Ya know, I feel like I was better off before I came in here asking questions. Everyone has something completely different to say and none of it seems to be the same as the book suggest, from what I can see. Now I'm just more confused and going nowhere.

I see why Mr. Wattles says not to read any other book on the subject.

Am I really going to get rich sitting around visualizing great houses, and cars, awesome vacations, getting happy and not doing any work?! C'mon!!

Or should I be visualizing hordes of customers coming in and piles of cash filling my bank accounts, which keeps me busy?! After all, I already have an awesome business with great products and one of the coolest services in the world for fans of what I'm into. I should already be rich!!

This stuff is all making angry, sick and upset... So I quit

Ya know, I achieved more, easier before I ever got into this stuff. I made two films, got a real publishing deal and travelled around Asia speaking about what I did. And I did it because I took action and created something with my hands, my pen and my ideas, in the real world. NOw all this thought stuff has destroyed everything.

All the thought and happiness in the world doesn't get one frame of animation done. It doesn't get one page of a novel written. IT doesn't bring one customer through the door. (not really sure on that one, but since I have never been able to duplicate results that suggest it's not true... oh well)

I've had enough of this. Can't deal with it anymore. I'm going to watch a Stargate marathon until the rent is due and I'm kicked out into the street.

Better still, maybe I'll think about my new rug and anthracite coal stove and hope I feel like drawing something...

My sentiments EXACTLY, Teruchan. In fact, I was saying this very same thing last October. Here is an excerpt of what I wrote:

* I think Winston Churchill was wrong when he said, “Never, never, NEVER give up!”
* There ARE times when you SHOULD give up – here are the qualifications:
o Stop trying to do everything… EVERYTHING on your own, especially the things with which you have no reasonable chance of success.
o Realize that you CAN have everything you want and need. You just can’t always have it YOUR way. The things you want and need most often come through others in exchange for your own gifts which they, in turn, want and need.
o With that being the case, start giving the things you are good at away as fast and as much as you can. Let go of the rest. GIVE UP!

Teruchan, I think you answered your own frustrations here. Success leaves clues. If you can, go back to the times when things were crankin' for you and DO MORE OF THOSE THINGS in a way that, as you say in your sig, "Follows your bliss". Let the magic of 'Thinking' WORK THROUGH YOUR WORK.

I totally agree with you; GIVE UP THE METHOD. Just don't (OK, NEVER) give up on yourself!

All the best from Toronto,
Russ

I think your confusion and frustration would end if you would ferret out fundamental principles and then check to see if what you’re thinking, believing and doing conforms to those.

You need to have guidance, and principles are guidance. Just like the principle of the Law of Gravity gives you clear guidance in many circumstances.

Phil

quote:

Am I really going to get rich sitting around visualizing great houses, and cars, awesome vacations, getting happy and not doing any work?! C'mon!!

Where did you get this idea that no work is involved? That's not even part of SOGR.

It just means what appears like hard work to someone else just feels effortless to you because it's something you are passionate about and love doing, being, and having.

It's time to get back to basics. This is not about day dreaming, although it's so easy to fall into thinking it is...the biggest thing for me that separates day dreaming and having a CMI is...authenticity. A genuine and sincere desire,and a willingness of heart and mind to let go what you think you know. And the only person that can decide what you really want is...YOU.

Or as Henry David Thoreau once said

"If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put foundations under them."

Teruchan,

Do what you want. But here’s something you can COUNT on. You don’t need SOGR, or any other ‘method’ to PROVE it for yourself:

YOU determine how you feel.

How you feel is the result of what you think, believe or do. Your circumstances don’t determine how you feel. How you think about them determines how you feel about them.

What others do does NOT determine how you feel about others. What YOU think about what others do determines how you feel about others.

How you think about yourself, determines how you FEEL about yourself.

YOU determine how you feel.

Now, you can take this fact and do what you want with it. You can believe it makes no difference how you feel. Or, you can wonder, “I wonder if it makes any difference how I feel?”

