To further inspire you to embrace the possibility of a quantum shift in your own life, I've identified five individuals who are known for overcoming adversity and turning it into greatness. This might be pure speculation on my part, but I believe these folks faced their own quantum moments when they decided to make the quantum shift that led them down their individual paths to success. I'll begin with Beethoven. Before Beethoven became known as one of the world's greatest composers, it is said that he was perceived by his teachers as hopeless. Not to mention, in the middle of his career he lost his hearing. At that point he had two choices: either give in to his adversity and quit, or continue on as a composer. Luckily, he saw past what the world thought of him and went on to compose great masterpieces.
Thomas Edison is another example. Edison is considered one of the most radical inventors in history, holding 1,093 U.S. patents.
As a young boy, his teacher told him he was too stupid. He tried over 9,000 experiments before he created the first successful light-bulb. Luckily he never gave up either, or we'd be stuck in the dark!.
Next is sports icon Michael Jordon. Michael is the greatest basketball player of all time. Today he's a legend, but before joining the NBA, he was just an everyday kid who was cut from the high school basketball team. Another example is legendary film direc-tor Steven Spielberg. His many groundbreaking films have made 152
Quantum Shifting: Life's Phone Booth Moments him insanely influential and outrageously successful. But he was not always a success. In fact, Spielberg dropped out of junior high school, and when he returned he was placed in a learning-disabled class. He only lasted a month in this class before he experienced a quantum shift and never looked for validation from the outside world again.
Finally, there's Albert Einstein, the most important scientist of the 20th century, who was awarded the 1921 Nobel Prize for physics. Yet, when Einstein was young, his parents thought he was mentally retarded. His teachers were so concerned about his grades that they reportedly said, "Einstein, you will never amount to anything!" Mind-blowing, right? These people who we perceive as iconic figures of success were all faced at some point with a cross-roads in their lives, and I believe they experienced a quantum moment in which they decided to embrace a completely new perception of themselves and their capabilities.
If you believe that you are not living in a way that reflects the kind of person you want to be, it is time to consider a quantum shift. Here's the plan. As usual, I'm going to walk you through the article's version of the Equation: the Quantum Shift ing Equation. However, in this particular version of the Equation, you're going to focus most of your energy on the rethink ing section of the Equation in an effort to get lined up for a quantum shift. Then I'll encourage you to step outside your comfort zone by accessing a new physical activity. By doing a new physical activity, you'll exercise new behavior and begin to perceive yourself in a different light. The Receiv ing step will guide you to create a whole new perception of yourself through your meditation. Your meditation will be followed by an write where you will retell your story with a more positive spin. Finally, I've added an additional tool to this..Equation: you will be encouraged to reread and retell your new story on a daily basis for thirty days. So open your mind and get ready to feel the earth shift beneath you!
Before you begin the Equation ask yourself the following questions: Is it a bird? Is it a plane? What kind of person do you want to be?
What do you want to accomplish? How do you want to perceive yourself?
After identifying who you want to be, answer the next question: Is who you want to be much different from who you are today?
If it is, think about what it is that you are doing that is causing this disconnect. For instance, if what you want to be is a success in your career, are you still going out and partying every night, only to show up at work the next day with a major hangover that causes you to perform at half your capacity? Or if you want to be a good friend, do you tend to drop your friends the minute you get a boyfriend? Or if you want to be a eco-conscious citizen of the world, are you doing anything toward that end?
The Quantum Shift ing Equation
Open your mind. Being open to the idea that change is within reach is a key element in this process. Have faith in the stories related above and know that you have the same capacity to change your perception of yourself that anyone has. Follow these steps:
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Quantum Shifting: Life's Phone Booth Moments
Step 1: Get Honest
Are you stuck accepting a negative perception of yourself?
What is your current story of yourself? Write it out.
How have you been blocking yourself from being the person you want to be and achieving the things you want to achieve?
How does the world mirror any negative perceptions you have of yourself?
Step 2: Rethink
Take your answers to the above questions and revise them to fall in line with the person you want to be. Follow the guide below:
Tool One: Get unstuck . If you are stuck in a negative perception of yourself, change that negative perception to a positive one. For instance, if you answered: I am unmotivated, lazy and unfocused, change it to: I am ambitious, highly motivated, hard working and focused.
Tool Two: Rethink your current story. Change it to reflect the story of who you want to be.
Tool Three: Bulldoze your blocks. For example, if you answered, I block myself from playing music professionally because I fear that I won't be able to make money, rewrite it as, I am actively pursuing my music career and I make tons of money doing it.
Tool Four: Reverse how others respond to you. How would you like the world to perceive you? Rewrite the script of how others react to you. For example, if your parents do 155
not support your desire to play music professionally, write out, My parents fully support my desire to play music and they show up to every gig.
Step 3: Disengage
When your thoughts and feelings are still aligned with fear and negativity, the people in your life will reflect that back to you.
Don't let others hold you back from experiencing a quantum moment. Practice disengaging. Identify the people in your life who fuel your fear. Forgive them, because they are merely a reflection of your inner beliefs. Then disengage. The Course says that "Insistence means investment." This lesson teaches that when we insist on engaging in other people's fear we are investing in it. In addition, if we attack their fear with a defensive attitude, we are still investing in it. Instead, forgive them and move on. Stop engaging in the negative perceptions of the world; it only blocks your change.
