Maniissh Aroraa's Blog, page 2
January 19, 2017
A Word to Hypnotize the World
Words have Power!
If expressed with love and humility, they hold the energy to heal, help, pacify, and humble us. However, when words are associated with disruptive forces, the rage behind them could push the countries at the brim of war.
Gary Chapman in his book, 'Love as a Way of Life' has used a vivid metaphor for words as being either ‘bullets or seeds.' When words are used as bullets, they could destroy the most precious bond, but when they are used as Seeds, they could construct a sound foundation for a vital relationship.
Standup comedian (Late) George Carlin, a keen observer of language, recognized the significance of words like no other. In fact, (I believe) he was the only one who caught Euphemism in business, through generations. Here is an excerpt from his show in the late 1980s.
There is a condition in combat - when a fighting person's nervous system has been snapped or about to snap, can't take any more inputs. In the World War I, that condition was called 'Shell-Shocked.' In the World War II, the same condition was called as 'Battle-Fatigue.' Then in the war in Korea in the 1950s, the very same combat condition was called as 'Operational-Exhaustion.' In the recent war in Vietnam - it was called as 'Post-traumatic Stress Disorder.'
.....noticed the shift and how words could take the life out of life?
My intent is to draw your consideration to a particular word that possesses the power to hypnotize and change lives. It is a familiar sound, our brain knows it, and we have read it umpteen times, but its usage has been extremely confined.
Take a guess.
Please...
Hello..
Yes...
No...
Why..
Thank You...
Though I do not discount the fact that these words are quite powerful, I am looking for something else here. Moreover, since this article is not related to religion and spirituality, the chanting of mantras, slokas, prayers and words associated with them would be out of the scope of our present discussion.
In a recent leadership session with a group of high pots, I asked the same question - Tell me a word that has changed your life in a positive way or you believe has the power to change it. Most of them ended up giving the same answers, and the discussion was restricted to 'Please' and 'Thank You.' It is so ironical that we scarcely use some of the basic words to their strength. It is not our fault; we fail to notice the obvious unless they form an integral part of an important story or an experience.
A few months ago, during the train journey, I met a guy in his mid-30s. He was like any other passenger, but there was something unique that separated him from the rest. He was carrying a bundle of English magazines and thoroughly engrossed in flipping through them. Out of curiosity, I asked him the purpose of carrying so many magazines with him. He spoke with a raw accent, but his communication was immaculate. In a five-minute conversation, I realized his affinity towards a specific word and couldn't stop enquiring about it.
'Is there a reason you focus a lot on this one word in your conversation?' I asked.
'Yes, this word has the power to bring rationality which in turn could bring acceptability,' he replied.
'Rationality? Acceptability? Could you explain it further and in simple ways?' I shot a few more questions since the conversation was becoming complicated.
He smiled and explained, 'Rationality during conversation brings acceptability, and it leads to harmony and balance. We all crave to have a balanced life and relationships, and this word contributes heavily towards it, simple, isn't it?'
Wasn't so for me. 'Could you give me an example?' I asked.
Let me lift the veil from the word and then come to the last part of my conversation with the stranger on the train.
BECAUSE
The stranger gave me a simple example. Let's assume you want a salary hike (a touchy subject always), observe the usage of the word and how it can bring in agreement.
Scenario 1 - I need an increase.
Scenario 2 - I need an increase to meet my expenses.
Scenario 3 - I need an increase BECAUSE I deserve it and am unable to meet my expenses.
The sound of these three sentences are so different; they evoke different emotions. The word brings its hypnotic powers to the reason. It brings compliance and agreement. Using the word “because” followed by a reason results in significantly more understanding. It is true even when the reason is not very compelling.
Recommendation:
Observe your conversations, note how many times you use this word in a day. You would be surprised how ignorant we have been. Bring this word in your challenging and complicated conversations (Spouse/Boss/Girlfriend/Boyfriend) and see what it could do for you.
If expressed with love and humility, they hold the energy to heal, help, pacify, and humble us. However, when words are associated with disruptive forces, the rage behind them could push the countries at the brim of war.
Gary Chapman in his book, 'Love as a Way of Life' has used a vivid metaphor for words as being either ‘bullets or seeds.' When words are used as bullets, they could destroy the most precious bond, but when they are used as Seeds, they could construct a sound foundation for a vital relationship.
Standup comedian (Late) George Carlin, a keen observer of language, recognized the significance of words like no other. In fact, (I believe) he was the only one who caught Euphemism in business, through generations. Here is an excerpt from his show in the late 1980s.
There is a condition in combat - when a fighting person's nervous system has been snapped or about to snap, can't take any more inputs. In the World War I, that condition was called 'Shell-Shocked.' In the World War II, the same condition was called as 'Battle-Fatigue.' Then in the war in Korea in the 1950s, the very same combat condition was called as 'Operational-Exhaustion.' In the recent war in Vietnam - it was called as 'Post-traumatic Stress Disorder.'
