journal: Engage 6-28-2011

Hi folks,

I am back!!! I have been out due to a life threatening illness that I have overcome! I am so blessed to be able to be sitting here writing this and I cannot express the gratitude that fills my heart to know I can continue my work.

I want to just fill you in on what to expect with the Journal. Daily I will be posting a blog to fill you in on some of the latest findings and research that I believe will be important for your ability to flourish.

I have read literally thousands of books on the topic of good living and I want to bring some of the most important and most effective tools you can use to improve the quality of life. I love what I do because it includes learning and sharing what I learn with others and is why I provide this free blog to all of you.

Please don't forget also to provide feedback as I have learned so much from my readers and I want to continue to learn from you. So starting tomorrow I will provide you with a topic,Movie Mind, that I hope will shed light on how the brain actually works and how you can use this knowledge to improve your life and the life of those around you.Teaching others what you learn is one of the best ways to internalize what you learn so please share what I teach you so you can internalize and more likely use what you learn.

Most important remember to share with me your comments as this will help me learn more as well. I learn a great deal from clients and others who read my work so please help me improve what I do for a living.

I am also holding weekly seminars that I do on Saturdays and Sundays that are free of charge. To sign up all you have to do is email me at john@7poe.com or johndemann@aol.com and provide me with a contact email that will only be used to provide you with a password to get in. These are usually about an hour long and I promise they are not marketing ploys to get you to hear a sales pitch. These are true blue knowledge giving seminars that will give you researched backed information you can use to improve any area of your life.

Whatever else you do please ENGAGE in life! Without getting involved you may as well not be alive because your input is not being taken in which I know will reach at least one person each time you do. I have yet to write anything without someone thanking me for helping them overcome a challenge and live happier lives. I respect your ideas and opinions and will always publish what you write, so please get involved and together lets make a huge difference, God knows the world needs it!

In Learning,

Dr. J.P. De Mann

PS Please keep an outlook for the upcoming event "Engage" that will be anounced soon. This seminar is geared to bring to you the most powerful skills and tools to guide you to reach your true potential and live a full and happy life!

New Web-Site Coming Soon

Hello folks!

I wanted to let you know we are in the process of creating a new web-site that will be easy to use and will be up to date as to the services we provide.

I am looking forward to getting this done to provide our clients the best service possible.

In Life and Learning,

Dr. J.P. DeMann

Join Me In a Very Important Meeting

Where is personal development going and where does it need to be headed. Today we are seeing a true miss-direction and more important a non-growth in the research in developing the field of personal development. It is currently in the hands of people who really have no idea as to how to develop the field and there seriously needs to be a real change in the process of developing serious research in the field.

The following is what I believe is lacking in the field, but I want to create an on-line convention of experts who want to help develop a more serious approach to the development of quality in the process of giving the public a serious procedure in making it more professional. I will set up the convention with some of the ideas I have come up with, but I will make sure anyone willing to get involved to help develop the field in such a way it gives it more credibility where it can be turned over to academia so it can get the real attention it needs. I believe it needs to be seriously considered and more research given to the field. This is my goal, it will be my lives work and that is what I committed to in my education and promise to my professional attention to really make a difference in the field.

The following is some of the ideas I have come up with in regards to more attention, but I believe more input from qualified others as committed to the development of personal development. We in the field need to get serious about creating a researched and developed process for people to improve the quality of their lives and to reach their true potential. I also want to point out in the 25 plus years of my work in this area and my work in my dissertation has helped me to find real solutions to the personal development arena.



•Spiritual Development:
•Physical Development
•Mental development
•Emotional Development
•Social Development
•Service Development
•Leadership/Professional Development
•Love/Connection Development
•Financial Development
•Life Mastery and Excellence Development


In the above areas I have left out what I have found to be helpful because I also believe that each of us need something a little different, something more personal, in creating what will work for each individual. With this in mind let’s get together and begin to work on developing something more credible.

There are a lot of great ideas, but as I have said many times I believe in an eclectic approach so this is the main purpose to get more people involved. One way to do this is to ask each of you to express your ideas by writing an essay on what you have found that has worked for you.

I have selected each of you personally because I know you personally believe in personal development and I have seen your ideas which I believe are in-line with where this field needs to go. So with this said I ask that you please set aside the time to attend the on-line convention so we can discuss where to go from here. Positive psychology have done a great job moving in a direction that is helpful, but it has not done such a great job in making it useful in disseminating it to others. It’s done what most academic topics do and that is to keep it closely guarded and untouchable for those who are not in the academic field.

Now is the time for all of us to show those who want to guard psychology from practical applications that it’s time to move in a more applicable direction. Below I have provided a date and time for the first of several meetings. I also want to ask anyone who wants to get more involved to help facilitate this process. Anyone interested to present their own ideas please contact me at john@7poe.com and we can discuss how to get your ideas into the mix.

I look forward to the future in truly making personal development a real topic that will be respected for its effectiveness to help others become more than they ever dreamed possible.



In Life and Learning,



Dr. John P. DeMann



Dr. John DeMann invites you to attend this online meeting.

Topic: Direction of Personal Development
Date: Sunday, December 12, 2010
Time: 2:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time (New York, GMT-05:00)
Meeting Number: 732 581 011
Meeting Password: kayfab


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To join the online meeting (Now from mobile devices!)
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1. Go to https://7poe.webex.com/7poe/j.php?ED=140220602&UID=951271627&PW=NYWYxYjQxYzQw&RT=MiMxMQ%3D%3D
2. If requested, enter your name and email address.
3. If a password is required, enter the meeting password: kayfab
4. Click "Join".

To view in other time zones or languages, please click the link:
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Call-in toll number (US/Canada): 1-650-429-3300

Access code:732 581 011

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For assistance
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1. Go to https://7poe.webex.com/7poe/mc
2. On the left navigation bar, click "Support".

You can contact me at:
john@7poe.com
1-7704038970

To add this meeting to your calendar program (for example Microsoft Outlook), click this link:
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The Pillars of Excellence

5110 Savanah Run
Cummings, GA
30040
US

Where is Personal Development Going?

I am so concerned as to the direction personal development is going. in fact I am afraid it is going no where.

I would like to get others together to really define where we should be going with the field and it is about time we begin to push for academia to start taking this idea seriously.

I will be holding an on-line conversation that I would like to get others interested in attending who would like to see more research done in the field of personal development.

Lets get real, personal development, if given the right amount of attention, can do much more then psychology has done over the past 100 years.

I look forward to hearing from you and I will keep you informed as to the times and dates I will be setting up the on-line seminars that will allow us to get the conversation going.

In Life and Learning,



Dr. John P. DeMann

Influence

INFLUENCE
By: John P. DeMann, Ph.D.

I have always been interested in why we do what we do. I have often asked why some would do something when in other cases they would not. This question got me to think about and research the idea of influence in an organized way so I could give you some really powerful tools to, not only get more from life, but to protect yourselves as well from those who use the power of influence to get something from you.

Let’s consider the first rule; the fixed action pattern. These involve certain predictable behaviors that we, as well as animals do, when we receive a certain trigger. What’s interesting is the trigger is often something very small. There are two important things we need to understand about fixed action patterns: First it’s observable that the fixed action pattern work very predictably. Second, humans can also be triggered to act in predictable ways both good and bad.

We need to remember that our fixed action patterns are often necessary for our survival, but because we are not living in in the same environment we use to many of these patterns often end up hurting us. One of these fixed action patterns that can hurt us is shortcuts. Humans have made it a part of their automatic behavior to find shortcuts to complete a task and in doing this we often fall prey to the negative outcome. Termed judgmental heuristics these can be seen when we shop for something and we equate expensive equal’s good rule. This may be true, but let’s tell a story where it was not: A store owner going on vacation wanted to get rid of an item so she wrote a note to the manager asking her to cut the price in half. However, when she wrote the note the manager she thought it said to double the price. The items before the price change had not moved, but when the manager doubled the price the items sold out.

