CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL --- LIVING YOUR DREAMS
by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen. Health Communications, Inc, 2003
DEDICATION (pv)
We dedicate this book to everyone who has had the courage and commitment to pursue their most heartfelt "dreams" with passion and perseverance. By your example you have shown the rest of us that whatever you desire, believe in, and pursue with love, joy and determination is possible to achieve!
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS (pxi-xiii)
INTRODUCTION (pxv-xvii)
SHARE WITH US (pxix)
1) How to live your dream by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen (p1-55)
HOW TO LIVE YOUR DREAM (p2-55)
STEP 1 --- DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT! (p2-13)
In order to get what you want, you must first DECIDE what you want! What is now known about how your brain works is that you must first decide WHAT you want, BEFORE your brain can figure out HOW to get it!
[1] Be willing to "dream" big dreams (p3-4)
Example of thinking big decision that created the first Chicken Soup for the Soul book: the corporate mission statement was "to inspire and empower people to live their highest vision in a context of love and joy!" (p3)
Lesson: As soon as you commit to a big dream and really go after it, not only will your creative mind come up with big ideas to make it happen, you will also start attracting the people you need into your life to make your dream come true. Big dreams inspire you and others to want to play all out. So let your dreams be as big as you want them to be! (p4)
[2] Set goals that will stretch you (p5)
[3] Don't compromise when you write down your goals (p6-8)
[4] The Genie in the Lamp (p8)
[5] When you achieve your goals (p8-9)
When you achieve our goals, don't just cross them off your list, as you would do with a grocery list of items to buy. Write "VICTORY" across them! By writing "VICTORY," you signal your subconscious mind that it is a TRUE achievement!
[6] Your ideal vision (p90
A deeper method for defining your "dreams" is to plan a longer period of time (30-60 minutes) to reflect (think) in depth on what your ideal life would look like in each of the following eight essential themes of your life:
(1) Business and career
(2) Financial security
(3) Family and friends
(4) Health and fitness
(5) House or apartment
(6) Recreation and free time
(7) Skills and abilities
(8) Contribution, legacy, service to the world
1. Sit or lie, turn on instrumental music, close your eyes and "focus" on each of the eight themes for several minutes. Let your right brain (your "true heart's desire") create your ideal vision related to each theme.
2. When finished thinking, spend an equal amount of time to write down everything you thought of --- in as much detail as you can. Also, it is important to share your vision with someone you love and can trust not to be negative initially. The more you write and talk about your ideas, the more clear and believable they will become!
[7] Write down your dream list (p9-10)
Let yourself "dream" without any limitations at all. List everything you would like to do, be or have sometime in your life! Then take the "time" to imagine that you have all the resources that you will ever need to achieve the goals --- think unlimited money, time, talent and connections!
Just writing your goals down will set in motion an amazing process of bringing the things you desire into your life!
[8] Turn your dreams into goals and objectives (p11)
Once you are clear about WHAT YOU WANT, you MUST turn every aspect of your "dream list of goals" into a measurable objective! Measurable goals means "measurable in space and time" --- HOW MUCH and by WHEN?
Your brain cannot figure out what you want unless you tell it exactly what you want and when you want it by!
You must take each and every part of your DREAM VISION and turn it into measurable clear objectives.
Make a comprehensive (complete) list. Once you have done this, you are prepared for the next step of eliminating the negative obstacles blocking the way to achieving your dream.
[9] Start by eliminating all the little things that annoy you (p11-12)
It will be very difficult for you to create the enhanced life of your dreams if you are in the habit of tolerating little annoying negatives (irritations). You must simply get rid of them!
[10] Make a list (p12-13)
Make a list of all the things that annoy or irritate or interfere with achieving your measurable objectives. Start with things first and then consider your relationships. Take time to reflect (think) about what you have been tolerating. Write them down. Share your thinking with a supportive friend in person or on the phone. Consider teaming up to share the effort of removing your annoyances and a trusted friend's irritations at scheduled future times. Schedule time to do this one way or another.
STEP 2 --- BELIEVE IN YOURSELF --- USE POSITIVE SELF-TALK (p13-17)
STEP 3 --- BUILD ON YOUR CORE GENIUS (p17-18)
STEP 4 --- BUILD AN AWESOME DREAM TEAM ALLIANCE (p19-22)
STEP 5 --- VISUALIZE AND AFFIRM YOUR DESIRED OUTCOMES (p22-33)
You possess an awesome power called "VISUALIZATION," which is a special kind of imagination that you can use on a daily basis to accomplish FOUR very important purposes in your dream plan: (p22-23)
ONE --- Visualization activates your subconscious creative mind, which will start generating creative ideas to help you achieve your objectives.
TWO --- Visualization programs your BRAIN to more readily perceive and recognized the resources that you will need to achieve your dreams.
THREE --- Visualization activates the "Law of Attraction," which will draw into your life the people, resources and the circumstances that you will need to achieve your objectives.
FOUR --- Visualization builds your internal MOTIVATION to take the necessary actions needed to accomplish your dreams!
Visualization is really very simple and similar to responsive relaxation. Sit or lie and imagine in vivid detail all you can that relates to your dream goals and measurable objectives. Visualize (imagine) every single detail exactly as you want it to be!
[1] Mental rehearsal (p24-26)
This visualization process is called "mental rehearsal" by athletes and actors. When you have finished this five minute process, you can open your eyes and continue your life! If you do mental rehearsing daily, you will be amazed at how much improvement you will see in hour life!
