I often hear these words when the topic of self-change and self-improvement come up among my clients and students:

“It’s too late for me. I’ve made too many mistakes in life. I can’t change my circumstances.”

Or, I hear something like:

“I’m not ready for change yet. This is the way I am. Maybe when I get older, I’ll do something different to get happy.”

Well, I have some good news for you: It’s never too late, and it’s never too early.

“It’s never too late” means it doesn’t matter how old you are--you can have a happy and successful life, regardless of how many disappointments and frustrations you have experienced. New research in brain plasticity shows us that you can emotionally rewire your brain at any age; you can actually change your brain by adding more positive thoughts and emotions into your life on a daily basis.

Smile, pay a stranger a compliment, help an elderly person with their groceries, count your blessings, meditate while imagining that you are spreading loving kindness to your community--these are all research-proven methods to improve your level of positive emotions, which in turn will improve your brain circuitry, and bring you more creativity, energy, resilience, longevity, and well-being (happiness).

What do I call this superior state of happiness and excellence that we all strive for? I call it Invincibility2 or Invincibility Squared. Invincibility2 is a psychological formula I have developed to help individuals enjoy lives of ultimate superiority in their emotions, relationships, career, finances, health, and spiritual lives.

To be invincible means to be incapable of being defeated by outside enemies or circumstances. To be Invincible2 means that you are incapable of being defeated by either external forces or by the inner workings of your mind.

Sadly, many of us are our own worst enemies when it comes to fostering and infecting our minds with negative thoughts--what I I call the “Malas” (the bad ones). These Malas are always interfering with our happiness and productivity. How often have we created those inner condemning thoughts: “I’m not.... (good enough, smart enough, attractive enough, etc....) to succeed in life. I am doomed to failure.”

With the Invinciblility2 formula, you learn how to reverse those old negativities. You learn how to harness those maladaptive inner voices for your own use, for your own power. You learn how to create positive life forces, which I call the “Buenas” (the good ones).

The simple truth is that no matter how much you have suffered (or lost) in the past, you can create a mind full of Buenas--positive thought forces. You can develop Invinciblity2 right now. You can have both mental and environmental mastery, and you can live with passion, purpose, and power.

Here are some simple rules to remember as you develop Invincibility2:

1. TRANSMUTE YOUR PAIN: Recognize that everything that you have called “pain” in your past is simply an energy stimulus. By itself it is neutral--it has no power, either good or bad. This energy--maybe a heartbreak from a lost love or a missed opportunity--is merely an energy force that you can transmute, or change, to help your personal growth and advancement. You can take that energy that you used to call “pain” or “defeat,” and turn it into an unstoppable force for good, growth, and healing.

2. LOOK UP AT THE STARS: No matter how low you have sunk in life (in your finances, personal habits, or self-belief), you can still harness that amazing power of focus, which the ancients call “Fudoshin” (immoveable mind) . You can still look upward to the noble examples of those special individuals who have succeeded by contributing their God-given talents to make a positive difference in the world. You can learn from the great teachers and masters of excellence by reading their books and studying their lives. By focusing on the same star they follow, you, too, will be able to reenact their excellence and contentment, while experiencing it in your own way.

3. KEEP WALKING FORWARD: When you get discouraged about “taking a step backward” into your old bad habits and self-defeating thinking, remember this: What does it matter if you take one step backward as long as you are taking two steps forward? If you overall movement is forward, you are still making progress. Many times, we are too hard on ourselves for our mistakes; we chastise ourselves about not being able to change our negative habits; about getting caught up with the same harmful people. Stop right now. Recognize that you are walking forward despite your mistakes. You are on the right path to Invincibility2.

Finally, you may ask: “when should I start to develop my personal power and emotional strength? Tomorrow, the day after, one year from now?” The answer is simple: Start Now. It is never too early to work on yourself; to start to raise your level of emotional and psychological strength. One small step in your favor, in the direction of your Invincibility2, is another step away from your past follies, regrets, and embarrassments. The more you walk, the more wonders you will see.

Yes, you are becoming a new person--an Invincible Person--every time you work on yourself by reading a self-growth book, attending a healing lecture, or listening to a transformational CD. You are also making progress whenever you observe the inner workings of your thoughts, extend your loving energy to others without expectations, and slow yourself down to develop the art of patience.

Before long, you will realize that you are winning big. How do you know when you are winning big? When you no longer think about success and happiness; when you are becoming success and happiness. It’s like this: When you live in the ocean, you don’t need to complain about a lack of water; you have everything you need.

Be like the person in the ocean: You are an Invincible Person who has everything you need to live with total freedom, creativity, and love. Live it.