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Published on April 03, 2017 17:35

What You See Is What You Get: WYSIWYG

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“How the theater of the mind can be generated by the

machinery of the mind is an unfathomable mystery”

– Edward Lewellen

The images, sounds, smells, tastes, and feelings our minds can produce are amazing! When we stop to take a few seconds to experience these sensations, it can become as if we are right back into the event we are thinking about. This can be very pleasant if the event was positive. It can be extremely painful when the experience was negative.

The capabilities of the human mind are so vast that it can even take us into the future. Before getting on stage to give a presentation, we may see ourselves stuttering, making mistakes, forgetting important information, etc., and the feelings of embarrassment, shame, anxiety and fear become overwhelming.

When thinking about our significant other being out with a group of people, we can begin to create scenarios of poor behavior, infidelity, bad judgment, etc. that are totally fabricated in our minds, but which elicit such strong emotions that we are angered and outraged at them when they return home…and, we discover nothing of the sort happened!

What if this power of the human mind could be captured and used to accomplish more in life than ever thought possible? Suppose people, like you, could reign over this potential and bring it into subjection so that the same power that exists in creating future memories and recreating past memories can be focused on creating success in life for you. What would become possible? The real question is; Would there be anything impossible?

If you can master your unconscious mind and harness its power towards a clear objective, literally everything becomes possible.

So, what would you like to accomplish, to do, to achieve? Here are a few I hear from people I speak to:

Become a millionaire or billionaire
Start and build a successful business
Make more sales
Raise children who become your legacy
Be free of a debilitating disease or pain
Be free of a past relationship that continues to cause problems now
Be able to find the right relationship and maintain it
And, so much more!

Remember what it was like when you were a child, especially between two and five -years-old? In your mind, anything was possible; flying like a superhero, riding a unicorn, fighting dinosaurs, floating in outer space, etc.

It’s time to un-break your dream machine and let it run free like that of a child! Everything you just read is possible. Everything you read above has been done.

Now, it’s your turn. Contact me to find out how you can unleash

your personal power, possibilities, and potential TODAY!!!

(Get your FREE Special Report It’s Mind-Set…NOT Skill-Set! by clicking HERE)

Please feel free to comment and share this post!

+++++++++++++++About Dr. Edward Lewellen++++++++++++++++++++

Dr. Edward Lewellen an expert in creating methodologies for people to learn to use their mind; their beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors, and put them back in control of their lives and become top-producers. He is a Master Executive Coach, leadership and sales expert, and keynote speaker for some of the largest global organizations.

Author of The 90-Second Mind Manager

972.900.9207

Ed@Trans-Think.com

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Published on April 03, 2017 12:31

If You Sell, Do You Train Like a World-Class Athlete?

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Do you sell? Surprisingly, many people don’t like to be called a “salesperson”. Therefore, companies have come up with a plethora of titles to help their people overcome what some feel is the stigma of being a salesperson, such as: Account Executive, Account Representative, Consultant Representative, Customer Acquisition Specialist, Sales Engineer, and many others.

Many entrepreneurs have never sold, or so they think, and they find selling their product or service a daunting task. Many entrepreneurs believe what they have to offer is so beneficial that all people have to do is become aware that their offer is available and people will flock to their website or store front to buy it. That rarely happens. Many entrepreneurs, too, find it difficult to label themselves as a Salesperson. They prefer titles, such as Business Owner, Entrepreneur, President, CEO, etc.

When compared to the world of sports, the people I just described would be considered amateurs or, at the very least, they would be in the “also ran” category. The people who are the world’s best in sales are like the world’s best athletes. They identify with their sport and specialty, they train daily, and they realize that once they have their bodies physically fit for their sport, more than 50% of reaching and staying at the top is their Mental Game. Lastly, they understand that when the rubber meets the road they are ultimately the person fully and totally responsible for end results.

The Comparison

Training for a sport is important because, beyond training the body to make it physically stronger, it creates “muscle memory”. Take the martial arts for example, as a person progresses through the belts, the routines they have to memorize and execute become increasingly complex. Because of the complexity of the routines, this creates the mental memory and muscle memory of how to automatically act in any given situation and without having to think about it. This is called unconscious competence. What happens, though, if the people on the street or in the ring that they fight don’t follow the routine they’ve learned?

If you sell to create the life you desire, then train like a world-class athlete.

There is a wealth of sales training available. They each have their 4-steps, 5-steps, 10-steps, etc., their “routine”, just like any sport. They all have Building Rapport as the beginning point and Closing the Sale at the end. Salespeople are taught to follow the steps exactly as outlined or they increase the chances of losing the sale. The problem is, prospects (just like opponents on a field of play) don’t follow their steps and, if they do, they don’t follow them in the order salespeople are told to perform them! I had a friend who used come back with this phrase when a prospect would interrupt his sales trained routine, “Mr/Ms. Prospect, your on step 5 and I’m only on Step 3, be patient and let me catch up to you.”

The inherent psychological and emotional response to having the salesperson’s routine interrupted is fear. Fear shuts down the strategic thinking of a person and fully opens an emotional response. Just like the person who is a Black Belt in a Martial Art, if fear sets in they lose the fight.