Another important example of the power of influence is the real-estate company that used the concept of contrast. This company maintained a couple of properties that were used to show first. These were very run down and overpriced. Once the customer saw these they were then shown the real properties which were in much better condition and offered at a better price. You can imagine how powerful this tool was, it sold homes much faster. The power of contrast can be used in many areas of life. If for example you have some bad news to tell someone if we use the compare principle we see if we can find news that is much worse than the one we have to give it makes sense to give the worse news first.

Another influence factor is that of authority. We are much more apt to buy from an expert. We see this in the medical field. We will buy what the person of authority tells us to buy. Do you know how many people die each year because they believed that the person with authority were right? We see this in advertisements all the time. People who seem to have the authority are the ones selling it.

Another rule is that we are more likely to buy from someone we like. However the most powerful rule here is that we will repay what others have done for us. This can be seen when someone offers you something free and later they ask you to buy something. If you accepted the gift the chances of you buying go up, even if you don’t like the person. Obligation seems to be the most powerful of the influence principles.

There are several laws of influence that can be used in what we do including the control of our own behavior. Have you ever got up and walked to the refrigerator even though you are not hungry? We all have and the truth is there was a trigger that caused it. Becoming aware of the triggers and being able to control the triggers will help us navigate more successfully through life. Imagine being able to instill these triggers yourself and creating automatic behaviors that will help you reach your goals. Imagine how these laws can help you sell your product or yourself.

If you would like to learn how to use all the rules of influence to improve the quality of your life we are holding several on-line seminars. The cost of the seminar is very inexpensive for what you will gain. The cost is$ 99.00 US. If money is tight we offer flexible payment plans that are interest free that will allow you to learn this information stress free. If you are interested please email me at john@7poe.com with a date and general time that will work for you and I will get you set up on the day and time that will work best for you.

In Learning,

John Paul DeMann

5 Ways to Stay in Shape for the Holidays

5 Ways to Stay In Shape for the Holidays

Cumming, GA – Halloween is over, the gravestones and zombie hands are gone from the front lawn, and icicle lights and reindeer are being put up early once again. Thanksgiving and Christmas are on the way, and while we all look forward to the holiday cheer, you might be worried about the extra pounds from all the upcoming turkey dinners.

We asked the experts at the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) to tell us the 5 most effective ways to stay in shape over those dangerously delicious holiday months.

If you haven’t heard of the ISSA, they are the organization that literally teaches the nation’s top personal trainers how to get their clients into shape. Below is what the
Technical support staff of the trainers to the personal trainers told us on how to avoid weight gain and maintain a state of fitness throughout the winter holidays:

1. Drink lots of water – Our bodies are made up of something like 70% water. Just a
1% drop in water intake can severely dehydrate you, limiting your performance in every aspect of your life.

2. Cut out fast food – fast food just isn’t good for your body. Regardless of what the high-powered advertising agencies tell you. Fast food has too many chemicals, food additives, refined sugars, high fructose corn syrup, fried foods, and an overall lack of nutrition. Sure, you’ll be getting calories from those holiday dinners, but at least there’s some nutritional content in a home cooked meal.

3. Exercise every day – Old research said you must exercise 30 minutes a day, but the latest experts suggest this just isn’t enough. What do you need to get in the best shape of your life? 60 minutes of vigorous exercise, daily.

4. Eat 5-7 small meals per day – Yes, you heard that right! Not only does eating small frequent meals throughout the day level out your blood sugar and decrease the lows you may experience throughout the day, but eating sensibly, and often, will provide your muscles and body with the appropriate nutrition you need to get you through your entire day.

5. Reduce your calories by 300 per day (if over daily amount) – There are 3500 calories in a pound of fat. So if you cut your calories by 300 per day, times 30 days in a month, that is a 9000 calorie deficit -- approximately 2 ½ half pounds. Combine this with exercise, and you are virtually guaranteed to win the fight against the fat that comes with Grandma’s Chocolate Oreo Mudslide Cheesecake.



Dr. John P DeMann, ISSA

Never Outshine The Master

Never Outshine The Master:
By: John P. DeMann, Ph.D.

As I sit writing this I am reminding myself of all the shit I could have prevented had I heeded this little piece of advice. The truth is it is in our nature to want to show our boss we have done well, that we did more than they expected. The problem is that the boss does not like the fact that he/she is not getting the credit if the subordinate has made clear he is the producer.

The trick hear is to make sure the boss gets the credit, yet the boss and only the boss realizes he has you to owe for the outcome. Always remember in the end when you are not given the credit the one person that the company will ask if they are qualified for their position is the boss and who do you think he will give the job to? You! However, if you ran around bragging that you save the day you will be the last. In fact he will find more than enough reasons not to get you in his position.

This will take a little swallowing of the pride, but I will promise you one thing, your career depends on it. I don’t care if your boss stole the idea that saved the company you will never win having a show down with your boss. Always remind yourself if that one idea came out of the blue there are a million more just like them. Focus on climbing the corporate latter first then on creating innovative ideas to make a name for yourself.

Just because you allow one person to take a few of your ideas does not mean you have lost something. It only means you have made one move closer to the opposition of the person sitting in the desk above you. Honestly it really does not hurt anyway to help others, especially your boss because in the end you are a team. Just look out for the ones who take the credit for the work you do and realize you need to make it through his lead, but as soon as possible move up the cooperate ladder.

Keep Climbing,

John Paul DeMann, Ph.D.

PURPOSE FINDING PATTERN

PURPOSE FINDING PATTERN

One of the most important actions we can take is finding our purpose. In fact, I suggest the lack of purpose is the number one life block that prevents us from finding happiness, fulfillment, and success. If you want to live a compelling life, knowing your purpose is a must! That is what I would like to help you do in this pattern.

I want you to look at this in a very simple way. I think many times we get stuck doing this because it is so intimidating due to its large perception of what it means. The pattern has been created with this in mind so that will help some, just try not to get sucked into the belief that you are not ready to define this BIG outcome. You are ready for it and I think you will be amazed, as most that do this pattern with me, are! So let’s get to the pattern:

PURPOSE FINDING PATTERN

1. What are your talents and gifts?
2. What do you love to do?
3. What are some problems in the world that could use your talents and gifts?
4. Determine how you can bring together your talents and gifts with what you love to do and apply that to how you can help solve the problems you defined in step 3.
5. Imagine using your talents and gifts and what you love to do in overcoming the problem you defined and overcoming the problem with extreme success. (Future Pace).
6. Test it.
7. Act on it!

I cannot stress the importance of getting your pattern working for you. This is a simple process and a lot of times the simplicity makes people put it off. I hear so many people complain about some area of their life and when they are given a simple way to fix it they complain. That’s when I give them the stop complaining pattern because they are literally addicted to complaining. They are addicted to not getting it solved.

Go to work and enjoy the process, but remember you have to use the pattern for it to work. I look forward to hearing from you to see how this has worked for you.

In Learning and Life!

Dr. John P. DeMann

HEALTHY EATING PATTERN

Let’s face it we live in a world where there are some who are not out to help you even though they say they are. The health and fitness industry is one of the fields this practice is extremely prevalent. We hear the author of some add stating that their main goal in life is to help others achieve their dreams, when in fact, what they are up to is looking for a stealthy way to get your money. Then you have the ones that really do want to help, but because they are doing it for the wrong reasons they are not helping because they failed to put in the hard work required to know what the hell they are talking about. The fact is if you get ripped off by anyone all I can say is you better smarten up and realize the truth about the con artists and the want to be gurus out there. My hope is that I can help you find real knowledge and information that you can use and use with success.

The pattern I want to share with you today is the Healthy Eating Pattern. I have seen so many people get so frustrated because they buy a program or go on some special diet to find that in a year they are worse off than they were when they started. I will give you proven strategies that work and work for everyone if you apply it. Remember, if you want results you are going to have to put in the work! So let’s get to it. This is a process I suggest doing each day which will get you to become aware of how you are eating and it will provide you with the motivation needed to get you to make the right choices. Again, you can’t just read it once and expect it to work, you must read it, internalize it, and use it consistently.

