How to explore a paradigm without getting trapped by it
If paradigm shifting is seen to be a beneficial exercise for those who wish to evolve and be more creative, how do you do it safely? How can you explore new paradigms without getting trapped within them? Obviously if you are 100% committed to a paradigm, then you are unwilling to entertain anything outside of that paradigm. You are going to argue for the inside of the box. None of your thinking will be outside of the box.
There is plenty of room within most paradigms for profitable creative thinking. In fact, all profitable thinking occurs within somebody’s box or paradigm. Creative thinking that occurs outside of the box, outside of the current paradigm is usually too revolutionary to make money from – at least in the beginning.
First is rarely first when it comes to making money from a new idea.
Nevertheless, if you are passionate about new discoveries, innovation and enlightenment, you will want to push and stretch the envelope. You will feel an inner compulsion to break out of the box and enter the chaos zone the other side. In that realm, which Deepak Chopra refers to as the ‘field of all possibilities’, you will get whipped into confusion but may emerge with a brand new insight, understanding or concept that will revolutionize your own paradigm… and maybe the world’s too.
The 3 Anchors For Safe Paradigm Exploration
You want to explore other paradigms. Stretching your mind to different parameters seems like a good idea. You expect it to open you up and make you a more creative person. It might even give you that mercurial brain you want. But you are hesitant. You know how sticky belief systems can be. Once you are in it, it’s hard to get out again. But here are 3 anchors you can use, so you can explore and remain free.
1. Define who you are.
Define who you are currently. Denis Waitley remarks that if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything. So define your current paradigm. List your values. List your strengths and weaknesses. Outline your current world view. People define themselves by the beliefs and paradigms they hold dear. You fear that you will lose yourself by exploring other paradigms, so this little exercise will act as a reminder of who you are. Just in case you get a lost along the way.
2. Create your best working paradigm.
In defining who you are, you should polish up your understanding of your current paradigm and give yourself the best working version that you can… for the purpose at hand. You are going exploring. So you want a paradigm in which you are ‘bigger’ than all that you will be exploring. You can twist that whichever way you want. But you need to have some way of maintaining the observer or witness role. Yours must be the big picture universal position – if you want to ensure that you don’t get lost in your explorations.
3. Carry your zero-the-hero explorer’s toolbox.
Indiana Jones never left home without his bullwhip and brown Fedora hat. So you should pack a toolbox too. And in that toolbox stuff stuff the 'Zero State' concept. This incorporates the idea that all paradigms require an investment of belief by you to give them life. This is like a projection in the Zero State, which is like the underlying field of all possibilities -- a blank slate if you will, on which you project your paradigm. Basically you are working with the idea that all paradigms exist within something larger and better.
In the School of Thinking, they offer a code called CVStoBVS which stands for Current View of Situation to Better View of Situation. If you remember that there is always a better view of the situation (a better paradigm) you’ll leave exit room from the paradigm you are currently exploring.
Think: “It’s just a paradigm. It’s not the Absolute Truth.”
Now you know how to explore a paradigm without getting trapped by it. You’ll probably get trapped or temporarily stuck anyway. But if you remember these tips, and remember you are an explorer of paradigms not a marketer or apostle of a particular paradigm, you will get free again. And in freedom, you’ll be more creative.
There is plenty of room within most paradigms for profitable creative thinking. In fact, all profitable thinking occurs within somebody’s box or paradigm. Creative thinking that occurs outside of the box, outside of the current paradigm is usually too revolutionary to make money from – at least in the beginning.
First is rarely first when it comes to making money from a new idea.
Nevertheless, if you are passionate about new discoveries, innovation and enlightenment, you will want to push and stretch the envelope. You will feel an inner compulsion to break out of the box and enter the chaos zone the other side. In that realm, which Deepak Chopra refers to as the ‘field of all possibilities’, you will get whipped into confusion but may emerge with a brand new insight, understanding or concept that will revolutionize your own paradigm… and maybe the world’s too.
The 3 Anchors For Safe Paradigm Exploration
You want to explore other paradigms. Stretching your mind to different parameters seems like a good idea. You expect it to open you up and make you a more creative person. It might even give you that mercurial brain you want. But you are hesitant. You know how sticky belief systems can be. Once you are in it, it’s hard to get out again. But here are 3 anchors you can use, so you can explore and remain free.
1. Define who you are.
Define who you are currently. Denis Waitley remarks that if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything. So define your current paradigm. List your values. List your strengths and weaknesses. Outline your current world view. People define themselves by the beliefs and paradigms they hold dear. You fear that you will lose yourself by exploring other paradigms, so this little exercise will act as a reminder of who you are. Just in case you get a lost along the way.
2. Create your best working paradigm.
In defining who you are, you should polish up your understanding of your current paradigm and give yourself the best working version that you can… for the purpose at hand. You are going exploring. So you want a paradigm in which you are ‘bigger’ than all that you will be exploring. You can twist that whichever way you want. But you need to have some way of maintaining the observer or witness role. Yours must be the big picture universal position – if you want to ensure that you don’t get lost in your explorations.
3. Carry your zero-the-hero explorer’s toolbox.
Indiana Jones never left home without his bullwhip and brown Fedora hat. So you should pack a toolbox too. And in that toolbox stuff stuff the 'Zero State' concept. This incorporates the idea that all paradigms require an investment of belief by you to give them life. This is like a projection in the Zero State, which is like the underlying field of all possibilities -- a blank slate if you will, on which you project your paradigm. Basically you are working with the idea that all paradigms exist within something larger and better.
In the School of Thinking, they offer a code called CVStoBVS which stands for Current View of Situation to Better View of Situation. If you remember that there is always a better view of the situation (a better paradigm) you’ll leave exit room from the paradigm you are currently exploring.
Think: “It’s just a paradigm. It’s not the Absolute Truth.”
Now you know how to explore a paradigm without getting trapped by it. You’ll probably get trapped or temporarily stuck anyway. But if you remember these tips, and remember you are an explorer of paradigms not a marketer or apostle of a particular paradigm, you will get free again. And in freedom, you’ll be more creative.
Labels: belief systems, change, paradigms
