SAL Book: Existential Gravity

Existential Gravity

LAW 9:

Existential Gravity exists to stymie Existential Growth.

Existential Gravity creates adversarial tugs and pulls that make Existential Growth (EG) difficult. It also seeks to inhibit your motivation to pursue it. It bears reiterating the definition of EG introduced in the first chapter of Book The First:

Existential Gravity (EG): Internal and external adversity that influences the poor exercise of Self-Action Leadership.

Existential Gravity affects everyone in the same way that physical gravity affects everyone (see figure 17.1). At lower levels of Existential Growth, you experience greater and stronger amounts of EG. At higher levels, you experience lesser and weaker pulls of EG. At the highest level, Self-Transcendence (Level 8), you are theoretically no longer subject to its power—you have effectively risen above it. Everyone who has not reached Self-Transcendence must confront EG, which takes many forms (see figure 17.2 two). There are many internal and external forces that work to inhibit and diminish your Existential Growth (figure one). This EG makes it difficult to rise above challenging circumstances and human flaws and weaknesses. It seeks to preclude personal success, fulfillment, and meaningful contribution.

COROLLARY 9.1: Self-action leaders possess power to transcend Existential Gravity over time through knowledge, self-awareness, effort, and guidance and help from others.

Rising above Existential Gravity is not easy, but it is possible. Just as mankind has learned to transcend Earth’s gravity with hot air balloons, airplanes, rocket ships, etc., you can learn to transcend Existential Gravity with others’ help and the engagement of SAL strategies.

It is not always easy to pursue a worthy goal when others around you mock, humiliate, or otherwise seek to foil your success. Moreover, it can be very difficult to break bad habits and overcome addictions, especially when those habits and addictions are deeply ingrained. Nevertheless, you possess the power to overcome EG. Everyone can grow existentially, and that includes YOU.

SAL Book: Universal Laws

LAW 6

Universal Laws exist to determine the price of Existential Growth.

The acquisition or achievement of anything comes with a price in time, effort, difficulty, pain, and/or money. The same is true of Existential Growth. The price of an individual achievement may differ from person to person based on each individual’s unique set of
SAL variables (benefits and limitations). As a result, what is easy and cheap for one person may be hard and expensive for another, and vice versa. Nevertheless, achieving the highest levels of Existential Growth is hard for anyone who undertakes the challenge.

SAL Mantra

Ease & Difficulty are Absolutely Relative to your ability, or lack thereof, to do.

COROLLARY 6.1: You cannot circumvent or cheat Universal Laws.

Universal Laws, like natural laws of science, must be respected and obeyed to avoid devastating consequences. For example, you can forget about the law of gravity, or choose to ignore it, but that does not change its presence in our world and universe, nor does it preclude the consequences that flow from disregarding it.

COROLLARY 6.2: Universal Laws apply to everyone; they do not play favorites.

Universal Laws do not care who you are. It doesn’t matter if you are the President of the United States, the Queen of England, or a homeless person on the street; the consequences of your thoughts, speech, and actions are determined by the omnipotent decrees of the Laws. No one is absolved of the consequences that flow from these decrees.

COROLLARY 6.3 (A PARADOX OF UNIVERSAL LAWS, PART 2): Universal Laws Create Limitations.

There are some things in this world that human beings simply cannot do, or at least cannot do yet. For example, we are currently unable to travel at the speed of light, fully cure cancer and AIDS, or scientifically answer questions like: “is there life on other planets,” “is there a God,” or “does life continue after death?” Furthermore, people are limited in what they can individually accomplish. In other words, no matter what the motivational speakers try and tell you, you can’t do absolutely anything you put your mind to. You can, no doubt, accomplish great things, but your extraordinary potential does not translate into human omnipotence.

One of life’s great challenges is differentiating between perceived and actual limitations and potential. While the concept of Existential Growth does provide a vision of your potential, it is ultimately a means of measuring what you have actually become, existentially speaking.

A key component of SAL is self-knowledge. The better you know yourself, the better you will understand your strengths and weaknesses. This knowledge will empower you to work to minimize or eliminate your weaknesses and to magnify and maximize your strengths. In this world, it does little good to cultivate the idea that you can accomplish anything you put your mind to. You are much wiser to recognize your particular aptitudes (or lack thereof) and then become laser-focused on realizing your true potential.

