There are always certain events that change the course of your life.
If you follow closely and understand the meaning of today’s post, this will be one of them.
In my last post you were introduced to your “conditioned mind.”
You learned that it isn’t interested in your success, only your survival.
You learned that its primary goal is to keep you in your current comfort zone.
You learned that it will do whatever it can to keep things the same, but to let you think that you’re changing.
You learned that you have to become aware of your conditioned mind.
So now, you should be pretty clear on who your current biggest enemy is. It resides right between your ears, and it’s called your conditioned mind. Your biggest enemy isn’t outside of you … it’s inside of you.
That’s why, to find true success in life, whether it’s wealth and abundance, happiness, or whatever makes you complete, you have to win the inner game of success. You have to turn your own worst enemy into your biggest ally.
And starting right here and right now, you’re going to head down that path.
This is the same path I started down almost 40 years ago when I was just 15. I was one of the lucky ones who learned how the conditioned mind worked at a fairly young age, and I’ve been working on making it my greatest ally ever since.
It’s never a completed project, because you can always improve in any part of your life. But I promise you, that as you turn your worst enemy into your strongest friend, as I have, you gain the most powerful ally known to mankind.
Since I’ve spent the majority of my life studying and working in the areas of money, finance and entrepreneurship, my mastery is in these fields. So there will be a natural bias here to apply these principles towards the attainment of wealth and abundance.
But what you learn here applies to any area of your life that is important to you. The great thing about these principles is that they are universal.
So how do you go about transforming your worst enemy into your most powerful ally?
You start by making a decision.
You decide that from this day forward you will “recondition” your conditioned mind, so that it eventually comes around to your wishes and desires, and helps you automatically move towards them.
Unfortunately, 95 out of every 100 people reading this post won’t ever make this decision and follow through on it.
Those are the facts. Their conditioned mind has such a strong hold over them that it controls their entire existence.
Are you one of the 5% who can change the course of your life starting right now?
Yes, you are.
You can choose to make this decision.
You can choose to look at your life until this very moment as a training ground for what to do and what not to do for the rest of your life based from what you’ve already learned.
From what you’ve learned so far in life, are you as happy as you want to be?
… as healthy as you want to be?
… as successful as you want to be?
… as fulfilled as you want to be?
If you aren’t it’s because your conditioned mind is much more concerned with your survival than it is in any of these other issues. It stops you from changing into the person you need to become to get what you want.
Does this make any sense to you?
For you to have all the success and happiness you want in life, you will have to grow yourself into the person capable of having all that success and happiness.
It isn’t going to happen by accident.
The starting point for all change, all achievement and accomplishment is in understanding what you want. What do you want in life? More importantly, what do you want badly enough to be willing to change to get it? What do you want badly enough that you are willing to fight the prodding’s of your conditioned mind not to do it because of every reason it can come up with. (Some call it fear.)
You’ve heard this all before, but it’s true. The most successful people have specific goals and dreams. They don’t just want to be happy or rich. That’s far too general. Everybody wants to be happy and rich. Yet how many are?
What does that tell you?
Hopefully, it tells you that what you say you want and what you really want are 2 completely different things.
The fact is, the life you’re living right now is the life you want, because if you didn’t, you’d do something to change it.
So obviously, if you aren’t as happy as you’d like to be or as wealthy as you’d like to be, something is going to have to change.
Please don’t tell me that it’s the economy
… or the government
… or your job
… or your appearance
… or your parents
… or any of it.
Those are just excuses made up to justify why you aren’t successful.
And, guess who’s sending you those excuses?
You got it, your conditioned mind.
The one thing that you must change is you. It’s the only thing you have control over.
… not the economy
… or the government
… or anyone else or anything else in this world.
So once you have specific goals to shoot for, you can begin to take control of your conditioned mind and turn its awesome force into good.
For now, you have a decision to make.
Are you going to accept the life you have today and the person you are today, and simply accept whatever circumstances life throws at you like everyone else?
Or …
Are you going to focus on the person you wish to become and the life you want to build for yourself, and then dedicate yourself to a higher standard that you know you’re capable of?
You’ll never reach your full potential and happiness until you’ve made this decision.
Your journey to real success begins with a decision.
Have you made yours yet?
