Entries from November 2007 ↓

It is well known that human attention can be concentrated on not more than 7 objects at the same time, plus-minus 2 when it comes to each individual. It means that while solving a problem, making a decision we can concentrate only on 7 different thoughts and usually most of us cannot think about all of the objects simultaneously but we can switch from one thought to another. However, there is an approved method how to increase the possibilities of human thinking and how to gain control over 343 elements switching among them rapidly and not forgetting a single detail. Furthermore, this method helps a creative person to generate more valuable ideas, develop them and transform them into reality.

When we moved into a new apartment I started looking over my old documents, print-outs and notes. At one point of time I came across the notes that I had made before on detachable pages of a notepad. Having revised each idea carefully, I was stunned when I found a thought that I wrote down about 6 months ago and which still seemed very useful for me. It is ironic that the same thought about developing the methodology of gaining knowledge and skills came across my mind recently and appeared to be very new to me. I had been thinking about it for a long time because this idea was developed about 6 months ago but due to the peculiarities of human thinking it was well forgotten. At that given moment of time the idea was recorded in my mind but then I forgot it and did not return to it.

This is a distinctive feature of our thinking. Albert Einstein once said: “Computers are incredibly fast, accurate and stupid. People are incredibly slow, inaccurate and remarkable. Together they are an inconceivable force.” One of 10 commandments of effective lifestyle states “Think on paper” which I understand as using any type of device or resource that can “memorize” and then reproduce my thoughts. We can easily substitute paper with some software on the computer or a dictaphone.

It is good to think on paper because having written you thought, you can let it go and come back to it later. Would you like to know why? Both we and the world around us change very quickly and therefore a lot of our ideas lose their significance after some time. When we record our idea on paper we can come back to it tomorrow, look it over, correct it using the newly acquired information and knowledge. It means that after the thought is written down you have the freedom of consciousness, you can let you mind and creativity focus on the other goals and ideas.

It is very helpful to record only relevant ideas. Record your thought during the moments of inspiration, when you mind is clear, when your intentions are full of positive energy. A good idea itself can stimulate the inspiration. Having recorded you idea you retain your position and the energy of your thought on paper. What you write with your own hand can fully transmit the conception through handwriting, through the choice of words. Having looked over and rethought what you have written before, you can experience the feeling of enthusiasm again. When I was gathering the notes with my ideas at the end of every week, was sorting them out and rereading them I experienced elation and inspiration. The best moments of realization yourself and the surrounding world merged into a flow of energy. During this time I could better understand my true self. A lot of new ideas were generated then. It was very useful to record these ideas on paper.

Only the very important has the right to be recorded on paper. The most important in our life is the life itself, our destination, our life path, and our goals. Having recorded our goals on paper we can perfect their formula, look at them from different angles. We can also fully evaluate how the potential achievement of the goals can affect different aspects of our lives, how these goals correspond to our values and beliefs. When we put our goals in words we have a unique opportunity to observe it at any moment of time, in any state regardless of what is your mind occupied with. Now we see our goals in that very state in which we would like to accomplish them. If our desires are not recorded anywhere, don’t have a precise structure and change very often they remain in the form of desires and nothing more. On the other hand, the goal that was carefully recorded will every day advance you toward its achievement helping transform your dreams into reality.

Let’s say, you decided to start making more money. For example, you current salary as of April of 2008 is 3000$. You set a goal to double your monthly income by the current month of next year (it is better to specify the amount of money and the time, for example, 6000$ by June of 2009). The goal is recorded. Now you need to find the ways to achieve it. It is clear that you can think about it without the help of paper, computer or dictaphone but by doing it you will limit yourself because you will probably concentrate on a couple, or maybe even just one, of possible solutions. “Thinking on paper” you can generate a page worth of ideas just in couple minutes. Then take a look at what you’ve written. Get rid of ideas that can have a very little impact on your income. Look at what is left on the list; find the solutions that can maximize the outcome with minimum efforts. Then once again get rid of the thoughts that conflict with your values and beliefs. In such a way using 20/80 rule you can determine the easiest and the most positive way of achieving your goal. It is very unlikely to do the same thing while “thinking in your head”.

Such simple things as a notepad and a pen can incredibly widen the potential of your thinking. For example, you can define 7 vitally important goals in different spheres of your life such as Family, Profession, Relations, Personal Development, Finances, Health, and Society. Having written them down, you can create a list of important long-term tasks in every direction; let’s also make 7 of them. Then you might analyze every task applying to your subconsciousness and find 7 most effective ways of its accomplishment. Thus you have created your life chart, that very direction by following which you can become the happiest person on Earth perhaps even helping others on your way. The most important feature of the chart is that you can always make corrections and additions to it after acquiring new knowledge and new details. The existence of such chart and especially its dynamic editing is impossible in your head. Do you have this type of chart? I do. It is kept in Action Outline. I always refer to it when making important decisions in order not to be carried away and to retain my true self. I wish you also build you own perfect life while thinking on paper!

Thinking on paper raises your consciousness ;).

There is a principal, which is used by people who became rich. Robert Kiyosaki calls it “3 piggy banks”. Mark Allen mentions this principal in his book “The Millionaire Course“. I follow this principal now. And I am going to share the 3 piggy banks principal with you.

First of all, what are 3 piggy banks? One of them is savings. It is the money, which you save for yourself in order to use them somehow in future. You put away money for a rainy day.

The second piggy bank is your investments. Money that you invest in something: shares, bank deposit, mutual funds, bonds, business etc. You could invest in your education too. This piggy bank is for increasing money.

