Is Obligation A Good Thing?

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I’ve been thinking a lot about obligation, and why obligation is a good thing.  Maybe it’s because of the holidays… when most of us are thinking about getting others that “perfect gift.”  Perhaps it’s the fact that I’m working on an update to the free speed reading and study skills seminar that I offer.  Maybe it’s just feeling personally stretched between what feels like a million different priorities and projects.  Either way, these thoughts about obligation keep coming up.

When I was kid, I was very focused… very driven.  I was also a geek with a fairly small world!  I had would go to school and had plenty of friends, but when I got home I would program (at least back then it was programming… now it’s coding).  I would “work” on my programs for hours… the obsession of solving the puzzle… figuring out how to get the computer to do exactly what I wanted it to do.  Working to break that code… was everything.  All through middle school and high school I knew I would study computer science.

Until I actually went to college.

Something changed for me that year.  The world rapidly expanded.  Possibilities were everywhere.  Anything could (and often did) happen.  There was no longer a set path in front of me.  I could take any path… or create my own.  I chose to create my own.

I got a job in radio advertising sales… bought a house… started an entertainment guide… bought a nightclub… all before I was 25.  Good times!

Throughout the years though, my own sense of commitment and desire for obligation has been scattered and diffused.  I’m extremely glad I have the experiences I have.  I learned to be fearless.  I learned I can accomplish anything.  I learned that I’m able to handle anything that comes along.  I learned that darkness will always bring light.

In the past I saw obligation as a chain… weighing me down… restricting my movement.  Now I’m beginning to see obligation, that decision to commit, as a force for focus.  Obligation is a way of channeling my own desire and energy into very specific, targeted actions.  These actions may be recording a video for the seminar, writing a blog post or updating a Facebook status.  It’s that narrow, long-term viewpoint that get things done.

I’m curious… have you had any experiences with trying to do to much?  Maybe just being in a spot where you feared to commit to one direction because it would eliminate the others?  Has obligation been help or hindrance?

The Power of Hypnosis: Trance Meets Goals?

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Have you ever wondered about the power of hypnosis?

I have.

In fact, very early in my life I learned about self-hypnosis.  I actually did my 8th grade science fair project on the subconscious mind!  (Yeah… total geek.)

Recently I was reminded of the pure power of hypnosis during a recent conference I attended.  They had a hypnotist for entertainment and, since we were in Vegas, the guy was top notch (Marshall Sylver for those who want to research).

I’ll skip the bits… people speaking made-up languages… people believing helium balloons were tied to their heads and pulling them up… etc.

The real power was at the end…

The hypnotist had a couple of people who were “under trance” act as “goodwill ambassadors” for the group.  As goodwill ambassadors they would shake everyones’ hands as we left and thank them for coming.  In addition (and this is the kicker) they would do it in an alien language that only they understood and after 5 minutes they would awake and remember nothing.

What happened?  Well… Continue reading →

How To Speed Read: What Is Subvocalization?

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I’ve had hundreds of students take the free speed reading video course that’s offered on this blog.  One of the most popular questions I get, is about something called “subvocalization.”  I’ve gotten so many I thought it may be a good blog post.

When you were first learning to read… how were you taught?  If you learned like many of us, you were taught to sound out each letter… then each word.  You learned that these little “pictures” (letters and words) were symbols for sounds… sounds that you first read aloud.  It’s very probable that you never gave that technique up and instead of reading aloud, you are using your “inside voice” to read to yourself.  (In fact, you’re probably hearing these very words inside your head right now!)  :)

How Subvocalization can slow you down… Continue reading →

How to Improve Your Productivity: Using a “Top” List

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The beginning:

If you’re like me, you are trying to get too much done in too little time. In the past, I’ve spent my day jumping from one thing to the next… not really accomplishing anything.  I wasn’t productive… I was just busy as hell!  How to improve your productivity?

Well, years ago I read “The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People” by Stephen Covey.  In that book (highly recommended read BTW) Dr. Covey talks about the concept of First Things First. To summarize the concept, it’s all about filtering by Importance vs. Urgency.  Do the important & urgent items first… then the important & non-urgent ones… etc.

That’s all well and good.  But it’s not enough for me.

The simple fact is… there are too many things that I need to get done that are both important and urgent.

So what’s a person to do?!?!

Enter… the “Top” list technique!

I continue to use this little tip in both my professional and personal life.  It’s helps me to get crystal clear on what I need to get done AND it gives me permission to actually feel like I’ve accomplished something (instead of just noticing all the stuff I didn’t get done).

I’ll describe this technique through example. Continue reading →

Learning to Receive… Asking Isn’t Everything!

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If you’re familiar with the Law of Attraction, how often are you “feeling successful?”  If not, how often do you set goals?  How often do you make plans?  In short… How often do you ask for what you want?

For many of you, that answer may be… “All the time!”

Would it surprise you to know that asking isn’t everything?  Being able to receive… that’s the magic! Continue reading →