What the Young Man Heard

In the latter half of the 1800s, when the telegraph was still "high tech," a young man in Baltimore, Maryland, woke up one summer morning giddy with excitement. In fact, it had taken him half the night to get to sleep at all.

Today was the day he'd apply for his first job! But what was really exciting was that, if he were lucky enough to be chosen for the position, he'd actually be getting PAID for something that absolutely enthralled him. He'd be a real, bona fide telegraph operator!

His mind was so filled with wonderful pictures of himself sending and receiving important messages, communicating with people miles away - even clear across the country - that the possibility of NOT getting the job couldn't get a foot in the door.

He didn't even mind wearing a stiff collar and tie. After all, this was an important job, and he liked the idea of looking the part. Giving his shoes one last buffing, he dashed out the door and raced downtown to the telegraph office.

Inside, the office was already bustling with activity and noise, including the sound of the telegraph clattering away in the background. Several other applicants were seated in the waiting area, hunched over paperwork. Our young man saw a stack of job applications with a sign instructing candidates to take one, fill it out, and then wait to be called into the Director's office for an interview. So he eagerly grabbed one and sat down.

The form itself took only a few minutes to complete, and as he finished and started to look around at the other job hopefuls in the room ...

... the young man suddenly jumped from his chair and with his paperwork in hand, marched over to the Director's office door and went right in without even knocking!

"Did you see that?" one of the other jobseekers snorted. "We're supposed to wait until we're called, and that rube barges in like he owns the place."

"Yeah, that's some nerve, but it just cuts down the competition," said another, and they all laughed.

Moments later the laughter and comments stopped as the Director's door opened and both he and the beaming young man came out into the waiting area.

"Gentlemen," the Director said, "thank you for coming, and I wish you all well. The job has been filled."

Stunned into silence, no one said anything for a moment. Then, the fellow who had started the derisive comments sputtered, "Now wait a minute. This isn't fair! We were here first but we never even got a chance, and he gets the job just like that?"

The others grumbled in agreement, but the Director put up his hand. "Here's the thing," he said.

"All this time you were sitting here, the telegraph has been clicking away, saying: 'If you can understand this, come on into the office right now. You've got the job.'

As he clapped his hand on the young man's shoulder, he smiled broadly and said, "This young fellow was the only one of you who heard or understood the message."

Why did this young man alone hear and understand the message?

Listen to what Scottish psychologist R. D. Laing had to say on this subject:

"The range of what we think and do is limited by what we fail to notice. And because we fail to notice that we fail to notice, there is little we can do to change - until we notice how failing to notice shapes our thoughts and deeds."

You'll probably need to read that a couple of times. (I sure did!) Then just let it sink in a bit.

Now, wouldn't it be great if you could just put on a special pair of glasses that would magically cause all the opportunities that come your way every single day to stand out from all the background "noise?" To jump into sharp relief against what Mr. Wattles calls "mere appearances" so that you could notice them?

Just imagine that for a minute. Everything looks normal one moment - all the everyday hassles, the BIG problems, the regular stresses and frustrations, and so on. Life going on all around, as usual.

And then you put on your magic specs (which, by the way, are extremely cool and you look fabulous in them!), and - wow! - the entire world looks SO different!

Suddenly you see connections you hadn't noticed before. Suddenly what previously looked like a HUGE problem you were trying to put off dealing with has magically morphed into a lucky break.

And people look different, too - even some of the grumpy, disagreeable ones are starting to shape up.

Yeah, wouldn't it be great if you could do that?

Well, you can!

And you don't need magic glasses any more than the young man in our story above needed a special hearing aid.

Why did he, and he alone, hear opportunity knocking?

It couldn't be because he was the only one interested in the job. There were other applicants sitting there with him.

It couldn't be because he was the only one who knew Morse code. After all, it was a telegrapher's job they were after.

It couldn't be because he was more experienced. This was his first job.

And it wasn't for any of those other reasons Mr. Wattles tells us don't really matter (right there in Chapter 2).

Have you figured out why our hero heard the message? Well, here's a clue from Wallace Wattles in his amazing 1910 forgotten classic, The Science of Getting Rich:

"Contemplate your picture in your leisure hours until your consciousness is so full of it that you can grasp it instantly. You will become so enthused with its bright promises that the mere thought of it will call forth the strongest energies of your whole being."