Does how you feel make any difference in the choices you make? Does how you feel make any difference in what you think is possible? Does how you feel make any difference in what you eat? Does how you feel make any difference in how well you take care of yourself? Does how you feel make any difference in how others treat you? Does how you feel make any difference in how you respond to ideas you get?

You decide.

Phil

When feeling upset, it usually isn't easy
to feel gratitude.

Hopefully the Mind Blowing Video that I have put on my Main Blog can help?

I don't know if it's significant,
but I just learned through an email - just minutes ago - that a guy named Julian Beever is specialised in a special kind of drawings.

I have looked up the name 'Julian Beever' in the search engines and seen some of his drawings (or possibly I better call them 'Projects') they are
really pretty amazing!!!

Possibly this can be interesting to you since you did mention drawing in your post?

I don't know if it's gonna pay you the rent,
but maybe you can DRAW more attention to your site that way or something?

Anyway,

Talking about gratitude, thanks for mentioning Stargate, because now I have put the Stargate DVD on my Movie Blog and the Sales will make me a fortune!

O.K. probably not, because I haven't yet visualised hordes of customers to my
Movie Blog yet.

(BTW feel free to write a comment
about Stargate to help DRAW attention)

All the Best,
To your Happy Inspiration,
HP

HP's Happy Blogspot

quote:

Am I really going to get rich sitting around visualizing great houses, and cars, awesome vacations, getting happy and not doing any work?! C'mon!!

Huh?

That sounds like a total contradiction to me. Doing animation is what "makes" YOU happy, it seems. So why on earth would you sit around doing nothing?

Wally says to hold the vision WHILE you're acting. And that vision-inspired, delicious action makes you feel great. Then, you're in harmony with every aspect of your desire, your vision. And amazing things happen.

OK, you said you achieved more before all of this. But something about that must have not been enough or it must have fallen off or whatever, or you wouldn't have come here in the first place.

(I have a feeling you were previously unconsciously acting in the certain way to some extent, but that's just an idea. And then, when someone gets all caught up in trying to figure it out, that can tend to get him focusing on what doesn't work, what's missing, all the "lack" instead of the joy of the dreaming and the action that grows out of the imagining. Then the "magic" slows down or seems do disappear. We just get all caught up in our heads.

Yes, you took action with your own hands, but the CREATION happened before you picked up pen -- or whatever you use. The creation happened in your MIND and then your hands just carried that out.)

Also, you can "make" things happen, you can do it all the hard way -- through "merely motivated" action instead of in the certain way. But it's a lot harder, nowhere near as fun and satisfying, and the real problem is you have to keep at it all the time to keep it going.

I agree with you that coming onto this or any other forum and asking everyone else what THEIR opinion of what you should do can throw a bucket of cold water on everything. Really, total, radical responsibility for OURSELVES is what's needed. And that means going to where ALL your answers already are -- inside. No one else has that for you.

In that regard, I'd think ANYONE would be better off not coming in here or anywhere and asking what he or she should do, because when we expect anyone else to do our thinking for us or to know what's right for US, then we have given up our own inner guidance. And that's pretty much a guarantee of getting lost and confused.

One last thing. You've posted many successes here in the past. Might be useful to remember that as you're feeling overwhelmed by any current situation.

Hi Teruchan,

I have no idea where in the book by Wally you found that you don't need to take action in order to achieve your CMI's. I don't have the book in front of me so won't give an exact quote but he likens thinking without action simular to a ship wreck! No airplanes back then.

I recently took a trip to the British Virgin Islands; something that our son's family, my wife and I had been contemplating for some time! It would have just been a dream if we didn't take action! Previous to that our son had learned to sail and acquired certifications. He further had gone on line and rented a Catamaran. He and I had each gone on line to book travel aboard airplanes. We each drove to the airport, got through security, and onto the airplane. My wife and I also made transfers in Dallas and San Juan.