Sales training deals with the known. Mental training helps you deal with the unknown.

Would you agree with me that interacting with people has so many variables that it’s impossible to know what’s going to happen when you walk into a sales presentation? As much as sales training gives structure to your presentation, it can never equip you to deal with all the unknown variables. Mental training can. So, how do world-class athletes prepare mentally?

The primary tools are visualization and meditation. They “see” themselves breaking through a record. They “feel” the sense of achievement as they win the game. They “hear” the roar of the crown as they cross the finish line. They “smell” the odors in the air. They “taste” the victory. You’ve heard of self-fulfilling prophecy and this is it in it’s most glorious form for those in sports. They have seen the future and it is theirs!

Salespeople can have the same experience. Unfortunately, too many times the visualization is one of the prospect telling them “No!”, or asking questions they can’t answer, or delaying an answer, or so many other negative outcomes, which cause fear, doubt and worry to occupy their thinking and lower their self-esteem. Fortunately, this Mental Malware can be removed and updated “software” of success can be installed so that a salesperson’s beliefs, thoughts and behaviors are like those of world-class athletes.

Interested? Click on the following link to request my Special Report, “It’s Mind-Set…NOT Skill-Set!: http://Trans-Think.com/MindSet_vs_SkillSet

Change your thoughts. Change your life…quickly!

Please feel free to comment and share this post!

+++++++++++++++About Dr. Edward Lewellen++++++++++++++++++++

Dr. Edward Lewellen an expert in creating methodologies for people to learn to use their mind; their beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors, and put them back in control of their lives and become top-producers. He is a Master Executive Coach, leadership and sales expert, and keynote speaker for some of the largest global organizations.

972.900.9207[image error]

Ed@Trans-Think.com

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Published on March 27, 2017 11:19

The Problem with Communication – Part VI

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Please see The Problems with Communication, Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV and Part V by clicking on each link.)

“There are no perfect men in the world, only perfect intentions”, said Azeem in the 1991 movie, “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves”. It’s interesting on many different levels to observe people communicating and one of those is the deepest level, that of intent. You can observe one person approaching another and, before they ever begin to speak, see the person being approached either withdrawing physically or building an invisible wall of protection around themselves. And, you can observe a person approaching another person and see them smile and create body language that exhibits openness and acceptance. You can also observe a person with whom another has a low level of trust make a mistake, either in word or deed, and the other person calls them to account for the mistake quickly and exacts some sort of punishment. You can also observe a person with whom another has a high level of trust make a mistake, either in word or deed, and the other person acts as if the mistake wasn’t made, possibly not even acknowledging it.

World-renowned Neuroscientist, V.S. Ramachandran, explains that intent is a large part of human communication and has an affect on others with whom we interact. He says, ‘As scientists, we used to believe we first intellectualized other people and then we would sense them. We now know that we sense others, first, and then we intellectualize them. There is an underlying element that connects us all.’ This ‘underlying element that connects us all’ is felt, sensed, as intent. It’s the feeling you get when you think someone is watching you and you turn around and they are. It’s the ‘vibes’ you get, good or bad, when you meet someone. It’s the feeling you get when someone is answering a question you asked them and you just know they are lying. True, it does go beyond the unseen. We also unconsciously pick up on facial expressions, body language, tone of voice and inflection, etc. The point is, your intention goes far deeper than the words you speak. I remember being a team meeting when a new team leader was being introduced. As he took the stage, he smiled and said all the right, flowery words he believed the team wanted to hear. However, his presence and tone of voice belied his words. The feeling of condescension was palpable. I heard several of the team members talking afterwards of the feeling they had of how hollow and fake his words were to them. In reality, it would have been better had he not spoken to the team at all.

So, consider how you really feel from your core the next time you are meeting with someone else. That feeling will precede you before the first word is spoken.

Sub(un)conscious Communication

As I’ve shared before, the unconscious mind is at least one million times faster than the conscious mind. This means that it detects subtleties, details, and nuances that the conscious mind neglects. For instance, you can use analog marking to make a point more powerful. Some may call this using pauses powerfully. These don’t have to be overt and dramatic. It can be as simple as, “And, as you..listen to me carefully..you’ll realize that you can be more tomorrow that you are today.” The words “listen to me carefully” are marked for attention in the unconscious mind. In a sales meeting, a sales manager could use analog marking like this, “You really don’t have to…make more sales. You don’t even have to…find prospecting fun. You can just…enjoy closing more deals than ever before.” These become embedded commands that the unconscious mind picks up and implements.

There are other ways to communicate at the subconscious level. For instance, when involved in negotiations, here are the steps to help you get what you want:

You take something the side your in negotiations with that is Known
Then you take them from there to something that is Possible
Next, you take them to something that’s Plausible
And, you end up at negotiating what they originally thought was Impossible

This is incrementally moving someone from a position they hold to one they may have never would have believed they would. Had you tried to go from the first step directly to the fourth step, the conscious mind would have rejected it out-of-hand. Of course, there are many more ways to communicate at the subconscious level that I’ll share in a live event.

