I have compressed this essay into a few pages. Had it been possible I would have reduced it to as many lines. It is not intended to be an instructional treatise, but a practical recipe for getting out of trouble. Study and research are well in their own time and place, but no amount of either will get you out of a concrete difficulty. Nothing but practical work in your own consciousness will do that. The mistake made by many people, when things go wrong, is to skim through book after book, without getting anywhere. Read The Golden Key several times. Do exactly what it says, and if you are persistent enough you will overcome any difficulty. —Emmet Fox.
Scientific prayer will enable you to get yourself or anyone else, out of any difficulty. It is the golden key to harmony and happiness.
To those who have no acquaintance with the mightiest power in existence, this may appear to be a rash claim, but it needs only a fair trial to prove that, without a shadow of a doubt, it is just one. You need take no one’s word for it, and you should not. Simply try it for yourself.
God is omnipotent, and we are God’s image and likeness and have dominion over all things. This is the inspired teaching, and it is intended to be taken literally, at its face value. The ability to draw on this power is not the special prerogative of the mystic or the saint, as is so often supposed, or even the highly trained practitioner. Everyone has this ability. Whoever you are, wherever you may be, the golden key to harmony is in your hand now. This is because in scientific prayer it is God who works, and not you, and so your particular limitations or weaknesses are of no account in the process. You are only the channel through which the divine action takes place, and your treatment will be just the getting of yourself out of the way.
Beginners often get startling results the first time, for all that is essential is to have an open mind and sufficient faith to try the experiment. Apart from that, you may hold any views on religion, or none.
As for the actual method of working, like all fundamental things, it is simplicity itself. All you have to do is this: Stop thinking about the difficulty, whatever it is, and think about God instead. This is the complete rule, and if only you will do this, the trouble, whatever it is, will disappear. It makes no difference what kind of trouble it is. It may be a big thing or a little things: it may concern health, finance, a lawsuit, a quarrel, an accident, or anything else conceivable: but whatever it is, stop thinking about it and think of God instead—that is all you have to do. It could not be simpler, could it? God could scarcely have made it simpler, and yet it never fails to work when given a fair trial.
Do not try to form a picture of God, which is impossible. Work by rehearsing anything or everything that you know about God. God is wisdom, truth, inconceivable love. God is present everywhere, has infinite power, knows everything, and so on. It matters not how well you may think you understand these things: go over them repeatedly.
But you must stop thinking of the trouble, whatever it is. The rule is, to think about God. If you are thinking about your difficulty, you are not thinking about God. To be continually glancing over your shoulder in order to see how matters are progressing is fatal, because it is thinking of the trouble, and you must think of God and nothing else. Your object is to drive the thought of the difficulty out of your consciousness, for a few moments at least, substituting for it the thought of God. This is the crux of the whole thing. If you can become so absorbed in this consideration of the spiritual world that you forget for a while about the difficulty, you will find that you are safely and comfortably out of your difficulty—that your demonstration is made.
In order to “golden key” a troublesome person or a difficult situation, think, “Now I am going to ‘golden key’ John, or Mary, or that threatened danger”: then proceed to drive all thought of John, or Mary, or the danger out of your mind, replacing it with the thought of God.
By working in this way about a person, you are not seeking to influence his conduct in any way, except that you prevent him from injuring or annoying you, and you do him nothing but good. Thereafter, he is certain to be in some degree a better, wiser, and more spiritual person, just because you have “golden keyed” him. A pending lawsuit or other difficulty would probably fade out harmlessly without coming to a crisis, justice being done to all parties concerned.
If you find that you can do this very quickly, you may repeat the operation several times a day with intervals between. Be sure, however, each time you have done it, that you drop all thought of the matter until the next time. This is important.
We have said that the golden key is simple, and so it is, but of course it is not always easy to turn. If you are very frightened or worried, at first it may be difficult to get your thoughts away from material things. But by constantly repeating a statement of absolute Truth, such as: There is no power but God; I am the child of God, filled and surrounded by the perfect peace of God; God is love; God is guiding me now; or, perhaps best and simplest of all, God is with me—however mechanical or trite it may seem—you will soon find that the treatment has begun to “take.” And that your mind is clearing. Do not struggle violently; be quiet, but insistent. Each time you find your attention wandering, switch it back to God.
Do not try to think in advance what the solution to your difficulty will be. This is called “outlining” and will only delay the demonstration. Leave the question of ways and means to God. You want to get out of your difficulty that is sufficient. You do your half, and God will never fail to do God’s.
“Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Acts 2:21
You know that feeling when you catch yourself mid-judgment, that split second where your brain has already categorized someone or something before you’ve even taken a full breath? Yeah, I’m intimately familiar with that moment. At 40, I’ve spent enough years wrestling with my own tendency to jump to conclusions to know how seductive and dangerous contempt can be.
