My Year in the Master Key System

As mentioned in my blog a few weeks ago, I have decided to embark upon a one-year journey into the world of Charles Haanel, author of The Master Key System.  Touted as THE book that inspired The Secret and many other books, study programs, videos and self-help workshops, The Master Key System is the compilation of a 24-week program that was initially delivered by Haanel as a correspondence course. 

So why am I doing this?  I’ve been a student of the personal growth, self-help, professional development movement for the last 11 years.  I’ve created my own programs, written my own books and taught my own workshops.  So, what more could I need to know?

Lawyers study the law their whole lives; accountants are required refresher courses each year to update their knowledge of recent tax changes; physicians and nurses are in constant learning mode, participating in knowledge and practice review sessions.  So why shouldn’t a success professional such as myself update my learning, especially from a source that seems so fundamental.  And who doesn’t know enough about success?

The Master Key System is based on the concept that you create in your mind everything that happens around you.  Now, before you roll your eyes and say “here’s another one of these gurus whose going to tell me to think positively”, let me tell you a story about a skeptic who actually helped me understand a key element in my learning.

On my way to a meeting downtown last week, I started focusing on getting a great parking spot.  It’s a game I play with myself to reinforce my belief that I actually can create good things in my everyday life.  And sure enough, when I arrived at my destination, here was someone pulling out of THE perfect parking spot.  When one of my colleagues arrived, I mentioned my experience with the parking spot.  He asked me “how much of what arrives in your life do you really think happened because you “created” it, and how much do you think is coincidence”.  I started answering, but as I spoke, I had an insight. 

It doesn’t matter, does it?  If good things are happening to me, what difference does it make if I’ve created it or if it was a coincidence?  Learning the mental discipline, the focus on what I want, the positive attitude, how to quit thinking about negative things in my life...all of that is good stuff.  And if it creates, as Haanel and others put forth, good things in my life, all the better. 

So I’m going to suspend disbelief for one whole year and jump into this program full-hearted.  I invite you to join me, by reading my blogs and even, if you dare, get yourself a copy of the book and study along with me.  I’d love to hear your comments, ideas and challenges with the material – it’ll make it more fun, learning alongside others.

So, good luck and here we go!

When it's time

Autumn is always an interesting season for me.  Once we've survived the start of a new school year, and before I spoil myself with my annual birthday celebration, I go into "think" mode.  What am I doing?  Why am I doing this and not that?  What is working, what isn't?  What else could I be doing?

And most importantly, what am I supposed to be doing?  I talk a lot about purpose and figuring out your "Why" (thank you Simon Sinek, I really enjoyed your book).  But what do I DO about it?

I took a course this summer on creating the life you truly want to live.  It was excellent, I highly recommend it for those of you in the Montreal area (see www.4weekstofreedom.com -- taught by John Kobel).  It taught us how to focus and concentrate on what we wanted, and to build a mental discipline to be able to create what we want.

And yet, there is always that extra step: do I dare want what I want?  Deep down, if we dig through all the layers of "shoulds" and "shouldn'ts" and "I'm good at" and "that doesn't make money" and all the other BS that we pile on our shoulders, we know what we want.  In my case, it always comes back to what I do for a "living", what my "job" is.  I know what I want.  If I peel back the layers, I know that I want to help people live great lives.  Cut out the drama and crises, use tools to make their lives and businesses successful (the way they define it).  Full time, no side contracts to provide some cash flow, no projects to distract me, just me and the world, making it better one person or business at a time.

But do I dare want this?  Do I dare go through the steps that I have learned to create this?  Learning to say yes to myself is not something new, and yet this feels like an ultimate, full-throttle YES.  It's scary.  But it's time.  I've delayed, stalled and let myself be distracted long enough.

So here I go.  First of all, in the next few weeks, you start seeing regular posts from me on The Master Key System.  I'm taking one full year to go through the program and every 2 weeks, I'll report back to you on my experience.  It'll be on my blog here and also on www.happiness-after-midlife.com, the website of a recent collaborator of mine.  I'm also finishing up a two-part e-course based on my first book, "Dammit, I am Right!", which will also be available on the Happiness After Midlfe website.  And finally, I'm committing to finishing my second book, "Drown or Surf: Riding Life's Tidal Waves", before the end of the year.

I have other projects that I want to get off the ground.  To get the public speaking side of my business going, I'll be giving a conference (in French) at the Salon Affaires et Travailleurs Autonomes at the end of October in Montreal.  I'm not exactly sure of the content yet, but it will be based on my second book, focusing on how small business owners can avoid constant crisis management and get into a positive cycle.

There's lots more to come, but I'll save that for when it's done (rather than promising things I haven't even created yet).

In the meantime, have you given yourself permission to dare want what you want?  If not, when will it be the right time to do just that?