HEALTHY EATING PATTERN

1. Determine if it is time to eat. This should be done based on your activities for the next three hours and should be scheduled times so you can ingest five to six meals a day spaced at three hour intervals between meals.
2. Determine what would be your best choice in terms of nutrition for the meal in consideration.
3. Determine what would be your worst choice in terms of nutrition for the meal in consideration.
4. Compare 2 and 3 and decide which one will make you feel and perform better.
5. Future pace and imagine making the food choice and use imagination to internalize that healthy choice.
6. Test and act out on the choice.

I can’t stress the importance of seeing yourself in your imagination making the correct choice and following through on that choice. Something clicks when we see the outcomes we are after in our minds eye. There are massive amounts of research out there that support this, don’t let this tool go to waste. In fact, use this skill in all you do and you will literally amaze yourself!

Ok, that is it! Now go to work and see if this works for you. Remember that you are the master of your own life so if this does not work well for you try something else. Make changes to what I have provided. Just don’t give up, keep on working to find the solution that will work for you. Just recognize that this pattern has worked for literally thousands of clients and if you give it a solid try it will work for you too, I am sure.

In Learning and Living!

Dr. John P. DeMann

SEVEN STEPS TO GENERATE NEW BEHAVIORS

SEVEN STEPS TO GENERATE NEW BEHAVIORS
By: John P. DeMann, Ph.D., CPEC, PPC, and ISSA.

To attain any outcome you desire we have found common patterns for those whose are successful. When I went out to research this I wanted to find those who had made radical changes in their life. I looked in one of the best places to find those seeking change, the gym. The great news is I interviewed several hundred people and I had them describe to me the process and it was very interesting what I found. I was able to put together a pattern that I know works. The following is that pattern and I want you to remember this patter will work if you put it to use.

1. Identify a function or behavior that you want.
2. Identify an opposite behavior you know disempowers you
3. Create a scenario using the empowering behavior
4. Create a scenario using the disempowering behavior
5. Notice in detain the difference in terms of pain and pleasure and in terms of future effects.
6. Future pace: Practice using the empowering behavior in the mind several times before going to bed and arising in the morning. Do this for 20 to 30 days to internalize your new behavior.
7. Act on it in real life situations.

I want you to get the spirit of acting out what you want to get done. This has been shown in research that mental rehearsal actually works and that champion athletes use it daily and seriously. It’s important to get the image as real as possible by getting as many of the senses involved. At some future date we can go into detail about the details of imaging, but for now it’s important to just do it.

I hope the above information can help you improve the quality of your life and the lives of others you have contact with. I also want to point out that the best way to learn is to teach so teach this to as many people as you can. Don’t get embarrassed just keep telling yourself you are helping them so if they want to make fun of your enthusiasm they are the ones who should be ridiculed. For now go to work and remember the spirit of learning is using and doing whatever it takes to get the job done.

In Learning and Living,

Dr. John Paul DeMann

5 Ways to Get In Shape for the New Year

5 Ways to Get In Shape for the New Year
By: Lance Phillips and Dr. John Paul DeMann, CPEC, PPC, and ISSA.


Cumming, GA – October 27, 2010 – There is always that one New Year’s resolution that comes back to haunt us year after year only to remain unfulfilled.

How often have you made it through the holiday feasting to find a few mysterious extra pounds hovering around your midsection and resolved that “this year, I’m going to get into shape”?

And how often has that resolution fallen by the wayside once the fireworks die down and you get back into the momentum of your life?

Dr. John P. DeMann, ISSA certified fitness trainer and owner of The DeMann Life Systems tells us the 5 most manageable ways to stick to those New Year’s Resolutions.


1. Drink lots of water – Our bodies are made up of something like 70% water. Just a 1-2% drop in water intake can severely dehydrate you, limiting your performance in virtually every aspect of your life.

2. Cut out fast food – Fast food just isn’t good for your body. It has too many chemicals, food additives, refined sugars, high fructose corn syrup, fried foods, and an overall lack of nutrition. (Your facility name) advise against this bad habit. Try having a Fuji apple, a vitamin packed banana and a yogurt as an alternative to the fast food cravings.

3. Eat 5-7 small meals per day – Eating small, frequent, sensible meals throughout the day will level out your blood sugar and provide your muscles and body with the appropriate nutrition you need to get you through your entire day. Have at least one serving of fresh fruits or vegetables at every meal.

4. Exercise every day – What do you need to get in the best shape of your life? 60 minutes of vigorous exercise, daily. If you get bored easily doing the same routine day in and day out, feel free to mix it up. On Monday take the dog for a long walk, play tennis on Tuesday, go for a swim at the local pool on Wednesday, go for a bike ride on Thursday and go for a hike on Friday.

5. Consult a personal trainer – Personal trainers train, study, and devote themselves to being a better health and fitness expert every day. If you just book one session to ensure you are on the right track, your body will thank you for it. One of the best insurance policies you can buy!


Dr. DeMann also believes through extensive research and experience that there is much more to health and fitness then just getting into the gym. What we need to realize is that our brain offers a powerful tool that can get us to attain the outcomes we desire when we use the brain in ways it was supposed to be used. Below Dr. DeMann has provided you an eating healthy pattern that will be a powerful tool in your quest for extraordinary health and fitness.

1. Identify the times for eating throughout the day
2. Identify healthy food choice
3. Identify unhealthy food choice
4. Compare outcome in steps 2 and 3 in terms of energy and body composition.
5. Future pace
6. Act

Dr. John P. DeMann, ISSA Certified Trainer, can be reached at The DeMann-Life-Style-Systems in Cumming, GA where he conducts personal and group coaching in the area of life transformation. The program he has developed works on developing the person as a whole. Using a client centered approach allows the client to decide what they want and with Dr. DeMann as your coach if you are really serious.

In Learning,

Lance Phillips
and
Dr. John P. DeMann

Seven key secrets of power and creativity:
By: Dr. John P. DeMann
09-09-2010

My goal in writing these articles will be to provide you with specific information that I have found to be helpful in creating extraordinary outcomes. Each week I will provide specific information in the area of personal development so that you can apply what you will learn and achieve the outcomes you desire. I want to make an important point; these articles are not only for developing success in business, they can be used to improve the quality of life in general. These articles can also be used to improve the quality of your employees work if you are looking for ways to improve the productivity of your business.

I have found in my research and through personal experience the best way to become successful is to study and model those who have achieved what we would like to achieve. For over 25 years I have been researching and studying some of the most successful people in the world. In fact, I have looked at those who are considered to have achieved super success and those who have achieved truly fulfilling lives. When I was 15 years old I began to wonder why some people were successful and others were not so successful. My quest for this answer has brought me to an observation that I believe will benefit anyone who is seeking to achieve a successful and happy life. I believe to be successful happiness MUST be part of the outcome.

I will also include in these articles special tools and techniques that you will find helpful in your quest for success and happiness. In other words, I will try to make these articles practical! As I always point out it is very important that you put to use what you learn. I have seen in my career so many people who are starving to learn and achieve yet they put all the effort into learning, but rarely in doing. I ask that you commit right now to not waste your knowledge and apply it. Also, don’t think you are not wise enough to develop new ideas from what you learn, work on being innovative and creative and I know you will bring great ideas to the world. One last thing before we begin, teach what you learn and what you innovate and create to others. This serves two important purposes; first it allows you to internalize the knowledge faster and second you get to help others improve the quality of their life.

