Contact James: 1-888-562-7371 (Toll Free) or 203-261-1200 | james@jamesmapes.com

Hypnosis Revealed: Here are four insights into the mind to clarify the somewhat ephemeral subject of Hypnosis....

22 March, 2021

Quantum Leap Thinking can be explained in non-linear fashion with concepts, like a group of chemicals mixed and interacting in harmony....

10 December, 2019

Listening actively is much more than just sitting still and looking at the other person. Here are 3 keys to listen actively...

16 July, 2019

How To Let Go of the Rope - concluding thoughts on the concept of letting go and learning to live an exceptional life....

05 August, 2018

You can choose to adjust your attitude and live with hope, joy and positive expectancy. I have helped people do this for over four decades....

22 June, 2018

As a concept, learning how to let go seems fairly straightforward. In reality, it is a complicated issue as there are several areas that have to be addressed if you want to live an exceptional life....

30 May, 2018

Apply these 13 steps to manage change over the long term and you will be on the path to living an exceptional life...

18 October, 2017

Managing change - positive or negative, creates loss. All change involves giving up something. We fear loss and resist change....

28 September, 2017

Breaking routine is mandatory for the creative process. Break your old ways and ignite your creativity for new exciting results!...

13 September, 2017

As strange and odd as this may sound, your “mind,” as opposed to your “brain” is, figuratively speaking, divided into two parts....

20 June, 2017

Successful teams happen when you envision all the elements as if they are in place. Then take action to make it happen....

04 December, 2016

Full disclosure: I’m writing this article to shake up your thinking.   Are you sure, really sure, about what you believe?   Beliefs are usually something we observe and judge in others, yet very seldom examine in ourselves.  That’s why – by our nature and......

27 October, 2016

  “Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver.” –Ayn Rand     Money worries head the chart as the most common causes of stress among Americans.  But, how much of our......

18 October, 2016

Those who do not have power over the story that dominates their lives, the power to retell it, rethink it, deconstruct it, joke about it, and change it as times change, truly are powerless, because they cannot think new thoughts. —Salman Rushdie THE STORY THAT......

29 September, 2016

Risk taking is a subjective experience. One person’s risk may be another’s hobby. Sometimes risk is forced on you. Your mate of 20 years suddenly demands a divorce, or your job is terminated after thirty years. Imposed risks are often perceived as negative. Sometimes taking......

12 September, 2016

“It is the obvious which is so difficult to see most of the time. People say ‘It’s as plain as the nose on your face.’ But how much of the nose on your face can you see, unless someone holds a mirror up to you?”......

07 September, 2016

There are approximately 15 million Americans dependent on EpiPen to quickly administer the adrenaline for a multitude of allergic reactions. Many simply cannot afford this price-gouged drug....

30 August, 2016

I have coached my clients for years that - in order to grow - you need to choose to become aware of your thinking and to realize that most of your judgments come from the models of how you believe people should act and the world should work. Sometimes those judgments are flawed. ...

24 June, 2016

“There are always three speeches, for every one you actually gave. The one you practiced, the one you gave, and the one you wish you gave.” –Dale Carnegie During my years as a public speaker, I’ve been asked countless times, “How can I get in......

24 March, 2016

When you think of “wellness,” what comes to mind?  Losing weight?  Eating healthier?  Exercising?   Television and Internet ads constantly bombard and lead you to believe these are the only elements to living a long and healthy life.  While exercise and healthy eating are paramount to......

16 March, 2016

Sometimes in life you meet the right person at the right time, a combination which is unstoppable.  This is how I feel about my colleague, Anthony Galie.  What follows are our solutions for successful goals completion – combined for guaranteed success.  We both acknowledge that......

19 January, 2016

“True mastery is really, really hard. I think that’s one reason why few people achieve it. It requires enormous amounts of work and persistence. It requires time. It requires grit. It requires effort. It requires setbacks. And many of us aren’t willing to accept that......

03 December, 2015

My previous blogs identified three of the five core values of a Quantum Leap Thinker: Respect, Accountability, Integrity, Perseverance and Discipline and explored the first, respect. Let’s take a brief look at “Perseverance.” Press on. Nothing in the world can take the place of perseverance.......

