I’ve been reading The Dilbert Future lately, and I got to the part about affirmations. Basically what it is is, you write down your goal 15 times a day, using the form “I, Hooter Pigdicker, will get/do/accomplish whatever.” Within about a week, all sorts of weird coincidences are supposed to happen, and eventually, you’ll get your goal. I asked my mom about it, and she said she did it several times, having success only once. I’m trying it now, with my goal being getting a perfect score on an AP History test I’ll be taking later this month. I figure, what have I got to lose? And yes, I’m also studying and reading the material, but I also want to do this, mainly as an experiment to see if it will work.
So my question is, have any Dopers ever tried affirmations? If so, did it work? Any advice for a newbie on affirmations?
My crazy mother is always doing this. My crazy, just-bought-a-house, promoted-to-“partner”, dating-a-handsome-celebrity, gets-anything-she-wants mother.
Seriously, I don’t really believe in the stuff. But, damnit, there’s something that’s helping her lead a rockin’ life. Who the hell buys cheap-o economy plane tickets and gets upgraded to first class for no reason? Who gets a parking spot in the city EVERY TIME in a matter of minutes?
Well. I guess whatever she’s doing is working. But myself, I’d rather not dabble in the New Age foolishness quite yet.
I couldn’t agree more and there are lots of ways to do that than just the affirmations.
About fifteen years ago I made out a list of “things” that I wanted. It ranged from owning a Jeep Wrangler to hair down to my waist to a red convertible. Within 9 years I had every thing on the list except for a cabin by the sea. (But I’m not dead yet…)
I don’t think there was anything particularly mystical about it, but having the list just kept those things in the forefront. Eventually I decided that owning the stuff wasn’t as important as some other things. My list would be very different now.
Last April I decided that I want to spend the next ten years doing some travelling. It’s been thirty years since I’ve been on a plane. Now I have room reservations in Paris for next April, a growing savings account, and my passport pictures made. So I’m moving slowly in that direction now. I don’t let a week go by without doing something to bring me a step closer to the trip.
Personally, I don’t think I can get everything I want because I suspect some of the things I want are contradictory. I have, however found affirmations useful, especially in undoing some old psychological damage. Here’s one I was given last winter by my therapist: “I deeply & profoundly respect and accept myself.” I was given it because I was having trouble with that concept, and it helped. I’m not sure saying, “A year from now I will be slim, gorgeous, driving a convertible and dating a rockstar” would work as well. Besides, I’ve still got a perfectly good Hyundai!
Personally, if I had everything I wanted, what point would there be in getting out of bed in the morning? I would have no goals or drive to boldly slog down to the coffee pot and start another day of “lather, rinse repeat”.
And furthermore, If I did have everything I wanted, just where in the hell would I put it?
I agree that there is something going on. Sometimes you can just beat your head against the wall all you want and nothing budges. Other times it all opens up without effort & it’s right there in front of you, and it’s a better path than you could have dared hope for. Having wants/goals is part of it, but not the whole thing (else I’d’ve started resembling Cindy Crawford a long time ago). Louise Hay maintains that the Universe loves a party - I think she’s onto something.
I’m going to make a good post today. Because I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me!
Maybe writing the things down makes you psychically more able to recognize the fortuitous coincidences when they happen and take advantage of them. I think I should try this. I have a couple of goals I want to achieve in the next year, and I’m willing to try anything. Is there a book I should read? Maybe some motivational tapes I can get?
cuauhtemoc is a caring nurturer, a member of several unlicensed Elvis fanclubs, but not a licensed therapist. His posts appear on the Straight Dope Message Board.
I can see how affirmations would help your attitude and help you focus mentally.
At the same time, I have a very deep aversion to the idea. It seems like self-brainwashing–manipulating your self like . . . like a toothpaste commercial or something. “Get whiter teeth and healthier gums with Dentobrite! Get whiter teeth and healthier gums with Dentobrite! Get whiter teeth and healthier gums with Dentobrite!”
I have no doubt that if I sat down every morning, cleared my mind, and repeated twenty times, “I will make progress on my project today,” that it would help. But I cannot bring myself to do it.
I’d rather have a bad attitude, and have it be my own, naturally-occuring bad attitude, than trick myself into having a good attitude.
I read the Dilbert book too and I was taken with the affirmation part. I am very rational and don’t see how in the world such a thing is possible. On the other hand I believe that some people are naturally lucky and I can’t explain it. I know people who no matter what they do…good things result. I know people who, as in the book, hit the lottery, raffle number, etc., repeatedly. I know others who can’t win for losing even though they are very good people. What is the difference? My understanding of the Dilbert book is that the winners expect to win. I could understand how that helps one to attain goals, but how does that help in a seemingly random contest? I have been very lucky for the most part. I have a good job. I have a lot of “things”. I am relatively successful. But those were all things that I worked for. When it came to just getting things for no apparent reason…such as a raffle…I felt very unlucky. I would not buy tickets because I felt that I would not win. So I decided to put the Dilbert affirmations to the test.
I picked a couple of things that I wanted. One of the things was to receive multiple job offers for positions that I was in the process of applying for. The second was for a Porsche 911 SC. The others were for things that I don’t want to discuss here. I wrote the items down just as prescribed 15 times a day when I had time. The Porsche was interesting. Initially I wrote, “I, zydecat will get a Porsche 911SC in good condition”. I was hoping to buy one preferably 1978-80 vintage, in Guards Red that didn’t need much work. Shortly after I started writing that, I saw an ad for a raffle for a 1980, Guards Red Porsche 911SC that had been restored to museum condition and was being raffled off for $50 a ticket. I started to ponder this twist of fate. But $50 is a lot for me to just give away when I know that I am going to lose. You see, I was writing, but I didn’t believe. While I was mulling this over, a co-worker came up to me and handed me $200 as a refund for a trip I had to back out of. I never expected to get the money back. It was literally pennies from heaven. I revised my statement. I now wrote, “I, zydecat will win a red, 1980 Porsche 911SC in museum condition”. I only needed one raffle ticket to win the car but even the book said not to overly limit your chances. I used all $200 to buy 4 of 1000 sold raffle tickets. I kept writing and penciled in the raffle day as a vacation day so I could go pick up my new car. I still didn’t believe, but according to the process, that is not a requirement.
The end result: I didn’t win the car. I did however, get multiple job offers and got to choose my career direction. Of the two other things I wrote, they both arguably came true but I was wishy-washy in my wording so it wasn’t a good barometer of success.
I am interested in others’ stories. I think that I would have not noticed the ad for the raffle if I wasn’t tuned into it. You know how you buy a new car or hear a new word and then it is everywhere? Maybe opportunities exist for all of us all of the time and we just don’t recognize them.