I have found a seven key traits, or secrets, that are common among those who have achieved extraordinary outcomes. I say secrets because I rarely see personal development literature tell us what others who succeed do. Most of the time we get what the writer believes is the road to personal development, which is often just theory. Don’t get me wrong, many writers have great ideas, but there is nothing better than getting information through research that has been used to achieve extraordinary success. I also want to point out that all of these traits are not part of a genetic makeup, but are a part of learned experiences. Most of the people I have studied have had experiences that provided them these traits; however I do believe and in my research I have found that these traits can be nurtured. Whether you are a parent trying to give your kids that extra edge or an adult who is trying to improve the quality of your own life these traits can be learned to promote extraordinary outcomes.

Before we begin it is important to also understand that those who have achieved extraordinary outcomes are not considered normal. Normal in this way describes those who are average or are considered the majority of the population. Those who are considered outside this range should not be looked at always in terms of abnormal in a negative way. In fact, the majority of those I have studied are those individuals who operate outside what is considered normal and is one reason why they succeeded. This is the main reason a small percentage of the populations ever reach high levels of success. In short, it is important to understand that those who achieve higher levels of success are not considered abnormal in a negative way, but abnormal because they do what others are not either willing to do or don’t know how to do.

To begin I will name these traits and then provide a detailed description of each individual trait with a short description of how you can began to develop them into your skill set. The seven traits include: intuition, high self-esteem, ability to take risks, the desire to be rebellious, obsessive, hard-working, and driven. Look at yourself honestly and see which of these traits you have and which you lack. Again, be completely honest with yourself. Take a minute and think of those you see who are accomplishing great things, those who are excelling at the workplace. Study those who are good at a game and see if you agree that they have these 7 traits in abundance. It will take time to cultivate these traits, but if you focus on each one, in time you will have these traits imbedded in your neurology so they become a part of who you are. I will try to provide you easy ways to help you implement these traits into your persona, but remember if you don’t put the exercises to work nothing will happen and reading this article will be a total waste of your time. Success does not come easy, but if you love what you do the work needed to succeed will be fun.

INTUITION: This trait is often looked at in terms of a non-accurate skill. The truth is that intuition is an actual chemical reaction that occurs when your unconscious recognizes a correct response to a given situation. It's true that if we are not careful and we jump to conclusions we can make mistakes in our decisions. However, when you learn how to listen to your own internal feelings you are tapping into a storehouse of knowledge that has been gained over a lifetime.

To improve your ability to use your intuition, listen to you’re in internal states. Even if you’re driving home from work and you get a gut feeling that it may be better to take a different route, do so, and see what happens. When interacting with other people listen to what you're intuition is telling you. I would suggest that intuition is one of the best tools we can use in all of our relationships because it gives us the ability to recognize when something may not be right. Research has shown that two people who enter a room will begin to take on the state the other person is in and the two will began to mirror each other’s feelings.

SELF-ESTEEM: This trait is one of the most important traits that we need to develop. We are all given a sense of who we are from a very early age and this is often not equal to who we really can become. Those who achieve extraordinary success have high self-esteem; they have to in order to attempt the great things they accomplish.

A great way to build high self-esteem is to evaluate your current self-esteem. It is important to be very honest with yourself when you do this so that you get a true picture of what needs to change. To change your current self-esteem write out a detailed description of the person you want to be. It can be helpful to use some of the models or heroes you look up to and internalize their belief systems. A great exercise to perform each night before you go to bed is to get a clear image of this new person and meditate on it for about 15 minutes.

RISK-PROPENSITY: Those who achieve extraordinary success are willing to take a risk. I'm not talking about random risk; I'm talking about calculated risk. However, at times it will be important to trust your intuition, your instinct, and just go for. Most of us will not do this due to fear, but you'll have to learn to overcome this fear if you ever want to achieve the life you have always dreamed of.

To develop this trait it is important to practice facing your fears. Do this first with simple fears then face more difficult fears as you go. This will allow you to build up the ability to handle greater fears gradually. You can even use your 15 minutes of meditation at night to see yourself facing your fears and successfully overcoming them. Actually see yourself doing those things you know must be done in order to achieve your goals.

REBELIOUS: Anyone who has created something extraordinary has had to have a rebellious spirit. Most of us are raised in such a way that we are put into boxes that limit our ability to achieve greatness. Even in our education system we are trained to “fit in” which only causes us to hold back. Those who succeed in major ways have either been allowed to operate outside the box or have learned how to operate outside the norm.

To develop this trait first realized that doing something different does not mean that you are doing something wrong. In fact, begin to believe that because you do things different you are a unique individual. This will require practice and it will be uncomfortable at first, but face your fears and overtime you will begin to realize that your unique behaviors will reward not only you, but others as well.

OBSESSIVE: To achieve anything of value requires a great deal work. In fact, it will require obsessive attention to what you are doing. Successful people are obsessive about what they are doing because they are passionate about it.

Developing this trait only requires that you are passionate about what you are doing. Make sure that what you are going after is truly what you really want. Many of my past clients have had goals that they finally realized were not their own goals but the goals of others, specifically of society. Once they realized this and truly found their true passion their success sky rocketed!

WORKAHOLIC: This one trait is pretty self-explanatory. When we see those who achieve greatness it is a guarantee that they work hard and long hours to achieve their outcomes. It's important to remember that those who have achieved great successes never considered their work as work, but more in terms of something they love to do. When we love what we do it becomes exciting and fun.

This trait is best developed as the one above by doing what you love. Take some time and really evaluate some of the goals that you have set and prioritize those goals so that the ones that truly mean something to you are at the top of your list. It's also important that you are working on no more than one or two goals at any given time. Those who tell you to set numerous goals truly have no idea how to achieve a goal. Achieving anything of value requires your focus and attention on that one outcome.

TENACITY: This trait is really better described as perseverance. We all will fail at some point in the process, but the important thing to remember is that we learn from our mistakes and we continue to move forward towards the outcome. All of those I have studied who achieved greatness had tenacity and would be literally fueled when something they tried did not work.

To develop this trait again requires that you love what you are going after. Remind yourself of one simple fact: failure is only failure if you do not learn from it. However, if you learn from your failures it is an extraordinary learning experience. Each time you try to attain a goal and you fall short review what you did and learn what not to do in the future.

As a coach I have had the opportunity to work with so many different people. The old psychology said you either have it or you don’t! However, today we are realizing that the brain, our whole neurology is plastic and can change if provided the correct course of action. I have found that many of these traits come automatically with clients who have found something they love to do. This is why it is so important to make sure that you love what you do and never go through life doing something because you think you have to. We have all been given an extraordinary gift, LIFE! Don’t waste it on living inside the box that others have put us in. Realize right now that this moment can be that moment that changes the course of your future. It’s time to leave your mark on the world and let your life shine!

Starting in 2011 I'm going to begin a weekly meeting called the Quantum Project for those who are interested in sharing research and ideas about personal and professional development. These will be held online which will make it very convenient. Please keep an eye out for when this project will begin. I love to hear from my readers so please feel free to contact me and let me know what you think. I also love to get feedback which will help not only me, but others as well. You can reach me at john@7poe.com.

The Quantum Project

Hi Everyone!


Man it has been one hell of a month. I have been putting the final touches on a new research project I have been working on for the past 2 years and I have to say I have had nothing but extreme excitement from all those who have been a part of the project. We are so excited to get this out, but I want to make sure it is perfect!

The name of the new empowering technology is: The Quantum Project. What is the Quantum Project? This is 2 years in the making and it took literally 30 years of study and research to get to this unbelievable insight that is going to blow your mind. I can't tell you exactly what it fully entails here but I can give you a brief rundown of what we found and how we plan to disseminate it. Don't worry, we have really kept cost down because its our goal to reach as many people as we can. You see I believe our world is in serious trouble that if it keeps going in the direction it is going we will not recognize the aftermath before long. This is urgent and is something I can't stress enough.

