The Complete Master Key System: Using the Classic Work to Discover Prosperity, Joy, and Fulfillment
Brand: Tarcherperigee
Color: Silver
Categories: Books, Health, Fitness & Dieting, Alternative Medicine


The Complete Master Key System: Using the Classic Work to Discover Prosperity, Joy, and Fulfillment

Dimensions: 5.45 x 1.34 x 8.22 inches
ISBN-13: 978-0399171826
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9780399171826
Publisher: TarcherPerigee
Print length: 512 pages
Publication date: September 4, 2014
subtitle: Paperback – September 4, 2014
author: William Gladstone Richard Greninger John Selby Jack Canfield Mark Victor Hansen
review: Editorial Reviews Review "If you read only one book this year, be sure it’s THE COMPLETE MASTER KEY SYSTEM !" —Mark Victor Hansen, bestselling author, Chicken Soup for the Soul “If you want to take your life to the next level, read THE COMPLETE MASTER KEY SYSTEM.” —Jack Canfield, bestselling author, Chicken Soup for the Soul "Whether you need more money, a great job, an amazing relationship, this book tells you what you have to do, and it is really simple." —Arielle Ford, author, The Soulmate Secret "Tapping the source using the master key system for abundance and happiness is one of the most direct paths to fulfillment that I’ve seen. THE COMPLETE MASTER KEY SYSTEM is a wonderful book, a master key to fulfillment and conscious evolution. " —Barbara Marx Hubbard, futurist, author “When you tap in to the source, everything flows and you are successful in all aspects of your life. This book is one of the keys to do that. Read it.” —Marilyn Tam, humanitarian and author, How to Use What You’ve Got to Get What You Want “Joie de Vivre means ‘joy of life.’ THE COMPLETE MASTER KEY SYSTEM is about how to actually connect with that joy. I’m looking forward to giving the book to each of our employees.” —Chip Conley, founder at Joie de Vivre Hospitality, author About the Author William Gladstone is an author and literary agent who has worked with Eckhart Tolle, Deepak Chopra, and Barbara Marx Hubbard. Richard Greninger is a producer at Coast to Coast Production. John Selby is the author of more than two dozen self-help, spiritual growth, business success, and psychology books. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. DAILY MANIFESTATION PROCESS We are always in the presence of an Infinite and Eternal Energy from which all things proceed . A single idea may be worth millions of dollars, and these ideas can only come to those who are receptive, who are prepared to receive them, who are in a successful frame of mind. Is it not worthwhile to make the effort? —CHARLES HAANEL, The Master Key System FOREWORD What a treasure you have in front of you in Tapping the Source . I know something about manifesting and thinking on a large scale. My Chicken Soup book series has sold more than one hundred and fifty million copies, and I have encouraged and taught tens of thousands of ordinary people just like you to live their dreams and become successful authors and speakers. In Tapping the Source , you now have the formula for manifesting your own dreams, whatever they may be. You may be working in the real estate industry, or working as an automobile mechanic, or taking care of your children as a stay-at-home parent. It really does not matter what or if you have a profession because Tapping the Source is the key to your true fulfillment and happiness in life. That’s right. This book you hold in your hands is all you need to start living the life of your dreams. Richard Greninger, whom I have worked with as a friend and colleague for more than twenty years, has done us all an enormous service in rediscovering the Master Keys of Charles Haanel and teaming up with William Gladstone and John Selby to create an immediate action plan for twenty-first-century readers not just to read the original keys, but also to implement them. The Focus Phrases and exercises in Tapping the Source are unique. No other self-help book gives you these simple exercises that capture the wisdom of the ages and allow you to not just understand how to manifest but also feel the energy of manifestation in your very own body. In studying with my mentor Buckminster Fuller, I was exposed to cutting-edge thought and a mind that was capable of dreaming big dreams. From Bucky I learned to dream big, to dream differently, and to overcome obstacles. With the tools you now have in Tapping the Source , I encourage you to dream big, to dream differently, and to overcome the obstacles in your own life. I know you can, and I know that the process of doing so will bring you great joy. We are living at a unique time in human history. All the technology and building blocks necessary for creating a world that works for everyone already exist. The missing ingredient has been human will and dedication to a larger vision. That larger vision has actually been with us for hundreds of years. Charles Haanel was the first modern thinker to see how to use this ancient wisdom to manifest abundance and happiness. One of my favorite quotes from the Master Key System of Charles Haanel is: “Large ideas have a tendency to eliminate all smaller ideas so that it is well to hold ideas large enough to counteract and destroy all small or undesirable tendencies. This is one of the secrets of success: Think big thoughts. The creative energies of mind find no more difficulty in handling large situations than small ones.” My advice to you is that you use the tools you now have before you in Tapping the Source to “think big thoughts.” Start with big thoughts and build big dreams. Make them real and share them with humanity. You are here to make a difference. With my sincere wishes for your highest success, Mark Victor Hansen INTRODUCTION Everything you ever wanted can be yours. Everything. Not just wealth, health, and material abundance but also true eternal happiness. How can we know this? How can we offer such assurance? What is the source of our knowledge and confidence that this is true? This book will reveal these secrets in accessible language with easy-to-follow exercises that have proven to be effective. But where did this information come from? Why should you trust that this book is the true guide to all you have been seeking? In all areas of your life you must always examine the source. This book is not just the creative output of three successful and widely divergent intellects. Tapping the Source is first and foremost a modern-day presentation of the ideas provided to the world by an extraordinary individual named Charles Haanel. Charles Haanel lived from 1866 to 1949. During his lifetime, Haanel created a great fortune and dedicated himself to teaching others his secrets of manifestation. Haanel combined the unique skills of being both a practical businessman and a metaphysician interested in esoteric beliefs and esoteric practices. He was one of the first individuals in America to believe in meditation and manifestation through concentrated focus and discipline. Haanel believed in hard work, but he also believed in something more: the ability of each individual to tap into the Divine Source of knowledge and wisdom that permeates the universe. Of the many books Haanel wrote, his most famous and useful, The Master Key System , was published in 1912, almost one hundred years ago. This book went on to influence Ernest Holmes, Napoleon Hill, and many other authors and individuals through to the present day, including the creators of The Secret . Anywhere you go on the Internet, you will see the links between Charles Haanel and The Secret . The Master Key System , as a book and correspondence course, sold in excess of two hundred thousand copies at a time when America had perhaps only one-tenth the reading population it has today. One of those readers was a gentleman named Napoleon Hill. Hill is famous for his classic work Think and Grow Rich , which has sold tens of millions of copies and