The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
1
THE ABUNDANCE BUILDER
Creating your perfect future reality once you have completed
The Abundance Index and identified your area of greatest
potential
The abundance index is a tool for creating energy and momentum.
Once you decide to create positive change in your life it will quickly
become irresistible and almost addictive. Just the decision...just the
adoption of a lifetime‘s commitment to bringing out the best in
yourself—that is plenty to get started with.
It is the start of a journey that will define who you are and what you
are capable of becoming. But first you need to know about a sinister,
invisible force which is currently undermining all of your efforts to
make positive lasting improvements to your results and experiences.
‘Static Energy’ - The Powerful Force For Resisting Change
As human beings we have a powerful craving. A universal instinct.
We will do almost anything to satisfy it.
It is so powerful and irresistible that at times it seems to be hardwired
into our behaviors and habits.
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
2
No. I'm not talking about the instinct for survival. I'm talking about
something that all too often overrides the survival instinct.
I'm talking about the instinct to stay still—or, in its most frustrating
manifestation—to keep bringing us back to the same place.
This ‗static energy‘ is strong and it is affecting your ability to realize
your ambitions and dreams.
OK. I can hear your objections about the survival instinct being the
strongest of all. I sense your shock and disbelief—"Surely nothing is
more powerful than our instinct to survive?" Isn't this what we are
taught by our earliest school science teachers?
Well consider the following all too familiar story.
True...tragic...unexplainable by science.
Death in the wilderness
A young family is lost in the outback of Australia. Death from
dehydration will take just 48 hours. The body's natural tendency to be
repelled by water in this situation causes them to make bad decisions
about finding fresh water. They follow their instincts to walk in what
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
3
they feel is precisely the right direction to get themselves out of the
situation. But they fail.
Their bodies...their minds are programmed for them to walk in circles.
They soon find themselves back in the same spot where they started.
They will lose their lives. They will perish and the harder they try to
escape...the more entangled they will become in that web of
hopelessness.
Every day we lead ourselves through micro examples of this urgent
quest to ‗stay in the same place‘.
Many scientists used to believe that people lost in the wilderness
didn't in fact walk round in circles—that it was a myth. They simply
walked in random patterns.
A couple of years ago—due to the availability of GPS navigation
technology—researchers in fact proved the myth was reality. We do
walk in circles when we are lost. And science struggles to even begin
to explain why.
If this phenomenon doesn't sound familiar to you then what about one
of the following three examples...
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
4
Everyday Examples of Static Energy
1. Invisible Ceilings
Most of us believe deep down that we can only earn a certain amount
of money...get promoted to a certain level...lose a certain amount of
weight...achieve a certain golf handicap...date a certain kind of
person.
And when something happens to suggest to the contrary, we
sabotage our results.
I've seen golfers who are playing the round of their lives, absolutely
destroy their game in the last few holes—disappointing certainly but
at least they don't have to change their perception of their ‗level‘ of
skill.
I've seen people lose weight again and again only to put it back on
again. Often they put on a bit extra in order to teach themselves a
lesson for trying to escape the inevitable—how dare they try to be
something they're not.
I've seen people ignore career or business opportunities because the
reward was too great. Why chase something that will inevitably cause
disappointment?
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
5
2. The Comfortable Familiar
Ever wondered why people in abusive relationships stay in those
relationships? Why is it so difficult for them to escape?
Why, when someone leaves an abusive relationship, do they so
often go back again?
Why do people stay in jobs they hate?
Why do people moan about their lot in life—day after day after
day—but do nothing to change it?
Why does the baby elephant chained to a two foot post remain
chained to that post as an adult elephant—even though breaking free
from it would be as simple as snapping a toothpick would be for you
or I?
Static energy creates constant illusions of being trapped when to the
outside observer the answers seem so obvious.
3. The Tomorrow Illusion
It's not the behavior of saying, "I'll do it tomorrow", "I'll get onto that
soon" that is the problem. It's the belief that it's true which really hurts
us.