As promised, the last installment in this series will contain information about Lie Detection and I’ll publish that soon!

Change your thoughts. Change your life…quickly!

Please feel free to comment and share this post!

+++++++++++++++About Dr. Edward Lewellen++++++++++++++++++++

Dr. Edward Lewellen an expert in creating methodologies for people to learn to use their mind; their beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors, and put them back in control of their lives and become top-producers. He is a Master Executive Coach, leadership and sales expert, and keynote speaker for some of the largest global organizations.

Author of The 90-Second Mind Manager [image error]

972.900.9207

Ed@Trans-Think.com

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Published on February 27, 2017 12:33

The Problem with Communication – Part V

(Before proceeding, if you haven’t already, I invite you to read the three previous posts in this series where you can find additional information on The Problems with Communication, Part I, Part II, Part III, and Part IV by clicking on each link.)

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) is a communication strategy that includes General Semantics, understanding how the five senses contribute to communication and how to integrate them into communication, and understanding how the human mind absorbs sub-communication.

Two of the most important points from NLP are:

If the reaction you receive isn’t the one you wanted, check to see what it was that you communicated!!!

The more trust there is, the more communication will be!

Many people ask, “Why don’t other people understand the world like I do?”

Modalities – the way people are hardwired to operate in life

65% – Visual (Talk fast, use lots of gestures)

Uses words, like the following: See, imagine, visualize, picture, looks good, let’s see, it looks

25% – Auditory (Talk at a moderate rate)

Uses words, like the following: Hear, listen, rings true, clear as a bell, crystal clear, what we talked about

10% – Kinesthetic (Speak slowly)

Uses words, like the following: Feels good, gives me a good vibe, gives me a bad feeling, I get the sense of it

The senses of smell and taste are used by 1%, or less, of the population as their Primary Modality, so they have not been included.

Sub-Modalities – granular uses of words and ideas

Independent/Team

Global/Specific

Match/Mis-Match

Internal/External

Toward/Away

In time/Through Time

Once/Several Times

Contemplative/Action-oriented

Let’s take Time as an example. People are either In-Time or going Through-Time. Most of the world perceives the world as going Through-Time. This means that they see the past as behind them and the future in ahead of them. Time is fluid and flowing. There are some Aboriginal Tribes that change the words they use based on where the sun is in the sky. Their sense is so sharp that they can tell where the sun is located even when they’re in pitch dark environments. People going Through-Time feel less of a sense of urgency. In-Time people, like most people in the U.S., see time from left to right and in demarcations or chunks. It is perceived that there is only so much time to be allotted for events, appointments, etc. so, then, it means they feel an urgency to be on time. Can you already understand how a person who lives life In-Time would find conflict with people who lives life going Through-Time? If an appointment is set, the In-Time person would probably be at least 5 minutes early and, if they’re not, they beat themselves up for being late. All the while the Through-Time person is nonchalantly going through their day and they show up for the appointment somewhere around the approximate time.

These sub-modalities are critically important for salespeople to understand about everyone who they interact with; spouse, kids, boss, prospects, clients, vendors, etc. because, the better they understand the Primary Modalities and Sub-Modalities of the people they work with, the better their communication, and sales, will be. How does one discover these? It’s as easy as asking open, non-important questions that get people to reveal how they process information. An example is; What was your favorite vacation like? Then, note the words they convey and the length of the description. These will give you the insights for which you’re looking.

NLP has some really cool tips, tools and techniques that I share during the upcoming seminar I’ll be hosting, such as, the story the eyes tell when a person is speaking and the one word that, when you change how you use it, will change your world!

In the next post in this series, Part VI, I’ll share the importance of Intent when speaking with others and tips on how to embed subconscious communication into everyday language. Whether you’re selling, leading people, or just want to get your point across to someone, these tools will be important for you to know. Part VII, the final post in the series, will discuss Lie Detection, so be on the lookout for the last two posts. In the meantime, I again invite the readers of my posts on The Problem with Communication to let me know what area of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex you’re in. My goal is to choose a venue where it will be convenient for the most people to attend, so please give me feedback. This seminar is going to be awesome! You’ll learn much more about communication than what I’ve posted, you’ll get an opportunity to do some exercises to practice your new skills, and you’ll get to network with other outstanding business professionals before and after the event.

Change your thoughts. Change your life…quickly!

Please feel free to comment and share this post!

+++++++++++++++About Dr. Edward Lewellen++++++++++++++++++++

Dr. Edward Lewellen an expert in creating methodologies for people to learn to use their mind; their beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors, and put them back in control of their lives and become top-producers. He is a Master Executive Coach, leadership and sales expert, and keynote speaker for some of the largest global organizations.

Author of The 90-Second Mind Manager

972.900.9207

Ed@Trans-Think.com

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Published on February 15, 2017 11:38

Should Christians Take Drugs?

