It amazes me every time I encounter superstitions or old wives’ tales that get in the way of good things happening, even though I grew up with them.
It has taken me a long time to realize that I was afraid to embrace my dreams for fear of warding them off with my confidence.
When I was growing up, we avoided speaking about what we longed for out of fear that focusing on it too much would “jinx” it. It was a complicated and very insidious way of dealing with life. You never spoke about what you wanted most. You erected great, elaborate defenses around your wishes and desires in order to stave off disappointment if they failed to materialize. I sometimes wondered why certain desired outcomes didn’t happen even when I followed this course of avoidance (which was most of the time), but I never really challenged my outlook.
I now maintain that I compromised both my success and my happiness by negating that which I both knew I wanted and would make me happy. How can you attract something to yourself if you affect indifference and deny your wishes?
This mindset comes from the Judeo-Christian ethic of humbling yourself before God and being satisfied with what life provides you. Asking for what you want is considered arrogant, or overreaching. Remember what happened to Icarus, who flew too close to the sun, was punished by having the wax melt off his wings, and plummeted to his death.
But there is another part of the Western tradition that honors directness of purpose. “Ask and ye shall receive” is the part that rings true for me. What you want may not arrive in precisely the shape or form that you imagined, but it will surely fulfill your requirements. You only need to expect it to arrive at all, and affirm your intention to have it. With so much power at your disposal, why not use it?
Tags: as you wish, motivation article