Reclaim These Two Spiritual Treasures

In this life we are only given two things that are purely our own
to use: attention and time.
Attention
When we give our attention to something, it helps us realize
through that relationshipsome quality or character within
ourselves of which we were unaware only the moment before.
For instance, give your attention to just how deep runs the starstudded night sky above you, and youre instantly brought into
an awareness of a corresponding timelessness within you. The
depths of an endless night sky serve to reveal you to you; this
is its spiritual purpose.
Here we glimpse the interior meaning of the much-beloved idea
that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The eye and what it
beholds mirror one another, validating yet another ancient
axiom: the observer is the observed. This understanding
explains, in part, why Eastern traditions stress the idea of
polishing the hearts mirror. The purer the heart, the more
perfect its reflection of love.
Time
In this world of passing time, we are carried along in a river of
ceaselessly changing relationships created by ever-converging
forces beyond our control. Yet each and every one of these
relationships holds the promise, the possibility, of a new
revelation; and, as weve seen, each revelation reflects some
aspect of ones immortal Self.
It is through standing in the flow of timeby watching how its
waters wash away all that they touch, including our days on
earththat a true need to know what is timeless appears within
us.
This new and interior longing, along with the revelations that
have helped give birth to its awakening, changes what we
value. Our time on earth takes on new meaning and purpose,

for now we seek a whole new level of self that can never be
taken or stolen from us.
Sadly, most of us squander our gifts of time and attention.
Rather than learning to be in command of our attention, which
is the same as using our time for its highest purposethe
realization of our immortal Selfwe hand it over to almost
anything that floats by in the river of time.
Either we struggle to make things happen or we wait hoping
change will come; regardless of our approach to life, it never
fails to give us something to think about or some event to
stimulate us. Then we call that momentary relationshipand
the passing sense of self it produces in uslife. Yes, of
course: this is one order of life, and we all have it until we
realize, often too late, that it has had us all along.
We have no choice about being born into this world of passing
time, but we do have a choice whether or not we remain a
captive of its inherent fears and sorrow.
Invite the light of your longing for what is everlasting to show
you the futility of serving passing time. You are here on earth to
realize an entirely different purpose to your lifea beautiful,
noble, sacrificial purpose. But theres only way to have this
higher calling revealed to you: you must give your attention to
it moment by precious moment.
Stay awake. Stay in your body. Dont let your mind drag you
around, always talking to you, telling you the meaning of what
you see. Learn to master your attention. It will, in turn, teach
you the real purpose and proper use of your time here on earth.
Master time and attention, and you stand at the doorway to the
Divine. Step through it and behold your immortal Self.
key lesson
We will make detailed preparations for a single day off, lay out
careful plans for an evening meal, and spend untold moments
worrying over what we should wear, but few of us rarely take
the time we need preparing our interior life to receive the
impressions that give our soul its substance and meaning.

The warrior of life and renunciation

1. Renouncing what you have. This is Mahatma
Gandhis strategy, to which the warrior of light listens with
respect, ignoring those people who, incapable of achieving
anything, nevertheless preach renunciation:
When engaged in any activity, one must know what to
expect, by what means we will reach our goal, and how
capable we are of doing the task in hand.
Only someone who has no desire for the results of
conquest and remains absorbed in the combat itself can
claim to have renounced the fruits.
You can renounce the fruit, but that does not mean you
are indifferent to the result.
2. Renouncing vengeance. The warrior of light has the
sword in his hands.
He is the one who decides what he will do and what he
will never do.
There are moments when life leads him into a crisis; he is
separated from things he has always loved; it is then that
the warrior reflects. He checks that he is fulfilling God's will
or if he is merely acting selfishly. If this separation is really
part of his path, then he accepts without complaint.
If, however, such a separation was provoked by someone
elses perverse actions, then he is implacable in his
response.
The warrior possesses both force and forgiveness. He can
use both with equal skill.
3. Renouncing provocation. The experienced fighter
puts up with insults; he knows the strength of his fist and