That’s an interesting question, isn’t it? Many Christians feel a discussion whether it is “right” or “wrong” to use drugs is solely related to recreational drugs because the widespread use of prescription drugs among Christians is accepted. Because of a major surgery I had in July, 2016, I can attest that most Christians accept the use of prescription drugs. I saw multitudes of Bibles, crosses, prayer beads, etc. as I watched the people in the hospital and in doctors’ offices. Many asked me to pray with them, once knowing my background as a pastor. Rarely will you hear someone disavow the use of prescription drugs on a religious basis…unless you research the subject on the Internet. There you will find some very potent and “out there” discussions, and even conspiracy theories, about the use of drugs by Christians. One website says that the pharmaceutical companies are using the billions they make to ‘create the governance for their future leader of the world’, referring to a Satanic leader. Another website says,” This scheme or strategy (using prescription drugs) prepares us for Satan’s approaching crux move involving the Beast and the mark of the Beast.” So, people have their opinions and interpretations about the use of all drugs. But, that’s not important. What’s important is this question: What does the Bible say about the use of drugs by Christians?

The most commonly cited scripture about the use of drugs is found at Galatians 5:19-21 (Other scriptures are Rev 9:21, 18:23, 21:8, and 22:15):

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (NIV)

Where are drugs mentioned in that scripture? If you focus on verse 20, you’ll see it says ‘idolatry and witchcraft”. The word translated “witchcraft” is pharmakeia, or pharmaceutical. The reason for this is, at the time of translating the Bible, drugs were an integral part of many cultures’ religious rites, magical arts, idolatrous worship, and spiritistic practices. There was a direct connection between drugs and spiritism, so translators used the word “witchcraft”, or something similar, to convey that meaning. And, on down to today, there still is a connection. Rastafarianism, Native American Indians, Greenfaith Ministry, Entheogenic Reformation Church, and Church of Reality, are just a few religions which still use drugs in their ceremonies. But, does it make sense to continue to equate drugs which are used to minimize pain, help the body heal quicker, be able to live longer, etc. with witchcraft? I believe anyone who feels that way would be in a very small minority.

Is it fair to say that the meaning of pharmaceuticals (drugs) is different today than when the Bible was written and translated? Drugs are no longer associated closely with spiritistism. Imagine grandpa saying he’s taking his “medication”. Would you automatically assume that grandpa is involved in spiritism? This same outdated belief is true of other wrong teachings of today by many, as well. Take the following example.

What do Tony Robbins, Joel Osteen, Benny Hinn, and many other prominent personal development gurus and religious ministers have in common? They use hypnosis in their work, specifically when healing or fire-walking. Yet, like drugs, hypnosis used to have a negative association. Here’s a little history of hypnosis; in ancient Egypt, the temples for the god Asclepios were temples of healing dreams. His daughters were Hygea and Panacea. A Klínè was a sacred place where the sick person reclined to enter the dream state. From these names we have derived the modern words, Panacea, Hygiene and Clinic. Over time, the priests developed a greater understanding of herbs and how to use them. They slowly moved away from the use of dream interpretation and suggestion to using their growing knowledge of herbs to develop tinctures and medicines. So, the healing art of hypnosis began to be replaced with medicine, no doubt because the physicians of that time saw they could work with more clients, use less time per client, and make more money. Sound familiar?

The ancient Hebrews used meditation with chanting, breathing exercises and fixation on the Hebrew letters of the alphabet that spelled their name for God to induce an ecstasy state called Kavanah. In the Talmud, Kavanah implies relaxation, concentration, focused attention, which is what hypnosis is. People, such as fire-walkers and priests who used the religious practices of laying on of hands use hypnosis to bring about an altered state of consciousness by the use of suggestion and expectation. Again, think Tony Robbins’ fire-walking, and Benny Hinn and other ministers who are faith-healers. In fact, when Tony Robbins works with one-on-one clients, he uses hypnosis and Neuro-Linguistic Programming.

The Bible never uses the term “hypnosis”, even though the Bible writers and translators could easily have done so. The Greek god Hypnos, the God of Sleep, had been around for centuries. When hypnosis is directly referenced in the Bible, you’ll notice an interestingly positive connotation. Here are some examples:

Genesis 2:21 – God had a “deep sleep” fall upon Adam to remove his rib and create Eve. This sleep was so deep that it caused anesthesia to develop so Adam felt no pain during the process. From the Hebrew Radam, meaning a lethargy or (by implication) trance. (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, #8639)

Acts 10:1-48 – Peter “fell into a trance” and from that experience came to see that God loved all people and accepts all people who come to him. God used hypnosis to make a quick change in Peter’s belief system so he would follow His instructions and go to the people of the nations.

Acts 22:17 – God put Paul into a trance and, like Peter, God used hypnosis to change Paul’s belief system quickly and sent him to the Gentiles. Here are several Bible translations of that verse:

“When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance. (NIV)

“After I returned to Jerusalem, I was praying in the Temple and fell into a trance. (NLT)

“When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance (ESV)

Later, when I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance, (BSB)

And it happened to me, having returned to Jerusalem and of my praying in the temple, I fell into a trance (BLB)

Lastly, from a Biblical point of view, there are scriptures that lead you to understand that Paul and Peter used hypnosis in healings, such as at Acts 3:4 and 14:9. If you research Paul, Peter and the word “gaze”, you’ll discover many more passages that connect their staring intently into people’s eyes and the results that followed, all for God’s glory.