For over 25 years I have been interested in one thing; finding out what makes humans behave and more specifically how they can overcome challenges and reach true actualization. I know that we are going to need a different breed of human, a kind of super human to help get this world out of its mess and in my work I have found, using classical physics, quantum physics, neurology, physiology, psychology, and yes even religion there is a very powerful universal force we all have that when used can change anyone who is willing to put forth the effort into a kind of super-hero. Lets face it we need a kinda super hero, or a fleet of super hero's to turn this diseased planet around and the only way to do this is through certain natural laws and universal intelligence!

I can give you a Little specific to give you an idea of what I am talking about. By the way, I cant go into great detail because for this to be properly disseminated I have found that there is a certain way that it is best done in a systematic way that fosters the true learning process. It is true we can all agree that we can divide humans up into three parts. I call this the Human Triad. The first is the most important because it is where we are connected to the greatest force in the universe. This I call the mind or our spirit. We are not speaking of the brain because the mind is non-material. The next part of the triad is the neurology of the human which includes the brain and the neurons that connect the body to the brain. The final part of human is the physiology which includes the structure like muscles, bones and at the macro level the systems chemistry.

The Human Triad is really a system that when it is in true working order and when the person, the "I", the spirit, or just mind understands how it is operated can do absolutely anything. In fact, I can say without reservation I believe that Jesus had full use of his triad and is the reason he created the miracles he created. We call his works miracles, but please understand that anytime we see something done we don not believe is humanly possible we label it a miracle. I promise you will no longer see them as miracles, you will see them as scientific fact and you too will be able to harness these powers just as Jesus did and as our creator intended for us too.

I am anticipating an extraordinary demand for this understanding due to the market research numbers we have received on three separate occasions. The numbers went through the roof and it is a bit overwhelming. However, because a small group of us are in touch with these extraordinary gifts we have come together and decided to create a Master-Mind-Alliance of other like minded and passionate people who really want to make a difference and be a part of what will be a revolutionary way in how humans think, feel, and behave.

We will be holding a serious of on-line and in-person conventions that will combine training these skills and in developing administrative ways to disseminate it so we together can save this planet from destruction. I remember being told one time after asking a peer how I can become a leader and he said, "you have to recognize the need for a leader and take it!" I believe that to be true and I believe anyone who has payed attention to what is going on around us and who has a huge passion to really make a difference will take heed of my friends advice. When you commit to the first event you are taking a role as a leader.

We will need trainers, administrators, practitioners and more. The important thing to remember is that anyone who accepts this challenge not only gets to jump into living a purpose driven life filled with great meaning and be a part of a revolutionary change in the way we see humanity and get others to see reality they will also have to be trained in this technology that you will soon see is truly how we are suppose to operate.

I ask however that if you are someone who is not the kind of person who really wants to make a difference, who gets along fine following others and just minds their own business we will get to you when we reach the world, but for now please continue living the life you want to live. Again, we want only those individuals who are ready for something big, something that, for eternity, will change the way life on earth will be lived and lived for the better. We want, what I call, 1%rs, those small percentages who actually truly want to live life to the full.

I am so excited to get the ball rolling and I will work day and night to get the program ready for convention. Until then please keep reading the blog and we will keep you informed as to when you can expect to sign up and come to the first on-line convention to learn the nuts and bolts of The Quantum Project. For now get excited and get ready to become a real life Super Hero and help us Take Care of Business!!!


Sincerely,



Dr. John P. DeMann
Director of The Quantum Project

No Excuses

Have you ever noticed the excuses we make for the failures we experience? I have, man was it an eye opener! When I finally became aware of the excuses I was making for not achieving something positive, my life took a dramatic turn for the good. I have to admit, I still catch myself making excuses, but the difference is that I am aware of it. Awareness can be curative in itself and in my case for becoming aware of the excuses I make allows me to change my thought process and get back on track making failure a feedback process in learning. I live by a presupposition that says; failure is feedback! This belief is a belief that allows me to grow and I can tell you if you apply it you will be amazed at the results you get.



Existentialism is a concept that basically says we are responsible for all we experience in life, good or bad. I want to make sure you understand I am not saying you should become an existentialist; like all philosophies, it has its downfall. I always try to follow an eclectic approach in my practice as a psychologist and coach and in my personal life as well. However, in the case of our own successes and failures we can apply an existential approach and get some great answers to our own personal and professional development.



Lets assume a worse case scenario. A word of warning; please keep an open mind when you read this example so you can understand exactly what I am really saying. Lets take the example of rape. There is no doubt rape is a horrible experience that no one should ever have to go through and the person who is guilty of rape should be punished severely. The first point here to really understand is that our justice system does not prosecute for you, it prosecutes for the state! Many of us think that the punishment is for the victim, but it is not. It is for the people and the protection of all people. Those who believe the punishment is for the victim will leave the experience of justice with a real sour taste. Many believed that the justice given by the courts would make everything OK and make the experience less painful. The truth is that until the victim realizes the rape is their own responsibility, (notice I did not say fault), will be the ones who come away with an experience of growth and meaning.



Lets take the example of the person who started MADD, Mothers Against Drunk Drivers. Her child was killed by a drunk driver and I'm certain we all can understand how horrible that must have been. In fact, we almost can say we would not blame her if the experience put her into a great depression that would bring her nothing but pain and anguish the rest of her life. However, this grieving mother did something that allowed her to grieve, but also allowed her to grow from the experience. When she went through the justice system she eventually realized that the process of justice would not bring her son back. What did she do, she became an advocate on behalf of her son against drunk driving which is why we see drunk driving laws as they are today in the united states. What she realized is that the experience within herself was her own responsibility. How she framed the experience in her own mind was what made the difference. Instead of thinking how horrible the situation was she began to look at the experience as an opportunity. Because she was able to see the experience in a more positive light she was able to make the experience meaningful which allowed her to make the most of a tragic event. in short, She took responsibility for the experience and what the experience was going to mean to her.



The same can be said for the rape victim. Those who suffer the most and who lose the zest for life and love all together are those that stay the victim. They do not take responsibility for the rape and the experience it brings them. The truth is that their is nothing anyone can do for them except enable them to continue down the destructive path of, "the victim." Those who realize that they are responsible for the experience and how they will deal with it are the ones who take the experience and do something healthy with it. In fact, I believe that those who recognize the power of taking responsibility are those who are most successful! The sad truth is that most can never look past the pain they are experiencing and that pain and their frame of mind become generative and feed off one another. This leads down a path of self-distruction!



Taking responsibility does not mean going it alone through a horrible experience. When an addict finally asks for help they are taking responsibility. When a victim of a crime asks for help to better deal with the after math of their experience they are taking responsibility. In fact, I feel that asking for help is the most powerful responsible choice one can make in meeting any challenge. Many think that asking for help is asking someone else to take on some of the responsibilities of their challenges. This is far from the truth, those who are responsible enough to ask for help realize they don't have all the answers and also understand that finding others who do is the most productive avenue they can take. Asking others to help who have dealt with similar challenges we face can speed the process of growth. We can model their actions and eliminate the mistakes they made along the way which makes the process much faster, less painful, and less frustrating.



Taking responsibility begins with eliminating excuses for our current situations. We are who we are because of the choices we made, not the choices others make. Remember, we have a choice in how we respond to any experience good or bad. The more we exercise our choice muscle the more control we have over our own life. This idea can be applied to the goals we set for ourselves. When we realize that tomorrow is directly created by our choice today we take back control. We are no longer the ponds in other peoples life. Those who suffer and who do not take responsibility for the experiences they face have no control of what the future has in store for them. Again we can also see how this can be applied to general personal development. When we realize the power of personal choice we began to live a truly free and empowering life, one that brings joy and meaning. Began today, create your own experiences, by eliminate excuses, and learn from the failures and experiences of life!



John P. DeMann, Ph.D., CPEC, ISSA.