For example, I am tall and skinny, with small bones and lean muscles—an ectomorph. As a result, I will never be a world champion weight lifter—no matter how positively I think, what training techniques I apply, or how hard I try. I can always become stronger and improve my own weight lifting performance, but it’s unrealistic to expect that I could ever compete with a mesomorph—someone born with a body well suited for weight lifting. On the other hand, as an experienced and skilled middle-distance runner, no champion weight lifter will ever beat me in a mile race when I am in top shape. No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.

SAL Mantra

No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.

Smart self-action leaders become acquainted early with who they are, and what they have to offer. Rather than living in a fairy-tale world of imaginary achievements, they dedicate their lives to maximizing their unique opportunities for success and achievement, while contributing meaningfully to others along the way.

COROLLARY 6.4 (A PARADOX OF UNIVERSAL LAWS, PART 2): Universal Laws Create Benefits.

Universal Laws paradoxically limit and empower you at the same time. For example, the law of gravity precludes you from jumping off of high cliffs without incurring serious injury or death. But respecting gravity opens up a variety of new opportunities that would be impossible without its presence. For example, without gravity you can’t fly, skydive, hang-glide, bungee jump, cliff jump into water, etc.

COROLLARY 6.5: Existential Growth requires humility before Universal Laws.

It’s possible to have short-term success while disregarding Universal Laws. But know that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction (and in the case of negative unintended consequences, they may not feel all that “equal” when the consequences come). Consequences find everybody at some point, because Universal Laws apply to everyone. So while short-term success might bring a measure of fulfillment now, their unfortunate long-term consequences will collect payment later—often with painful interest.

To illustrate, a person without integrity, self-control, compassion, and honor—no matter how wealthy and polished they may seem—has very little to offer in the way of a positive legacy, healthy relationships, and personal fulfillment. You’re not likely to enjoy their company, or even seek them out (unless you need something). Such a person is more likely to suffer from crippling isolation and loneliness, locked in a cycle of dysfunctional selfishness.

On the other hand, a person living a lifetime of SAL, no matter how modest their means, is a person worth knowing. The contributions of these “good people” are meaningful and appreciated. Self-action leaders are powerful people by virtue of their hard work and dedication. This is all the more true because people around them recognize their intrinsic goodness and worth. They are at peace with themselves and others. A self-action leader is confident, not arrogant. Their very presence uplifts, attracts, and supports others naturally. A true self-action leader is a force to be reckoned with, and influences positive change in themselves, others, and their surroundings.

COROLLARY 6.6: Honesty, integrity, and accurate self-awareness constitute humility.

Humility requires that you:

• Seek out and embrace the truth about yourself and others (self-awareness)
• Respond accordingly to that truth (integrity)

Honesty, integrity, and self-awareness are essentially synonyms of humility. These terms combine to form the basic quality of teachability – a vital characteristic required for the exercise of Self-Action Leadership and the achievement of Existential Growth.

Next Blog Post: Wednesday, February 4, 2015 ~ SAL Case Study: The Charlie & Muriel Pierson Story

SAL Book: Choices & Consequences

LAW 4

You are free to choose your thoughts, speech, and actions.

Exceptions to this law exist in cases of diagnosable mental illness or disability (particularly psychosis and extreme cognitive impairment). Therefore, unless you are severely mentally ill or disables, you are free to choose your thoughts, speech, and actions: the building blocks of habits, character, and destiny.

COROLLARY 4.1: All thoughts, words, and actions create consequences.

While we cannot always identify the precise cause-and-effect relationships in a complex network of human behavior, the reality of consequences is self-evident.

COROLLARY 4.2: You cannot choose your consequences.

While you are free to make choices, you are not free to select the consequences of your choices. You may manipulate consequences to your liking for short-term gain, but in the end, natural consequences will overpower even the strongest efforts to circumvent them.

COROLLARY 4.3: Consequences are no respecter of persons.

