It has been suggested by some marketing/sales gurus that Dr. Ellen Langer, a social psychologist at Harvard University, in a series of behavioral studies, demonstrated that when we ask someone to do us a favor we will be far more successful if it is accompanied with the word “because” followed by a reason. It is interesting to note however, that Langer never arrived at this conclusion.

In her experiments, Langer and other participants walked up to individuals at the front of a line for making photocopies and asked them if they could cut ahead. When they simply asked to use the copy machine without providing a reason the compliance rate was approximately 60%. However, when the request was made accompanied by a reason it generated a 94% compliance rate.

Those who interpreted the study concluded that it did not seem to matter what the reason was, just as long as there was one. Some went so far as to state that those of us in the English speaking world have been conditioned since childhood to respond to the word “because” as an unconsciously powerful trigger.

However, the intent of Ellen Langer’s study was not to prove the power of “reasons” or of the word “because”. The point of her exercise was to determine the degree to which humans conduct themselves in a mindless state where they fail to distinguish legitimate reasons from illegitimate ones. She observed that in everyday life we often run on automatic pilot, paying little attention to the events unfolding around us. This mindlessness increases when we are involved with routine or repetitive tasks.

For example, at a restaurant a busy cashier may ask you: “How was everything?”. You may respond: “Not good. The steak was overcooked, the potato was cold, and the waitress ignored my requests for extra napkins and water.” Because she is immersed in her routine she replies: “Excellent! Here’s your change. Enjoy the rest of your day.”

Similarly, in her mindlessness experiments Dr. Langer phrased her question in multiple ways: “Excuse me, I have five pages to copy. May I use the machine because I am in a rush?”. “Excuse me, I have five pages to copy, may I use the machine?”. “Excuse me, I have five pages to copy, may I use the machine because I have to make copies?” In most cases, those in the front of the line complied with her request regardless of how it was phrased.

What she proved was that any excuse worked, not due to the word “because” nor to the reason that followed but due to the impact or meaning of the request upon the subject. As long as the request was considered a minor one, people paid little attention and complied. However, this mindless compliance shifted to mindful objections when she made much larger requests such as “I have to make 20 copies”. This showed that when the subjects felt the request was excessive, causing a substantial inconvenience in the moment, they were more attentive to the quality of the reason provided. The idea of “because” being a word of power and influence was never discussed. In fact, Dr. Langer proved it had little to no impact.

“Because” is not alone in its impotence. Just as with any grammatical device, the word has only a function within the structure of the sentence. In this case, “because” is a conjunction. Other conjunctive and disjunctive devices such as: “and”, “or”, “neither,” “both,” “yet,” “so,” and “for” do not describe things or ideas but rather index relationships between things and ideas. They are essential connective tools to facilitate logic and reason, and nothing more.

In fact, there are no special, hidden powers in most words. The real power is in the overall meaning being delivered. The only time words have impact and power is when those interpreting the words within a specific setting or context assign significant meaning to them. Therefore, the power of words lies with the listener or reader themselves.

Finally, if you are one who has used the “Because” technique in the past and have found it to be effective, consider the idea that it was your strong belief in the power of a word that gave you the confidence you needed to be effective.

The post The Importance Impotence of the Word “Because” appeared first on Authentic Systems.

The above statement which was taken from the popular Urban Dictionary reveals the current and most common viewpoint of what a sociopath is. However, there is a great deal of confusion and a tendency to use it as a catch-all term for any kind of anti-social behavior.

It’s interesting to note that the majority of searches on Google concerning the term “sociopath” seem to revolve around trying to assess whether or not an individual (a child, spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend, brother, sister or other intimate acquaintance) is a sociopath. Here is a sampling of actual search phrases that people are using:

• characteristics of a sociopath
• list of character traits of sociopaths
• sociopath profile
• cure for sociopath
• relationship with a sociopath
• i married a sociopath
• married a sociopath
• how to identify a sociopath
• in love with a sociopath
• child sociopath

The above search terms also reveal the desperation people have about the dysfunctions they find in others they are in relationship with. The problem is that all too often when someone we know; appears to be charismatic yet does not seem to care about our wants and needs, we may be quick to question if that person may be a sociopath.

It could be that a person who seemingly thinks only of themselves is simply exhibiting some narcissistic trait. Perhaps someone who demands attention and exaggerates their emotions has what’s known as Histrionic Personality Disorder. Or perhaps a person who shirks their responsibilities and blames others may simply be suffering from Responsibility Deficit Disorder.

Understand that we are not attempting to excuse or minimize the damaging effects that these people have on others around them but rather we are trying to open up your mind to another possibility.

Could it be, that most of the people we find extremely challenging and difficult to deal with are simply just extroverts in the purest sense?

The Confusion Over Extroversion

The first step is to accurately define extroversion as well as introversion. Unfortunately, pop-psychology has spun their own interpretation of Carl Jung’s extroversion and introversion notions to the point where an extrovert is now known as one possessing an “expressive and socially outgoing attitude” and an Introvert as one possessing a “reserved and socially seclusive attitude”. This has become a very pervasive and commonly held (albeit incorrect) definition of extroversion and introversion.

This wrong interpretation has also led to another unfortunate consequence namely, the idea that being extroverted is what everyone should try to be. The connotation is that extroverts are fun to be around, get things done, open doors of opportunities for themselves and others and are the movers and shakers of our society. Whereas, if you’re an introvert, well you should probably take a class or two to learn to come out of your shell because the whole world is passing you by.

