Our Self concept is made up of three parts:-

1) Our Self Image

2) Our Self Ideal

3) Our Self Esteem

1) The Self Image

This often defined as the “kind of person we see ourselves as”. Some people may say “Well, I am a shy person. I don’t like talking to strangers”.

This is a very good example because this is something our parents told us not to do from a very young age. Perhaps causing us to believe that all strangers are bad (depending on the intensity and repetition of this statement). At the time this was very good and valid advice but over time this programming becomes a limiting belief which controls our actions and interactions in the world.

The Self Image is also limited by our habit patterns or paradigms. I may see Myself as a poor public speaker. Not because this is true, but because I have not yet developed the habits of a highly effective speaker. If I attend voice training lessons, seek out speaking opportunities and develop my skills as a public speaker, I will begin to change the way I see and feel about myself. This is sadly true because a lot of us are controlled by our present results. We see or perceive ourselves to be weak in a certain area and this makes us feel inferior, creating a self fulfilling cycle. We wait for physical proof that we can do it before we believe we can. We live from the outside, in. There are much better and more reliable ways of changing the Self Image by using imagination and concentration, we begin to see ourselves as a speaker from the inside out. We build a new image of ourselves as great speakers.

The Self Image is an inner representation of how we see ourselves, it is governed by our subconscious mind and we know that the subconscious mind and nervous system cannot tell the difference between what is real and imagined. So we use our imagination to become better at public speaking, or anything for that matter. (This will be discussed in depth in another article specifically on the Self Image).

This brings us to the second part of the Self Concept -

2) Self Ideal

This is the “me” I aspire to be. My ideal personality. The level of success and achievement we expect from ourselves can be determined by our ambition. Also, the kind of influences we have in life will play a role in this. Our Self Ideal is the Self we want others to see in us. It is the part of ourselves that we compare our actual present selves with.

Sometimes we hold on to a Self ideal that no longer serves us. Not because we are not able to achieve that ideal self but perhaps because we have changed our desires and grown into a new different ideal. Sometimes when we are younger, we may aspire to be like someone else whom we see is held in higher regard. As we grow and develop ourselves, it is important to make sure we have a clear mental image of what we want to be like, what we want to do, have and to become. If we hold an image of our ideal selves and we keep seeing that our current results do not stack up well, it negatively influences our Self esteem.

If we have a healthy Self ideal, one which truly reflects our burning desires, we can shape our daily thoughts, feelings, habits around them. Thus bringing ourselves closer to the ideal in every action. When we are congruent in our Self ideal as well as our attitude (Thoughts, feelings and actions) we develop a positive Self esteem.

3) Self Esteem

This is the product of your Self ideal and your Self image. Self esteem is the result of genuinely liking yourself and accepting both your strengths and weaknesses.

If we have a positive Self ideal and our current results (our present Self image) are moving us toward that ideal, we can develop a positive Self esteem. Negative Self esteem develops when our ideal Self and our Self image are very different. We feel that we should be achieving much more with our lives but for some reason we are not. This creates a gap between what we feel we are capable of and what we are actually doing or our present results. Self esteem develops from having a positive regard for ourselves.

Having a healthy Self esteem is vitally important to all of us. Yet, if we do not understand how Self esteem comes about we can struggle and frustrate our selves even more. Let’s focus today on developing unconditional acceptance of ourselves (Self esteem). If we choose a path, let’s be sure that it is our own path and not that of our family, friends or society.

When our goal is set we focus on thinking in the certain way which always brings results. We see ourselves as capable and creative beings, and then we move forward by ensuring that we feel good about ourselves and our new image, and most importantly, we take action to create our new improved lives. The life we really want can be created but we must first know exactly what that ideal life is. We must have a clear mental image of what we want and dwell upon it until becomes fixed in our subconscious minds. Then the habits needed to step into our ideal lives will be developed and our results will change.

With an understanding of the Self concept we are better able to adjust our Self image more in line with our Self ideal and continuously strive to close that gap and in so doing increase our Self esteem.

Ramon Watson is a dynamic Thinking into Results facilitator with Bob Proctor. He is passionate in providing service and giving people more of the means of life. If you want to improve any area of your life contact Ramon on

Cell (+27)73 980 8461

Or email on ramon@livingyourpassion.co.za

2. Subconscious does not tell the difference between what is real and what is vividly imagined -

Vividly imagining our dreams as already manifested in reality with perfect clarity and detail is equivalent to an actual experience to our subconscious mind.Our nervous system and neurons in our brain fire in the same way as it would if we were really experiencing what we imagine.That is why we can often feel tense and afraid simply by imagining a negative event happening to us.

3. Subconscious can be programmed by repetition -

Therefore whatever you habitually think or do in your conscious mind will eventually become a subconscious pattern. eg. Learning to drive a car.  At first you have to concentrate while performing the actions, shift gear, clutch control, and accelerate lightly. But once you have repeated the process enough times you have developed a subconscious pattern and the task can be done with only minimal effort afterwards

4. The subconscious mind thinks only in absolute terms

So when affirming that you will make sales in your job. Say “I sell a product every time I pitch to a prospect”, Not, “I sometimes make a sale.”

