How Henry Ford Dealt With Problems

Henry Ford

I read the following from a very old cutting. The writer was a Henry Thomas Hamblin:

In a recent issue of Collier's Magazine, an interview with Henry Ford appeared. He spoke of the way with which big business men deal with problems, and pointed out that they did not spend a lot of time pondering and puzzling over plans or ideas. He said, "An idea comes to us; we think for a little while and then we put it in the pot to boil. We let it simmer for a time, and then take it out."

What Henry Ford means, of course, is that an idea or problem is dismissed to the sub-conscious [now usually called the unconscious], which works it out, and presents it to the conscious mind for judgement.

As an example, an inventor or one who is constructing something mechanical, can make use of the sub-conscious mind in precisely the same way. Let him sum up the whole problem, arrange all the facts and available information, and pass them all to his sub-conscious mind, when, if a successful result is within the range of possibility, an answer or idea will be forthcoming. All this being done, mark you, without any effort whatever.

All this may seem, especially to some readers, rather wonderful and far-fetched, yet there is nothing mysterious about it. I am perfectly sure that there is no great writer, politician or business man who does not make use of his sub-conscious in this way. He probably does it unconsciously, but the procedure is the same.

I know a lot of people think that this is all mumbo-jumbo, but it does work - at least to my satisfaction. It's similar to that old expression about sleeping on it.

As a simplistic example. If we do crosswords and can't solve maybe one or two of the clues, then if we put the puzzle away and forget about it, the answers will often pop up unexpectedly.

It's all a matter of thinking about something and then forgetting it and moving on to something else - then, Bob's your uncle, the solution or answer will come. Magic!

Other Posts:
Henry Ford And Reincarnation
10 Coincidence And Synchronicity Stories

The Secret Of Visualisation

I've written previously about visualisation and how it can sometimes bring us the things we want or answers to questions and problems. Graphic: Nevit Dilmen

My personal system is to simply visualise whatever it is I desire, in as much detail and with as much feeling as possible, and then ... release the whole image and thought from my mind.

Just as I would when posting a letter. I'd pop it in the mail box and then just forget about it. I feel it's the same principle with visualisation. How the letter or mail is delivered isn't my concern and neither is how my visualisation will be answered or brought about.

I mention this because of some research done at the Radboud University in the Netherlands. They have found when facing, say, a tough decision it is best to think about the problem and then forget it or sleep on it.

They say that distracting yourself with something else helps the 'brain' come up with the ideal solution.

It seems that those who consciously struggle with a difficult question or problem are most likely to get the wrong answer, compared with those who put it on the mental back-burner.

Experiments were done with students to reach their findings. By forgetting about the problem or request it allows the subconscious mind time to weigh up the pros, cons and the solution.

Psychologist Maarten Bos who led the research at Radboud University said, "Unconscious thought produces better decisions than when people decide immediately.

Although in our current experiments participants did not actually sleep on their decisions, the benefit of a period of rest is clear.

It allows us to differentiate between vital and the irrelevant aspects. When your grandparents advised you to sleep on a decision first, they may have intuitively sensed the benefits of letting it rest to get a clear grasp of one's priorities."

This also emphasises that one of the best times to visualise is prior to sleeping. This allows the unconscious mind time to bring about the things we want while we sleep.

The secret of visualisation therefore is: Visualise and then ... release it and forget it.

Further Reading:
How Dreams Solve Problems And Questions
Visualisation Brings About Coincidences And Synchronicity
The Law Of Attraction Powered By Visualisation

Atishoo Atishoo We All Fall Down - Or Perhaps Not

As it's Sunday I'm a bit off subject again. This is a short, mild rant as I've felt annoyed recently at the negative messages being regurgitated by the main stream media in general.

A typical headline in the newspaper said Ready Your Body, okay not too much wrong there, but it was the lengthy sub heading which followed that got my goat:

Winter is coming - and with it a range of health problems. From the mild sniffles to a fully fledged flu, this can be a most disruptive season.

So the bloke that wrote this claptrap is telling us that we are all going to have health problems and a disruptive winter - thanks!

The thing is that when we are told stuff like this over and over it can become almost a self fulfilling reality. We can easily come to accept that winter will bring us flu, sneezes and other diseases - but this doesn't have to be true. We can stay healthy. Just as we can survive the recession and other media horror stories.

A flu treatment on a television advertisement started off: 'When you get the flu you'll need ...'. Not even an 'if' but a definite 'when'.

I don't know about you but I refuse to accept these sort of headlines and immediately try to picture myself as healthy and having fun.

We are often told about how important it is to be positive in what we think and visualise. I think it's also equally important that we don't start to accept things we read or hear in the media, or from other people, without a second thought. This applies to all aspects of life, not just health.

If we do then atishoo, atishoo! We all fall down!

But we'll all still be standing - right?

A Mystical Approach To Problem Solving

A bit off track subject wise today but this was something I came across a few days ago from a cutting I kept from my Rosicrucian days. It's about a mystical approach to problem solving. Regret I can't credit it to anyone in particular.

It's a method that works. I've used variations of it for years for both small and big problems. The cutting reads that:

"Problems, difficulties, hatreds, resentments and fears are melted away as soon as it is used. Confidence, serenity and wonderful inner soul peace are among it's results."

No doubt you are expecting this 'mystical approach' to be something deep and maybe a little difficult to follow. But it's nothing like that, it's simplicity itself.

Okay, what is this method? I'll quote again from my cutting:

"No matter what your problem may be, the instant that you perceive its presence sit down quietly and thank God that it has already been solved. Do this just as sincerely and gratefully as you possibly can. Do it even if you are shocked or frightened or bewildered and discouraged by the onset of the problem."

There, I said it was simplistic. I've found that the more I have used this the better it works. In other words confidence and success builds as belief in something strengthens.

As I've written in previous posts I do not belong to any organised religion so I direct thanks to the Universe - but any name for God can be used, whatever feels right.

The basis of this problem solving formula is that it is founded on trust and belief. If there is a God / Universal Consciousness, or whatever, then He/It is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient. A 'God' cannot be limited by time or space so all things are possible.

I feel that we often tend to complicate life when in reality it's quite simple. I won't add anything else other than to say that the mystical approach to problem solving does work.