Hypnosis, like prescription drugs, knives, guns, and even words, can be used to hurt or heal. Whether it is beneficial or destructive depends on the person using it. I have used hypnosis to help people with many types of maladies; mental, emotional, and physical. Many of my clients, 90% of which are Christian, have had wonderful healing experiences and journeys. They have felt the outpouring of Holy Spirit more powerfully than ever before. And, where some had gone to psychiatrists, counselors, and therapists for months or years, I was able to help them in hours.

If you would like to know more about the Bible, hypnosis, Neuroscience, the human brain, communication, and so much more, please reach out to me!

Change you thoughts. Change your life…quickly!

Please feel free to comment and share this post!

+++++++++++++++About Dr. Edward Lewellen++++++++++++++++++++

Dr. Edward Lewellen an expert in creating methodologies for people to learn to use their mind; their beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors, and put them back in control of their lives and become top-producers. He is a Master Executive Coach, leadership and sales expert, and keynote speaker for some of the largest global organizations.

972.900.9207

Ed@Trans-Think.com

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Published on February 13, 2017 08:41

The Super Bowl, Sales, and You

Super Bowl LI was played about a week ago. It was one of the most interesting Super Bowls ever. The largest deficit in a Super Bowl was overcome. The Patriots now sit atop the NFL for the most Super Bowls ever won. Brady and Belichick hold records for post-season games and wins, and so on. As I hear people talk about how the Patriots came back to win the Super Bowl from an enormous deficit and how Brady did so through raw determination, I can’t help but ask, “Is that what really happened?” Did the Patriots win the game, or did the Falcons lose the game. I believe the latter. I believe the Falcons have gone so long without much post-season play and, this being only their second trip to the Super Bowl in their history, that their self-worth, self-ego, and their feeling of being not-deserving lost them the game. If you watched the pregame hoopla that started as soon as the Super Bowl teams were decided, the Falcons were, by far, considered to be the underdogs. Most sports experts saw the Patriots being a dominating force for the Falcons to reckon with. It was almost a forgone conclusion that the Patriots would win. All of this had a psychological affect on every level of the Falcons organization. It added its voice to the already burdensome feeling of “How the heck did we get here?” on the part of the Falcons organization. When the Falcons found themselves up 28 – 9 at the beginning of the 4th quarter, from a self-worth/self-ego standpoint, I believe the Falcons found it unbelievable and inconceivable that they could win the Super Bowl, especially by that much. Then the self-sabotage started. The ridicules mistakes bringing penalties that brought new life into dying drives by the Patriots. Slowly and surely the Falcons brought the score closer to what they believed and conceived was possible and probable. But, it didn’t stop. The mistakes and penalties kept coming to the Falcons all the while breathing confidence and motivation into the Patriots. The Patriots couldn’t have won without the help from the Falcons.

If you’re in sales, or have ever been in sales, then you recognize a familiar theme in the Super Bowl. If you watch a low or mediocre performer have a good, even great month, you see them crash and burn either the following month, or sometime very soon thereafter. If it were a bet being placed in Vegas, it would be considered a sure bet. Most people who are consistently low or mediocre performers have one very important thing in common, their psychology, or their understanding of themselves. Most have low self-worth, low self-ego, and a feeling that they aren’t deserving. And, similar to the Falcons loss, here’s how you see it play out in the world of business:

Janice is an average salesperson. Her sales each month are predictable and consistent. Then, Janice has a great month! She doubles her sales in one month and basks in all the kudos and back-slapping it brings. However, Janice has used up all her prospects in her pipeline for that one good month. Penalty. She also takes some time for herself due to the extra cash she has available. Penalty. She might even buy a new car, new electronic devices, etc. to celebrate her success. Penalty. The following month is well below what she usually sells. The kudos and back-slapping turn into glares that send the message that she better work harder and longer hours and even threats of termination. How did such a change occur? Janice’ self-worth, self-ego, and feeling of deserving were out of balance with who she sees herself as being. She exhibited all of the beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors of a low-performer and sabotaged herself in order to bring her back to where her belief system supports who she is. This wasn’t a plan on Janice’ part. It’s all done unconsciously, within her belief system.

What about you? Have you ever felt the effects of self-sabotage? I’ve had many people tell me that they just can’t figure out how they can do things just like someone else and the other person creates success, whereas they fail. They tell me how they had this fantastic month and the rest of the year was full of failures. These are the kind of people I love to help become consistent and sustainable top performers. By removing the Mental Malware that potentiates low self-worth, low self-ego, and the feeling of being not deserving, a new program of greater and greater success can be installed. Over and over again, I’ve helped people have the mindset like that of Tom Brady that sees and pursues opportunity until they reach victory! If you’re ready to remove the limiting beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors from your life, then contact me so we can get started today!

Change you thoughts. Change your life…quickly!

Please feel free to comment and share this post!