I have a friend who is going to get a better job. He's going to do it
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
6
very soon, probably next week. He really means it...He is an honest
and a good person. He seriously believes that he is going to get a
better job next week.
The only problem is that he's been saying this for many years—ever
since I've known him.
Although he sincerely wants something different and exciting...more
challenging...more rewarding...the truth is that static energy
convinces him that it's more comfortable to stay exactly where he is.
He's stuck in a place which has unfortunately over time become
"comfortable".
So How Do You Get Out of the Wilderness?
How do you stop walking in circles?
How do you literally move your comfort zone so that you can make
the positive changes you crave?
Well, there are four ways to find your way out of a ‗trapped in the
wilderness‘ type situation:
1. Hope to be lucky This is extremely dangerous. It's like buying
lottery tickets each week as a strategy to achieve your dream life.
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
7
2. Hope to be rescued Similar risky strategy.
3. Use an internal compass Trust yourself to find your way back
using your training and skills. Follow rivers and landmarks etc. The
danger here is that you absolutely must know what you're doing.
Otherwise this ‗internal compass‘ can keep you walking in circles or
worse—get you even deeper into trouble.
4. Use some external navigation (a map, a GPS navigational
device etc.)
Number 4 is by far the safest and most certain means of escape.
The philosophy of the Abundance Index is based on this navigational
way of winning in life.
To overcome inertia, procrastination, frustration or even the insidious
instinct of ‗static energy‘ you need to know where you are and where
you are going...how to get there...and how to overcome the exact
(and often invisible) obstacle currently in your way.
NB. You might think there are lots of obstacles in your way. There
aren't. There is only ever just one key obstacle (or constraint) and
before too long I will prove that to you.
If you've never been exposed to this Abundance Index way of
thinking—life is about to get very exciting for you!
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
8
The Abundance Index - A Way of Thinking...
The Abundance Index is not just a two- or even three-dimensional
tool. It is multi-dimensional approach to thinking differently about your
life...your potential...and the rate of change you can achieve towards
a truly abundant life.
There are three reasons I created it and have an obsession for
continuously improving its potential breakthrough applications.
1. It is your GPS navigational device for life. It shows you precisely
where you need to put your efforts and focus in order to create much
more 'change-energy'.
2. It naturally creates balance. A balanced life is a great life. If you
just want to be successful with money but don't care about your
health... it won't serve you.
If you just want a wonderful romantic relationship but don't want
health, wealth or career success... it won't serve you.
If you want a balanced life with great levels of abundance in all areas
of your experience and results then it is a perfect fit for you.
3. It is a tool for life. That's why it's designed to be used again and
again.
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
9
Like a course-correcting, self-optimizing tool for your life's journey.
It is a way of seeing where static energy is interfering with your
ambitions and dreams and gives you instant clues and obvious
remedies.
A True Story
A friend contacted me recently. She was literally in tears. Here's
why...
I'd shared a news story with her. It was a story about research carried
out with staff in hospitals and hospices—those working with the
elderly and the dying.
The research showed one thing, absolutely conclusively—that when
people are dying and in their final days, when they list their regrets in
life, they almost never regret the things they did. They bitterly regret
the things they didn't do—the risks and chances they never took—the
dreams they never chased down...the unrealized 'bucket list' if you
will.
My friend was inspired by the article. It awoke something in her. But
that night she had a depressing realization. On the one hand she felt
that her future self was calling back to her from the future—urging her
to chase her dreams and make her life extraordinary.
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
10
On the other hand, her thoughts were inundated with all of her
problems...the 'gotchas'...her limitations and doubts...her worries and
blocks. So much seemed to be wrong. An unending and
overwhelming list of obstacles—internal and external.
But then something wonderful happened.
I told her about the project I was working on—the Abundance Index. I
explained the philosophy and asked her if she would be interested in
being a ‗guinea pig‘.
She completed the questionnaire and the result was breathtaking. It
was beyond anything I expected and it confirmed that I was on to
something big. Something that would impact on people on a
profoundly positive and effective level.
