Have you ever noticed that thought and attitude are contagious?

For example, let’s say you take a vacation to Jamaica.  The laidback nature of the people, the culture, is more than just a vacation phenomenon.  If you were a fly on the wall, i.e. not on vacation but simply spying on the locals, you’d notice that they’re significantly more laid back than say your average Manhattan inhabitant. 

If you live in an environment which is very religious, chances are that religion even if it has never been on your radar or part of your upbringing, will become part of your life.  Now you may not start going to church regularly but religion and religious theory is going to enter your life – it’s almost guaranteed.

The collective consciousness is defined by Robert Kennedy as A mode of awareness, in which we directly experience, through an intuitive felt-sense, our union with the interconnected wholeness of life, and recognize ourselves in others. Our identity extends beyond our individual boundary and embraces the collective, through a free and conscious act of identification, rather than through definition by convention or external authority.

Simply, if it can actually be simply defined, we’re connected.  You can use the power of the collective conscious to bring more into your life.

You’re familiar, I’m sure, with many rags to riches stories.  The story of Chris Gardner for example, he is the self-made millionaire, entrepreneur, motivational speaker and philanthropist who, during the early 1980s, struggled with homelessness while raising his young son.  He surrounded himself with mentors, people whose goals were the same as his, people who were focused on success in the same industry – stock brokers. 

It’s just one of thousands of success stories.  It goes beyond mentorship thought that is certainly part of it.  Our lives are directly affected on a deep level by the people we surround ourselves with.

You want to be more artistic – go live in an artistic community – Paris for example - and surround yourself with people who inspire you artistically.

You want a laid back lifestyle where money is secondary to the lure of the sun, sand and sea?  Go to Jamaica, Costa Rica, and Fiji.

You want to become a novelist, surround yourself with writers. 

You want to become a wealthy business owner?  Surround yourself with wealthy business owners.

It’s about more than learning from the masters.  It’s about tapping into the collective consciousness of such an environment and utilizing it to create your vision of your future.  To create the success and prosperity you desire.

Step One:  Determine what it is you desire.  If it is wealth and prosperity in the software development industry then write it down.  Create a vision statement so you’re 100% clear on what you’re setting your sights on.  What you’re striving for.  Place that vision statement somewhere accessible, somewhere you can see it every day.

Step Two:  Ask yourself if you’re surrounded by the right people?  Now this isn’t an invitation to leave the life as you know it behind. It’s merely a time to assess your present situation.  Is there anyone in your life who is a negative force?  Someone who is constantly telling you, your dreams are impossible?  You can’t do it?  Now may be the time to ask that person to support you.

Likewise who are the positive forces in your life?  The people who are supporting you and want to see you succeed?  Make a point of telling those who do support you ‘thank you’ and spend more time with them.

Step Three:  Make a list of people who are successful in your industry or relevant industries – meaning they’re not competition.  Try to list at least 20 people you’d like to talk with, have coffee with, and do business with.  Don’t set limits.  If Bill Gates is on your list then great!  If you’re aspiring to get into a sports industry and you’d love to chat with Peyton Manning then put him on your list. 

If you aspire to open a thriving home organization business then by all means put Martha Stewart on the list!

Step Four:  Gather the contact information for the people on your list and create a schedule for connecting with them.  For example, if Bill Gates is on your list then find out how to contact him and set a date to contact him.  Simply let him know you’d like five minutes of his time to learn the secret to his success. 

Step Five:  Surround yourself with people who are on the same path you are.  This means participating, or even forming, mastermind groups.  Finding a mentor or a coach who is dedicated to your success.  Simply put – put yourself on the path to success by engaging the help of others.

Step Six:  Read.  Inspiration comes in many forms.  Reading about the success and the path to success for people both in your industry and outside your industry will not only help you stay focused on your goals, it will also inspire you to reach perhaps beyond your goals.  Reading about the lives, successes and failures of others, will show you perhaps a different way of doing things.  It will give you compassion and understanding, for others and for yourself, and it will move you to pursue your dreams. 

Of course you have to choose the right books to read, you don’t want to read something that brings you down or has the effect of squashing your dreams.  Try the four hour work week by Tim Ferris if you want an enjoyable read and insight from someone who definitely thinks outside the box.

Step Seven:  Stop planning and start acting.  Action speaks louder than words – this is true both with personal relationships and with the universe.  When you start taking active steps to achieve your goals, the collective consciousness helps you remain active.  You can simply by your actions start changing the collective consciousness around you.  That means you can not only change your life – you can influence the lives of others around you.  Pretty powerful stuff!

Still doubting the power of the collective conscious?  Think about the current mood on the state of the economy.  It’s gloom and doom and the mood is spreading faster than dandelions on a summer lawn.  Even people who are relatively unaffected are feeling poorly about the state of the economy.  The collective consciousness is that the economy is bad and we’re all suffering, even if we’re not.

The converse can be true and you can take part in a collective consciousness that has hope, sees opportunity and refuses to participate in that line of thought.

Wealth and prosperity are still very real opportunities.  Take advantage of the people out there who support you, who believe that wealth and prosperity are possible, and who inspire you to realize your dreams.  Find or create your own collective consciousness and let it lead you to your goals.

To Your Success!
Jeremy Gislason
SureFireWealth INC
MindmapToRiches.com