Attitude is so very important in hypnosis. Another word for attitude is focus.

Now, this isn't, nor will it, happen, but if it did, I'd quickly enter a trance.

Here I am, typing away, when all of a sudden I look across the keyboard and an article on the paranormal catches my eye. Must have uncovered it when I moved my research notes for this article. I stop typing, pull the paper towards me and begin to read. It's particularly interesting, because it has facts in it that are entirely new to me, but which make perfect sense. It's written from a scientific point of view and I become completely wrapped up in it.

There we are. I'm in trance. The beauty of this particular trance is that it's positive. Firstly, I find the article interesting. Secondly, I know this'll make a splendid re-write of an article for my own use. As I read it, I'm automatically re-wording it so they'll be no danger of plagiarism. I finish reading and sit there for a little while, staring into space, thinking about it. Then I realize I have an article to finish and carry on typing.

But here you have to be careful. It must be remembered that just as you can have positive hypnotic experiences, so too can they be negative. Negative, when applied to hypnosis can be decidedly counter-productive. There's a tangential mention of hypnosis in this fictional paranormal article I just read, and I decide to read up on hypnosis when I've finished typing this article.

There's an enormous amount of material on hypnosis on the Internet; "How to persuade a girl into bed with you inside 30 seconds." (Actually, I think that goes against the laws of physics!). "How to make $5,000 a day, starting next week," "How to turn your wife into a sex goddess with a flick of your fingers."

Then you run across a website run by a gentleman with something like HGDip, DipHypNLP after his name. Suffice to say, he or she is a well qualified hypnotherapist and would have no truck with forcing girls, (or boys!), into bed.

Anything to do with the American or British Medical Associations of course are perfectly safe. But can hypnosis promote success? Certainly. Is it safe? Again, certainly. Here's one area that shows the sense of hypnosis. With Positive Thinking, and methods similar to it, it's suggested you concentrate on success in the shape of new houses, cars, boats, aeroplanes etc. Concentrate on success, success will come to you and you'll have all those wonderful possessions.

But supposing you have very low self esteem and your self confidence hovers around the zero mark. You need considerable positive attributes to be in a position to even begin to think about acquiring such luxurious possessions. Hypnosis recognizes this and instead of using simplistic Positive Thinking, it's suggested instead that you change your thinking to an optimistic train of thought.

If you find yourself thinking negatively or pessimistically, change it immediately to optimism and positive expectation. This latter exercise is a lot more powerful than people give it credit for. It's a case of habit, really, like optimism. After a few weeks, you automatically think of matters as having a good outcome. Obviously, sometimes they don't, but there are exceptions to every rule, otherwise we'd be living in a state of Utopia.

So what are the personal attributes necessary for success? Well, you have to be a very hard worker. You do need self-confidence and self esteem. Optimism, of course, and a balanced state of mind. If you have anger issues, these should be addressed at the earliest opportunity.

Now, the one thing we haven't discussed. At what are you going to be a success? It isn't any good writing out a whole list of things and then using a pin. It doesn't really matter what it is -- as long as it's something about which you're passionate. Maybe writing a book. Opening an aeromodelling shop. Restoring vintage cars. The worst thing you can do is to start something at which you'll become bored.

So make certain you're absolutely serious about this. It's something at which you want to spend the rest of your life doing. Then, find a qualified hypnotherapist and address those qualities you feel are weak. Obviously, take the therapist's advice. I doubt it'll be the cheapest exercise you've every undertaken, but if you're determined, you have everything to gain.