This isn’t trivial. Since this incorrect understanding exists, is pervasive and because personality tests for employment are based on it, a person can find themselves passed over for a job they were perfectly suited for, given the wrong advice by a counselor, advisor or coach or even pursue an entirely wrong career path.

 The Correct Definition of Extroversion and Introversion

Carl Jung defines the notions of extroversion and introversion simply as; “how we relate to the external world”.

Introverts prefer the internal criteria for assessing reality. They internalize the external world by weighing things against their own internal gauge and are preoccupied with promoting their own internal “well-being”. Being socially seclusive, shy or reserved has nothing to do with an introverted state of expression.

Extroverts prefer the external criteria for assessing reality. They take the external world at face value since they have no natural internal gauge. They are preoccupied with promoting their own external “well-being”. Being socially outgoing, gregarious or talkative has nothing to do with an extroverted state of expression.

To illustrate the difference between the two, sit an extrovert and an introvert down in a room and tell them both: “You did a great job!” what takes place next are two distinct reactions.

The extrovert will likely take it as “the truth” and walk away with a truly validated sense of competency knowing they did a great job.

The introvert however will walk away pondering and weighing the statement against their own internal yard-stick and may question your reason for making the statement such as: “Did I really do a good job? Are they just saying that to be nice?”

Extrovert Characteristics

Contrary to popular belief, an extrovert is not simply a person who is friendly and outgoing.

In its simplest form, an extrovert is a person whose energy is drained by being alone and is re-energized by being with other people.

Extroverts tend to become easily bored when there is no one around. Given a choice, they would rather talk with someone, even a stranger rather than sit and be alone with their own thoughts for hours. They are extrospective and are stimulated by their outside environment namely by interacting with other people.

Extroverts have no natural internal gauge of empathy and are incapable of seeing reality from the position of another person. Thus, they can trample on the feelings of others with no forthcoming apology. That is, provided this “trampling” occurred within the confines of a socially agreed upon system, with socially known rules, regulations, procedures or laws.

These established systems and rules are necessary in order for the extrovert to have a sense of security and are used by them as an artificial gauge by which they can determine what to do or not to do in various circumstances.

Extroverts believe what has been presented to them as fact must be true. In moments of anger or frustration they have no problem in revealing private information they believe to be true simply to make a point or to win an argument.

When it comes to intimacy their non-empathetic nature can be a source of frustration since they can’t easily “read” others. They cannot feel the moment and connect with it. For them much of life is a sort of game with specific rules for specific situations where a deeper sense of connection with humanity is beyond their grasp.

Misunderstanding the Extrovert

Extroverts tend to over process what they are about to say which enables them to bypass emotion and remain objective which in turn can be interpreted by others as withholding. This over processing can also stop them from accurately conveying their true emotional state resulting in further misunderstandings.

Additionally, because of this over processing they make what they feel is the best decisions for all involved in the moment therefore they often do not feel shameful or guilty over too many things which can have negative consequences for their relationships.

When extroverts do finally speak their mind and let their emotions loose it is a veritable explosion. It is as if the dam just broke and all that has been suppressed over hours, days, weeks, months or years flows over. This ”dam” is a self-imposed psychological boundary the extrovert has interpreted from what they feel society or culture says is and is not an acceptable way of expressing ones emotions. However, the bursting of the dam is a moment of intense emotionality which is necessary for their psyche to come into balance. To an outside observer the extrovert has just lost control and is exhibiting borderline pathological symptoms.

 The Importance of the Extrovert

Extroverts are essential for our community. They have the capacity to hide their inner feelings until the time is appropriate. Extroverts excel as surgeons, lawyers, ER nurses, airline pilots, police, soldiers or any other positions of intense responsibility or authority, where any immediate emotional reaction would be a liability.

For example, a police officer must be able to detach themselves from fear in order to follow through with what needs to be done in the moment. It is not that the officer is unaware of fear but rather their natural disposition and objectivity enables them to be detached in the moment. However, after the intense situation is over they will typically be openly expressive about it.

Now imagine if your husband, wife or significant other exhibited the same lack of emotional display in the middle of discussing something emotionally significant or intense for you? In that moment, you may find yourself pondering the idea of whether or not they might be a “sociopath”.

Introvert Characteristics

Contrary to popular belief an introvert is not simply a person who is either shy, withdrawn or anti-social.

In fact, being shy has very little to do with being introverted. Shyness carries an element of apprehension, nervousness and anxiety with it that both introverts or extroverts can suffer from.

In its simplest form, an introvert is a person whose energy is drained by being around other people and is re-energized by being alone.

Introverts are concerned with the inner world of the mind. They enjoy thinking and exploring their thoughts and feelings. An introvert may have good social skills, may enjoy and seek out frequent association with friends and family but after being with people for any length of time they need time alone to “recharge.” They are introspective and are stimulated by their inside environment namely by their feelings and the meaning and understanding those feelings provide.

Often an introvert’s topic of conversation revolves around ideas and their deeper meaning and not what they might consider to be trivial, shallow or small talk.

Misunderstanding the Introvert

When introvert’s want to be alone, this is not by itself, a sign of sadness, depression or anti-social behavior. Generally, it simply means that they need some time to be alone with their own thoughts. Being with people, even people they really like and are extremely comfortable with, can prevent them from the necessity of being quietly introspective.

Introversion and a lack of being assertive are not connected. Introverts use their energy of moral standing to direct and generate results. Often they are the “movers” and “shakers” in society since they are very well connected and in touch with their passions.

Since Introvert internalizes the external world they are not likely to become police officers or EMTs. Their emotions are just too deeply attached to the external environment. For them, reality comes at them with intense emotional interpretation that a policeman or EMT cannot afford to express in the moment of handling an emergency.

