As we forge our way through life, we are guided by our values and our personal map of the world. These two elements determine the way that we think and the way that we act. An understanding of this guiding mechanism is essential for anyone who wants mastery over his own life.

Albert Einstein said, “Man tries to make for himself in the fashion that suits him best a simplified and intelligible picture of the world.” That, “intelligible picture of the world” is the way that we personally perceive the world and everything in it.

In this personal picture of the world, everything tangible and non-tangible has a meaning and that meaning is the fruit of our own personal interpretation. That picture has nothing to do with reality. It’s our perception of reality. It is the way that we see and perceive everything.

Once conceived, that personal picture of the world becomes the roadmap that we use to navigate through life. It’s how we see the terrain that we must travel through on our life’s journey. For some, that map is filled with rough and perilous roads while for others it covers open and beautiful countries where traveling is easy and pleasant. It all depends on how we see our world.

A person who sees danger, obstacles and difficulties everywhere will have a corresponding map. Another one who sees opportunities, joy and abundance everywhere will also have a map that corresponds to that view of the world. Same world, different views, different map, different life.

If our views of the world make up the map that we use to guide us through our journey on Planet Earth, our main value constitute the destination toward which we are heading. For some, that main value may be financial success for others it might be spiritual growth or it can be artistic actualization or raising a happy family.

Each of us gets to choose the destination of his choice but the one thing that we have in common is the fact that the map that is used must lead to that destination. Just as a map of India could not be used to travel in the United States, a map that leads to scarcity cannot be used to reach the land of plenty.

Just as a lake cannot be found by using a map of the Sahara desert a fortune cannot be found by using a map leading to poverty. The desired destination has to be on the map used or that map is totally useless. If our personal map does not lead to our chosen destination, it must be changed by changing the way that we see our world.

It must always be kept in mind that the way that we see the world is nothing but our own interpretation of that world. By changing the perspective from which we look at our Universe, we can entirely change our vision of it.

Any changes that we want to affect in our life have to start with a change in beliefs. It is through our beliefs that our reality is created. Those beliefs are not dogmas. They are simply the result of our perceptions and perceptions are not reality. They are simply our way of seeing and interpreting.

In a few words, our interpretation of the world and everything in it creates a map that we use to navigate our way to destinations determined by our values. If the journey is to be successful the map that we use must lead to our intended destinations or values.

Now, if we feel that we are not getting closer to our destination (values/objectives) it probably means that we have the wrong map. When that is the case, the world must be looked at from a different perspective so that the proper map can be created.

Life offers us two choices. If we are willing to put in the time and efforts, we may design and build the life that we desire. If not, like a ship lost at sea, our fate will be sealed at the mercy of the tides and the winds. We can create a life or be dragged through it.

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Tags: empowering, fulfillment, Personal Development, Present Time Consciousness, satisfaction, significance