I’ll be getting into the details for turbo charging your success in the next post.
Namaste.
Jeff
Nice Site layout for your blog. I am looking forward to reading more from you.
Tom Humes
Jeff Fagin response:
Thanks Tom. I’m looking forward to sharing with you and educating and inspiring you to reach your full financial potential.
I hope that’s what your up for!
All the best,
Jeff
Nice Job! Really well put together.
Jeff Fagin response:
Hey Max,
Always great to see a friend and client on board.
I hope I don’t have to tell you to come back often!
Thanks for checking in. It’s a great habit.
It’s one thing to read a post. But it takes thought and action and energy to write a comment. You’re getting into the habit of taking that action. In everything that you do, for you to really master it, you have to DO IT. You have to take action. You learn best by doing, not by reading or thinking or talking.
See you soon.
Jeff
Hey, I really appreciate this post. Real wisdom is a difficult thing to come by. I’m 25 years old, 2 years out of college and LOST. I mean really lost. I was, well, lucky to have gotten a really great professional job out of college but then the economy went into downward bear driven spiral. I was laid off and I’m now starting to realize it’s the best thing that could have happened to me.
In my old job I had no control over my desires, my wishes or my goals. It was THEIR goals on my TIME. I’ve recently taken control of my health and thanks to your great post of wisdom here maybe I can start taking control of everything else.
Thanks a lot, I appreciate your thoughts.
Jeff Fagin Response:
Hey Jacob,
Thank you for your comment. There is a silver lining in every dark cloud. Don’t get discouraged about things. Your goal should be to promote incremental improvement in every area of your life on a daily basis. Small improvements daily result in exponential growth over time. Keep a positive attitude, find out what you are really passionate about in life, and go for it. You’ll do just fine.
Thanks again for your comment.
Jeff
A good post, especially interesting in how it points out the damage we can do ourselves simply by doing nothing much at all. The need for change can be uncomfortable but is usually necessary.
Oh well.
Jeff Fagin response:
Hi Ulla,
You are right. There is a need to change.
And as the world changes faster and faster, you’ll have to be able to change faster and faster too!
So, you might as well accept the fact that change will always be a part of life, and look at it as an opportunity for improvement, a chance for something better.
Change can be good. In fact, change can be great. It all depends on your outlook.
I hope you’ll choose to change for the best. If you do, I hope you’ll come back here often.
Your friend,
Jeff
These are some incredibly interesting ideas, man. I’ll have to keep this in mind. From this day on, I promise to attempt to recondition my mind to work against making excuses. You’re a great inspiration.
Jeff Fagin response:
Hey William,
Thanks for your comments. How could I not like you?
Remember, that you MUST feed your mind with quality thoughts every day the same way you feed you body with nourishing food. It’s got to become a daily habit. Even if only for 15 minutes.
I’ve filled this blog with enough food for thought that you will never be at a loss to find 15 minutes of quality thinking. It’s the result of almost 40 years of studying the most successful minds in recorded history.
Go for it my friend. Go for the best. All the answers you need are right here on this blog.
All the best,
Jeff
I agree but 50-50, as far as conditioned mind is concern, I do believe that it shouldn’t be there, we should always try to have an unconditioned mind. But…. in this very practical, imperfect and unideal world, Is it possible for one to survive with unconditional mind when there are others having conditioned mind attacking on him/her with their bad deeds and wits…….In this competitive era, you have to be conditional…….This theory of conditional mind can be eradicated, only if every single person on this earth follows it, else it’s better to have some conditions or excuses……..
Jeff Fagin Response:
Hi Aditya,
Good points.
We all have conditioned minds. There really is no such thing as an unconditioned mind. The question then becomes, how do you want to condition yours? Intentionally, where you intentionally plant the thoughts and habits you want to possess? Or unintentionally, where SOMEONE ELSE plants the thoughts and habits into your mind? For most people, their mind is conditioned by their parents, their friends, their teachers, their religious leaders, the media, the press, television. If your real goal in life is success, happiness and financial freedom, chances are that your mind is NOT currently conditioned for those results.
Thanks again for your comment Aditya. I really appreciate it.
Jeff
Interesting! It seems like you have a lot to say - I’ll definitely be checking back to see what else gets posted on this blog. Keep it up, and best of luck!
