During the decade or so that I’ve been blogging I’ve usually steered clear from writing about “personal development”. I’ve concentrated mainly on solid business subjects. However, business affirmations are in an interesting area where business and personal development coincide.
It’s woo-woo. Will people take me seriously as a business blogger if I write about this? I’m not on solid ground here. I’m outside my comfort zone.
However, I often get questions about meditation and affirmations. And the usual way I come up with blog post topics is I ask myself: “what are people asking me questions about?”
Your attitude to affirmations really comes down to whether you have a “fixed mindset” or a “growth mindset”. A person with a “fixed mindset” would say that things are the way they are and you can’t change them. A person with a “growth mindset” will more readily believe that we create and improve our own realities.
You create your own reality
The idea that we create our own reality isn’t a new one (or only a New Age one).
Jesus said, “It is done unto you as you believe.” Shankaracharya the Hindu mystic said, “Whatever a person’s mind dwells on intensely and with firm resolve, that is exactly what he becomes.” The Buddha said, “All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think, we become.”
(I’m not religious. If you think I have misrepresented your religion, please accept my apologies. Religions are open to interpretation.)
So it isn’t just the old sages and teachers who have talked about this. Walt Disney said, “If you can dream it you can do it.” Napoleon Hill said, “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe it can achieve.”
“Whatever you hold in your mind on a consistent basis is exactly what you will experience in your life” is a quote by Tony Robbins that I find particularly powerful. I have kept this little image on my desktop for the better part of a year. It’s a perpetual reminder to keep to a “growth mindset”.
Remember, your thoughts create your feelings, your feelings create your moods. And positive and happy people will always attract positive and happy people and outcomes to their lives.
As far as I’m concerned at least, your thoughts ultimately form your life. I could reel off psychological studies into the brain’s elasticity and even the evidence on a deep subatomic level of observation causing reality . But ultimately, you either believe in affirmations or you don’t. Or, at least, you have to believe that they’re worth a try for them to work.
So what are affirmations?
They are a proven method of self improvement or a classic example of New Age baloney, depending on your point of view. I’m prescribe to the former rather than the latter.
Affirmations are positive phrases or sentences that are either said or thought. They may be a goal that you want to become real. Affirmations can eliminate negative beliefs, problems with addiction or trauma, and, more importantly, they can actually affect your life materially.
You can affirm yourself increased income or a new partner.
And, believe me when I say this, ALL my affirmations have come true.
That is a very bold (and italicised) statement. But, it’s true.
Only a few people will read this article. Fewer still will appreciate the importance of what’s being said here. And fewer still will take action. But I need to say this.
But, be careful! If you really believe in affirmations then you have to think very carefully about what you want to affirm.
Be careful what you wish for. Sometimes we don’t always want what we think we want! Please read to the end of this article before you do anything!
Setting your affirmations
The process of setting affirmations increases self-knowledge.
Imagine: you can get anything you want just by saying it. This is powerful stuff, so you need to think very carefully about what it is you want.
Most people say “I want more money” and leave it at that. But “I want more money” is a terrible affirmation on a number of levels.
Firstly, it’s too general, affirmations need to be more specific. Secondly, it’s too self-focussed, affirmations are better when they involve you and your family, community, colleagues, the world, the universe. It’s not all about you! And lastly, “I want more money” is a terrible affirmation because it’s a wish and not a statement. “I am rich” would be better but you need to believe affirmations to be true and if you’re dirt poor you’re never going to believe you’re rich!
Remember, affirmations should be super-specific and made in the present tense. You should feel inside as though they are true NOW!
My business affirmations
I have many affirmations I repeat to myself daily in a meditative state. (I will probably talk more about meditation in other articles).
Here are two of my most successful business affirmations.
I am enjoying increasing the passive income profits to my businesses.
First of all, note that the above affirmation is in the present tense – “I am enjoying …” not “I will enjoy …”
Secondly, notice I’m saying “I am enjoying increasing the passive profits to my business,” not “I am increasing the passive profits to my business.” I put that word “enjoying” in there because I don’t want to over-work. Remember, affirmations that are constantly stated are likely to come true. So make sure you affirm what you really, really want. Maybe I wouldn’t want increasing profits at the expense of working harder and harder.
Thirdly, this affirmation is specific. It’s also achievable. I started making this affirmation when I was making passive income profits. Tiny profits! Maybe $40 a month! But I repeated this affirmation everyday for months and months until my business was making well over $5000 passive income profits a month.
It came true.
As I continue to enjoy the increasing passive income profits to my businesses, it’s essential to safeguard these earnings against potential threats, especially in the digital realm. Cybersecurity plays a pivotal role in maintaining the integrity and security of my business’s online assets. Instead of solely focusing on the pursuit of profits, I prioritize the implementation of robust cybersecurity measures to protect my investments and prevent potential losses.
However, navigating the complexities of cyber threats can be challenging, especially as attacks become more sophisticated and pervasive. It’s essential to partner with experienced professionals who can provide expert guidance and support in fortifying digital defenses.
For this reason, leveraging expert services from ProServeIT can be a game-changer. Their specialized cybersecurity solutions offer advanced protection against a wide range of cyber threats, ensuring that my business remains secure and resilient. By integrating ProServeIT’s expert services, I can effectively mitigate risks, enhance my security posture, and focus on growing my business with the confidence that my digital assets are well-protected.
