Introduction

Take just a few seconds to try to stop the continuous flow of your inner dialogue… Can you do it? Simply stop thinking. No? Not surprising, it requires a certain mental discipline that takes time to acquire.

Your unconscious is always there, talking to you, showing you things, observing, commenting, and sometimes criticizing your environment. We tend to think that all thoughts are conscious, but in reality, only those that lead to real reasoning are conscious. All others are unconscious.

To provide a good introduction to self-hypnosis, I believe the best approach is to practice. But first, my name is François-Xavier Moreau. I hold the (grandiose) titles of Master Practitioner in Ericksonian Hypnosis and Master Practitioner in Neuro-Linguistic Programming. I work as a hypnotherapist, dividing my time between Paris and Tokyo.

Coming from the world of illusion, I've had the opportunity to use hypnosis in various roles: as a stage hypnotist, hypnotherapist, and "street" hypnotist (though I detest this term). Self-hypnosis is a technique I've been using daily for almost ten years now.

You'll see that self-hypnosis is a technique you already use unconsciously. You just lack a bit of structure. This book will teach you that structure, enabling you to get more out of life.

Change is constant; your body is changing even as you read these lines. Cells are being destroyed and new ones are created. Old skin cells are currently shedding from your body while new ones replace them. Change is natural, normal. Everyone loves change, right? Wrong.

As Tony Robbins says, the changes we like are called gifts, and the others are problems. In this introduction, you'll see that it is easy to change by choosing the change. You will modify your inner voice to change your emotional state.

Your inner voice is that little voice always present somewhere in your head, constantly criticizing, commenting, complimenting, and insulting. Sometimes, it even takes on the tone of another person: a parent, a teacher, or a friend.

Now, ask yourself: is there something you struggle to do? In my old job, waking up in the morning was a nightmare. The alarm would ring and my inner voice would say, “I don’t want to get up… I don’t want to see all those idiots…”

Add a tired tone and a yawn that would make a sloth envious, I’d hit the snooze button. Once. Twice. I’d be late. And then, imagine the rush!

In moments like that, take the time to analyze this voice and ask yourself some questions:

1. Is it the same voice as for an ordinary thought? For example, the one you have now as you read this book.
2. Is it the same voice as when you speak?
3. What is this voice like? Analyze every detail! The rhythm, the tone, what does it inspire in you?
4. Does it remind you of anyone in particular? Even someone from your childhood.
5. Does it come from a particular place? The back of your throat? The left? The right? Deep inside?

After analyzing this voice, you will modify it. We will start with simple modifications, like making it faster. Can you do that? Of course, you can! Imagine hearing this voice speaking faster and faster as if you were pressing the fast-forward button on a remote control.

I know doing exercises from a book isn't always easy, especially as you continue reading! However, take a few seconds to do this. It's about your life, not mine…

Once you've made the first modification, the others will follow naturally. The trick to waking up feeling great is simple: you need an engaging voice that makes you want to go further! Even if it means being politically incorrect.

In my case, the "I don’t want to see all those idiots" turned into "I’m going to show them what’s what." And it motivated me…

For you, it might be different. Can the voice of another person motivate you? Your partner? Your child? Or even a movie hero? Reuse this voice, even if it seems impossible, be aware of one thing: This voice is an illusion that you can modify! I really insist on this.

If you can’t do it yet, or if no voice comes to mind, we will proceed differently: You will modify your inner voice element by element until you get the right setting that motivates you every morning.

1. Start by modifying the rhythm: Faster? Slower? Test and observe your feelings.
2. Modify the pitch: Deeper? Higher?
3. Modify the volume: LOUDER? Or softer?
4. Now, modify the tone of the voice: Do you prefer a playful tone? Conquering? Test and observe!
5. You can also modify where the voice comes from.

Test all the characteristics until you find the right setting that will motivate you every morning! If you've played along, you must have realized how important the form of your inner voice is in your thoughts.

This book is divided into five chapters. The first one is dedicated to the functioning of self-hypnosis. How does it work? How to organize a session? What is the ideal duration? How many times should you repeat the technique to get results?

In the second chapter, you'll see all the conditions necessary to give yourself the best chances of reaching your goals. Some might say this part is trivial, something seen in every personal development book. It's true. However, like in sports, fundamentals need to be practiced every day. Most people know this consciously but haven’t integrated it unconsciously. That's our task.

The third chapter is dedicated to induction, the method of accessing the state of self-hypnosis. You’ll see how to enter this state step by step with two different types of inductions, the two that I believe work best.

The fourth chapter covers the work zone. You'll learn various techniques like sub-modalities and self-suggestion to act on your unconscious.

The fifth and final chapter covers waking up. This chapter is short, but undoubtedly the most important... You'll understand why as you read it.

In this introduction, you’ve seen my approach. If you want to continue down this path to get what you deserve from life, then read on. Otherwise, see you next time...