The Secret to Success - Dr John Demartini

Growing up, you were branded with some rather limiting comments - what were they? When I was nearly seven years of age, my first grade teacher, Mrs. McLaughlin, stood before my parents and said, 'I am afraid your son has learning disabilities and he will probably never be able to read, write or communicate. He will never go very far in life nor amount to very much. If I were you, I would put him into sports where he will at least have a possible chance to excel.'

What was the defining moment that changed the direction of your life? It was about a decade later when I was 17 years old and surfing on the North Shore of Oahu that I experienced another dramatic change; I came close to dying from an accumulation of poisonous strychnine. On my road to recovery, I met the legendary naturopath and longevitist Paul C. Bragg.

It was this elderly gentleman that inspired the most powerful turning point in my life. I attended his special class at the Sunset Recreation Hall in Waimea Bay. Here, along with 35 other young individuals, I was mesmerised by his wise teachings and inspiration. He spoke about the laws of the universe and the amazing powers of the body, mind and soul for 45 minutes. He then gave us the opportunity to contemplate what we wanted to dedicate the rest of our lives to. He stated that whatever we decided that night would become our destiny.

Because of his certainty and powerful influence, I thought intensely about what I desired to do and reflected deeply upon my life. It suddenly became clear to me that I wanted to dedicate my life to the study of these same universal laws, as they relate to the body, mind, and particularly as they relate to healing.

Who are the role models or mentors that have inspired you? What important lessons have you learnt from them? There have been thousands of leaders and teachers over the past 34 years that have inspired me. From the great ancient philosophers of the West and East to the modern-day Nobel Prize winners and social, corporate and political leaders.

What is the most important piece of advice anyone has ever given you? Know yourself, Be yourself, Love yourself.

What is the most important piece of advice you can give to someone else? Know yourself, Be yourself, Love yourself.

What do you believe are the essential qualities or personal attributes of a successful person?

• A clear, inspired written life and post-life mission statement.
• Masters plans and prioritises actions.
• Prepares contingency plans.
• Enrolls win-win relationships.
• Delegates low priorities to specialists
• Refines plans according to feedback.
• Enthusiastically acts with certainty
• Not reacts.
• Perseveres until accomplishes.

What do you think holds people back from achieving their goals? There are seven primary fears in life that can immobilise people and make them lie to themselves about what their dreams are and what they are capable of accomplishing.

1. The spiritual fear of contravening the morals or ethics of some spiritual authority that you have given power to.
2. The mental fear of not being smart enough, not having a certain educational degree, not being creative enough, not having the memory or imagination to fulfil your dream.
3. The vocational fear of failing in business and not knowing how to manage a business sufficiently enough to fulfil your dream.
4. The financial fear of the loss of money, loss of income or not making it financially.
5. The familial fear of the loss of loved ones, loss of respect from close family or loved ones, or loss of kids or spouse or parents.
6. The social fear of rejection or reprisal from someone or some group that you have given power or authority to.
7. The physical fear of ill health, death or disease or of not having the vitality or bodily strength, size or appearance needed to fulfill your dream.

Do you believe anyone can succeed in life despite his or her current (present) circumstances? No matter what has happened or what the circumstances are, as long as people have a functioning mind, they can achieve extraordinary results and fulfill amazing dreams. I met a man who had no arms nor legs and was strapped into a electronically-monitored mobile wheelchair; he became a professional speaker who wowed people all over the world with his inspiring story.

I met another young man who became a paraplegic because of a surfing injury, who was told he would never function and would remain an invalid for life. He turned his circumstances around and now surfs big waves without functioning arms or legs by having designed a special surfboard and getting friends to tow him into big surf.

It is not what happens to you: it is what your dream and vision are and how inspired you are in manifesting it on or off Earth.



What advice would you give to someone who wants to overcome his or her fears and have more confidence? Walk through the doorway where fear lurks and actively turn on the light. Take action and the fears begin to dissolve. Fears are assumptions that you are about to experience in the future - through your senses or imagination - more pain than pleasure, more loss than gain, more challenge than support, and more negatives than positives from yourself or others. It is false evidence appearing real. Look for the many possible pleasures, gains, supports, positives or benefits from the very thing you fear, and don't stop looking until they balance, and fear will dissolve. Focus on a mission that is bigger than yourself and your fear dissolves.

What have you found are the best methods or strategies for keeping oneself motivated and focussed? If you constantly have to 'get focussed', then your desired actions are not congruent with what you truly value in life. When your desired actions are congruent, no one has to get you focussed. You are automatically inspired to do what is most important. You love doing it. When you inject the values of others into your life because you have put them on a pedestal - then you will live with a moral dilemma and experience an internal conflict about doing what you love versus doing what you 'should'. Imperatives like 'should' are signs of outside authorities, not inside dreams. Envy is ignorance and imitation is suicide. Being true to oneself about what is most important and meaningful is the key to remaining focussed and inspired. You are inspired when you are true to your highest values, and you require outside motivation when you are not. I am inspired by what I do. No one has to get me focussed. I live focussed on my mission.

What specific things can people to do improve their attitude and outlook on a daily basis? Set truly realistic objectives that are congruent with their highest values. By doing so, you will be more apt to fulfill your objectives. When you set objectives that are too big, in too short time frames, because you are exaggerating yourself and your capacities (hyper), you set yourself up for defeat and failure and you lead to burnout. When you set objectives that are too small in too long a time frame because you are minimising yourself and your capacities (hypo), you set yourself up for boredom. By setting truly inspiring objectives that align with your highest values, and by planning specific strategies for accomplishing them (that are clear and achievable), then magic occurs.

In your opinion, what simple things, done repeatedly have the biggest impact on one's life? Listing everything that you can be grateful for each night (for that day) on your computer and reviewing it regularly. By first defining and then daily refining and reading your life mission statement. By prioritising your daily actions that will help you fulfill your mission. By targeting the service and niche you would love to fulfill most each day. By following a checklist each day of what has proven to work at fulfilling your mission, dreams and objectives. By articulating concisely daily words of power (affirmations) that hone you daily onto your mission as a reminder.

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