Without inspired action our trip to the BVI would have just been a dream! WE HAD A GREAT ACTION PACKED TIME!

BTW; At one time our son had a CMI to become a Doctor, after a lot of inspired action he now is one! One of my CMI's was to be a Personal Trainer, after a lot of inspired action I now am one!

quote:

Am I really going to get rich sitting around visualizing great houses, and cars, awesome vacations, getting happy and not doing any work?! C'mon!!

Dear Teruchan: I can tell you are having a bad time and IMHO I think you are sharing your SOGR beliefs with the wrong people. The quote above is what people who have heard (usually what they want to hear) about "the secret" and the law of attraction say. We know better. Let's say you have a project to create a film about whales; what do you do? you think about it organizing it in your head; then you research whales and stuff; you think about it even in your sleep; the last thing you will do is start filming; am I correct? So everybody who has any task to perform or anything to create has a mental process to do first. Well; that's what the SOGR is all about; you think as much as possible about what you want your life to be like that you are going to start having ideas and feelings and things that you need to do first and then after; etc. You are not going to make things appear out of nothing; (even though I think we could, but I'm weird). This is not magic is common sense.
I think you are upset because you realize now that everything that happens to you is your responsibility only; sometimes it is a burden (at least to me).

quote:

Ya know, I achieved more, easier before I ever got into this stuff.

Before SORG I was going to retired at a very early age I had enough saved; everything was planned so why did I need this? because I lost it all and my world came down on me. Now my world will never crush on me again because I decide what crush me and what not.
Why are you here? something wasn't working right? and this thing is scary. Are you really doing everything you can do?

quote:

In that regard, I'd think ANYONE would be better off not coming in here or anywhere and asking what he or she should do, because when we expect anyone else to do our thinking for us or to know what's right for US, then we have given up our own inner guidance.

I agree; I remember a while ago I posted something about this when somebody said that because Rebecca recommended something or said something it should be guaranteed to work. When I read it I was "GIVE ME A BREAK"! What are we? sheep? I always ask this forum for advise and support but I make my own decisions and if something doesn't work it is because I didn't feel it properly or something but I DID; not anybody else.
I am so grateful of having this forum and all these people are my friends and I know if I ever meet them; it will feel great. Like love.

Since I started SOGR I’ve taking lots of different actions; some for need and some for me; the need ones have not worked the ones for me I still enjoy. And as the great Tom Strong says; be good to yourself, live life passionately and always, always expect success!!

Lots of love

Luz Maria

Thanks everyone for replying and offering such detailed advice. I had thought my writing skills were up to a far greater level than what is apparent, but seeing as I have come nowhere near conveying what was on my mind, I suppose I have failed in that regard.

quote:

Originally posted by Sui Generis:

Dear Teruchan: I can tell you are having a bad time and IMHO I think you are sharing your SOGR beliefs with the wrong people. The quote above is what people who have heard (usually what they want to hear) about "the secret" and the law of attraction say. We know better.

Thank you Luz. You definitely get what I was trying to impart in my previous message.

I'm not so much having a bad time in life, as my bills are paid, but I have a "bad time" in my understanding and implementation of what I learned from the book. I mean, I have my understanding of the SOGR book and its principals, but I have not yet been able to truly make it work. As Rebecca said, I have posted many successes here. I have many more I have not posted. The thing is, any attempts to learn from those successes, to figure out what worked, so that they might be duplicated, has met with failure, or things getting much worse. It seems like I am constantly having to move on to new things. Yet I am never truly moving forward.

I think Rebecca summed it up great.

quote:

Originally posted by Rebecca:

Wally says to hold the vision WHILE you're acting. And that vision-inspired, delicious action makes you feel great. Then, you're in harmony with every aspect of your desire, your vision. And amazing things happen.

I attempted, in another thread, to encapsulate this idea in the phrase, "Know what you want - vision and action." It's understandable that many people are not willing to "put in the hard yard." as Croz would say. Often when I believe I have grasped something, or really learned a principal, or learned what my part is and what The Universe's part is, I receive advice that seems to wholly contradict what I have learned.

