The summer is over and I am now back to my blog and my focus on "The Reality of MakeBelieve." It has been a busy summer. In fact, I got married. I married my partner of 15 years as the state of New York Legalized same sex marriage. We had a wonderful wedding and are now moving forward with our plans for the next Salon for my play, Blacker. The Duke Ellington Center for the Arts is hosting a "salon" of the play at the Prince George Ballroom on Oct. 10, 2011. If you wish to come please let me know. Now to the continuation of my blog.
The Power of Controlled Focus
There is a power behind controlling your focus. Your focus is what you allow yourself to see. As you know what you focus on dictates the patterns of your behavior. Your emotions are controlled by how you let your body use your energy. As we’ve discussed your body has its own agenda, survival, and that is why you need to be aware of what you focus on and what might be causing that focus. Remember, your future is based on what you do in the present.
It makes no sense that you would focus on things that do not support your goals or insure your growth. And yet, often that appears to be the case. Do you find yourself focusing on thoughts such as, “I’ll never get that part.” or “I’ll never get a powerful agent” or, “nothing ever happens for me anyway.” When you allow yourself to think things like, “I’ll never have any luck with casting directors” or “I get nervous when I have to deal with the call back” you could well be instructing yourself to fail. In that case, your focus, indicated by your negative thoughts, is counterproductive.
Some people might suggest that when you say these things, whether to yourself or to others, you are really saying them in hopes that the negative verbalization be proven wrong. That way you would be, in essence, right. Where do you think someone could come up with this stunning idea? I must admit that I have often thought this way because fate seems to always prove me wrong so I’ll just ask for what I don’t want and then I’ll get what I want. However, that would be convoluted thinking, I’m afraid. There is no question that your brain does responds to your desires and requests.
Quantum Physics
Quantum Physics is the study of the space that floats around the molecules of all things. Quantum physics supports the probability that the space that seems to magically hold all things together can be influenced by human thoughts and desires. These thoughts and desires can activate the universal flow of energy. There are three steps to tap into life’s abundance.
Asking is the first step in the secret to obtaining all you desire from this world. The request should be based on what you want and it must be specific and clear in order for the universe to create the coincidences that will guide you to what you asked for.
Believing is the second step in the secret to obtaining all you desire from this world. You must believe that you have a birthright to what you desire. Your only responsibility is to create the actions necessary to allow the conduit of energy to flow.
Receiving is the third step in the secret to all you desire from this world. You must receive with love, gratitude and with the willingness to share and grow. Receiving must be an act of “right” not a sense of being “beholden”.
This could be known as the science of faith. I will discuss the power of the science of faith in the last chapter of this series of blogs. But, for the time being, let's just accept the the secret to the power of the universe is: Asking, Believing and Receiving.
Studies have been done that suggest that your verbalized desires, prayers if you will, are answered if the instructions are clear and the request is not tempered with doubt. That means that the verbalized desires are asked in the positive not in the negative form. With this understanding why would someone still allow themselves to focus on negating real experiences or verbalizing potential failure? The spiritual side of you, the side of you desiring to be better, to be wiser, to be accomplished and honored does not want to undermine itself with negative reinforcement. The spiritual side of you, the part of you that longs to be reunited with all that is of the Universe, the part of you that survives on love and thrives on compassion, that side of you does not wish to orchestrate its failure by replacing “I can” with “I can’t”.
There must be an answer here. It is my contention that this contradiction can be explained. You must consider that your brain, and its unfathomable ability to produce results, does not work on any logic other than the logic of instinct. If you tell your brain black is white that is the position with which your brain will operate. If you tell your brain to behave a certain way it will do as it is told. Your brain works to prove you right. It does not judge the wisdom or logic of your instruction, only the results. If you consider yourself a looser your brain will work diligently to prove you right. If you say you cannot get an agent your brain will work, without fail, to see to it that this is true.
This is the power of your focus. Focus is what the actor or the person allows him/herself to see. What you focus on dictates the patterns of your behavior. No purpose is served by allowing yourself to focus on certain thoughts that will result in your not getting what you really want. So it is important that you know that you are getting what you instruct your brain to deliver. This leaves you with the question of who’s calling the shots for your destiny. Who is running your life and who is controlling the focus of your thoughts. Is it the physical you, the you of the earth, or the spiritual, the you of the universe.
You must become aware of instructions you may give yourself daily that could be directing your brain to work against “the best you”. Over the next several weeks take your traveling notebook and write down each negative statement or instruction you give to yourself. Ask close friends or family to alert you when you use negative thoughts or opinions. I’m sure you would work to avoid any statement if you knew, in fact, that statement was demanding the defeat of your own dreams.
