"The future is not just a series of choices among alternative paths offered by the present, but a place that is created--created first in the mind and will, and then realized next in activity."

– Adapted from John Schaar

This quote adapted from John Schaar reminds us that we are always creating our experience of life, and thus, if we choose to take charge of this creative process, we can have a tremendous affect on our future. While seemingly self-evident, this perspective isn't always embraced by others. In fact, many people do indeed see the future as "just a series of choices among alternative paths offered by the present," and as a result become very concerned about choosing the "right path" (which of course is really a fear of choosing the wrong path . . . "Let's see, do I take door #1 or door #2 . . .???) While understandable, this fear only has us creating images of what we don't want and trying to avoid them. Suffice it to say, this position of avoidance doesn't engage the most creative, intelligent part of our brain (The Top of Our Mind) and thus isn't likely to help us create the future we want.

On the other hand, I believe that seeing our future as something that is "created first in the mind and will, and then realized next in activity" has the potential to enrich our lives and those with whom we live and work in ways too numerous to count. For example, if we were willing to first create an image in our mind of who we want to be in the future (meaning the qualities and characteristics that we want to use to define ourselves as we go forward in life) we could then go into the next activity (moment, interaction, scenario, etc.) clear about what we want to practice, and even use the experience as an opportunity to make a statement about who we are. Because this quality or characteristic was chosen on purpose with the concept of self-definition in mind (versus what or who we are trying to avoid), we can be confident it is coming from the neocortex, or most intelligent part of the brain.

Further, given that this way of being was chosen on purpose, we can be assured of clarity and eventual success EVEN IF WE MADE THE WRONG CHOICE!!!!!!!!! Why, because, anytime we choose something purposefully, we put ourselves in a wonderful position to determine whether the choice created the experience we were wanting. If not (meaning we made the wrong choice), then we can just choose again and avoid the self-degrading exercise of beating ourselves up (which is actually beating ourselves down) and move on to evaluate the value of this new choice.

You see, as Mr. Schaar suggests, the vision must first be created in the mind and the will (meaning we are "willing" to take 100% responsibility for bringing it to life) and then realized (or made real) in the NEXT activity. Notice the quote doesn't say "next week" or next month" or even "tomorrow," it says the next activity, which means we must be willing to take this perspective into whatever we are doing next. In other words, we are ALWAYS creating our future by what we do (who we are) next. Therefore, given that life is just a series of "what's next," this means we are always creating our experience of life. . . . Not by choosing predetermined paths laid out by others, but by defining ourselves on purpose and taking this purposeful self-definition into the next moment.

In this way, our life, reality, or "what is" becomes real. It isn't the "Alice in Wonderland" experience of choosing between a myriad of mysterious doors (or paths), but instead a series of wonderful experiences "created first in our minds and will, and then realized in the next activity." Hmmm, from "Wonderland to Wonderful," not a bad choice, don't you think?

Take care and God bless, Dr. Bill