Jeff Fagin Response:
Hi Z,
I hope you will come back again.
Thanks for your comment.
Jeff
I really think you have hit on something here, I really do believe our biggest enemy is our self in many ways. We constantly are standing on our own way. I find that I am constantly wanting to play it safe, to be comfortable as if this comfort could ever last or bring me anything. It so quickly translates to apathy and laziness…
Jeff Fagin response:
Hi Kyle,
What a fantastic comment. You’ve nailed it my friend.
Most everyone you meet is walking around on autopilot. The biggest decision they make all day is what to order for lunch!
Too many people set their standards low. They don’t strive to improve. They get comfortable and lazy. Unless life’s circumstances force them to change, they’ll stay in that rut their entire lives.
The 5% that I’m passionate about helping no longer hold that attitude. They’re out there, and I find them. They want a life that is fun, fulfilling, satisfying. They want success, and they want to grow into the kind of person capable of having and keeping success.
I hope you chose to join the elite top 5%. If you do, then this blog will help you on your journey.
Thanks again.
Jeff
Thank you for your motivating post. It is quite amazing that you were able to change your lifestyle at the age of 15. For most of us, this is a very difficult time. You need to learn a lot and you do’nt have much experience in many things. It is nice to read how other people look at themselves and make discisions in life!
Jeff Fagin Response:
Hi Giant,
Thanks for your comment.
Here’s a secret you should know. It’s a secret because nobody seems to know it.
Find people who are really successful at what you want to be successful at, and model them. In every area of your life, you can find these “mentors” and learn from them.
Hope you’ll come back again soon.
All the best,
Jeff
Wow! (Your biggest enemy isn’t outside of you … it’s inside of you) That is true Jeff, Our mind is like in automatic mode doing just the same to survive. I enjoyed the reading now is up to me to make the correct decisions and change my mind. My first goal is to be in the 5% group. Great blog Jeff, will be back for more.
Thanks
Jeff Fagin Response:
Hi Joshua,
Choosing to join the top 5% is a worthy goal. It’ll require consistant education and effort to get there. I hope you choose to come back here frequently to keep on track.
All the best,
Jeff
Nice post, like other people have said, you have a great layout to your blog. Your idea about the conditioned mind is interesting and I’m looking to forward to seeing the more practical aspects of your ideas in the next post.
Jeff Fagin Response:
Thanks for your comment Ian.
When you’ve studied personal development with the passion I have for almost 4 decades, you learn that there isn’t any 1 “secret” to success, wealth and abundance. The greatest minds have studied these topics for centuries. Thousands of books have been written about them. So this isn’t something you master in a day or a week or a month.
Regardless, it all begins to blossom for you when you CHOOSE to take complete control of your mind and begin to learn how to reprogram your conditioned mind for success. You do this thought by thought throughout each day.
Thanks again for your comment.
Jeff
Great post! I became aware of my “conditioned mind” mind years ago. I had very difficult childhood, and for a long time I blamed everything on it. However I was lucky enough to obtain a mentor in my life, and she pointed out that I had no control over what had already happened. She showed me that I wasn’t happy with my life, and that it was possible to change that. Working with me, my mentor helped me overcome my fears of failing, and I began to establish long and short term goals for myself. Today I am a happy person and am well on my way to accomplishing another long term goal of attaining an artistic career working with metal. I think you have written this passage very well. It is informative, and I think most people can relate to what you have said. Well done!
Jeff Fagin Response:
Hi Sean,
Thank you very much for your comment. I really appreciate it.
You were extremely lucky to find a mentor to help you along your journey. It seems as though she gave you great advice.
We all need mentors in our lives. None of us know it all.
Congratulations on achieving your long term goal. Time to start dreaming about the next one.
Thanks again for your comment Sean. I hope to hear back from you again.
All the best,
Jeff
It’s very interesting to read.And you provided a great information and very useful tips for the youngsters especially that is how to prepare a conditioned mind..excellent tips..It helps many who are in distress and makes them happy in their life…
read it ..
follow it…
enjoy life
Jeff Fagin response:
Thanks Sundar.
You raise an excellent point.
Few people ever learn good success skills and money management skills growing up. That’s why 95% of the population STRUGGLES with money their entire lives. They’ve never been properly educated.
