Written by: Dr. Petra Frese, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Everyone's definition of success is different; it's a personal matter. If you strive for higher success, you first need to determine your own beliefs and perceptions of what success truly is to you. In this article, find a practical truth-finding exercise to propel your success journey forward. Then, let three questions guide you on your way to greater success and find out how to set the right intention to achieve your highest goals and your own ideals of ultimate success.
According to the dictionary, "Success is the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors. It is the accomplishment of one's goals and results in the attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like."
The word "successful" can be used as a descriptive adjective for a performance or achievement marked by success, as by attaining honors.
We see a person or thing as successful when they have achieved or overachieved expectations measured by the attainment of goals, wealth, fame, social status, etc. Success is considered the opposite of failure. There is only a very fine line between these two.
The general definition of success might describe the mainstream sense of the word. But what does success mean to YOU? What does success look like for you? How is it portrayed in your life, in your unique and individual current situation? How important is your success to you right now? Or, is your success more important to someone else other than yourself? To be truly and authentically successful, we must first analyze our truth. That is most often uncomfortable because our perception of success is not always in alignment with the general public opinion.
Finding out your truth about success
To get some clarity about your expectations and measurement system regarding success, we need to dive deeper into your personal belief system. I once heard Dr. Bruce Lipton use the abbreviation BS for Belief System, and I will also use it here. It may help you when you decide to work on getting some BS (the other BS 😉) out of your BS. A little bit of fun can make tough work much easier.
First, it is crucial to determine whether these beliefs are really our own or have been imposed on us. Getting clear on your beliefs and judgments will allow you to align with your soul and live authentically and with much less friction. Excellent suitable methods for this are, e.g., meditation, mindfulness, hypnosis, or any method that guides you into a transcendent state of mind. I would like to share with you a practical exercise that does not require an altered state of mind to find out your truth.
The truth-finding exercise
Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart. (If this is not possible for you, any other position is okay as well. It is just more profound to feel the difference when you can stand up.) Gently put your open hand with your palm on your throat and cover your neck. Say out loud something you know for sure is your truth. For instance, say your name and feel the vibration. "My name is Peter." (As an example, I use Peter here. Please use your own name.) Now slowly, in tiny steps, let your hand slide down with your palm pressed on the front of your body. Continuously repeat your sentence out loud, and notice your vibration. How far down can you feel it vibrating? Can you feel it in your hand at the whole chest area? Ideally, you can feel it down to the breastbone.
Now choose a sentence that is not your truth. For example, "My name is Petra." (Only if your name is not Petra). Repeat the sequence. How far down are you able to detect a vibration now? Do you recognize that the vibration stops very far up, closer to the throat?
If your statement is true to your inner self, you will feel the vibration all the way down to the breastbone. If the statement is not in alignment with your inner truth, even if your conscious mind might be thinking it is, the vibration will stop much closer to the throat level. This is a powerful and easy way to connect to your inner wisdom.
Now say something you want to test. Maybe say something you are unsure about, whether you like it or can do it. When you know what your inner truth is, practice saying it. Use your hand and repeat your truth statement until you feel the vibration down your breastbone. Notice how good it feels to be in sync with yourself. Remember how wonderful it feels to be in harmony. (Petra Frese, Your Script for Hope, pp.55-56, New York, 2020)
Your unique success journey
Now that you know what is really important to you and what success looks like for you, please let us analyze where you stand on your success journey. You can do this all by yourself, or you can reach out, and we can work through it together. I promise, together will be easier, faster, and more precise.
The 3 main questions you need to answer
1. What do you need to become as successful as you want?
Get crystal clear about what you really want. It is not constructive to use generic phrases. Instead, make your statements personalized and precise. Write it down and tailor your list to your situation, life, and circumstances. Do not limit yourself or play small. Be brave. Be bold.
2. What needs to change in your life for you to get to the level of success you want?
Analyze your current approaches, situation, and, most importantly, your mindset. What needs to change in your life to become the success you desire? This requires deep dives into your mindset and BS. Do not allow yourself to discard your thoughts, feelings, and insights. Be honest and face the options you have that you might not have seen before.
3. Would you change it if you did not suffer?
That is the most important and most challenging question. What do I mean by "suffer?" If it did not bother you, did not weigh heavy on your shoulders, and did not give you sleepless nights, you would not be reading that far. So, that means you are "suffering" from not being as successful yet as you wish you were? Are you accepting yourself as important and worthy enough to be willing to change what needs to be changed? Do not sugar coat. Be brutally honest with yourself.
Goal vs. Intention
The next step is to get clear on what you are going to change and how to make this happen. Your big vision needs to get broken down into smaller, attainable goals. The accumulated goals will bring your vision to life. It all starts with thinking.
Thoughts create reality.
Set your goals high, challenging, realistic, and precise. Distinguish between goals and intention. The main difference is that a goal is closely tied to a definite deadline, whereas an intention is more focused on achieving it eventually. Goal setting is very popular and helpful, yet, the potential curveball is a missed deadline. When you do not achieve your goals by this fixed timeline, you fail. With set intentions, chances are exceptionally high that you will succeed when you stay on track. So, use all the tools that you have available wisely.
Thoughts create reality. Beliefs move mountains. Anything is possible. Believe in yourself!
Dr. Petra Frese, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Dr. Petra Frese, a scientist turned success coach and spiritual healer, is an expert in brain health science and peak mental performance. After her multiple Near-Death Experiences, which dramatically widened her horizon and views on life, she integrated her spiritual insights into her science-based coaching practice.
She became a healer and dedicates her life to assisting others to heal from trauma, accessing their full brainpower, and living in alignment with their soul’s purpose.
Petra is a double-board certified hypnotherapist and neuroencoding specialist. She is the founder of Peak Mind Academy and Lehigh Valley Hypnosis LLC, serving clients around the globe. She is also the award-winning author of two bestselling books and among her most recent accolades are the Crea Global Award 2022, the Quality Business Award 2022, the 2022 Best of Allentown Award, the Brainz500 Award 2021 and the Excellence in Hypnosis Award 2020.
Petra was born in Germany, then lived in Switzerland where she founded her first company and served as a firefighter before she moved to the USA.
Her motto: “Science plus Wisdom is LOVE.”
