Positive preparation

Think and Grow Rich!: The Original Version, Restored and Revised (TM)

Think and grow rich, a book by Napoleon Hill. The basics of the book is a concept applied by so many successful people in reaching their potential. What was this concept?
Put simply, an overall desire to succeed and win.
Napoleon Hill had realised this and it formed the foundation for his book, which has been the starting point for the thousands of self-help/positive thinking books that have hit our book shelves in the last decade.

The book was based on interviews of 500 of those who history now remembers as the greatest men of the early 20th century, including Henry Ford, J.P. Morgan, John D. Rockefeller, Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, Theodore Roosevelt, Wilbur Wright, and W. Howard Taft. First published in 1937, it has now sold more than 70 million copies and rightly so; it was one of the first big selling books that spoke about the power of the subconscious mind and how it can have such a major influence in our lives. Hill mentioned "The subconscious acts first on the dominating desires which have been mixed with emotional feeling, such as faith". 
He then goes onto say "You cannot entirely control your subconscious mind, but you can voluntarily hand over to it any plan, desire, or purpose which you wish transformed into concrete form".

I personally do believe in the power of the mind and it's something we can all access. This is not some hidden power, or magic arts it's simply you programming your mind into thinking positively, this then along with desire and faith will turn these thoughts into action. 

An example would be preparation for an exam. two students both have the same academic experience, both revise the same and are predicted by their teachers to get the same grade. Hypothetically if one of these students had a positive out look (this is not an overconfidence) on their revision then they should perform better in the exam than the other student who had a more of a negative approach. 

let's have a look at the concept of positive thinking just for a moment. It's no good to wish for something to happen. You don't get results if you only wish them into existence and do not expect to put in any hard work, life just doesn't work this way. When talking about positive thinking it's an overall desire to succeed and this in itself encourages you to take action. 

My experience
During my very irregular trips to the gym, trying to burn off my extra calories put on over the christmas holidays, I always have to find motivation to get me going. I push myself to go even when I feel I have just no energy left. So, there I'm looking at my set of weights, thinking I can't do it and I pick them up and it's agony. On another occasion; same time of the day, same breakfast, same amount of energy and all other variables the same. But this time I focus on the set of weights with a new mindset, thinking simply "I'm going to do this", my body rushes with adrenaline and it's an easier task than before. Positive thinking is not magic or thinking the universe will reward you as they tell you in the book called the secret.

The Secret

This is your own body responding with hormones and chemicals to the thoughts you are providing your mind with. History has proven just how powerful the human mind can be. Gandhiji was a strong advocate of positive thinking. He believed -“A man is but the product of his thoughts; what he thinks, he becomes.”

Revision
We know that positive thinking can lead to potentially good results. So to think more positively during revision should surely be a good thing, well it's better than being negative. I know that this is not unheard of, but what we have to be able to do is not only think positive when revising but actually to have the desire and the faith to perform well in exams. Remember this is only a small step into performing well during the exam period, actually revising is more important. However positive thinking will now give that extra foundation that a student will need at a very stressful time. 

No negative thoughts
According to Hill, if you let any negative thoughts into your mind it will automatically cancel out all the positive mindset you have been providing your body with; All of sudden positive thinking doesn't seem so easy. I have personally looked at those set of weights in the gym and 99% of my mind is focused on lifting these weights effectively however there is sometimes that 1% which really gets to me, "I just don't have the energy today" and then I'm back to square one lacking the energy and motivation, not able to perform the same and the only thing that is difference is my mindset. Does positive thinking work? absolutely 100% it does, however it's not magic, it's the human body reacting to your own desire and faith. 

Where to now?
If you're looking for a new book to read I highly recommend Think and grow rich, by Napoleon Hill. The best investment you can make is not in stocks, ISA'S or real estate it's in yourself. Education and knowledge the two most important factors that one can provide themselves with; add the power of positive thinking into this and then you have the ingredients to become very successful.