In a previous post on the Conscious vs. Subconscious mind, I made a case that it is man’s higher level of consciousness that accounts for higher level of success on this planet. I mentioned in the article that some believers in the power of the subconscious mind claim the conscious mind interferes with our success.
Okay, I stand by my logic, but in all honesty I must admit that they got that one right. I state right on my home page that “the same principles apply to both failure and success.”
So, without much further ado, I still assert that the subconscious mind (if it even exists) doesn’t have much to do with your success in life. It’s all about your conscious mind, and (to put it simply) living your life on purpose.
We know that the driver of a powerful car can go too fast too quickly and lose control. We all have heard the phrase “power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” We know that if you eat or drink too much of anything it can make you sick (you can die from drinking too much water!). In short, just about anything improperly used or abused can cause all manner of problems. So, too, it is with your conscious mind.
The Physics of Success describes the concept that all matter (including us) exists in many dimensions (this was known to physicists for over a hundred years and has been proven), as does our consciousness. We know we are moving at a given speed (the “C” in E=MC²), and we know we observe with our consciousness (after all, we don’t actually observe very much when we’re unconscious, right?). The concept is that just like you can steer your moving car by observing through the windshield and choosing a particular path (like staying on the road, for instance), you can direct your consciousness to steer you on a particular path, hopefully one that will get you where you want to be.
And what happens when you become distracted and quit looking out the windshield? Maybe, for instance, texting or fiddling with the radio? Or just falling asleep? Well, if you’re lucky, your car drifts off the road onto the rumble strips, or a passenger screams, or something wakes you up in time to correct course.
Unfortunately, life isn’t actually a highway. There are no rumble strips; there aren’t even any roads. Most of us are pretty much alone in our heads; there’s nobody to scream, or honk their horn. The first indication that you are off course is when you hit something unpleasant.
So, what happened there? You developed your vision, you set your goal. And then if something isn’t exactly the way you want it, you start thinking about that. Or you get all wrapped up in your email, or news, or TV, or just plain goofing off. What’s happening there is that you are effectively “taking your eyes off the road.” As with anything else, there’s nothing inherently wrong with answering email, or any kind of Rest and Relaxation. For instance, it’s okay to turn on your car radio. The problem is when you pay too much attention to the radio and forget to look out the window.
It’s critical to employ Success Principles. Create a vision for your future! But remember that it’s equally critical to continue to review and embrace that vision, and keep it in the forefront of your consciousness.