is widely regarded as the first and most useful self-help book ever published. He went on to create the Napoleon Hill Institute, which remains robust and active today, still touching the lives of millions of individuals focused on creating material wealth. Hill wrote a letter in April 1919 in which he gave full credit to Charles Haanel and his Master Key System as the source for his own books and teachings. At this time, Hill had already published the first edition of his book The Law of Success and was also publishing his Golden Rule magazine, both precursors to Think and Grow Rich . In today’s world of self-aggrandizing self-help teachers and gurus, this is a truly gracious letter of recognition: My dear Mr. Haanel: I believe in giving credit where it is due; therefore, I believe I ought to inform you that my present success and the success which has followed my work as President of the Napoleon Hill Institute is due largely to the principles laid down in The Master Key System . I shall cooperate with you in getting your course into the hands of the many who so greatly need your message. Cordially and sincerely, Napoleon Hill Hill was not just a powerful self-help author. He practiced the principles he learned from Haanel and amassed one of the largest fortunes in America through Golden Rule , consulting agreements with business titan Andrew Carnegie, and the creation of his own publishing empire. Perhaps even more importantly, he focused on philanthropic activities and sharing his knowledge with others. Indeed even his act of acknowledging Haanel can be interpreted as part of the wisdom imparted in the Master Key System itself. The true power of the Law of Attraction and other laws of abundance that are at the center of the Master Key System is about constantly giving to others and acknowledging the role of others in everyday success on every level of our lives. Many books, such as The Law of Attraction by Jerry and Esther Hicks and The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, have taken an idea here and there from the writings of Napoleon Hill and Charles Haanel, but there has never been a book that goes back to Haanel’s original words and provides the full context of what his principles and laws really are and how to implement them. Part of the reason for this may be that times have changed since his work was first published, and some of the insights provided are no longer as timely. This in fact is not the case. Though his writing may seem dated, his ideas are timeless. There is not a single principle or law in the original Master Key System that is less relevant today than when originally published. The Master Key System is truly a book of timeless wisdom and insight. The modern world has progressed in many areas in one hundred years, however, and one of the areas of such progress has been specifically in how to use meditation and focused concentration to reach alpha states for peak performance. Books have been written, such as Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and Zone Tennis by Jay P. Granat, about how to be “in the flow” or “in the zone” and reach maximum physical and mental potential at all times. The Secret hinged on just one of Haanel’s principles, but in fact The Master Key System illustrates that a single principle from the full twenty-four presented is not sufficient for success. In Tapping the Source , we have gone back to Haanel’s original words and principles and have added specific easy-to-follow exercises that enhance your ability to implement Haanel’s recommendations. In the original Master Key System, Haanel provided a powerful principle, such as focusing on your connection to the source of abundance in the universe, and then told his readers to sit quietly and meditate on that idea. In Tapping the Source , John Selby has developed specific Focus Phrases that mirror Haanel’s instructions so that you have a practical guide that will enable you to more thoroughly and more quickly capture the experience of not just understanding but feeling what it means to be centered and connected to your ultimate and unlimited potential. We are humbled to serve as your guides to the wonderful wisdom of Charles Haanel. This is a magical book that will change your life—not just in helping you achieve your own material and emotional desires, but also in helping you help others achieve their goals as well. At the heart of Tapping the Source is the awareness that all life is interconnected and that the true secret of happiness is connecting to others and helping them connect to the same Source from which all is manifested. In so doing we all have the potential to live our lives to our fullest potential and to create the conditions for humanity as a collective whole to also reach its highest potential. As you read Tapping the Source , remember to breathe and enjoy. Part One GETTING STARTED CHAPTER 1 WHO WAS CHARLES HAANEL? It is hard to overstate the magic and wisdom of Charles Haanel’s lifework. He was a living example of the synthesis of both Western and Eastern philosophies, a man who appreciated material abundance but who never lost sight of the importance of inner calm and inner peace. Haanel was a man with a healthy ego and concern for his own well-being but also a man with tremendous compassion and interest in helping others. He had an innate ability to penetrate the true meaning of world religions and an awareness of the ability of each and every human being to have a direct relationship with the Divine Source of intelligence and abundance that created the universe. Charles Haanel (pronounced HAH-nell ) was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on May 22, 1866, to Hugo and Emeline Haanel. Hugo, like many Americans of his generation, was born in Europe and arrived first in New York City. He relocated to Maryland before moving to Michigan shortly after his discharge from military service in 1862. Hugo married Emeline Fox in 1865, and Charles was born a year later. The family moved to St. Louis, Missouri, when Charles was four years old. Hugo’s family was not wealthy and neither was he, but he attended college in Michigan and became the principal first of the Picker School and then of the North School of the Church of the Holy Ghost, both in St. Louis. Hugo and Emeline had four other children, all of whom were brought up in St. Louis. We can deduce from Hugo also having served as a minister that Charles was raised with religious training in the independent Evangelical Protestant traditions of these schools. Charles was educated in St. Louis, and it was there that he started his business career, quite modestly, as an office boy and then as a clerk for the St. Louis Stamping Company, a Company that perfected the manufacturing of cooking pans. Although records are not definitive, it seems Charles started his work life before the age of fourteen. It is believed he worked for the St. Louis Stamping Company for fifteen years, and by the time he was twenty-nine, he was also president of his own publishing company. At thirty-five, he became the secretary of the Oaxaca Coffee Culture Co., and just four years later—at not yet forty years of age—he was appointed president of the Continental Commercial Company. Continental was a good-sized company with ownership of many sugar, coffee, grape, and cattle plantations spread throughout California and Mexico. At the same time, he was also secretary of the Mexico Gold and Silver Mining Company. Charles married, at the age of twenty-two, Esther Smith, who bore four children before her untimely death in 1904 at the height of Charles’s business success. Charles married Margaret Nicholson of St. Louis in 1908, and Margaret bore him two additional children. Charles died in 1949 at the age of 83, Margaret in 1951. Throughout his business career, Charles maintained an interest in esoteric subjects and was a member of the Keystone Lodge, the Shriners, the Masons, and the Missouri