Are Your Receptors Open?

-by Matt Leedham

“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” – Buddhist Proverb

Along the lines of my thoughts on luck, opportunity and coincidence seem to happen a lot more to those that are prepared to receive them. Just as the teacher appears for the ready student, so does “aha!” moments for ready achievers.

Have you ever noticed that when you learn a new word, you start hearing and seeing that word multiple times over the following weeks?

Let me give you an obscure example. Two weeks ago, I learned of the word ‘heuristic.’ I was reading a classic book on positivity and the power of thought called “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill. This book, originally published in 1937, is credited for being the first (and by some accounts, the best) modern-day, personal development book ever written. The word ‘heuristic’ was introduced in the book in regard to the human mind not needing exhaustive information to make decisions – rather, we have become quite good at making very good decisions with limited information. I actually wrote about it in Trust Your Gut.

To me, this was a completely unknown word – I was sure that I had never seen it or heard it before. How, then, is it possible that just 8 days later in San Antonio, I heard an author/speaker use that word in reference to marketing tactics?

Is it more likely that a word that had never crossed my path before, all of a sudden presented itself to me twice in 8 days? After decades of reading, studying, and listening to words, that’s quite the coincidence, wouldn’t you say?!

What’s more likely is that I have seen or heard that word many times before, but never bothered to look it up or ask questions. I just let it wash over me and therefore, it didn’t really exist in my vocabulary.

This happens with inspiration too. It happens with dreams and aspirations as well. Too often, we don’t allow our receptors to be open to opportunity or “luck” or “chance” or “coincidence” (quotations used intentionally as I don’t really believe in these things).

This is why we encourage our workshop attendees to do the following:

1. Prime themselves to be positive
2. Visualize their future in great detail
3. Write their visions on paper
4. Tell others about their vision

If you do these things, your receptors are now open for business!

And if done with sincere positivity, you will literally be amazed by the opportunities that seem to present themselves to you. You will begin to see patterns and resources you didn’t see before. You will connect the dots and things will begin to happen.

Know what you want and be open to receiving. Be prepared for good things to come!

Trust Your Gut

-by Matt Leedham

“There is no such thing as a normal human being.” – Benjamin Carson, M.D. (ground-breaking pediatric neurosurgeon)

By nature, we are extraordinary. We have in us the ability to do amazing things. Stop thinking so much and trust your gut. Then act.

Research indicates you’d be more right than wrong if you just went with your first instinct. In fact, it is believed that humans have learned how to make quick decisions with limited data as a necessity for survival. Maturing as a species over centuries and generations we have become quite good at this.

There is a word for this phenomenon: heuristics. These are methods used to find a solution that is good enough when a more detailed search for information is not practical. Examples include “rule of thumb”, educated guesses, and common sense. (paraphrased from Wikipedia).

So think about where you see yourself in one year. Think about the goals you are setting for yourself. Are you trusting your gut? Are you asking too many questions and getting bogged down in the weeds? Have you always wanted to do something special but talk yourself out of it? Are you denying yourself the use of your innate heuristic abilities?

Trust your gut and take action. Do one thing you believe in today. The world will thank you for it.