When they have kids, guess what they teach them?
Of course, they can only teach the kids what they already know themselves, which isn’t much!
One of my biggest goals is to educate the adults, so that they can improve their lives, BUT EQUALLY IMPORTANT, this is what they can educate their kids with too.
I guarantee you that if you master the information here on this blog, you can help the next generation achieve far greater success.
Namaste.
Jeff
Easier said then done! Sometimes I feel that I really have “reconditioned” my mind to push myself out of the comfort zone, but when in reality, it was more of the same. It’s really not that easy.
Jeff Fagin response:
Hi Ryan,
Excellent point.
You’re right. It isn’t easy. If it was, everyone would be rich, and everyone would be happy. Everyone would be the perfect weight, and eat the perfect diet, and live the perfect lifestyle.
Real and lasting success in life isn’t easy. You can choose to do nothing differently and continue living your life exactly as you do right now. No one will stop you. In fact, that’s the choice most people do.
But at the end of the day, who’s responsible for your success and happiness? You are, and no one else. So if you choose not to be responsible enought to do the things you must do to grow yourself into a person who is capable of success and happiness, you have only one person to blame.
If you’re looking for easy, you’ll never find your golden path to freedom. Sorry.
But if you’re willing to put in the work, I’ll show you the habits, attitudes and strategies to move you towards your greatest successes in life.
All the best,
Jeff
I think the concept of the conditioned mind is very interested. It is very difficult to reprogram your brain to think and react a certain way, no matter what the subject at issue is, whether it’s money, success or anything else.
Jeff Fagin response:
Hi Kelly,
Thank you for your comment.
You are right, it isn’t easy. I hear it daily from my clients.
The key for those who find it hard is that the “why” isn’t big enough.
If you had enough reasons why you wanted to change, to grow, to learn, to accomplish, it wouldn’t be hard at all. But when you don’t have the burning desire to change, to learn, to grow, to improve, you’re in big trouble. You’ll never become successful and live your dreams just by luck alone. You are going to have to GROW into the person capable of the success you want.
Thanks again for your comment Kelly.
Jeff
This is a great post. I had low self esteem all throughout my young life. I was made to think I was never good enough. After college I decided to get out of the rut and surround myself with people who are positive, uplifting, with a “can-do” attitude. I’m a happier, more confident person for having done that.
Jeff Fagin response:
Hi Mary,
Thank you for your comment.
You’ve accomplished a major step by surrounding yourself with positive, can do people. You can’t have enough of these kinds of people in your life!
You also want to constantly feed your mind with nourishing thoughts daily.
I’ve found that developing the right attitudes and habits, combined with using the right systems, can lead you to your success much quicker and easier.
I hope you’ll continue to come back here for inspirational thoughts and ideas.
Thanks again.
Jeff
I think there’s some inherent truth that people are creatures of comfort. We’ll instinctively want to keep things exactly the same whenever we can… but that becomes a barrier to growth.
Along the same lines, i’ve decided that if there’s something i want to do, or be, or know, etc, i need to start NOW, because just planning on doing it in the future is a good way to never end up doing anything.
It’s all about a conscience decision followed by action: you need both.
Jeff Fagin response:
Excellent comment Jeff.
Action is the magic word that most people fail to take.
Even worse, everyone has an excuse why they fail to take action.
But now we all know, it’s just the conditioned mind trying its best to keep the status quo.
When you become aware of that, and act in spite of it, your on the path that leads you to growth.
All the best,
Jeff
Thank you for this post. I really appreciate your advice and wisdom. I agree with you that changes are hard but sometime changes are necessary if you want to self improve and be happy. The important thing here is to be true to yourself and change because you want to and not just because you want to please someone. I’m 23 and I’m proud to say I’m happy to be me. I am marry the man i alway respect and love and I have a wonderful job at home.
Jeff Fagin comment:
Very true.
Only you know what will truly make you happy in life. You can listen to everyone else’s advice, but the one person you must make happy is yourself.
Still, it’s entirely up to you what you make of your life. You can improve your chances of achieving your success by learning from those who have already gone down that road before you and have found the better way. That’s what I’ve been doing for the past 40 years.
Thanks again.