Athletic Club. He was a Republican and a firm believer in the basic family values that he and his family supported throughout their lives. This seemingly prosaic biography is important for what it doesn’t recount: Charles Haanel was a true American. He was not someone who took advantage of others. He was not someone motivated by amassing wealth alone. He understood the common man and woman. He was an entirely self-made business success and rose through the ranks after many years of hard work. He did not just write down his goals and expect them to magically come to fruition. He focused and was disciplined in seeking knowledge and working one day at a time toward success. Nor was he immune to tragedy—not only did his first wife die prematurely, but one of his daughters also died while still a child. Throughout his life, however, Haanel was obsessed with learning and sharing information with others. He started his first publishing venture while still in his twenties and perhaps while still working as a clerk for the St. Louis Stamping Company. It was during this time that Haanel developed, first as a correspondence course, the Master Key System that is the inspiration for Tapping the Source . Haanel went on to write many other books, some of them related to his interest in meditation and Eastern religions. However, none of the books written after The Master Key System come close to the power contained in those courses and the eventual book first published in 1917. Some have speculated that the Master Key System was first created to be shared only with elite business leaders and those with the sophisticated educational background that Haanel himself did not have. We do not believe that was the case, though clearly it was not until Napoleon Hill and others started to publicly acknowledge their debt to the Master Key System that Haanel became a popular public figure. However, even before the Master Key System was published as a book accessible to all, Haanel had already achieved a position of prominence and esteem in St. Louis society. Writing in St. Louis: The Fourth City (St. Louis: S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1909), author Walter B. Stevens introduces us to Haanel, stating: Charles Haanel is largely associated with the business interests of the city, being affiliated with a number of enterprises of acknowledged financial worth. . . . Mr. Haanel is in every sense of the word a self-made man, having risen in the commercial world to his present situation of worth and prominence by the utilization of his own natural resources. This is not from an obituary, but from a book about the history of St. Louis at a time when Haanel was not yet forty-five years old. This was also written at a time when very few, if any, people knew of the Master Key System. This is important, since so many of today’s self-development and get-rich-quick gurus are getting rich only on the advice they are providing and not on the actual experience of creating real value in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, and industry as Haanel had prior to ever writing about or sharing his secrets to wealth creation. Stevens concludes his entry on Haanel for the 1909 publication with perhaps the most succinct and complete overview of Haanel ever written: He is a man of mature judgment, capable of taking a calm survey of life and correctly valuing its opportunities, its possibilities, its demands, and obligations. He has wisely sought success along the lines of least resistance, and yet, when difficulties and obstacles have confronted him, he has displayed a force of character that has enabled him to overcome them and continue on the pathway to prosperity. Many a man whose life is one of untiring industry does not win success for he lacks the complement to industry a laudable ambition which prompts the individual to reach out into other fields and eagerly grasp the opportunities that are presented. In these qualities Mr. Haanel is richly endowed and has thus attained his present enviable position in financial circles. The key points for us, as advocates of Haanel, is to recognize that he was a truly self-made man and one whose “laudable ambition” prompted him to “reach out into other fields and eagerly grasp the opportunities.” We do not believe from examining Haanel’s life and work that these ambitions were limited to financial interests only. Why would a man who, at the age of forty-four, had already achieved such remarkable financial success and recognition dedicate so much of his time and energy to creating the Master Key System and sharing his success secrets with others? In part it could be just good business practice, for, as Haanel has written in the first explanation ever formulated of the Law of Attraction, giving to others is the key to attracting, but it seems more likely that Haanel’s having achieved a high level of material and emotional happiness in his own life was sincerely motivated by an altruistic impulse to help others. Because this book is called Tapping the Source , it is essential that you know the source of the information you are reading. Haanel, in our opinion, is an impeccable source. And, just as you have read, it is not just our opinion, but also the opinion of Napoleon Hill and many other self-made millionaires and self-development teachers. For many, Haanel is considered to be “the Father of Personal Development,” and we as authors of Tapping the Source fully agree. But before you go forward in your reading of our presentation of the modern, up-to-date, enhanced-power version of the Master Key System that Tapping the Source is meant to be, you should also know something about Richard, William, and John, your guides to the brilliant teachings and techniques of Charles Haanel. CHAPTER 2 WHO ARE RICHARD, WILLIAM, AND JOHN? Okay, so Charles Haanel was an extraordinary and extraordinarily accomplished human being. But what does that matter to you? Well, it so happens that the techniques that Haanel developed actually work and have worked for millions of people over the last one hundred years. Even more important, there are profound and practical insights Haanel shares that will help you no matter what your position in your life, your educational background, or your personality type. This is what is truly extraordinary. Most self-help authors and teachers provide information and techniques that are useful for certain types of individuals and certain types of thinking. Haanel’s Master Key System, unlike any of the other dozens of systems we three authors have ever studied or used, is truly universal. You could not find three more divergent personalities than your author team of Richard Greninger, William Gladstone, and John Selby. Each of us has been extremely successful in aspects of our lives. Each of us, upon studying Haanel’s Master Keys, achieved personal mastery in our own lives when we followed the guidance provided in his book. And based on what we know now, we have come together to share what we each believe is the simplest and most powerful guidance any human being can have toward living a happy and successful life. RICHARD GRENINGER Richard Greninger never thought that he would be an author or teacher. Richard attended the prestigious Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, which is known the world over for developing famous world-class photographers, filmmakers, and automobile designers. Richard’s commercial career began in 1970, and he was a commercial producer in Hollywood for some fifteen years. As his career progressed, he became familiar with the personal development field of production. He was introduced to Berny Dohrmann, founder of CEO Space and a visionary in transforming people’s way of thinking, and was asked to create live videos for a self-help seminar called IBI. IBI was about teaching people how to create multiple streams of income. Among the speakers who spoke at these seminars were the creators