Bingo! There it is!

His mind was so filled with his clear mental image of himself as a telegraph operator that he could see, hear, smell, and taste that "image." He really wanted it and could vividly imagine himself having it. It was REAL to him - as real as if it were already true.

And it called forth the strongest energies of his whole being. It allowed him to hear what others couldn't.

When your mind is so focused in this way, you are STRONGLY impressing your image on the Formless and causing that image to move toward you, to move into physical reality. You become so attuned that your senses are heightened and your awareness expands. You can see and hear and notice things that totally escaped you before.

Did you know your brain even has a special area that handles this whole area of "noticing?" It's called the Reticular Activating System (RAS), and part of what it does is cause you to notice things that were ALWAYS there before unnoticed until you somehow clue it in about what to start noticing.

For example, did you ever get a new car (or even just think a LOT about getting one) and then it suddenly seemed that EVERYONE must have just bought one? Suddenly, that very same model - even the same color - is showing up EVERYWHERE?

That's the RAS at work.

It's filtering all the zillions of messages your five senses are constantly passing along and deciding which ones are important - important enough for you to consciously notice. (It's determining also what goes into your subconscious mind where the belief system that runs your life is built.) And one way you "program" your RAS to send up a "hey, look at this!" signal is by what you focus on by CHOICE.

It's what we're referring to when we say that what you see around you depends on what you're looking for - in experiences, circumstances, in other people, and on and on. And it works just as well when you put your focus, faith, and feeling on what you do NOT want, too. It's totally neutral, and it's on the job in your every waking moment.

With a new car, of course, the novelty wears off fairly soon, your interest fades, and so the RAS stops signalling you to notice all the lime green Volkswagen Beetle convertibles whizzing by.

But when you follow Wallace Wattles' advice, you're giving the RAS steady instructions to keep its radar going. And the result is like wearing those magic glasses:

"Imagine an environment and a financial condition exactly as you want them, and live all the time in that mental environment and financial condition until they take physical shape.

"See the things you want as if they were actually around you all the time. See yourself as owning and using them. Make use of them in imagination just as you will use them when they are your tangible possessions.

"Dwell upon your mental picture until it is clear and distinct, and then take the mental attitude of ownership toward everything in that picture. Take possession of it, in mind, in the full faith that it is actually yours. Hold to this mental ownership. Do not waiver for an instant in the faith that it is real."

When you do this, when you enthusiastically and steadily hold your vision - like the young man in our story - you'll be amazed at what you start to notice and astonished at how you seem to hear and see wonderful opportunities where others do not!

--- .--. .--. --- .-. - ..- -. .. - -.--
.. ... -. --- .-- .... . .-. .

Rebecca Fine is the founder of The Science of Getting Rich Network at http://www.scienceofgettingrich.net, where you can download your free copy of the amazing 1910 forgotten classic, The Science of Getting Rich.

©2004 Certain Way Productions.