5. The Subconscious picks up thoughts quicker, if they are well mixed with emotion

Thoughts + emotional intensity also help establish beliefs which are essentially stored in your subconscious mind.  Beliefs dictate how you will act in a certain situation, you may think that you are making a conscious choice to act in a certain way but the reality is that we have developed conditioned responses that are in alignment with our dominant beliefs.

6. The subconscious Mind is irrational

Unlike your conscious mind your subconscious mind cannot decide between two or more alternatives, it is not rational or critical. Your subconscious mind will act on whatever you put into it and will bring the manifestation of whatever you habitually think in your conscious mind. Therefore its is essential that we take control of our conscious thoughts, mental images and our responses and in so doing we may develop better and stronger habits.

7. The subconscious mind knows the answers to all questions

If you give the subconscious a command or a question and you believe that your subconscious mind does indeed have an answer, you hand over the question/problem over with complete faith and expectancy, you will receive the answer.

8. The best time to program your subconscious mind is when your conscious mind is quiet or pacified eg. just before sleep and first thing in the morning upon waking.

So one would naturally think that all it takes to draw what you want into your life, would be to think about the things you want in a way that you already have achieved it right?

But there is more to it than that, although we use our conscious minds during normal waking hours, it is not our conscious mind which dictates our habits and habitual thinking or our emotions and our habitual responses.

It is a mind much, much more powerful than the conscious mind which does these things.

The subconscious

Or that part of the mind which is below the conscious.

Another way of looking at it is the mind which is subject or under the control of the conscious mind.

All you need to do to get the results you want is to give your subconscious mind the feeling that you already have the thing you want.

Once your subconscious mind is convinced that you have it, it will bring the object to you in one of the ways of the universe.

Turn over your request for whatever you want in absolute faith in a relaxed and expectant mood and your subconscious mind will do the rest.

Your subconscious mind will not respond, if you force.

It responds to ideas that are accepted by your conscious mind, and if your imagination (or mental images) are in alignment with you desires, your subconscious will act on it.

Give your subconscious mind a direct and unambiguous goal to seek and conclude with certainty that there is a solution and that you will find it.

According to your belief it is done unto you.

Decree, health, happiness, financial freedom and you will have it.

But remember the only way to access the subconscious mind is by relaxing and allowing the conscious mind to quiet down.

Be specific, get a clear mental picture of the desired result,the happy ending and dwell on this image with all your emotions and focus.

Your new image must be felt subjectively.

Your conscious mind will try and get in your way, just sidestep any doubts and believe that it is.

Belief – to accept something as true.

The universe responds to your feeling.

Through relaxation you allow the kinetic energy behind the idea to take over and bring it into creation.

Law of reversed effort, when your desires and imagination are in conflict.

Your imagination will gain the advantage.

Mental force will always be futile.

The subconscious mind will accept the stronger of the dominant thoughts in the mind.

Think of a mental block in a an examination room.

The unison of conscious and subconscious mind will allow the manifestation of what you want.

Think about your life the way you want it , FEEL that you have already achieved it, let the emotions sink in. ACT with your whole mind focused only on the result you want. Do every action with the absolute faith that your goal is already yours and do each small action in a successful way.

What will you choose to create?

To your success!

The way we can do this is by developing our six mental factors. These six mental faculties largely control what and how information goes into our consciousness. These faculties are Perception, reason, imagination, will, intuition and memory.Becoming aware of how we currently use these faculties and then consciously changing them will allow us to choose what we think and ultimately our results.

Perception
Perception is that ability we have to see our world.Its not what we look at but what we see. This explains that even though we may be in the same situation as another person, while all they see and focus on is limitations we can choose to look at and dwell on only the possibilities. Whatever we focus on will grow in our experience.There is a natural law called the law of polarity, It states that everything we see or feel has an opposite.The one cannot exist without the other.So if we see something negative in our lives that means there must be something positive about it.The law of polarity also states that through our perception we choose which of these possibilites to focus on… So what is it that you are choosing ?

The will
The will, this is the faculty that allows us to focus our attention on one thing, to the exclusion of all else. The will is like a magnifying glass, it channels our attention and energy toward a particular goal or outcome. In doing so we can choose to focus on what we are creating and ignore all other disturbances in our environment. Emerson said, “The only thing that can grow is that to which you give energy to.” Using your will properly will ensure you are giving energy to those things that help you grow and achieve your goals, not to the things which are easy but get no results.

Reason
The next faculty to understand is reason. This is a conscious faculty we use to think.Reason gives you the ability to choose our thoughts. In the book mans search for meaning by Victor Franckl who endured and survived torture in a Nazi death camp wrote “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing; the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way” Thinking is the highest faculty we as humans possess. So the next time someone accepts conditions in their life and  tells you that is just the way it is. Think about it and decide for yourself…

In the next post I will be discussing the other three mental faculties:the imagination, intuition and memory.