the skill of his blows. Confronted by an unprepared

opponent, he looks deep into his eyes and conquers him
without ever having to resort to a physical fight.
As the warrior learns from his spiritual master, the light of
faith shines in his eyes and he does not need to prove
anything to anyone. He is not bothered by his opponent's
aggressive arguments which say that God is a superstition,
that miracles are just tricks, that believing in angels is
running away from reality.
Like the fighter, the warrior of light is aware of his own
immense strength; he never fights with anyone who does
not deserve the honour of combat.
4. Renouncing time. The warrior of light listens to Lao
Tzu when he says that we should let go of the idea of days
and hours in order to pay more attention to the moment.
Only in this way can he resolve certain problems before
they occur; by focusing on the small things, he manages to
avoid larger calamities.
But thinking about the small things is not the same as
thinking small. Over-anxiety ultimately banishes every
trace of joy from life.
The warrior knows that a great dream is made up of many
different things, just as the light from the sun is the sum of
its millions of rays.
5. Renouncing comfort. The warrior of light studies the
two pillars on either side of the door he is trying to open.
One is called Fear and the other is called Desire. The
warrior looks at the pillar of Fear and on it is written: You
are entering a dangerous, unfamiliar world where
everything you have learned up until now will prove
useless.

The warrior looks at the pillar of Desire and on it is

written: You are about to leave a familiar world wherein are
stored all the things you ever wanted and for which you
struggled long and hard.
The warrior smiles because nothing frightens him and
nothing holds him. With the confidence of one who knows
what he wants, he opens the door.

Manual for climbing mountains

1. Choose the mountain you want to climb: Dont be
influenced by what other people say: that ones prettier or
that one looks easier.You are going to put a lot of energy
and enthusiasm into achieving your objective, and you are
the only person responsible for your choice, so be quite
sure about what you are doing.
2. Find out how to reach the mountain: Often you
can see the mountain in the distance beautiful,
interesting, full of challenges. However, when you try to
reach it, what happens? Its surrounded by roads; forests lie
between you and your objective; and what seems clear on
the map is far more complicated in reality So you must try
all the paths and tracks until, one day, you find yourself
before the peak you intend to climb.
3. Learn from someone who has been there
before:However unique you may think you are, there is
always someone who has had the same dream before and
who will have left signs behind that will make the climb less
arduous: the best place to attach a rope, trodden paths,
branches broken off to make it easier to pass. It is your
climb and it is your responsibility too, but never forget that
other peoples experiences are always helpful.
4.
Dangers
seen
from
close
to
are
controllable: When you start to climb the mountain of
your dreams, pay attention to what is around you. There
are, of course, precipices. There are almost imperceptible
cracks. There are stones polished so smooth by rain and
wind that they have become as slippery as ice. But if you
know where you are putting your foot, you will see any
traps and be able to avoid them.

5. The landscape changes, so make the most of

it: You must, naturally, always keep in mind your objective
- reaching the top. However, as you climb, the view
changes, and there is nothing wrong with stopping now and
then to enjoy the vista. With each metre you climb, you can
see a little further, so take time to discover things you have
never noticed before.
6. Respect your body: You will only manage to climb a
mountain if you give your body the care it deserves. You
have all the time that life gives you, so do not demand too
much from your body. If you walk too quickly, you will grow
tired and give up halfway. If you walk too slowly, night
might fall and you will get lost. Enjoy the landscape, drink
the cool spring water and eat the fruit that Nature so
generously offers you, but keep walking.
7. Respect your soul: Dont keep repeating Im going
to do it. Your soul knows this already; what it needs is to
use this long walk in order to grow, to reach out as far as
the horizon, to touch the sky. Obsession will not help you in
the search for your goal and will end up spoiling the
pleasure of the climb. On the other hand, dont keep
repeating Its harder than I thought, because that will sap
your inner strength.
8. Be prepared to go the extra mile: The distance to
the top of the mountain is always greater than you think.
There is bound to come a moment when what seemed
close is still very far away. But since you are prepared to go
still further, this should not be a problem.
9. Be joyful when you reach the top: Cry, clap your
hands, shout out loud that you made it; let the wind
(because it is always windy up there) purify your mind, cool
your hot, weary feet, open your eyes, blow the dust out of
your heart. What was once only a dream, a distant vision,
is now part of your life, you made it, and that is good.