It wasn’t until my late thirties that I really started understanding how deeply contempt before investigation had shaped my worldview. Growing up, I’d learned to armor myself with quick assessments, sharp observations, and what I mistakenly believed was “intuition.” In reality, it was just a protective mechanism—a way to feel in control by quickly sorting the world into neat, manageable boxes labeled “good” and “bad.”
Take work environments, for instance. I remember how swiftly I’d size up new colleagues. That guy who always wore wrinkled shirts? Clearly disorganized and unprofessional. The woman who spoke softly in meetings? Obviously lacking confidence. These snap judgments said far more about my own insecurities than about the actual people around me.
The turning point came during a professional workshop where we discussed unconscious bias. The facilitator challenged us to pause—truly pause—before forming an opinion. It sounds simple, right? But for someone who’d built an entire career strategy around quick assessments, this was revolutionary. What if, instead of immediately categorizing, I got curious? What if I asked a question instead of constructing a narrative?
This shift wasn’t just professional. It permeated every aspect of my life. I started noticing how quickly I’d form opinions about everything: restaurants, neighborhoods, political movements, parenting styles. Each judgment was a wall, preventing genuine understanding.
Learning to suspend contempt doesn’t mean becoming naive or losing critical thinking. It’s about creating space—breathing room between observation and conclusion. It’s recognizing that every person, every situation, carries complexity far beyond our initial impression.
I’ve learned that contempt is often a shield. It protects us from vulnerability, from the uncomfortable work of truly understanding. When we look down on something or someone, we don’t have to engage, to empathize, to acknowledge our own limitations.
These days, I try to catch myself. When that familiar surge of judgment rises, I take a breath. I ask myself: What am I not seeing? What story might be underneath this surface-level observation? Sometimes the answer surprises me, revealing layers of humanity I would have missed in my previous, more dismissive approach.
This journey isn’t about perfection. It’s about practice. Some days, I’m more successful than others. But each moment of caught judgment is a small victory—a reminder that life is infinitely more interesting when we approach it with curiosity instead of contempt.
This is the issue that so many people dismiss when falling into the same Freud vs. Jung “complex” as even they seemed to have done. First of all, Freud’s psychoanalysis would not have turned the 4th Step into the 1st Step. In fact, this program is LOADED with Freud all over it. When in the Big Book they make reference to “We needed to get down to causes and conditions” you are talking about analyzing exactly what is causing this drinking issue. When we turn our will and our lives over in Step 3 we have decided that based on analyis nothing but a Higher Power can help [us]. When I do a Sixth Step I am forced to take a look at my character defects and while I may initially not see them all, they usually come from Step 4 and an analysis of where our behavior comes from. When further on in the Program we continue asking for character defects to be removed in Step Seven becasue they continuously pop up we usually do a Fourth Step on something, quite impromptu but done none the less, and there we see that Freudianesque analysis again.
Shall I go on? I would like to reassure the world who believes Freud and AA could not coexist, that it is much more along the lines of people like C. Jung existing because of Freud. What was their disagreement? One wanted to expand while the other wanted to increase in depth? Individuals who discount Freud and applaud only Jung disregard where Jung even began thinking that a Spiritual solution was the only way. That came from analysis. Analysis he gained studying under Freud. The medical model is more binary than psychology. That being said, please do not discount where individuals gain their knowledge, neither their own thinking and how they apply it to their lives. If you choose the way of entropy to exponentially grow in all directions, my suggestion to you is to study Jung, but take a look at Freud and how he analyzed things. You may just see what made Jung decide Spirituality is the only way to go for an Alcoholic or other 12-Step Program Taker. And who knows, it may be the answer to someone asking the simple question of “Why?”
Creating motivation that flows seamlessly from our daily routines into our work, relationships, and broader life is about embracing a holistic approach—where the mind, body, and spirit work in harmony to fuel lasting drive and fulfillment.
1. Start with Purpose
Motivation springs from meaning. Connect your daily tasks, career goals, and personal relationships to a deeper sense of purpose. Reflect on what truly matters to you and regularly align your actions with your values and aspirations. When your life feels purposeful, motivation naturally follows.
2. Cultivate Healthy Habits
Physical well-being directly impacts motivation. Build simple, repeatable routines—like regular exercise, balanced nutrition, and enough sleep—that energize you throughout the day. Good health boosts your mood, sharpens your mind, and increases resilience to stress, allowing motivation to ripple into every area of your life.
3. Practice Mindfulness
Self-awareness is the bridge connecting all aspects of life. Pause regularly to check in with your thoughts, emotions, and progress. Mindful reflection helps you adapt flexibly, preventing burnout at work and improving the quality of your relationships by making you more present and engaged.