You might consider that what you focus on dictates what part of you is in control of your focus. As I have discussed, your brain and thus your focus are controlled by two competing forces. One is the earthly side of you that is dedicated to protecting your body from anything that might defocus energy of life for any purpose other than survival. The other is the spiritual side of you that wants to evolve as part of the growth of the human species.
You’ve certainly seen enough people whose lives have become disasters to know that obviously the brain is not dealing with only the thoughts that support “the best you”. If you believe that the statements you make to yourself will be evaluated and selected by your brain based on what is best for your growth and development, you are mistaken. If you believe your brain will select only those statements and comments that lead you toward health, happiness, and security, then you may find yourself mistaken. Your brain will not pick and choose the statements that lead to ultimate good. Your brain does not judge the effects of your thoughts it only responds to your requests.
There are ways to combat any negative thoughts. One of the techniques is to make two or more positive statements to every negative statement you catch yourself saying. You can use that with your Traveling Notebook exercise. Remember, your brain does not evaluate the motives behind your thoughts. It just follows instructions and, the irony is, it takes its orders without question, from the boss, you. Your brain does not second-guess you or try to analyze your motives or anticipate your desires. It just does as it is instructed. When you say you cannot get an acting job, it will prove you right. Your brain is there to support you.
You may believe that you’re responsible for your focus and, therefore, you have no problem with focusing on anything that supports your chosen goals. Well, this is only partially true.
It only works if you accept that the two parts of you have different agendas. You want to identify whose agenda wins out and has the power of focus and control over the life energy you share. Your brain listens to both sets of commands with equal authority. It cannot take sides as to whose desires are more important or whose wishes are to override the other. This can only be done by the conscious you.
This becomes the issue of focus. If the brain is not instructed to focus on those things that support your career goals then you run the risk of focus being on whatever draws attention to itself. Remember, non action is in itself an action.
Anything that even comes close to fear will take focus when conscious focus has not been instructed. Why would fear be so easy to draw focus? Well, as I discussed, the body’s natural instincts are to protect itself. It will do anything to keep your life energy in reserve for a fight or flight response to ensure defense from danger. The fear response represents danger.
The ability to control your state of mind and the emotional and physical turmoil that usually result from uncontrolled focus is a key to recognizing what needs to be changed in your life. This recognition should be controlled from perception to belief if you are to succeed as an actor and as a human being. From perception to belief means that you control how you perceive a situation. It means you have the power to alter, if necessary, any beliefs that have been controlling your focus in a non supportive fashion.
You can develop the power to take control of your actions that maintain the peace and joy that comes from your "best you" position. Directing and controlling your power of focus is the way to control your destiny.
Have a good week and know that,
I wish you well.
Russ
The Power of Controlled Focus
There is a power behind controlling your focus. Your focus is what you allow yourself to see. As you know what you focus on dictates the patterns of your behavior. Your emotions are controlled by how you let your body use your energy. As we’ve discussed your body has its own agenda, survival, and that is why you need to be aware of what you focus on and what might be causing that focus. Remember, your future is based on what you do in the present.
It makes no sense that you would focus on things that do not support your goals or insure your growth. And yet, often that appears to be the case. Do you find yourself focusing on thoughts such as, “I’ll never get that part.” or “I’ll never get a powerful agent” or, “nothing ever happens for me anyway.” When you allow yourself to think things like, “I’ll never have any luck with casting directors” or “I get nervous when I have to deal with the call back” you could well be instructing yourself to fail. In that case, your focus, indicated by your negative thoughts, is counterproductive.
Some people might suggest that when you say these things, whether to yourself or to others, you are really saying them in hopes that the negative verbalization be proven wrong. That way you would be, in essence, right. Where do you think someone could come up with this stunning idea? I must admit that I have often thought this way because fate seems to always prove me wrong so I’ll just ask for what I don’t want and then I’ll get what I want. However, that would be convoluted thinking, I’m afraid. There is no question that your brain does responds to your desires and requests.
Quantum Physics
Quantum Physics is the study of the space that floats around the molecules of all things. Quantum physics supports the probability that the space that seems to magically hold all things together can be influenced by human thoughts and desires. These thoughts and desires can activate the universal flow of energy. There are three steps to tap into life’s abundance.
Asking is the first step in the secret to obtaining all you desire from this world. The request should be based on what you want and it must be specific and clear in order for the universe to create the coincidences that will guide you to what you asked for.
Believing is the second step in the secret to obtaining all you desire from this world. You must believe that you have a birthright to what you desire. Your only responsibility is to create the actions necessary to allow the conduit of energy to flow.
Receiving is the third step in the secret to all you desire from this world. You must receive with love, gratitude and with the willingness to share and grow. Receiving must be an act of “right” not a sense of being “beholden”.