10. Make a promise: Now that you have discovered a

strength you did not even know you had, tell yourself that
you will use it for the rest of your days and promise
yourself, too, to discover another mountain and set off on a
new adventure.
11. Tell your story: Yes, tell your story. Be an example
to others. Tell everyone that its possible, and then others
will find the courage to climb their own mountains.

The warrior of light and his quest

1. The Warrior
In the midst of
enemys blows
angel. In times
sends him.

of Light knows the importance of intuition.

battle he has no time to think about the
so he uses his instinct and obeys his
of peace he deciphers the signs that God

People say: Hes crazy.

Or else: He lives in a fantasy world.
Or even: How can he put his trust in such illogical
things?
But the warrior knows that intuition is Gods alphabet, and
so he continues to listen to the wind and talk to the stars.
2. For the warrior there is no such thing as an impossible
love.
He is not intimidated by silence, indifference or rejection.
He knows that, behind the mask of ice that people wear,
there beats a heart of fire.
This is why the warrior takes more risks than other
people. He is constantly seeking the love of someone, even
if that means often having to hear the word No, returning
home defeated and feeling rejected in body and soul.
A warrior never gives in to fear when he is searching for
what he needs. Without love, he is nothing.
3. A warrior of light cannot always choose his battlefield.
Sometimes he is taken by surprise in the middle of battles
not of his choosing, but there is no point in running away,
those battles will merely follow him.

Then, at the point when conflict seems almost inevitable,

the warrior talks to his opponent. Showing neither fear nor
cowardice, he tries to find out why the other man wants to
fight, what made him leave his village in order to seek him
out to fight this duel. Without even unsheathing his sword,
the warrior persuades his opponent that this is not a fight
for him.
A warrior of light listens to what his opponent has to say.
He only fights if absolutely necessary.
But if he has no alternative, he doesnt think about victory
or defeat: he fights to the end.
4. The warrior of light never forgets the old saying: the
good little goat doesnt bleat.
Injustices happen. Everyone finds themselves in situations
they do not deserve, usually when they are unable to
defend themselves. Defeat often knocks at the warriors
door.
At such times, he remains silent. He does not waste
energy on words, because they can do nothing; it is best to
use his strength to resist and have patience, knowing that
Someone is watching, Someone who saw the unnecessary
suffering and who will not accept it.
That Someone gives him what he most needs: time.
Sooner or later, everything will once more work in his
favour.
5. A warrior of light is wise; he does not talk about his
defeats.
A warrior of light accepts his Personal Legend completely.
His companions say: He has remarkable faith!

For a moment, the warrior feels proud, then immediately

feels ashamed of what he has heard because he does not
have as much faith as he appears to have.
At that moment, his angel whispers: You are only an
instrument of the light. There is no reason to feel proud or
to feel guilty, there are only reasons to fulfil your destiny.
And the warrior of light, aware now that he is but an
instrument, feels calmer and more secure.

Manual for dealing with time

(the following text is based on studies carried out by a friend of mine,
Stephan Rechtstaffen, a doctor who set up the highly successful Omega
Institute in New York)