She discovered she had one single abundance constraint. The big list
of problems evaporated and now she had a single question. "How do
I break though my abundance constraint?"
Her abundance constraint turned out to be worrying about the
negative thoughts and opinions of others. She was surprised...
without the Abundance Index process she never would have
identified this as the root case of most of her challenges in life.
Her constraint automatically identified her area of most potential.
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
11
She simply needed to grow the following affirmation into a reality for
herself:
"I never worry what other people think about me. I am free of
the negative thoughts and opinions of others."
Never before had she been this focused on exactly what needed to
be worked on in order to achieve maximum results in all areas of her
life. It was like a light had been turned on for her.
Understanding her area of greatest potential was just the start. Next I
shared with her 12 different ideas and tools that could be used to shift
that constraint and release the potential. In just a moment I'll share
the same tools with you. But, if you haven't yet completed the index
for yourself, first there are a few things you need to understand.
Completing the Abundance Index - What You Need to Know
1. This test is an ‗instinctive test‘. Your replies to the 112 statements
are not to be carefully considered or rationalized logically. In fact, if
you take more than 10 or 20 seconds on any one statement, then you
are way overthinking it.
The answers should come from your instincts—your automatic and
intuitive answers. That is what drives the abundance index and gives
you the breakthrough.
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
12
2. Your constraint and your lowest scores may end up surprising you.
You may feel surprised. That is fine. Often the obvious can hide from
us in clever ways. Once you've uncovered the constraint it can hide
from you no longer.
3. Once you uncover the constraint, it may feel impossible or
overwhelming. Don't panic...that's just a natural internal resistance to
change rearing its stubborn head. Once you've worked through the
list of 12 practical tools for change, it will start to shift...your score will
increase and the next time you complete the abundance index you
will see that everything has changed.
4. Each time you do the test, your scores will realign. That's the
beauty of the AIQ (abundance index quotient). It does change.
Everybody—even the most successful person in the world—has a
constraint on the abundance index. It's never a bad thing—it's just
what it is...a measure of your area of greatest potential.
5. Your overall AIQ score is unique to you. The whole objective is to
bring it up to a higher level over time. And as you do, feel how much
more abundant, happy, successful you become.
What you mustn't do is to compare your score to other people. The
scoring system is subjective—in other words it's your own
understanding of the scoring levels that really counts.
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
13
Much like when a doctor or nurse asks someone how 'strong the pain
is' between 1 and 10 (10 being the highest). One person with a
pricked finger may say 'nine'. Someone else with a broken leg might
say 'six'. Clearly there is no objective rationale for the numbers. What
the medical staff want to do is take a snapshot of the pain level and
see that number reducing over time—for each person as their pain
subsides and the pain relief kicks in.
The Abundance Index Promise
Completing the Abundance Index is like using a laser to hone all of
your challenges and problems down into a single point of greatest
impact. That is what identifying your abundance constraint and
affirmation gives you.
Now it is time to reverse the energy. In order to evaporate the
constraint and realize your potential you need to attack the constraint
from every possible direction. You need to target it with the power of
an atomic explosion.
Have you completed the test? Do you have your Abundance
affirmation in front of you? If so...it's time to start dealing with it once
and for all.
I need to make a VERY important point for you here. Some of these
tools might not work too well for you personally...some will work quite
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
14
well...some will work so well they will literally take your breath away!
So please persevere. Go through and practice ALL of them. You
never know when you will get that extraordinary breakthrough—that
moment of personal magic that we all live for.
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
15
The 12 Tools For Success
1. 'Super-affirmation' - the ONE thing you should be more
focused on than anything else
A lot of people have affirmations for different things. "I'm a wonderful
person. Rich, successful, healthy", etc...
These affirmations are often weak in the results they achieve.
Sometimes they could even be described as impotent.
The affirmation you have obtained from The Abundance Index is so
much more specific and powerful. It is something that—should you
increase its power— will impact positively in virtually every area of
your life.
