Okay, so this is a bit of a long video, but it’s a pretty good story. 🙂
I was asked the other day for some advice… Someone I know was struggling with a decision they needed to make and referenced an earlier post of mine on how to live a magical life. I hope that this video will be somewhat helpful…
“Intuition is a spiritual faculty and does not explain, but simply points the way. ” ~ Florence Scovel Shinn
Faced with 2 very different options, it can be difficult to know what to do…unless we understand this simple, but powerful method for making decisions. You can watch the video, or read the formula below:
Think, Listen, Feel, Act
The decision making process is simple:
- With the option you are considering, close your eyes and visualize what the future will look like if you pursue that course.
- Pay attention for the specific feelings of faith, peace, comfort and excitement.
- If you get those feelings, ACT! If not, consider another path…
The basic idea is simple… the heart will tell you things that your mind will never conceive. As Johann Kaspar Lavater put it: “Intuition is the clear conception of the whole at once.”
You don’t have to ‘know’ (mind) how things will work out, you just have to listen to how you ‘feel’ (heart).  Take the step in faith, and the path will become clear as you go.
Once Enlightened, Don’t Give Up
Just remember to hold tight to the conviction to act from that inspiration when it comes. I’ve noticed that the pot of gold at the end of the inspiration rainbow is only found after a few briar patches. It’s intended that way, otherwise the leperchauns would get to it first.
Miracles are always preceded by an exercising of faith. If it wasn’t that way, everyone would live a magical life. But life has designed it so that the lazy and unbelieving are ever kept from the pot of gold. Remember that…if you’ve been inspired from the beginning, the obstacles are only ever put in your place to test your commitment. Hang in there, it’s worth it. 🙂
Hey Joseph! Just a question that has been in my head and heart for quite a time…after reading this that was very helpful still the question is and so I ask to see if I post this here someone can help, when you know the path you are on is not the right one, your life started to feel out of place, and you don’t have a clear choice because when you think in the future apart from your actual reality it’s just a blurr, what do you do to make it a bit clearer?
Thanks J!
Special mention to Hemel Radia, who shared a similar thought on twitter earlier today, as I was getting ready to publish this post! Check it out, and be sure to follow him, he’s an amazing contributor!
Joseph,
You and I share the same philosophy, But instead of Think, Listen, Feel, Act- I always say…BE. DO. HAVE.
Be the person you want to be.
Do the action, that will get you to your goals.
And then you shall HAVE-
We are all the creators of our lives.
Great blog post.
Lolly
Laura, that’s a great question…thanks for asking!
It is essential to understand that our imagination is limited by our experience. Why is this important? In order to visualize an outcome (create our future) we need to base it on some sort of a reference point. Our first tendency is to base it on our own personal experiences, which is why many people live the same cycles over and over again. They become their own self-fulfilling prophecy. They can’t see beyond their own experience, and therefore their reality is limited by their perception. “The sky is the limit” only for those who can’t see any further…
So the next step is to acknowledge that there is potentially something beyond our perception. When we realize that we may be using linear algebra to solve a non-linear equation, we are forced to find a better way. This is where most people talk about self-development, personal growth, etc. My experience is slightly different…
The bottom line is that you need a new reference point. You can’t really just make one up, and that is why all religious texts are steep with stories of those who accomplished extra-ordinary feats. These stories become a new reference point for us…an example for us to draw from. When we see others achieving what we once thought was impossible, our faith that it could happen to use increases, and our path becomes clearer.
So, study. Study the lives of over-achievers, learn from the experiences of other people…each will contribute to expanding your perception, and thus your reality.
And, the most important element… in the meantime, be open to miracles. What might seem impossible from one perspective, could really be the application of liner-logic to a non-linear equation. 🙂
Hey Joseph,
Just thinking about Laura’s question and your response. I really do believe that studying the lives of other “Full-Achievers” (I don’t like the idea of over-achievers… lol)is one of the biggest keys to success. I remember I was mowing the lawn probably about 5 years ago when the weight of this principle really hit me hard… If I want to live an extraordinary life I must study the lives of others who have done this already or are in the process of doing so. It became so clear… I am an artist and when at art school I studied the work of great artists to learn strategies and techniques. When I was taking interactive media I would spend hours studying the designs and sites of great designers. If I wanted my life and achievements to be full to the point of overflowing then I needed to “reset” my thinking, my perceptions, my vision! Do as you said Joseph… create a new reference point.
Laura, I made my biggest leaps in personal evolution when I was most willing to be completely honest with myself and ask the tough question,
“What do I believe?” When you have the answer to that, without attachment to current circumstances then you can move on to the tougher question…
“What does that belief mean?” For me it meant change which of course brought the toughest question of all…
“Am I willing to sacrifice to achieve it?” I have heard sacrifice being defined as giving up something good now for something better later… change is hard because of our attachments, our familiarity, our perceptions… one of the hardest is overcoming our fear of loss and just be willing to give it up… this is why it is considered a sacrifice.
BUT… once you make the commitment to change, believing you are on the path to a brighter tomorrow, all you need to do is take that first step. Don’t become attached to how you will get there (like Joseph has described)… know that you have connected with a vision far greater than your own understanding and trust in your own abilities to give and grow and learn and love… your own miracles will happen… I promise!
Sean
Sean, great input! I love the term ‘full-achievers’. You’re right, over-achiever is such a relative term…I’m going to replace it from now on. 🙂
Hi, cool post. I have been wondering about this topic,so thanks for writing. I’ll probably be coming back to your blog. Keep up great writing
Hey Joseph,
I have heard parts of this story before, however, I never knew, how you choose to listen to your heart rather than your head, and especially, rather than listening to everyone else.
That was a great story, and well worth the time to watch it! It is inspiring to watch you grow your visions and spread this amazing message.
Love and Light to you always.
Trisha
This is really inspiring and while this is the popular “new-age” whatever one wants to call it, way of thinking today (ie. Wayne Dyer, Deepak, many NPLers)–to listen to one’s heart or “intuition” rather than relying on logic and rational thinking, its been conflicting in my life because I was raised in a conservative, capitalist MALE family, and I studied ancient philosophy. Some of those old philosophers would disagree with heart based living, some. Thank God Emerson saved me from complete brain-lock and opened a new door so that my imagination wasn’t limited by those past experiences. 🙂 love and light, friend. J
Special mention to Hemel Radia, who shared a similar thought on twitter earlier today, as I was getting ready to publish this post! Check it out, and be sure to follow him, he's an amazing contributor!