.....noticed the shift and how words could take the life out of life?
My intent is to draw your consideration to a particular word that possesses the power to hypnotize and change lives. It is a familiar sound, our brain knows it, and we have read it umpteen times, but its usage has been extremely confined.
Take a guess.
Please...
Hello..
Yes...
No...
Why..
Thank You...
Though I do not discount the fact that these words are quite powerful, I am looking for something else here. Moreover, since this article is not related to religion and spirituality, the chanting of mantras, slokas, prayers and words associated with them would be out of the scope of our present discussion.
In a recent leadership session with a group of high pots, I asked the same question - Tell me a word that has changed your life in a positive way or you believe has the power to change it. Most of them ended up giving the same answers, and the discussion was restricted to 'Please' and 'Thank You.' It is so ironical that we scarcely use some of the basic words to their strength. It is not our fault; we fail to notice the obvious unless they form an integral part of an important story or an experience.
A few months ago, during the train journey, I met a guy in his mid-30s. He was like any other passenger, but there was something unique that separated him from the rest. He was carrying a bundle of English magazines and thoroughly engrossed in flipping through them. Out of curiosity, I asked him the purpose of carrying so many magazines with him. He spoke with a raw accent, but his communication was immaculate. In a five-minute conversation, I realized his affinity towards a specific word and couldn't stop enquiring about it.
'Is there a reason you focus a lot on this one word in your conversation?' I asked.
'Yes, this word has the power to bring rationality which in turn could bring acceptability,' he replied.
'Rationality? Acceptability? Could you explain it further and in simple ways?' I shot a few more questions since the conversation was becoming complicated.
He smiled and explained, 'Rationality during conversation brings acceptability, and it leads to harmony and balance. We all crave to have a balanced life and relationships, and this word contributes heavily towards it, simple, isn't it?'
Wasn't so for me. 'Could you give me an example?' I asked.
Let me lift the veil from the word and then come to the last part of my conversation with the stranger on the train.
BECAUSE
The stranger gave me a simple example. Let's assume you want a salary hike (a touchy subject always), observe the usage of the word and how it can bring in agreement.
Scenario 1 - I need an increase.
Scenario 2 - I need an increase to meet my expenses.
Scenario 3 - I need an increase BECAUSE I deserve it and am unable to meet my expenses.
The sound of these three sentences are so different; they evoke different emotions. The word brings its hypnotic powers to the reason. It brings compliance and agreement. Using the word “because” followed by a reason results in significantly more understanding. It is true even when the reason is not very compelling.
Recommendation:
Observe your conversations, note how many times you use this word in a day. You would be surprised how ignorant we have been. Bring this word in your challenging and complicated conversations (Spouse/Boss/Girlfriend/Boyfriend) and see what it could do for you.
Imagination & Manifestation
Let us do some stretching.
Get out of office and step into an Audi or BMW showroom. Spot and figure out the most expensive and swanky sedan. Open the front door and get behind the wheels. For a few minutes neglect the blabbering of the sales rep and consider the machine as your own. Close the door and relax.
Observe the sensation in the body and concentrate on how your cells are reacting to this new ecosystem inside the car - The upholstery, the smell, the feel. It is going to be pure ecstasy - a feeling of being in heaven if you ever dreamt of having one.
As you are lost in this world of rapture, figure out a way to preserve this experience inside you forever - Create a mental image of it. And once you are comfortable of replicating the same feeling even in a vacuum, take out your mobile phone and click a cute selfie unwinding behind the wheels.
Crazy Venture? Isn't it?
Ever done it in the past?
...Yes..No...?
Here is a little homework for you. At the dinner table, ask your parents if they were ever involved in such crazy ventures. Don't just stop there, go and check out if your friends, colleagues or anyone in your circle ever did something as insane as this adventure. I am considerably assured that you would hear a dull & flavorless No, and it is not surprising at all.
Let me give you another example, and this is my pet peeve - If you are an office scavenger, take out your latest salary slip, copy its format ditching the numbers. Now use this form to create a new pay-slip. Fill up the amount your eyes yearn to see in your pay slip and have been denied for so long, month after month. Keep this new pay slip in your wallet and convince your inner self that this is precisely your monthly pay.
Another Crazy stunt? Isn't It?
Ever done it in the past?
Yes...No...
And some more homework for you - Discuss with your peers, managers or juniors and ask them if they ever attempted or even imagined it. The answer is going to be the same.
You know why?
Because most us are either not familiar with the concept of Visualization or we are completely ignorant of its power. We don't understand what magnitude of positive changes it could bring in our lives.
Let me briefly explain this concept:
Visualization means the formation of a mental image.
The key to achieving what you want - whether it’s a healthier body or increased confidence or materialistic gains - may lie in your ability to visualize it. Although it may sound like hocus-pocus, research suggests that imagining could help you get results even when you don’t move a muscle. In one notable study that appeared in the North American Journal of Psychology in 2007, athletes who mentally practiced a hip-flexor exercise had strength gains that were almost as significant as those in people who did the exercise (five times a week for 15 minutes) on a weight machine.