of the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series, Mark Victor Hansen and Jack Canfield, and many other self-help gurus and inspirational speakers. As it turned out, Richard had a wonderful ability to capture Mark and Jack’s presentations and their audiences in a way that grabbed people’s attention. Word spread, and soon Richard was the go-to videographer for Tony Robbins, T. Harv Eker, and many other motivational speakers. Richard’s videography business thrived, and along the way Richard could not help but notice that the basic messages of many of these speakers were similar and that the people attending were not coming just to increase their incomes, but also to be inspired and motivated to live happy and fulfilling lives. The energy at many of these events was extraordinary, and Richard was able to observe firsthand the near-miraculous transformations and successes of many who had attended. But Richard also observed that in many cases the same people would return again and again, even after achieving success, still seeking more profound results or simply because they enjoyed being in the energy created at these events. Why was that so? Richard, being someone who wants to know why things work, started to study on his own. In the process, he came upon the work of Haanel and his Master Key System. Haanel was a revelation for Richard. Here, in one small book, were all the keys that all of the other self-help teachers were talking about. Richard became so motivated that he created his own very basic video version of the Master Key System and started living the principles in his daily life. Although the video series did not take off at that time, Richard felt and saw the powerful success these tapes had with those who viewed them. He vowed then that, when the time presented itself, he would find a way to bring the wisdom of the Master Key System to millions of people through a book and a new and better video series. Of course, one of the major problems for Richard was that he was not an experienced writer. And so he waited. WILLIAM GLADSTONE As John Lennon wrote, “Life is what happens when we are busy making other plans.” One of Richard’s other plans was to work on a promotional video for a novel by a friend of Mark Victor Hansen’s, William Gladstone. The novel was called The Twelve , and part of the assignment included flying to New York City to shoot some subway scenes with William. In the process, Richard and William became good friends. Shortly after the promotional video for The Twelve was completed, Richard drove down from his home and studio in Newport Beach, California, to William’s home and office in Cardiff by the Sea, California, to go over the final cut and make some tweaks. The meeting turned into lunch, and after lunch Richard mentioned to William that his own dream—much like the writing of The Twelve had been William’s—was to write and publish a major book acknowledging Charles Haanel and his Master Key System as the most powerful self-help guide ever written. William was busy with many other projects in addition to promoting his novel. As the founder and active president of Waterside Productions, a major literary agency, he was personally representing best-selling authors such as Eckhart Tolle and Neale Donald Walsch. However, William could not ignore the enthusiasm with which Richard raved about Haanel and his Master Key System. Finally, with some reluctance, William gave in. “Okay, send this Master Key System to me and I will see what I can do. We will need to bring in a writer to update the story for twenty-first-century readers, but if the original is as strong as you say it is, I am sure I will be able to find a writer.” A few days later, the manuscript of the original Master Key System arrived. William was too busy to do more than spend about five minutes with it, but he thought a local writer he was meeting with that very day might be ideal to rewrite the text. So William gave this writer the manuscript with the hope that he would be inspired to become part of the project. The writer took about a week before responding to William, and though he was excited by the material, he had another project that required his immediate attention. It looked unlikely that he would be able to even consider becoming the coauthor of a book about the Master Key System for another five or six months. That was just too long to wait, so William had the writer return the manuscript and decided he would take it with him the following weekend when he went to Kauai, Hawaii, for his annual spring vacation. William is not your ordinary literary agent. He grew up in a wealthy book publishing family and wanted to be a writer before his father persuaded him that writing was an unlikely profession if he ever expected to support a family or maintain the highly affluent lifestyle he had experienced as a child. William had obtained an advanced degree in cultural anthropology at Harvard University before entering the world of business, and from his first days as a film producer working with Rod Serling and NBC Television, and then as an executive editor for Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Publishing, it was clear William had a unique talent for selecting and managing creative talent. William is always focused, disciplined, and a hard worker. Utilizing these Haanel-like qualities, as well as his natural openness to “synchronicity” and “good fortune,” William soon built his own multimillion-dollar literary agency, Waterside Productions, which not only represents book authors but entire companies, including mid-level mergers and acquisitions up to $30 million in individual transactions. William is a busy guy but believes in living a balanced life that includes playing golf and taking frequent visits to his second home in Kauai. JOHN SELBY One of the friendships William had developed in Kauai was with an author named John Selby. John is an accomplished writer and has worked with a number of literary agents in order to build his résumé, which includes more than twenty books with more than a million copies sold in total. The relationship between William and John sometimes included some agenting, but William is not John’s primary literary agent and their relationship is based more on having children with similar interests and both having received Ivy League educations (William went to Yale as an undergraduate, John to Princeton). John knew William was coming to Kauai that May and had invited William to dinner soon after he was due to arrive. A funny thing happened to William on the plane ride from San Diego to Kauai. He read Haanel’s original The Master Key System cover to cover. He couldn’t believe the manuscript. He later commented to Richard and John, “I felt that I was reading a manuscript that I could have written myself. I have been living these principles in my work for the last twenty-five years. Haanel’s Master Keys are literally the keys to my own career and financial success.” Well, the dinner with John took a very different course than just talk about the kids and John’s latest marvelous video products, which were designed to help people sleep better and reduce stress. “John, you have got to read this manuscript. I need a writer to bring this up to the twenty-first century, and in my gut I know you would be great for the task,” William suggested, almost before dinner had started. John replied, cheerfully but firmly, “Well, I’m super busy with my new video production and I have another agent who is offering me a book deal, so I really just don’t have the time. I’m sorry, but at this stage of my life I really want to focus exclusively on my own projects.” Never one to give up on creative talent without a second or third attempt, William simply looked at John as he handed him the manuscript. “I understand,” William said, “but please at least skim this and let me know if you can think of someone else on the island I might meet with. I