"Without making the fundamental choice to be the predominant creative force in your life, no matter what you do to attempt to benefit yourself or enhance your life, you will merely be finding more sophisticated ways of responding to circumstances." ~ Robert Fritz from The Path of Least Resistance
In his book, The Path of Least Resistance, Robert Fritz makes a brilliant argument that we don't need more affirmations or more willpower. We need to make a fundamental choice. A choice on which all of our other choices and behaviors are built. The choice to live at our highest potential. To choose to be a creator not a victim. To choose health and vitality. To choose love. Few of us ever make those FUNDAMENTAL choices.
This is basically Stephen Covey's "Habit #1: Be Proactive." It's absolutely essential to make the fundamental choice to be responsible for how we show up. Will we be creators or will be victims?
Will we put control outside of ourselves and blame circumstances (a poor childhood, annoying boss, traffic jam, etc.) for how we're showing up in our lives or will we own the fact that we alone are responsible for choosing (!) how we bring ourselves to the world?
More Fritz mojo on fundamental choices:
"This one fundamental choice--to be the predominant creative force in your life--is a foundation for the entire orientation of the creative... From this choice the meaning of the word desire changes for you, from "idle wishes and hopes" to "true vision of that which is the highest in human aspiration and vision."
"When you create, power is not situational. That is to say, your power to create does not come from the circumstances, but from yourself."
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And, if you're feelin' it and have a few more minutes, let's explore what follows our fundamental choices: primary and secondary choices!!
Fritz says: "Athletes and musicians may not enjoy practicing long hours, but they do so just the same: not out of duty, obligation, or any other form of self-manipulation, but because they are making secondary choices consistent with their primary choice to be able to perform music or excel in sports."
With our foundation securely laid, we then make what Fritz calls "primary choices" that dictate the "secondary choices" along the way. In his words, "A primary choice is about some result you want in itself and for itself....It functions as the ultimate goal... A choice that helps you take a step toward your primary result is called a secondary choice."
As an example, let's say you make the primary choice to optimize your health and to live with radiant energy and vitality. (Good choice, btw. :). The alarm clock goes off. You don't feel like getting out of bed to head to the gym, your mind tells you that you deserve a day off from all your hard training, but you recall your primary choice (to get in great shape) and you make the secondary choice to get out of bed, put on your workout clothes and go to the gym. At the gym, you don't feel like going all the way through your workout—telling yourself you've done enough, but you recall your primary choice and make the secondary choice to complete the workout. What's on the lunch menu? Cheeseburger? Fries? Milkshake? Not so much if you're committed.
Every moment provides us with an opportunity to honor our fundamental and primary choices. Or not. To the extent that we do not honor these choices, we're in trouble and have little chance of living at our highest potential or experiencing consistent levels of happiness.
Remember: Creators are not buffeted by their circumstances. They get very (!) clear on what they want and make the choice to COMMIT to achieving those results.
So... What fundamental and primary choices have you made? Are your secondary choices leading you to achieve your highest goals?
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