Sometimes your consequences are immediate (e.g., touching a hot stove); others require time to materialize (e.g., failing to care for your relationships, car engine, or health). The time it takes for a given consequence to materialize differs widely from choice-to-choice, and is based on a host of physical, mental, emotional, social, and existential variables. Consequences do not prejudice, nor do they play favorites; they are subject to natural law.

Newton’s Third Law of Motion says, “for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” This law applies to everyone, and is an excellent illustration that even physics asserts the presence of consequences. Consider, for example, the law of gravity. If you choose to jump off a cliff without proper equipment, it doesn't matter if you are rich or poor, healthy or sick, famous or unknown, the result will be the same—and it won’t be pretty.

COROLLARY 4.4: Consequences shape your world.

The state of your world at any given point is the summation of consequences from choices both you and others around you have made over the course of your existence. This means that over time, you will ultimately reap as you sow. There are, of course, exceptions to this rule. External forces, including death, can truncate or disguise your mortal harvest. Nevertheless, as a general rule, you will eventually harvest the fruits of all the seeds (thoughts, speech, and actions) you plant in your life.

COROLLARY 4.5: Harvests take time to measure. [1]

As human beings, we are apt to make premature judgments about the benefit or detriment of a person, action, event, or circumstance. Often, the passage of time proves such judgments to be short sighted, incomplete, or unfair. Some of life’s seemingly great successes may produce the seeds of your greatest grief and failure, while some of life’s most painful failures, tragedies, disappointments, and disillusionments may ultimately produce your greatest joys, successes, growth, and bliss.

COROLLARY 4.6: Your SAL capacity and potential comes with internal and external variables in the form of benefits and limitations.

The 16 SAL variables mentioned here were described in detail in BOOK THE FIRST, Chapter 16. To review, they are:

1. Forces of Nature
2. Congenital Physical Variables
3. Congenital Familial Environment
4. Genetic & Mimetic Inclinations
5. Initial Opportunities for Education
6. Congenital Social Environment
7. Choices of Others
8. Time
9. Structural Inequality
10. Geopolitics & Macroeconomics
11. Good & Bad Luck
12. Suprarational Intervention
13. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
14. Self-leadership Intelligence and Talent
15. Self-leadership Desire
16. Self-leadership Will

Today's post was kind of short. Want more? Read a Great Article on Serendipity recently published by Dr. Bruce H. Jackson, one of the world's foremost experts in FLOW theory.

Click on link below to Read Dr. Jackson's article...

Serendipity meets Karma meets Leadership

Click on link below to buy Dr. Jackson's book on FLOW...

Finding Your FLOW


Next Blog Post: Tuesday, January 27, 2015 ~ Taking Complete Personal Responsibility

[1] See Smith, H.W. (1994). The 10 Natural Laws of Successful Time and Life Management: Proven Strategies for Increased Productivity and Inner Peace. "Results often take time to measure." New York, NY: Warner Books. Page 145.

SAL Book: Your World

LAW 1:

All human beings possess equal existential value.

Any conversation about Self-Action Leadership must begin with a categorical accession of the absolute existential equality of all human beings. This equality is fundamental, self-evident, and perennially vital. The holism of this inclusivity extends to both sexes and individuals of all races, ethnicities, cultures, religions, ideologies, lifestyles, etc.

LAW 2:

All human beings are self-leaders, each possessing sovereign leadership of his or her individual, metaphorical world.

You are a self-leader. Whether you know it or not, like it or not, or want it or not, you already ARE. Whether you are effective at leading yourself or not is another story, but if you are a human being, you do lead your “self.”

Your world is made up of a unique combination of internal and external variables that involve your spirit, body, mind, heart, sociality, and sexuality. Throughout the vast universe, there is no other world exactly like yours. You are, therefore, a unique being with a singular existence and limitless worth. As the ruling sovereign of your world, you ultimately call the shots that determine your destiny.

LAW 3:

Right and Wrong thoughts, speech, and actions exist as real forces and absolute opposites.

Corollary 3.1: Right choices consist of thoughts, speech, and actions that lead to the long-term health, happiness, and Existential Growth of all animate beings impacted thereby.

