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We Are Programmed To Receive.

 

What’s the big secret?

 

As living examples of the bio-phenomenon called Life, we each have intimate knowledge of Life’s prime directive - Life must receive.

 

We don’t have to program it to be that way. It’s already pre-programmed that way. It’s in the firmware! Life must interact in, and with, its environment in a manner sufficient to allow continuation and procreation. Life must gather from a seemingly chaotic environment, the raw materials and energy required for this continuation, all the while avoiding the dangers in its environment. Life cannot be inert.

 

Since Life must engage in constant action, it should follow that this action must result in, and be the result of, decision-making. Draw near or shun, approach or flee, left or right, up or down, consume or avoid, stay or move. Even random movement is a decision. All movement is both the result of, and the cause of, decision-making

 

So all life makes decisions. Decisions get made, and whether conscious thinking is involved matters not. They get made, by every living being, from a single celled amoeba to Albert Einstein. And the vast majority of these decisions are “right”, by default. If the majority were “wrong”, Life would cease to continue. Survival is the only gauge of "right" or "wrong" in this reference. We only get one "wrong" decision per Lifetime. Sounds harsh, but what can you do. So, you can’t make a “wrong” decision and still survive to read this.

 

Since wrong decisions are so rare, so easy to recognize and so hard to follow through on (suicide, anyone), perhaps they aren’t even “decisions” in the classical, conventional, conscious way. After all, if two mutually exclusive (either/or) outcomes must be decided between but one outcome is impossible (there’ll be no outcome if you don’t exist to come out!), then there is no decision necessary or even possible. Our decisions are just the ways we observe and interpret the action that our existence, our being, causes. That’s why even protozoa can make decisions, decision-making only requires being, not thinking.

 

Science has proven that conscious awareness of an event does not occur until up to half a second after the event actually happened. It’s a simple, measurable and repeatable fact. Whatever is going on now, it’s too late to change it! Our “now” is not just teetering on the leading edge of “past”, it is in the past!

 

Have you ever had the experience of deciding to do something, or handle a situation in a certain way, if and when the situation arose, only to find that when the situation actually did arise, you made an unexpected, even totally opposite decision? Almost every one has, so you know you have!. You scratch your head afterwards and say, "What just happened?" Your decision did not guide your behavior and it surprised you. You could see this as an, "Oh God, I'm outta control!" moment, or a, "Thanks God, for being in control" moment. Or if it's been a particularly fortuitous outcome you may even say something like, "Gee, my guardian angel must have been looking out for me, there!" It's a matter of interpretation.

 

Conscious thought therefore cannot guide behavior, but merely observe and interpret it. The only way conscious thought can guide our behavior is by changing who we are by adding to our experience. It does this by observing and interpreting current (therefore past!) conditions, and using this analysis of experience to inform who we are. If conscious thought cannot be the guide of behavior, then what is?

 

As seen above, it is our existence, who we are, that guides our behavior. In short, decision-making is mediated, not by our thinking, but by our being. Poor (or good) decision-making is a function of poor (or good) self-image, not directly by poor (or good) thinking processes.

 

Even the smallest microbe “knows” what is food and what is poison or predator, if only to the degree of flourishing only in places that provide for both; readily available food/energy resources, and protection from their major predators/hostile factors. We cannot make wrong decisions. We are programmed to receive.  

 

Why is this so?

 

Because we ARE.

 

We exist. We are. Therefore we know the above stated prime directive is true, that Life must receive. Without that given pre-condition, Life could not continue and flourish. You could not be here reading this. 

 

Descartes famously said, “I think, therefore I am”. The logical conclusion to the above reasoning is “I am, therefore I get”.  How far removed is that from “I think, therefore I get”? Almost metaphysical, in a way, isn’t it? Think of “Think and Grow Rich”, “What you think about, appears”,  “To depict is to predict”, “As a man thinketh…so is he”, or “As you sow, so shall you reap.”

 

But how?

 

By magic!

