Change
your writing to become more successful?
Defiance, confidence, and why grapho-therapy works.
This article is an exerpt from Chapter 4 of Bart Baggett's
Success Secrets of the Rich and Happy!
See other free chapters of this program here.
The Secret Joy Of
Being Defiant
Do you follow your own
rules or do you make your own? I have found one interesting
personality trait in a vast majority of successful entrepreneurs:
defiance. The tendency to break the rules, rebel, or defy
the status quo seems to be a re-occurring theme in literature
of heroes, superstars, and the super successful. Dr. Thomas
Stanley's research in the book The Millionaire Mind
indicates that most millionaires claim one important
skill helped them achieve success. That skill was to "Think
differently from the crowd."
Clearly, you don't have
to break rules and get into trouble to think differently.
But, research firmly indicates that people who make straight
A's, have perfectly legible handwriting, and have perfect
spelling are the least likely students to become self-made
millionaires. Shattering statistics. Isn't it?
I'll show you two personality
traits in handwriting analysis that proves this point.
The first trait is called a "go to hell K". A capital
"K" in a word that should contain a lower case "k" indicates
defiance. Look around at the entrepreneurs and pioneers
of the world. Many of them have this type of K. (So do
the class clowns, criminals, and trouble-makers.)
Which
of the below handwriting samples is more likely to become
an entrepreneur?
Sample
5-J: A person who follows all the rules and proper protocol.
(Notice the legible handwriting, small lower loops,
curvy m
tops, beginning hooks, and normal sized "k.")
Sample
5-J: The above handwriting is that of a very successful
man in his mid 50’s. A defiant rule-breaker in his
youth, he still bucks the trends. His optimism is critical
to his success. His pointy m’s are a sign of quick
thinking and intelligence. His high buckle "k"
reveals his defiant rebellious streak. Even his sharp
t-point indicates some sarcasm. This is the writing of
legendary radio host Jack Diamond.
Jack has hosted one of the longest running
morning radio shows in the USA (in Washington D.C.) A
career in morning radio is about as close to being a creative
entrepreneur while still having a boss as you can get.
In reality, Jack is both a successful on-air personality
and off-the-air entrepreneur/ businessman. Morning Radio
and other forms of performance comedy tend to attract people
with defiance, sarcasm, and other fun but trouble making
qualities. Don’t we love them?
Naturally, Jack's writing is more likely
to succeed in the high risk, fast changing mind-set of
entrepreneurs. He has many of the classic traits of winners;
good self-esteem (high t-bars), persistence (double crossed
t, optimism (handwriting slanting uphill), and pointy
m humps (quick mind.) People can succeed without these
traits, but these are typical of the "pattern"
of entrepreneurs.
The first handwriting sample has just way
too much "conformity" to be a smashing success
in a career that depends on making your own rules and
being flexible. Also, the writer of the first sample has
round base line (garlands) and round m humps on top and
50% low t-bars. A very sweet, supportive writing... but
not a leader.
The
Secret Science Of Grapho-Therapy
After I started to study
the science of handwriting analysis, I realized that all
great men and women were within my ability to study. If
I could just find a sample of their handwriting, I could
get a clue into their characters. If I knew which habits
or personality traits they possessed, I could "model"
them. Upon embarking on my research, I discovered that
Benjamin Franklin had this idea 200 years before I did.
It is said that he would go as far as copy a great man's
penmanship to get a feel for whom he was. Maybe Ben was
the first Grapho-therapist.
One of the most effective
tools I have used or taught for people to change themselves
is the science of Grapho-therapy. During the first meeting
with Dr. Walker, this concept was introduced to me. When
I was just fourteen years old, Dr Walker suggested that
I begin to immediately raise my t-bar. As I sat in awe
of this wise man, my brain thought, "You have got to be
kidding?" Dr. Walker spoke with congruent confidence about
the hundreds of clients and friends over the past 20 years
who have seen profound results using this technique.
In my case, I had more
than just the "t" to fix. I had to de-program my stubbornness,
over-sensitivity to criticism, self-conscious-ness, and
boost my self-esteem. Dr. Walker was probably praying
that my "sarcasm" would find it's way to the exit, as
well. Luckily, at the age of just fourteen, I listened.