CINE-MIND: Direct Your Mental Movies

By: Dr. John P. DeMann

Go to the bookstore and notice the number of books on the shelf under personal development, there are hundreds. Go to the business section and notice how many books there are dealing with personal development, hundreds if not thousands. Everyone seems to know the answer to attaining fulfillment and performing at your best. Most of the books come at achievement from different angles claiming they have the answer. Have you ever wondered if there was one way to make sure you reached the top in your profession or just to be able to experience a life of joy and happiness? Most of the clients I speak with are frustrated and confused about what really works. In fact, many were about to give up and just let life happen and let the chips fall where they may. However, I have good news; these clients are now cause, not the effect, in their life and experiencing more than they ever dreamed possible.

Personal and professional development should not be difficult; in fact it should be easy. Why would our creator make it so difficult to know how to succeed? The answer is that our creator did not make it hard to understand how to achieve our true potential; it only seems hard because of all the confusion. Please understand, in order to achieve any level of achievement there will be a need for consistency and effort, but I can assure you that after reading this article your confusions will be cleared up and the only effort that you will have to produce will be the will to implement the information.

Our brains function like a movie cinema, creating images of all we experience. We think in pictures using several modalities; visual, auditory, kinesthetic, gustatory and olfactory, which we call our primary representations. These modalities are our senses and our mind has the ability to create from its memory banks any outcome we desire. In other words, we see pictures and movies in our mind and we have the ability to add to these picture and movies any sense we want to. We also have the ability to change the intensity of images we create in our mind; the colors, sounds, feelings, smells and tastes. These we call Submodalities and it is in these Submodalities we can manipulate and change the intensity of the images we create.

Some say they have a hard time seeing pictures let alone movies in their mind; some even go as far as to say they can't see images in their mind at all. This is simply not the case, we all think in images. The problem is that many times we think so fast that we do not notice the images we create, but if you take your time you will see that you too can create images with extraordinary intensity. If I ask you to picture a dog, do you see the word dog or do you get an image of a dog in your mind’s eye? The answer is that you see the image of a dog. What if I ask you to see a car, do you see the word car or do you see the image of a car? Chances are you see not only an image of a car but the image of your own car. If you question the fact that humans think in pictures remember that early man communicated using pictures on the cave walls not words. It was images that early man knew how to use instinctively.

When we think we trigger what is called the Reticular Activation System, RAS, in the brain which is really a mechanism that causes you to focus on what you are thinking about. In other words, if you are thinking about food then the RAS will create in the mind a lazar like focus on anything we experience that relates to food. When someone is depressed they are focused on or creating images in the mind that are depressing. This causes them to only notice those experiences that back up their depressing thoughts. When someone is happy they are creating images of happiness in their mind and the RAS then causes the mind to focus on the experiences that support their thoughts or images of happiness.

This tells us that we have the ability to create any experience we want to. It also tells us that we can change any negative experience we want to. However, we tend to create habits of thought which cause us to think or create images that are consistent. To break the habit we will need to become conscious of the images we create and change the negative ones to more empowering images that support our desired outcomes. We will also need to do this consistently so we can create new habits where we will be able to experience more empowering thoughts unconsciously and automatically.

Let’s look at an example: You want to lose weight/fat and are having a hard time. Think about the images you have of the outcome. Are they represented as an image only or is their sound, smells, tastes, do you get a feeling? Most would say they get a faint image, but nothing else. Some will say they never noticed any image at all. This tells us that the RAS was never activated and is why they probably never experienced the outcome they desired. In order to get the outcomes we desire we will need to activate the RAS so we will have an automatic pilot helping us along the way. To activate the RAS we will need to get a full image of what we want with the intensity of the Submodalities turned way up.

To change this and to experience how powerful the mind really is lets create a new image of what you want to look like if your goal was to lose weight/fat. Get a clear image in your mind of the outcome you desire. Using the Submodalities add color to the image; make it bright like an HD picture. In great detail see the body you want from head to toe. What sounds are associated to the image? Can you hear others saying great things about your physique? Do you hear the sounds of the gym? Are the sounds loud or soft? Generate imaginary sounds that will support you. Hear your friends saying wonderful things about your body. Hear people on the street saying positive statements about the body you have created. What feelings do you have internally about the image? Feel the emotions running through your body. Increase the intensity of the feelings and make them surge throughout your body.

When you do this you will experience massive state changes and this should help you understand the power of images you create in your mind. The key is to hold these images as long as you can. In the beginning you will find this difficult, but as you practice this technique you will be able to hold the empowering image for longer periods of time. Most people cannot hold an image for more than 30 seconds, but if you can get a quick snapshot of the image and the Submodalities you will experience the power of the mind and will attain your desired outcome. The hard part will be to do this consistently. This is where most people fail; they are not committed to consistency. The good news is that once you perform this for about a week on a daily basis you will notice that your behaviors will be more consistent with achieving the image you have created.

The best time to perform this is first thing in the morning and just before you go to bed for about 3 to 5 minutes. It would be even more powerful if you add another during the day just before lunch and one before diner. Try to do this before every meal, even before a snack or when you are faced with having food in front of you. You will find that it will help you overcome the urges to over eat or to eat unhealthy foods.

Once you begin seeing the image in its full intensity you will find that your desire to continue will get stronger. It is important to understand that you will need to change your behaviors, eating habits and exercise habits, on your own in the beginning, but once you get going eating healthy and exercising regularly will become a habit as well. Imagery is a supportive tool which will help curb unhealthy choices or choices that will not take you to your goal. No one said change would be easy, but now that you understand how the mind works the hard part will be your ability to consistently get yourself to perform the visualization exercise. The exercise will help direct your behavior and will help motivate you to achieve your goal. This process can be done for any goal. To enhance your understanding and to help others reach their goals teach it to a friend or a work associate, your efforts will provide a gift that can help change lives!

BECOME CAUSE
By: Dr. John Paul DeMann

How would you like to access that part of you that allows you to have complete control, to be cause, not effect in your life? To be cause means to be in control of your life. Many of us feel that we are being manipulated by some outside force and this brings on a feeling of being stuck! I know I have and many of my clients have as well experienced this horrible state. For the past 20 plus years I have recognized one of the most common states clients have is feeling stuck.

Today, more than any time in history, we are experiencing change so rapidly we often feel like we cannot catch up. This environment is creating even more complaints in my practice with regards to the feeling of being stuck. In fact 91% of my new clients experience this state. More than ever in this environment it is important to have control of your life and this is the reason for this entry. I want to share some of the tips that have helped me take control of my life and have helped my clients take control of theirs.

I have been flooded with new clients all experiencing the same symptoms. These include: fear, worry, anxiety, depression, and the feeling that they have no control. Some may tell you the best ways to deal with this experience are to let go or roll with the punches etc… In my opinion and experience with my clients this is exactly the wrong reaction that should be taken. It may help in the short run, but to let go or to roll with the punches means that you are letting go of being cause in your life. You literally become a response to the experiences you face.

One of the important differences between humans and animals is that animals are specifically response oriented organisms and humans are able to create the stimulus required to cause a response. I tell my dog Drag to sit and it is as if his back legs automatically give out. The stimulus of “sit” causes Drag to drop his rear end. It is as if there is some force that controls Drag. Humans experience this as well, but the difference is humans can control it, if they want to. The problem is that we often become lazy because it is easier to just respond to the stimulus’s we experience. To take control or to be cause in life requires effort requires us to think, to think ahead and determine what our actions will do to the future we face.

The difference between success, no matter how you define it and failure is how we respond to the environment. Your response can be one that only focuses on dealing with the stimulus at hand or it can be one that deals with the stimulus and creates a cause further down the road. When we create an outcome consciously we begin to feel free. When we respond in a way that limits the outcome to only dealing with the initial stimulus we create nothing more then what is required to deal with the initial experience. When we consciously look at what our actions will do in terms of cause and we choose an action that creates a desired response we achieve the ultimate experience of control and creation.

