THE BUSINESS OF BELIEF
Image: Test shots for Heaven or Las Vegas cover
Over here at Benshen.co, we LOVE to talk about, unlock, and dissect the formula that is the “frequency of success.” So much of creating the life we want comes down to consistency, creating helpful thought patterns, and returning again and again to our WHY. But part of embracing the ups and downs of life as we face challenges and obstacles is holding steady the desire, focus, and belief of our Visions.
Esther Hicks once said, “The how and the why isn't your business." Meaning, the most important aspect to focus on is what we want—when we try to plan or foresee how it will come to us, we may be missing opportunities for the Universe to surprise us.
For example, think about the process of looking for a new job. The first step is to get clear about what we want, how much we want to get paid, and what values we're looking for and won't settle for during the hiring process. Most people jump into the search before even getting clear on any of the above and dive right into the LinkedIn marathon without having true clarity of what they want for the next chapter. Knowing what we want first allows for greater clarity to magnetize what we're looking for—then we can go about our search but also be open to the Universe taking care of the HOW and the WHY it shows up. Maybe you meet someone at a dinner party who is hiring the exact position you are seeking or a friend reaches out with a connection after hearing you're looking to change careers. Get clarity first (which is like typing in the destination on Google Maps) and let the Universe unfold the best routes for you to get there.
In this newsletter, we call upon Robert Collier’s 1926 book, The Secret of the Ages, as a reminder that our only business is being receptive to what we desire by keeping our focus on what we want…what we really really want…
Image: Toshio Matsumoto - Everything Visible is Empty (1975)
“YOUR ONLY BUSINESS IS BELIEF”
From The Secret of the Ages, Robert Collier, 1926
“The great business in life is thinking. Control your thoughts and you can control your circumstances. Just as the first law of gain is desire, so the formula of success is BELIEF. Believe that you have it—see it as an existent fact—and anything you rightly wish for is yours…it is your own belief in yourself that counts. It is the consciousness of this dominant power within you that makes all things attainable. You can do anything you think you can. This knowledge is literally the gift of the gods, for through it you can solve every human problem. You are entitled to every good thing…Plant the seed of desire, nourish it with a clear visualization of the ripened fruit. Water it with sincere faith. But open up the means to the Universal Mind. Open up your mind. Clear out the channels of thought. Keep yourself in a state of receptivity.”
Image: agmesnyc x Simone Bodmer-Turner
THE DES(SERT) SHOP: PT II
Hi Everyone! Desirée here. We're back with another round of the Q&A sessions from my 100 day self-challenge on Instagram. So, ask away —and as always, everything will remain anonymous—and let’s share the tea together. This Q was perfect for this week's newsletter…
Q: How do we keep our focus?
A: Having a clear vision is one of the most powerful ways to stay focused. It’s easy to think that discipline and focus are traits for a very few select people who were born lucky to have them. But they’re traits that we learn to build like muscles and have to be used over and over again. Having a clear Vision for what you want helps you to keep going even when the going gets tough (and it WILL get tough because that’s just the way the cookie crumbles). The tests and challenges will come up and our resilience and willpower will be tested again and again but if we know where we’re going and WHY we want it then we can persevere even through obstacles. Jim Rohn once spoke about purpose and its driving momentum: “I once read somewhere that giving purpose to your dreams provides “a magnificent obsession”—it needs to be something that pulls on us, especially into the future. There’s all kinds of influences on us, and some of us easily pull back into the past. Back back back. Some people are pulled to the side by distractions…but here’s what’s powerful: a potent purpose and vision pulls you to your future and pulls you THROUGH challenges.”
Image: Spiral, Lady Elisabeth Kemper, 1816 - 1852