The Importance of the Introvert

Introverts are essential for our community. They are our inventors, creators, innovators and writers which contribute to our overall social philosophy of life. They sympathize as well as empathize with others in such a way as to elevate our life experience. They live a very full life connecting and relating to others. Generally speaking introverts make the best actors, salespeople and counselors.

In The End There is No Preferred Way to Be

Neither being an extrovert (extrospective) nor being an introvert (introspective) is preferable to the other. It’s simply your style of viewing and making sense of the world around you. However, knowing “who you are” as well as “who you are not” can make an enormous difference in your life. It helps tremendously in communicating with others and in improving relationships. It can aid you in finding a comfortable niche in society eliminating the guess work from who you “should be” and what you “should do” in your life.

With regard to whether or not you might be living with a sociopath…well…we think you should leave that determination up to a skilled professional.

Might you be an Introvert? Click here if you are ready to bring about more peace, contentment and balance into your life.

Click here if you are ready to take control and gain more mastery over your life.

The post Is He a Sociopath or Simply an Extrovert? appeared first on Authentic Systems.

So say the fear mongers as they spin fairy-tales about the demise of the lowly sales professional due to the “Information Age”.

I’m here to declare: “The sales professional will never be replaced!”

It seems, some Internet sales gurus are trying to sell us on the idea that the net will soon completely replace the sales professional.

It is true that when a new technology comes along it can take jobs away from the selling traditions of the past, but when this happens most sales professionals simply move on and begin selling in other niches.

The peddlers of fear are simply self promoting. They want the public to believe they have “the new secret” that will dramatically change sales careers of the future. They warn that we had better buy their selling systems or find ourselves quickly unemployed. They are even so bold as to say the  removal of the professional salesperson has already begun.

Seasoned salespeople have seen this scare tactic before.The fact is, people have been predicting the demise of the salesperson since the early 20th Century.

Back to The Future

In 1916 a New York Times article asked “Are Salesman Necessary?” From their point of view printing and distribution had become so efficient and railroads along with telegraph and telephone lines crisscrossed all over the US causing news to spread at a rate never seen before in history. Therefore, they wondered why would you need a salesperson?

In the 1920’s a similar notion was entertained due to the widespread use of the radio and then again In 1955 when Time magazine asked “Radio: Death of the Salesman?”

In the late 50’s and early 60’s, television sales exploded and advertisers began stepping up their TV advertising efforts. Most major television stations began selling  their early am time slots at a huge discount to advertisers who began promoting their products to the sleepless. Witnessing these changes, E. B. Weiss wrote a book called “The Vanishing Salesman” (1962). Weiss explained that through pre-qualifying, pre-selling, and branding the salesman is destined to be eliminated. He noted that for the past 50 years due to trade magazines, books, and radio, it was increasingly clear that commission based cold call sales would soon be a thing of the past.

It’s now the 21st century. We have new technology that our parents and grand parents would never have dreamed of and sales professionals are still being paid commissions for cold call selling.

To assume that the knowledgeable sales professional is fading away due to the Internet comes from misunderstanding the very nature of both commerce and the net.

Information vs. Knowledge

The Internet is full of information but “human experience” and the knowledge gained from experience is far, far different.

The first thing to note is that selling is a brief abstract moment in time and everything prior to this should be classified as marketing. Marketing provides information.

A scientific experiment can generate information and facts but only the individuals who conducted the experiment will hold the knowledge surrounding all that information.
Information can easily be transferred to anyone at any time, gathered, labeled, organized, and packaged. Information is a byproduct of an experienced human who held the original knowledge that the information sprang from.

Information is not knowledge. Information cannot instruct us on how to use information.
The vast difference between information (knowing what) and knowledge (knowing how) has been well documented in behavioral science. Knowledge cannot be transferred from one human to another. If an individual desires to become knowledgeable it must spring forth from within them based upon their own experience while processing the information in their mind.

That is why experts have been warning us that as we migrate to an Internet-based society, we must be increasingly careful with how we put to use all of this information.

The Internet bombards us with information and we are given little to no experienced direction on how to deal with it. That is why more so than ever, people need a knowledgeable person such as a sales agent to assimilate, understand and make sense out of this avalanche of data for us.

Internet marketing done correctly draws interest to the product or service as intended. However, Internet marketing only offers information and is not conducive to answering real, meaningful questions.

When we do have questions that are not addressed by a company’s website, we contact “Support,” join their “User Forum” or call their “Customer Service Number” seeking answers from an actual human with some knowledge and experience in the matter.

How frustrated do you get when you desperately seek answers, call into “Customer Support” and are forced to listen to an artificial human (computer) which sends you down an endless corridor of voice menu options only to hang up on you when you make an incorrect selection?

Online shopping is easy when you know exactly what you want, perhaps a very specific product with great name recognition, but what do you do when faced with competing products or services with equal value?  This is where human interaction is absolutely essential before making a decision to buy.

Selling is a two-way street where a knowledgeable salesperson guides you through a (Q and A) session. Here are just a few ways where information delivered through marketing and advertising fails but where knowledgeable selling succeeds:

The post Myth of The Dying Salesman appeared first on Authentic Systems.

What Is Authentic Systems and What Can It Do For You?

This video provides you with a brief glimpse into Authentic Systems and how it empowers individuals with the knowledge of who they truly are at the deepest possible level.  Armed with this new knowledge about yourself, you will be able to take back control of your life and create your own customized path to happiness, fulfillment and success.