This could be known as the science of faith. I will discuss the power of the science of faith in the last chapter of this series of blogs. But, for the time being, let's just accept the the secret to the power of the universe is: Asking, Believing and Receiving.
Studies have been done that suggest that your verbalized desires, prayers if you will, are answered if the instructions are clear and the request is not tempered with doubt. That means that the verbalized desires are asked in the positive not in the negative form. With this understanding why would someone still allow themselves to focus on negating real experiences or verbalizing potential failure? The spiritual side of you, the side of you desiring to be better, to be wiser, to be accomplished and honored does not want to undermine itself with negative reinforcement. The spiritual side of you, the part of you that longs to be reunited with all that is of the Universe, the part of you that survives on love and thrives on compassion, that side of you does not wish to orchestrate its failure by replacing “I can” with “I can’t”.
There must be an answer here. It is my contention that this contradiction can be explained. You must consider that your brain, and its unfathomable ability to produce results, does not work on any logic other than the logic of instinct. If you tell your brain black is white that is the position with which your brain will operate. If you tell your brain to behave a certain way it will do as it is told. Your brain works to prove you right. It does not judge the wisdom or logic of your instruction, only the results. If you consider yourself a looser your brain will work diligently to prove you right. If you say you cannot get an agent your brain will work, without fail, to see to it that this is true.
This is the power of your focus. Focus is what the actor or the person allows him/herself to see. What you focus on dictates the patterns of your behavior. No purpose is served by allowing yourself to focus on certain thoughts that will result in your not getting what you really want. So it is important that you know that you are getting what you instruct your brain to deliver. This leaves you with the question of who’s calling the shots for your destiny. Who is running your life and who is controlling the focus of your thoughts. Is it the physical you, the you of the earth, or the spiritual, the you of the universe.
You must become aware of instructions you may give yourself daily that could be directing your brain to work against “the best you”. Over the next several weeks take your traveling notebook and write down each negative statement or instruction you give to yourself. Ask close friends or family to alert you when you use negative thoughts or opinions. I’m sure you would work to avoid any statement if you knew, in fact, that statement was demanding the defeat of your own dreams.
You might consider that what you focus on dictates what part of you is in control of your focus. As I have discussed, your brain and thus your focus are controlled by two competing forces. One is the earthly side of you that is dedicated to protecting your body from anything that might defocus energy of life for any purpose other than survival. The other is the spiritual side of you that wants to evolve as part of the growth of the human species.
You’ve certainly seen enough people whose lives have become disasters to know that obviously the brain is not dealing with only the thoughts that support “the best you”. If you believe that the statements you make to yourself will be evaluated and selected by your brain based on what is best for your growth and development, you are mistaken. If you believe your brain will select only those statements and comments that lead you toward health, happiness, and security, then you may find yourself mistaken. Your brain will not pick and choose the statements that lead to ultimate good. Your brain does not judge the effects of your thoughts it only responds to your requests.
There are ways to combat any negative thoughts. One of the techniques is to make two or more positive statements to every negative statement you catch yourself saying. You can use that with your Traveling Notebook exercise. Remember, your brain does not evaluate the motives behind your thoughts. It just follows instructions and, the irony is, it takes its orders without question, from the boss, you. Your brain does not second-guess you or try to analyze your motives or anticipate your desires. It just does as it is instructed. When you say you cannot get an acting job, it will prove you right. Your brain is there to support you.
You may believe that you’re responsible for your focus and, therefore, you have no problem with focusing on anything that supports your chosen goals. Well, this is only partially true.
It only works if you accept that the two parts of you have different agendas. You want to identify whose agenda wins out and has the power of focus and control over the life energy you share. Your brain listens to both sets of commands with equal authority. It cannot take sides as to whose desires are more important or whose wishes are to override the other. This can only be done by the conscious you.
This becomes the issue of focus. If the brain is not instructed to focus on those things that support your career goals then you run the risk of focus being on whatever draws attention to itself. Remember, non action is in itself an action.
Anything that even comes close to fear will take focus when conscious focus has not been instructed. Why would fear be so easy to draw focus? Well, as I discussed, the body’s natural instincts are to protect itself. It will do anything to keep your life energy in reserve for a fight or flight response to ensure defense from danger. The fear response represents danger.
The ability to control your state of mind and the emotional and physical turmoil that usually result from uncontrolled focus is a key to recognizing what needs to be changed in your life. This recognition should be controlled from perception to belief if you are to succeed as an actor and as a human being. From perception to belief means that you control how you perceive a situation. It means you have the power to alter, if necessary, any beliefs that have been controlling your focus in a non supportive fashion.
You can develop the power to take control of your actions that maintain the peace and joy that comes from your "best you" position. Directing and controlling your power of focus is the way to control your destiny.
Have a good week and know that,
I wish you well.
Russ
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