How To Be As Deliberate As Nature

How To Be As Deliberate As Nature
Category: Life

"God himself culminates in the present moment, and will never be more divine in the lapse of all the ages. And we are enabled to apprehend at all what is sublime and noble only by
the perpetual instilling and drenching of the reality that surrounds us. The universe constantly and obediently answers to our conceptions; whether we travel fast or slow, the track is laid for us. Let us spend our lives in conceiving then.
...Let us spend one day as deliberately as Nature, and not be thrown off the track by every nutshell and mosquito's wing that falls on the rails. Let us rise early and fast, or break fast, gently and without perturbation..." - Henry David Thoreau

Consistency of purpose - that is the creator of futures yet to be seen. Nature's lessons are abundant, and thoroughly pointed out by Henry David Thoreau. To consider each moment sacred is the way of nature. The way of modern man de-sensitizes us to the continual renewal of present awareness. We must attend to our aim and nurture it with our purpose theat burns from within. Aim without purpose is tiresome and purpose without aim is meaningless. To live deliberately is the highest art; leave nothing to chance unless it be chosen such, and mold a sacred presence about you so that your beauty may shine forth.

How To Get The Response You Want

How To Get The Response You Want
Category: Goals, Plans, Hopes

Personality assessments are used today in almost all social settings. Whether it be used for employer screening, military recruitment, or any other interpersonal environment, personality assessments attempt to give a behavioral understanding of how we interact. Two popular assessments are DISC, developed in the early 1900's by a Harvard psychologist; and Myers-Briggs, developed by two females two help women during WWII who were entering the industrial workforce.

While these two systems have there uses and critics; there is another model that has been somewhat dusted under the rug. Timothy Leary, a Harvard educated psychologist who become an infamous promoter of psychedelic drugs; notably introduced a personality assessment based on interpersonal behaviors; i.e., how we react to others behaviors, and how they react to us.

According to Leary's work we respond involuntarily in a reflex like fashion to someone else's behavior. This reflex serves to enhance our ego's and to diminish anxiety. So it follows that a persons most favored behavioral pattern is set in accordance to which types of behaviors have produced the least amount of anxiety.

Leary categorizes the major behavioral patterns along sixteen personalities. Each personality provokes a certain response. For example the "docile-dependent" provokes advice/help. Whereas a "managerial-autocratic" type provokes obedience/respect. Further along Leary's grid we find that a confident/independent "narcissist" provokes inferiority; and a "cooperative-over-conventional" type provokes tenderness & love.

The just of the interpersonal matrix is that if you want a certain response, you can provoke it by adjusting your behavioral signals to provoke the appropriate response. This provides a wealth of information to all of us who wish to have a better understanding of our personal, business, and political relationships. Many of the popular assessments tell us "how we are", and where we fit in. The beauty of Leary's model, is that it tells us "how we can be" to create the relationship we seek to build or sabotage. By focusing on how we can behave to change conditions, Leary's Interpersonal model puts the power back in our hands and allows us to develop a more flexible approach to our social behavior. In my next blog I will give a more detailed example of how to use multiple behavioral patterns at certain points along an initial meeting with a person to maximize rapport...

Further reading: "Self-Determinations" by Timothy Leary; "Interpersonal Diagnosis of Personality" by Timothy Leary

Angel Armendariz

Have You Seen The Gorilla?

"In a recent experiment conducted by professors from Harvard and the University of Illinois, people were asked to watch a video-tape of two three-person teams of students passing a basketball back and forth, and count how many times the ball was passed among the members of one team. On that tape, while the students are passing the ball, a person in a gorilla costume walks slowly among them, stops, turns to the camera, thumps his chest, and then walks on.
So busy were the subjects with counting passes that fewer than half of them even noticed the "gorilla" at all. When they were shown the same videotape again but without the instruction to count the passes, they all saw the gorilla-and most of them refused to believe it was the same tape they had just watched. When a professor repeated the same experiment , live, before a group of four hundred people, fewer than 10 percent even noticed a dark shape, let alone the gorilla."
Scientists call this phenomenon "inattentional blindness." You can be paying so much attention to one thing that you're blind to a whole lot of other things. That's one way in which your brain can misdirect you when it thinks it's doing things right."
- Get Out of Your Own Way, by Robert K. Cooper