The post Video: Self Discovery & Personal Power appeared first on Authentic Systems.

Is Motivation Really Motivation?

What they have done is confuse enthusiasm for motivation, and all of us get to pay the price for that confusion, especially managers and employees. So what is enthusiasm?

Enthusiasm is defined as eagerness, fervor, zeal, passion, or devotion. It is a temporary emotion. Temporary in the sense that it can only be sustained for a brief period of time, until it is either replaced by another emotion or a sustained feeling. (See the article: The Difference Between Emotions and Feelings.) That is why you can go to any number of so called “motivational seminars” get really “pumped” only to have that enthusiasm and energy fade away after a few days. It’s an emotional high that lasts only a short while until you are right back where you left off and once again in need of another seminar. What you are really experiencing at such seminars is a form of social hysteria, albeit in a positive form. What these events should be called is “Enthusiasm Seminars”.

Employee Motivation.

One of the main areas of our life where motivation becomes a subject of contention and confusion is the workplace. It often starts with the numbers. Profits are down and a company looks internally for the cause. Upper management gets leaned on and squeezes middle management who then pressures lower management who in turn accuse employees of not having enough motivation.The solution is usually a motivational seminar, workshop, or other program to get everyone fired up and back up to peak performance.

Thus, motivation gets treated as if it were a skill one can learn. (See the article: What is Motivation) However, with such training, a downward spiral soon begins that is fraught with confusion, distress, and self sabotage. As explained earlier, programs such as an “Motivational (Enthusiasm) Seminar” have only temporary effects. You can only sustain your enthusiasm for just so long. Inevitably, your enthusiasm wanes. When this happens you’ll typically ask yourself: “What’s wrong with me?” Doubt, and a lack of confidence follows and the stress builds. Does this sound familiar to you?

Understand that there is nothing wrong with you, and there is nothing to fix. You are actually behaving normally. The problems lies with our culture’s inaccurate understanding of motivation.

Motivation is not a learned skill. Natural motivation is very simply: The full expression of your state of “being”. Natural motivation is the energy that compels you to leave your bed each morning. It’s a deep seated, propelling need to express your unique existence to the world.

Therefore, for anyone to teach that motivation is a learned skill of “doing”, demonstrates a lack of understanding of the basic function of motivation. This is the reason why so many people are confused about motivation and why pop-psychology continues to design inherently flawed testing methods, books, seminars, and workshops which sadly point people down the wrong path.

Westernized cultures (Particularly Americans), live in a capitalistic society that cannot afford to define motivation as simply a state of “being”. That is why Motivational Gurus, do not use Mother Teresa as an example of what it means to be motivated even though she is a fine example of natural, authentic motivation. From their prospective, there is simply no profit to be had in using her as an example of what it truly means to be motivated.

The Solution to Employee Motivation in the Workplace.

The answer to employee motivation in the workplace is natural and always effective. Simply put, if you enjoy what you do for work, there is no need to seek out motivation because it is already present. If any professional feels the need to attend a “Motivational Seminar,” they should seriously consider another profession. Imagine for a moment that your surgeon is running late to your pre-surgery consultation, because he, or she has yet to return from a “motivational seminar”. How might you feel? For that matter, what might you do? Would you still go under the knife?

Motivation comes naturally to each of us from a deep level within. No one should have to go out and find their motivation. Your motivation is not somewhere out there, it’s intrinsic, It’s within you. Ask yourself why plumbers, carpenters, electricians, doctors, computer technicians, and in fact most professionals do not have a desperate need to attend motivational seminars in order to get fired up to do their job.

The real secret to all this, is to discover the exact style of motivation you already posses. It is as if, you were given a unique set of prescription glasses through which you see a reality all your own. It is that prescription which dictates how you should live life and what career you should pursue. We call this your Life Theme. Discovering it and learning how it guides you is vital in creating meaningful, sustainable change in your personal and business life.

It is through discovering who employees are at their very core that management will be able to generate natural and effective motivation in the workplace. Managers who discover their own Life Theme as well as that of their employees, are capable of building dynamic, highly productive and profitable teams where everyone has a greater sense of fulfillment and sustained cooperation. Management will also know which projects should be delegated to which individuals in order to attain the highest level of productivity. Each person will be able to maximize their Authentic Expression with each project, completely by-passing the typical, costly debating and negotiating process. No longer will ego-battles slow down production and cause inner-office struggle.

Knowing your Life Theme and what specifically motivates you naturally, as well as knowing the same about those who work with you on a day to day basis is not only the best solution for employee motivation in the workplace, we feel it is the future of business.

Click here if you are ready to bring about more peace, contentment and balance into your life.

Click here if you are ready to take back control and gain mastery over your life.

The post Employee Motivation in the Workplace appeared first on Authentic Systems.

So, why should you be concerned with the difference between emotions and feelings anyway? Because the way you behave in this world, is the end result of your feelings and emotions. Learning the difference can provide you with a better understanding of not only yourself,  but of the people around you.

What are Emotions?

According to Carl Jung, objects draw and invoke emotions. This is a natural phenomenon, and is essential for human survival. When you encounter an unknown, you may have a range of sensations such as: curiosity or fear. When you give that unknown a name, it becomes a significant symbol of meaning. It is through this process that emotions become attached to every object in the universe. When some object is given a name, it not only becomes a “thing”, it also becomes something of “meaning”. On a daily basis these emotions can be as subtle as: “like”, “dislike” or “ambivalence”. Even a state of ambivalence is nevertheless a state of meaning. Therefore, to put it simply: Nothing, is ever meaningless.