Side Note: I have helped my personal clients—thousands of
individuals as well as countless businesses, major health
professionals and groups—to make real and lasting changes. So
please, don't ever trivialize what I'm teaching you here...don't ever
mistake me for a positive thinking crusader or anything like that. I
worked in the trenches of change and personal growth for many
years and I have all the badges to prove it.
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
16
What I'm giving you works. So please carry out each of these
exercises in earnest. They truly will make a difference.
Back to affirmations. What I want you to do is to get a pen and paper
and actually write down your abundance affirmation several times. If
you remember, my friend's abundance affirmation was...
"I never worry what other people think about me. I am free of the
negative thoughts and opinions of others."
The super-affirmation is of course taken directly from your abundance
index results. Yours will probably be different. Once you have your
results, write your affirmation down. The physical act of doing so will
have a different effect on you than simply reading it. Once you have
written it down then you should keep copies of it with you in
convenient locations. It's important early on to keep reminding
yourself of precisely what it is that you are working on.
The law of focus states that what you focus on gets done.
2. Go multi-dimensional - Start to have fun with your super-
affirmation
If you've worked with affirmations before, then you'll know that there
are many different ways to play around with them. If you've ever used
a vision board for instance, then you'll immediately see the potential
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
17
for an ultra-focused version.
A vision board is simply a visual image of your affirmation. Pictures
that tell a story and inspire change within you and around you. Maybe
images that portray the feelings you hope to have when you are
successful with this affirmation—when it becomes real. Pictures of
people who have already achieved it or have it by the bucket load.
Pictures of words that inspire you to make the change...and so on.
Don't limit it just to visual ideas. There are probably songs or pieces
of music that inspire you to believe you could make great progress.
For instance, if motivation is your constraint then listen to motivating
music.
I believe in the concept of heavy artillery. In other words, once you
have your abundance-affirmation and you know the constraint you
are looking to evaporate—hit it with absolutely everything at your
disposal...as well as any other resources you can beg, borrow or
ethically steal.
What you are doing here is letting your constraint know that you
mean business. That the constraint, negative energy or block is an
unwelcome guest in your house!
The law of fun. If you have fun you can make changes much more
quickly. Children will learn a new language much faster than you or I.
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
18
They understand the fun you can have with change and learning new
skills.
3. Turn your super affirmation into super powerful suggestions
Suggestions are like seeds. You plant them to see if they will grow.
Plant enough and some will definitely take root and flourish.
Sometimes a blunt affirmation simply won't work. It bounces away. It
refuses to grow like a seed planted in unfertile ground.
By blunt I mean too general...or too unrealistic.
A powerful example of this is when people suffering from depression
are asked to repeat the affirmation "I am a happy and deserving
person."
It doesn't work. They simply don't believe it. The leap is too great.
Recent research has shown this to be the case.
However, just a little bit of elegant and artistic re-sculpting and the
affirmations can be so much more powerful and effective.
Here are some different ways you can reword the "I am happy "
affirmation into hard-hitting, breakthrough-causing personal
suggestions. Please go through the list below and adopt the same
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
19
approaches for your own abundance affirmation.
Write each down specifically for your own situation. In other words,
your abundance-affirmation and not the "I am happy" example given
here.
(Remember, if you don't do the work, you will struggle to get the
results! These kinds of elegant suggestions are like the stepping
stones from where you are now leading up to the point of achieving
your abundance-affirmation. )
"I am a happy person"
"Day by day I am becoming a more happy person"
"I am starting to feel like a more happy person. I can feel the changes
happening. I can see the results starting to show. More and more
every day."
"I wonder what it will be like when I first start to feel myself becoming
a slightly more happy person. I wonder what it will be like when that
happiness starts to grow gradually stronger and stronger all the time."
"Everything that happens holds a key. Everything that
happens...every situation...everyone I meet...every new
experience...all of this is helping me in some way to become happier
and happier."
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
20
"I am so glad I have decided to focus on becoming happier. Just
deciding to focus is already creating gentle, gradual and powerful
changes in me."