Jeff
I certainly agree with you that to make the decision to act is key. I always say that making the decision about what to do, or what you want is the hard part. Once you make the decision, the follow-through is easy. It’s the deciding that keeps us up at night, not the details. Great stuff!
Jeff Fagin response:
Thanks Sheila,
Great point. Before you can take any action, you must first decide to take it. BUT, the secret is to actually follow through and finish the action once you’ve made the decision.
Hope you’ll come back often and share.
Thanks again.
Jeff
You are absolutely right. People in general need to get out of their comfort zones and break away from all their self-imposed boundaries.
The status quo just isn’t cutting it.
Jeff Fagin Response:
Well said.
Thanks.
Jeff
Wow! That is absolutely correct. My husband and I have been having conversations about just this subject over the past few weeks because I can’t seem to get out of my comfort zone. Our dialogue takes on a bit more of a Biblical tone, but the message is exactly the same. I’m looking forward to reading more from you.
Jeff Fagin response:
Thanks for your comment Jessica.
I consider myself more of a spiritual than religious person, but as long as whatever you choose to do comes from your heart, and expresses your passion in a way that helps others, you can’t go wrong.
Hope I’ll hear from you again.
Jeff
We often think in terms of things we can or can’t do. But this often prevents us from even trying. Sometimes not trying is all that separates us from attaining our goals. Thanks for this post and reminding us of that.
Jeff Fagin response:
You got it. It’s all about taking action.
Thanks.
Jeff
I liked your previous post about conditioned mind. And this post is also marvellous. They are really helpful in keeping our mind relaxed and deciding our priorities. I look forward to your future posts.
Jeff Fagin response:
Hi Khushe,
I recongnize you from previous posts. Thank you for your comments. I really appreciate them.
Master your conditioned mind, and you control the future success of your life. We’ll be coming back to this over and over again so that you can remain focused on the critical elements.
All the best my friend,
Jeff
my life changing moment..
As a roofer, I worked for an employer who cared about nothing but money. He pleased customers as much as he needed to get what he wanted. As an employee, I didn’t care a lot either, but I was thinking only of my employer. I began to roof an addition to a house during a rainy period. It was tarped. I checked the weather and if the chance of rain was too great I wouldn’t go. After the owner asked me to try harder to get something done, I was still lackadaisical. The owner told me that the house was leaking and that it was damaging the finished part of the house. This was the type of guy I naturally respected, the type who would try just about anything and do well at it. It seemed like he was about to cry, and I have rarely felt so badly about my own behaviour than I did then. Every day after that I went to work regardless of the forecast. Once a wind came up and blew the tarp right over top of me. The rain came, but I was between 2 dormitories so I had room to work beneath the tarp. I kept roofing. I got the roof done in a short time. The owner passed shingles to me on an awkward part. When I was done, both the owner and his wife said bye to me. That taught me to take personal responsibility for my own behaviour regardless of the attitude of those with authority over me.
have a nice day guys
Jeff Fagin response:
Wow Wargoose,
Great story. Proves the power of your attitude regardless of everyone elses. You can control yours at all times, and the most successful control theirs constantly.
In every situation, do you think you’re better off to have a good attitude or a bad one? Of course, it’s an easy answer. And in every situation in YOUR life, are you better off having a good attitude or a bad one?
Now that you know this to be true, it’s up to you to develop a good attitude all the time. I think you’re already there.
Thanks again.
Jeff
“Everybody wants to be happy and rich. Yet how many are?”
This is a fair question, but it does make me wonder how do we define what makes man or woman rich? Is it that we don’t allow ourselves to be happy with the things that we have? Is money the answer? It does certainly seem to make life easier if one’s finances are in order. Then again, I don’t think that many of us realize that financial disaster could come to almost anyone at any time. The “bum” on the street or living in their car could be you in just a few short months. Nothing in life is guaranteed.
I do believe in using the powers of the mind over matter, particularly when it comes to overriding some of the antiquated survival modes we can find ourselves living and dealing with. Personal responsibility is admirable and is a great tool in building an anchored financial existence, but then I am not sure if those of us that are allowed to become so comfortable in our wealth are too missing the real point of living.
Is wealth and its accompanying feelings of happiness just another illusion of sorts, another way of merely “surviving” and not facing life for what it is meant to be?