1. Time is not a measure, but a quality. When we

look back at the past, we are not rewinding a tape, but
recalling the gift of our existence on this earth. You cannot
measure time the way you measure a road, because we are
always taking gigantic leaps backwards (memories) and
forwards (plans).
2. Managing time is not living: The idea that time is
money is pure nonsense. We should be conscious of every
minute, knowing how to take full advantage of it by doing
what we are doing (with love) or simply by contemplating
life. The day is made up of twenty-four hours and many,
many moments. If we slow down, everything lasts longer. It
might take longer to wash the dishes, but why not use that
time to think about nice things, to sing, relax, and take
pleasure in being alive?
3. In harmony with life: Artur Rubinstein, one of the
greatest pianists of the twentieth century, was once asked
by an ardent admirer: How do you handle the notes as well
as you do? Rubinstein answered: I handle the notes no
better than many others, but the pauses ah! that is where
art resides. Stephans divorce was very painful, and he
thought that by keeping busy, he would get through the
difficult times. It didnt work, the pain was still there. After
a while, he started to use the pauses to sit down and
allow the pain to enter him and touch him and then pass.
Little by little, he began to rebuild his life, gaining a better
understanding of the reasons behind the separation, and
now his ex-wife works with him at the Omega Institute
because he was able to face up to the pain and not just
hide it away behind a multitude of different tasks.

4. Experiencing things more deeply: A study of

visitors to Washingtons National Zoo showed that, on
average, people never spend more than about ten seconds
looking at any group of animals. Why go to the zoo, then?
Wouldnt you be better off looking at an illustrated book?
People complain that the hippos are always under water; in
fact, the average time hippos spend under water varies
between 90 seconds and a maximum of five minutes the
visitors are in such a hurry to move on that they miss what
they came to see.
5. Knowing when to think and when to act: a
seriously obese patient of Stephans said that she was
prepared to do anything to lose weight. He suggested that
whenever she felt like eating, she should observe the
feeling, but not act. But Im hungry! she said. Exactly! If
you can live with that feeling, observe the hunger, allowing
yourself to feel it in all its intensity but not act soon the
urge will diminish, and you will learn to be the mistress of
your will and not the slave of your impulses.
6. Dont remain passive in the face of negative
emotions:When we sit down on a sofa and turn on the TV,
we are, in fact, turning off from the world. Or else we start
to feel anxious, thinking that were wasting time, that we
should be phoning someone, working out, tidying the
house. Why? Because when we sit still, a whole wave of
repressed emotions washes over us, depressing us and
leaving us feeling sad and guilty. The busier we are, the
more those emotions will accumulate, with the risk that,
one day, they will explode.
Yes, we all have problems that we need to face, so why
not do it now? Stop. Think. Even suffer a little. In the end,
we might understand who we are, what we are feeling,
what we are doing here, in this moment, rather than being
ruled by the Diary of Life.

The Warrior and Faith

Henry James compares experience to a kind of huge spiders
web suspended in the chamber of consciousness and capable
of trapping not only what is necessary, but every air-borne
particle as well.
Often what we call experience is merely the sum of our
defeats. Thus we look ahead with the fear of someone who has
already made a lot of mistakes in life and we lack the courage
to take the next step.
At such moments, it is good to remember the words of Lord
Salisbury: If you believe the doctors, nothing is wholesome: if
you believe the theologians, nothing is innocent: if you believe
the soldiers, nothing is safe.
It is important to accept ones passions, and not to lose ones
enthusiasm for conquests. They are part of life, and bring joy to
all who participate in them. The warrior of light never loses
sight of what endures, nor of bonds forged over time. He knows
how to distinguish between the transient and the enduring.
There comes a moment, however, when his passions suddenly
disappear. Despite all his knowledge, he allows himself to be
overwhelmed by despair: from one moment to the next, his
faith is not what it was, things do not happen as he dreamed
they would, tragedies occur in unfair and unexpected ways, and
he begins to believe that his prayers are not being heeded. He
continues to pray and to attend religious services, but he
cannot deceive himself; his heart does not respond as it once
did, and the words seem meaningless.
At such a moment, there is only one possible path to follow:
keep practising. Say your prayers out of duty or fear, or for
some other reason, but keep praying. Keep on, even if all
seems in vain.
The angel in charge of receiving your words, and who is also
responsible for the joy of faith, has wandered off somewhere.
However, he will soon be back and will only know where to find
you if he or she hears a prayer or a request from your lips.

