“Professor Elmer Gates of the Smithsonian Institution was one of the most successful inventors this country has ever known, and a recognized genius. He made a daily practice of ‘calling up pleasant ideas and memories’ and believed that this helped him in his work.” – Maxwell Maltz, M.D. – Psycho-Cybernetics, Updated and Expanded
How could calling up pleasant memories possibly help you? This is the present moment; shouldn’t we leave the past behind?
Well, much of our past can be left behind, and often, we unconsciously forget much of it without any effort. Yet there are precious memories that we would be wise to relive and re-experience daily. Those memories are where we activate our confidence, courage, desire, discipline, and focus.
Over twenty years ago, I listened to an audio cassette where Dr. Maltz told how he acquired his first patient.
He mentioned that after fifty years of transformative plastic surgery, he still had the file along with the before-and-after photos of the man he operated on. Then he explained that he would keep this man’s file for as long as he lived… “because that is where my confidence is stored.”
It’s a good idea to hang up pictures, diplomas and certificates of accomplishment to constantly remind us of what we have achieved over the years. When you review the memories of having received those honors and awards, and as you re-experience how good you felt in those instances, this elevates your “game” in the present moment, allowing you to proceed with confidence.
What positive memories are you going to review today in the theater of your mind to give yourself greater confidence?
Matt Furey
Note: The above is an excerpt from my new book, Psycho-Cybernetics 365, which will be published on Tuesday, August 19. You can reserve your copy now by clicking here.
