Uncovering the Genius Within

UNCOVERING THE
GENIUS WITHIN©

Our Minds Are Our
Greatest Technology!

Copyright © 2003 - 2008 Employment Readiness Centre - All rights preserved. DO NOT REPRODUCE

UNCOVERING THE GENIUS WITHIN ©

Your Workshop Facilitators
Kelly Kozar, B.Ed., CDFI
and
Star Ristow-Bell, M.Sc.
Welcome You To The
First Day Of The Rest Of
Your Life!



INTRODUCTIONS



HOUSEKEEPING

 Breaks

 Washrooms
 Expectations
 Group Norms



OVERVIEW
 Power of the Mind
How Beliefs are Formed
The Power of Belief
Learning to Mentor Yourself
Tools for Goal Achievement
Learned Optimism
How to Kick the Worry



BENEFITS OF JOURNAL WRITING
 Identify behaviour patterns
Identify “beliefs” that are no longer useful
Identify “blind spots” to seeing problems & solutions
Reinforces & integrates new learning
Alternative method for self-reflection



JOURNAL WRITING
 I learned…
 I was surprised that…
 I feel…
 I see how I can apply…
 I’m concerned about…
 Next time I...
 I found it interesting...



THINGS TO WRITE ABOUT
 Successes
 Setbacks and how you overcame them
“Ah-ha” moments
 What you are thankful for
Information about how you are getting in your own way
Your goals and affirmations



BALANCE WHEEL
Other Spiritual

Finances Personal

Sports Marriage

Friends Fam ily

Education Physical Health

Volunteering Mental Health

Retirem ent Social
Career/Work



HELPFUL THINGS TO KNOW
 Most people do not change because they do not
know how to change
We all have more than enough talent to do
anything we want
The word “CAN’T” is the ugliest four letter word
What holds us back is our own self-image
Change the image - change the performance



Plan to Judge the Outcome
Not the Process



Module 1
POWER OF
THE MIND



POWER OF THE MIND
 75% of all sickness and disease starts in the
mind
Stress, which starts in the mind, is the number
one cause of all fatigue and illness
We only use 10% of our mind
This means 10% of our mind causes 75% of all
sickness
Imagine what would happen if we used our
mind to its’ fullest.



POWER OF THE MIND

You have potential right now that you are
not using...

Harness that potential and you can pursue
the life of your dreams!



POWER OF THE MIND

Activities
A test of your
potential



POWER OF THE MIND

Is it there if you can’t see it?



POWER OF THE MIND

“SCOTOMA”
If past conditioning does not match what you
are looking at, your do not see it and a “blind
spot” is created.

CAN YOU SEE THE PROBLEM
WITH SCOTOMAS?



POWER OF THE MIND

The Ultimate “Scotoma”



POWER OF THE MIND

If you always do
what you have always done you will
always get
what you have always got.



JOURNAL WRITING

 In what areas of my life do I have scotomas
that keep me from being more successful?

 What thoughts or beliefs do I have that might
be limiting me?



Module 2
HOW BELIEFS
ARE FORMED



HOW BELIEFS ARE FORMED

Understanding
the
Source and Strength
of your
Self-Beliefs




 The strongest opinions you hold
about yourself are those you formed
at home with your parents or primary
caregivers.




 Every cloud has a silver lining
 Avoid conflict at all costs
 Dreaming is for rich people
 Save the pennies and the dollars
will look after themselves
 Naps in the middle of the day are
for lazy people




Discussion
Family Scripts



JOURNAL WRITING

 What were the spoken and unspoken, positive
and negative codes that my family lived by?




Who Are You
Listening
To?



PERCEPTION
 The procedure by which we try and
interpret information about the
environment that surrounds us
 Physical sensations, sight, touch,
hearing, smelling and taste
Always incomplete - limited by our
senses and point of view




PERCEPTION PROCESS
 Feedback about ourselves and others
Not always based on true picture of reality
We behave as though our perceptions are real
 Inaccurate perceptions lead to stereotypes




We behave and act
not in accordance with
the truth but with “THE
TRUTH” as we believe
it to be.




Activity
Mixed Weddings




How Beliefs Impact our Life
“Am I acting on what I KNOW to be
true, or what I BELIEVE to be true?