[2] See yourself at your ideal weight (p26-27)
[3] Create goal pictures (p27-28)
[4] Create a visual picture and an affirmation for each goal (p28-29)
[5] Index cards (p29)
[6] Use affirmations to support your visualization (p29)
An affirmation is a statement that evokes not only a picture, but the experience of already having what you want. By repeating an affirmation several times a day, you can keep focused on your goal or measurable objectives, which strengthens your MOTIVATION and PROGRAMS your subconscious BRAIN sending an order (command) to your creative mind to do whatever it takes to accomplish your goal!
[7] Creating goal affirmations that work (p30-32)
(1) An affirmation starts with "I am . . ." (p30)
"I AM" are the two most powerful words in your vocabulary. Whatever you say AFTER the words "I am" your creative mind takes as an "order" (duty or command or directive).
(2) An affirmation is stated in the positive (p30-31)
(3) An affirmation is stated in the present tense (p31)
(4) An affirmation is short (p31)
(5) An affirmation is specific! (p31)
(6) An affirmation includes an action verb ending in "-ing:" (p31)
(7) An affirmation has a feeling word in it. (p31)
(8) An affirmation is about yourself! (p33)
[8] Some examples of effective goal affirmations (p32)
[9] Expect results! (p33)
STEP 6 --- ACT TO CREATE IT! (p33-41)
[1] The "Rule of 5" = TO DO FIVE THINGS EVERY DAY to further the accomplish your most important goals or objectives? You would astound yourself at your results! (p34-35)
[2] "SATISF-ACTION" comes from ACTION! (p35)
[3] Don't let FEAR stop you (p35-36)
Most people never get what they want because they let their FEARS stop them! They are AFRAID of making a mistake, looking foolish, getting ripped off, being rejected, being hurt, wasting their time and feeling uncomfortable. (p35)
The fear that interferes with planning is self-created by imagining catastrophic consequences that have not happened but might yet happen! This fear provoking thought is all in your mind! You can scare yourself by imagining negative consequences of any new action on your part. If you stop the catastrophic thoughts and images, your fear will go away! (p36)
[4] If you want to "G - E - T," you have to "A - S - K" (p36-37)
Often all that separates the successful people from the unsuccessful is their willingness to ASK for what they want and need! As you pursue your goals and objectives, have the courage to ask for what you want. Somewhere out there is a person or an organization that wants to give you what you want and who will be willing to say "YES" to you!
It is simply a matter of asking enough people.
[5] Rejection is a myth (p3738)
[6] Act as if! (p38-40)
One of the big secrets of success is to start ACTING like a success BEFORE you are one!
Act "AS IF"---
If you had already accomplished your DREAM, what would you be DOING? What would you be wearing? How would you be acting? How would you be treating others? Would you have more self-confidence? Would you spend more time with friends and relatives or use your time differently?
Imagine that you are a successful and happy millionaire. Stand up and walk around "AS IF" you had a million dollars to spend! At the end of this 15 minute exercise, how do you feel about yourself and how do you think about your "dream" --- your goals and objectives? Others in training seminars always report feeling more self-confident, more outgoing, more generous of spirit, happier and more enthusiastic about themselves! (p39)
Start acting as if you already have everything you want. The universal "Law of Attraction" states that you will attract to you those things that match your state of being! If you focus on having gratitude for what you do have, you will feel rich, and you will attract more abundance into you life. Remember the old adage about "the rich get richer and the poor get poorer" since they both attract things and people into their lives that match their spirit (state of being). (p39)
[7] Develop new habits of success (p40)
Research has shown that about 90 percent of all your behavior is habitual! You have both good and bad habits. Imagine what you could achieve --- if you spent wasted time on working to accomplish your "dream" (your ideal goal and measurable objectives) (p40)
Identify four bad habits a year and replace them with new, more productive habits! This is a healthy way to stretch your day.
[8] Don't wait --- get started today! (p41)
STEP 7 --- RESPOND TO FEEDBACK (p41-45)
STEP 8 --- NEVER GIVE UP --- THE POWER OF DETERMINATION (p45-48)
STEP 9 --- CELEBRATE YOUR VICTORIES AND GIVE THANKS! (p48-52)
STEP 10 --- GIVE SOMETHING BACK (p52-54)
IN SUMMARY: (p55)
The CONCEPTS (ideas) and STRATEGIES (plans) in this first chapter summarize the ESSENCE of what has been proven to work.
Today YOU have the opportunity to create the life of your DREAMS --- but it will take systematic determination, careful planning and continuous effort to achieve your "dream" goals and objectives!
Write down the details of your "dreams" (GOALS) and complete the exercises in this book in order to develop the FRAMEWORK and the ACTION PLAN so you can start living the LIFE you desire and deserve!
Get moving and build up your momentum by READING some of the 67 stories in this book to keep you motivated and inspired everyday!
2) Dare to dream and set goals (p57-89)
3) Believe in yourself (p91-141)
4) It's never too late (p143-167)
5) The power of support --- you can't do it alone! (p169-202)
6) Be willing to pay the price (p203-220)
7) Take action! (p221-253)
8) The power of determination (p255-317)
9) Never give up (p319-353)
MORE CHICKEN SOUP? (p335)
SUPPORTING KIDS IN LIVING THEIR DREAMS (p356)
WHO IS JACK CANFIELD? (p357)
Self-Esteem Seminars --- www.jackcanfield.com
WHO IS MARK VICTOR HANSEN? (p358)
Mark Victor Hansen & Associates --- www.markvictorhansen.com
RESOURCES TO HELP YOU LIVE YOUR DREAMS (p359)
[1] Books
[2] Audio Programs
CONTRIBUTORS (p360-368)
PERMISSIONS (p369-371)
CHICKEN SOUP RETAIL BOOK PUBLICATION TITLE LIST (p372)
Go to: Achievement Tutorial
Go to: Success Tutorial
Go to: Thinking Skills
Go to: Interactive Index