17 September, 2015

My previous two blogs identified two of the five core values of a Quantum Leap Thinker: Respect, Accountability, Integrity, Perseverance and Discipline and explored the first, respect. Let’s take a brief look at “Integrity.” One of the definitions of integrity in Webster’s New World Dictionary......

03 September, 2015

Do what you feel in your heart to be right—for you’ll be criticized anyway. You’ll be damned if you do, and damned if you don’t. —ELEANOR ROOSEVELT My previous blog identified the five core values of a Quantum Leap Thinker: Respect, Accountability, Integrity, Perseverance and......

26 August, 2015

Part of my chosen life’s work is to help people become aware of their values and provide strategies so they can form their personal and organizational visions. But what if they lack personal integrity? What if they have no sense of fair play? What if......

17 August, 2015

As he plummeted 24 miles to Earth at a speed of 833 mph, Felix Baumgartner went into an uncontrollable “death spin”. To make matters worse he couldn’t see, because his visor was covered in condensation. http://gemini.cmail1.com/t/r-l-qpbtl-oydejudk-y/ In the months leading up to the record breaking......

04 August, 2015

The toughest thing about success is that you’ve got to keep on being a success. Talent is only a starting point in this business. You’ve got to keep on working that talent. Someday I’ll reach for it and it won’t be there. —IRVING BERLIN, American......

02 July, 2015

Let’s call your point of view your current view of the situation, or your CVS. You have a current view of your relationships, your job, a creative project, potential travels, or your financial situation. The current view of the situation is simply how, at this......

23 June, 2015

Without question, your subconscious rules your conscious choices and has its own set of rules. Rule #1: The subconscious does not think in the traditional sense but reacts out of the brains primitive fight or flight programming. Rule #2: The subconscious moves us towards what......

11 June, 2015

The most exciting news in all of psychology, neurology and self-help is that recent research proves our brain remains “plastic” and – that we can “rewire” or – form new neurological connections – well in to our 70’s through – visualization.  Harvard Medical School did......

02 June, 2015

Have you heard of SmartPlate? It’s a high tech dish that “tells” you what you’re eating. It can “detect the difference between a fried drumstick and a grilled one.” (In case you can’t). I guess it’s suppose to be a sort of brain aid. To......

28 May, 2015

“Loneliness is the poverty of self; solitude is the richness of self.” -May Sarton (1912-1995), American Poet and novelist. Solitude is a rare but necessary commodity in today’s hyper-connected world. Whether you are aware of it or not, everyone needs a bit of alone time......

05 March, 2015

After purchasing a new lakeside home, my wife and I elected to “break the bank” and add a room with an indoor spa. One compelling reason was the fact that we have three granddaughters, 6, 8 and 11. At every visit they always enjoy an......

16 February, 2015

I titled this A Gift of Healing because a blog usually presents practical information or a story that creates insight and, hopefully, a call to action. I want to impart information but also ask for your help in giving a gift. According to the Centers......

08 February, 2015

The great director, Steven Spielberg wrote. “The most amazing thing for me is that every single person who sees a movie, not necessarily one of my movies, brings a whole set of unique experiences. Now, through careful manipulation and good storytelling, you can get everybody......

02 February, 2015

What kind of a world would this be if we acted on our first knee-jerk thought – such as anger, revenge, prejudice and lust? The answer: a world of total chaos. Unfortunately though, many of us do. Then there are those who recognize their first......

29 January, 2015

In 2008, I made nine predictions for 2009. And whaddya know? Each and every one of them has come true every year since. I’ve never been wrong. One time I thought I was wrong, but I was mistaken. 🙂 And so, I think I’ll stick with them for 2015 as well....

30 December, 2014

Following my heart surgery more than five years ago, I embarked on an extensive journey to help others achieve a successful surgery, heal quicker and enhance their lives. The result was "Five Keys for Living an Exceptional Life."...

17 December, 2014

“Failure is, in a sense, the highway to success, inasmuch as every discovery of what is false leads us to seek earnestly after what is true.” —JOHN KEATS, English poet Many year ago, while working on the film Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, I......

04 December, 2014

It is not difficult to be impressed with the new Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Robert McDonald. He brings with him the same passion to help our veterans that made him a stellar Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Procter &......