Basically, I want to take a break from this, from thinking about this for while. I want to stop trying to figure it out and turn my attention to something plain and practical, like learning how to write sales copy and other advertising techniques. One thing I've learned in both script writing and animation is that sometimes walking away and coming back later leads to the best clarity.

quote:

One thing I've learned in both script writing and animation is that sometimes walking away and coming back later leads to the best clarity.

Absolutely.

It just means you stop trying to force things, stop beating yourself over the head. Then you feel better and that frees things up, gets things moving.

Teruchan

I am so glad that your frustration isn't causing you to give up on your CMI. "Giving up" on trying to understand and control SOGR is great idea!

I hope that you will continue to let us know how you are doing, as I always enjoy reading your posts.

But remember that what you want is already waiting for you. You just have to allow it to happen. Relax and enjoy!

Love and Blessings,
Rachel

Rebecca, I could never imagine you "graceless."

Dear Teruchan. I am glad u have finally seen d way. Frustration with SOGR like all kind of frustrations is only your mind telling u it can succeed in it but you are not doing it d right way. It happens to everyone. One antidote i appear to have found is to read SOGR everyday. Any part of it. Everytime i read d book i always get some new insight that kept me on course and renew my faith on d validity of the principle of SOGR. Beside wally recommended we read it everyday. Read it as u will read d bible. Just as you won't discard or dismiss d content of d bible no matter what happens to u in life. You read it to renew your faith. Apply same principle. Yours and my riches will definitely come. The only thing i'm afraid of is that when it finally made its appearance, i may not know what to do with d flood. Best wishes. Abdul.

I think this is where the Secret has confused the SOGR. The chapter on efficient action is the key. The Secret people knew action would not sell, but thinking would so they left it out. The reality is if everything but this chapter was left out the SOGR would work. Good luck

quote:

The Secret people knew action would not sell, but thinking would so they left it out.

Is that true?

Can you be absolutely certain that it's true?

quote:

The reality is if everything but this chapter was left out the SOGR would work.

Except then it would just be the conventional way and not the science of getting rich.

Teruchan,

I fully understand your frustration. I've been there.

When I am stuck, feeling frustrated it's because I am experiencing fear of some kind. I come up with all kinds of excuses or my mind feels so cluttered that I can't think of anything to do, when I know there is a lot I can do.

When I find it hard to get motivated or to get started I become even more frustrated. Like nothing I do will matter because in the moment I feel like a total failure or I will never succeed. None of this will work, etc.

When I am experiencing these feeling I have a hard time just relaxing, contemplating and waiting. For me I need to take some kind of action toward my CMI.

The actions I take vary in the moment. It can be cleaning something or going for a walk or going to the movies, or read something inspiring, etc. Sometimes I do force myself to make the phone calls or emails, or write the marketing letter or press release.

I find that when I do this, (it's kinda forcing myself through my fears and excuses) I usually end up feeling great and I then fall naturally into "the zone."

If none of the above works I go do something really fun that has nothing to do with anything.

When I am in the Zone, it feels great and things just fall into place. I find myself forgetting about the outside world and truly feel great joy and I find myself taking inspired action without realizing it.

I just raised over $98,000 for a great show. It was a success but believe me it wasn't all bliss. I do have to do things I really don't like but they must get done and I have to force myself to do it.

But I did do something different this time, I hired a couple of people to help in those areas. It wasn't that expensive. It cost me a few hundred dollars. I still had to work in the areas they helped but it was easier for me.

One of the things I do not like doing is all the things that go into raising money for a non profit. But this time, it was a lot easier cause I didn't care if I did raise it or not. I also didn't care what people thought.

I love my work and if I had to cancel the show I was completely okay with it. Letting go of the feeling that I had to do this made it so much easier and I felt happier.

Maybe this is key, letting go of the need to succeed. That you have to do this or else. hmmmm.....