know this is powerful and deserves a great writer like you.” “Okay, I can do that at least,” John responded as he took the manuscript and noticed that it was the work of Haanel. “Funny you should hand me this. My grandfather was a major cattle rancher and owned the largest ranch in what is today Ojai, California, and he used to rave about Charles Haanel and his Master Key System to me when I was a boy. I never paid much attention at the time, but I did come across his work later when I was doing my studies in cognitive psychology at Princeton. It will be good to spend an hour or two getting reacquainted with Charles and his Master Keys. Must be more than thirty years since I looked at his stuff.” Dinner in John’s Kauai “writing shack” was even more pleasant than usual that evening, with great barbequed steak prepared by John and exotic, organic Hawaiian vegetables, grown and prepared by John’s wife, Birgitta. When William woke up the next day, he was pleased but not altogether surprised when John called, almost shouting, “This is unbelievable. In the last thirty years, my entire life’s work has been on helping people focus and overcome addictions and stress. Now I see that I have been missing one major ingredient in my own teaching, and Charles Haanel has had that secret for me all these years. There is no question. I was meant to write this book. My heart is racing just thinking about what a powerful message we can bring to others and how I can use my expertise in teaching breathing meditation exercises to fully complement what Charles Haanel has been recommending for more than a hundred years. I know I have the missing ingredient that will enable people to immediately use the Master Keys in a way that they never could before. When should we get started?” And of course John was 100 percent correct. The book you hold in your hands is the result of the unique gifts of three different authors. We are certain that what you will discover is the most inspiring and practical advice you will ever read anywhere: the original and streamlined wisdom of master thinker and manifester Charles Haanel. CHAPTER 3 HOW TO USE THIS BOOK As three very different authors with different learning styles of our own, we recognize that not all readers should necessarily read books in the same way. For those of you who are able to immediately start working with the core material from Charles Haanel and can jump into the meditation and breathing exercises provided, go directly to part two, “Activate Your Inner Potential.” Just read along page by page through to the end, making certain to actually do the exercises in the order they are presented. John Selby has helped tens of thousands of people with exercises similar to those provided, and the unique context of Haanel’s Master Keys and insights will ensure success if you follow the program John has created. For those of you who are hurried for time or just not ready to sit down for a long read that includes doing the exercises, it is fine to start with the insights provided by Richard and William. In fact, for some of you, that may be all you need—just a reminder in simple language of what really matters in life and how to be happy and successful (and rich in financial terms as well, if that is important to you). Those of you interested in business may just want to start with chapter 5, which has the distilled business principles William first wrote about in his own business autobiography, Be the Deal , which he later recognized as resonating so closely with the Master Keys of Haanel. Other readers—especially those who have been exposed to concepts such as the Law of Attraction, the Law of Abundance, and other principles Richard writes about based on his own interpretation of Haanel’s Master Keys and what he has learned from his decades-long association with Tony Robbins, Mark Victor Hansen, Bob Proctor, and other teachers—may want to start with chapter 4, immediately following this section. Some of you may want to jump to part four, “Practice Makes Perfect.” Although these are in fact the final words, they are also a synthesis of the key phrases and insights from Haanel’s Master Key System. John, William, and Richard have found a way to represent these teachings in a way that will be immediately useful to your everyday lives. If you do nothing more than read and reflect upon these final ten pages of Tapping the Source , you will have received more than your money’s worth from purchasing this book. And if you are able to absorb the incredible wisdom and put into action the insights from these ten pages of “final words” from Haanel, consider yourself ready to become a guide and teacher to others as well. Of course, most people will benefit greatly from reading and implementing John’s Focus Phrases. John’s phrases and meditation teachings are the secret missing ingredient. So, if you are like most people, simply read the rest of the book exactly as we have written it. Our authentic desire in writing Tapping the Source is to help you and others create a better world. We are living in a time of both individual and collective crises, and Tapping the Source is designed to be but one of many resources to help you respond to the challenges that may face you and those you love. John was the primary writer for parts two and three of Tapping the Source . He sometimes writes in the first person, and sometimes not. Conceptually and editorially, Tapping the Source is a collaborative effort on every level, and all three authors have incorporated their unique knowledge into the material that awaits you. CHAPTER 4 RICHARD’S BACKGROUND AND INSIGHTS Since 1989, I have been privileged to work with the top masters of the personal development world as a producer of their large seminars and video media: Tony Robbins, Mark Victor Hansen, Jack Canfield, Bob Proctor, and so many other great intellects. One of my jobs was to interview attendees for the all-important “testimonial moment” in each video. It struck me that I kept interviewing the same people over and over again. And so I asked myself, “What did they miss at the last event that they felt they needed to attend the same program again?” These programs promised participants newfound wealth, fame as an author or speaker, and a great career as an entrepreneur in the world of business. Some promised a new and exciting connection to their primary relationship, and maybe even finding a true soul mate. So what did each of these individuals hope to find? Did they really want to travel the hard road of becoming an author, or risk everything to start a new business, or trade in their current relationship for a new model? Why were these people exploring these workshops for information they could use to change their lives for the better? What were they really looking for? What I discovered is that they all had one thing in common: They wanted to be happy and content. All the aforementioned desires were just a means to that end: to be happy and have time to enjoy their life with some sense of balance. That is why Tapping the Source was written: to give you a road map to the destination of personal happiness. My goal is to bring you and your loved ones a new point of view on how to achieve happiness. When you think that happiness is a state of mind, then why can’t we just be happy? If you look at people around the world, they find happiness with or without money, power, and prestige. People are happy most everywhere, and they don’t necessarily have a financially free life. They work, eat, and find happiness in their everyday lives. Quite frankly, having millions in the bank is less important to me than living like a millionaire. I would be pleased if this book generates millions of dollars, but trust that I will not allow managing additional wealth to take my time and energy away from the things that have proven to be my true source of happiness. Having time to share with loved ones and do the little things with them