Mind Resources
These are some of my favorite resources for shaping and guiding the mind.
- All
- Tools
- Books
- Videos
Freedom App
The Freedom app allows you to shut off access to the internet for a set amount of time. This is a fantastic tool for getting big projects done, focusing for longer stretches, or for doing a DIY retreat.
Sacred Acoustics Binaural Audio
Sacred Acoustics provides audio tracks for enhancing various brain states. Whether you need to focus, relax, sleep better, or get into a deeper state of meditation, they have you covered. One of the co-founders, Eben Alexander, is a former Neuruologist. He's also the author of Proof of Heaven, his personal near death experience, which was a catalyst for creating Sacred Acoustics.
Binaural Beats by Cory Allen
Cory Allen is a meditation teacher and audio engineer. His binaural audio tracks provide organic touches, and an immersive experience. While I find most binaural audio to be pleasant, Cory Allen creates beautiful audio-art. Binaural audio uses your headphones, and adjusts the sounds in one ear and the other to alter brainwaves. This allows for deep states of meditation, focus, or even sleep. If you hate to sit in silent mediation, these tracks are a great option.
Moleskine Notebooks
Journaling is a great way to clear your mind, and Moleskine notebooks are my go-to. The quality of these notebooks is unmatched. From the perfect texture and color paper, to the soft and sturdy covers, and the impeccable binding, these notebooks make the writing experience that enjoyable, and semi-addictive.
Evernote
Evernote is the best note taking app on the market today. It’s a multi-functional software, that allows you to categorize notes, set reminders, add tags, and so much more. This app does have a bit of a learning curve, but it is so worth the sense of ease and flow that comes with the organization it offers. The free version of this app is phenomenal, and the paid version is fantastic too.
Hoopla
Hoopla is a free audiobook and e-book app provided by public libraries in the United States. If you have a library card, you have access to millions of audiobooks and e-books. Hardly anyone takes advantage of this resource, yet you could easily cancel your Audible subscription and trade it for a free Hoopla account. Learning and growing is essential for a healthy mind, and a free resource like Hoopla gives access to an vast amount of invaluable content. Call your local library to get your Hoopla account set up.
Scribd
Scribd îs a paid subscription service that provides audiobooks, archived episodes of radio shows, pdfs, and e-books. This has all of the features of Audible, with the addition of providing access to obscure and unique learning material. I enjoy finding workshop pdfs from my favorite speakers and teachers, as well as listening to otherwise unavailable audiobooks.
Zen Habits by Leo Babtua
Zen Habits is a blog written by Leo Babauta, and it is one of my favorite blogs of all time! Leo infuses each post with a calm clarity that reflects his personal meditation practice. Zen Habits is a breath of fresh air in an otherwise cluttered, ad centric world. He never posts ads, he never self promotes, and only ever offers value. The blog covers meditation, presence, lifestyle, habit building, and more.
Awaken The Giant Within
Awaken The Giant Within, by Tony Robbins, is a practical guide on changing your life. The primary focus of the book is achievement and success, attained through both inner and outer work. There’s a time and place for everything, and striving for achievement and success can be an important part of an evolutionary process for some. It was for me. Success and achievement are tangible stepping stones in the path of Transformation, and can help to release old stories like “I can’t do this.”
Though the evolution of human consciousness is going beyond the superficial opulence of success, we as a species can still attain great value from the discipline required to accomplish a goal or a dream. Awaken The Giant Within is a fantastic treatise on doing just that.
The Silva Mind Control Method
The Silva Method covers powerful techniques for controlling your mind. A mind left to its own devices is likely to run astray, and make messes. A mind that is trained and guided allows you to live in greater peace, joy, and harmony. Because there is typically a purpose behind each of the exercises offered in the Silva Method, it is not technically a meditation technique, but rather, a powerful system of visualization. If you have specific goals or states of mind you’d like to attain, The Silva Method is a good tool for you.
Psychocybernetics
Psychocybernetics is a classic book on the power of the subconscious mind. It was written by a plastic surgeon who was fascinated by the effect his work had on not just his patient’s appearances, but more so on their entire lives. He delves into techniques for retraining and repatterining the subconscious mind in ways that are practical, effective, and immediate. This book had a big influence on many modern day success teachers, like Bob Proctor & Tony Robbins. It is also highly regarded by practitioners of NLP (Neurolinguistic Programming)
The Power of Intention
The Power of Intention was written by Dr. Wayne Dyer, or as I like to call him, “Uncle Wayne”. This book is beautiful, and down to earth. Most of his books are spiritual in nature, and while this one does touch on spirituality, it is centered on concepts and techniques directly involving the mind. Intention, by it’s very nature, is harnessing the power of the mind & body to invoke spirit into anything you do. The Power of Intention is a direct roadmap for the exercising the muscle of intention until it becomes second nature.
