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Chapter 22 - Take The Brakes Off
According to my good friend Henry Young, noted health director and head of the Roof Health Club on the top floors of the McAlpin Hotel in New York, every man has a busy day. Young says: "Here is what happened to you yesterday." "Your heart beat 103,689 times. Your blood traveled 168,000 miles. You breathed 23,040 times. You inhaled 438 cubic feet of air. You braced yourself with 3% pounds of food and 2%o pounds of liquid. You generated 450 tons of energy. You exercised your leg and arm muscles over 1,000 times. You moved 750 major muscles and exercised 7,000,000 brain cells. You spoke 4,800 words (possibly twice this many if a salesman)." Learn from the Sermon on the Mount With this great stretch of activity it is time to take the brakes off. One of the best ways to do this at this time or any time is to form a picture of something pleasant. One of the greatest pictures in the world to help you do this is found in the fifth chapter of Matthew, where Jesus begins his great "Sermon on the Mount." Here we see Jesus confident, loving, free from care, free from worry, free from dread, and free from all other distressing problems. He is in tune with God, at peace with the world, and in harmony with all men. He is perfectly relaxed: And seeing the multitudes, he went
up into a mountain: and And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall
revile you, and persecute you, Rejoice, and be exceeding glad:
for great is your reward in These 143 words are known as the Beatitudes. They express one of the most invigorating and inspiring messages ever written. It is a positive declaration of truth, based on the wisdom of all times, directing you what to do; and, if you do it, you will find yourself completely relaxed mentally and physically. You will also find your entire being opening up to the inflow of God's universal consciousness and power, which will revitalize and restore you with health, zest, energy, and also a peace of mind that passes all understanding. The precepts expressed in these Beatitudes have been a part of my life. They have been a source of strength and endurance. I believe and feel them. I can sincerely recommend the Beatitudes as a formula to help you to relax. A Positive Formula for Relaxation Verse by verse, here is a short resume of what each Beatitude means to me: "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Poor, as used in this Beatitude, does not mean poor spirited or a mean spirit, cowardly and debased, but signifies compassion, sympathy, and tenderness. It is pleading with you to rid yourselves of all arrogance, self-importance, impudence, selfishness, and the desire to exercise self-will. As you rid yourself of all these selfish motives you find yourself in the Kingdom of Heaven, which is a state of divine consciousness where peace and harmony reign. You feel perfectly secure and enjoy a state of complete serenity and relaxation. "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted." The will of God is that everyone should be happy and express success joyfully. Jesus says: "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." Mourning and suffering are helpful, because many people will not bother to learn the truth until driven to do so by failure. Sorrow moves them to think, and as they think, they transcend the clouds, penetrate the darkness, uncover the light of truth, and feel the Spirit of God about them. They are consoled and filled with compassion. A spirit of perfect freedom prevails, and "they shall be comforted." This spirit produces a perfect state of relaxation. "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." Meek, as it is used in this
Beatitude, does not suggest a weak creature devoid of courage and
self-respect, slipping around on gum shoes or hiding himself under an
umbrella. On the contrary, the word "meek" purports a spiritual and mental
attitude that eliminates all vainness, haughtiness, resentment, and
selfishness. Its significance opens up the consciousness for the inflow of
God's divine power and will. In a spirit of meekness we inherit the earth,
because earth, as used in this Beatitude, signifies that everyone is an
individual manifestation of a Divine Cause and that this Divine Cause,
manifesting through each individual, gives that individual a complete and
perfect dominion over all experiences, and thus gives him the power to
bring all the conditions of life into harmony and true success. Therefore,
it is unnecessary to worry, to hurry, to get provoked or irritated, or to
become tense or rigid. In fact, you can take "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." Righteousness, as used in this Beatitude, means not merely right conduct, but right thinking on all subjects in every department of life. It is applying the principle of wisdom, which instructs us to make a wise use of everything. In life, we deal with three principal things: people, words, and things. Wisdom teaches us to love and respect people. It instructs us to use the kind of words that inspire people to act. It directs us to make the proper utilization of things that build and conserve. Everything responds to good treat- ment. By applying wisdom to our activities we are really hungering and thirsting after righteousness, and we shall surely be filled. Thus we find ourselves in tune with Universal Law, enjoying the freedom of a bird. "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." Be kind in thought, and also in action. Think only the best thoughts about your fellow men, and these will bless him spiritually and mentally, and they in turn will bless you. After all, we are all component parts of God, and we eventually receive the same treatment that we mete out to others. Forgive others and they love and have confidence in you. The moment you forgive you take the brakes off. "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." God has no corporeal existence. God is spirit, and your conception of God can only be spiritual. You must realize that God is everywhere, and that His spirit fills all space. He is the only real cause, and the only real presence; He is around every moment. As you purge your consciousness of all impure thoughts and begin to think positive, pure, wholesome, and good thoughts, then you realize the Divine Presence of God, and thus you can sing with Shakespeare: And this our life exempt from
