Shift Into An Alternative Reality

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[Welcome Screen: Today we talk about how you can shift into an alternative reality by shifting into an alternative identity. Without further ado—grab your portal gun. I'll catch you on the other side.]

Shift Into An Alternative Reality

Imagine any goal you want to achieve.

Imagine an experience you want to unlock.

It exists as potential in a sector of the game. Anything you can dream up, you can achieve.

How?

Most gurus will tell you, “dreams don’t work, unless you do.” To some extent, they’re right, but why is it that certain people reach their goals and some people don’t?

Identity.

You always act in accordance with the way you view yourself.

Most people self-sabotage because taking the action doesn’t align with their identity.

In order to shift into an alternative reality, you must shift into an alternative identity.

Examples:

• I’ve identified as a runner and ran a 5k, two 10ks, and a half-marathon.

• I’ve identified as a hybrid athlete and would run and lift weights simultaneously.

• I’ve identified as a cook and took learning to cook and working in a kitchen seriously.

• etc.

Let's dive in.

Why Most People Fail

"Show me your habits, I'll show you your future." — Mark Batterson

Your habits may create your destiny, but what creates your habits?

Most people go about it the wrong way. They try to take new actions and create new habits through sheer willpower, but for most people, they don’t stick.

Why?

They’re going about it backwards.

Let me explain using this graph:

Most people work from outside the circle and work their way in. They think about the outcome that they want to have and then try to take action towards it. But they end up sabotaging themselves because of their identity.

The identity acts as a cybernetic mechanism, bringing them back “on course” to the original programming.

For example, let’s say they program an airplane with a destination. New York to LA. The plane will fly the course, but then some turbulence knocks it astray. The cybernetic mechanism in the plane senses this and brings the plane back on course.

Likewise, when you try to take actions that deviate from your identity, your cybernetic-mechanism pulls you back “on track”.

That's what I mean when I say you always act in accordance with how you view yourself.

I see this all the time with people who try to get into fitness. They don’t see themselves as an athlete or as someone who commonly goes to the gym, thus taking the action to get to the gym or do cardio feels forced.

I’ve also noticed that even when people actually lose the weight, they yo-yo up and down with their weight because of the old identity taking over again. They took the actions to achieve the result, cool they got the result, and they fall back into the old identity and go back to the same eating patterns, etc.

Because of this, you must work your way from the inside of the circle outward. Change your identity first and the actions become a natural byproduct of the embodiment. You won’t have to force it. This is also more sustainable. When you achieve the outcome, you won’t fall back into old habits because you replaced the old identity with a new one.

Even after achieving the result, you continuously take those actions because it’s WHO YOU ARE.

Ex. You still continue to work out even after you lose the weight.

How To Make The Shift

"What got you here, won't get you there." — Marshall Goldsmith

First, decide what you want to achieve, and/or what you want to experience.

Once that’s decided, ask yourself who is the person who has already achieved it? Unravel this character like an onion. Dive deep. How do they think? Act? Feel? What are their habits? Personality traits?

For example, if you were looking to lose weight and get to a certain body type, how does this character look? Not just physically.

Most likely, they follow a training program and a diet. Someone who is conscious of their eating habits. They may put health and fitness first. Characteristics can include being disciplined. ETC.

Write it all out.

Once you break down the habits and traits of your character, now it’s time to embody them.

Behave like this new character. Embody their traits.

Yes, it’s going to feel hella uncomfortable at first.

Continuously reinforce the new identity and starve out the old one.

Here’s how:

OBJECTIVE 1 - Reinforce The New Identity:

Journal your wins daily (or make a mental note). Point out everything that aligns with this new character. Actions, habits, events, things people said. Anything that aligns with the end goal and reinforces this new identity.

For example, if you are trying to grow on Twitter, you may want to view yourself as a content creator. Point out the positive happenings, comments, connections, etc. (Even if it's just a few.)

This gives your mind the evidence it needs. It helps to wire in the new identity.

Don’t focus on how it’s not working out.

Want to create the coolest newsletter on the planet? You gotta be a pretty talented writer that infuses their weird and cool personality into their writing.

Point out the good:

• I wrote for 1 hr today

• I learned something new about writing

• I read and took notes.

• Etc.

Pointing this out to yourself reinforces the fact that you are becoming the person who has the coolest newsletter on the planet. 😎

OBJECTIVE 2 - Starve the old identity:

Don’t give your energy to anything that doesn’t align with your new character.

Try to remain neutral or tell yourself how it’s somehow working out for you.

For example, losing Twitter followers? Don't spiral into despair about how it's now working.

Observe it, learn from it, and persist.

The old identity will try to keep its grip on you and bring you "back on course".

Don't give your energy to the old story about how you are not good enough, etc.

STARVE THE OLD IDENTITY.

The New Character

Once you do this long enough, you will identify as the new character, as a content creator, as a writer, as a consistent gym-goer, and the actions feel more natural.

For example, I don’t always want to go to the gym, but I feel weird AF not going because it has become apart of my identity.

BONUS OBJECTIVE: Meditation

I highly recommend meditation if you are not already practicing.

Meditation is useful for the realization that you are not your thoughts. They are a product of your conditioning. They are simply beliefs you have reinforced with time.

This old identity you are trying to shift out of is not actually “you” as much as you may want to believe it is.

Coming to this realization makes it easier to shift out of it.

Meditation is also useful for sitting with the uncomfortable emotions that will inevitably come up when you stretch your comfort zone.

Don't avoid or suppress any uncomfortable thoughts or feelings.

Watch them as the observer.

Observe thoughts and emotions without attaching to them, without identifying with them.

Simply allow them to be.

They will pass.

You remain.

I hope you find this helpful in your quest to unlock your desired sector of the game.

— your friend and teammate, Player 2

Module Complete ✅

+1500 XP COLLECTED 🪙

Do you want to continue playing? 👇

(Things that inspired me this week.)

🎥 Video: To Be Enlightened

(Hilarious. 🤣)

🎥 Video: How To Design Your Life