Emotions offer the sense of life itself. Emotions deliver the message: “The external world (beyond your body) matters”. It delivers a sense of life as an abstract, metaphysical idea. Art is a solid example of this. A work of art represents the artist’s own emotional perspective of life. What you value in life, and the choices you make are the results of your likes and dislikes, understood by their emotional attachment.

Your sense of life is an emotional form, in which your world experience finds value, your reason for existence and defines your relationship with other things that exists. Emotions are an abstract, metaphysical state of mind; they are essential impressions of the world, and your relationship with it. Emotions establish your attitude toward reality, and provides your drive for all of life’s pleasures.

Additionally, these emotions are connected to your biological systems, and are designed to alert you of danger, or to draw you to something pleasurable. If you did not possess emotions, you would carelessly walk right up to a lion in the Savanna wilderness. If starving, you would not have the motivation needed to climb a tree, and pick it’s fruit to eat.

Protection of Body Identity Through Emotion.

To illustrate this principle, lets use the encounter with a lion in the Savanna wilderness.

1. Awareness. You must first be aware of an objects presence. Your awareness of the lion is an emotional eliciting stimulus.
2. Body Change. These changes are in the form of innate body signals. In this example it is fight or flight. Adrenaline begins coursing throughout the blood stream, your muscles are ready for action. Your heart rate and breathing also increases.
3. Interpretation. You must interpret the correct reaction in order to preserve your identity. Based upon all the available information in your surroundings, as well as any previous learned knowledge or skill, will you take flight, or will you stay and fight?
4. Action. Now you execute your decision.

Change of Context, Change of Emotion.

Imagine the same scenario except now, you are in the zoo, and there are bars between you and the lion. Your sensations may range anywhere from curiosity, to appreciation or admiration over the beauty of the animal. More than likely, fear would not be present. Your new awareness now includes the bars, which provide the emotional idea of separation, and protection.

Protection of Mind Identity Through Emotion.

To illustrate, imagine that you found a love letter in your spouses coat from a co-worker in the office.

1. Awareness. You become aware that a life altering situation exists by reading the content of the letter. Your awareness of a “love letter” to your spouse is an emotional eliciting stimulus.
2. Body Change. You feel your body react. Adrenaline begins coursing throughout your blood stream, your muscles tense up for action. Your heart rate and breathing drastically increase. You begin to perspire, and feel sick to your stomach.
3. Interpretation. You must interpret the correct reaction in order to preserve your identity. You begin to process the situation cognitively, drawing on all of your knowledge that applies to the moment. You become angry due to the betrayal. Based upon your personal beliefs, life goals, and the degree of importance of the betrayal, you make a decision on how to confront the situation.
4. Action. Now you execute your decision.

Change of Context, Change of Emotion.

Now, imagine that you discover that the letter was in fact given to your spouse by a distraught co-worker, who found it in their spouses coat. Your interpretation of the meaning of the letter has now changed. Anger gives way to relief.

Your sense of identity is physical but at the same time mental. Both of the above example illustrate how emotions serve as a trigger to ensure survival of self, but it is the second example that illustrates a far more important point.

You have a sense of mental identity in the form of unchanging beliefs that you identify with. It is this cluster of ideas that are essential in order to preserve your sense of “self”. It is the: “who you are” in the world that you must protect at all costs.

As a spouse living in a particular culture and economic environment, you must preserve the dignity of self as defined by that culture. Dignity comes in the form of an Authentic state of wholeness, with all its frailties and inadequacies. Regardless of the errors you make in life, you must maintain a sense of a single self.

Finally, emotions are intense but temporary. To have them be any other way would be far too stressful on your body! The constant stress would eventually lead to some very serious physical, and mental ailments.

What are Feelings?

As the objects in your world induce emotions within you, they are collected in the subconscious and begin to accumulate. This is especially so when the events are repeated. Ultimately they form a  final emotional conclusion about life, how to live it, and more importantly, how to survive physically and mentally in a world of chaos. When this happens a feeling is born. In this way, emotions serve as a sort of, “Feelings Factory”.

Once feelings are established, they often feed back into your emotions to produce the appropriate result to ensure survivability.

Imagine you observe your child approaching an electrical outlet with a paper clip in hand. Your sustained feeling of love for your child, will generate the temporary emotion of fear, and you quickly act by yelling “No!” and swatting your child’s hand away from the outlet. Perhaps your child responds with surprise and anger, and defiantly attempts to insert the paperclip into the outlet again. Your sustained feeling of love for your child, may generate the temporary emotion of anger because your child is expressing stubbornness, and disrespect to your attempts at preserving his or her life.

Here is another example. Imagine that a professional snake handler offers you an opportunity to hold a snake. You may project the “Joy”, of touching the snake, because you really want the experience and the sensations that go along with it. However, you have difficulty moving past the”Fear”, of potentially getting bit. Your solution? To approach the situation with great caution. Caution is a sustainable feeling that is the balance point between two temporary, emotional potentialities. Namely, that of “Fear”, and “Joy”.

Feelings are products of emotions. But unlike short term, intense emotions, feelings are: low-key, stable and sustained over time.

The Differences of Emotions and Feelings in a Nutshell:

What Does This All Mean For You Personally?

The difference between emotions and feelings is crucial to your personal growth. If you are dissatisfied in your life, know that there is really nothing wrong with you, and there is nothing to fix. Rather, there is only something to discover about yourself. Authentic Systems can aid you in that discovery. The uniqueness of your feelings can provide you with a new understanding, that can lead to many positive changes for you.

Click here if you are ready to bring about more peace, contentment and balance into your life.