public haunts What you are within is what you see without. As you think good thoughts, then you see good in all things. Thus, again you find yourself in a state of serenity, free from the cares of the day. You can proceed with gentleness, with firmness, with easiness, and with effectiveness. The Importance of Prayer The remaining Beatitudes instruct in the art of prayer. Prayer is your communion with God. Prayer is a strong realization of the presence of God, and this realization changes your attitude and outlook and gives you inspiration, the breath of the soul, and also a true peace of mind. When your entire consciousness feels this spiritual impulse, then your being is serene. All controversies, quarrels, and misunderstandings viewed with this spirit will melt away. Harmony, peace, and joy, which produce perfect relaxation, are attained by cultivating right thoughts. Distortions, dreads and false inhibitions based on skepticism are lies, which persecute and revile. Therefore, declare their nothingness, and proclaim: "Get thee behind me, Satan." With this firm affirmation you find the truth within, where it has been always, and you can relax and "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in Heaven." By adhering to the principles that the Beatitudes teach, you will have no occasion for tension, because these principles will absolutely take the brakes off. However, if you do find the physical body tense, here are a few suggestions to help you. Tension is usually caused by expending too much effort trying to do something too quickly. This foments worry and hurry. Usually there is no cause for hurry. Remember you have all the time that is left, and that is infinite. You have got from now until eternity to do the job, and that should be enough time for anyone. So, why hurry? How Relaxation Will Add to Your Selling Power Most salesmen are temperamental, and a rebuff in the morning has a tendency to retard their efficiency for the whole day. Therefore, take a tip from the athlete who warms up gradually. He always takes it very calm and easy until he is thoroughly warmed up. It will pay you to follow his example. On your calling list of prospects there are always a few who are easy to approach, and if you begin the day by calling on these, they will put you in a good attitude, warm you up, and prepare you for those tough ones later on in the day. A good beginning bolsters your courage and buoys your strength. Your strength is in proportion to your courage. You are able to work in a state of relaxation and freedom. Personal efficiency and mental alertness in selling are de- pendent on physical fitness. Your physical fitness is largely determined by your ability to relax. You are at your best physically and mentally when you are relaxed. In your selling procedure you find you are getting things done. You are making the right decisions. You are exercising the right judgment. Everything seems to work with rhythm, and you apparently are getting the job done with no effort. You will always find that, if you warm up for your toughest prospects, when you get before them your task of selling will be comparatively easy. Do the easy ones first—the tough ones will take care of themselves. When you follow these suggestions, you will find at the end of the day that you are quite well pleased with your efforts. You feel free to spend the evening enjoying yourself with your family and engaging in social activities or any other exercises you may desire. In following out a little pattern of this nature you will create order in your life, and order is the first law of Heaven. Under this order you will live in harmony, unity, and happiness because you are living according to rhythm. Therefore, the law of relaxation is one of the greatest natural laws. This law simply tells you to loosen up, to take it easy, to relieve the tension, to relax and let go. It tells you to take the brakes off, to open up and let the forces of nature flow into your body. These forces will restore, recuperate, revitalize, and rehabilitate you. These forces cannot enter into your body when it is rigid and tense; they come only when you cease trying or straining. Another thing to help you to relax is indifference to poor results. Your lot or portion in life is seeking you, therefore be at rest from seeking it. What is the wisdom of fretting, worrying, hurrying, fuming, and fussing? Millions of people for thousands of years have been using this old world for a place in which to live. History tells us that they have all been fed, nourished, and sustained. Science tells us that the people who have lived on the earth have not used up a thing. We have more today than we have ever had. Therefore, the only thing to do is to do your job well and trust in that inexorable Law of Compensation, which never fails to pay a reward for honest effort. Relax, and Watch Your Sales Climb Walls and barriers of sales resistance are built by tense thoughts and rigid feelings, which fill you with apprehension and make you dread action. They separate you from the prospect and deprive you of the opportunity to serve. When you find yourself in this condition, repeat one of the Beatitudes, take a couple of deep breaths, and relax. You will find that tension disappears. Any tenseness or rigidness in your sales manner is detected immediately by the prospect and reflects against you. They give the prospect the impression that you are not demonstrating the positive power of creative selling. They create a sense of doubt and uncertainty. They make the prospect feel that you are more interested in your own welfare than his. By approaching the prospect in a state of relaxation, you "click"; mutual understanding is established, and a spirit of confidence prevails. You speak with freedom and sincerity, and what you say impresses the prospect. By disciplining your thoughts and
by training yourself to relax, you will find that you have more capacity
to do, more ability to demonstrate, and more energy to act. It will take
all the stubbornness, tenseness, and rigidness out of your thoughts. It
will unleash all the creative forces within you. It will enable you to
make a complete and perfect demonstration of the power of creative
selling. You will plant more constructive ideas, and you will reap a more
abundant crop.
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