I read a couple of books lately that have really inspired me. One is The Jackrabbit Factor by Leslie Householder. This is a great story about a guy who is depressed about his life as he is dealing with the very common, difficult situations we all experience at some point. He finds himself in a strange sort of dreamland where people are scrambling around in what appears to be the “rat race” of life, trying to collect little brown paper bags filled with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Then the main character observes the people who are “successful” and sees that they are carrying rabbits and not sandwiches. He goes through the rest of his little journey learning how to catch rabbits and – even better – how to attract them so they jump right into his lap.

Yeah, it seemed a little silly to me too, which is why I think I liked the book. The author took everyday challenges and turned them into unrelated set of analogies. PB&J sandwiches in a brown paper bag were the equivalent of the “thing” we chase every day in order to feel successful, and the rabbits symbolized the real prize of success.

What was the importance of The Jackrabbit Factor to me?

The simple message reminded me to focus on attracting what I really want. Opportunities are all around, and I have to be in a mindset of attraction. I have to focus on seeing what is possible, believing that whatever it is I want can happen, and then taking the actions that are appropriate for the task be easy and effortless. Also, I was reminded of the importance of being clear and specific in what I want. The clearer and more specific I am, the easier it is to determine the appropriate actions.

It’s funny, really, the way we get so set in our programming that says, “I have to work hard,” or “success doesn’t come easily,” when all around us there is overwhelming evidence that hard work and success aren’t always linked together. I mean, there are a lot of people who work hard and they’re not wealthy. Of course, there is a great argument for working hard, but really it’s about working smart: doing the right things, not just anything. I really do see that for those people who have hit the jackpot of success, the reality is they love what they do. They put in a lot of hours (aka: hard work), but they are filled with passion about the work they are doing. That seems less like work and more like dedication to me.

I guess the big lesson that I took away from this book is that it’s all in the mindset, and mindset builds momentum, either positive or negative. Have a negative mindset and the negativity builds up. Have a positive mindset and the positive results accumulate. If I’m expecting rabbits to be impossible to catch, chances are I won’t be looking for or accepting the easy way, but if I know, trust, and believe that there’s a way to have an overwhelming abundance of rabbits following everywhere I go, then at least I’ll be open for the opportunity should it present itself. I think it’s at least worth a shot.

P.S. For the past few months I’ve been practicing “attracting rabbits.” No, not real rabbits, but what the rabbits represent. All I can say is that it’s working way better than the fear and negativity I was wrestling with before.