 

As Jesus is quoted, “Consider the birds of the air and the fish of the sea…neither do they toil…” Essentially, everything that is required for you to flourish and prosper is already provided in the universe in which you exist. You know this because you are in a place where human life flourishes because of an abundance of resources and a relative lack of physical danger. Because you ARE, wherever you are, you must receive or perish. Since you ARE, you obviously haven’t perished.  The magical universe that allows for your existence automatically provides the means for that existence. How is not important. The fact remains that because you exist, the universe you exist in must provide everything required for that existence. That’s just the way it is.

 

So, who are we, what do we want and what do we have to do to get it?

 

Well, to begin with, we do what people like us do. So what are people like us like? Who are we? We are who (or what) we think we are. No more and no less and it can be no other way. We are exactly what we think we are.

 

Ask young children what they want to DO when they grow up and you'll be be met with all kinds of blank stares. They want to DO what they're doing now, living life. But ask them, "What do you want to BE when you grow up, you'll get a cavalcade of responses. "Astronaut!" "Cowboy!" "Nurse!" "Model!" "Fireman!" "Police officer!" "Doctor!" "Actor!" "Singer!" The list is endless (thankfully!). Kids understand BEing. DOing just happens. "Out of the mouths of babes..."

 

Doing is the continuation of existence; it is the action we perform while existing. That action is wholly dependant upon, and defined by, what (or who) we are. It can be no other way.

 

What we do is action that provides for our continued existence, our being; who we are. And we are exactly whom we believe we are when we say, in our most private introspection, “I am…”, to our very being. To paraphrase Deepak Chopra, “We are Human Beings, not Human Doings or Human Thinkings.” Being is the reason for thinking and the cause of doing.

 

With our Cartesian fusion synthesis, “I think therefore I get”, however, we run the danger of forgetting what to think about. How? By leaving out the “I am” part. We are not directed to think about what we want, which is the obvious, but simplistic, way of interpreting “I think therefore I get”. We are lead to the conclusion that what we should think about is our existence. “I think therefore I AM, I AM therefore I get.” What I get is not dependant upon what I think I want, but upon who I think I am!

 

Many people think we live in a “have, be, do” universe. They think that if only they HAD “X” they would BE “Y” and then they could DO “Z”. Like, “If I HAD a million dollars, I would BE rich, and I could DO (or wouldn’t have to DO) anything”. Or how about this perennial favorite, “If I HAD a new Ferrari, I would BE more attractive and I could DO anyone!” All Lotto ticket advertisements are just variations on this theme. Such is the wisdom of the masses. 

 

Others think that we live in a “be, do, have” universe. They are by far in the minority. And the majority often derides their train of thought. The popular caricature of them is of pretentious wanna-be’s putting on airs. But these people think (believe) that they ARE certain types of persons, causing them to DO what those types of people do, and therefore to HAVE the same types of things those people have. Their belief in who they are defines what they do, and then, what they do determines what they get.

 

In many ways, including its linguistic roots, your BELIEF is your BE-LIFE, your very existence.

 

So, who do you think you are?

 

“A superstar?

 

Well, right, you are!”

 

Finish this sentence ten different ways:

          “I am …. _______________  “

 

Makes you think, doesn’t it?

 

Consider this. You cannot say anything without thinking it. The mere action of saying I am rich has value beyond belief. But only provided you don’t have counter thoughts or beliefs, like “I am dishonest”, “I am unworthy”, “I am poor” or “I am a liar” The price of illumination, like liberty, is eternal vigilance.

 

And consider this also. What sort of person says, “I am rich”, besides the few Richards who don't think they're just a bunch of Dicks? (lighten up, I couldn't resist - lol) The act of saying is doing. It must be defined by who we are. But this action also changes who we are, thereby changing what we do. It forms a positive feedback loop with action being the control point. It’s a neat paradox. While who we are determines what we do, who we are can only be changed by what we do. So, what sort of person says, “I am rich”? One who already knows his own divinity.

 

If “I am Divine”, “I am worthy” and “I am rich” are not in your top ten statements list, you’re doing yourself a huge disservice.

 

Give thanks that the universe is arranged to give us what we need to support our existence. As conscious beings we are the only life that can change what we are by thinking about what we are. And what we are determines what we do and what we do determines what we get. 

 

This is the true meaning of “I think, therefore I get.”

 

I’d like to pause here for an evaluation. I would like you to consider the value of what you've just read. Is it valuable? Is it worth $1000? Don't laugh! $500? Could be a lot more! $100? Is it worth ten dollars? Then click the Buy-It-Now button!