If your challenge is more mental than physical - for instance, handling an awkward conversation - imagery can keep you calm and focused. When you repeatedly imagine performing a task, you may also condition your neural pathways so that the action feels familiar when you go to perform it; it’s as if you’re carving a groove in your nervous system. Finally, on a purely psychological level, envisioning success can enhance motivation and confidence.
I would strongly recommend researching Actor Jim Carrey and Oprah Winfrey. They are the two living legends who have made the best use to Visualization to attract success in their lives.
And finally, let me end this article with a short but real story:
There was a school in America. 86% of its students never went to college from that school. A self-made millionaire decided to do something about it. He visited the school and told the students that he will sponsor their fees if they choose to pursue graduation. The percentage improved slightly.
School authorities decided that they need to do a lot more than that to encourage students to pursue graduation. They took all the kids to the college for one day. Each school student was assigned a college mate to shadow for a full day. These students attended classes, they ate in the canteen, played basketball and spent a lot of time conversing their respective mates. That year, the percentage of dropouts came down to 16%.
This is the power of Visualization.
(PS: BMW example is an Inner Visualization technique and Pay-slip example is Outer Visualization technique)
If you liked reading this article, please drop in your feedback below.
Get out of office and step into an Audi or BMW showroom. Spot and figure out the most expensive and swanky sedan. Open the front door and get behind the wheels. For a few minutes neglect the blabbering of the sales rep and consider the machine as your own. Close the door and relax.
Observe the sensation in the body and concentrate on how your cells are reacting to this new ecosystem inside the car - The upholstery, the smell, the feel. It is going to be pure ecstasy - a feeling of being in heaven if you ever dreamt of having one.
As you are lost in this world of rapture, figure out a way to preserve this experience inside you forever - Create a mental image of it. And once you are comfortable of replicating the same feeling even in a vacuum, take out your mobile phone and click a cute selfie unwinding behind the wheels.
Crazy Venture? Isn't it?
Ever done it in the past?
...Yes..No...?
Here is a little homework for you. At the dinner table, ask your parents if they were ever involved in such crazy ventures. Don't just stop there, go and check out if your friends, colleagues or anyone in your circle ever did something as insane as this adventure. I am considerably assured that you would hear a dull & flavorless No, and it is not surprising at all.
Let me give you another example, and this is my pet peeve - If you are an office scavenger, take out your latest salary slip, copy its format ditching the numbers. Now use this form to create a new pay-slip. Fill up the amount your eyes yearn to see in your pay slip and have been denied for so long, month after month. Keep this new pay slip in your wallet and convince your inner self that this is precisely your monthly pay.
Another Crazy stunt? Isn't It?
Ever done it in the past?
Yes...No...
And some more homework for you - Discuss with your peers, managers or juniors and ask them if they ever attempted or even imagined it. The answer is going to be the same.
You know why?
Because most us are either not familiar with the concept of Visualization or we are completely ignorant of its power. We don't understand what magnitude of positive changes it could bring in our lives.
Let me briefly explain this concept:
Visualization means the formation of a mental image.
The key to achieving what you want - whether it’s a healthier body or increased confidence or materialistic gains - may lie in your ability to visualize it. Although it may sound like hocus-pocus, research suggests that imagining could help you get results even when you don’t move a muscle. In one notable study that appeared in the North American Journal of Psychology in 2007, athletes who mentally practiced a hip-flexor exercise had strength gains that were almost as significant as those in people who did the exercise (five times a week for 15 minutes) on a weight machine.
If your challenge is more mental than physical - for instance, handling an awkward conversation - imagery can keep you calm and focused. When you repeatedly imagine performing a task, you may also condition your neural pathways so that the action feels familiar when you go to perform it; it’s as if you’re carving a groove in your nervous system. Finally, on a purely psychological level, envisioning success can enhance motivation and confidence.
I would strongly recommend researching Actor Jim Carrey and Oprah Winfrey. They are the two living legends who have made the best use to Visualization to attract success in their lives.
And finally, let me end this article with a short but real story:
There was a school in America. 86% of its students never went to college from that school. A self-made millionaire decided to do something about it. He visited the school and told the students that he will sponsor their fees if they choose to pursue graduation. The percentage improved slightly.
School authorities decided that they need to do a lot more than that to encourage students to pursue graduation. They took all the kids to the college for one day. Each school student was assigned a college mate to shadow for a full day. These students attended classes, they ate in the canteen, played basketball and spent a lot of time conversing their respective mates. That year, the percentage of dropouts came down to 16%.
This is the power of Visualization.
(PS: BMW example is an Inner Visualization technique and Pay-slip example is Outer Visualization technique)
If you liked reading this article, please drop in your feedback below.
