How often do we get in the way of our own success? Often we map out a strategy and goal chart and then set sail on an unknown ocean in order to achieve that which we truly desire, only to end up crashing into the reefs. “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” By Robert Burns often comes to mind.
Why is that the plans we so carefully charted out on our passageway to success so often seem to fail? There are many factors, not the least of which can be luck or being in the wrong place at the wrong time. However, there are deeper factors that control our circumstances hidden within our sub-conscious mind.
I am sure you have often heard how the sub-conscious thoughts we think can control what happens to us and that we need to “visualize” what we want in order to obtain “it.” Name it and claim it so to speak. While I have always put stock in visualization, I haven’t put a lot of effort into it myself until I began to research the RAS otherwise known as the Reticular Activating System of the brain.
What is the Reticular Activating System of the brain? It’s a complex nexus of nerves at the base of your brain. The RAS gives your brain the ability to sort through all the information around you, allowing you the capability to index data that is being thrown at you in order of importance or relevance. In other words, the RAS tells you what should pay attention to and what you should ignore.
Let me give you a simple example of an every day occurrence of RAS in your daily life. Let’s say today you went out to purchase a new gold Ford Excursion. On your way to an important business meeting regarding your music, you begin to notice a lot of gold Excursions on the road when you hadn’t before. Was there suddenly a huge special on gold Excursions and now there are hundreds more driving on the road? Probably not.
Most likely the cars were there all along, it’s just your RAS fast at work. Your Reticular Activating System has now indexed the gold Ford Excursion as an important factor in your life, causing you to recognize it at nearly every occurrence. Your RAS is constantly working in both your personal and your professional life, indexing the beliefs you have deemed in your personal value system as important and those that you deem as unobtainable.
Let me give you another example. All your life you have dreamed of becoming the happening musician on the planet, but you have constantly heard how impossible that task is and you subconsciously bought into that belief. Externally, or in your conscious mind you make your plans and work hard to achieve your desired goal.
Did you know that your conscious mind only controls 17% of what you actually do? The other 83% is handled by your subconscious mind. Look at those figures. 17% of your conscious thoughts and actions are now going to handle your path to success, while the other 83%, the part that believes you will fail, will control the rest of your path to success. If you are counting on your conscious mind to control your life, without reprogramming your subconscious mind, you are fighting a losing battle. Remember, “…best laid plans of mice and men.”
So how do you change the viscous cycle that seems to waylay your life and your aspirations of a successful music career or success in anything for that matter? You need to learn to utilize your RAS at will. If you learn to do so, you will tap into an incredible resource of authority and resourcefulness that will help you succeed where you have otherwise failed in the past.
In order to begin your training, you will have to do a few things to help yourself.