Here's a quote from the Course in Miracles. "I need do nothing"

Appreciation from the Heart,

Richard De Haven

quote:

All the thought and happiness in the world doesn't get one frame of animation done.

Thought creates the image for what you want to create. Every action you take to create one frame of animation comes from what you thought first.

Here's a story about Walt Disney I learned from a 98 year old animator who worked for him.

Disney was sitting at Disneyland in front of where the Matterhorn was to be built. (this was before the Matterhorn was built) The Imagineer asked him what he was doing sitting there starring at the sky. Walt Disney's reply, I am contemplating my mountain. He thought it first and then took inspired action.

Another story, Walt Disney came up with the idea of Disneyland while taking his daughters to the Merry Go Round at Griffith Park. He "THOUGHT" "Wouldn't it be great if there was a park that the entire family could enjoy together." From there he began to create a huge CMI which caused him to take inspired action.

If you ever go to Disneyland I highly recommend you take the tour "A walk in Walt's Footsteps" In it you hear from his own words how and why he created Disneyland.

My friend Steve Davison, who is Vice President of parades and spectaculars for all of Disney "THOUGHT" about the most spectacular water show ever. I remember him sharing his vision before it ever became reality. The end result is something greater than what he had imagined. Over $80 million has been spent.

For me, I have to create my shows in my thoughts first before I can take any kind of action.

Same thing with the costumers, make up artists, set designers, prop masters. They all have to start with thought first which then leads to inspired action.

One thing about happiness, it has nothing to do with your work. Happiness comes from within first.

Appreciation from the Heart,

Richard De Haven

Richard,

Thank you so much for writing this post. You have spelled out what is a major area of confusion for me, which I could not express. As an animator, I am naturally quite an admirer of Walt Disney.

So, for me, visualizing something I want to accomplish, be it a film, a comic book or image collection, is the easiest thing in the world. I do it all the time, usually without trying. Ideas and stories flow like rivers. I can see the scenes clearly, complete with characters, dialogue and even music.

I get very excited by this, and very inspired. I know immediately what the next action to take is for such a project and often have all the equipment I need to do it. But that's not getting me rich. It is true that the finished film could be worth hundreds of thousands or even millions, but it has to get done. That could take months, during which I have to pay rent, keep the lights on and keep food on the table.

Back to SOGR, though, Mr. Wattles says to mentally, live in the new house, drive the automobile, or go on the journey. He says to imagine an environment and financial condition and live all the time in it. These are the things which bring riches to you.

Now, I can imagine the environment, the country and type of apartment I want to live in. I can imagine my dream studio equipment and the travel I would love to do. I can imagine orders coming into my site and the income I would love to have. Not as easy as visualizing a film, but I have a good imagination. The thing is, I never get inspired as to any specific action to take, whether towards these things or not. In fact, I have no idea what action I might take that could be moving towards these things. I have no idea of any action I could take to improve my present business, generate more income so that I might be able to travel, or devote more time to making a film etc.

So basically, the examples Mr. Wattles has in the book are of visualizing things people want, or visualizing a lifestyle of even the riches themselves. I can do this, but little has come of it. (Don't get me wrong, the fact that I am here in Asia and have been all over Korea and Japan means that some travel is happening.) It's not the same as visualizing something I want to do like making a film or even getting in shape. (Did I ever tell the story of how I happened to meet a 3 time Mr. Korea bodybuilding champion and got trained for free for months in Korea?)

So, in your post before the last one, you mentioned being stuck because of fear. The reality is that as much as I can visualize making my film and see it so clearly, it is fear that stops me. Fear that it won't get done before I am out in the street. I hate to bring up Napoleon Hill, as I believe in following SOGR only, but if I were to listen to Hill, he would say to drop everything, "burn all bridges" behind me or "burn my ships" when I arrive on the shore, and go ahead with faith into making my animation, believing all things will come together to make it possible. Sometimes I am tempted to take that leap of faith.