More Resources

So You Want To Win the Lottery
If we all got everything we wanted, most of us would have won the lottery by now. So what happens when we notice that we aren't getting what we want, even when we've been using Law of Attraction to manifest a particular desire for an extended period of time?Wanting to win the lottery is a clear desire, therefore, you need to use Law of Attraction deliberately.
How To Step Into The Flow Of Abundance
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Attitude Is Everything
The process of human change begins within us. We all have tremendous potential.
Four Steps to Attracting More Good Luck
The Luck Factor rips apart the notion that luck is something that just happens. Dr.
Self Improvement and Self Growth
Nowadays the terms self-improvement, self-growth and self-help have become popular. We find many books about these subjects and many websites too.
Are You a Wildflower?
Wildflowers grow from mere dust to reach their full potential.Wildflowers grow well, even in adverse soil conditions.
On Uniqueness
Is being special or unique a property of an object (let us say, a human being), independent of the existence or the actions of observers - or is this a product of a common judgement of a group of people?In the first case - every human being is "special", "one of a kind, sui generis, unique". This property of being unique is context-independent, a Ding am Sich.
Attracting Opportunity -- 10 Tips
You get what you attract - with your thoughts, words, beliefs, actions and inactions. Here are 10 tips for attracting opportunity:? Decide what you want, what you must do to get it, and then map out a plan to do what you must.
How To Know You Are Living Your Dream
How To Prove To Yourself That You Are Going After Your Big Dream.I have a personal story to share with you that happened not that long ago.
What Does the World Owe You?
Sometimes many of us feel like we've made deposits into society, yet we are unable to make withdrawals. Whenever I have felt that way in the past, I read essays like Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay Compensation, which I made into a free downloadable copy and distributed last week in the special success issue of my ezine.
Faith Creates Ideas That Create Wealth
For years it seems as though the secrets to obtaining wealth were only for a selected few. Yet the truth of the matter is that these "few" have chosen to apply the principles of prosperity (at least most of the principles) in order to obtain their status, while many chose to ignore them.
I Believe In Man
I have a deep and abiding belief that there lies within every person the capacity for greatness. I don't mean the old adage that you can become anything you want to be -- I'm more receptive to Peter F.
How to Play to Your Strengths
Are you clear on your unique qualities, talents and personal strengths? And what's more do you centre your life around these gifts?You're busy, trying to be a good worker, colleague, partner, parent, friend and neighbour; you've been brought up with parents and peers ideals, educated well, maybe have a religious background, and perhaps a little of your past behaviour might been influenced by something you saw on TV or in a movie.In fact, maybe? just maybe? and you're not alone here? some of your thinking and behaviour belongs to what others have told you to think or feel in any given situation.
Law of Attraction Article: How to STOP Being a Person Nothing Works For
Do you ever wonder why great things happen to some people but not to you?Do you ever read about people who have tried this or that product and had some incredible result, but when you try it, you don't get the same result?Have you become a person who NOTHING seems to work for?Maybe you've thought about trying the some new self- improvement package that sounds great, but you're just so tired of things not working for you.Let's take a look at how you've gotten where you are and why these things might happen.
Ego or Higher Self: Whos Behind Your Decisions?
When you make a decision, you hope it is ultimately one that supports your highest interests and that leads you toward greater joy, so it is important to consider what part of you is offering you your options, so you can make your choice based on sound advice and come to a conclusion that takes you in the direction you want to go! There are two primary sources of input in any such decision-making process: your "Higher Self" and your ego.Your Higher Self operates from the place of all knowing, because it is perfectly interfaced with Source, the font of wisdom and repository of all knowledge.
What is the Life Your Were Born To Live?
In my private practice for the past 15 years I have discoveredhow hungry we are to find deep fulfillment and loving, make wisechoices for ourselves and the planet, and walk in union with ourhigher guidance.Yet our days are filled with endless, empty lists of have-tos,shoulds, and must-dos.
The Law of Attraction and Love
The Law of Attraction says that 'like attracts like'. It means that whatever your predominate thoughts are will show up as people and experiences in your life.
Relationships - 9 Never-Changing Rules
In a relationship, your ability to understand and respond to the other person's needs and desires are fundamental. Understanding the nature of relationships themselves may be as important to your success in love as understanding the person with whom you're having the relationship.
Principles for Total Prosperity In Business And Beyond
Are you looking for that "something" to give you the winning edge in your business? Is success still elusive even after burning both ends of the candle? Well, you may be looking for success in al the wrong places or you may not have an accurate picture of what true success is.In a fast-paced society that's driven by a mentality of "more is better," extreme stress and lack of fulfillment are inevitable in every facet of our lives, including work.
Follow Your Passion
The key to a successful life lies in following your passions. When you do this the Universe responds in a dynamic way.