Click here if you are ready to take back control and gain mastery over your life.

The post Difference Between Emotions and Feelings appeared first on Authentic Systems.

This was the birth of the “Real You” and “true inner self”. This “Life Theme” provided you with a very personalized belief system from which you derive all meaning, purpose, understanding and motivation. From this moment on you would spend the rest of your life validating it as the “one and only belief system” worthy of any recognition.

The Duality of Self

Just as your physical brain is divided into two hemispheres that work synergistically together, there also exist two distinct sides of your mind: An Authentic and Synthetic Identity.

Your Authentic Side

Your Authentic Identity is the moral stand you take regarding what you feel is “Right and Wrong”. It provides you with stability and structure in “being” and is evident by the commitments you have made in your life.  This Authentic Side of your identity is the unchanging “Real You” which has but one single purpose: To express your existence to the world. In essence it states: “I exist, I am unique,  I matter and I make a difference.”

Your Synthetic Side

To achieve this authentic declaration to the world, your Life Theme employs another facet of your overall identity called the Synthetic Identity. It was selected by you as a channel or medium for you to express just how you should and should not act or behave in the world.

Your Synthetic Side is “synthetic” (not in a fake or artificial sense) in the sense that it is a synthesis or the drawing together of all physical possibilities available to you for expression.

This is the moral stand you take regarding life as to what is “Good and Bad”. It is your social expression of “doing”. Your Synthetic side is the ever-changing, “Flexible You” and is an extension of your stable Authentic Sides expression.

This is what attracts others to you and is a cause for establishing personal and business relationships. It is also responsible for your emotional fulfillment and moments of joy in your life. It is this Synthetic side of your identity that helps you to meet all the challenges you face in an ever-changing, and demanding world.

The Impact of Knowing Your Life Theme and Who You Really Are

These two sides of your identity work synergistically together and are responsible for all the successes in your life. They provide the reasons for the way you think, the opinions and beliefs you hold, the way you behave, your sense of style, even what causes you to be happy, angry or sad.

Knowledge and understanding of  your particular Life Theme with its Authentic and Synthetic sides is vital if you desire to make any real improvement and progress in your life and really sustain it.

A Unique Methodology

This advanced knowledge and methodology can not be found anywhere else other than through Authentic Systems. It is the culmination of 30 years of extensive research, theory and practical, real world application.

This revolutionary approach to understanding your true identity is substantiated by over 550 academically recognized books representing over 1000 experts in their respective fields, such as; psychology, epistemology, ethics, morality, linguistics, sociology, symbology, neuropsychology, phenomenology, existentialism, cognitive neuroscience, quantum psychology, psychophysiology and philosophy. An extensive list of reference sources can be found at Authentic Bibliography: The Knowledge That Leads to the Real You.

Click here if you are ready to bring about more peace, contentment and balance into your life.

Click here if you are ready to take back control and gain mastery over your life.

The post Birth of The Real You: The Two Sides of Your Identity appeared first on Authentic Systems.

This can also be applied to those who found success. It doesn’t matter what steps they took, the results would have been the same. The reason is success is an expression of the Authentic cause within each unique individual. Success is not achieved by following any set of steps or following any group of principals or assuming any archetype. That is why so called formulas for success continue to produce less than satisfactory results. Success (much like happiness) is not something you can put on a “to do” list, but rather it is a “state of being”.

A real simple approach to learning how to become successful is to read about those who you believe have attained your life’s dreams. By considering people who satisfy your definition of success you will find there is only one cause that they all share and that is persistence.

Short Stories of Successful Failures

According to “The Secret of Success is Not a Secret,” by Darcy Andries, Tenacity or being persistent in maintaining, or seeking something valued or desired is the name of the game. Here are just a few examples from her book:

Clint Eastwood
Actor, Director and Producer was fired early in his career. Universal studio executives told him, “You have a chipped tooth, your Adam’s apple sticks out to far and you talk to slow.” He supported himself through odd jobs then starred in an Italian movie called, “A Fist Full of Dollars.” It was a huge success and the director had him also star in, “A Few Dollars More” and “The Good, Bad and Ugly.” Once released worldwide, he became an international star.

Walt Disney
Walt began with entrepreneurial failures early in life and was forced into bankruptcy. He was also fired by a newspaper editor as he “had no good ideas.” Working against his critics, he spent 4 years in the production of “Snow White and the Sever Dwarfs” costing $1.5 million dollars in 1938, almost causing his second business to end in bankruptcy. Since releasing Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1939, the movie has earned over $400 million dollars. Walt Disney also holds the record for receiving the most Academy Awards, twenty-six, with sixty-four nominations.

Albert Einstein
Albert was suspected of being mentally retarded while in elementary school due to his poor performance. Most considered him to be a failure with no future. Later he failed the entrance exam into the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and his doctoral dissertation was rejected as “irrelevant and fanciful.” He was recognized only after “The Special Theory of Relativity” was published. In 1921 Einstein received the Nobel Prize in Physics.

David Letterman
David was fired as an Indianapolis weatherman. He later landed ordinary roles on two television programs that were both canceled only after a few episodes. Another series was to be called “Leave it to Dave,” however it never aired. He then had a morning show called, “The David Letterman Show,” which was canceled after four months. Dave was finally offered the “Late Night with David Letterman” which earned five Emmy Awards and thirty five Emmy nominations. He later moved to CBS to host “The Late Show” which earned nine Emmy Awards and more than fifty Emmy nominations.