So…How can I really change so I
become successful?
 Change the picture on the inside
Change the belief and your
behaviour will follow



Limiting Thoughts Become Like
The Water We Swim In



Identify Limiting Thoughts

 Stressful in nature

 Angry and fearful in nature

 Attached to words like:
CAN’T...HARD...DIFFICULT...IMPOSSIBLE



Identify Limiting Thoughts

 If I am happy now, I won’t be motivated to change anything
 I can’t change. This is just the way I am.
 My feelings are natural reactions, not something I can control
 If I control my feelings, I’ll be like a robot
You have to do some things you don’t want to do in this life
People who are optimistic aren’t realistic




Activity
Identifying
Limiting Beliefs



JOURNAL WRITING

Limiting Thoughts
 Write my insights from the Limiting Thoughts
activity in my journal.



ANTs
Automatic
Negative
Thoughts

Do a mental house-cleaning and get rid of those
ANTs!
All you have to lose are your old limitations




Activity
How the Mind
Works



Lock On…Lock Out

When we lock on to one way of thinking we
automatically lock out other options



Lock On…Lock Out

 Wrong Information

Too Quickly

Too Long



JOURNAL WRITING

 Give an example of when I locked-on to the wrong
thing about someone else. How did I change my
perception about them?



Module 3
POWER OF
BELIEF



POWER OF BELIEF

Activity
Lifeboat
Exercise



POWER OF BELIEF
“Man often becomes what he
believes himself to be. If I
keep on saying to myself that I
cannot do a certain thing, it is
possible that I may end by
really becoming incapable of
doing it. On the contrary, if I
shall have the belief that I can
do it, I shall surely acquire the
capacity to do it, even if I may
not have it at the beginning.”

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi



POWER OF BELIEF
You will rarely attempt something
you don’t believe and you will
NEVER give 100% of your ability to
something you don’t believe
possible

Belief always comes before action!



POWER OF BELIEF
BELIEFS = SELF IMAGE
Self Image = ideas and information about yourself

Do you see a swan or an
ugly duckling?



POWER OF BELIEF

Activity
Change
Exercise



POWER OF BELIEF
Comfort Zones

Our self image operates like the thermostat in your home



POWER OF BELIEF

Discussion
Comfort Zones



POWER OF BELIEF
Comfort Zones

 What situations make you feel out of your
comfort zone?

What happens when you are out of your
comfort zone?



POWER OF BELIEF
Comfort Zones

 Ability to recall information shuts down

 Creative avoidance

Upgrade your comfort zone by raising your self-image

You will NEVER achieve sustainable success
that exceeds the image you have of yourself



POWER OF BELIEF

We must get outside our comfort
zone and become psychologically
comfortable with success
BEFORE we experience it in reality



POWER OF BELIEF

Resignation



POWER OF BELIEF
Resignation

 Take for granted even the things we find
distasteful about our lives

Just the way things are

Powerless to change them



POWER OF BELIEF
Resignation
Playing it safe
 Quitting when things are strange or
intimidating
 Choosing to look good rather than take a risk
 Becomes a habit

Resignation translates into blindness for
exploring possibilities



POWER OF BELIEF

Activity
Conquering
Resignation



JOURNAL WRITING

Conquering Resignation
Write my insights from the conquering
resignation activity in my journal



POWER OF BELIEF

Develop a
child-like
“anything is
possible”
attitude.



POWER OF BELIEF
Nine Dots Test
Connect all nine dots using only four (4) straight
lines without lifting your pen from the paper.

  

  

  



POWER OF BELIEF
Nine Dots Test

Self imposed limitations

 Conditioned to stay inside the lines



POWER OF BELIEF
Self Fulfilling Prophecy

Translate messages and circumstances to
make them consistent with our self-image
 Block out messages and circumstances which
are not consistent with our self-image



POWER OF BELIEF

The Hot Dog
Salesman



JOURNAL WRITING

 Do I resist change? Why?
 What activities or situations am I currently
avoiding because I feel out of place?
What can I do to be successful in situations,
which are uncomfortable



Module 4
MENTORING
YOURSELF



MENTORING YOURSELF

Activity
An Experiment in
Attitudes



MENTORING YOURSELF

The Law of Attraction

Where are you focusing your attention?
The Problem of the Solution?

Are you feeling how terrible of frustrating the “problem” is?
Are you feeling what your life will be like with the “solution”?



MENTORING YOURSELF

What is Self-Talk?

 All the thoughts that run through your mind
 Includes all things said both silently and out loud
 Can be positive or negative, pessimistic or optimistic

Did you know that we have approximately
50,000 thoughts a day?



MENTORING YOURSELF

How our Subconscious Mind Works

 Takes in everything literally
 Black or white
 Good or Bad
It doesn’t interpret or do what is best
 It’s like a computer - does what it is told



MENTORING YOURSELF

Self Talk Errors

 Focusing on mistakes (past)
 Forgetting our accomplishments



MENTORING YOURSELF

How Good Do I Have To Be?