More Attraction Information:

Related Articles

Does Size Matter?
Bigger is better. Isn't that the American dream?Why buy a road-hogging, critter-squishing, bumper-defying, wall-of-metal SUV when you have the delicious option of buying a BIGGER road-hogging, critter-squishing, bumper-defying, wall-of-metal SUV?Why settle for a puny three-bedroom, two-bathroom bungalow of our parents' generation nestled comfortably on a green plot of land with a few nice shade trees? In new "developments" these days, you can choose a two-storey home bulging beyond the property line of today's incredible shrinking lots, complete with a bedroom that can sleep 34 PLUS a walk-in closet that sleeps another 20 AND an ensuite bathroom big enough to store your SUV when your 300-cubit-long garage is full of toys or tools.
Hearts Made Strong
The heart seems to be one of the most vulnerable in the system because it is the one that has held the most fear, the most old pain, perhaps, and repressed energy. It is the one that is most afraid to open to pure unconditional love, which is indeed where your power lies.
Write Goals, Say Prayers, and See Your Successful Future
Would you like to have more success in your life?Yes, I'm sure that you do! That being the case, Ihave an invitation and a challenge for you. Areyou up for it? Okay, here we go?We are all multi-sensory beings, meaning that weall have the sensory connections through seeing,tasting, smelling, speaking, hearing and feeling.
Make Money by Making a Life as Mother Teresa Did
Many people forget business is a way of service. When you serve others, you make a life instead of making a living.
Dreams
When I was a kid sitting in school I can remember looking out the window daydreaming of mountains, and skiing. These were just a few things I dreamed of doing.
Living Abundantly: May the Force Be With You!
Perhaps, you have heard the phrase "May the force be with you" from your favorite Episode of the Star Wars movies. The Star Wars movies explore the power of our choices, the wonder of destiny, and the manifesting power that is in us and all around us.
How Do You Choose To Deal With Your Life?
"It's choice - not chance - that determines your destiny." --Jean NidetchIt is not what happens to us in our lives that is important, but how we choose to deal with it.
To Be More Attractive? Zap The Tolerations!
Imagine there is an event that will take place in a town many miles from where you live. Your car needs an oil change.
The Big Key to Freedom
When our clients are exposed to our company, they are often impressed with how we really stress the concept of Freedom - and well they should be. Our central core value is Freedom, our web address is deliverfreedom.
How To Get Lucky
Would you like to get lucky? There are at least a dozen ways. The simplest one is to just start looking for good luck.
Courage To Be Someone New
Have you ever felt paralyzed or crippled by fear? As a businesswoman, producer, and model through my various business ventures, I've felt fearful from time to time. And I'm sure that, like me, you've found that you can accomplish little when you're afraid -- and almost nothing if you let fear of what might happen seize you.
What is the Life Your Were Born To Live?
In my private practice for the past 15 years I have discoveredhow hungry we are to find deep fulfillment and loving, make wisechoices for ourselves and the planet, and walk in union with ourhigher guidance.Yet our days are filled with endless, empty lists of have-tos,shoulds, and must-dos.
Opportunity Knocks 1000 Times
You've heard people say that opportunity only knocks once. I say it knocks a thousand times, or at least it can.
What Love and Money Have in Common
How many of us have ever felt that we've thrown our love away on some undeserving and ungrateful lover? Have you ever found yourself muttering something about an ex that included the words 'swine' and 'pearls' in among the expletives?No, of course you wouldn't dream of turning the air blue with strong statements about hurt and disappointment. But you might well have wondered how your love could be wasted.
Bad Luck ... Or Blessing In Disguise?
There was a woman who was in such a hurry to go to the airport.She told the cab driver to step on it.
Correcting a Gap Between the Teeth
As we age and our teeth shift, a gap between the teeth may suddenly appear. If you have a tooth extracted which is not immediately replaced with an implant or bridge, your entire bite may shift dramatically.
Establishing Your Charisma Presence
An integral piece of charisma is establishing a presence, so let's examine 3 ways to establish your charisma presence, that will clearly tell all around you "I'm a player and a force to be reckoned with!".Your Mother Was Right: "Stand up Straight!"; "Head up!"; "Shoulders back!"; "Chest out!"; "Don't slouch!"; are some other things you heard as a child.
I'll Believe It When I See It
I was working with this guy who wanted to live his life's purpose. He wanted to be a singer but was presently working as a mail clerk at a law firm.
The Laws of the Universe
What I am about to tell you will take a very open mind to comprehend. So please, open your mind.
A Minute of Deliberate Attraction is Better Than None
Before I explain why a minute of Deliberate Attraction is better than none, I'd like to begin by giving a definition of The Law of Attraction. Definition of the Law of Attraction: I attract to myself, whatever I give my focus, attention, or energy to; whether wanted or unwanted.