This "inattentional blindness" is the effect of habituation and limited focus. When we focus on a certain thing or things we selectively choose those "things." This choosing cuts off other things. Choosing what to focus on is a powerful capacity that when left to our old habitual tendencies suffocate our ability to see new opportunities or novel forms.
We are many times self-delusional in a sense when we affirmatively believe that what we perceive is absolutely the only reality. We have to consciously realize that what we consider real is only our selective attention to a group of things. To combat our tendency to this "inattentional blindness" we can use several methods to jolt us into re-evaluating our environment for the best possible opportunities. Three ways to do this are:

* Ask different questions throughout your day; i.e., "How can I do this more
effectively?"
* Take different routes to and from your usual places of commute.
* Seek Novelty - consciously seek a new experience through meeting new people,
or reading/learning something new.

By exercising your perception in different ways you open the doors to becoming aware of new opportunities. It is only by seizing opportunities that we breathe life and excitement into our spirit.

Angel Armendariz

How To Be Compelling

So I was having a conversation with a friend, and we began talking about how to best engage someone in conversation. This is something of utmost importance to all of us. Whether we are looking to strike up a conversation with a member of the opposite sex; or we are in sales trying to capture clients.

One thing we agreed upon is that the person we choose to engage with has to be given the pedestal. That is, we have to be more interested in them, than in presenting ourselves. We each have a deep burning desire to be appreciated, to be interesting to others, and to be loved. Showing our complete attention & interest to someone gives them a high sense of well-being. This leads to associating those wonderful feelings to us.

Now, initially, the strategy that seems to hold the highest value is a question based one. That means asking with a sense of curiosity and interest. This can be as simple as asking "Where are you from?" During my heftier telemarketing days I had a knack for selling anything under the sun, because of this simple strategy. Questions work because firstly, we feel obligated to respond (cultural habits); secondly, we like to feel important.

Adding a bit of sincerity to the questions themselves also tilts results in your favor. Tonality is an even bigger factor in communicating than words themselves. As I have mentioned before communication is universal in function. That is to say that the effective way to communicate to others is usually a great strategy to use on yourself. Asking yourself specific questions in the right emotive tone can compel you to take action - as would be the case with the buyer you sell, or date you make.

Angel Armendariz

Why Should You Engage in Deliberate Practice?

“The champions in any field are those who devote the most time to what performance experts call deliberate practice. Hard work is fine. But for it to be genuinely effective, the work needs to be directed. Deliberate practice is an activity designed to help you improve a specific skill or performance, to enable you to reach for goals just beyond your level of proficiency, to provide you feedback on results, and to build a program that allows for high levels of repetition.”
- James M. Citrin, The Dynamic Path

The artist in all of us; creates through the forward tension of our ideal existence and our current states. This unique tension creates desire, the fuel that compels development. Deliberate practice is no more than strategically and meticulously developing your capacities that will create that ideal existence.

Faith enters the picture of such creative intentions. One would not invest valuable time into deliberately developing, honing, and refining their abilities if they did not have a high level of faith or belief in the realization of their ideal. There is nothing worse than hard work without direction. Without direction and purposes existence is stifled, our will diminishes. Our will is strengthened with deliberate practice that overcomes resistance. The famous dictum of Nietzsche tells us this - Will To Power.

Power is only felt with the overcoming of resistance. Think of fitness for example. The athlete's "high" comes from the endorphins released upon exertion, i.e., the use of our will to overcome physical resistances. The feeling of our own power, is thus the feeling of pleasure. This is so for the obstacles we overcome in all aspects in life. The individual who has overcome more resistances is usually an individual with more power & confidence.