Corollary 3.2: Wrong choices consist of thoughts, speech, and actions that lead to the long-term sickness, misery, and Existential Atrophy of all animate beings impacted thereby.

Corollary 3.3: Self-leaders who seek to think, say, and do what is right, and who avoid thinking, saying, and doing what is wrong, become self-action leaders by virtue of their intent.

Everyone is a self-leader; but not everyone is a self-action leader. To qualify for the latter title, you must be willing to lead yourself to think, say, and do what is right.

INFLUENCE VS. CONTROL

A key component of SAL theory involves recognizing what you can and cannot control. Most of what exists in life, the world, and the universe, you cannot control. For example, you can’t control other people. You also can’t control the weather, macroeconomics, geopolitics, scientific verities, natural laws, and most other things.

The only thing you can control is yourself. Your influence over others will therefore always be rooted in what you do to manage and lead yourself. Hence, your focus should always primarily target self-change.

Influence differs from control in the same way that leadership differs from self-leadership. As a self-leader you may be able to influence other people, but you can only control yourself. This difference between control and influence is a primary reason I am passionate about Self-Action Leadership—it involves something I actually can control. In consideration of all the things in the universe I can’t control, I think it’s pretty exciting that I can at least control myself.

Change Yourself

Try not, my friend, to change what’s life,
For life cannot be changed,
And trying only brings you strife,
And leaves your mind deranged.

Instead, work hard to change yourself,
And as you do you’ll find,
Growth, happiness, and wond’rous wealth,
Including peace of mind.

And neither try to change another,
That e’er ends up a mess;
Try instead to serve your brother,
With examples of goodness.

The only things you can truly control are your own thoughts, words, and actions. That’s it. Everything else in the Universe you can only accept as is, or attempt to influence. I have intentionally ordered these three elements of control – thoughts, speech, and actions – because your thoughts are the seeds of every word and action. Thoughts, therefore, become the primary catalysts of everything you ever say, do, and eventually become. One of your greatest concerns as a self-action leader, therefore, must be to carefully guard your thoughts.

“A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts.”

– James Allen

“Sow a thought, reap an action; Sow an action, reap a habit; Sow a habit, reap a character; Sow a character, reap a destiny.”
– William James 

“When you rule your mind, you rule your world.”
– Imelda Shanklin 

YOU ARE SOVEREIGN

While your overall power and influence might seem small, remember that you are the King/Queen, President, Prime Minister, General, Executive Director, Admiral, Captain, etc. (pick your own title) of your own world. Within the realms of this personal title and power lies enormous power to design your world and choose your destiny. In the words of the poet William Ernest Henley (1849-1903):

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul. ...
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.” [1]

Regardless of your circumstances, you remain sovereign over your thoughts, speech, and actions. This means that while you cannot always control what happens to you, you can control how you respond to what happens to you. The determination of your destiny therefore lies in your life choices as well as to your responses to life events.

There are many famous examples of people who chose to abdicate their self-sovereignty. For example, consider the excuse of President John F. Kennedy, who, when queried as to why he did not demonstrate more self-control and discretion with regards to his adulterous philandering, replied: "I just can’t help it." With all due respect to JFK—and he is worthy of respect in many regards—this is a classic historical example of an incredibly intelligent and talented man who chose to abdicate his self-sovereignty in regards to sexual restraint. In truth, JFK could have helped himself. He could have gotten help from others, and he could have sought help from his faith, but he chose instead to willingly relinquish his scepter of self-control in the matter.

However you wish to spin it, JFK ultimately chose promiscuity over conjugal fidelity. With this said, I am not suggesting the latter path was easy for JFK, or anyone else in a similar situation. In President Kennedy’s defense, temptations are often greater, more varied, and certainly more accessible to those who occupy high-profile positions than to those who don’t. 

Furthermore, I doubt there has ever been a straight, married man in the history of the world who never had a lustful thought towards a beautiful woman who was not his wife. Such is human nature. But these are excuses, and this book is not into making excuses; it is into providing real solutions to real problems we face as human beings. The message of this book is that all men and women possess sufficient power to transcend our baser natures, inclinations, whims—and yes, even temptations—if we desire it, and are willing to accept help and embrace the healing powers of Serendipity. JFK did not lack the ability to be faithful to his wife; he lacked the desire and the will to do so.

