You are searching for the magic key that will unlock the door to the source of power; and yet you have the key in your own hands, and you may make use of it the moment you learn to control your thoughts. | ||
| --Napoleon Hill[1] | ||
Chapter 2, “The Clarity State—Mental Focus Redefined,” defined the Clarity State in the following way:
The Clarity State is the state of being
Physically relaxed
Emotionally positive, happy, released from fear and anxiety
Charged with power, success, self-confidence, and energy
Totally in the present
Mentally focused on the task at hand
Clarity State is a state of physical, emotional, and mental coherence. Another way to describe this state is being at a high point of three scales—physical, emotional, and mental (see Figures 5-1 through 5-3).
On the low point of the physical scale, your body is in fight-or-flight mode—ready to respond to the danger that you sense in the environment. Your bloodstream is full of adrenaline. On the high side of the scale, your body is fully relaxed.
The low point of the emotional scale is when you are under the grip of negative emotions, such as worry, anger, frustration, or envy, or you feel resignation—no interest or ability to influence the world around you. At these times your body produces the hormone cortisol. On the high side of the scale, you feel full of energy, excited about your work, and energetic. At these times your body produces the hormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), which has been called an “anti-age” hormone.
At the low point of the mental scale, your thoughts rush from one to another, never stopping to take one concept through to its conclusion. At the high point of the scale, you can focus on one issue to the exclusion of everything else for a period of time, independent of how difficult it is, and make progress in addressing the issue.
All three systems are interconnected. The state of one influences the others. Emotions affect the state of your physical body and your mind, and vice versa.
Reaching the Clarity State involves a shift to a high point on each scale. However, a shift on one scale will affect another. A further shift on the other will affect the third, thus increasing your overall average (coherence) score.
You do not need to reach the highest mark on all scales. In fact, successful athletes know that a certain level of stress or anxiety is necessary for optimal performance. This is based on the theory of optimal arousal pioneered by Yuri Hanin, a sports psychologist from the former USSR, and now accepted by sports psychologists worldwide[2]. Successful athletes have learned how to maintain the arousal level within a certain optimal zone and to constructively channel the energy that the anxiety generates. On a scale from 1 (low) to 10 (high), shoot for an average coherence level of 7 or 8.
Key Point
The ease of reaching and maintaining the Clarity State depends on the level of balance or imbalance you operate under in your daily life.
If you usually operate at a coherence level of around 3, the shift to 8 will be harder in comparison with a person who usually operates around 6. The good news is that you can change your state at will, any time you want to, or whenever you have a difficult decision to make. The second piece of good news is that you can do it rather quickly, within 5 to 10 minutes. Obviously, if you are under exceptional stress, you might need extra time to shift to the Clarity State. Another piece of good news is that the process of reaching the Clarity State is relatively simple, and a lot of methods will work.
In general, as with any skill, your initial attempts might take longer, but with practice, 1 to 3 minutes should be sufficient to get to the Clarity State. I base this statement on feedback from decision makers who decided to incorporate this technique into their daily decision-making process.
Each one of us knows this state and has been in it many times. However, if you normally operate at coherence level 2, you are used to this low state. From this vantage point, having reached a slightly higher state, say 5, you might assume that you have reached your Clarity State. An objective indicator can be helpful during the initial learning stage. It can help you recognize your Clarity State. Later, as you learn to reach it consistently, you will be able to get into it any time you need to with or without the help of an indicator.
A number of off-the-shelf tools can be used for this purpose. In my research project, I used the Freeze-Framer software from HeartMath, Inc.[3] as a measurement tool for attainment of the Clarity State. The Freeze-Framer software package uses information from a fingertip pulse sensor that plugs into a computer to provide real-time information about your mind-body-emotions state and to indicate when you have achieved a state of autonomic nervous system balance.
The software is based on 20 years of research by HeartMath and is used by many companies around the world. It is intended to help a person shift from a “stressed” state to a coherent state. Over the last 20 years, HeartMath has documented numerous studies proving that shifting to a higher coherence state several times a day for just a couple of minutes has a dramatic impact on improving health, job performance, and overall perception of life[4].
