Summary:
Mood and attitude are key components of motivation, which, in turn, is key to achieving success. Music can be an incredibly powerful source of inspiration and motivation, helping to boost our mood and invigorate us as we strive to achieve our goals.
Research has show that it has a powerful effect on the brain and enhances learning, attitude, mood and healing. The rhythm and sounds can affect us on a deep emotional level. Also, many songs carry powerful stories or messages that can be truly inspirational and may align with our own feelings, circumstances and aspirations.
Tap into this source of power and use it to help you create the life you want. Find songs with positive messages that you can relate to and that uplift you mentally. These can be powerful tools when used in conjunction with other strategies such as the creation of your Personal Programming Messages (PPMs), providing positive momentum and helping push you to the next level as you strive toward the success and life you have envisioned for yourself.
Transcript:
The Positive Influence of Music
A young mother is having trouble with her pre-teen son. Have you heard that before? Her son is having difficulty in school and a tough time socializing as well. What is she to do? Beatings, of course, are not the way to go, so she tries talking and engaging with him. One day someone suggests that he should start taking music lessons to give him something to focus on. Following this advice, she talks with her son and he reluctantly agrees that he would like to play the drums. After a bit of high-level negotiation they both agree that the electric guitar is the instrument of choice. Don’t you love those relatives that bring your daughter or son a gift of a drum set at age five or six? But that’s a different topic.
Soon after starting lessons the young mother begins to see a change in her son. He isn’t a guitar virtuoso; however, he’s learning to strum a few bars and has the beginnings of a song in his repertoire. Learning to play the guitar was an all round good thing, but there were also some amazing and unexpected side benefits that the mother was noticing. All of a sudden, not only did his overall attitude change, but he began doing better in school, his social skills improved and he started making friends. He was on the right path.
The elements of this story are time proven. It is very true, and supported by masses of research on the subject, that music has an altering effect on the brain. Have you ever watched an ad on TV and noticed how some ads just stick out more and have a “lasting” effect on you. They can move you emotionally. I have been in a room where a McDonalds ad has actually brought someone to tears, more than once. That’s powerful stuff!
I know my son, who has experienced significant hardship due to multiple eye surgeries (I think twelve as of the writing of this message), has found great comfort in learning to play the electric guitar. And although the story above is not about him or the many challenges he’s faced, I can say that he is a happier person when he is playing his guitar and that music has been nothing but positive for him.
Three of my nephews have studied music since they were very young and they are some of the happiest young adults I know.
Using the Power of Music
So, what does all of this have to do with attaining what you want in life? Maybe it’s just an interesting observation, or it could be that you can use this knowledge to your advantage.
Destress
If you ever have those moments where things become a grind and you just really need a break, maybe that break is listening to some great tunes for five or ten minutes. Great tunes to you that is. Or if you are extra stressed and need to relax you should take a break and listen to something calm and soothing. This type of de-stressing really works and shouldn’t be overlooked.
Pump You Up
I know for me, for my workouts at the gym and specifically in “Spin” (stationary cycle classes – click here to see one example) the music makes a huge difference. If the instructor chooses a group of songs that I don’t find particularly invigorating, it takes even more effort to get the energy output I expect of myself. I like “poppy” fast paced songs for most of my workouts, mixed in with some that have a slower, strong beat for my hill climbs. When I do my “Core” workouts (this isn’t a class, but click here to see an example of some of the exercises – click) I like to listen to an entire album by the group Dirty Vegas (the album is of the same name). I have to give credit to my previous instructor of five years, Jodi, for indoctrinating that music into the group as our Core Music! I recommend checking it out. One of the great things about the album is that it’s one hour long, which is the time I like to spend on that type of workout. (you can listen to the whole album here)
Enhanced Emotional Connection to Your Goals
What about setting your goals or Personal Programming Message (PPM) to music; will that make a difference to how your brain processes the messages and how your body reacts? Well, according to the 1988 study by Stout & Leckenby, it has a profound impact in advertising and other studies have shown music enhances learning, attitude, mood and healing. It sets off parts of the brain that create a positive feeling toward the situation at hand.
Can you think back to a time where you have a vivid memory of something positive in your life that included music? What is your feeling about the song or music that was playing at the time? It is likely that you like the music even to this day.
Messages That Inspire and Motivate
Songs are often stories that contain messages. Like the song by Chubawamba, I Get Knocked Down (actually called Tubthumping). You get knocked down, but you always Get Up Again. When you are working at achieving your dreams you need to listen to this message every time you get knocked down. The only way to achieve success is to get up one more time than you are knocked down. (Listen to the song here) Or how about the song by Nickleback, We Must Stand Together? I love that song and its message. In fact, it’s what I’m about and one of the reasons I started this web site, wrote my book, and created the courses. I didn’t have a mentor or anyone I could turn to growing up. My mother was a very positive influence, but she couldn’t give me the help I needed when it came to accomplishing my ambitions. I understand how powerful and important the mentor relationship can be, and know that with Masterminding and by working together we can achieve more! (Listen to the song here)
Although this may be a slightly different topic than I typically cover here, I thought you might find it interesting and helpful in certain circumstances. Mood and attitude are important components of motivation. So I ask you, what songs inspire you? What gets you “going” and what songs do you like that have great messages? Give me your feedback below and tell me the songs you love and even why. Post links to them from YouTube like I have.