A typical example that I see often is with regards to work. Many express the feeling that they are in a dead end job or that their job does not allow any freedom of expression. Another example I see is in the area of personal fulfillment. Here many say that they are unable to do the things they really enjoy doing; rock climbing, golf, exercise, home projects, camping, fishing etc… because they feel pulled in different directions which brings us to the popular statement that "I just don’t have the time!" All of these examples are common among those who are not creating, who are not being cause in their own life.

It is not abnormal to have these feelings; in fact it is the norm in many of the clients I have worked with. It is important to understand that you will never eliminate being an effect in your life; you will always be required to respond to the cause of others. The key is to look at the stimulus’s you face differently. Look at all experiences as an opportunity to cause and create something from your response.

You can begin doing this with simple situations you face. For example, if you feel like you are out of control commit to cleaning one room in your house or apartment. One exercise I have my clients do when they are feeling depressed is to clean something they own, why? Cleaning allows them to get physical and allows them to take control of something. Physical movement allows your body to respond chemically by producing the "feel good" chemical bath of endorphins. When we see change that occurs from our own actions we also tend to speak to ourselves in more positive ways. I have had some clients who were clinically depressed that literally cured their depression by cleaning something every day. They did not have to clean their whole house; they just needed to change something by through their actions.

Once you recognize the power of being cause in your environment via cleaning you can begin doing it in other areas of your life. Organizing your home, car or work area can have tremendous effect on how you feel. By understanding that all actions produce an effect you can become more responsible to the experiences you have. Of course we all will experience others having some control over what we do, but we ultimately have the final say in how we will respond. Commit today to taking control in some small way in your life by cleaning something or organizing some area. Get in the habit of doing something consistently and then consciously begin adding to your habits in such a way that will have lasting effects on your environment. Eventually you will experience a life most only dream of, a life of creation.

A FULLY-FUNCTIONING PSYCHOLOGY

By: Dr. John P. DeMann

Much of psychology as we see it today has been developed with the doctrines of Freud. This has created a focus on what is wrong with the client (Seligman, 2002, 2003). Positive Psychology has as one of its premises that psychological well-being is best achieved by practicing a person’s strengths, not weaknesses (Linley, Joseph, 2004). Positive Psychology was an attempt to counter the twentieth century orientation of mainstream psychology, the disease medical model (Linley, Joseph, 2004). Although this may be a move in the right direction it still does not address the missing link, an integrated approach. The medical model has much to offer and trying to replace it may not be the answer. The Positive Psychology model has much to offer, but replacing it is not the complete answer either. Using an eclectic approach, in terms of skill and philosophy, seems to be a possible direction where a client is treated for illness and guided to strive for experiencing self-actualization to create a fully-functioning person. The problem seems to be that psychology has focused on individual aspects of human nature and in this approach has failed to produce a fully-functioning psychology that treats not only illness, but also promotes self-actualization and a fully-functioning person.

Seligman says that psychology has done well in finding cures in psychological illnesses. He states that out of a few hundred psychological illnesses 13 of them can be cured and most can have the symptoms removed partly using proper medication and therapy (Seligman, 2002). This does not show much in terms of improvement or growth in the field of therapy or psychology as a whole. I am not saying the current medical model of psychology is not working; it is to a point, but it is ignoring some important aspects of the nature of man/women. Psychology on a practical level is ignoring what Rogers called the fully-functioning person. Because of this we see only a portion of psychology being practiced fully and much of what psychology can offer in terms of growth, development and genuine happiness is being ignored. If psychology could integrate, for example Positive Psychology and the medical model, it could become a dominating force in all areas of life. For example, business and other fields could benefit from a fully-functioning psychology by not just focusing on the problem, but also deal with the strengths of the individual. Communities are another example where a fully-functioning psychology could be beneficial. In other words, there is much to be gained if psychology could find an integrated approach where focus is given to the medical model and the Positive Psychology model. The problem seems not to be with the ideas researchers come up with in terms of individual concepts and theories, but with the neglect of the self-actualization aspect of the client to create the fully-functioning person, organization or community. This approach would not only help the client, but psychology as a whole by creating a broader focus in the field in treating the client fully.

There is a move in the medical field and in the insurance industry to a more preventative model of medical care. They are not ignoring the illness and cure aspect; however they are bringing more focus on the importance of prevention. Psychology seems to have a problem today doing this where therapy and even industrial and organizational approaches focus on what is wrong with people, ignoring the part behavior plays, for example, responsibility of choice, in illness and low productivity (Glasser, 2003). Many illnesses, including some of the more prevalent psychological illnesses are caused by behavior (Hatfield, 2004), for example, smoking, poor nutrition, lack of appropriate levels of exercise to name just a few. Many of these behaviors have been linked to cancer, heart disease, diabetes and obesity (Hatfield, 2004). Some of these may have a genetic factor that play a role, but many are triggered by lifestyle or treatment. Glasser (2003) suggests that psychiatry can be the cause of mental illness in some cases. He suggests that many who seek help are not suffering from mental illness, their brain is functioning normally. When the client is given medication to deal with mental issues he suggests that the drug can often create real mental disabilities (Glasser, 2003). This means that sometimes using medication to treat many of the psychological illnesses places the client at risk for other health issues (Glasser, 2003). In this approach many times we are only covering up the symptoms, but we are also creating new problems and other symptoms from the medications being prescribed (Glasser, 2003). This is not to deny medication is not needed, but research has shown that we depend on medication too much and in many cases these psychological drugs are not being prescribed appropriately (Linley, Joseph, 2004). Many times they are prescribed by our general healthcare practitioner who has had no training or at best limited training in mental illness causing even more confusion and low levels of care (Glasser, 2003).

One area that psychology and psychiatry have completely ignored in the area of treatment is the benefits of diet and exercise. The truth is that many psychologists and psychiatrists are not even trained in exercise physiology or nutrition. Much research has shown the benefits of proper nutrition and diet (Linley, Joseph, 2004; Glasser, 2003; Seligman, 2002; Hatfield, 2004). Diet and exercise are powerful natural forces that could in some cases take the place of medication. Our bodies have the most powerful pharmacy in the world and it rarely fails to prescribe the perfect amount of medication needed. Whenever we experience symptoms of illness of any kind the body is trying to tell us something. Take for example obesity. Obesity is an epidemic that in most cases could be prevented through proper diet and nutrition (Hatfield, 2004). Some may suggest that this illness is a behavior or choice problem and psychology could play a major role in helping clients overcome this deadly disease by helping clients make more responsible choices using psychology’s many tools. This could and should in most cases be done without medication creating a more “clear” mental environment to deal with the problem. Some psychologists suggest that most of us who experience illness in any form could have prevented it by changing our lifestyle or behavior (Linley, Joseph, 2004; Glasser, 2003; Seligman, 2002).

Health and wellness, mental and physical, also play a role in organizations. An example where well-being plays a major role in business can be seen in job related well-being (Linley, Joseph, 2004). This can be defined as the promotion of physical and psychological health at work and can create positive results in many areas of business (Linley, Joseph, 2004). There seems to be a need for a complete approach that can help in prevention of illness and helping organizations become more productive. What Rogers (1961) called the fully-functioning person and Maslow (1968) called a self-actualizing person could be the model for all employees. One way to do this could be through an integrated approach that takes individuals or organizations from illness to well-being using ideas from the medical model, humanistic model and the Positive Psychology model as examples to strive for a fully-functioning human being or organization.

Another way to look at a fully-functioning approach would be to consider psychological illness to well-being as existing on a continuum. Consider for a moment a scale from -10 to +10. The scale can be broken down into three main sections, psychosis, un-psychosis and self-actualization. Starting with -10 to -1 we see all forms of psychological illness or psychosis. On the scale 0 represents a neutral state what could be considered un-psychosis, the client is not suffering from mental illness, but they are not fulfilled either. From +1 to +10 we can see psychological well-being or self-actualization. Today psychology focuses mainly on the -10 to -1 portion of the scale relieving individuals from symptoms of mental illness (Linley, Joseph, 2004). This leaves the client at 0 on the scale where some will continue to improve the quality of their life, but many do not and fall back into mental illness or psychosis having to repeat the process over and over (Linley, Joseph, 2004). Another way to look at this example is to suggest that the there are four stages of psychological treatment and well-being. The first stage can be called the stage of needs where the client must meet her basic needs to be able to experience mental health. The second stage could be called the transition stage where the client has met her basic needs and are ready to grow. The third stage would be called the self-actualization stage where the client seeks growth actively. The final or fourth stage could be called the fully-functioning person who can meet any one of the stages on their own recognizing life fluctuates in and out of happiness and unhappiness.