 

	$9.99 Go ahead, change your life!
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	Come back later, change when you’re ready!

 

If you feel this essay is of value to you, please feel free to click the Buy-It-Now button. The only further “bonus product” is an opt-in subscription to our learntofish.net monthly newsletter/program. Consider the essay to be delivered with a pre-purchase money back guarantee. Read it, if you like it, buy it. That is, of course, if you think it has value greater than ten bucks! If you don’t, then I guess it doesn’t, to you. Perhaps it’s worth enough that you should email a link to your friends and contact list. Maybe you’re thinking of reserving judgment on value until you’ve had a chance to evaluate its actual effectiveness. Bookmark this page and return later to change!

 

But here’s a test. Consider the implication to your “I am …”, your being. If you honestly thought about value and came down on the high side of ten bucks, but didn’t click Buy-It-Now, was “a thief” one of your “I am …” statement endings. Or maybe you're easier on yourself and characterize yourself as “a cheat” or “a freeloader” or simply “needy” or just “cheap”.

 

You may take an aggressive defense and simply feel that you are the victim of ambush, that the material had value, but you were tricked into a purchase you had no previous intention of making and/or did not budget for. You feel cheated by the mere inference that you would accept something of value without kind in return. And you may be right, in a way.

 

However, that also changes your “I am …” statement. Righteous indignation always makes it end in “a victim”.

 

You could consider that monetary value is transient and that time and timing are inherent aspects of it. On any given day, at any given time, that value is a fleeting thing and today it’s not ten bucks! “I am …clever”.

 

But believe this, not only is what you do a reflection of who you are, who you are actually determines what you do. It’s a feedback loop that grows exponentially. Your actions are your guide to the constant and eternal question of who you are.

 

Remember, the only act that can change who you are is the act of self-communication and all actions have a self-communication value. Everything you do informs who you are, either consciously, subconsciously or unconsciously, on some level. All actions, in addition to causing our results, also affect our self-image. Everything we do causes us a sense of  “I am….” It’s our self-evaluation of our actions that either reinforces who we are, or changes who we are.

 

The only way we can change what we get is to change what we do and the only way to change what we do is to change who we are. The only way to consciously change who we are is to change our self-examination of our actions.

 

Which brings us to the best exercise known to humanity for improving your prosperity. It is in fact known by a name that literally telecasts this value. It’s called the Golden Rule.

 

Now, I know, most people know only the classic, broad, interpretation of “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you”. It goes something like this. You should treat others, as you, yourself, would like to be treated. Don’t hurt or abuse others because you wouldn’t want to be treated that way. The moral test of your actions is how they would make you feel if used on, or against, you.

 

If you love people because you love to be loved, this seems like a useful interpretation. But things can be a little different if you trust people simply on the grounds that you like to be trusted.  But generally the Golden Rule is considered by most to be a simple parental regulation against childhood exuberance.  

 

This interpretation is all encompassing in it's scope. "DO unto others..." All action, all doing, involving others, is included. But it fails to adequately account for the name “Golden”. There must be more to the Golden Rule than simple moral guidance.

 

And there is. A more proactive interpretation, one that actually guides action in a golden manner. It is that prosperity is dependent upon giving. As we'll see, it's actually a subset of "do unto others...". A special kind of doing.

 

The reasons why are not important. Perhaps only by giving to others, can you truly expect others to give to you. Maybe you know it happens because you do it, so why shouldn’t it happen to you. Perhaps, since there are more of others than there are of you, on balance, you get back more than you give. Who knows? Mere interpretation.

 

The real value in giving is in the way it affects your getting. To rise to new levels of getting, you need to rise to new levels of giving, to literally bootstrap your "I am..." to new levels. Most importantly, the spirit of your giving powerfully informs who you are. “I am wealthy”, “I am worthy”, “I am divine”, “I am rich”, “I am generous”, "I am prosperous".

 

Charity, generosity, and tithing are critical components of changing who we are. Give unto others, as you would have others give unto you. Now that’s a golden rule! But it’s not an easy rule to abide. Try adding, “I am charitable”, “I am a philanthropist”,  “I am generous” or “I am a giver” to your top ten list. “I am a receiver” is a good one to include as well, even though it’s a given (pun intended!).

