There is a concept called the Dickens Technique, it is used extensively by Tony Robbins to change peoples lives and comes from NLP (neuro Linguistic programming) principles.
The Dickens technique gets its name and process from the character of Scrooge in Charles Dickens book A Christmas Carol. I am sure you remember the story where Scrooge was a miserable guy and he changed after he saw how his actions and way he thought now would absolutely create sadness and lack in the future. In seeing this he of course realized that there was no way to continue and that he had to change.
Well the Dickens technique does exactly this as well. You find a limiting belief, see what the future would be like, look at not having this limiting belief and see how the future would look instead, and then you will make that change.
The trouble often is that we know we should change a belief because it is a good thing to do, but good things to do will not create a very sustained emotional change in us. Instead we need to have a great emotional reason to change for the new belief to be permanent.
Using an example here is an idea of exactly how to use the Dickens Technique
How The Dickens Technique Works
Tony Robbins Uses the Dickens Technique a lot
1. You know that, or you have see information that says that you need to do weight based exercise every week. You don’t really like the idea of going to the trouble of joining a gym, ;earning about the exercises you need to do, and carving out the time from your busy schedule to workout.
2. First look at what would happen if you continued as you are without doing the weight workouts. You look 6 months out with out doing the weights and you are basically as strong as now, you aren’t too worried, you look out a year from now and see that you would have the same aches and pains as you do now, no big deal. You look out 10 years from now though and see that through degenerative issues you may have trouble walking up hills, your weak core leads to back problems, your lack of muscle mass leads to a hunched over posture and a sore neck, and finally you also see that you would be much less vibrant as a person.
3. That limiting belief doesn’t do you any good. Get rid of the thought of it and instead switch to a less limiting belief. You don’t have to commit to being a gym rat every day, that would be a difficult way to get started (here I am using my own limiting beliefs on you, not fair but anyway…).
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4. Now you look at what would be the effect if you just went to the gym once or twice a week. In 6 months you would be transformed. You would be stronger and more aware of how your body works and feels. In one year you have a better physique and are able to work better for longer at work with better concentration, very aware of the effect of food on your body, and also able to leap tall buildings in a single bound (well maybe not yet). Finally 10 years out you can see that instead of being weakened you are stronger than anyone your own age. You walk with confidence and strength thanks to a strong core. And whenever you want to go out and have fun there are no limits that you need to impose on your self, you physically do what you want when you want.
5. Now, critical point, make sure you can feel that way right now. Not that you are super strong right now but instead identify yourself as being at that starting place between the you now and that you in the future. You can use the future you to tell the present time you. Do the work! Make the changes necessary! Get started now because the future you is waiting 6 months, 1 year, and even 10 years out to do the work up front.
How Does the Dickens Technique Really Help?
This Dickens technique may seem a little bit like self-hypnosis, and in fact it is. You are reprogramming the way you feel about something to make sure that you know the consequences of your limiting belief.
Now that I have given you a very concrete example I think it is up to you. Journal your beliefs, I know that most people either free form their journaling to what they want or how the past went but you can also add this in. Ask yourself what irritates you. What you wish you could do. Even ask yourself what is really important that you have been holding back on because it is wrong or stupid.
Quite often we don’t recognise our limiting beliefs and they cause us lots of trouble. People stay poor, sad, jealous, guilty, and unfulfilled because what they have done in the past was to live small. If you get rid of some of those limiting beliefs that you have you can start to build your life up starting now.
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I am trialing a 14 day $14 membership at Goodlife Fitness in Airdrie and this afternoon I went to the gym for the orientation and to find out more. I filled out the standard disclaimer and met with Ella, who showed me around and then brought me into a closing room. The thing to remember about a gym at this time of year is that there is a lot of pressure to sell memberships. People don’t join gyms in July, people join gyms in January with the new year.