+++++++++++++++About Dr. Edward Lewellen++++++++++++++++++++

Dr. Edward Lewellen an expert in creating methodologies for people to learn to use their mind; their beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors, and put them back in control of their lives and become top-producers. He is a Master Executive Coach, leadership and sales expert, and keynote speaker for some of the largest global organizations.

972.900.9207

Ed@Trans-Think.com

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Published on February 10, 2017 18:04

How Negative Thoughts Trump Positive

You’ve experienced it many times. You’re having a great day. The sun is out, you’re with those you love, the food is phenomenal and then it happens. Something negative. Nothing earth-shattering, but enough to make it feel like the whole day has been ruined. How does that happen? How does the human mind and body go from a state of happiness and elation to anger or sadness so quickly?

We were built to survive

Everything about humans points to creating the ability to survive. Here are a few examples:

We were born with only two fears. Fear of heights and fear of loud sounds. Anthropologists believe we were born with these fears to survive at a time when the earth was a much scarier place. There were wild animals roaming about freely and could easily attack at any moment, so, when our ancestors heard their roar, they knew they had better run and run fast, possibly escaping to the trees. The fear of heights caused our ancestors to be careful when they in those trees. These two fears allowed our ancestors to survive. All of the rest of the fears we may have are artificially created in our minds.

50 trillion cells. That’s approximately how many cells it takes to make a human. Each cell creates a kind of microcosm within itself. Yet, cellular biologists have discovered that all 50 trillion cells work together to keep the whole organism alive. Even our beliefs and thoughts interact with the 50 trillion cells through vibrations and frequencies so that no part of us is left out of the survival mechanism. We are made to find ways to survive and thrive.

So, then, how is it that when we have the choice between negative thoughts and positive thoughts, we tend to go with the negative? This, too, is a survival mechanism.

Fear and negativity have a stronger impact

When neuroscientists measure the impact of thoughts on the mind and body, the negative have a much more profound neurological impact than the positive because the negative thoughts are sending threat/fear signals to the brain. “Something is trying to hurt you in some way, so get ready to fight or flee”, is the underlying message. The response will be commensurate to the perceived threat or fear and here’s what happens; The neuropathways of a negative thought fire more frequently, more intensely, and more powerfully. The chemicals released are Adrenaline, Cortisol, and Norepinephrine. Adrenaline increase your heart rate, gives you a surge of energy, and focuses your attention. Norepinephrine makes you more aware, awake, focused and shifts blood flow away from areas where it might not be so crucial, like the strategic parts of your brain. Cortisol helps to maintain fluid balance and blood pressure while regulating some body functions that aren’t crucial in the moment, like reproductive drive, immunity, digestion and growth.

You would think that people would avoid negative thinking because when those chemicals are being released on the human body on a regular and consistent basis they cause a lot of damage, including dis-ease. But, we get addicted to the “rush” and the overwhelming impact of the sensations we receive. Also, the human mind is always looking for “What’s next?” This can be good, neutral, or bad, depending on what is happening currently. If you’re lying on the beach and the “What’s next?” is a cool, refreshing wave of ocean water washing upon you, that’s great! If you’re lying on the beach and the “What’s next?” is a shark biting your foot, that horrifying! And, there go those heightened chemicals releasing into your body!

Can negative thinking be managed?

Since negative thinking is based on beliefs and thoughts that sense threat and fear, then it’s logical that positive thinking can be enabled when the person feels safe and secure. Is that fair to say? So, the more a person feels safe and secure in all facets of life, the more they will be positive. More than anyplace else I have seen this to be true is feeling safe and secure in knowing your Core Identity. I’ve written on this topic many times, so I won’t go into detail here. What I will say is that knowing your Core Identity gives you inward stability so that no matter what is happening externally, you are like an anchor that’s firmly secured. You may know people like that and you’ve definitely seen or heard of people like that. The first person that comes to my mind is Viktor Frankl, the author of the book, Man’s Search for Meaning. Frankl survived the worst Nazi concentration camps during WWII and came out stronger than when he went in to them. Most others perished. One of Frankl’s most famous quotes is, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

So, the next time you find yourself thinking negatively, ask yourself, “What is causing me to feel threatened and fearful?” You’ll find most of the time the threat and fear aren’t real, that they are imagined from your own mind. And, this is wonderful! Why? Because just as easily as you imagined feeling threatened and full of fear, you can trump those thoughts and imagine being safe and secure, just a Frankl said!

Change you thoughts. Change your life…quickly!

Please feel free to comment and share this post!

+++++++++++++++About Dr. Edward Lewellen++++++++++++++++++++

Dr. Edward Lewellen an expert in creating methodologies for people to learn to use their mind; their beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors, and put them back in control of their lives and become top-producers. He is a Master Executive Coach, leadership and sales expert, and keynote speaker for some of the largest global organizations.

972.900.9207

Ed@Trans-Think.com

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Published on January 25, 2017 17:26

The Problem with Communication – Part IV

(Before proceeding, if you haven’t already, I invite you to read the three previous posts in this series where you can find additional information on The Problems with Communication, Part I, Part II, and Part III, by clicking on each one.)

