It’s funny how things seem to be accidental but then afterwards you kind of wonder.
For instance the other day in my email I mentioned Joseph Conrad telling you to “Follow your bliss”.
But as a few people pointed out, of course, it was actually Joseph Campbell.
J.Conrad wrote “Heart of Darkness”. The inspiration for one of the all time movie classics “Apocalypse Now”.
Anyway, what seemed an accidental mistake actually reminded me of an even more powerful message.
And it’s very, very relevant to all of us.
“If you play a role hard enough, you become that person…”
Whilst making “Apocalypse Now” the director Francis Ford Coppola decided he needed his lead actor Martin Sheen to literally “become” the character he was playing.
So he taunted him.
To move forward on a segway, you have to physically lean forward.
But…And this is a big, massive BUT…
According to a crew member, Coppola told Sheen “You’re evil”, and got him drunk for two days before filming the scene.
Then he proceeded to film Sheen, in his hotel bedroom. Freaking out.
Sheen was in such a mess he literally did BECOME the character he was portraying.
The famous scene in the movie where he karate punches the mirror and then bleeds all over the white sheets on the bed…
That was real.
And what happened next was even more dramatic. And nearly tragic too.
Shortly after that famous scene was filmed, Sheen flew back to the US for a break. Upon his return to the movie’s location in Manila, he proceeded to have a heart attack and nervous breakdown.
Luckily in time, things worked out well for Sheen. He went on to play better “roles”.
The lesson?
If you work hard enough at playing a role, you will become that person.
I’ve seen the dark side of this so many times. With depression, illness and worry eventually defining friends and colleagues of mine.
But the good news is you can easily flip this around.
You can play the role of the abundant person. And you can, and WILL become that person.
And awesome things will happen for you.
It’s kind of like “Fake it till you make it” but without any of the fake.
Fake is a smelly, murky energy, best avoided.
Playing a role and becoming the best version of yourself.
That is REAL.
Go be awesome!
“Please leave your comments below. I would love to read them.”
Ed Lester has been a celebrated writer and trainer in the personal development world for the last couple of decades. He founded a successful hypnotherapy school and a life coaching school in his beloved home country of New Zealand.
He has helped many thousands of people experience more freedom, abundance and happiness in their lives.
He has taught across the world and has successful clients and students in nearly every continent. (Possibly not Antarctica)
Ed is well known and loved for his practical, serious results based approach to manifestation and the laws of abundance. He also created The Abundance Index, a powerful tool for understanding your abundance profile and creating positive changes.
Ed doesn't believe in ordinary results. As he says:
"For the same amount of effort you’re spending getting your current results you could achieve so much more. Do Law of Attraction the right way and your whole life will change virtually overnight"
If you've been struggling to manifest the life you want then help is at hand!