Clark Gable
Clark worked for 10 years trying to get the attention of Hollywood. Working in small theater productions he traveled form Ohio to Oregon. He sold ties to make a living. His first screen test for MGM was a failure and he was forced to find work as an extra in silent movies. He left the movies and returned to the stage. He auditioned for Warner Brothers but was again turned down. They thought his ears were too big. Gable returned to MGM in 1931 and found a role in The Painted Desert which was a success. However, Gable let it go to his head and MGM lent him out to a smaller studio were he could hopefully find humility. Instead in 1934 he won the Academy Award for Best Actor in “It Happened One Night.” His most famous role was his as the male lead in “Gone With the Wind”.

Abraham Lincoln
This is probably the most famous successful failure story in history.

1. In 1831 his first business, a dry goods store failed.
2. One year later he entered The Black Hawk War as Captain. Three months later he was demoted and left the Army as a Private.
3. Lost an election for the state legislation in 1832.
4. Opened another store, which also failed leaving him in debt in 1833.
5. As a postmaster he had the worse efficiency record in the county.
6. 1834 he ran for the Illinois House of Representatives and won only to later lose as the Speaker of the House in 1838.
7. 1843 Lincoln lost an election for U.S. Congress.
8. He won the following election but later failed to be re-elected in 1848.
9. 1855 he lost his bid for the U.S. Senate
10. 1856 he ran for Vice President and lost.
11. 1858 he again ran for U.S. Senate and lost a second time.
12. Finally in 1860 he ran for president of the United States and won with 40% of the popular vote. It was assumed that he would lose re-election in 1864, but he won with 55% of the popular vote.

What success model did Lincoln and these other successful people adhere to? What are the “7, 10 or 15 Principals of Success” that they followed? What does this say about the “Law of Attraction?”

Success is Inevitable

The above stories reveal the dynamics of real life. These are typical examples of how people discover real success. Notice it is not a straight path. Success comes only after failure and persistence. It was their inner drive, fueled by passion that compelled these people to press forward against repeated failures and disappointments.

Actor Tony Curtis said it best when he was interviewed by Steve Young in the book “Great Failures of the Extremely Successful”.

There’s no way I can point to a single experience or event and say that from then on, my life was changed. It’s just the living of life itself. You cannot put that into words. It’s too variable. Too changing. Every moment, every second we are alive provides so may inputs and impulses that it’s too difficult to choose one and say, ‘That’s what did it for me.’ - Tony Curtis – Actor, Painter and Writer

It is tenacity of our inner motivation that is responsible for success, and tenacity is very simply the willingness to insist on expressing your true inner self in the face of any obstacle.

Passion for an idea, is the tangible evidence that you are tapping into your Authentic Side where your inner motivator resides. When you feel excitement and exhibit a sense of joy found in accomplishment, you are expressing your authentic inner self and given time, success is inevitable.

Just don’t stop. Be persistent! Do not give up!

However, there does exist a tool that can ignite more of that fiery passion within you. A “Short-cut” if you will, on your path to a successful state of being. Want to know more?

The successful “You” awaits discovery!

The post Success: The Deeper Meaning appeared first on Authentic Systems.

Popular Definitions of Motivation

Commonly motivation has been defined as:

1. “the psychological process that gives behavior purpose and direction” (Kreitner, 1995)
2. “a predisposition to behave in a purposive manner to achieve specific, unmet needs” (Buford, Bedeian, & Lindner, 1995)
3. “an internal drive to satisfy an unsatisfied need” (Higgins, 1994);
4. “the will to achieve” (Bedeian, 1993)
5. “the inner force that drives individuals to accomplish personal and organizational goals” (Bedeian, 1993)

Based upon the above definitions as well as all material written to expound on these definitions we would be lead to believe that all motivations stem from the existence of unsatisfied or unmet needs or to simply achieve our goals.

But how would you explain the motivation behind such things as going for a walk in the park, daydreaming or many other so-called trivial activities that we daily engage in? For that matter, how would you describe the motivation behind the statement: “I just need to be me”?

This illustrates the overall difficulty that exists with trying to define what motivation truly is. Part of the reason is that it is not easy to language something that is abstract in nature and therein lies the problem.

The Best Definition of Motivation

The best definition of motivation we have found so far is this:

“Motivation distinguishes the sufficient reason of Becoming, of Knowledge, of Being and of Action.”

- Arthur Schopenhauer (19th Century Philosopher)

In other words, the outward, observable effects “of Becoming”, “of Knowledge”, “of Being” and “of Action” are established by having adequate reasons determined by motivation.

We didn’t say it would be easy, but at least based upon that definition we can now begin to lay a foundation to work from and provide a truly accurate definition of motivation.

The Two Sides of Motivation

First off, not all motivations are created equal. It is their source from where they are generated that dictate their nature.

Your identity, while providing a sense of wholeness and singularity is actually two separate functions of the mind working in concert. One side known as your “Synthetic Mind” is designed to interact with and make sense of the physical world that we perceive through our five senses. While the other, your “Authentic Mind”  is designed to engage the abstract world of ideas and meaning.

Together these two domains function synergistically to make up who you really are. They also determine the nature of your motivations.

Typically, motivations that are generated by your “Synthetic Mind” relate to physical events and circumstances (of becoming, of knowledge, of action) for example:

• when you act to protect yourself or a loved one from physical or emotional harm (action)
• when you feel the need to become knowledgeable about something (knowledge)
• when you desire to improve yourself or break a bad habit (becoming).

Motivation generated by your “Authentic Mind” is abstract in nature (of being) and springs forth from a single solitary need: To express your unique identity to the world.

