Book excerpt: Part I The purpose of this part of the monograph is to discuss the hypnotic response and to present two methods for achieving it. Part II The purpose of this part of the monograph is to outline an extremely effective procedure for obtaining self-control through the use of tape recordings which you can easily make yourself. This part of the monograph contains a new idea; for although the idea of giving commands to oneself directly without the formal use of hypnosis goes back at least to Coué (c. 1920), and no doubt much farther, a careful search of the literature seems to indicate that the idea of programming (by means of the repeated use of a recording) the subconscious mind to respond directly to arbitrary commands from the conscious mind is original with the author and consistent with the conclusions of other researchers. His method helps a person realize his or her potential in what appears to be an innate ability.