Of course, no one is perfect, but an imperfection doesn’t make you powerless to choose. It also doesn’t make you powerless to seek help with whatever human weaknesses and foibles you may struggle with. We all have shortcomings. I have enough to keep me busy for the rest of my life, and I’m sure you do too. We all mess up—sometimes spectacularly. But there is a big difference between messing up, admitting it, and working diligently to improve, and completely abdicating personal responsibility. Too often, people confuse I won’t, or I don’t want to, with I can’t. While doing so is convenient, it is ultimately a fiction—and the ultimate self-deception. I don’t begrudge JFK his weakness; I am simply disappointed he chose to give up his freedom in the matter.

I would bet that every fully functioning person in the world has at least one natural inclination he wished he didn’t have, or that she would ideally like to rid herself of. I know I do. I also know, however, from many personal experiences, and from observing the experiences of others, that intentional human beings can overcome personal weaknesses—even to the extent of triggering a fundamental change in our very natures—if we desire change badly enough. Those who promote otherwise are either misinformed, naïve, dishonest, or are making money by vacuuming you up into a vat of victimhood.

The message of SAL is that I can change; you can change; we all can change! We can control ourselves, and we can choose who and what we will ultimately become. Whether you and I successfully claim this sovereignty is up to us, as individuals, to decide.

You Choose

Anyone who’ll work and wait
Ensures good fate.

Anyone who’ll never quit
Avoids the pit.

Anyone who keeps one’s soul,
By never casting off one’s goal,
Sets up a plea
For destiny
That’s touched
By Serendipity,
Will You?
Will Me?
I guess we’ll see . . .
But this I know,
Though vague it be,
That all of us
Are Free
To be
The kind of men,
Or women
We most would like to be.

And in the end,
Deep down
Everyone knows,
That blame for failure
Ultimately goes,
To each and every
Single Soul,
Whose free to choose
To Win,
To Lose,
No matter how the battles rage.
Come wind, come storm, come ice and hail,
We’ll always get our due earned wage,

Will you prevail?
Fly high and free?
Beyond the grasp of gravity?
The choice is YOURS
To win,
Or lose—
YOU Choose.

SAL Mantra 

I Am Sovereign 

Come what may, at the end of the day, you are sovereign over your life, and I am sovereign over mine. I challenge you to memorize the poem below as a reminder of the enormous personal power you possess over your own life and the remarkable potential you have to make a positive difference in the lives of others. May retaining its words in the recesses of your mind and memory inspire you to make the most of your existence.

I Am Sovereign

I Am Sovereign!

Today I affirm that
I am the captain of my own life.

I acknowledge that as such,
I am fully responsible for
My attitude,
My decisions,
My life’s results, and thus—
My life’s long-term
Direction.

No one can take this power away from me,
Though if I choose, I can give it away to,
Someone, or something else.

This I will never do,
For there is but one me in all history,
And my one shot at life,
I will not waste.

In the past, I have blamed,
Named,
Gamed,
And shamed.

No more!

For now I know that I cannot control anyone
But myself.
Yet in that control,
I can defy Existential Gravity,
Create my world,
Design my destiny, and
Conquer the enemy within.

And with the aid of Serendipity,
I will eventually accomplish
All of these things,
Because

I Am Sovereign!

Something, or someone, is always in control of your life. If that someone or something is not you, then you are headed for a destination that is not of your choosing, the consequences of which will be predictably grim. I challenge you to claim, or reclaim—and then rightfully exercise—the self-sovereignty that Life has endowed you with, and then use that power wisely to pursue higher purposes. This will enable you to realize your full potential, and help many others do likewise.

“The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life if your own. No apologies or excuses.”

– Dan Zadra

Next Blog Post ~ Friday, January 23, 2015 ~ BOOK the SECOND, Chapter 5: Freedom & Consequences


[1] Reprinted from Henley, W.E. Poems (1919). New York, NY: Charles Scribner’s Sons. Page 119.
63-64.