According to legend, after an exhausting morning session of

prayer in the monastery of Piedra, the novice asked the abbot if
prayers brought God closer to mankind.
Im going to reply with another question, said the abbot. Will
all the prayers you say make the sun rise tomorrow?
Of course not! The sun rises in obedience to a universal law.
Well, theres the answer to your question. God is close to us
regardless of how much we pray.
The novice was shocked.
Are you saying that our prayers are useless?
Absolutely not. If you dont wake up early enough, you will
never get to see the sunrise. And although God is always close,
if you dont pray, you will never manage to feel His presence.
Watch and pray: that should be the warrior of lights motto. If
he only watches, he will start to see ghosts where they dont
exist. If he only prays, he will not have time to carry out the
work that the world so desperately needs. According to another
legend, this time from the Verba Seniorum, the abbot pastor
used to say that Abbot John had prayed so much that he need
no longer worry all his passions had been vanquished.
The abbot pastors words reached the ears of one of the wise
men in the Monastery of Sceta. He called together the novices
after supper.
You may have heard it said that Abbot John has no more
temptations to conquer, he said. However, a lack of struggle
weakens the soul. Let us ask the Lord to send Abbot John a
great temptation, and if he manages to conquer it, let us ask
the Lord to send him another, and another. And when he is
once more struggling against temptations, let us pray that he
may never say: Lord, remove this demon from me. Let us
pray that he asks: Lord, give me strength to confront evil.

Psychology is 80% of success, method is only 20%

Tony Robbins, Peak Performance Coach
Most English learners are very intelligent. Most are highly
motivated when they begin. Most students are very successful
in school, in their jobs, in their businesses, and in their
relationships.
So why do so many fail to speak English powerfully?
What is the problem. Why do people who are normally so
successful fail in this one area?
There are two answers to that question:
1. Bad Methods
2. Bad Psychology
LEARN ENGLISH- METHODS & PSYCHOLOGY
I talk a lot about methods. As you know, the grammar and
textbook methods used in schools are terrible. They are total
failures. Very few people will learn to speak English easily if
they use those methods. Thats why I developed the Effortless
English system. It is a system designed to help you speak and
understand real English.
But even if you use my system, its not enough. Tony Robbins is
right a great method is only 20% of success. The other 80% is
psychology.
Psychology means: motivation, energy, beliefs, rules,
standards, and emotions. When learning English, psychology is
very important.
To succeed as an excellent English speaker, you must learn to
manage your emotions. You must develop a psychology of
success.
One key way to do this is to manage your emotional states. In
fact, this is probably the most important element of success
psychology. Poor emotional states will lead to failure, powerful
emotional states lead automatically to success. For example, if

you are frequently tired, bored, or depressed you will struggle

to study English consistently. You will have poor concentration.
Your memory will be worse. You will be more likely to quit, or to
study in a distracted or lazy way.
You must learn to master your emotions. You must be energetic,
excited, enthusiastic, and passionate every time you study
English. Imagine smiling and laughing every time you listen to
English. Imagine feeling energetic and extremely happy, every
time you listen to English. Would that make you study more?
Would that make you learn faster? Would your concentration be
better? Would you improve faster? Yes yes to all!
So how do you do it? How do you get into a peak emotional
state every time you listen to English?
Heres my recommendation:
1. Find some exciting, energetic music that you LOVE.
2. Before you start listening to your English lesson, play the
music.
3. As this exciting music plays, raise your head. Look up.
Change your body. Pull your shoulders back. Stand tall.
Then smile smile a big smile.
Take deep breaths.
4. Next, move your body. Dance with the music. Keep looking
up. Keep smiling. Jump and dance. Lift your arms over your
head as you jump and dance and smile. Feel the happiness and
energy from the music.
5. Stop and say loudly, Yes!. Say it again, Yes!. One more
time, Yes!
6. Now play your English lesson. As you listen, keep your
shoulders back. Keep your eyes up. Keep smiling. In fact, stand
up and keep moving. Walk and breathe deeply as you listen to
the lesson.
7. When you listen to the Mini-Story lessons, answer each
question loudly. Dont be shy. Shout your answer! Keep your