11 November, 2014

Barriers to successful teams can be summed up in seven points. 1. Lack of Vision. A team must have a compelling purpose that appeals both emotionally and rationally to the members of the team. If the team lacks a vision, its members lack vision. 2.......

05 November, 2014

That’s a question that could bend your mind and tax your imagination. It’s certainly not new. The Greek aphorism “Know thyself”, was inscribed on the frontispiece of the ancient Temple of Apollo at Delphi and adapted by Socrates, the philosopher who said: “An unexamined life is not worth living.” But, how...

16 October, 2014

Every once in a while, I see a segment on television that both delights and dismays me. It delights me because it ...

31 August, 2014

The passing of Robin Williams has generated an overwhelming number of responses but the bottom line is that his death sparks a search for understanding within us all. We reach down within our deepest self to find an explanation....

15 August, 2014

If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything; it is open to everything. In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities; in the expert’s mind ...

21 July, 2014

My grandfather drove a steam engine, and as a young boy all I ever dreamed about was to be like him, controlling the Iron Horse. I remember the blast of heat from the furnace against my face as I watched two muscular, sweating men shovel coal into the fiery hole. Most of the time I rode in the engineer’s cabin, watching Grandpa work ...

14 July, 2014

Two weeks ago my brother Dave and I enjoyed our twenty-ninth year of camping. “Why camping? It sounds very uncomfortable” is the question and observation I get most often from people who do not know me well. ...

01 July, 2014

I’ve edited this from Chapter 16 “Taking Inventory” of my book – Quantum Leap Thinking: An Owner’s Guide for the Mind. This is not for the faint of heart but introspection is the key to growth. QUANTUM LEAP THINKERS ACCEPT THEIR WEAKNESSES AND FOCUS ON......

12 June, 2014

http://bit.ly/1iHXWCL Creativity speaker and bestselling author James Mapes will present “Mind Over Body – Harness Vision to Create a Wellness Strategy” on Wednesday, May 21 at 7 p.m. at The Ferguson Library’s Third Floor Auditorium, Bedford & Broad Streets, Stamford. Mr. Mapes draws on his three decades of experience as a clinical hypnotist, NLP practitioner, medical facilitator and an executive coach, as well as his own personal experience with open-heart surgery. As a strategy for health and wellness, he will highlight the importance of “Five Keys to Living an Exceptional Life”: making friends with reality, maintaining a positive attitude, creating a support system, expressing gratitude and creating a strong vision of the future. He will give suggestions to help people reduce fear and anxiety, instill a feeling of calmness, manage negative stress and improve immune function to reduce pain and create a healing consciousness. Mr. Mapes is the author of Quantum Leap Thinking: An Owner’s Guide to the Mind, The Workbook: The Magic of Quantum Leap Thinking, and the recently-released 2-CD program – Patient Pre-Op/Post-Op Healing Therapy™. For more information, call 203 351-8231 or visit www.fergusonlibrary.org. Book sale and signing to follow the presentation. Generously supported by the Friends of The Ferguson Library. ...

14 May, 2014

Upon reading – Seeing the Glory, as Mental Preparation for the Winter Games in the February 23, 2014, New York Times, I let out an internal whoop of joy. The validation of mental rehearsal by Olympian athletes leaves no doubt that visualization and imagery contribute......

24 February, 2014

SOMETIMES TAKING A RISK INVOLVES CHANGE. SOMETIMES TAKING A RISK MEANS COMMITTING TO REMAIN IN YOUR PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCE. ...

18 February, 2014

Guest blog Picture Yourself by Tom Asacker, author, The Business of Belief. This is a must read book. “Ladies and gentlemen . . . the Beatles!” 50 years ago this month, 4 Liverpudlians rocked a nation. Their shocking performance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” was......

09 February, 2014

What is a thinker? A thinker is a sovereign individual who consciously values the natural rights of thinkers. The School of Thinking supports the natural rights of ...

30 January, 2014

It is a natural assumption that the choices we make are guided by some external force or are conscious acts of will. However, there are powerful, unconscious forces within us at work....