can be worth more than a million bucks! If you follow the path that John, Bill, and I have laid out, while gleaning the amazing wisdom of Haanel as your GPS to destination happiness, I can promise that you will find what you are looking for. I am not guessing. This is an absolute guarantee. You can and will find happiness. All I ask is that you pass this book on or, better yet, buy several and give them to your friends; that way they will be with you when you arrive at destination happiness. Good luck! USING THE LAW OF ABUNDANCE Abundance. Well, I have to tell you that I am tired of hearing about all the abundance in life when around me is lots of lack of it, or so it seems. You have to ask yourself, “If there is so much abundance, then where is it? It isn’t in my bank account!” Therein lies the problem: Abundance never shows up in the form of paper. It shows up as satisfaction, smiles, happiness, pride, and prestige. The paper stuff is just a calculator of your abundance, and not necessarily the real thing. Money fundamentally represents the fruits of your labor, what you actually love to do. Your passion is what drives you and moves you to your finest moments. This personal movement creates success and fame, and the resulting output is wealth in all of its forms. If you chase money for money’s sake, the result may be paper money, but that money may not track with true abundance. The Law of Abundance shows itself at work everywhere. It is wise to stop and take a look at what is really around you. Glance at nature, billions of stars, millions and millions of trees, flowers, plants, animals, fish, and people. There is no shortage here, and even if there were, nature can replenish and reproduce at will. The shortage we are feeling can be corrected by carefully using the laws of nature to bring to you what you truly desire. Haanel stated it this way: “The law is that THOUGHT is an active and vital form of DYNAMIC ENERGY which has the power to HARMONIZE AND CORRELATE with the mind’s vision and creations. Then it brings out from the invisible world; substance from which all things are created and then ultimately delivered into the visible or physical world.” It is pretty powerful and exact, not a lot of guessing going on in the universal design. As you look at the broad landscape of life, you soon will come to the realization that all this came from somewhere, and it wasn’t purchased at the local mall. Every material possession you own—your car, your house, your golf clubs—comes from the infinite invisible where everything exists in a form of moving energy. I recently did a Google search for “images of atoms,” and there they were, moving atoms under a powerful electron scope. Energy is the substance from which all things are created, and that includes you, your future, and the things that support you. The law operates on vibrations, and that is why you must have the convincing emotion and desire in your body and mind to harmonize with the Law of Vibration, which will bring forth your desires as your vision has created them. Dream on! USING THE LAW OF VIBRATION IN YOUR DAILY LIFE The most mysterious and profound event of all time had no apparent cause. Nothing in science or language can adequately describe what occurred in that first hundred-millionth of a second when the majesty of an intelligently designed universe suddenly came into being. Everything that exists in the universe, even the cold vacuum of empty space, vibrates in a kind of never-ending cosmic dance. Whether we can see it or not, everything is constantly shimmering, jiggling in its own rhythm. This includes humanity’s magnificent ancestral home. The earth and everything on it continuously pulsates to its own unique vibration. Everything that exists vibrates. Let me see if I can clearly demonstrate to you how all this works in our real world. When you turn on a radio, your antenna attracts the station that you want to listen to. In reality, your antenna transmits the same pulse that the large radio station on the hilltop transmits. These radio pulses harmonize when they bump into each other, just as two instruments vibrate when they are in tune. This signal is called the carrier signal. Amazingly enough, when the two radios are connected with the carrier signal, you can send messages from one station to the other by pulsing the carrier. It sounds a little complicated, and it is. However, if you step back you can see that your body is like the radio, looking for a connection to the great radio in the sky, your Creator. Your unique vibratory rate can connect with your Creator, and you download what you need to create your vision. Metaphysics in a nutshell! Does it take a leap to go with it? Sure, just like it does to believe your cell phone is talking to a local cell site 24/7 from your pocket—unbelievable but true. So, may I suggest that it is just a nice way to move through life? You connect and you receive . . . why not? USING THE LAW OF WEALTH IN YOUR DAILY LIFE It is essential to understand the nature of wealth, how it is created, and what it depends on. Understand that success is contingent upon a higher ideal than men and women accumulating riches. True wealth depends upon man’s creative ability and the application of these abilities in the real world. It is valuable to understand that premature wealth, the type sometimes experienced by a lottery winner, can be the forerunner of personal and financial disaster. This disaster usually happens because the receiver has not understood the Law of Wealth, and the results are obvious. Wealth is a product of labor. Capital is an effect, not a cause; a servant, not a master; a means, not an end. Money is a result of work, and when there is no work involved, the value of the capital has no reference point, and that is the case with premature wealth. Hence, wealth should never be desired as an end, but simply as a means of accomplishing an end result. Success is contingent upon a higher ideal than a mere accumulation of riches, and those who aspire to such success must formulate an ideal for which they are willing to strive. Another way to say this is: If you have a big enough “why,” then the “how” will be provided naturally. The power to create depends primarily upon spiritual power. Idealization, visualization, and materialization are three essential steps in this process. Thought always precedes any action, and that action is always a result of thinking. How you act is a result of how you think, and as you think, you become. Therefore, it is critical that your thoughts remain under your control, and these thoughts will guide your actions until you achieve your desired goal. We can form our own mental images without regard to any limitations of budget, place, circumstances, or the like. These building blocks must be protected from the negative thoughts that surround each of us every day. These negative thoughts always enter our mind through the five senses of the body. Environment, chance, and fear of failure are powerful negative energies that should be contained and kept out of the creative process. If we can form our own mental images via our process of thought, regardless of what others may think, of exterior conditions, or of environment, then we can control our own destiny, body, mind, and soul—all this by exercising the power of the mind. Therefore, to control thought is to control circumstance, conditions, environment, and destiny. This is the key to creating wealth. These natural laws work in a perfectly natural and harmonious manner; hence, everything seems to “just happen.” So, if you wish to bring about the realization of a desire, form a mental picture of such by repeatedly visualizing and, most important, feeling your desire. Feel what it is like to be there now, and, like the antenna on a radio, send out to the invisible world a request to provide you with what you need to create that worthwhile desire. THE POWER OF THINKING—WHAT A