Jeff Fagin response:
Hi Arial,
Thanks for your thoughts. Very deep.
Quickly, here are my thoughts on happiness. Most people think they’ll be happy when they get more … the new car … the new house … the new shoes …
They also think they’ll be happy when something happens … I lose that 10 pounds … our team wins the playoffs … we win the lottery …
In other words, most people think of happiness as a RESULT. Something has to HAPPEN for them to be happy.
I say BULL to that. You can choose to be happy right now and for the rest of your life. It’s a choice. It’s a state of mind. Nothing has to happen to be happy. Not if you’ve chosen to be a naturally happy person. That way, no matter what your outcomes are in life, it doesn’t control your happiness. YOU control your happiness.
As for Wealth, it’s far more than money, although money is an important element. To say money isn’t important in life is crazy. It is important! That’s like me asking you, which is more important to you, your arm or your leg? They’re BOTH important.
But how much you need in order to be happy will vary from person to person. If you want more financial wealth, you’ll have to work harder at it. If you want more wealth in your relationships, you’ll have to work harder at that.
Life is much easier to deal with when you don’t have to worry about your monthly expenses. I help all of my clients reach that point sooner and safer.
Thanks again for your comments. I hope I’ll see you back here often.
Your friend,
Jeff
As one who is fighting depression, it took me ages to figure out that my biggest problem really is between my ears. When I get down, or I get upset about whatever has set me off that day, it really does come down to trying to remember that there’s really nothing wrong with me except my own thoughts about me. And it’s all cyclical. I sabotage myself.
Oh, for people to take personal responsibility for their successes and failures.
Succinct and well written! I’ll perhaps check back to see what else you have to say!
Jeff Fagin response:
Hi Sonya,
Our mind is our most valuable asset. Feeding it constantly with quality ideas and thoughts is the best possible way to grow yourself into the person you wish to become.
I hope you’ll check back here often. Read many of my old blog postings. Fill your mind with positive and constructive ideas on a daily basis.
Good luck Sonya,
Jeff
This was so informative for me. It really made me think and assess my way of dealing with life and decisions. I am so grateful that I read this posting. Thanks again.
Jeff Fagin response:
Hi Naturelovingkat,
Thank you for your comment. It made my day.
I hope you’ll come back here frequently and begin to learn the secrets to growing yourself into your ideal you.
All the best,
Jeff
Thanks for the great post. I think that a lot of people are going to be having “life chaning moments” now that so many people are getting laid off. I hope that they take a moment to analyze their situation and see how they can make more money doing some of the things you mentioned. Thanks!
Jeff Fagin response:
Hi Sam. I love your email address … very positive!
You’ve nailed it my friend. Even if you’ve been able to hold onto your job, if this isn’t a wake up call to get yourself in gear, nothing will. Best of all, there’s never been a BETTER time for the focused individual to achieve huge success in a few short years than today.
But most people will look for the fastest and easiest ways to survive. Everyone wants the get rich quick program. and I can tell you after 40 years of searching, that no such animal exists.
Anyone who truly wants wealth and abundance can have it. But there’s a price. Most people aren’t will to pay it. Many who are willing to pay it choose the wrong vehicle to get them there. They lose it all.
My mission is to keep you on the proven path to financial success. The same principles that will make you successful financially can be applied to every other area of your life, so that you become a successful person. That’s the goal, isn’t it?
Hope to see you back here Sam.
Jeff
I think this reflects quite well on the whole concept of “be the change you want to see.” I think you make a very good point about conditioned minds and, as a young adult, I feel it is really important that my generation be ready and willing to step out and change our lives, taking control of our own destinies and responsibility for them.
Jeff Fagin response:
Yes, of course Queen. Very well stated. That’s exactly the concept.
Your future success will be determined by the QUALITY of your thoughts. That’s why it’s so critical to develop the habit early in life with feeding your mind with new, quality information daily. Ideas that you can immediately put into action.
I’ve said this many times, but it bears repeating … making small incremental improvements in your life every day will lead to exponential growth and success in your life in the future. Develop the habit of questioning everything you say and do, and look for a better way.
This blog contains almost 40 years of study and real life experience in these areas. Everything you read here is me. I live it. I know it to be true.
Hope you’ll learn these philosophies for success too.
Thanks again Queen.
Jeff