10 December, 2013

When was the last time you worked on not caring? Brad Faxon, one of golf’s best putters, was on the practice green once when someone asked what he was working on. A new grip perhaps? A new way to strike the ball? Maybe trying out a new putter? “Nope,” he answered. “I’m working on not caring.” ...

06 November, 2013

Failure is the one fear that always puts the brakes on creativity, innovation, risk taking, growth, and productivity, yet most of us have been programmed from our earliest years to be afraid of failure. The person who ...

21 October, 2013

I have come to believe that the way the term self-esteem is used is actually a misnomer. The first half of the expression, self, would seem to indicate that esteem, the second half of the expression, is derived from one’s self. ...

11 September, 2013

My wife and I have wanted to take a Norwegian Cruise on Seabourn for seven years. In spite of our busy career schedules, we decided with full awareness that life is unpredictable and ...

07 August, 2013

Thomas S. Kuhn introduced the concept of paradigms to the scientific world twenty-five years ago in The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Kuhn, a scientific historian, considered paradigms a whole new way of looking at and predicting possible outcomes. He wrote that ...

25 July, 2013

From Plato and Aristotle on, the wisest people have left us powerful advice for success in anything we do. It boils down to seven universal conditions....

10 July, 2013

A QUANTUM LEAP WILL TAKE PLACE ONLY WHEN YOU SEE THINGS AS THEY REALLY ARE, NOT AS YOU WISH THEM TO BE. I used to be determined to overcome the barriers waiting to trip me up. People were constantly ignoring or disappointing me. I was......

21 June, 2013

Separability is the belief that your actions do not directly impact anyone else, that your behavior in a relationship has no effect on your partner, that your performance on a team does not directly influence the performance of the team as a whole. But the belief that you are powerless, unimportant, without influence, and that you do not make a difference is a denial of cause and effect. ...

17 June, 2013

I just got over a rough bout with a stomach virus. The first two days were spent in utter desperation, doing what one does when extremely ill, trying to hold down some liquids so as not to become dehydrated and pondering some not so useful thoughts about life. In other words, I was in survival mode. Then, on the third day, I begin to think more ...

15 April, 2013

This blog is the first in a series on what I believe to be a basically ignored, underappreciated and undervalued component of creativity, innovation and success – “applied imagination.” I am fairly certain that you have heard the expressions - ...

10 April, 2013

What explodes creative thinking? There are dozens of suggestions available in hundreds of books and articles. But one thing is true. The more experiences you have and more information you place in that three-pound piece of gray matter called The Brain, the more punch you contribute to creative thinking. Combine that with the diversity of ...

28 March, 2013

In today’s hyper-connected world it is easy to get lost in the forest of overwhelming flow of emails, social networking or just trying to complete your daily 'to do' list of mandatory maintenance. But goals that only keep us afloat do not help us grow. So it's time to get back to the basics ...

04 February, 2013

First, let’s get some facts straight. Research shows that more than 80% of us fail at keeping our New Year’s resolutions because we unconsciously set ourselves up for failure. One of the main reasons is, without awareness, we focus on the downside of not achieving their goals. That means ...

08 January, 2013

I am one of the most fortunate individuals in the world because I am an entrepreneur. I have been able to weave together four successful careers, help others make money, make myself comfortable and ...

13 October, 2012

I am truly an evangelist for the imagination, so when I have the perfect platform to present my speech topic and an open and receptive audience, my soul is full of fire. It happened this week....

24 September, 2012

Life can turn on a dime. I got up last Monday morning, grabbed a cup of coffee and headed to the computer with the intention to write a new article and put some finishing touches on another project. Within moments, I felt terribly sick and......

16 July, 2012

I just finished two very large projects and immediately felt myself begin to take an emotional downward spiral. “Why is this happening?” I asked myself. “These goals have been striving to complete. You should be flying high with joy.” Then I remembered the dynamics of......

01 June, 2012

If I could give one piece of advice which would help others gain more control of their lives and become more centered it would be to…Make Friends with Reality. Here is precisely what I mean. ...

07 May, 2012

Good news. Will power works. Bad news: Will power drains your mental resources. Better news: You can re-charge your mental battery. The challenge for all creative individuals, specifically writers, is to know when you need to recharge. Part of this challenge comes from the eternal battle between ...