The third piggy bank is for donation and charity. It is the money that you give to someone. Giving away part of your income and supporting different charity organizations, we care of each other. This piggy bank encourages you to gain more in order to give more.

Ok, I have to create 3 piggy banks, right? Right. But how can I do it if I spent all money that I get or even more? It is easy, really. Turn on you consciousness and start with 10% decision using The Law of Accumulation. Continue save 10% of you income every month until you get used to do it. You have to make a habit. It is easy to live on 90% of you income, really. When the habit is formed, you could start create another piggy bank. And then the third one. This way I have come to “3 piggy bank” principal.

Other way is proposed by Robert Kiyosaki in his video program “60 Minutes to Getting Rich“. His advice is to start putting 1$ to each piggy bank. Is it easy? I am sure, everybody, who has desire, could do it. Then start putting 10$. 100$. 1000$. 10000$. And continue to increase, until you will save 10% of you income to each piggy bank.

Put regularly 10% of your income is the principal. Another principal, which will help you to do it, is called ‘pay yourself first’. It means, when you receive money, you have to pay to your piggy banks before you will pay to someone else - government, stores, salespersons etc. Pay yourself first.

The idea of 3 piggy banks is the following: rich is who saves a lot, but not who earns a lot. There are a lot of people on the Earth who have earn a lot of money but they spend a lot of money too. If they are fired one day, they could not manage with their expenses for a long time. 3 piggy banks principal allows you to create passive income which will cover your expenses, when you earnings instantly drop down. You keep, you invest, you give away - that is why you are rich.

If you apply 3 piggy banks principal in your life, you will gain great effect. You have real abundance in your life; you have all what you want. You feel good, because you give a lot of money to others. And you do what you love to do.

What is success? Success is when you bask the glory. It is definitely success when you are getting some remarkable results. How to become a successful person? I do believe there are three important things: to know definition of your purpose, to know what your goals is and have a burning desire to accomplish that goals.

Do you know, what is your pre-encoded purpose? It is simple to know it from your context. E.g. if you handle something well and like to do it the most, it seems that it is your purpose to do it. If you still have not found your purpose, seize any opportunities to try something different from what you do everyday. If you find it, you will know and can loudly say to yourself: “This is my purpose to do this”. You can also refer to method proposed by Steve Pavlina in post “How to discover your life purpose in about 20 minutes” - I have tried it, and it works! Write down your propose and refer anytime you are setting goals and doing important decisions.

Do you know exactly what you want? What do you want to achieve in 5 years? How do you imagine yourself in one year? What will you do, if you know that in 6 months a thunderbolt will kill you? Is it the same thing which you are doing right now? If it is not so, you have to change your life. Set yourself a target you want to achieve and start going right now! You can refer to “How to Set Goals” manual at wikiHow. And even if you are not certain about is it the best target you can set or not - set it anyway. To have any goal set by yourself is better that not to set anything. If you do not do this, somebody else, like your boss, friend, partner, stranger or society will do it for you.

When you know your purpose and you have set a goal, do not procrastinate - do it now! Don’t play it safe, every day take any chance to move to your target. Imagine how you will feel, when you achieve it. Everyone should see a fire in your eyes. Feed yourself with motivation material, like this post, every morning on breakfast - and success will come. You can inspire youself by ideas from article “Cultivating Burning Desire“.
So if you want to be a successful person - now you know what to do. If it is still not clear - possibly you have to reread this again :). Do it now!

The day April 30th, 2006 was a great and important one for our family. Our daughter Elena was christened. On the same day and at the same time my niece, Milana, was christened too. That day I was playing two roles simultaneously: as a father for Elena and as a godfather of Milana. I believe the day changed both my daughter and me - we grew a bit spiritually.

It is considered that a new born baby is clear from sins, and it is true for his or her first forty days. Orthodox Church proposes to christen when a baby is between 8 and 40 days old (you can read more at Wikipedia about christening (infant baptism)). Both Elena and Milana were older, so they first of all were doing away with their sins during christening ceremony. What kind of sins can a two-month baby commit? Telling lies? Wasting her nature talents? Being fussy? I believe such ceremonies have more influence on involved adults. Nevertheless, it was an interesting and marvelous action. 7 children with their parents and godparents were invited into a specific room of the Temple (by the way, there were 6 brides and only one groom :)). There were a lot of prayers and devotions and the climax of the ceremony - dipping into holy water, christening by itself.

This day Elena made her first step on the road of spiritual growth. Has she felt any changes in your vision of reality? I don’t know. However I can confidently say - every day she changed a little, and that day was the day of significant change. Just because it greatly influenced the people of her environment: me, her mother, her godparents and the other involved relatives.

October, 2005 I signed a contract with myself that I would be committed to personal development. During the christening day and some days before I was thinking, how I will teach my daughter and my niece to grow spiritually. In spite of the fact that parents are people who are responsible for their children the most, starting from April 30th my responsibility was doubled. And I am happy with that, because it is what I can manage to do. The spiritual growth of my daughter and my niece is in a circle of my influence.

Can people do without christening? Yes, certainly they can. It is much more important to be developed spiritually. Our lives can be considered in four different aspects: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. Keeping all of them in balance is the main requirement for true happiness. It is common nowadays to forget about spirituality and set focus on other sides of life, first of all physical or material one. Ritual of christening recalls parts of soul, increasing a commitment to such human values as kindness, faith, bliss, care, harmony, charity, frankness, humility, justice, piety and sacredness. Which of these values are the most important for you?