Here are a couple of documented physiological impacts:
After a month of practicing, the experimental group demonstrated an average 23% reduction in cortisol levels and a 100% increase in DHEA.
Practicing shifting to a higher coherence level led to changes in the brain's information processing capabilities that result in significant gains in cognitive performance. In one study, high school students in the program demonstrated a 35% mean gain in their math test scores. The mean gain in reading was 14%. Several students were able to increase their test scores by more than 75% after the three-week program.
A 5-minute experience of positive emotions produced an immediate, significant increase in S-IgA levels. S-IgA is secretory immunoglobulin A, the predominant antibody that serves as the body's first line of defense against infection. In contrast, as a result of a 5-minute experience of a negative emotion such as anger, S-IgA levels dropped sharply in the hour after the anger episode and remained significantly suppressed for five hours after the initial 5-minute emotional experience.
I used the tool for confirming the attainment of a higher coherence level before the start of decision contemplation phases of the technique. The tool was also used for making sure that a decision maker maintains the state during decision contemplation (more on this in a minute).
The disciplined man masters thoughts by stillness and emotions by calmness. | ||
| --Lao-Tzu[5] | ||
The technique of Reaching the Clarity State is a stepping function, consisting of five steps, as shown in Figure 5-4. By using this technique, you are consciously shifting your state to a higher state of coherence. You start by shifting your position higher on the physical scale by relaxing your body. You then shift your position on the mental scale by using your mind to achieve higher concentration. This shift positively impacts your emotional state by calming your emotions and improves your physical state by further calming and relaxing your body. In the final step, you make a shift on the emotional scale that brings up your overall coherence level again. By shifting to a higher state of coherence, you can clear away the mass of encumbering thought material so that you may bring it into plain view and focus on the issue at hand.
Several methods can be utilized for each step. I will first provide brief descriptions of such methods. You will have to experiment with them and identify the ones that work for you in each step. I will then present the technique of reaching the Clarity State that has preselected methods for each step. This technique worked for most decision makers who participated in the project and was found effective in helping them quickly achieve the Clarity State.
Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed. Make sure that phones are turned off. It is better to sit in a comfortable chair with a straight back. You want to be in a relaxed position. The position, however, should not be too comfortable. Otherwise, you run the risk of falling asleep.
Clean off the table surface in front of you, leaving only a sheet of paper and a pen—you might want to write down interesting ideas that occur to you during the exercise. Tell yourself that you are ready to experiment and have fun with the exercise.
Initially, until you learn the process well and can get into the Clarity State within minutes, keep your eyes closed during the exercise. This makes you focus better. Closing your eyes and looking up about 20 degrees behind your eyelids will help you relax and focus easier as well.
Relax your muscles, progressing slowly from your feet to your calves, thighs, abdomen, chest, lower back, upper back, shoulders, hands, arms, neck, and head, saying to yourself as you do so: “The muscles of my _______ are becoming relaxed and heavy” for every part of your body that you are working on. Feel your body totally relax.
Start breathing deeply using full breaths in the yoga tradition[6] (inhaling with the abdomen first as it gets pulled in, then with the chest and then the shoulders, exhaling in the reverse order, with the abdomen muscles relaxing at the end of the breath cycle). Do not try to hold your breath. Assume a rhythm that is comfortable for you. Try the rhythm of inhaling for 4 seconds and exhaling for 8. Then experiment with finding your own rhythm. Usually, exhaling should be double the duration of inhaling. Totally focus on your breath. The number of full breaths that you need to reach relaxation depends on your state of mind. If you are in a reasonably relaxed state already, you might need just a couple of full breaths. If you are tense and stressed, you will need tens of full breaths to reach a solid relaxation level.
Relaxation Response[7]
Pick a word, sound, or phrase that has meaning for you. Breathe slowly and naturally, and as you do, say this focus word, sound, or phrase silently to yourself as you exhale. Any word will do; you can use “one” or “relax.”