I hope you can see this is just the beginning. The power of these
personal suggestions is only limited by your own imagination and
creativity.
The law of time and change. Sometimes change is almost instant...an
epiphany...a powerful transformational breakthrough. But more often
it is steady and gentle—day-by-day. Trying to force the pace is like
trying to change the seasons.
Perhaps you light a fire in the winter to keep you warm? Well, you
don't light the fire according to the calendar. You light it when the
weather becomes cold. Take the pressure off yourself with these
affirmations and suggestions. The changes will come. Follow the law
of focus but give things the time they need. Enjoy the process.
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
21
4. Train yourself to focus on precisely what you want (not what
you don't want)
As the famous saying goes "It's the squeaky wheel that gets the
grease". If you focus on what you do want, it gets much more of your
subconscious attention. It starts to grow and to become stronger.
Let me give you three specific examples:
Quit smoking - One of the main reasons smokers struggle to quit is
that they continually think about smoking. They focus on exactly what
they don't want. When I have worked with smokers to help them quit
(and I've done this thousands of times so I can assure you it's super-
effective) I help them build suggestions and affirmations that keep
them permanently focused on being a non-smoker.
Every time they even think about smoking they immediately say
something positive to themselves...such as "I love being a non-
smoker. I am healthy and I am free!"
It pulls them back to the positive focus and it soon becomes a habit.
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
22
Golf – This will work with any sport but let‘s use golf as an example.
Golfers fire their shots into bunkers and other hazards because they
are "trying not to". Funnily enough, it is their thinking about not finding
the hazards that causes them to do so.
Powerful suggestions and affirmations that help keep on track whilst
in the performance arena go like this:
"I only see where I want the ball to go. I can see it going there...I can
picture it...My body knows exactly what to do."
When a golfer uses this kind of internal language, the bunkers and
other obstacles simply fail to exist.
Stress, Worry and Anxiety - People who are suffering with stress,
worry and anxiety often have wonderful, creative imaginations. They
really are skilled in their ability to create internal images and realities.
Unfortunately they do this in a way which makes them feel really bad,
by imagining the worst.
The fantastic news is this—A great imagination is a great imagination.
You just have to use it for what you want, not what you don't want.
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
23
Simple suggestions and affirmations for 'feeling relaxed, safe,
peaceful, free from worry' can be very powerful. It's like redirecting an
internal spotlight away from the bad stuff and towards the good stuff.
I hope you can see that whatever constraint you are personally
working on...the abundance affirmation you have written down—and
the snappy suggestions you have installed—these are YOUR
personal spotlight. Whenever you feel negative or lacking or you start
to doubt—simply fire the suggestions...focus the spotlight.
The law of habits. If something you do is positive...it has a pleasing
positive and beneficial effect for you—then you won't have to repeat it
too many times for it to stick...permanently. So get started using your
suggestions and affirmations to build a success habit.
5. Stop trying so hard - The secret of the Dream Machine
I believe in a concept called the Dream Machine. I use it all the time
and I can promise you...the more proficient you become at using it
and the more you trust its power...the more abundance you will build
in all areas.
The Dream Machine lives in your imagination.
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
24
To activate your Dream Machine simply tell it what you want and then
let it do its job. Put a new belief in there. Request a new habit...a new
skill...an actual goal...whatever you want.
Did you ever watch the movie The Matrix? The main character Neo
learns new skills such as black belt kung fu, in a matter of seconds by
simply plugging the program into his mind.
Your dream machine works just like that.
Look at your abundance affirmation once again. You scored low on
that statement when you completed the abundance index. You want
to score higher. Put that request into your dream machine and then
literally 'walk away'.
Your imagination, you see, is your strongest asset for change. But it
doesn't want to be micro-managed. It doesn't want you standing over
it at all times.
The law of strategic daydreaming. Let your imagination wander.
Every idea you have...every book you read...everything you watch on
TV...every story you are exposed to...let your imagination and
specifically your dream machine feed off it. It is doing its job—
manifesting your abundance affirmation—at all times. The less you
'try to force it', the easier everything becomes.