Contrary to cultural myth, great accomplishments are not attained by lucky, chosen, or gifted people. But, by those who have, like James Citrin says, habitually tended to deliberate practice. We like to believe that the lack of resistance, tension, and obstacles would produce pleasure of orgasmic proportions. Yet when analyzed from most all perspectives, from cellular growth, to intellectual accomplishment we see the divinity of challenges that feeds life into our spirits, and thus gives us a greater capacity of enjoyment and pleasure.

Angel Armendariz

Constraints and Creativity

Constraints are a constant in life. Whether we speak of business, personal, spiritual, or social arenas. A constraint is basically a limiting factor. Game theory, is a theoretical form of imposing constraints in a setting with the desire to achieve a specific outcome. Every game we play has constraints (rules) we must abide by to remain within the context of the given system.

Generally speaking constraints impede our level of freedom in a sense. Most of us would not impose constraints on ourselves to limit our own sovereignty or autonomy. When we think of innovation we'd normally rather think big and broad. We imagine limitless possibilities when we brainstorm, and try to think "outside the box."

What if thinking outside the box is not the best strategy? What if making the box smaller is an even better strategy? A recent article in Strategy+Business struck a cord with this theme. The article was called "Innovation Sandbox." If you really think about it imposing more rules or constraints "forces" your mind to be more creative. It focuses your attention and funnels it into laser like accuracy. The big ideas, the big results, the epiphanies don't seem to come from the freedom, per se, of thought, but the constriction by constraints. When one is forced to create one will.

In a recent interview in the Wall Street Journal; Roger Ailes, CEO/Chairman of The Fox Television Stations Group, responded with a similar notion when asked about the grudge of having to build the new Fox Business channel. Roger says, "there are no options. The problem with most people who don't succeed is that they see options..."
In his own words Roger was acknowledging the value of having constraints (less options).

Anthony Robbins succinctly sums up this them of constraints as well, he says - "If you can't, you must; and if you must, you can." So we begin to see the value of imposing constraints on ourselves sometimes. By challenging our minds to find solutions within constraints we strengthen our creative capacity.

Another exercise to see the power of constraints is this:
In 10 seconds think of as many things as you can that are white.
Now take ten seconds and think of all the white items in your refrigerator.
Most people will count more white items in their fridge as compared with having to think of the whole universe. Simple but accurate representation of how constraints can serve you.

Angel Armendariz

Are You a Slave To Your Genes?

Are You a Slave To Your Genetics?

The BBC News wrote an interesting article entitled Diet Choices 'written in genes'. The article cited a recent study conducted by Kings College on the inheritance of eating habits via genes. The results suggested that 41-48% of a persons leaning towards one of the food groups was influenced by genetics.

What stuck out at me was the conviction of one of the researches in saying:

We have assumed that our upbringing and social environment determine what we like to eat. This has blown that theory out of the water.

The genetic predisposition card has been used many times, perhaps unwittingly, to show or accept limits. In the BBC article for example how could 41-48% influence be the "biggest" determining factor? What about the other 52-59%? The intention of the research itself is not questioned, but the portrayal of the information. When we try to find an absolute cause, or when we fictitiously put one cause against another, i.e., nature vs. nurture; we submit our intellect to an archaic logic that does not bode well with education.

A multiplicity of variables almost always is at work with any result or effect. Take your body structure for example, or your natural muscle tone. You naturally are born with a genetic "template", however, you also are born with a mind that can adapt itself. If I were to submit myself to the body I was born with, and everyone else did the same then health clubs would not exist. We already know that we are born with a physical inheritance. What's more important is the question "how can I change the things I want to improve of my genetic inheritance?"

Studies involving physical change of a person's body are numerous. Many of these other studies would seem to contradict the genetic bias. For example, studies have been done on individuals with Multiple Personality Disorder. In some of these cases a persons physical features would change in accordance to the personality being expressed at the time; things such as eye color, voice, even cases involving illnesses such as diabetes (producing insulin or not depending on personality). The "biggest" cause in these studies seem to fall on the subject's "belief". This also follows what is commonly referred to as the placebo affect.