Assume a passive attitude. Don't worry about how well you are doing. When other thoughts come to mind, simply say to yourself, “Oh, well,” and gently return to your repetition.
Continue for several minutes. Depending on your current state of mind, you will need from 5 to 20 minutes to reach a relaxed, focused state of mind.
Countdown[8]
Initially, this practice is recommended for the morning or evening, right after you wake up or before you drift off to sleep, because it is known that the relaxed and focused state of mind is easier to achieve at that time. When you have experienced this state and have learned to get into it with a brief countdown, you can do it any time during the day.
When you awaken in the morning, set your alarm for 15 minutes in case you drift off to sleep during the exercise. Now, slowly, at about 2-second intervals, count backward from 100 to 1. As you do this, keep your mind on it. After you practice this countdown for a week, do a 50 to 1 countdown for a week, then 25 to 1, and so on until you get to a relaxed state in a 5 to 1 countdown.
Acknowledging Your Thoughts[9]
Tell yourself, “I feel totally fine and joyful about how life is going.” Most likely a thought or an unsolved issue will pop up in your mind that says “not so.” It might or might not be related to the issue you wanted to deal with. Acknowledge it; say, “Yes, that's there.” Don't get involved with it; just acknowledge it. Imagine that this issue is a block and you are putting it down beside you on the floor. Now tell to yourself, “Other than this issue, I feel totally fine and joyful about how life is going.” Continue stacking your unsolved issues on top of each other as you name them. When you have a sufficient stack of blocks, move them to the side.
It is as if you are clearing a space within your mind to devote your attention to the issue at hand. As another analogy, it is as if you come to a pond that is full of algae on the surface, and you clear a part of the surface close to the shore so that you can go for a swim.
The issue in question will probably surface, too; put it aside as well. When no other issues appear, you are ready to proceed to the next step. Or you might sit quietly and enjoy this state for a little while.
Find an image or images that symbolize power, force, and energy for you. For example, I get this feeling of self-power, force, and energy surging through me when I am standing in front of a stormy ocean. I also get it in the mountains when I am totally in awe of nature's magnificence. Also, several pictures of my past successes with a definite feeling of “it was a challenge and I did it” invoke the same feeling in me. Find your own pictures and images.
Utilize Your Volitional Factors[10]
Identify your volitional (intrinsically motivational) factors, and learn how to use them in converting situations from negative to positive. Here is the process of identifying your volitional factors.
Recollect a moment when you experienced great happiness or exhilaration in something you did. The ideal choice is the event or achievement you recall as being among the most exciting, the most satisfying, and requiring the greatest investment of effort on your part. Do not discard the experiences that you believed were “easy” to achieve. You might have been in exactly the right state while you were in the process of achieving them, enjoying the process, and this is why they felt easy. However, they did require effort on your part. Pick three such events.
For each event, put together a separate cluster using the following three steps. Start by writing the name of the event in the middle of a piece of paper, and then circle it. For every word or phrase that you put down during this process, circle it and connect it to other circles on the page. Do not think; just write and associate freely.
Imagine that the event is happening again. Recall the thoughts and feelings that went through your mind. Write them down, circle them and connect them to other circles.
Ask yourself what things have contributed to this peak experience. Consider books, people you admire, friends who supported you—anything significant that was a contributing factor. Write them down, circle them, and connect them to other circles.
Now focus on things that you did directly and deliberately to accomplish this event. Note any details about your education or employment history that were instrumental. Write them down, circle them and connect them to other circles.
Now look at these three clusters and find similar or identical factors across the three clusters that are particularly important and exciting for you in these situations. You'll find that these factors are the highly motivational factors for you in general; they are your “drivers”—they help you achieve peak performance in your life.
For example, the following themes carry high motivational content for me and surfaced in my clusters:
This is a great challenge and I did it!
This is so exciting! This is something new ahead, and I can learn new things!
This is an opportunity where I can learn from the best, and I can be better than the best!
You can see that my motivational factors are challenges that have novelty, variety, and difficulty.