I thought about the simple risk vs. reward system for
making a decision.
Step one: What happens
if this succeeds?
Step two: What happens
if this does not succeed?
My answer was simple.
If Dr. Walker's advice succeeded in transforming me (this
insecure, weak, scrawny, smart-ass, defiant, obnoxious
teenager) into a world class self-made millionaire who
attracts the ladies ... Wow! On the other hand, if this
"changing the handwriting trick" did not succeed, I would
be stuck with a funny looking letter "t" for the rest
of my life. Not a tough decision. Hmmm. Wealth, Women,
and Wisdom vs. a silly t-bar. The reward was clearly worth
the risk. In fact, I couldn't think of a downside. My
handwriting sucked anyway. It was illegible, so now it
would be illegible with different letter formations. So
what?
As it all turned out,
my handwriting actually became more legible over the coming
years. My t-bars are still crossed at the top of the stem.
And the strokes of stubbornness, self-consciousness, and
over-sensitivity to criticism have been gone for over
a decade. The real test was what I found in the results.
The first thing I noticed was my tendency to think more
of myself. I wasn't a student who actually liked to study.
However, I found myself walking into the school counselor's
office one day requesting I be moved to a "more challenging"
English class. I was bored. Then, I found myself asking
the prettiest girl in school out on a date. She said,
"No." But since I had begun to erase the fear of failure,
I just asked out someone else. It didn't take long to
develop some better rapport skills and the girls started
saying, "Yes." I even noticed my grades were improving.
I clearly remember the
day I knew "Grapho-therapy" had worked for me. I realized
it when I made an "F" on my first English paper. What?
That's right. It was a horrible paper. In fact, my teacher
actually suggested I go back to the "non-advanced" class,
because it was unlikely I was ever going to excel at writing.
Hmmm. I would say my
defiance was a useful trait during that conversation.
I re-wrote that "F" paper and turned it into a "C-." It
wasn't the teacher's false opinion. She was right about
one thing: the paper sucked wind. I deserved a "C" or
an "F." But she was wrong about my abilities.
Later that day, I sat
and meditated upon my future. Because books had such an
impact on me, I refused to believe I couldn't contribute
something to the world in the form of the written word.
I remember clearly sitting on my porch on a rainy winter
day in Dallas, Texas. I must have been fifteen years old,
trying to grasp what my life would be like over the next
fifteen years. I had a vision. I made a decision that
would shape the direction of my life. I decided in that
moment that I was going to write a book and become a famous
author. Thanks to my new and better t-bar, I actually
believed this was possible. I made that decision despite
having a respected teacher tell me I had no skill. I made
that decision despite having no firsthand knowledge of
publishing, writing, TV, or radio. I just knew I was going
to do it.
Once you get clear on
WHAT you are going to do ... the HOW finds you.
Less than 8 years from
making that decision, I had my first book in my hand.
At the age of 23, it was published. I'm sure I could have
accomplished it much faster, but I had to take care of
a few minor tasks such as puberty, high school, and college.
Over the past decade, I appeared on over 1300 radio and
TV talk shows promoting my book, tapes, and the science
of handwriting analysis. I lived my dream.
Why
It Works
I had a lot of faith
in the technique of programming your brain via handwriting
changes. In fact, I had even written a fill-in-the-blank
workbook on the topic called Change Your Life in 30
Days that I used in my live seminars. However, I was
unable to explain it. I even had my own doubts it could
be nothing more than the "power of positive suggestion"...
the placebo effect.
It wasn't until I began
studying other forms of psychology, therapy, and personality
tests, that I discovered some scientific evidence that
explains what I had been witnessing in myself and others.
The field of NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) is revolutionizing
the world of change therapy. NLP is teaching therapists
how to cure life-long phobias in half an hour. It is teaching
sales people how to have "instantaneous rapport" with
clients. It is explaining the delicate balance between
our body, our subconscious mind, and our behavior. It
is so much more than a set of tools to improve your communication.
I was sitting at an Anthony Robbins seminar in 1989, when
he began to discuss how our brains learn information.