“When we let ourselves be defined in our own
minds by our worst moments instead of our best
ones, we learn to think of ourselves as people
who never get it right, rather than as capable
people who make an occasional, thoroughly
human mistake.”

Rabbi Harold Kushner author of “How Good Do I Have To Be?



MENTORING YOURSELF

Activity
Celebration



MENTORING YOURSELF
The Self-Talk Cycle

Self Talk Self Image
determines determines
Self Image behaviour

Behaviour
reinforces
Self Talk



JOURNAL WRITING

 Does my internal conversation build or tear down
my self-image or others’ self-image?
What are some examples of positive self-talk that I
have used to trigger positive feeling for myself?
In which areas of your life am I not using my
potential? Examine my self-talk in those areas.



MENTORING YOURSELF
Techniques for Controlling Self-Talk
 Pay attention to self talk every day
Identify supportive & destructive self talk
Confront negative self talk
Replace negative self talk
Make self talk your best friend
Practice thought stopping
Rubber band technique


MENTORING YOURSELF

Activity
Thought Stopping



JOURNAL WRITING

Thought Stopping
 Write my insights from the thought stopping activity
in my journal



MENTORING YOURSELF
More Self-Talk Tips
 Tell Yourself What You CAN Do!
 Plant Positives In Advance
Develop a Self Talk Plan



JOURNAL WRITING

 When I do something wrong or make a mistake,
how long do I dwell on it?
What is my self talk about my life’s direction and
goals?
What are some of the limiting statements I tell
myself? How may they be affecting my behaviour?



Module 5
TOOLS FOR
GOAL ACHIEVEMENT



GOAL ACHIEVEMENT
The Mind
 The Conscious Mind (Perceiver)
The Subconscious Mind (The Recorder)
The Creative Subconscious Mind
(The Generator of Direction)



GOAL ACHIEVEMENT
Activate your RAS
 Reticular Activating System
 A group of cells at the base of your brain stem
 A little control centre that serves as the filter for
what enters you conscious and unconscious
mind

Writing triggers the RAS
Wake up! Pay Attention!



JOURNAL WRITING

 Where am I finding difficulty in my life?
 What would I like to change in my life?
 In what areas of my life would I like to grow and expand?
 What new habits would I like to begin?
 What old habits would I like to eliminate?



GOAL ACHIEVEMENT
Affirmation
 A statement of fact or belief

If I want to I can



GOAL ACHIEVEMENT
Self Talk  Attitudes  Beliefs





Behaviours  Self Image 



GOAL ACHIEVEMENT
Guidelines for writing affirmations
 Personal
 Positive
 Present Tense
 Indicate Achievement
 No Comparisons
 Action Words
 Emotion Words
 Accuracy
 Balance
 Realistic
 Confidential



GOAL ACHIEVEMENT
Guidelines for writing affirmations

PROBLEM SOLUTION
Move Away From Include in Affirmation
Bad Temper Calm, Clear Minded
Lazy Energetic
Procrastination Accomplish immediately



GOAL ACHIEVEMENT
Sample Affirmations
 I am an optimistic person who lives a successful life.
 I am an important and valuable persons, worthy of the
respect of others who are important to me.
 I remember how well I recovered from difficulty and
losses, and I use this feeling to strengthen my resiliency for
future use.



GOAL SETTING

Activity
Group Affirmations



GOAL SETTING

Activity
Personal
Affirmations



GOAL ACHIEVEMENT

That’s Worth Thinking About!

“It is a well know fact that one comes, finally, to believe
whatever one repeats to oneself, whether the statement is
true or false. If man repeats a lie over and over, he will
eventually accept the lie as truth”
Napoleon Hill (1883-1970) American speaker and motivational writer.



GOAL ACHIEVEMENT
Visualization

 Mental rehearsal of the future in the present



GOAL ACHIEVEMENT
Imprinting Process

Impact on subconscious
GOOD - Reading the affirmation
BETTER - Reading and Picturing the affirmation
BEST - Reading, Picturing and Feeling the affirmation



GOAL ACHIEVEMENT
Benefits of Visualization

 Eliminate fears
 Boost self-esteem
 Inducing relaxtion
 Reframe old situations
 Change old habits



JOURNAL WRITING

 How can I use the affirmation and imprinting
process to assist me in reaching my goals?



Module 6
LEARNED
OPTIMISM



LEARNED OPTIMISM

Optimism is the cheerful frame of mind that enables a
tea kettle to sing, though in hot water up to its nose.