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
25
6. A photo album of the future - Literally creating the outcomes
you want
Here is a very powerful way to use your imagination.
It's a technique you will want to practice often. The best time to do it
is just before you fall asleep at night. Alternatively any time you get a
chance during the day to take some time to yourself. When your
attention isn't required anywhere else and you can be undisturbed.
You don't need to perfect this technique right here. It's included, with
many other powerful techniques, on the free audio recording that
comes complimentary with the Abundance Index.
Basically this is how it works though. You close your eyes and you
begin to relax so that your conscious, logical mind 'goes quiet for a
while' and stops interfering with the power and unlimited potential of
your imagination. Once you are deeply focused, you literally go into
the future and place your positive outcomes and stunning results
there. Just as surely as you can place your favorite photos and
memories into a photo album of the past and know that they are
real—so you can also place your images, feeling, words and sounds
of success into your personal future. Your imagination is that
powerful.
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
26
The law of achieving positive outcomes. The future you design for
yourself must be both desirable and believable. And it mustn't conjure
up any negative side effects of achieving it. Get this formula right and
future reprogramming becomes a walk in the park. By the way, great
advertisers already understand this. They know that to sell you their
product they need to get you to desire it...to believe it will work...and
to literally program its results into your internal future—in other words
to powerfully imagine yourself using and benefitting from it.
7. Fixing the past - Removing the ghosts in the machine
This technique is so gentle and so respectful of you and your
personal integrity that I think you'll want to use it often. Again, it's
included on your abundance audio so you can practice it with that
recording. Here, you just need to understand the basic principle.
I call this technique 'defragging'. It's not the prettiest word but it
describes exactly what the process does.
You see, in psychiatry and psychology there is a tradition of laying
someone on a couch and getting them to talk about their childhood.
This longwinded and painful process is becoming less and less the
norm—even the thought of it prevents many people from ever
seeking professional help with anything. Even athletes sometimes
avoid working with sports psychologists because they are terrified of
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
27
being forced to dredge up the past (and relive pain, embarrassment
and failure all over again.)
I have an easier way which often works extremely well. You let your
imagination...your dream machine...your personal hard drive...do the
same job that your home PC or laptop does when it has become
infected with a virus...slowed down...or compromised in some way.
Your computer does something called 'defragging'. Getting rid of all
the negative stuff, cleaning up your ‗baggage‘ and improving your
performance to make you fitter, faster and more efficient. The real
beauty of 'defragging' is that it can be done in the background. Its
effects and benefits can be felt whilst you are busy doing something
else.
Imagine giving your Dream Machine...your deep imagination the
following instruction....
"Here is my abundance affirmation...my goal. This is what I want.
However there is stuff from the past (negative experiences,
disappointments, other people's false beliefs, flawed assumptions
and various other 'junk') that is preventing me from achieving the
goal...more abundance.
Dream Machine, please get rid of all of it. Clean things up. Optimize
my performance. Time to clear out the junk. And by the way, when
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
28
you remove the negative stuff from the past in my mind...please keep
all the lessons learned. I want to stay protected. I just don't need the
excess negative energies compromising my performance."
The law of letting go of past negative energies and experiences. Your
subconscious mind...your instincts...your imagination are ALWAYS
working to protect you. It's just sometimes they do that in unpleasant
ways.
Giving you painful pictures, feelings and memories of the past to
prevent you from doing things you wish you could do now. Your
subconscious will only let go of that stuff if it can retain the lessons
learned and continue to protect you at that deeper level.
It's like your body will recover much faster from an accident-injury if
your subconscious mind is convinced you won't 'do it again'.
You don't need to hang on to memories that tell you that you can't do
something or you won't be capable of becoming someone successful.
All of that stuff and plenty more besides...can definitely be banished
from the kingdom.
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
29
8. Teach other people to achieve true abundance
Once you have seen the benefits of the Abundance Index—enjoyed
great results for yourself—it is highly recommended that you help
others get their own breakthroughs.