After you figure out your volitional factors, you can use them to convert negative feelings into positive ones, such as fear into excitement. Here is how I use them. In a situation that is a “drag,” I find a way to look at it in such a way that it represents a challenge, an opportunity to learn something new, and an opportunity to conquer the odds.
After experimenting with these methods, I found the following combination of breathing and visualization to be the easiest and fastest way to reach the Clarity State that worked for most decision makers. You should select a preferred method that works for you. The objective is to recognize your own Clarity State and learn a simple way to get there quickly and easily.
Prepare.
Relax your body.
Start breathing deeply and slowly. It should feel like a sigh on the exhale. Imagine that the tension is coming out of you with each exhale.
Scan your body, and if you find tension anywhere, breathe through this tension and relax it.
Calm your mind.
Pick a word, sound, or phrase such as “relax,” and say it to yourself on the exhale.
Clear your mind.
When thoughts arrive, do not get involved with them; simply say “I'll deal with it later” and return to your breathing and repetition.
Charge up.
You are now relaxed and focused on your breathing. Let's add a positive charge to this state. Recall a situation when you felt totally happy. Re-experience it with as many senses as possible. If you are on the beach, feel the sun on your skin and your toes in the sand.
Now recall an experience where you felt very successful, self-confident, excited, on top of the world, with a “no barriers exist for me” feeling. Relive it as vividly as possible with as many senses involved as possible. Get into this feeling of excitement, self-power, and success.
During interviews, this technique flow was read to decision makers with the appropriate intervals between instructions. If you decide to do it on your own, record the steps on a tape and play them back to yourself. You can monitor your progress with software such as Freeze-Framer and experiment with the best way for you to reach the state of coherence.
With practice, you can get to a point where you can program this state to a trigger and get into Clarity State within seconds, as discussed next.
When you reach a point where you can consistently reach your Clarity State, you can “program” this state of your body, mind, and emotions to a trigger. Here is the process.
Pick a sign that you will use to trigger this state. The trigger can be bringing together the thumb and first two fingers of either hand, saying to yourself, “One, two, three,” or whatever trigger you define. Suppose you pick “One, two, three” for the trigger. Next time you reach Clarity State, say to yourself silently or aloud, “Whenever I say 'One, two, three' silently to myself, I will instantly reach this level of mind to accomplish whatever I focus on.”
Practice this daily (three to five times a day) for about a week, always using the same words so that your mind develops a firm association between your trigger and this state.
| --Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach[12] | ||
Reaching Clarity State is simple, but maintaining it for decision-making is not as easy.
Why? Because difficult decisions usually involve issues that are serious, important, and potentially emotional for a decision maker. You may snap out of the desired state the minute you introduce the decision situation into your consciousness. Just one thought, and you are out!
Therefore, this step requires practice and concentration. This is where learning to discipline and focus your mind becomes very important. You cannot always control your circumstances, but you can control your own thoughts.
You will need to maintain and monitor your relaxed, positively charged state and be able to contemplate your decision. As you experiment with this, you will notice that your attention is in a “parallel” mode: monitoring your state as well as contemplating your decision. As you try it, I am sure that you will find it challenging, requiring a much higher mental focus than normal. Use the Freeze-Framer or a similar program to monitor your state as you are experimenting. With practice, you will quickly notice when you are “dropping the state” and will find easy ways to get back to it quickly.
The reason I am using the verb “contemplate” rather than “think about” in “contemplate a decision” is because your objective is to balance the intuitive and the rational and not think in your normal way. It is as if you are putting your rational thinking into the background and getting your intuitive thinking to step forward to give you a reaction to all the rationales you are considering. Again, as you try this, you will find that it is not easy, either. We condition our minds to respond with preset thoughts and rationalize new and interesting ideas out of consideration. Allowing these new ideas and insights into our minds requires mental flexibility and a higher-than-normal level of mental observation.
You also need to focus your mind totally and completely on the decision to the exclusion of everything else. Total and complete focus! It is as if your decision is in a spotlight, and everything else is in the dark. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done. You will find as you try it that thoughts unrelated to your decision will intervene and your attention will be diverted to other things. Maintaining total and complete focus on your decision is a challenging task requiring a high level of mental discipline and control.
