It's What's Inside That Counts

Socrates once said: "Know thyself".

In my l article, I emphasized focus as the technique to create motivation.  If you want to generate the drive toward a goal or preferred vision, you will want to direct your focus in such a way that you get excited about attaining the desired place.

Today, I draw your attention to the fact that focusing will be made much easier if you remember that "you can't give what you don't got."  Let me explain.  In order to direct your focus, your mind should be free of any doubt or misperception of who you are, your self-image.  In his study of the mind, Dr. Maxwell Maltz who made psycho-cybernetics famous, produced an understanding that smashed the B.F. Skinner concept that we are the product of our environment - Skinner postulated that we have no choice on who we will be, what we will do, or what may happen to us as we go through life.

Dr. Maltz's discovery was based on the premise that we have a "self-image" held in our subconscious mind that supports our every effort.  That self-image is the product of our thinking developed over many years of personal study, our experiences, life's accidents and education.  Since it is within, then it can be modified as you wish.  According to Dr. Maltz, the internal self-image controls:

• What we do and what we don't do.
• Where we go.
• Where we live.
• Who we end up with in relationships, and how these go.
• What we do for a living.
• How far we move up the business ladder.
• How much we weigh, and what kind of physical shape we are in.
• How well we perform at school.
• The state of our health.
• How we dress; what our personal appearance looks like. Etc., etc.

Therefore, it stands to reason that if you want to guide your focus, you will pay attention to your self-image.  You will use the concept of self-image as "the secret key to peak performance".  You will work to raise your awareness of who you are in order to decide what you will do to become who you want to be.  You will learn to know thyself.

The Toll Booth Showcase

Dr John Eliot, Ph.D., Rice University, studies performance and has produced a program called "The Maverick Mindset". In it, he illustrates his understanding of peak performance through self-image in the following story.

One time when he was doing research in San Francisco, he used to travel the Golden Gate Bridge every day to go to work.  Toll booths are installed at the bridge.  Once in a while, he passed by one unique toll booth attendant - the man was always dancing to some loud music.  One day Dr Eliot stopped and asked the man about his approach.  The attendant first corrected him: "Excuse me but I'm an entertainer, not a toll booth attendant."  Seeking further clarification, Dr Eliot wondered aloud what difference could he make from his toll booth.  The attendant explained, "Other people are stuck in their vertical coffins here.  I occupy my showcase."  And so it was that, through his positive self-image, the attendant was happy every day, day in and day out, because he felt he made life pleasant for his customers.

It's What's Inside That Counts

The toll booth attendant had modified his lens and learned to look at the world differently.  In so doing, he gave meaning to his activity and produced peak performance every day.  Surely, it was not the surroundings or what people said or how someone looked at him that made him happy.  It was all coming from inside of him.  This simple story confirms the little song used a few years ago to advertize Foster's, an Australian beer - ... It's what's inside that counts.  Self-image is the key to easy focus, and to ultimate performance.

Famed rogue psychologist William James once was asked to give the keynote address at a convention on advances in psychology.  When asked to summarize his thoughts, he simply said: "People by and large become what they think of themselves."  Overachievers are known to think that way, and take responsibility for what is inside of them.  They take care of creating their reality within themselves, and then, they can go out and produce massive results.

Therefore, think differently, look to be more than normal, direct your focus, and above all else, check your self-image, for it is what is inside that counts.  If you truly want to create peak performance, keep it simple.  Take responsibility for your thoughts and seek to be an overachiever.  Remember to shoot for the moon; if you miss, you'll be a star.

On your way to peak performance, you will need to anchor that concept and strive to direct your focus.  Remember to practice.  Take a few minutes each day to ask yourself "Who am I? What do I stand for? What do I want to accomplish?"  Good questions are the key to an increased awareness that will lead to a higher probability of a successful life.  With time, you will get closer to the goal set by Socrates to "know thyself".