Psychology can do much in terms of dealing with psychosis or illness and it can do much focusing on the self-actualization part of the above scale, but it can do much more if a model can be developed that uses all the stages mentioned above. Positive Psychology is a move in the right direction and provides a great deal of research in the third or fourth stage of the above scale, but because it fails to recognize fully the effectiveness of the disease model it is not a fully-functioning psychology. The bottom line is that the medical model and models like the Positive Psychology model fall short in creating a workable solution to psychological well-being. My goal is to bring to the table information and research that can support a “fully-functioning” psychology where all the stages of the scale above are integrated. It is important to note that the scale can be entered anywhere; the fully-functioning person moves in and out of all the stages successfully. The difference is that they can do it on their own providing a more fulfilling life which in itself can help prevent mental illness and physical illness as well.

Glasser, William. (2003). Warning: Psychiatry can be hazardous to your mental health. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.
Hatfield, Fredrick, C. (2004). Fitness: The complete guide. Santa Barbara, CA: International Sports Sciences Association.
Linley, P., Alex & Joseph, Stephen. (2004). Positive psychology in practice. New Jersey, Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons.
Maslow, Abraham, H. (1999). Toward a psychology of being (3rd ed.). New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.
Rogers, Carl, R. (1995). On becoming a person. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Seligman, Martin, E. P. (2002). Authentic happiness: using the new positive psychology to realize your potential for lasting fulfillment. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

"A Great Time to Grow"

Hi Everyone!

I am looking forward to the new year and I know many of you are as well. I also know that many of you, as I am, are experienceing a great deal of change and concern with all that is happening.

As I sat thinking this morning, as I do every morning, I realized something very important with regards to change. I realized that change is when people can grow. In fact, it is, I think, the only sure way to grow. Think about it, when we experience change we have to consider the values we hold and we have to change those values to meet the change with success. If we do not look at our values and adapt to the environment we can experience great pain.

With what we are experiencing today we can welcome it with open arms. This is a new year and it is in the new year people like to make changes to their life. I know I do and this year will be a very important year for myself and The Pillers. I have thought deeply about the values I hold and the values the Pillars holds in terms of what makes a great life and a great bussiness. I plan on making this year the best year of my life!

I would like to hear from you and what you have learned from the changes you have experienced due to the situation we all face. In fact, we all can learn from each other and I want this to be a place where we can share helpful hints in terms of getting along with life and experiencing true happiness.

Feel free to share your story and remember you may respond to me directly at: john@7poe.com. You may also call me at: 513-234-7848. I am very excited to hear from you and I hope only the best for all of you. Start the year off helping others by sending me your story so I can share it with my readers.

Dr. John P. DeMann, CPEC
Member: ICF
Member: APA

“Our Thoughts Create Our Reality”
By: Dr. John P. DeMann

“I theorized that there was a thinking disorder at the core of the psychiatric syndromes such as depression and anxiety.” Aaron T. Beck, M.D.

I suggest that this is also true for experiencing happiness, fulfillment or any of the positive emotions we all seek in what we do. The fact that we can only think of one thing at a time tells us that an emotion equal to the thought will be attached to the thought. This really means that if we are depressed we are thinking depressing thoughts.

Of course we must take into consideration the chemistry of the mind-body system when we seek answers to questions like: Why am I depressed? Or why am I angry? This reality is in the thought itself. When we ask these questions we only serve the emotion of depression or anger. What would happen if we changed the questions to: What am I happy about or what can I do to experience this situation in a positive way?

If we can only think of one idea at a time then it stands to reason the questions that ask: What am I happy about? Or what can I do to experience this situation in a positive way, can only provide emotions that serve the positive answers we seek from the questions above. In short, the quality of life in many cases is determined by the quality of questions we ask ourselves.

This may seem simple and too basic, but I can say from experience that a person is usually only as happy as they “think” they are. If we can reframe our questions to require positive answers we will experience the emotions attached to the quality of the questions. I believe this one idea can make a big difference in the quality of life one lives.

To experience this first hand we have to first realize we usually create habitual responses to the world we experience. In fact, the world we experience is based on the thoughts we have. Of course you could be experiencing serious issues, but I suggest if you ask the right questions you can create a world many only dream of and to do this you must first recognize your habitual responses to your experiences.

Next you can take notice of the responses you have to situations and consciously begin catching yourself and finding more empowering responses to the situation at hand. It is important to leave all negativity behind. This does not mean you will not have negative responses in the beginning. Remember, you have to break the habit of negative responses and create a new habit of responding positively to all situations. There is not one situation you cannot find a way to experience it in an empowering way. If you can think of any let me know, but I think you will find that simply asking: What can I learn from this experience, you will create positive responses to any scenario.

Try this for 30 days and see what happens. Remember:
1. Recognize your habitual response to most situations.
2. Catch yourself and make a conscious effort to respond with an empowering question.
3. Notice the difference in the emotions you experience when you reframe questions or thoughts.
4. Keep a journal of your experience in this exercise.
5. Let me know how it worked.
You may respond openly on the journal page here or you may respond to me privately at john@7poe.com. I hope to hear from you!

Experience the Good Life,

Dr. John P. DeMann, CPEC, PCC/ICF, ISSA

5 ways to Get in Shape for The New Year

5 Ways to Get in Shape for The New Year

Mason, Oh - 11/07/2008 - There's always that one New Year's resolution that comes back to haunt us year after year only to remain unfulfilled. How often have you made it through the holiday feasting to find a few mysterious extra pounds hovering around your midsection and resolved that "this year, I'm going to get into shape"?

And how often has that resolution fallen by the wayside once the fireworks die down and you get back into the momentum of your life?

The Pillars of Excellence has worked with many medical doctors and health care providers in helping their patients rid excess bodyfat, increase energy and stay fit through custom health and fitness programs. We also work with organizations around the world creating wellness programs that fit their needs.

Below are the five most manageable ways we have found to get in shape and stay in shape for the New Year.

1. Drink lots of water - Our bodies are made up of something like 70% water. Just a 1% drop in water intake can severely dehydrate you, limiting your performance in every aspect of your life.

2. Cut out fast food - fast food just isn't good for your body. Regardless of what the high-powered advertising agencies tell you. Fast food has too many chemicals, food additives, refined sugars, high fructose corn syrup, fried foods, and an overall lack of nutrition. If high calorie, non-nutrition is what you are after, fast food may be for you. The personal trainers advise against this bad habit.

3. Eat 5-7 small meals per day - Yes, you heard that right! Small frequent meals throughout the day not only levels out your blood sugar, decreasing the lows you may experience throughout the day, but eating sensibly, and often, will provide your muscles and body with the appropriate nutrition you need to get you through your entire day.

4. Exercise every day - Old research said you must exercise 30 minutes a day, but the latest experts suggest this just isn't enough. What do you need to get in the best shape of your life? 60 minutes of vigorous exercise, daily.

5. Consult a personal trainer or contact The Pillars of Excellence - Let's face it; personal trainers know their stuff. They train, study, and devote themselves to being a better health and fitness expert everyday. They work out everyday, eat smart, and are right in the middle of several teams of experts. If you just booked one session to ensure you are on the right track, your body will thank you for it. Not to mention your significant other.

Have Fun!

Dr. John P. DeMann, ISSA, CPEC/ICF
Email: john@7poe.com
Phone: 513-234-7848