4. Build Supportive Connections
Surround yourself with positive, motivating people. Relationships that encourage growth and understanding strengthen your drive, whether at home or in your career. Celebrate achievements big and small, offer support, and openly communicate—this kind of network helps motivation thrive and transfers energy from one sphere of life to another.
5. Set Boundaries and Goals
Balance is key. Set clear, attainable goals in both your personal and professional life and give yourself permission to say no to overcommitments. Celebrate progress, not just perfection. By maintaining boundaries, you protect your energy and motivation, ensuring it’s available for what matters most.
6. Integrate and Reflect
Holistic motivation means tying all parts of your life together. Reflect regularly on how actions in one area influence others: learning a new skill at work can build confidence for personal projects; caring for your health can deepen your connections at home. Recognize these links and use them to create upward momentum in all aspects of your life.
Motivation isn’t just a fleeting feeling—it’s an integrated force built by daily habits, meaningful connections, and the pursuit of purpose. By nurturing your mind, body, and relationships together, you create a cycle where motivation continually renews itself—helping you approach success as a whole, fulfilledled person.
Unlocking your potential and achieving ambitious goals—whether personal or within your organization—requires more than passion and strategy. Too often, individuals and businesses unintentionally sabotage their progress by neglecting the human side of goal achievement. For mission-driven organizations and leaders, shifting the focus from business priorities to prioritizing people is key to sustained growth and breakthrough results. Here’s how to leverage the principles of design, craft, develop, engage, elevate, and embrace to create systems and organizations that empower people, not just profit.
1. Design: Create with People in Mind
Every meaningful journey begins with conscious design. This means intentionally crafting environments, processes, and systems that put people at the center.
Map out systems that value well-being, collaboration, and creativity.
Involve diverse perspectives early, ensuring that solutions reflect the needs and aspirations of your team.
Design spaces—physical and virtual—that inspire connection and engagement.
2. Craft: Build Thoughtfully
Crafting is about paying attention to details and iterating on what works.
Set clear, human-centered goals that go beyond financial metrics.
Regularly review and refine workflows to remove friction points that cause frustration or burnout.
Use feedback not as criticism, but as material for improvement.
3. Develop: Invest in Growth
People thrive where development is both encouraged and resourced.
Offer meaningful learning opportunities at every level, from technical training to leadership development.
Develop mentorship and peer coaching programs.
Measure “people progress”—gains in skills, satisfaction, and motivation—alongside business KPIs.
4. Engage: Foster Genuine Connection
Engagement happens when people feel seen, heard, and valued.
Facilitate open dialogues where team members can share challenges, insights, and ideas.
Recognize individuals for both effort and innovation, not just traditional performance.
Foster a sense of belonging by celebrating differences and shared values.
5. Elevate: Lift Each Other Up
Great organizations focus on mutual support.
Empower team members with autonomy—trust them to make decisions and take calculated risks.
Create structures for cross-functional collaboration, allowing people to learn from each other.
Celebrate milestones and successes collectively, reinforcing the power of teamwork.
6. Embrace: Build Resilient Systems
Embracing means accepting and learning from setbacks, rather than letting them derail progress.
Implement feedback loops to continually refine systems and strategies.
Normalize conversations about challenges and failures—view them as opportunities to learn and grow.
Encourage a culture of adaptability so teams can pivot quickly and confidently in changing environments.
Building Human-Centric Systems: Practical Steps
Principle
Action Step
Impact on People
Design
Host collaborative workshops to co-create goals
Boosts ownership and alignment
Craft
Streamline processes with user input
Reduces stress and increases efficiency
Develop
Offer regular skill-building sessions
Grows confidence and capability
Engage
Recognize effort in real time
Increases sense of value and satisfaction
Elevate
Encourage team-led initiatives
Promotes leadership and engagement
Embrace
Debrief both wins and losses as a group
Builds trust and resilience
Why People-Centered Organizations Succeed
Organizations built on people-first principles experience higher engagement, lower turnover, and more innovative output. When you stop sabotaging your own goals by putting business metrics ahead of human experience, you create an environment where both individuals and the organization can flourish. A focus on design, craft, develop, engage, elevate, and embrace doesn’t just get you to your goals—it ensures you arrive as a stronger, happier, and more connected team.
By shifting your lens from “business only” to “people always,” you unlock the full potential of your organization—one human at a time.
The moment I choose for you, what you bring into my life, who you are, what you can be, what you mean, who you’ve been – anything that takes me from my space to invade yours – I lose all possibility of experiencing you. I believe in magic. I will always choose vanilla cake.
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