It's been referred to as mind over matter, visualization, or positive thinking. Whatever you call it, the thought that mental power has an impact over daily lives -- and future success -- isn't new. But what if there's more to it than just our mind? More entrepreneurs are tapping into success with something called Emotional Freedom Technique.
What is Emotional Freedom Technique?
Although it's hit business news sites and blogs in recent year, the Emotional Freedom Technique, or EFT, has been around for quite some time used by therapists, psychologist and coaches.
The technique itself is simple: following instructional videos that can be found online, a person first thinks about something that they find stressful, for example, their bills, a past trauma, public speaking or asking their boss for a raise. Next, they simple use their fingertips to lightly tap on about 8 acupuncture points on while stating aloud the thoughts and feelings that arise.
Use of tapping the acupuncture points caused the technique to become known simply as tapping by many users.
Today, the process is interchangeably referred to as Emotional Freedom Technique, EFT tapping, EFT, or tapping.
How Does Tapping Work?
EFT is based on the same premises as acupuncture, though there are no needles involved. The point of acupuncture is to stimulate certain nerves or areas of the body that are proven to impact other areas or states; tapping serves a similar purpose.
It has been shown to "switch off" the fight or flight response within minutes, reducing the feelings and sensations of fear, anxiety or even anger that commonly arise when a person thinks about something stressful or upsetting. At the same time, one would also vocalize any thoughts, feelings or memories that appear during the process.
This effect is seen most dramatically in with Veterans suffering with PTSD where tapping has been adopted by many VA treatment centers because of its exceptional results.
Unlike acupuncture or acupressure, which are usually used to treat physical ailments, tapping is aimed at emotional healing at the nervous system level.
Since even the medical field agrees that 80% of all illness has a stress related component, and tapping reduces the stress response, tapping has brought about a comprehensive increase in health and performance for some individuals.
Seeking Emotional Freedom
The primary goal of tapping is to free yourself of the unwanted negative emotions thoughts and "fight or flight response" that arise and stop you anywhere in your life.
We can all relate to fears and/or our "inner critic" stopping us from new experiences, deeper relationships or from achieving our true potential. When we use tapping to release, at a mind/body level, habitual fear, anger, frustration, self-doubt and even feeling unworthy, we truly become free to do more, live more, love more.
In the business world, this "emotional freedom" leaves you more open to possibility, confident and energized to approach both big audacious goals and problems with clarity.
Because without the surge of fear, uncertainty and self-doubt to stop us in our tracks, make us pull back, sabotage or procrastinate, we are all capable of greatness.
Science's Stance on EFT
If you're unfamiliar with tapping or similar techniques such as acupuncture, the entire process may seem strange, silly or unrealistic.
However, with prestigious organizations, like the American Psychological Association, endorsing the legitimacy of EFT along with prominent MD's, psychiatrists and even neurologists, embracing the technique, it's not surprising that science has examined tapping claims.
17 studies have been published from 2008 to 2013 of various EFT processes, confirming positive results from the process.
Using Tapping for Business
As a group, entrepreneurs push the envelope, always setting and seeking to accomplish goals that are bigger and more ambitious than your average person.
To support this, a group of life, finance, and business coaches have brought tapping to entrepreneurs across the globe. Videos, seminars, mentors, and blogs teach success minded professionals how to use tapping to quickly release fear, self-doubt and even procrastination about finances, job decisions, and careers.
According to many tapping students, EFT has resulted in bigger thinking, more action, stronger financial states, career growth, and increased satisfaction with life.
Margaret M. Lynch is one of the leading experts on using EFT for success and wealth and author of the book "Tapping Into Wealth" (Penguin/Tarcher).
On her blog and through a series of online videos, Lynch talks about discovering your inner money paradigm and shifting it using EFT as a key to creating financial success.
According to Lynch, when it comes to earning more money and creating true wealth, you must look at the "mind/body/money" connection to see the whole story. This is because thinking about money in all its forms - income, savings, wealth goals, debt, bills - tends to trigger more anxiety, fear, frustration and limiting beliefs than almost any other thing in life.
Until we see and address this on the inside, our income and wealth will always be mysteriously and frustratingly limited. But, she passionately believes, it need not be so.
Lynch elaborated:
Tapping doesn't magically create wealth, but creating wealth takes vision, action, enthusiasm and a resilient mental toughness.
Tapping is a fast and amazingly simple technique that can clear away even a lifetime habit of self-doubt, fear, insecurity and self-sabotage leaving one more resourceful, positive, creative and in a word, happy.
This is where tapping enhances and facilitates the traits of positive thinking, courage, creativity and passion commonly exhibited by the most highly successful people.
Does Tapping Really Work?
With a growing number of business pros tapping into emotional freedom and success, many non-tappers probably wonder if it's that simple.
Ask any sports coach; they'll tell you about how much of success is the "the mental game" and the power of positive thinking.
Once thought to be simple a form of positive, scientific studies have shown that individuals who use tapping experience a measurable reduction in cortisol within minutes, and a self-evident physiological and psychological shift from a stressed state to one of emotional balance and positive perspective and expectation.
In the end, entrepreneurs will have to experience for themselves whether tapping works. With so much time spent on business coaching and ment