In essence it is declaring: “I exist, I am unique, I matter and make a difference“. In fact, we spend most of our lives expressing various states “of being” all driven and motivated by this Authentic side. (For more detailed information about the Authentic and Synthetic mind see: Birth of the Real You)

Becoming aware and excepting this distinction of our two minds, allows you to shift your attention and focus to the appropriate side in order to initiate and establish real and sustained change in your life.

Click here if you are ready to bring about more peace, contentment and balance into your life.

Click here if you are ready to take back control and gain mastery over your life.

The post What is Motivation? appeared first on Authentic Systems.

Perhaps you are very familiar with the feelings of excitement and enthusiasm when you find and purchase a program that you feel will finally provide you the key that will unlock all that potential pent up inside only to drift slowly into disappointment and back to the way things use to be.

Well, you are not alone. One major problem with success programs and success training methods in general is that they all tend to focus on a one successful person’s experience, habits, and applied knowledge. But what’s wrong with that you may ask?

A Basic Problem With Success Programs

The problem is that your unique, individual personality has not been factored into the equation. This fact alone alters the effectiveness of any technique used including how it will be implemented by you.

Simply put, any success techniques and habits and any subsequent positive results can only be replicated by the very personality that generated it in the first place. To ignore this and press on is like forcing a square peg into a round hole.

True, there are exceptions, but if you investigate thoroughly you will discover that those individuals who have made a particular program work for them, have a remarkably similar personality to the author of the success program.

Other success programs lump successful individuals together, search for commonalities and package this as “Twelve Secret Habits of The Worlds Most Successful People”. Like the first example, this omits you as part of the equation. Whats more, it’s typically generic and lacks real power to motivate. It is like placing pineapple, grapes, strawberries, banana, and a lemon into a blender. There is no one flavor that hits the taste buds with any identifiable clarity.

Most successful people will universally agree that having a plan and setting goals is essential for success. Therefore, their seminars, books, websites or CD programs will begin by teaching you how to design a plan for success. But in reality, successful people operate from an intuitive position, where events just naturally fall into place. You may find this hard to believe, but often successful people don’t even really know how they achieved their own success. It’s not until someone ask them “How did you do it?” that they even give it much thought and then perhaps write a book or program.

The Problem With “One Size Fits All”

Another problem with success programs is that you must conform to them. Initially this is acceptable. After all, there must be something within you that needs to be fixed or altered in order to achieve success, otherwise you wouldn’t be searching for a success program in the first place. However, eventually, the habits that you have conformed to fade away and you find yourself back to they way things use to be. The reason is simple. Following another persons path to success is unnatural and foreign to who you really are at the core. You are trying to conform to something intended for somebody else. It’s like putting on a suit hand tailored for a 300 pound 7 foot tall person when you are 125 pounds at 5 feet.

If there was a “one size fits all” single model or single set of principles to obtain success, then there would be only one single solitary “How To” success book in print. Instead, there are hundreds of theories on motivation, relationships, sales, and success.

The Core Failure of Success Programs

The number one reason success programs fail to provide lasting results for you is that they are all based on a faulty premise: That an abstract, intuitive achievement such as “success”, can be taught using a physical model or process.

To illustrate the point we’ll enlist the aid of a syllogism. (A three-step deductive argument that moves logically from a major and a minor premise to a conclusion.)

1. Dad knows how to tie shoes
2. Dad teaches Johnny how to tie shoes
3. Johnny knows how to tie shoes

Logically you can see how tying shoes can be taught from a father to his son. Whether or not Johnny learned to tie his shoes is physically evident or tangible.

Now, try trading the term “tie shoes” (which is a physical event) with “happy, successful, or motivated (which are all non tangible or abstract ideas)”

1. Tony is happy (successful or motivated)
2. Tony teaches Jonathan how to be happy (successful or motivated)
3. Jonathan is happy (successful or motivated)

Notice that you cannot say with any certainty that Jonathan is or will be either happy, successful or motivated. Jonathan’s state of being is simply not tangible or measurable. The reason again is: You cannot teach an “abstract idea” using a model or process designed to generate “physical results”.

True, success programs can generate excitement and they can be motivating for a while. For the majority, the effects are very short-term, on average lasting a mere 10 to 15 days leaving you feeling like you did before you attended or studied the program or more often than not, worse.

Really Ponder This For a Moment. What If…

There was nothing to fix in you but rather something to discover about yourself that will give your life purpose and ease?

What if…
You could be yourself and live a life of success and do it naturally without conforming to somebody else’s program?

What if…
Success can be achieved not by what you do, but by simply being yourself?

What if…
Based upon your own natural capabilities you could create your own definition of success and find real happiness?

The First Step To Lasting Authentic Success

The first step is to discover who you really are. This is not defined by your achievements, your education, your status, title, gender, or age. The “Real You” is the observer that has been ever-present within you, witnessing your entire existence. It is the part of you that has remained unchanged and consistent throughout your life. It is responsible for recalling to mind all those precious, sad and ordinary moments of your life. It is also the cause for all the objects and relationships around you and all that you do in life including your successes and failures.

The “Real You” is known as your “Authentic Identity” and at its center is a single “Core Motivator” running the show.

Discovering your unique Core Motivator and understanding its strengths and weaknesses is the key to your success. In essence, you are your own success program, hand crafted and tailor-made to suit you perfectly. Success will come to you naturally as your Authentic Identity begins to be fully expressed and the people around you begin to take notice.

Click here if you are ready to bring about more peace, contentment and balance into your life.

Click here if you are ready to take back control and gain mastery over your life.

The post Had Much Success with Success? appeared first on Authentic Systems.