Getting somebody else to use the index and being exposed to the
philosophy is a gift in itself. Actually helping them implement the
strategies and tools is a priceless help.
Some people will struggle to get the idea. Some will be nervous to
implement the changes or will doubt themselves...procrastinate...skip
steps...give up.
You can help them so much!
So who can you help? Friends and family and anyone you can see
has far more potential than they are currently achieving in their life. If
you see someone stuck or struggling but you know they are capable
of so much more...this could be the answer for them. And if you've
already made progress yourself you could help guide and support
them to try out the process for themselves.
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
30
The law of teaching people to change. Revelation trumps explanation
every time. Show people—don't tell them. The Abundance Index
gives people the chance to find strengths, resources and answers
inside themselves that they didn't know existed. So don't try to make
them change—don't try to force, dictate or pull the rug from under
their feet. Just encourage and support and even guide a little, but let
the other person make their own discoveries and breakthroughs so
that they can actually own their success.
If you are medically trained you can help your patients... If you are a
therapist you can support and help your clients...If you are a teacher
you can help your students. Everyone can be a teacher or a mentor
or a buddy to somebody else.
9. Call on your 'Virtual Personal Trainer'
What would it be like if you had a voice in your mind that told you
what to do and said things about you? Well, you do. All of us have
this inner voice and often it's not a very nice voice.
It's called 'Self-Talk'
It often makes negative comments such as:
"Ah, do it tomorrow...do it later."
"You idiot!"
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
31
"Oh no not again."
"You tried this before—It didn't work."
"You can't do this."
"This is impossible"
Sometimes it gets really nasty:
"You look so FAT in that mirror."
"You're ugly and useless!"
If you have ever witnessed golfers playing a bad shot you may have
heard this self-talk expressed out loud. It can get very personal...very
rude and very aggressive.
I once ordered a bowl of fries in a restaurant and accidentally poured
sugar over them instead of salt. Lots of fellow diners turned round in
shock as my self-talk accidentally externalized itself.
The best way to deal with self-talk is to recognize that it exists but to
change it into something far more positive. Something that is
kind...supportive...encouraging and motivating. I call this your 'virtual
personal trainer'. I have seen this technique achieve apparent
miracles with people. It's amazing to think that you can actually train
your self-talk to behave and sound far more positive.
If you have problems motivating yourself...staying the
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
32
course...resisting temptation...being kind and supportive to yourself
then this will be irresistible to you. I've included it on the abundance
audio.
The law of positive self-talk. If you want to install a virtual personal
trainer then be sure to tell it what its job is. It needs to be always
supportive and benevolent. Kind, gentle and encouraging when that
is required—firm and motivating, even pushy when that is required.
Very much like a real personal trainer who will keep you on track and
operating at your peak level.
10. The power of the mastermind
Over 100 years ago, Napolean Hill wrote the seminal book entitled
"Think and Grow Rich." You may have read it. It encapsulates a 25
year project where Mr Hill had access to THE most successful and
wealthiest individuals in the world.
He found that all of these mega-successful people had certain traits
that they all shared.
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
33
One of them was what he called the ―power of the mastermind‖.
Imagine that the Abundance Index philosophy was used for a
business. Well if the business had a constraint in the area of
'optimism' and it was harming their results—they could simply hire an
optimistic new member of staff (or several of them).
However you can't hire someone to cover your constraint. What you
can do however is find people you know...friends...friends of friends
who are literally rich in abundance in the area you are currently
lacking. And you could enlist their help.
You can take it one step further. You can find famous people,
celebrities, successful entrepreneurs, inventors, athletes and artists
who have or had what you want. You could read their
autobiographies...watch interviews with them...get into their minds
and start to enjoy some of their abundance in that area—directly in
the area of your constraint). This is called unconscious modeling.
The law of modeling. You don't 'model' other people consciously or
logically.
