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What do you want to be? The simple answer to that question is the same for every single person on the planet. We all want to be happy. At the core of every other possible answer is that one underlying truth. Happiness is what we want!
It starts when we are children
When you were very young, did anyone ever ask you “what do you want to be when you grow up”? Of course they did. How did we respond? We looked around at the adults in our world to find examples of possible answers to that question. And instinctively we gave more consideration to those whose lives seemed to bring them happiness.
Have you ever considered that the question “what you want to be when you grow up” might have some built-in limiting beliefs attached to it? To our subconscious, the subtle message behind that question is “these are your choices and choosing the right one will bring you happiness.”
The programming begins
Right away we begin to believe that our own identity, and our future happiness, will depend on what we decide to be when we grow up. So, we start to look around at the choices that others have made in an effort to figure out what we should do. This becomes a reference point for our perceptions about life.
If the people around us are rich and get other people to work for them, then that’s the way we think life is. On the other hand, if the people in our world struggle just to pay their rent, are always stressed out, and never have any time off, that’s the perspective we adopt.
Reality vs. fantasy
Whatever a child sees in the world around them is what they are subtly programmed to expect from life. This all happens very early in our life, by age six. We may or may not want the reality we see, but that is what forms our perceptions and expectations of how life is.
So, while the question “what do you want to be?” may seem to represent “possibilities,” it only does that within very narrow parameters. The limits are based on the choices available to us within our immediate environment because that’s what we see as reality. The subconscious anchor here is: if that is reality, then everything beyond that is just fantasy.
Welcome to the real world
Now, here’s where the real limits get put in place. No matter what kind of hopes and dreams we may entertain his children, sooner or later we are expected to stop living in a fantasy world and start living in the “real world.”
The closer we get to adulthood more pronounced this pressure to conform. Eventually, those limiting beliefs that were programmed into us as young children are reactivated. Those subconscious messages defining a limited reality instilled in us years earlier now go to work convincing us to quit being a dreamer. That hidden program starts telling us to assume our rightful place in the established order of things. And of course, we believe that doing so is actually the road to true happiness.
Internal conflict
Is it any wonder that people find it difficult to manifest their dreams and follow through on their goals and aspirations? We’ve all got these hidden programs and limiting beliefs about what is possible and what is just fantasy. They are operating behind the curtain and silently directing our lives.
Sure, we all want a life that is more meaningful and enjoyable, but we are programmed to believe that’s not very realistic. On top of all that, we start feeling guilty for not being happy and satisfied with the life that we’ve created.
This huge contrast between the kind of reality we fantasize about and the reality we have been programmed to accept creates massive internal friction. Somewhere inside of us we all intuitively know that more is possible, and that intuitive knowledge is in direct conflict with our “real world” programming.
What’s the solution?
The only way to create inner peace and find real happiness is to find a way to harmonize our internal programming with our intuitive self. Trying to ignore our true nature will not lead to happiness. So the one viable option is to rewrite our internal programs.
We need to get rid of the limiting beliefs contained in those old programs and replace them with empowering beliefs that support our intuitive, creative nature. We need a radical program upgrade.
We need to change the question
The first step in this process is to change the premise of the original question. Instead of “what do you want to be?” which implies that what we do is the key to happiness, we need to start asking ourselves…WHO DO I WANT TO BE? When our identity is tied to “what we do” it sends a message that “we are” our job, career, or role in life. That is not what we are; it’s just one of the many things we do.
Who we are as a person is more about our values, passions, relationships, and other personal qualities. Those things are much more important than what we do. Until we tie our identity to our true self, we will never create internal harmony or experience true happiness.
First things first
This is why I believe that the path of personal empowerment and inner peace must begin by discovering our true self. Upgrading our internal programs requires that we get very clear about who we are on a core level. Once we do that, the “what we are” will unfold in a truly amazing way.
Whether you are a high powered executive, stay-at-home mom, bus driver, or brain surgeon, it really doesn’t matter. We have all been programmed to believe that what we do defines who we are. That is completely upside down! What we are should be the natural expression of who we are. When you understand who you really are on a core level, then you can be whatever you want.
So many people are pursuing money, prestige, power, or position, in an attempt to find happiness and fill the void they feel inside. Sadly, this approach never works. In fact, more often than not, this just leads to frustration because they never find what they are really looking for. They never find true happiness; they only manage to further define what they are without ever discovering who they are.
Don’t fall into this trap!
Discovering your true self is not as difficult or time-consuming as you might imagine. Locating your core values, passions, and guiding principles for internal harmony is fairly easy if you know how to go about it. It really makes no difference how long your current programs have been running your life. Within a very short time you can upgrade to a program that leads to inner harmony, personal empowerment, and yes…even happiness.
Your fantasies actually serve a useful purpose. They are the voice of your true self calling out for recognition. They are a message from your intuitive, creative nature, reminding you that true happiness really is possible. Now the question is, are you ready to answer that call?