When you look at the picture above, you see that the dots seem to spontaneously move and change from black-to-white and white-to-black. Communication can be like that. You can be in a discussion with someone and you seem to be tracking along the same “frequency” and, all of the sudden, it becomes an Allan Greenspan moment, “I know you think you understand what you thought I said but I’m not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant”. Like those dots that seemingly spontaneously move and change color, understanding and communication become elusive.

If you’re not already familiar with General Semantics, I want to introduce you to this wonderful methodology of helping people understand that the world we perceive and describe is not usually the “real” world. As a General Semantics saying states it: “The map is not the territory”. Here is the flow of information as we receive and process it:

Event – Something happens

Senses – we use all of our senses to experience the event

Do our senses tell us everything about the event?
Evaluate – based on our past experiences

Is our evaluation always the same as what really happened in the event?

Meaning – based on our judgments, feelings attitudes, reactions, behaviors, inferences, etc. Is the meaning we give to the event the true meaning?

As you can see, the questions attached to each part of the flow help us realize that our “map” may not be what the “territory” really is like. For instance, did you realize that we have 2 Terabytes of information coming in at any given moment and that our 5 senses are only able to process 11 Megabytes of that information, 5%? And, did you know that of the 500 most commonly used words in the English language that there are more than 14,000 definitions of those words? You can begin to understand how easy it is for our “map” and those of others won’t be the same.

General Semantics helps us discover how we (unconsciously) miscommunicate and how to fix many of those problems. Here are the five major areas General Semantics covers and I’ll discuss only two in this post:

Allness
Time Binding
Bypassing
Language and Culture
Symbols

Let’s take “Allness” first. If you remember, in the last post on this topic (Part III) I discussed Generalization. Allness and Generalization have some common features. In fact, Allness includes the use of Universal Qualifiers, like Always, Never, All, None, etc. Contributors to Allness are; Being unaware of abstraction, abstraction of different details (Availability Bias), evaluating groups on the basis of individuals, and being closed-minded. Have you ever known a person who was a Know-It-All? That’s the kind of people who use Allness to a great degree. How can Allness be mitigated? Three simple techniques will help:

1) Develop genuine humility. Knowing that we are perceiving only 5% of everything going on around us and that technology and knowledge is changing an exponentially faster rate that ever before in human history should make all people take pause when they think they know everything there is to know about a subject. Another General Semantics saying I fully appreciate is, “You can never know everything about anything”.

2) Add etcetera. This is another acknowledgement that there is always more to know and it shows the willingness to accept additional insights and information.

3) Finally, there is the need to removing the “All-Wall”. How? By following these best-practices:

When receiving information: postpone evaluation of the message
When constructing meaning: set aside bias and prejudice
Before responding: clarify meaning by asking questions

Second, let’s take a brief look at “Time-Binding”. Time-Binding is when we use language and symbols to organize and pass along knowledge from one generation to the next, as well as within a generation. Humans are the only creatures on earth who have this ability and it’s the reason we have advanced so significantly and rapidly. We also Time-Bind when we label someone or something. The person or thing becomes what we label it as. We use Time-Binding in our day-to-day experiences, to form opinions and beliefs, and create our “reality” through the words we use. So, for example, if we label ourselves, or someone else, as “Fat”, then we identify ourselves or the other person as being a fat person and all the thoughts and behaviors associated with being fat:

“I am fat”

“I eat like a fat person”

“I exercise like a fat person”

“I think like a fat person”

“Therefore, I must BE a fat person”

How can we overcome negative Time-Binding and labeling?

Continually test assumptions and beliefs. What may have been true a few years, months, weeks, or even days before may no longer be true.
Revise assumptions and beliefs as appropriate, knowing that you do have options and choices
Hold conclusions and judgments tentatively. Remember Allness?
Make a special effort to become more aware of hidden or unstated assumptions

I’ll cover these and the rest of these subjects of Bypassing, Language and Culture, and Symbols in the upcoming event that I’ll be announcing the date, time and location soon. Let me know if this event is of interest to you, and maybe even your entire company, as I’d like to get a feel for what areas of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex might be most convenient.

In Part V of The Problems with Communication, I’ll discuss some high-level Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) language patterns and their effect on everyday life and work.

Change you thoughts. Change your life…quickly!

Please feel free to comment and share this post!

+++++++++++++++About Dr. Edward Lewellen++++++++++++++++++++

Dr. Edward Lewellen an expert in creating methodologies for people to learn to use their mind; their beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors, and put them back in control of their lives and become top-producers. He is a Master Executive Coach, leadership and sales expert, and keynote speaker for some of the largest global organizations.

972.900.9207

Ed@Trans-Think.com

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Published on January 16, 2017 09:02

The Problem with Communication – Part III

Picture: Courtesy of HuffPost

If you haven’t read the previous two posts on this topic, I encourage you to read the introductory post by clicking here and the 2nd post by clicking here.

This third post in the series will discuss the ways the human mind supports its preexisting belief system; Generalization, Deletion, and Distortion. Just a brief bit of information before delving into those areas, though.