head and eyes up. Keep a big smile on your face as you answer
with a loud voice.
8. If you begin to feel tired or bored at any time, pause the
lesson. Play your favorite music again and repeat all of these
steps. Add more energy to your body and your emotions. Then
play the lesson again.
By managing your emotions in this way, you will study longer,
you will remember more, and you will learn 2-4 times faster.
Youll also teach yourself to be strong and confident when you
speak English.
Always be in a peak emotional state when you listen to my
lessons and you will always learn faster.

Speak English or Lose Your Job

Massimiliano Rattis job was at stake when he started learning
English. A native of Italy, he was informed by his employer that
his position was being cut. Ratti was given an ultimatum- he
could transfer to another job if he learned to speak English in
six months or else he would be downsized.
Desperate to preserve his job, Ratti searched online for English
courses. Comparing a half dozen options, he chose a program
called Effortless English due to its focus on adult learners. For
the next 6 months, he diligently listened to the lessons for two
hours or more every day. In the morning, during his commutes,
during lunch breaks, and in the evenings, Ratti used every
available minute for listening to the lessons.
At first he noticed only a gradual improvement, but by 6
months his speaking had improved rapidly.
I learned it and saved my job, he said.
His success is extraordinary, but the English challenge he faced
is common across the globe. Internationally, employees are
increasingly expected to master spoken English, and they are
expected to do so on their own.
There are over 1 billion people currently learning English world
wide, according to figures available from the British Council.
These impressive numbers are driven by adult speakers around
the world who use English to communicate in the workplace.
While English is required for those living and working in English
speaking countries such as the USA and UK, the tremendous
demand for the language is driven by the use of English as a
lingua franca between nations where English is not the primary
language. In the global economy, English is the language of
business.
This is part of the new reality that employees are facing
everywhere, said A.J. Hoge, the author of Effortless English:
Learn To Speak English Like A Native, Its been growing for a
long time but now its reaching a critical point.
Case in point is the Japanese multinational corporation Rakuten.
Rakutens founder and CEO Hiroshi Mikitani has created an

English-only policy for the giant web commerce company.

Mikitani said, one of the things holding back Japanese firms
from competing globally is a language barrier that prevents
them from fully grasping overseas competition.
With the new policy, all employees are required to use English
for
company
communications,
including
meetings,
presentations, emails, proposals, and other documents. The
company expects employees to be proactive about learning
English independently, on their own time.
While this is a developing trend for Japan, many international
companies world wide are instituting English-only policies. In
the business world, increasingly, there is simply no escape from
English.
Of all the challenges faced by employees in a globalized
economy, achieving English fluency is arguably one of the most
difficult. Its hard to find effective instruction, and theres little
consistency in the programs used to educate them. Despite
years of study in school, most students graduate having never
achieved fluency.
The education industry is divided over the best way to teach
English, with the traditional grammar-translation approach
favored by schools but also creating an emotional debate with
those who favor a natural grammar-free approach.
Adult English learners are more likely to be under tremendous
time pressure and in many cases require independent learning
options that fit their busy schedules.
The longer these students lack English fluency, the further they
fall behind in the global economy. The earning difference for
immigrants in English speaking countries is especially severe.
Employees who speak English very well earn, on average,
18,000 dollars a year more than those who speak not well or
not at all according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Although many are highly motivated to learn English, the
current system of adult education in English as a Foreign
Language (EFL) is serving adult English learners especially
poorly with high drop-out rates, and poor results.