Thanks for reading…

To your success!

Ramon Watson is a dynamic Thinking into Results facilitator with Bob Proctor. He is passionate in providing service and giving people more of the means of life. If you want to improve any area of your life contact Ramon on
Cell  +(27)73 980 8461
Or email on ramon@livingyourpassion.co.za

Intuition
This is the factor in us that allows us to tune into another persons vibration. We can feel their “vibe” so to speak. This mental faculty allows us to pick up the emotional feeling tone of another. Married couples would have experience with this. You can tell when your spouse is in a funk, even if they say everything is OK. The words are noise and the vibration never lies. Our intuition allows us to make decisions based on gut feel.
We can develop our intuitive factor just as we can any muscle in our body. We have been conditioned to believe that women have intuition and men don’t. This is false, as men we have been taught to suppress this emotional guidance system. We are conditioned to be macho and not express emotions. Men and women both have intuition and we can all start improving on it by tuning in to our emotions and what thy tell us about a particular person or situation

Imagination
Napoleon Hill stated, “The imagination is the most marvelous, miraculous, inconceivably powerful force the world has ever known.”
Einstein said “The imagination is more powerful than knowledge”

Our imagination is totally unlimited, It can image an endless amount of possibilities for our lives. For most of us our imagination is largely unused or we use our imagination and create amazing fantasies and then don’t take action to realize them.Everything around us from the computer you’re reading this on to the internet and the Ipad were all created in the imagination first. Our ability to imagine our life as we want it is an amazing asset.The subconscious mind(which silently controls our life) cannot tell the difference between a real event and one that is vividly imagined. In the book psycho cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz, he gives countless examples of professionals, from Jack Nicklaus the golfer to astronauts  preparing for missions in space who use imagination practice to simulate an action BEFORE they do it in reality. He states that we must have a clear picture of ourselves performing the action successfully. This imagination practice can be more important that form or swing dynamics he adds.

This is just one example of the immense power we have locked up in our imagination. How can you stimulate your imagination to create a life that inspires you. Take a look at the people who have succeeded in the past.You will see that they had a vivid picture of their life and business the way they wanted it long before they created it in reality.

If you found this information useful and would like to learn more.Please leave a comment below or sign up for my complimentary online course: The six steps you need to achieve any goal by clicking here

I am committed to personal growth, constantly developing my skills and abilities. My passion is in helping others succeed greatly. I am very fortunate to have been mentored by, and now a Thinking into Results facilitator with Bob Proctor from the movie The Secret. I have studied from the best in the world. We all have big dreams that seem to get squashed by our circumstances and environment but this doesn’t have to be. You can succeed in any environment when you take control of you. So if you want to make big changes in your results, please contact me for a  20minute consultation. We will discuss what your big goal really is and what it is that’s standing in your way of getting it. If you know what you want, I can show you how to create it. Consultations can be done in person, via skype or telephone
You may contact on:

Cell  +(27)73 980 8461
Or email on ramon@livingyourpassion.co.za

Mainstream doctors today have only one tool with which to heal patients and that is medicine, or chemicals. This only treats the symptom of an underlying problem, which has its root cause in the mind. Most of us have no idea what our mind is or how it works. This diagram will make it clear.

For simplicity sake we say the mind is made up of two parts, the conscious and the subconscious.We also have a body. In the diagram the mind is larger than the body. We do this to emphasize that the body is an instrument of the mind.Whatever is happening in the mind will be expressed through the body, through behavior.

The conscious mind is the thinking, educated mind. This is where our ability to choose what to think starts.
Our conscious mind accounts for roughly 5 % of our mind power.
The lower half of the mind is the subconscious mind. This is the feeling or emotional mind. This is the part of mind which stores everything we’ve ever experienced. It stores our self image, beliefs, conditioned habits and patterns and our memories.

School crams things into our conscious minds and if we can repeat them we pass but that doesn’t help us much in the real world. In the real world you only get rewarded for what you do, not what you know. What we need to learn is how to condition ourselves to adopt habits that are productive. We need to change our paradigm. The paradigm is a group of habits. These paradigms determine our results.

So our conscious mind thinks and it thinks in pictures. Just think of a pink elephant.
Our subconscious mind is like a recorder, so whatever we habitually think and feel intensely will be impressed on the subconscious. Whatever is impressed on the subconscious will be expressed in the body. Feeling is Vibration. Feelings are always expressed through the body as actions and our habitual action (paradigms) create our results.

If you want to know what you have been thinking about, simply take a look at your results they never lie.
If you don’t like what you see, you simply need to tune into another frequency. Develop an image of what you want. Get excited and inspired  about your new image and see how this changes your habits and ultimately your results.

Feel free to comment or request to be a part of my mastermind groups by sending an email to ramon@livingyourpassion.co.za