Let Motivational Posters Do the Work for You!

How do they work? Well, remember that one of the functions of your brain is to solve problems. Whatever challenge you put to your brain, your brain will go to work to solve. It does this in the background all on its own in your subconscious whether you want it to or not.

You've probably experienced this marvelous problem solving ability first hand. Did you ever wake up in the middle of the night with the answer to a question, or a better way of doing something? That is your subconscious mind solving problems. Most of us don't try to control or direct that problem solving ability, so it just happens. But, we can control it and direct to some degree by using tools like motivational posters.

Deepak Chopra says that you should write down your goals, read them every day when you wake up and when you go to sleep, and then forget about them. By doing this you're planting a seed in your brain and kicking your subconscious mind into overdrive to solve a problem. In this case, the problem is... "How do I achieve my goals?" This is one very efficient way of directing your brain to solve problems for you.

The brain relies heavily on input from the environment that comes in through the senses. Sight is the number one sense. In other words, the brain trusts sight the most for verification and validation. In the Chopra example above, we're using a visual stimulus and repetition to stimulate the subconscious.

Since the brain relies most heavily on sight for its input, anything visual has a strong impact on us. We might hear a car crash, for example, but it's usually not until we see the extent of the damage that it impacts us most. Because of the impact that vision has on the brain, visual tools have great power over the subconscious mind. A motivational poster, therefore, has great power to influence your life and help you reach your goals.

How can you enhance the effectiveness of a motivational poster? The more senses you use to experience something, the greater the impact. This isn't totally passive like the poster itself, and you may need to get creative here, but it may be worth it.

• Smell - The olfactory nerves have a very strong impact on the brain. Smells can instantly bring back a memory long forgotten, and all the emotions that go with it. Have you ever smelled something that reminded you of an experience you had in childhood? How about a place you love to visit? Place something near your poster that has the right kind of smell. Say that you want a new romantic relationship. You've chosen a movie poster from a movie that represents the kind of relationship you'd like to have. Now, what do you want that other person to smell like? Go out and buy some cologne, perfume, body spray, or incense and set it up to ensure that you smell that when you get near the poster.
• Touch - Have you ever touched something that made you feel good? I was playing with some rose petals the other day and I was amazed at how soft they were. They felt good, and touching them really made me feel good! Let's say that your goal is to have a new car. So you've got your motivational poster of the car up and working for you on the wall or the refrigerator. Now make it work better. Get a hold of a piece of painted metal and wax it so that it's as smooth as glass. You want it to feel like the most highly polished car in the world. Put that near your poster where you can touch it every day and feel how that freshly waxed new car is going to feel. Get something that makes you feel good, or feels like what it is you're after, and put it to work with your poster.
• Taste - Let's say that you've decided that it's time for you to live your ideal life. You've envisioned how you want each day to be, and you have a motivational poster that displays that perfectly. Now let's say that in your mind, living your ideal life means that you drink a latte every day, or an orange smoothie. Start drinking that drink right now. While you drink your ideal drink each day, take time to look at your poster to enhance the effect. Maybe you could put your poster in the kitchen and have your drink there.
• Hear - Can you hear what it sounds like in your future? Maybe you're like me, and you want a new beautiful house. Like me, you've chosen a picture of a beautiful house that you want to own. In my next house, I want a large indoor atrium area with plants and a fountain. Can you hear the running water of the fountain in the atrium? Recently, I was given a gift of one of those small indoor fountains. Setting that up near my poster adds that additional impact by letting me hear what my house will sound like.

Oh, and by the way, almost anything that stimulates you visually can become a motivational poster. A movie poster, a book cover, or a picture will do. A picture that a friend or family member drew, or a picture that you have of almost anything or any place that gets your juices flowing can work for you.

So, when I refer to motivational posters, I am talking of course about anything either in writing or in picture format that can be used as a visual reminder of a goal. These visual reminders serve as prompts to stimulate your brain on a consistent basis.

For example, I have a torn out page of a real estate magazine on my refrigerator. It has a picture of that beautiful house that I want to own next. That is my personal motivational poster. Every time I go to the refrigerator, it refreshes my memory of what I want. Seeing it renews my convictions, and recharges my enthusiasm so that my brain will go to work to answer the question... "How do I get that house?"

If you use this tool, you will set things in motion. Over time, this constant repetition and stimulation will ensure that you will do what is necessary to make your dream your reality. Do not underestimate the power of a technique like this. Many top self development professionals recommend using these types of visual aids as an important part of your success strategy.

Motivational posters are a great tool because once they're in place, you don't have to do anything except look at them in order for them to work. It sounds ironic, but they are actually a passive motivational tool! Once you try it, I think you'll be hooked. You'll have posters and pictures all over your house.

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