Neville Goddard's concept of self is the foundational principle of his teachings on the "Law of Assumption." He taught that your "concept of self" (or self-concept) is the root cause of everything you experience in your external world. In essence, you do not manifest what you want; you manifest who you are, or more accurately, what you believe and assume to be true about yourself. 

Neville Goddard's "Law of Assumption" is the ultimate plot twist in the story of life! It's all about your self-concept—the starring role in this cosmic show. According to Neville, your experiences aren't just random goodies from a wish list; they're the mirror reflection of who you truly are and what you firmly believe about yourself. So, if you're dreaming of manifesting magic, start with the main character—you!

Key Principles of the Self-Concept

• "I AM" is the Core Identity: The true self is the formless awareness, which Neville referred to as "I AM," the Biblical name of God. This "I AM" is pure potential, and your specific concept of yourself (e.g., "I am healthy," "I am successful") is the condition or identity you apply to that core awareness.

• The World is a Mirror: The external world has no power of its own; it is a mirror that automatically reflects your inner state and assumptions about yourself. To try to change external conditions without changing your inner concept of self is to struggle against the nature of reality.

• Assumption Hardens into Fact: Any assumption, even if it initially seems false or contrary to current physical evidence, if sustained with feeling and conviction, will eventually "harden into fact" in your physical reality. This is the core mechanism by which you create your world.

• "Everyone Is You Pushed Out": People and circumstances in your life are messengers, reflecting back to you your own beliefs and assumptions about yourself and others. If you want to change your relationship with someone, you must change your inner perception of yourself in relation to them.

• The Power of Choice: You are free to choose the concept you will accept of yourself. This gives you the power to intervene and alter your future by deliberately selecting and sustaining a higher, more desirable self-concept. 

How to Change Your Self-Concept

The process of changing your self-concept involves specific inner work: 

• Mental Diet: This means disciplining your mind to monitor and cut off opposing or negative thoughts about yourself, replacing them with thoughts that align with your desired self.

• Imagination and Feeling: Techniques like visualization (imagining a scene that implies your wish is fulfilled) and affirmations are used to impress the new idea upon the subconscious mind. The key is to embody the feeling of the wish fulfilled, not just to repeat words.

• Persistence: A new self-concept is developed through repetition and persistence until the new assumption becomes your natural, habitual state of being.

• Detach from the Old Identity: You must be willing to let go of your current limitations and identity to become the person you desire to be. 

By changing your conception of yourself, you automatically change the world in which you live, moving from being a victim of circumstance to the conscious creator of your reality.