THOUGHT! It has been said that thinking is what separates you and me from all the other people in the world. Thinking is unique to each of us, somewhat like a fingerprint. Did you know that even identical twins from the same egg have different fingerprints? They say that your fingerprint is the unique spiritual address of your mind—what a thought! The question is, how do we embrace all the wonderful opportunities that the world has to offer and at the same time be a unique individual? Each of us has many of the same goals as others, so how do we achieve without becoming just another face in the sea of humanity? How do we climb above it all to reach what we see as our destiny? The answer is clear: Use the power of your perfect mind. Haanel was the personal teacher of Napoleon Hill, who wrote Think and Grow Rich . To quote Haanel, “How we think is who we become.” Therefore, it is vital to respect our thoughts as a creative force for our future. Everything ever made in the world came from a thought. Thoughts are things and must be treasured as such. Creating a fulfilling life is much like driving a car. There are rules of the road, and if you obey the rules you will probably have fewer accidents than if you chose to ignore them. Our Creator has seemingly created some very clear rules that drive each of us on a moment-by-moment basis. There are many laws of nature, including the Law of Attraction, the Law of Wealth, the Law of Health, the Law of Power, the Law of Morality, the Law of Spirit, and the Law of Vibration. Knowing how these laws operate will affect your personal journey. Achieving a balanced life is a product of using nature’s laws to your advantage. Again, these are nature’s laws, not some personal or organizational law that will change; these are fixed, permanent laws. Test it out for yourself: Try to change, say, the Law of Gravity. See what I mean? Each of us has a brain, which is a physical organ of the body. The brain receives signals from your nervous system and gives you messages as to whether you are on the smooth path of life or on a path that leads to anxiety and turmoil. The Law of Morality will be the first red light indicator on the dashboard that will get your attention when you divert from an honest and worthwhile direction. Tapping into the source of your creation is essential for you to receive the power and insight from your Maker. I would imagine he or she or it is perfect in all ways, so it would seem to me that if that same life force made you and me, then you received everything you need to discern the marvelous possibilities that are all around us. We can take control of our natural gifts and power to make our hopes and dreams come true. Your thinking is what will guide you to your destiny, and Tapping the Source is the perfect road map to your great adventure. Let’s go! YOUR SPIRIT: A CHOICE POINT Throughout history, mankind has been seeking a true purpose for being here on planet Earth. We have been seeking, creating, hoping, praying, kneeling, envisioning, and for that matter dreaming of a place that makes everything worthwhile and fulfilling. I believe that we as humans have what I call a “choice point.” We have an opportunity to play the game, join the crowd, mingle with the believers—or not. The “or not” part is pretty scary, since 90 percent of all humans seek solace in a higher power. You can venture down the path of life with the faithful or choose to make it on your own. I think I would recommend the choice point of spirit. My father is ninety years old as I write this, and he is a nonbeliever. I say to him, “Dad, if you are right and there is nothing after this, then who cares? If you are wrong and there is a great afterlife when we pass on, then you probably would have wished you had chosen a different path.” The point is, there is no downside to choosing a spiritual path. Beliefs in a spiritual world have been around a very long time, and that alone has to be something to look into. If you feel more comfortable looking toward a third-party entity such as Jesus, God, Buddha, Allah, or any of the hundreds of images we choose to follow, or you are more inclined to a metaphysical belief in which you are part of the Creator, then fine. Make a choice and enjoy the benefits that come with being part of a group of like-minded people, most with good intentions and a view of a better life ahead. Don’t worry about proving to yourself that “this is it”—sometimes looking for proof is a waste of time. Like your radio, you don’t need to figure out what makes it work; just turn it on and enjoy it, and you probably won’t go wrong. Having a spiritual connection opens many doors. Haanel said this about spirit: Spirit, whatever else it may or may not be, must be considered as the essence of consciousness, the substance of mind, the reality underlying thought. And as all ideas are phases of the activity of consciousness, mind or thought, it follows that in spirit, and in it alone, is to be found the ultimate fact, the real thing, or idea. Spirit is creative in its purest form, and we humans have the one thing that separates us from all other creatures on the planet: We are creative. Spirit is the ultimate creative force and exemplified by our existence. So, to bottom line it, I say, “Go with it!” MANAGE YOUR OWN MEDIA In the last several decades, new forms of media have invaded our daily lives. First there was television, then two hundred channels of cable, interactive fiber-optic cable, streaming media from computer networks, and now iPods are connected to every ear in America. Blogs, Twitter, MySpace, and Facebook keep us all connected in some form or another. Every moment seems to be documented, talked about, and viewed by strangers for one purpose or another. Certainly these wonderful technological discoveries are extraordinary and have brought a world of entertainment and information to every facet of society. Celebrities seem to guide our buying habits, our political views, and even our personal dreams and aspirations. Society seems to live vicariously through The Oprah Winfrey Show . We wake up to Regis and Kelly so we can prepare what we will talk about around the water cooler at the office. We are glued to news of Britney and Jessica, as their lives make radical turns to the altar or the bedroom, and then off to the courtroom. The nightly news puts us to bed with seemingly unending chaos, human tragedy, and heart-wrenching hopelessness. The question I ask is, What about you? What about your life? What does this barrage of information and images do to inspire, motivate, and uplift your life in a world that is already difficult to navigate? How do you become sensual and passionate while body bags are being counted and RPGs are mutilating our eighteen-year-old soldiers on the flat screen above your bed? How do you feel accomplished when there are images everywhere idealizing the latest hot car, sprawling estate, outrageous destination, or beautiful men and women made even more unattainably so by the magic of Photoshop? How do you move forward in your personal life when it seems that everyone has already arrived—and become a millionaire? I think you get the point, and the point is: It is time that you lived for you, your life, your dreams, and your rewards. Often, the source of satisfaction and dissatisfaction is comparison. What we compare ourselves to is critical to our personal happiness meter. If you compare your financial success to that of Bill Gates every morning, I can assure you that you will feel like a pauper even if in reality your financial profile is one to be admired. Again, if you compare yourself to Naomi Campbell or Tom Cruise in the looks category, well, you will have to spend a lot of time at the gym and in front of the mirror with little satisfaction. Tapping the Source teaches that you can start a process of listening to your inner self, your true partner in life. Begin to use this deliberate form of