From the history of high achievers the "biggest" factor contibuting to habits, decisions, results, and effects seems to come from beliefs. Tom Platz, a legendary bodybuilder and business man now, is a case in point. Tom's genetic inheritance included skinny legs, narrow shoulders, and low muscle tone. Tom went on to record the most massive muscular thighs in the history of bodybuilding; as well as winning many bodybuilding titles throughout his career. He attributes this success to his "will" his desire to become a great bodybuilder. He developed a belief in his ability to change his physique according to his ideal; he sought the necessary informational resources, and with guts and determination molded his ideal body.

Genetics is a great modern day scapegoat for almost everything. However, if we want something other than mediocrity we take it upon ourselves to find a way to create our results...not leave them to inheritance. I good book on how the mind effects genetics is presented by Dr. Ernest Rossi in The Psychobiology of Gene Expresssion.

Angel Armendariz

Invisible Hands Mis-Guiding You

The Invisible Hands That Guide You
Category: Goals, Plans, Hopes

"It seems likely that we often ride along on the energy of hidden social streams without even noticing their existence, while they influence the way we think, make us align ourselves with some ideas rather than others, or affect what we find fashionable and socially acceptable."

"Diamonds don't glitter because the atoms making them up glitter, but because of the way those atoms fall together into a special pattern."

" Its often not the parts but the pattern, that is most important, and so it is with people."
- Mark Buchanon "The Social Atom"

Patterns convery more meaning than meets the eye according to Mark Buchanon. Parts and their nuances have a lesser value in providing pertinent information about a system. The quote regarding the pattern of the diamonds atoms is very clever. Whether the part or the pattern is more important is not the question. The high level of meaning and information conveyed by patterns is the interesting thing.

A pattern can also be seen as a system. For example, a business usually works like a conveyor belt of sorts (a system)...it has a pattern to produce its commodity. Employees fit themselves into the role and nothing else. The system taken as a whole has a distinctive pattern, and analyzing an individual employee, or an individual department would give you erroneous information as to the working and function of the business model (pattern).

Patterns are endless. Generally speaking much of our Western education neglects the importance and power of being skilled at finding, using, and creating effective patterns for progress. We have for the most part accepted that everything outside the realm of our specialty is some anomoly that is beyond our comprehension.

In psychology "archetypes" can be seen as a pattern that helps us understand the human psyche and culture itlsef. What this means is that when we find patterns we can use them immediately as guides to "form" the "structure" or pattern we want. Following this insight, we can mimic the patterns of those individuals, businesses, groups, etc., that have formed compelling patterns.

Seeing patterns insinuates the ability to observe a system from a "big" perspective. In a way, it would mean to look at the forest not just the tree. In building a business it would mean to look at the production process not just the product. In self-development of any kind it would mean looking at the process and steps needed for the goal, not just the immediate result. When the pattern is found, its replication, is simply the mimicking of the same pattern.

Whether we like it our not we are following a pattern at the moment. By becoming aware of what we are forming, and what we wish to form we can restructure our habits and awareness to form the patterns we choose to create. One more quote from Buchanon's book..."Patterns reveal regularities that show how the seemingly complicated actually isn't so."

Angel Armendariz

Persuasion & Influence

Persuasion & Influence
Category: Life

Persuasion, according to Wordnet (from Princeton University), means communication intended to induce belief or action. This very broad definition lends itself to general use in numerous contexts. For instance, getting your child to eat all of his/her vegetables would insinuate an act of persuasion by you. Asking someone out on a date would also constitute persuasion, since one individual is trying to induce an act of "going out" or "seeing each other." Furthermore, a sales team and marketing department can be said to base their jobs on persuasion. A sales team's intent is to induce action that would cause a potential client to buy. While the marketing team propagates material to induce belief in their particular service or product. From this small selection of examples we can begin see the extent on which persuasion is the lock & key to the portal of efficacy in our personal and professional lives.