These programs are not working effectively with only 40% of

learners improving their fluency level after one year of study,
and many fewer achieving full fluency, according to the U.S.
Government Accountability Office.
The quality of education of adult English learners world wide is
just miserable, said Hoge.
Traditional programs are simply failing adult English learners,
Hoge said. International employees need new approaches that
help them achieve true fluency in the language that is, the
ability to communicate clearly, naturally, and effortlessly in
English.
An adult English learners education usually started years
before in the school system. Frustrated by their failure to
achieve fluency in school, many look for alternative methods of
learning.
While most schools continue to favor a grammar-translation
approach, there has been recent momentum for a variety of
natural approaches such as Effortless English, which has been a
leader in online education since 2006. The company adopted a
grammar-free program for all students, that emphasizes spoken
fluency and intuitive techniques for teaching grammar and
vocabulary.
The method aims to replicate how students learn their native
language. The approach is supported by research. In a study by
Dr. Ashley Hastings, students learning with a natural approach
improved 3 times faster than students using grammartranslation methods, over a 4 week period.
The natural approach is spreading throughout the globe very,
very fast, especially among independent learners Hoge said.
One problem, however, is that its not always easy to find
quality programs for adults. Pushed by their employers to learn
independently, students struggle with the confusing array of
choices available both online and off.
I was fortunate Ratti said.
Its just amazing, he said, that I did it. Otherwise, I would
have lost my job.

The question is how well other adult learners can repeat his
success.

Destroying and Rebuilding

I am invited to go to Guncan-Gima, the site of a Zen Buddhist
temple. When I get there, Im surprised to see that the
extraordinarily beautiful building, which is situated in the
middle of a vast forest, is right next to a huge piece of waste
ground.
I ask what the waste ground is for and the man in charge
explains:
That is where we will build the next temple. Every twenty
years, we destroy the temple you see before you now and
rebuild it again on the site next to it. This means that the
monks who have trained as carpenters, stonemasons, and
architects are always using their practical skills and passing
them on to their apprentices. It also shows them that nothing in
this life is eternal, and that even temples are in need of
constant improvement.

80% of success is
Hi, this is AJ Hoge, Director of the Effortless English Club.
Welcome to our new set of lessons, these are called the Power
English Lessons. The reason theyre called Power English is
because in these lessons were going to do two things. Number
one, youre going to learn English, of course. As always, we
have the mini-stories which are our favorite lessons for most of
our members, but the content, the focus, the topics in these
lessons are going to be focused on the psychology of learning
and the psychology of success.
Now these ideas, theyre not just my ideas. In fact, they come
from a lot of other people. They come from people like Tony
Robbins, who is a famous success coach, Robert Anton Wilson,
Joe Vitale, Robert Kiyosaki, Alan Watt, so Ive taken a lot of
ideas from a lot of different people about this topic of the
psychology of success. And the reason that were going to talk
about this in these lessons is that in my experience, most
English students struggle and fail because of psychology, not
because of methods, not because of teachers.
Those things are important, but Tony Robbins talks about the
fact that psychology is 80% of success. And I think hes right,
based on my experience with many, many English students.
Psychology is 80% of success, so 20% are the methods you use
to study. 20% are the schools you go to, the teachers you have,
the books you use.
Those are important, we talk a lot about them. But the other
80% is psychology, your motivation, your emotions, how you
manage your time. All of these things are in fact much, much
more important.
What I saw in my classes were that the enthusiastic students,
the energetic students, the optimistic students always learned
much faster. They succeeded. The ones who failed, the ones
who dropped out and quit, the ones who struggled had the
opposite mentality. They had a very negative mentality. Their
motivation was low. They tended to be pessimistic. They felt
that they werent good at English. They had ideas that English

was very tough, very difficult, they struggled. They didnt have
enthusiasm for English. They didnt love English.
So in these lessons were going to talk about how can you
manage your emotions. How can you develop that strong,
powerful, enthusiastic attitude towards English, how can you
maintain it so that you dont get bored? So that in fact you get
stronger and stronger with English and your psychology gets
stronger and you succeed, you reach your goals. You speak
fluently, effortlessly. So among teachers, English teachers,
language teachers, this topic is called Non-Linguistic Factors.
Non-Linguistic Factors.