communication, which is not really new, but an approach you might have put on the shelf a long time ago. We can begin this journey with the suggestion of shutting off, unplugging, and disconnecting. Go offline. What a thought! It almost sounds like treason these days. Think of it: simply being with the one you love in a calm and quiet atmosphere. Maybe you have a nice light dinner, with candles burning, and you sit next to each other with absolutely no expectations, just sit with each other, in the silence . . . simply being together. You don’t have to be cute or charming or smart or sharp or witty or funny. Just try to be with each other. You will find that it is an eye-opening and maybe even sensual experience of the highest quality. When you tap your inner source, you will find an extraordinary place to create memorable moments that you can develop and share with your loved one. A new form of communication will appear that will touch each other’s hearts—that is, if you don’t touch the flat screen remote. Try it. I think that if you manage your media intake, you might just save your life. YOUR SOURCE OF YOUR HEALTH IS YOU Understanding that your physical body reacts to your mental state helps to develop a lifestyle that is healthy. Thoughts can bring about an emotional vibration that can be helpful or harmful to the physical body’s response. The life force process is carried on by nutrition, secretion, and elimination. This process includes the complexities of the how, why, and what of food and drink. How is the food prepared and emotionally ingested? How does eating relate to your hunger, fuel, health, and emotional habit? What to eat and drink brings the thought vibration into the body. Creating nurturing feelings, thoughts, and food can bring your senses to a state of well-being and an emotional vibration of wellness. Every mental action is a vibration. Any given vibration, therefore, immediately modifies every atom in the body affecting every life cell. The objective mind has certain effects on the body that are readily recognized: laughter, tears, or blood rushing to the face when angry or embarrassed. It is amazing how the mental state affects the body through the emotional vibration of joy, sadness, fear, and elation. The action of the subconscious mind differs. When wounded, thousands of cells begin the work of healing at once. A surgeon sets a broken bone, but it is the subconscious mind that restores the bone. The subconscious mind will build a wall around an infection to facilitate healing. Using the vibration of perfection and wellness, the subconscious mind is aided by the superconscious mind to restore perfection. Thoughts make a difference. Each cell in the body carries intelligence. Cells are known to respond to thought, and positive thought can enhance healing. Every element of the human body is the result of the rate of vibration. Mental action is a rate of vibration. A higher rate of mental vibration governs, modifies, controls, changes, as well as destroys a lower rate of vibration. Therefore, understanding the power of the mind can allow us to be harmonious with the always present natural laws. Everything in the universe is what it is by virtue of its rate of vibration. Everything and everyone is using this power to sustain life. You can enhance becoming your ideal self by connecting with the Originating Mind that forms, upholds, sustains, and creates all there is. This is the essence of Tapping the Source . CHAPTER 5 WILLIAM’S BACKGROUND AND INSIGHTS In 1998 I wrote a book titled Be the Deal . This book was written in ten days and never edited, but was immediately rushed to print within thirty days of having been written. Be the Deal was the first individually authored book ever to be published by ToExcel, the forerunner of iUniverse, which is now part of Author Solutions. We believe that Be the Deal may be the first book ever published using print-on-demand technology, and the purpose of the book was actually to prove the concept that print on demand could be used effectively to create commercially viable books cost effectively. Be the Deal convinced potential investors of the viability of ToExcel, and shortly after publication the company received $28 million in financing. When I wrote Be the Deal , I was not concerned with the actual content of the book. I had a specific goal, which was to prove the concept of print on demand and help my cofounders of ToExcel achieve our investment goals to launch the company. However, I wanted to provide a useful book that would have integrity and interest for readers. The quickest book I could write to do that was my business biography, and that is what Be the Deal became. Interestingly, in writing my business biography, I wrote in some places almost word for word the philosophy and concepts that Haanel had written almost a hundred years before. At first this may seem surprising, but when you analyze the true nature of wealth creation and the basic Law of Abundance and the other laws that Haanel, and now John and Richard, have written about in Tapping the Source , it is not surprising at all. Truth is truth, and effectiveness is effectiveness. Haanel had figured out the true keys to wealth and happiness. Fortunately for all of us, Richard brought this wisdom to my attention, and then through synchronicity I happened to be visiting Kauai, where John Selby lives, and John had the ideal writing and scientific background to bring the secret wisdom of Haanel to the widest possible audience. John’s background as a cognitive psychologist was an extraordinary synchronicity. Richard and I could have found many other writers to help with the re-creation of the words in modern prose, but I truly believe only John had the necessary knowledge to in effect provide the “missing manual” for the actual exercises that Haanel mentioned but did not elaborate upon in his original text. At first I was going to provide some additional insights and comments, as Richard has, but in rereading Be the Deal , I realized that even though it was written quickly and without editing, the concluding chapter, titled “Putting It All Together: The Seven-Step Program for Creating Your Own Good Luck in Business,” closely follows the wisdom of Haanel. For those of you with a specific interest in manifesting money and abundance through business activities, these may be the final words for you to put into practice in your daily business activities. Like Haanel, I believe that the universe contains unlimited abundance and that each and every human being has the capacity to fulfill every material, emotional, and creative desire just by connecting with or, as this book says, tapping the Source. The most important principle to creating true wealth is to be of service to others. Somehow I stumbled onto this truth at a very young age and in the process created a business, Waterside Productions, which has brought great happiness and wealth not only to me and my employees and clients and book publishers but also to the hundreds of millions of people who have read books “birthed” through my direct and indirect efforts. My work life has been an experience of pure joy, and the seven steps for creating luck, described on the following pages, are really the seven steps for tapping the Source and living a life of integrity and purpose. This is what I hope for each of you who reads these words. Of course, if you want to know more about the specific business techniques and experiences that led to these seven steps, Be the Deal is available to read in whole from iUniverse through Amazon and other book outlets. Remember, these seven steps are complementary to the wisdom of Haanel that John and Richard share. They are my individual mantras for success, and I encourage you to formulate and share your own. THE SEVEN STEPS TO CREATING YOUR OWN GOOD LUCK IN BUSINESS (Adapted and abridged from William Gladstone, Be the Deal , pages 137–141) Step One: Aptitude Read more