Happiness

In the 1960s and 1970s psychologists Martin Seligman and Stephen Maier conducted radical experiments with dogs.  The dogs were divided into 3 groups.  The first group was put in a harness and received no electrical shocks.  The second group was placed in a harness and received electrical shocks from the floor that could be stopped by pressing a button with their nose.  The third group was placed in a harness and received shocks but had no way to turn the shocks off.

Later, each dog was placed in a cage that was divided in half by a low barrier.  When shocked, dogs in group one and two quickly learned to cross the barrier to escape the shock.  Dogs in the third group failed to cross the barrier to safety.  It was almost as if they had learned to be helpless.

From these experiments, they concluded that when animals and people are in situations where they have no control, they suffer three deficits:

• Cognitive deficit. You come to see your circumstances as out of your control.
• Motivational deficit. You stop trying to escape your negative circumstances.
• Emotional deficit. You get depressed.

Life is full of challenges.  Some people were born in poverty.  Others find themselves in dead end jobs that are mind-numbingly boring.  Others struggle with health issues.  Still others find themselves in relationships that are conflicted and negative.

It is easy to become like one of Seligman’s dogs by coming to believe that your life can’t be better and to surrender.  But the cost is so high.  You are sacrificing your happiness.

The Circle Blueprint System is a handbook for you to overcome the “shocks” that are limiting your life.  Not only does it provide a guideline to keep your life moving forward and becoming more powerful, it also supplies exercises and projects you can take on to get yourself back on track.

You can’t afford to give up on your life.  It is too precious and so are you.