21 February, 2012

A creative life goes hand-in-hand with diversity and adversity – actively seeking out diversity in communication and managing adversity in life. While creativity may be our natural, pure state, being creative fuctions best ...

15 February, 2012

If you are going to succeed in any business - in any arena - in todays competitive environment, you had better think out-of-the-box, embrace change and take some risk. That is exactly what the former Apple executive, Ron Johnson, has put into motion since he took over as CEO of J. C. Penney Co. last November. ...

27 January, 2012

I have always been concerned – more so lately – about the dog-eat-dog, kill or be killed, Darwinian survival mindset of business leaders today. I don’t mean to imply that I believe all competition is bad. It has its place and,...

14 January, 2012

I just recently returned from visiting on the set of the new Tom Cruise movie ONE SHOT being filmed in Pittsburgh, Pa. It was an educational and enlightening ...

07 January, 2012

After presenting my program – IMAGINE THAT! to a sales team from a major pharmaceutical company, my wife and I were asked to join them for dinner. After some wonderful dialogue about the program, my wife asked the eight people in attendance question....

11 October, 2011

A few days ago I had the privilege of presenting the keynote speech “Imagine That! Influencing the Elephant” to the Direct Marketing Association Nonprofit Federation at the New York Sheraton in Manhattan....

11 October, 2011

I would like people to understand that we always create mental movies in our head. If you look at what you’re doing for dinner tonight or what your plans are for tomorrow or what you would like to do in the future or a goal, you’re creating a script. That script, the mental movie, is the way the primitive brain works on the elephant level. ...

16 June, 2011

Back to the beginning of this conversation, I think there is something else that oftentimes, especially in business, the expression -If it is not broke, do not fix it. But what you are saying to me is, if is not broke, you may want to go back and take a look at it because there may be some improvements that you can make to it. ...

15 June, 2011

Today, we are going to talk about something that not a whole lot of business leaders I am aware of talk about and that is, the imagination. ...

14 June, 2011

The interview continues on True Leadership: Part 2 of 3 Peter: That’s really interesting. Let’s unpack some of these a little bit, James. It seems to me one attribute here that certainly most great leaders have is they are risk takers, they are willing to take risks, they are willing to step out of their comfort zone to again achieve that vision that they have. ...

06 June, 2011

I had a very strange experience in the health club this morning. An acquaintance of mind approached me with what I thought to be, at first, a horrifying story. He had recently discovered a mole on his shoulder that looked suspicious. With great trepidation, he...

06 May, 2011

Last week was quite the emotional high. Over the past months I have been slowly developing a new multiple-leveled program for both pre-surgery patients and the staff and surgeons of the medical profession. I’ve based this program on my private one-one-one work over the past decades. Patient Pre-Op/Post Op Healing Therapy™ is designed to help pre-surgical patients reduce stress and fear, instill a positive ...

25 April, 2011

Last week I had the privilege of presenting my new program, IMAGINE THAT!, to the top 26 sales leaders of a major and extremely successful communications company. This event was a reward, incentive program where the winners brought their spouses to enjoy a stay at a lovely resort in California. This was unique for a couple of reasons. First ...

12 April, 2011

Yesterday, I watched a segment of a television news program on the 1981 attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan. It was a frightening experience to see how very close he came to being killed. Had it not been for the lightning fast reflexes of his Secret Service agent, there is no doubt that he would have died that day. Watching this affected me on a deeply emotional level. A few years after that near fatal event, my wife and I were fortunate enough to spend Thanksgiving in a safe family environment with the Reagans....

28 March, 2011

I’ve been thinking a lot about the quality of persistence. Nine years after writing the first word of my new book, I am now into my tenth rewrite. It has been exhilarating and agonizing. I’ve put it away in a drawer believing I would never take it out again but......

17 March, 2011

Adventure and risk taking wake me up in ways that nothing else does. You might want to do something a little different too....

20 February, 2011

Choice is such a deceptively simple word, one that at first glance can easily be dismissed. It is only when you realize that every choice you make weaves the unique fabric of your life....

27 January, 2011

Sometimes timing works out perfectly. We launched our new program, PATIENT PRE-OP/POST-OP HEALING THERAPYTM less than two weeks ago and the response has been overwhelming positive....

