Subliminal Messages
Avoiding the Pitfalls and Hype

There is lots of hype in some circles concerning subliminal messages and how they can be used to help you achieve success and become more effective at zillion different things. Everything from weight loss, to athletic training and academic performance has been said to be positively impacted by the right messages at some point or other.

What is all the fuss about and can such messages actually help you to live the kind of life you would like to live?

About Subliminal Messages

The word subliminal itself means below the threshold of conscious perception. A subliminal message is "a signal or message embedded in another medium, designed to pass below the normal limits of the human mind's perception."

Such messages are not detected or recognised by the conscious mind, but are picked up by the subconscious mind. The theory and reality is that such messages can subsequently affect or determine a person's actions, attitudes, behaviours, beliefs and values, without them ever consciously realizing that such an effect has occurred. Subliminal messages are therefore inadequate to produce conscious awareness but able to evoke a response.

Do they work?

So to answer the question - can subliminal messages help you to be more successful and lead a better life - the answer is yes. Such messages, if properly crafted for the purpose for which they are intended, can have a positive effect on a person.

A number of studies have been conducted on the subject by the scientific community. For example, studies conducted by researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have shown that exposing people to a subliminal image of the national flag had the effect of moderating their political attitudes. Another interesting example is beer companies that aim their advertising mainly at poor and disadvantaged groups by using cobra, bull, dragon, tiger, stallion and pit bull to convey their messages with the aim of selling wildness and power to the powerless.

When it comes to subliminal messages for personal success however you need to be careful that what you are getting is really what you want. The potential for abuse and getting more than you bargained for is great with the ever increasing number of audio and visual subliminal messages available in the area of personal development and motivation.

Pointers to help you make a good choice

1. Get products only from reputable companies and individuals. Do your research and ensure that the person who developed the programme can be trusted.

2. Look for testimonials and reviews from other clients who have used the product. These also need to be people that you can trust.

3. Search the internet for product or developer reviews. This could save you a lot of time and heartache. There are a lot of discussion groups and forums around for nearly any subject you can think of.

4. Ask before buying. Discussion groups and forums provide a friendly environment in which you can ask questions on the product you are considering buying. Yahoo answers, for instance is a good way to get feedback on just about everything. But evaluate the responses carefully as some of the respondents may be only interested in selling the product to you or pushing some other product your way.

5. If it sounds too good to be true… then it is too good to be true. Evaluate everything with a clear mind. Many programmes that offer quick solutions for minimal effort are usually ineffective or worse still, scams. There is no such thing as something for nothing and if ever you are tempted to believe this is possible step back, take a deep breath and wait a day or two before making your purchase. It is likely that by then you will have cooled off and come to your senses. The best development programmes are those that require your effort and application to work. If all anyone needed to do to make a million dollars was to sit and listen to a recording for half an hour a day, we would all be billionaires.

6. Avoid quick fixes. Sometimes the programmes work well, but only for limited time. Ultimately, you need longer lasting solutions and dealing with things is usually more lasting and satisfying than putting Band-Aids. I personally find it more empowering to gain a skill or habit that will help me overcome many other issues and challenges than to have something that works but which I cannot understand and apply at will.

Ads by Google

Return from Subliminal Messages to "Positive Thinking"
HOME