When we are born, the human mind is in a constant state of openness, in a state of hypnosis or Trance of Infinite Possibility. It believes it can do anything. For example, watch a child learning to walk. The child never questions its ability to learn to walk. The child will incrementally make the necessary adjustments in the way it moves, balances, and positions itself until it gets the first step, then the next, then the next, until it learns to walk without ever having to give it another thought. At that point, the child has reached unconscious-competence. The child never questioned its ability to walk, no matter how many times it fell down, no matter how many tears were shed, they believed they would master the art of walking. Around the age of eight, an area of the brain begins to form called the Right Temporal-Parietal Junction (RTPJ). In research conducted at MIT by Dr. Rebecca Saxe, it has been discovered that this area of the brain has very specific functions related to Theory of Mind (ToM) and one of those is that of validating and judging information and beliefs coming into the mind. Once the RTPJ forms, the child is no longer in an open-minded, “I can do anything”, “Anything is possible”, trance-like state. This is when parents will observe their child beginning ask a lot of “Why?” questions, challenging what they are told, and even challenging the parents’ right to tell them what to do without any explanation. When this happens, many parents believe something has gone wrong with their child or that they have become obstinate or rebellious. That’s not at what has happened. The natural maturation process of their mind is taking place and this requires the parents to spend time helping their child understand the how’s, the what’s, and the why’s of life. No longer are the parents able to make a blanket statement and expect their child to respond without question. They have grown out of their hypnotic state. The older the child becomes, the more they solidify their beliefs and the more powerful arguments must be made to get through the validation and judging process of Theory of Mind. And, now the mind has a process to keep its belief system in-tact, a support system, if you will, to ensure their beliefs are maintained. This is where Generalization, Deletion, and Distortion come into play.

Generalization

When you are going to enter a room, how do you turn the door handle? Which way does the door open? You probably had to think about those question because almost all doorknobs turn the same way and almost all doors open the same direction. When they don’t, you get stopped in your tracks and wonder what’s wrong. This is an example of Generalization. The opening of a door has become so familiar that you’ve generalized that all doors open the same way. We do this with life. When something we believe to be true is challenged or someone says something different that what we believe, our mental defenses automatically are put up and are ready to reject this different thought. For instance, you know for sure that all people who are right belong to (political party, religion). To give you a very specific example of Generalization, let’s say a salesperson made a phone call early on in their career and the person was very unkind, even abusive. After that experience, the salesperson may be afraid to make sales calls by phone because they have generalized that, “When I made a phone call I got treated abusively, so now all phone calls lead to me being treated abusively”. The salesperson will either quit as a salesperson and find a different career, or never reach their full potential due to this limiting belief. In the presentation I’ll be sharing in the Dallas/Fort Worth area soon, I’ll detail some other important aspects of Generalization, such as, When we generalize everything as positive, it is possible to accept poison with the potion. When we generalize everything as negative, we miss out on great opportunities. And, there are several ways the language we use generalizes information that complicates communication, such as Universal Qualifiers and Model Operators of Necessity.

Deletion

Deletion occurs when we omit or conveniently forget information, especially when it conflicts with an existing belief. It’s the process of leaving bits of information out of communication. We sometimes consciously choose to leave information out because we want our belief to be supported and we sometimes choose to leave information out for the sake of expediency or ease. Take the following example. You can say:

Laura, the 7-year-old girl, fell over the cushion in the living room and bruised her right arm on a wooden chair.”

OR, you can delete most of the information and say:

“The child had an accident”

Here are some additional areas where we use Deletion when communicating and I would like to think about times when this has happened to you and the problems Deletion caused:

Simple Deletion – A simple deletion is one with missing or insufficient information. Have you ever had to “fill-in the blanks” when communicating with someone else? Have you ever filled-in the blanks with information other than what the person who was communicating with you meant?

Lack of Referential Index – “She is not liked” Who isn’t liked? Who doesn’t like her?

Unspecified Verbs – “It is causing problems at work” What is causing problems at work? What are the problems it’s causing?

I ask you, again, to think about the times when Deletion caused problems for you when communicating and how different those situations would have been had there been clarity in the communication.

Distortion

We distort the world to fit our belief system. For instance, we will “Mind Read” other people’s actions and intentions, such as, we may say, “I know he hates me”, without any more than making judgments based on a look the person gave us or an action we believe they intentionally made which seemed to spite us.

Another example of Distortion is ”Cause and Effect”. This is the use of such words as: because, if, then, makes, drives, compels, and causes. These words attach one thing to another, which may, or may not, belong together. An example is, “I’m unable to give performance reviews because giving feedback makes me nervous.”

There are many more ways we use Distortion in our communication and I’ll address those at the upcoming event.

In the next post, I’ll share with you a few thoughts on General Semantics. One of those will be how language and thought shape, and are shaped by, our experiences.

Change you thoughts. Change your life…quickly!

Please feel free to comment and share this post!

+++++++++++++++About Dr. Edward Lewellen++++++++++++++++++++

Dr. Edward Lewellen an expert in creating methodologies for people to learn to use their mind; their beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors, and put them back in control of their lives and become top-producers. He is a Master Executive Coach, leadership and sales expert, and keynote speaker for some of the largest global organizations.

972.900.9207

Ed@Trans-Think.com