LEARNED OPTIMISM

Activity
Your Approach to
Life Quiz



LEARNED OPTIMISM

Have To’s Want To’s



LEARNED OPTIMISM

Motivation
 An inner force that compels behaviour
 Comes from within
 NOT from any external circumstances



LEARNED OPTIMISM

Motivation
RESTRICTIVE
Primarily based on:
“Have To’s”
Fear Based



LEARNED OPTIMISM

Motivation
HOW DO WE RESIST?
 Slow down…procrastinate…take longer
 Creative Avoidance
Work just good enough to get someone off your back



LEARNED OPTIMISM

Motivation
CONSTRUCTIVE
Primarily based on:
“Want To’s”
Pay Value or Personal Profitability



LEARNED OPTIMISM

Have To’s Want To’s

Everything in life
is a choice!



LEARNED OPTIMISM

The only have to’s in life are to breath and take up space…
everything else is a CHOICE.



LEARNED OPTIMISM

Activity
You Have Two
Choices



JOURNAL WRITING

 What are some of my “have” to actions?
 Now that I realize there are no “have to’s”
in my life, what are some of the reasons I
choose to do what I do?
Where do I give up accountability to
someone else? Why?



LEARNED OPTIMISM

Can you learn to be an
Optimist?



LEARNED OPTIMISM
Benefits of Optimism

Respond better to adversity of all kinds
Better physical health
Greater life expectancy



LEARNED OPTIMISM
When something bad happens:

Pessimist Optimist
Globalizes Isolates the BAD
Externalizes Temporalizes
Other Factors



LEARNED OPTIMISM
When something good happens:

Pessimist Optimist
Isolates the GOOD Globalizes
Temporalizes Externalizes
Other Factors



JOURNAL WRITING

 How do I think when good things happen?
Give an example.
 How do I think when bad things happen?
Give an example.



Module 7
HOW TO KICK
THE WORRY
HABIT


KICKING THE WORRY HABIT



The Downward Spiral



Paralysis of Will
 Self-talk declares thoughts of worthlessness, hostility and
hopelessness as valuable.
 Block out all other information
 Blind spot to anything positive
 Isolation sets in
 Imagination goes runs away with you



 The human mind has a built-in potential for flexibility.
 Substitute images of solutions instead of endlessly
ruminating about problems
 Affirm your ability to deal effectively and calmly with all
challenges instead of worrying about failure



JOURNAL WRITING

 What can I do to help myself when I realize
I am slipping into a downward spiral?




Activity
Defining “Worry”




Worry is like a rocking chair…
it gives you something to do
but it doesn’t get you
anywhere.




Worry is Fear

F alse
E vidence
A ppearing
R eal



JOURNAL WRITING

 How do I allow worry to keep me from
becoming all you can be?
 How do I let worry rob me of better
friendships, better business, better results,
better communication, better family
relationships?



Get Free of the Worry Habit

 Recognize worry for what it is
 Admit what worry does
 Choose to be free of worry




Activity
Affirmation Writing




Affirmations

 I’ve had it with worry
I refuse to be tricked by false facts
 I refuse to let my life be short-circuited any longer by
letting my mind run wild with a distorted view of the facts



Prove It to Yourself
 96% is irrelevant
 40% never happen
 30% nothing can be done
12% they were needless
 10% petty things
 8% something substantial
 4% out of our control



Give Worry a Bad Time
 Analyse it to death
 Start to use worry rather than let it use you

Worry begins with a thought of doubt, which
causes an emotion of fear, which manifests
itself physically as anxiety.



Conquer Doubt and Fear
 Change your mind about the doubt and keep it changed
 Focus on what you want not what you do not want
 Start working on the solution rather than thinking about a
possible negative outcome
 End Result Thinking
 Do the thing you fear and fear will disappear
Fear and Faith are directly opposite views of
the future and they cannot co-exist


JOURNAL WRITING

 Select a challenge. What attitudes, beliefs
comfort zones, self-talk, habits and goals do I
want to adjust to overcome this challenge?



WRAPPING UP

Activity
Artful Closure



WRAPPING UP

Activity
Dear Me



WRAPPING UP
Taking these five steps can make anyone a “Gold
Medalist” in their chosen endevour
1. Prepare to WIN
2. Take control of your thoughts
3. Re-evaluate your situation
4. Don’t worry about “how to do it”
5. Finally…YOU MUST ACT!
Chantal Petitclerc, 800m Wheelchair
(CP Photo Tom Hanson)



WRAPPING UP
In you right now is the power to do things you never
dreamed possible. This power becomes available to you
just as soon as you can change your beliefs.
Dr. Maxwell Maltz


Uncovering the Genius Within

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