Influence, according to the American Heritage Dictionary: A power affecting a person, thing, or course of events, especially one that operates without any direct or apparent effort. Influence also has to do with the power to sway, affect, move, or impel a certain condition. As I will use it throughout this work; I refer mostly to ones ability or power to affect. We are bound to influence by our very natures. From our deepest core, we wish to influence at first, our environment. As children we learn that we can influence our parents by several means to have our ways. As we mature we also become aware of the influence of others on our psyches, our actions, and our behaviors. Influence is a constant throughout our lives, from the influence of peers to the influence of ideologies and culture itself.

Persuasion and influence can be taken as a mutual force that feeds off of each other. Generally speaking influence has to do with the intention & power of a specific act or communication. While persuasion has to do with the process or system used as a strategy to follow through on the intended influence. They complement each other and synchronize to amplify each others force. As a natural and unalienable endowment these human attributes form a communication potential of immense proportions. The potential inherent in these functions of man are beyond the realm of comprehension. The only limit within these attributes is in our own abilities and capacities to develop and use them for life-affirming endeavors.

Our basic educational system teaches us very little about persuasion and influence. Unfortunately we are many times ignorant victims of these forces; yet, we have not a clue whence or where they came from. It is important to firstly realize that persuasion and influence are natural components of our social (and personal) lives. After all persuasion and influence also takes place within our own minds. We persuade and influence ourselves to act, behave, and be according to certain norms. Our own personal abilities to persuade and influence ourselves largely determines our level of self-esteem, self-confidence, and level of achievement in our lives. By allowing persuasion and influence to have life-affirming residence within our minds we can actively improve on these faculties to further benefit ourselves and others around us.

Happiness Rules - You're All Set

I Seek Happiness -

"I want Happiness..." the repetitive lyrics of a favorite song of mine. "Pursuit of Happyness" title of a recent favorite movie of mine. Happiness is sought by all. At an early age I figured out that happiness depended to a large degree on myself. Kind of like a game you play. In the game of happiness you choose the rules.

You choose "what" has to happen to be happy. Some of us make it to hard to win. Some of us require a so much to happen before we can feel happy, that we rarely feel it. I've seen some people have rules set up like this: to be happy this has to happen...

1)lots of money, 2)no problems, 3) no hard work, 4) perfect lover, 5)complaint coworkers, 6)everything goes according to plan....

No wonder some people are never happy. On the flip side here are some of my rules for happiness:

1)being alive, 2) awareness of infinite possibilities in the present, 3) self improvement, 4) deep breathing, 5)learning something new...

In my world happiness is easy...because I make it like that. Unfortunately many of us accept rules from friends, tv, movies, parents, etc., instead of choosing our own. Some of us have become experts at consciously diverting our attention from all the good and all the potential and finding or making up dramatically tragic sorrows.

The second thing I mentioned regarding possiblities of the present is probably the biggest deal for me. Something I adopted from Einstein. Its the awareness of expectation. Of embracing the unknown with optimism. Instead of repelling the unknown with pessimism. Its true that any little occurence in your life can transform everything instantly. Its been true for many individuals. Mark Cuban, said in an interview in Selling Power, that he would read everything he could get his hands on. To him he justified doing so because he realized that any minute distinction made in the knowledge he encountered could mean the difference between him "making it" or not. This is the type of expectation that enchants any ordinary moment with potential, expectation, or excitement.

Think about it. You can meet someone in 1hr. that completely changes your life. You can pick up a book right now that opens a new dimension of possibilities for you. You can listen to a song that inspires a dormant passion in your heart. Every moment erupts with potential to transform your life. If you think about it like that then how can anyone ever be bored? How can you be sad? Its almost impossible.

Happiness is not a quantity. Its not limited, or scarce. Its infinite and available to appease your whims at any moment. Enjoy your happiness...

Angel Armendariz