This exercise is based on Part 8 of Charles Haanel’s The Master Key System
If you are a member of my Self Development Strategies newsletter, you may recognize the information in the following post from one of my newsletters.
The inspiration for this topic comes from Part 8 of Charles F. Haanel’s famous The Master Key System – an early self-development correspondence course from around 1917 or so.
First of all, let me say how much I enjoy the The Master Key System. I learned about it some years ago when I was initially beginning my own now-passionate journey of personal development. I got to know the work of Tony Michalski over at Kallisti Publishing, and he is truly one of today’s best known experts on Mr. Haanel’s work.
Anyway, this is an excellent visualization exercise that I would like to share with you, in hopes that it offers a little inspiration and motivation to keep moving forward.
Right now, you are currently sitting at a computer, reading this post.
Have a quick look around the room where you are sitting, and pick out an object – anything will do. A book, perhaps. Or a chair, or table – maybe even your very computer.
Now, take that object, and trace it back in time from where it is now – all the way back to its origin.
For example, the chair in the room came from a store. But before it was at the store, it was in a delivery truck. Before then, it was being painted or upholstered at the factory…
Before then, it was being pieced together… etc. Finally, it was pieces of wood, shaped from a tree which had been trucked over to the lumber mill…
Do you see how this progresses?
Finally, before that, there was a plan that had perhaps been rendered by a draftsman or furniture designer…
And finally, we get to the designer him or herself. He or she had an IDEA in mind – a thought – one way or another about a chair that would look just like the one that currently sits in your room.
The THOUGHT preceded the resulting ITEM, did it not? Someone had to first think about a chair before the chair could be produced.
It is the same with everything. EVERYTHING begins in thought – an idea. The things you are working toward – all your dreams, your goals, your objectives – all these things had to begin with a THOUGHT.
This is why thinking about what you WANT to attain (versus what you do NOT want in your life) is so critical.
This is why we emphasize getting clear about what you want to begin with. Otherwise, if you do not (or if you think only about what you do NOT want), it will be very difficult for you to take action steps toward making those goals come to pass.
And action, as we know, is how we move forward.
So, use this exercise in your own process. Think about some of the wonderful things you have already accomplished in your life, and race the results back to their origin – where they first crossed your mind to begin with.
This should give you the inspiration and faith to know that your current goals and objectives have an exciting journey ahead towards their fulfilment.
By the way: Here is a page on some categories for personal goals and motivation, if you’d like to “nudge” your brain a bit. 🙂
A little more about The Master Key System: I think that one of the reasons I enjoy Mr. Haanel’s instruction so much is that there is no “fluff” surrounding it. He is showing us how to use our minds, our imagination, and our abilities to concentrate in a concrete, step-by-step way.
If you are serious – REALLY serious about learning how to focus and use your power of concentration effectively, then I urge you to have a serious look – you can find The Master Key System at Amazon. I use a lot of personal development tools – and this is, by far, one of my favorites. Tell Tony I say hi! 🙂
PS: If you would like to read another article inspired by Charles F. Haanel, here is the link => On Giving and Receiving – Inspired by Charles F. Haanel.