Dr. Dyer’s earlier career was a therapist and phycologist, and he puts those modalities front and center here. There’s still a healthy dose of spirituality in The Power of Intention,(would it be a Wayne Dyer book if there wasn’t?), but this book is his most “mind centered”.
As a Man Thinkenth
As a Man Thinketh, by James Allen, is a well known classic. The contents of this book are things many people might “know” intellectually, but laid out in a way that creates.a fresh perspective. It’s a book that can be read in an afternoon, yet with the power to completely transform the rest of your life.
The Success Principles
I’ve read hundreds of books on the topic of “success”, but The Success Principles is one of my all time favorites. The book isn’t about the mindless acquisition of status or material goods, as so many other “success” books are. It’s clear that Canfield has an appreciation for the spiritual aspects of life, and weaves that in throughout the book. Be ready to write your heart out, journal, and do the copious amounts of exercises provided throughout this book. It’s heavy duty, and that’s why it works!
The War of Art
The War of Art is about overcoming your inner resistance, and doing that thing you know you need to do. This book changed my relationship with resistance in the creative process. Resistance, Pressfield explains, is a clue that you’re on the right track. The principles laid out in this book transcend life categories, situations, time, and place. Life is creative by nature, and so, this book is not just about art. It’s about finally going beyond perceived limitations of the small self, and letting your soul lead the way.
Bob Proctor | Born Rich Series
Bob Proctor was a dynamic, commanding speaker, with an ability to transmit massive power to whoever was/is listening. It’s hard to listen to Bob Proctor and NOT want to take massive action. There is not a single Bob Proctor book or video that isn’t life changing, but this Born Rich series is my all time favorite.
As with most of my favorite speakers on success, Bob isn’t really talking about money here. Money is nothing more than pieces of paper! What he’s talking about in this series is overcoming the self-made limitations that tend to block joy and overall prosperity.
David Goggins on Joe Rogan | Ep 1080
This interview had a massive impact on my life. David Goggins transformed his body, mind, and spirit through sheer will and discipline. In this interview, he discusses his lowest low of spraying for cockroaches at a fast food place after giving up on his dreams. Followed by a true hero’s journey of losing over 100 lbs in three months, going through Navy Seal hell week three times, running an ultra marathon with zero training, and so much more.
We all know, deep down, we’re capable of incredible things. Yet very few of us dig in and see how far we can go. David Goggins is a testament to the infinite power of human will and determination.
His story is the epitome of “if I can do it, you can too.” Which is why this interview has the potential to change the life of anyone who listens.
Courtney Dauwalter on Rich Roll | Mindset Secrets
We live in a culture that reveres comfort, and places it as a number one value. And while comfort is all good and well, the rewards that come from discomfort are priceless. Extreme athletes like Dauwalter use their bodies to embrace the virtues that come with pain, discomfort, and physical exhaustion. Will you ever see me at an ultra race? Probably not. Will I apply the ultra mentality to every area of my life I possibly can? Absolutely.
Dauwalter is not only one of the greatest female marathon runners today, she is one of the greatest across all genders. In this interview, we get a peek inside of the type of mindset it takes to do the impossible, and do it over and over again.
Mel Robbins | The 5 Second Rule
In this video, Mel Robbins explains how to use The 5 Second Rule to change any habit. She used it in her own personal life to stop over-drinking, to get out of bed in the morning, to get out of debt and so on. It’s super simple, yet fail proof. If you have a habit that feels overwhelming to start or stop, The 5 Second Rule might be exactly what you need.
Jim Rohn | Full 4 Hour Seminar
I absolutely love Jim Rohn, and this 4 hour seminar beats anything you could possibly watch on Netflix. The fact that we live in a time where we have free access to this type of content is incredible. My all time favorite Jim Rohn quote is “Don’t wish things were easier. Wish you were better.” It’s a major paradigm shift. In this four hour seminar, the foundations of self development are covered in clear, concise detail. I can’t think of a better way to spend a weekend afternoon than tucking into a four hour seminar hosted by Jim Rohn!
Marisa Peer | Reach Beyond Your Limits
In this 15 Minute Ted Talk, Marsia Peer goes over some very practical and powerful ways to train the mind. Marisa uses hypnosis in her work, and an important part of hypnosis is language and anchoring. During this video, she covers a bit on how to speak to yourself in a way that gets your mind on board with desired changes. Anything by Marisa Peer merits a listen, but the Ted Talk is a perfect place to get started with some of her incredible work.
Oprah Winfrey | Service & Significance
This was a speech delivered to college graduates, but the sentiment is universal. Live your life from the paradigm of Service & Significance, and success is inevitable. I loved hearing her speak about the changes she made to the Oprah show to support these values. It’s truly a beautiful and heartfelt speech that you can revisit for a wind of inspiration in your sails.