The framework to outwitt the devil. Part 1 - Intro

You can be exposed to many different philosophies, models, ways of thinking, and technologies when studying self improvement.

Many of these philosophies seem to conflict.

So how do you internalize this wisdom in a way that is useful for you?

The answer is personal for everyone.

My mentor told me about Napoleon Hill's Outwitting the Devil and this book has become my answer.

Outwitting the Devil: The Secret to Freedom and Success

Written by Napoleon Hill in 1938. Deemed to controversial to be published. It was hidden in a drawer for over 70 years. 

In 2011 the book was finally published long after the death of Napoleon and his wife.

Over the next few months, I will be sharing my interpretations and wisdom gained from this book.

It is my intention to give you insights into my philosophy, simplify your belief system, and bring you happiness.

Today's I am writing about the history around the writing of this book.

Napoleon Hill met Andrew Carnegie in 1908.  Mr Hill wanted a way to pay for law school. Mr Carnegie wanted a factual record of what made men successful.

The result was 20 years of research and interviews with over 500 individuals viewed as successful and 2000 who where called failures.

Napoleon Hill received no pay for agreeing to this opportunity and had to "hustle" to make a living. 

In the 30 years it took to write write Think and Grow Rich and Outwitting the Devil the world experienced World War I, The Roaring 20's,  The Great Depression, and the beginning of World War II.

Napoleon personally faced poverty, the lost of his savings and his home in the Catskills Mountains, and had to run for his life.

This experience was needed to discover what Andrew Carnegie calls your "other self"'.  Stay tune for next month's post about the "other self"'

If your looking for health and happiness coaching please visit me at 

www.michaelegerhealthcoach.com

Ready - Set - Jump

A Flying Finch

What a beautiful fall it has been. Once again, the Northeast has been alive with a vivid array of colors, both on the ground and in the air. I’ve always loved watching clouds.
As a Keynote speaker and presenter, I’ve flown over the tops of the clouds many times. I’d look out at those big fluffy puffy clouds and imagine what it would be like to be in them. They just looked so soft and inviting.

After years of hearing me talk about clouds, my husband surprised me with a gift certificate to go skydiving. Since I am beyond young and daring, I did a tandem jump and was completely hooked. I trusted my guide, so it was nothing but exhilarating and exciting when we stepped out of the plane,leaping into the air. We went into free fall at about 120 miles per hour, feeling the impact of both gravity and the wind. As soon as the rip cord was pulled, everything changed. It was quiet, and I had time to marvel at the landscape below, brimming with color and beauty. The whole experience reinforced my love of nature and life, but it also reminded me how different our views of an experience can be. When I told people what I’d done, many said, “I could never do that.” But what’s fearful to you may not be fearful to me, and vice-versa. 

 

It’s been proven that the number one fear is Public Speaking—not skydiving. The number two fear is meeting strangers. Maybe that’s because we were taught not to talk to strangers when we were growing up. For speakers, that means conquering the two biggest fears known to man—at the same time! Before my jump, I learned that proper preparation is the only way
you can jump with confidence. If you don’t prepare well, it truly is like jumping out of a plane without a parachute. Likewise, taking the time to properly prepare for your speech will increase the confidence you need to jump on stage.

It starts with a proper pre-assessment of your audience. Reach out to your event contact and ask for an introduction to 2 or 3 members of the audience so you can contact them ahead of time. Getting an idea of their expectations will reduce the fear of jumping into a new experience with an unknown group of people. Prior to the event, schedule a few minutes to stand on the platform you will be speaking from. Without the audience there, you will be able to get comfortable with the space you have to work with. Some speakers prefer quiet time before they speak, while others enjoy connecting with attendees, event planning staff, and other speakers before they take the stage. People always feel privileged to meet the speaker ahead of time. As a speaker, the more connection you have with your audience beforehand, the more likely you are to feel comfortable and confident when you stand in front of them.

One must be clear, precise, and active when  jumping out of a plane. Make sure you are clear, concise, and active during your speech. Make sure you have command over the ideas, knowledge, insights, and wisdom you will be sharing. It is a choice. You can let your fears interfere with your ability to jump onto your platform, or you can confidently prepare yourself to jump with both feet. When you chose preparation, you’ll experience that rush of adrenaline and feel free as a bird. 

 

Carolyn Finch is the CEO of Electrific Solutions Inc, the author of Oops! Your Body Language is Showing! and Universal HandTalk, and is a Body Language expert. You can email her at carolyn@carolynfinch.com or bodylanguagexpert@gmail.com. You can also stop by www.carolynfinch.com.

How are you showing up?

Have you ever given much thought to your posture as an important aspect of your appearance?  Are you standing tall?  One of the first things people notice about us is our posture...how we are standing.  So I ask, how is your posture?  When we stand tall and erect, we come across as confident, and people listen more to what we have to say.  This month, I would like to introduce you to your psoas (so-as) muscle.  “My what muscle??" you ask.  Let me take this opportunity to introduce you to this great friend of yours.

Mr. Psoas:  Well it's nice to meet you.  You may not have noticed me all these years, but I have been with you since the beginning.  I have been helping you to stand up straight, lift up your legs, and allow you to do sit ups.  I get your attention by giving you low back pain, hip pain, knee pain, breathing and digestive issues. 

Taking great care of me makes you feel great!  Two ways I enjoy being taken care of are with a massage or a bowen therapy session.  The reason is that I am a muscle, and I am working all the time.And just like you, i need to relax once in awhile.

Here’s a test to see how tight I am:

Lie on your back with both legs straight.  Pull one knee towards your chest.  If the other leg lifts off the floor, then your psoas is too tight.  Now try the other side. Muscular imbalances are common, especially among runners, whose side-to-side discrepancies are reinforced through repetitive movement.

If you'd like information on how to stretch this muscle properly, please email jacqueline@bowenhealingcenter.com.  

Once again, taking great care of me will let me take great care of you, so that I can keep your low back, and other critical areas for your posture, in good working order.  Keep me strong, and please service me once in a while with a massage or bowen session from Jacqueline Kane.

Always at your service, 

  Mr Psoas,