23 November, 2010

My wife and I recently took our daughter hot air ballooning for her birthday. The great delight was to see the expression on her face as the massive balloon was inflated and then to watch her delight as the balloon ascended high in the air.......

27 October, 2010

If you are, as I am, your own boss, it is also likely that you are your own motivator and leader....

16 September, 2010

I've grown a vegetable garden every summer for most of my life but it is only recently that I have fully appreciated the true bounty it has provided me. And, the bounty I refer to is in addition to the food I grow. ...

25 August, 2010

Everyone tells me that I have a unique relationship with my younger brother, my only sibling. I do....

17 June, 2010

I was recently recounting the seminal experiences I've had that, literally, changed the course of my life. One took place in 1976 when I participated in the first fire-walking workshop ever given in the United States....

06 June, 2010

On rare occasions I am fortunate enough to read an article that stimulates my thinking to such an extent that it gives rise to a creative idea that, in turn, morphs into something quite wonderful....

25 May, 2010

Saturday night, I performed my one-man hypnosis show, "Journey into the Imagination" for the first time in many months at the Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, CT. Despite the long drive, a stressful buildup to the event and a rolling electricity blackout that did just that at the beginning of the performance, it was an extraordinary experience - for me....

11 May, 2010

Letting go is a very big deal for most people and it is also one of the major skills to living an exceptional life. Letting go may mean cleaning out your closet, changing careers or releasing unrealistic dreams. But, perhaps one of the most difficult......

06 April, 2010

As I’ve been pondering my next monthly article, I’ve become transfixed thinking about both the power and whimsical nature of the imagination. The truth is – the imagination is often like a wild child. Left undisciplined and without direction, it will run amuck, creating havoc.......

22 February, 2010

Today I was wondering today if there is really such a thing as an unselfish act. While that may sound absurd, I want you to think about it. Less than two weeks ago, my wife and I rented a hotel room in New York City......

05 February, 2010

Yesterday my fifteen year old grandson asked my wife and I for help on a school project. He is assigned to write stories as to his family history. I thought you might enjoy my response to him. Dear Scott, Here are two short ideas which......

07 January, 2010

It’s far too long since I’ve blogged but the reason will soon become apparent. On August 24th I returned from Scotland after ten glorious days shooting a film. I played a character of my dreams for the sequel to Robin Hardy’s 1973 film, “The Wicker......

05 November, 2009

I just had one of the all time greatest experiences and adventures of my life – with the additional gift of re-learning some valuable life lessons in the process. The experience was acting in a movie. For me, it was the role of a life......

06 August, 2009

What is the purpose of having a friend? The truth is that maintaining a real friendship takes both time and commitment – both precious commodities. This is a question I’ve been pondering lately, this process triggered by having houseguests for five days. The visiting couple......

13 July, 2009

An acquaintance of mine is fond of saying, “Drink while the tavern’s open” – and he doesn’t even drink. But, I’m sure you get the picture. What he’s really saying is live life while it’s there to be lived and don’t’ miss any opportunities. A......

16 June, 2009

Our connections to others in a loving, caring way is both beneficial and essential to good mental health. Spend more time with loved ones....

05 June, 2009

Working in Harmony means creating a vision together in the pursuit of a worthy goal that can be of service to others...

12 May, 2009

I think that far too many people believe that when times our tough, as they are now, they must work harder, work longer and resist taking a ‘time out’ to kick back, play, relax and renew. This way of thinking is a huge error in......

11 May, 2009

We can always find the good hidden in the bad and use it to our advantage. You just have to know it’s there waiting to be discovered....

04 May, 2009

Grounding ourselves is very healthy. We all need to figure out a way to take a few moments and find a peaceful center....

27 April, 2009

Hold a vision - choose where you want to go, focus on the vision, take action and check to see if you are moving in the right direction....

20 April, 2009

On a recent camping trip I was reminded of the importance of getting away from what’s comfortable and renewing the spirit....

14 April, 2009

Do we have control over our perspective? Make a choice to see the world through eyes of possibility and hope rather than negativity and fear....

07 April, 2009

Insight will not emerge when there is too much stress in your life. It comes when you kick back, relax, and get in the zone....

01 April, 2009