The Emotions of Success

By Michael Kline

as published in Conway Daily Sun

Emotions may be more important than all other success ideas combined. I’ve been teaching workshops based on a book called The Success Principles – How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be, by Jack Canfield. This book, hailed as the new self-improvement classic, contains 67 of the most powerful principles of success known to humankind. In my studies of the subject, I have come to understand how the many principles interact and sometimes even contradict one another. I also learned the complexities of principles that otherwise seem really simple on the surface. I have had the pleasure of befriending not only the author but some of the people featured in the book’s success stories. All that aside, the biggest breakthroughs I experienced were not in the book. My personal breakthroughs came over time as I slowly processed the information from 8 weeks of workshops and countless practice sessions. I was gradually (think polar caps melting) moving from processing information in my brain to creating awareness in my heart. My personal success breakthroughs came to me in my own time and place and in my own head and heart; mostly heart.

A lot goes on in my head. It is a busy place; sometimes even chaotic. My intellect has gotten me through the launch of six successful businesses of our own and dozens of successful startups, mergers and sales with franchisees and clients over the years. My intellect, while not always right, is pretty smart. But, as brains go, it doesn’t have anything on my heart. It turns out that my best ideas, happiest moments and brightest communications have always happened when I’m in my heart, not my head. When I get in my head, I get very average. When I’m in my heart, I’m brilliant, irresistible, unflappable, confident, and humble all at once. This, you and I have in common. Science is only beginning to learn how powerful the heart is as a brain. I have discovered that my heart doesn’t have the inner voice, constantly judging me, others and the situation. My heart doesn’t have the inner voice of restlessness, hyper-achievement, perfectionism, or my Aunt Jeannie telling me why I’m not good enough. No, the heart has connection to our highest strengths, purpose and passion. Spiritually, mathematically and electrically speaking, our heart has connection to all other people and the infinite resources/Source of the entire Universe. So what does it mean to get out of our head and into our hearts? How does that work and does our heart really work better? What about business, financial and career decisions? Should we reserve the soft, touchy feeling stuff for relationships and counselling sessions? It is my contention that success in every area of life is better found through the heart.

What is that feeling inside that causes a little hesitation just before you pick up the phone to call the boss you need to listen to, the prospect you really want to become a customer, the employee you need to correct but don’t want to lose, the upset client you want to save, or your mother. Perhaps you approach every call or contact with complete confidence and certainty. What might you be missing that would have you be a little less cavalier – is there something you don’t know that you don’t know? And what would it take to rattle your nerves a bit, are you only calling on people and only dealing with situations you know you can be confident in? Would you be willing to welcome being uncomfortable if you knew you could get comfortable being uncomfortable? When are you going to start calling on people and dealing with situations you don’t think you can handle? Will your intellect alone get you through the tough challenges and find you a solution for every challenge you face? Neither did mine.

What I found is that when I am highly resourced, in touch with my imagination, my unconscious and sub-conscious mind, my connection to Source Energy, and feeling it at a deep level, I can handle just about anything. I think more clearly and creatively. I connect more easily with most anyone, and I find joy in my work. Making decisions and thinking with the heart is not an easy or a fast shift to make, but it is a shift that some of the most successful entrepreneurs, athletes and scientists throughout history have discovered. Somehow, when we get to work, we put our brains in charge and leave out the vast majority of our resourses. I am willing to accept that my brain may be very capable, even impressive. I am infinitely more resourse when I tap into my heart because I am tapping into my connection with you and the collective intelligence we all share. Let us find more ways to come together, literally and figuratively to solve the complex challenges we face. Let us all tap into our genius and the genius we are made of so that we can all rise to our greatest potential in everything we do.

In my workshops, I introduce some concepts to help get you “out of your head” along with all the information you can turn into your personal success story. Details are on my website for our next success principles workshop.