You don't analyze in precise detail how they do what they do. You
just enjoy being with them (in reality or in your imagination) and you
let the Dream Machine extract all of the juice and the magic. It's
amazing when you are exposed to a successful person for any length
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
34
of time how you read between the lines and pick up unconscious and
priceless gifts from them. You can literally 'extract their genius'
without ever particularly trying—you simply focus the radar on them.
Autobiographies and the Discovery channel truly are great resources!
Just because you want to model someone it doesn't mean you have
to like them—It certainly doesn't mean you have to model all of their
characteristics and values. My friend whose constraint was 'worrying
what others thought of her'—she modeled the Enron chairman...It
didn't turn her into a dishonest mega-criminal. She just found ways to
become mentally tougher. It changed her life.
On the same topic, I once modeled a racehorse because I wanted to
develop a winning mindset—Thankfully I didn't start eating sugar
lumps and jumping over fences!
11. Successful people ALWAYS ask questions - This is your
royal road to success in ANY area of your life
I can tell you for a fact—and you're very welcome to go test this—ALL
successful people are curious and inquisitive, and everyday they ask
themselves the exact questions that will lead to the answers which
make them even more successful.
Remember my friend? Her constraint was as follows...
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
35
"I never worry what other people think about me. I am free of the
negative thoughts and opinions of others."
I got her to write that at the top of a sheet of paper. I then got her to
write the following questions:
1. What can I do to get better at this?
2. What have I tried recently?
3. What happened?
4. What have I learned?
5. What is getting in the way of my progress?
6. What can I do to overcome that?
7. What will it be like when I achieve this abundance affirmation?
What will be the benefits and results of it?
8. Who do I know or who have I heard of that already has this? How
can I model them?
9. What will happen if I don't bother changing the situation?
10. What's the next step?
I encouraged her to answer each of these questions every day. To
spend at least a half hour each day on it.
She loved it! She added several of her own questions. It was "her
list" and she considered it a treat to take time out of a busy day and
really focus on it—on her self growth—her area of highest potential. I
sincerely recommend that you do exactly the same.
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
36
I've also included the '20 questions of successful people' product in
your bonus package. You will find this extremely useful as you work
on your abundance constraint.
The law of questions. If you ask the right question, you are at least
50% of your way to success. All you need now is the answers.
Seems trite but it's one of the most powerful truths I know of.
12. The Source Code For Success - How the concept of
'Extension' will accelerate your personal success and life-
optimization
Here in New Zealand, our school system has evolved a concept
called 'extension'. This basically means that when you show talent in
a certain area (science, music, sports, literature, whatever) the school
will make sure you are given extra time and resources to focus on
that talent so you can become even better at it.
The law of strengths. There is no doubt, if you focus on the things you
are already talented at then you can become world class at those
things in a relatively small amount of time. The problem is that most
humans spend most of their time trying to get good at things that
aren't their natural talents.
I am not good at handyman stuff. Putting up shelves or dealing with
self-assembly furniture—that for me is like having teeth extracted.
The Abundance Index and all associated materials are © The Art of Optimism Ltd. They must not be copied, shared or sold.
37
Some people can do those kinds of jobs with their eyes closed.
What are your natural talents? Your abundance index higher scores
will give you clues. So will your past. Your strengths and talents are
often like butterflies in the sunshine—they are almost invisible to you.
But the clues are there.
Are you:
Practical…Creative…Scientific…Analytical…Nurturing…Competitive?
Right now, once again, write down your abundance affirmation at the
top of a piece of paper. Next think about how you can use your
natural strengths, competencies and aptitudes to evaporate the
constraint...to achieve the breakthrough.
This source code for success is your success DNA. It is part of your
instincts...It's what potentially makes you great. The answers and the
power won't necessarily reveal themselves overnight but they will
unravel as you apply gentle but relentless pressure to the constraint.
If you are interested in finding out about our product 'The Source
Code For Success - The Self Confidence Miracle'. you can find out
more details at http://sourcecodeforsuccess.com. There is far more
potential inside of you just waiting to be unleashed.