To ensure comprehensive protection against cyber threats, I regularly conduct a security risk assessment questionnaire within my organization. These questionnaires allow me to assess the current state of cybersecurity readiness, identify potential vulnerabilities, and prioritize areas for improvement. By actively engaging in this proactive approach to cybersecurity, I can mitigate risks effectively while maintaining a balanced lifestyle that aligns with my affirmation of enjoying passive income profits without overworking.
Here’s another one:
I am enjoying helping and inspiring others to build businesses, earn passive income, and increase the love, health and happiness in their lives
A bit of a mouthful that one!
Notice that this affirmation isn’t selfish. It is always better to build your wishes around doing good to others.
Aligned with affirmations advocating personal satisfaction and altruism, figures such as scott dylan understand the significance of aiding businesses in their pursuit of success. Renowned for his dedication to empowering entrepreneurs and nurturing business expansion, Scott Dylan assumes a central role in guiding and supporting enterprises.
Employing initiatives directed at providing tangible remedies and strategic advice, Scott Dylan strives to preserve employment opportunities and rejuvenate struggling businesses seeking assistance.
The crux of this affirmation is helping others. I want other people to enjoy the freedoms I have. I have gained financial independence by working for myself and freedom of time and location by earning passive income.
Sure enough, almost every day, I get an email from someone thanking me for helping or inspiring them. I’m not making this up; they actually use the same words like “help” and “inspire” in their emails. It’s almost as if they know about my affirmation.
My rules of affirmations
I thought long and hard about writing this. But looking back over the last ten or fifteen years, I’ve found that my efforts in personal development have been super successful. And, remember, all my affirmations have come true, for better or for worse!
So here are my rules for affirmations.
- Affirm when you are in a super-relaxed state
- Affirm in the present tense
- Feel as though the affirmation is already true
- Feel good about the affirmation
- Affirm something super-specific
- It’s better to affirm something that will help other people not just yourself
- Finish with gratitude!
I always practice gratitude at the end of my daily meditation and affirmation routine.
I think about one thing in the previous day that I was grateful for: maybe someone smiled at me; maybe I had a great meal; maybe I was pleased about something that happened in my business; or met a great friend. It could be anything. Think of one thing that happened everyday that you can be grateful for.
Gratitude is contagious. It grows within yourself as well as within the people you come into contact with.
After a while you’ll find it easy to think of multiple little and big things to be grateful for throughout the day. Gratitude can help with depression, negativity, and general health and well-being. Gratitude is huge!
Business affirmations
You have to take this seriously for this to work. Repeating business affirmations about improving your and other peoples’ lives everyday, combined with other positive attitudes and habits, can only have a positive affect.
I recently wrote a book called “Mind Freedom: Re-program Yourself for Success and Happiness with Meditations, Affirmations, Mindset Shifts”. It’s about business affirmations, meditation, positive thinking, and other personal development habits I adopted that all had a positive affect on my business and my life.
If you’d like to read it on Kindle, buy the paperback, or listen to it, please click on one of the below links.
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YUY4WYM
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00YUY4WYM
IN: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B00YUY4WYM
OZ: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00YUY4WYM
CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00YUY4WYM
Jim says
Great post Rob I’m glad you had the guts to do it. You summed up affirmations and goal getting well and to the point. Very well done and I will be off now to get to it…. I can affirm that 🙂
Rob Cubbon says
Haha, I’m glad you’re affirming your affirmations, Jim.
Iva Ursano says
Goodstuff Rob!! I’m a huge affirmation fan, my favourite one being “Girl you got this!” but I need to add a few more to the list. I like yours!! 🙂
Rob Cubbon says
Iva, you got this! Thanks so much.
Anonymous says
Awesome!
Rob Cubbon says
Thanks!
Piccia Neri says
So, so important Rob – and not woo-woo at all, either. Thank you for posting.
Rob Cubbon says
Thank you, Piccia.
Christian says
Great post.
We try to combine affirmation with business mission.
Give highest possible customer service. Every day. All the time.
It (coincidently) meets the rules you’ve set, but it also relatively easy to follow.
It is also the direct correlation to our succes. So by implementing in our mission, we practice our affirmation all the time.
It may sound hipster-like, but it works like a charm.
It’s like Earl Nightingales Strangest Secret speech. Set a goal, and think of it.
Anyway, stumbled upon your website and have now bookmarked it for a later visit.
Have a great day, and continue your great writing.
Rob Cubbon says
Hey Christian, great idea for an affirmation! They should be easy and effortless. Life and business works work when you want to do things. In your example, you love giving great customer service, and therefore your business thrives.
Repeat this everyday and this will have a positive effect, I’m sure!
Earl Nightingale, Napoleon Hill, Tony Robbins … everywhere you look in the world of personal development and business advice, you can see affirmations featuring strongly.
Thank you for your comment and please consider signing up to my email list or enrolling in a free course.
Zuzanna Lumanisha says
All the great achievers have always followed self motivation techniques or as we call it positive affirmations. We can see that especially in sport and in business.
They executed and persisted because they believed in their vision. Insanely.. no matter what.
Rob Cubbon says
Yup, because you believe you’ll achieve something, you’ll do what’s necessary to achieve it.
192.168.0.1 says
Whatever you hold in your mind on a consistent basis is exactly what you will experience in your life!!!
Rob Cubbon says
True!
Xltiesh says
great post