This ability to sharply and quickly focus the mind on an issue must be developed with experience. I believe that the larger the company a CEO runs, the more developed this ability becomes.
I remember one example. I was scheduled to go on a trip to interview a CEO of a multibillion Fortune 50 company. The interview was scheduled to take two hours. The CEO's secretary called a couple of days before the interview and informed me that there would be an emergency board meeting right after the interview and asked me to finish the interview a little earlier. Obviously, I agreed. However, as I was getting on a plane to fly to the interview, I have to admit that I was wondering whether this trip would be worth my time. I was concerned about this CEO's ability to really focus on the interview in light of the upcoming emergency board meeting.
The mental focus, mind control, and discipline that this CEO exhibited amazed me. He was in control, able to quickly focus his mind, and able to get into the relaxed and positive state within a couple minutes. Not to mention that he gave me his full attention.
Not to overly generalize, but I do correlate this ability of mental control to the level of achievement a person can reach. Success and concentration—the ability to bend all your energies to one point and go directly to that point—go hand in hand. Therefore, the effort of finding your Clarity State and learning to use it for decision-making can pay handsomely over time.
To summarize, a number of behavior guidance rules are useful to know before you use Clarity State Decision-Making.
Maintain your state at all times.
It is useful to find a method that enables you to return to the Clarity State quickly if you notice that you are no longer there. Keep a cue on it at all times while focusing on your decision. I suggest using breathing as your cue and as a refocusing mechanism. One part of your attention should keep a cue on your breathing and another on contemplating a decision. If you are getting too deeply involved in the issue or getting emotional, return to just maintaining the Clarity State. Doing a couple of full, deep breaths will refocus you on your state.
Do not worry how well you are doing. Treat this exercise as a game.
I found that because business executives are competitive by nature, many of them wanted to get to an even better state, as indicated by the software, in essence competing with the program. This is the wrong focus! The focus should be on maintaining the state and focusing the mind on the decision itself.
It is important to develop an “it's a game” attitude. The basketball coach Stan Kellner observed: “The player who thinks too much while playing inhibits himself. A player needs to learn to 'let it happen' rather than trying to 'make it happen.'”
Do not rush to provide answers to questions from your rational mind.
As stated already, this is not our normal rational thinking process. It usually takes a couple of seconds after the question for the intuitive answer to form. Just wait a couple of seconds.
Be open to insights.
Remember that this process is focused on triggering insights. Do not worry if you do not have any associations in response to a particular question; it's okay. Just listen and let it go. The answer might come back later in association with something else or not at all. In cases when you do get an association in response to a question, make sure that you allow it to play out. As we've discussed before, insights may come as pictures, thoughts, images, or ideas. They may all come together in a flash. Allow these ideas to sink in.
Be observant and precise.
The feedback about an issue related to the decision might not come in the form of a thought but rather as an emotion—resistance to a path of action, for example. Or, it may come as a physical sensation. You have to watch for all of these thoughts, emotions, and sensations in your body. They are there to give you information about something related to your decision. When you see something new about your decision, a new perspective, an additional constraint, or other things, be as precise as possible in identifying it. This is very important in order to get additional clarity for your decision.
Maintain complete and total focus on the issue at hand.
As discussed before, this rule is the most challenging, because many issues and other decisions are competing for your attention. Thoughts related to these issues will interfere with your contemplation. This is why I decided to ask decision makers to silently answer questions about their decision rather than allow them to contemplate it in a free form. Questions focus your mind on the decision. It is likely, however, that other thoughts will still interfere. When they do, simply return the focus of your attention to the contemplation of your decision.
The following chapters discuss various techniques that I've used with decision makers in overcoming decision difficulties while they contemplated their current decision in the Clarity State. I've found that in many cases, being in the Clarity State facilitated a breakthrough in their thinking about the situation related to a decision, enabling them to overcome the difficulties and come to a clear choice.