 

Giving isn't the only action that beings called givers do. It is the definitve thing they do, though. The other things they do are just the types of background housekeeping easy stuff that provides for their continued existence as givers. One of the things beings called givers must do is have stuff to give. To not do that would be a "wrong" decision, fatal to the giver's being. Nothing to give, no giver. The being called giver must have solid revenue streams or perish as surely as your physical being needs food and air. It will do the stuff required to get in front of that revenue or die trying! How's that for commitment? As Fitty says, "Get Rich or Die Trying!" That's just the way it is. "I am a giver."

 

The change from believing that giving diminishes me and mine, to believing that giving enhances me and mine, is one of the hardest “I am …” accomplishments imaginable. It is the quintessential leap of faith. The only possible action strong enough to accomplish such a belief change is the actual act of giving. If you’ve never been a giver, this is a very steep climb. If you’ve always been a giver, you’re probably already prosperous, perhaps even wealthy and don’t need to be, and likely aren’t, reading this. 

 

So, now do you feel like clicking the “Give-It-Now!”, I mean “Buy-It-Now!” button? Go ahead, Grasshopper, (or is it Chameleon) change!

 

	$9.99 Go ahead, change your life!
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P.S.

 

When I gave a rough draft of this essay to a close friend to critique, she pointed out that, although she believed the premise and followed the logic, she had what she felt was a discrepancy of results. She claimed to have always been a giver. To the point where she was beginning to think that her willingness to give was a burden she couldn’t control. She had always given freely of her time, expenses, goodwill and actual cash, to her close family mostly, but to virtually any and all who asked and she found needful. She definitely self-professed to be a giver, “I am a giver”. And yet, did not self-profess to being prosperous.

 

She had two different but related causes for her (seemingly poor) results. Firstly, a percentage (+/- 50%) of her giving was in the spirit of “I’m being taken advantage of”, "I'm being used", or “I’m not appreciated”. “I am a victim.” And her giving was constant and haphazard rather than measured and fair. Her top ten list did not include enough “I am prosperous”, “I am worthy”, “I am grateful”, nor “I am appreciative”. Secondly, because of her failure to properly appreciate the good things in her life, she failed to see that she was, in fact, quite prosperous by any worldly standard.

 

Our intent and/or attitude, our “intentitude” of every action is the aspect of the action that gets received back as self-evaluation. It’s the part that either changes or reinforces who we are, and as conscious beings, it’s an aspect of every action. This is better known as spirit.

 

There are lots of examples of spirit, such as, the spirit of giving, the spirit of joy, the spirit of beauty, or the spirit of love. There are other spirits as well, like the spirit of malice, the spirit of loathing, the spirit of hostility, and even a spirit of depravity. If “I am depraved” is on your list, the depraved things that your being does will self-evaluate to depravity. More “I am depraved”. Your actions will be in the spirit of depravity. No matter how you define depravity, that sounds like one spiral to avoid.

 

Our mien, our demeanor, our “intentitude”, our outlook, therefore, equals our spirituality. Our Spirituality is our attention to the “I am…” of our actions. It is the real reason that Spirituality is so often connected with, or is an aspect of, so many prosperity self-help programs as evidenced by the popular book and film on the subject, “The Secret”, by Rhonda Byrne.

 

It’s also why most (all?) religious organizations are spiritual. Religious organizations are as much about organization as about religion. The hidden gospel of organized religions, regardless of their public dogma, is “If I can guide your “intentitude”, I control your behavior”. All spiritual pursuits have two complimentary aspects or goals; personal guidance and illumination; and mass social guidance to balance stability with change.

 

Found enough value yet to justify the fee? Go ahead, click the “Change-Me Now!”, I mean “Buy-It-Now!” button”.

 

	$9.99 Go ahead, change your life!
Email Others!	Change all your friends’ lives, too!
	Come back later, change when you’re ready!

 

P.P.S.

 

Do you have to be Born Again? Don’t worry. You are, you will be and you will like it!

