a filmmaker.

Determination
“Always thinking big, she approached billionaire mogul David Geffen, co-founder of the film company DreamWorks SKG, for guidance. ‘I wanted the best people around me, but you don’t get that unless you ask,’ she says with charming directness.”

As a friend once said, “If you want to soar like an eagle, you gotta start flying with the eagles.” Fear often holds most of us back. What do you have to lose by asking? In his book, “I Feel Great and You Will Too,” Pat Croce says it best:

“If you never ask the question, the answer is always ‘no.’”

Charity
If you want to be great, serve others. The Bible tells us, “…whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant” (Mark 10:43). Religious or otherwise, charity is the common theme among all the biographies I’ve read of successful people. Ms. Stafford was no different. As documented in Hochman’s article, her charity long pre-dates her lottery winning. Being charitable is what she does as a matter of course.

I’ve found that most people, rich or poor, are charitable. The amount of people who tithe (give 10% of their gross earnings) is astounding. So, I am dismayed at the finger-pointing that’s taken center stage in our political arena in recent years. Vilifying a group of people (the wealthy) in order to curry favor with another group (the average) is dangerously deceitful.

Recommended Reading
In addition to the aforementioned books, you may want to pick up the classics “Think and Grow Rich” (Napoleon Hill) and “How To Win Friends and Influence People” (Dale Carnegie), or some of my favorites: “Eat Mor Chikin: Inspire More People” (S. Truett Cathy), “Feel The Fear and Do It Anyway” (Susan Jeffers), “The Alchemist” (Paulo Coelho), “Going In Cold” (Chuck Piola).

Surround yourself with great people and make it a great year!

Ciao!