"Part 4" Self-Image: What You See Is What You Get!

STEP 4: REINFORCE THE IMAGE DAILY… EVEN HOURLY

The fourth step is to re-program your mind by replacing the old image with the new image through repetition, repetition, repetition. Repetition is the mother of learning and the father of a new self-image. It took a long time for your current self-image to develop so you can’t expect it to change overnight. It takes at least 21 days of CONSISTENT effort for the roots of a new image to form and sometimes up to 90 days before the roots shoot up through the ground and become visible for the entire world to see. Remember, there is a gestation period for everything. Be patient and persistent.

Installing your new self-image is achieved by visualizing, reading, thinking and writing your written description over and over again, day after day, until the new image becomes reality. These four methods of reinforcement and repetition will burn the new image into your subconscious mind like data onto a CD.

Visualizing is especially powerful. Psychologists have known for decades that the human brain and nervous system can’t distinguish between an experience that is real and one that is vividly imagined. When you vividly imagine yourself the way you want to be, doing the things you want to do, these mental pictures are not only accepted by your subconscious as real, they are accepted as commands or instructions. Project your image onto the screen of your mind. Remember, it’s your movie, so you can project anything you want. Visualizing your perfect body image while you’re in a physically relaxed state is even more powerful because your subconscious is more impressionable when you're relaxed.

Thinking constructively also begins to dissolve the old image and solidify the new one. Your self-concept is influenced by outside suggestions, but the greatest influence on your mind is your own thoughts and “self-talk.” The conversation you have with yourself in your head every minute of every day maintains your current self-image and performance level, whether that’s enjoying high achievement or wallowing in the same old rut. Thoughts, like images, are commands to your subconscious. Once you realize this, you start getting very careful of what you think about. Watch those “I’ms!” Change your thinking patterns to match your new self-image. You become what you think about all day long.

Read your written goal at least twice a day; once in the morning and once again at night. These are the times when your subconscious mind is most impressionable. An incredibly powerful technique is to write your written description on a goal card and carry it with you everywhere you go. Every time you put your hand in your pocket and touch the card, it will make you think about your new image. Every time you get a chance, pull out your card and read it, mentally picturing yourself as if you were already there.

Re-writing your written description is even more effective at impressing your new image into your subconscious than simply reading it. Achievement expert Brian Tracy says that if you write out your goal statement on paper every day, changes will happen so fast, it will almost frighten you.

Click here if you want to learn more about how you can achieve the body of your dreams!

A FINAL WORD ON THE POWER OF THE MIND

You may have heard of these techniques before in self-help, goal setting or motivational programs. But admit it - you probably ignored them because they sounded too “cheesy” or just too simplistic to be effective. The irony is that the most profound truths in life are the simplest and most obvious ones. Don’t underestimate the power of these methods. There’s immense power in mental images. The formula is simple: Decide what you want to look like, project your new image on the screen of your mind (visualize), think about the “new you” constantly, create a written description of your new image and read it at least twice per day, (write it out daily for even more impact), then follow through with actions that are consistent with your goal. Your marvelous and powerful mind will do the rest.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:PSYCHO CYBERNETICS

PSCYHO CYBERNETICS was written by Maxwell Maltz, a plastic surgeon and expert on self image psychology. After you read this book, you will understand self image in great depth and how your subconscious mind controls your behavior. You will understand why diets have failed you in the past and why you’ve had such a hard time getting yourself to work out on a consistent basis even though you know exactly what you need to do.

I recommend the original 1960 version, which is available in trade paperback for less than seven bucks. By the way, this book has sold 33 million copies, and has never been out of print a single day since its first release in 1960.

http://www.amazon.com/psycho-cybernetics

"Part 3" Self-Image: Act Out The Part!

STEP 3: ACT OUT THE PART

What you’ve done in the first two steps is literally to create a new role for yourself. You’ve written your own script. Now be like George C Scott playing General Patton. He didn’t just act. He became Patton - he lived the part. So do all great actors. Be an actor or actress and step into your new role. This will feel awkward at first. Resistance will well up inside you. People will criticize you and say you’re a crazy dreamer. It will feel like you’re lying to yourself. Continue to play the new role anyway. Fake it until you make it. Someone once said that most people live like they were extras in their own movies. Why settle for less when you can be the writer, producer, director and STAR of your own movie? Create the character and write the script exactly as you’d like to be and then play the part until the part becomes real. Take actions that are consistent with the new image you’ve created. Act the part. Do something every day that moves you closer to your goal. Get moving! Ask yourself, “What would a person with the type of body I want do in this situation?” Then do it. Act as though you were already the owner of your ultimate dream body. A very wise person once said, “Act as though I am and I will be.”

You must take action. I’m not suggesting a Pollyanna positive thinking only approach. Affirmations are an effective part of realizing your new image, but as motivational speaker Jim Rohn says, “Affirmation without action is the beginning of delusion.” In fact, Maltz pointed out in Psycho Cybernetics that the reason affirmations and positive thinking don’t always work is because they cannot be used as a crutch to the same old self-image. What I'm suggesting to you is positive thinking, positive visualizing, positive action AND the fourth and final step, positive reinforcement, are needed in order to change your old self-image. Stay tuned for; STEP 4: REINFORCE THE IMAGE DAILY… EVEN HOURLY!

Click here if you want to learn more about how you can achieve the body of your dreams!