 

Another early “beta” reader commented that his real problem with the whole changing who you are thing was that, while he definitely wanted the outcome of his desires – a place in the executive suite, he expressed dismay, and in fact, displeasure, in thinking about some of the things that type of person has to do. He couldn’t see himself doing them. Which in fact meant he could see himself doing them and didn’t like how it felt!  Now he could see this as a major career block, but could not seem to overcome it. 

 

There is only one explanation for this and it’s quite simple. Who he is now, his being, his “I am ..”, could not see him enjoying the new existence because these were things his current being didn’t do.

 

Doing the things required to be who we are is effortless, regardless of who we are. Doing anything else is a struggle. Don’t worry about how you will do something, because you will only ever have to do the effortless things your being requires. Everything else is optional! Change who you are and everything else is easy, in fact automatic. My friend was trying to change what his being was doing without changing his being. No wonder he found it so hard, it's impossible!

 

If he wanted to be in the executive suite (his goal) he merely needed to infuse all of his current actions with a spirit, an “intentitude”, of “I am an executive”. All actions, at work and play, at home or out and about, 24/7, not just the 40 or so hours he was on the payroll. He shouldn’t try to change his actions, merely observe his current actions in the spirit of who he is. “An executive wouldn’t have done that, I am an executive” or “An executive would’ve done this. I am an executive” or even, “Wow. Just like an executive should. I am an executive”. Or even simply, “I am an executive”, with out any further analysis, depending upon the action involved. While you’re washing the dishes, you may not really have any expectation of how an executive washes his dishes. But you may be surprised. The change to executive will be startling to everyone, except him!

 

Well. I hope I’ve finally given you enough to justify the fee? I hope, in fact, that you feel inspired to reach out and change others' lives as well by also clicking “Email Others!” And bookmark this page and return after reading the book that Rhonda Byrne claims to have been the inspiration for "The Secret”, - The Science of Getting Rich, written in 1912 by Wallace D. Wattles. Go ahead, click the “Change-Me Now!”, I mean “Buy-It-Now!” button”.

 

	$9.99 Go ahead, change your life!
Email Others!	Change all your friends’ lives, too!
	Come back later, change when you’re ready!

 

This site is designed to distribute the information contained in this article in exchange for fair value, similar to the way bookstores distribute their wares. Come in, sit down, read it, if you like it, buy it before leaving. But because of the anonymity of the web, you may think that many (most?) people will not bother paying, that they'll cheat. The number is probably similar the the ratio between those who stay where they are in life, and those who rise to greatness and wealth, about 95%:5%. But if you look at the way bookstores operate, when you go to the bookstore there are thousands of books for sale. What are the chances of you picking up my book. I'll take my chances with the 5%. Granted, books are generally longer, but cost more than ten dollars, too! And you know how lots of books can have a good strong core idea, then pad the chapters with fluff. But regardless of how many there are, you know which group you belong in. You may imagine the crowd, the masses as they're called, will self-justify their actions (decisions) in logical ways. It's who they are. It would be easy to just blend into this imagined crowd of "cheats"... Because, after all, who'll know? But, if you think it has value, but don't buy it, you don't get it. Neat, eh!

 

Because whatever you do, YOU'LL know. You can check-out any time you like, but you can never leave. No matter where you go, there you are. So, you can't really cheat, because if you try, that proves you truly didn't get any value from the article, and therefore you can't be cheating by not paying! Who are you?

 

Come to think of it, if you didn't get the point of this article, take that as the lesson. You are unable to be anyone else. If you can't be anyone else, you can't be changed. Think of all the money I just saved you on all those futile self-improvement courses you needn't bother taking because you can't, or won't, DO (just reading doesn't count) what they say. You can't DO what they say becasue you can't BE the new being who does those things. You can't be changed. That's got to be worth ten bucks, at least!

 

In closing, I might add that I have been planning to use some of the value this site receives to acquire a Hotel in California and set up a resource center! See you there, anytime of year.

Truly;
Gregory Fish
I am author!

 

Read the Science of Getting Rich, then come back and re-read this essay. In fact, read it often! (Multiple payment accepted but not required!! lol)

 

By the way, if you received an email from a friend or contact that linked you to this page, please return the favor by paying it forward. Go back to your email and forward that message to your friends and contacts

 

Go ahead, pay now - we are programmed to receive!