He said that learning is really a function of our brains
establishing new "neuro-pathways." Each time we have the
same "experience" a spark of electricity moves along the
neuro-pathways thus making the pathway twice as strong.
If you have the emotion or experience 100 times, the brain
creates 100 micro-strands along that neuro-pathway. This
is how we establish habits.
"Any
Sufficiently Developed Technology Is
Indistinguishable
From Magic"
- Arthur
C. Clarke
Now, if you have studied
any brain biology, you realize this is a simplified metaphor
for the complex neural-cortex. However, it is an accurate
big picture description. Anthony Robbins referenced a
study at UC Davis using macaque monkeys to establish a
connection between repeated physical movement and cellular
development. Upon researching this study at UC Davis,
I discovered that Dr. Amaral has been the man instrumental
in this research. On the website, Dr. Amaral states that
"our research program is divided into three major efforts
that use neuroanatomical, behavioral, electro-physiological
and clinical studies to investigate: (1) organization
of memory systems in the mammalian brain, (2) the organization
of brain regions that contribute to social behavior in
the macaque monkey, and (3) human neuroscience."
The UC Davis M.I.N.D
Institute (Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopment Disorders)
explains the various advances in brain research like this,
"Advances in imaging technology are enabling researchers
to unravel the complexity of brain function. Functional
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) permits researchers to
identify areas of the brain at work during specific activities
and to compare the brain activities of normal patients
with those with neuro-developmental disorders."
"New computational models
of brain function are now available so that the activity
of the brain can be measured and recorded, facilitating
comparisons between healthy and diseased brains. On the
horizon are other technologies that will allow researchers
to analyze the interactions of particular brain cells
during specific activities."
The website continues,
"The use of animal models to study neuro-developmental
disorders has also been expanding, particularly here at
UC Davis, which has schools of medicine and veterinary
medicine, as well as a primate research center. Monkeys
and other nonhuman primates have brains organized comparable
to humans, making them ideal research models for the study
of neuro-develop-mental disorders."
What I found revolutionary
about the research is this: Repeatedly moving a macaque
monkey's fingers in a slightly different motion path creates
a totally new and separate neuro-pathway. A separate neuro-pathway
means you have a totally new and different thought or
experience. (You are literally building a habit at the
cellular level.) The MRI can reveal this exact pathway
each and every time the movement occurs. Then, when the
scientist forced the monkey to move the same finger in
a slightly different motion (as little as a centimeter
different), the MRI revealed an entirely new neuro-pathway
was forming. According to Mr. Robbins, they did this experiment
by taping up the other fingers on the monkey's hand and
giving him an MRI. In plain English this means ... moving
your fingers actually affects the brain at the cellular
level.
Now, please don't misread
the above research. Neither Dr. Amaral nor Anthony Robbins
is claiming that changing your handwriting can affect
your personality. However, if you put the three different
fields of study together (neuro-science, NLP, and handwriting),
there is a strong biological argument as to why we are
getting the results we are getting. For me, I didn't need
to read all the neuro-scientific research to know it made
sense to me. Furthermore, the risk seemed quite low. Heck,
I was just changing the way I crossed my "t" and looped
my "d." So, I chose to go for it. I give you the above
research so that you can tell a loved one there is some
logic behind the madness.
In the next chapter,
I will show you the results of my research. I'll reveal
to you the personality traits that are consistent among
very successful, well-adjusted people. Wouldn’t that
be interesting to know? Naturally, not all rich or happy
people possess these traits. I think you will quickly
see how incorporating these personality traits into your
own character can immediately "PUSH" your life to a higher
level.
Now, are you ready to
find out what handwriting traits are found in rich and
happy people? Are you ready to see how well you already
stack up the world's great minds? Grab your pen and paper
and turn to the next section!
To
Order the Change Your Life in 30Days Workbook for kids
or adults, click here.
Learn all the success
secrets at myhandwriting.com/ssrh.html
(Read the rest of this book).
References:
Dr. David G. Amaral,
Ph.D (the Director of Research for both the Department
of Psychiatry at the University of California at Davis
and the M.I.N.D. Institute.
http://myhandwriting.com/change
