YOUR “SUCCESS” INSTINCT

Do you know about the "success instinct"? A squirrel does not
have to be taught how to gather nuts. Nor does it need to
learn that it should store them for the winter. A squirrel
born in the spring has never even experienced a winter. Yet in
the fall of the year you can observe that squirrel busily
storing nuts for the lean winter months. Birds do not take
nest-building lessons. They have no ability to read maps, yet
they can return to exact locations year after year. These
instincts assist the animal to successfully cope with its
environment. This is the "success instinct".

You have a success instinct as well. Animal's goals are
pre-set; yours are completely up to your creative imagination.
An animal's success is limited to its built-in goal-images
that we call instincts; your success is unlimited.

You are not a machine, however, you do have a
"servo-mechanism". Maxwell Maltz wrote that "...your physical
brain and nervous system make up a servo-mechanism which you
use, and which operates very much like an electronic computer,
and a mechanical goal-seeking device. Your brain and nervous
system constitute a goal-striving mechanism, which operates
automatically to achieve a certain goal, very much as a
self-aiming torpedo or missile seeks out its target and steers
its way to it. Your built-in servo-mechanism functions both
as a "guidance system' to automatically steer you in the right
direction to achieve certain goals, or make correct responses
to environment, and also as an "electronic brain" which can
function automatically to solve problems, give you needed
answers, and provide new ideas or 'inspirations'."

There are two general types of these mechanisms. One
functions when the target, goal or answer is know and your
objective is to reach or accomplish it, and the other function
when the target, goal or answer is not known and the objective
is to discover or locate it. Your brain and your nervous
system operate in both ways.

When you know your target, you also know when you are on
course, and when you are off track. You accomplish your goals
by going forward, making errors, and continually correcting
them and moving forward once again. Your built-in
goal-striving mechanism works for you. Once the pattern is
established, it will work for you automatically. The key,
however, is in knowing that this mechanism is always working
for you. Oh, you don't think so? Well, it is.

You know the story of the "Little Engine that Could", don't
you? You'll remember it's affirmation, "I think I can, I think
I can." It had a servo-mechanism rooted in positive
affirmation. It focused on the goal and engaged fully in
accomplishing it without doubt or question. It could have
chosen to say to itself, "I don't think I can, I don't think I
can." and it would have come to a complete stop. In both
cases, the mechanism was trained and it performed. If you are
not reaching your goals, look carefully at the training you
are giving your servo-mechanism!

Keep It in MIND!