Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering.
– Saint Augustine
When is the last time you actually felt a sense of wonder?
You know the feeling – it’s a complete sense of amazement that is sharpened by accompanying curiosity. It’s that consuming awareness that envelopes you so much that you are lost in the moment. And, even so, it also leaves you wanting more. I think that most of you will agree that your sense of wonder got lost quite awhile ago. It got placed on a back shelf while you dealt with the “more important” things in Life. Or, worse yet, you laid it to rest when you “grew up.”
What a shame.
Perhaps we can fix that . . .
One of the primary tools of any successful magician is the ability to instill and install a sense of wonder.
In the people who see them.
And in themselves.
It is what we use to hold someone spellbound. It’s that which delights us so much we lose track of everything and everyone around us.
And, when you dig deep enough, you eventually discover that your sense of wonder – whether it is active or it is dormant – is precisely what determines how we live our lives and in what fashion. You see, your life, right now, is a direct result of the questions you want answers to. And it is an outcome to what you lust after. If you want a change in your life, then change your sense of wonder. It is the quality of your thirst for “more” that will dictate the quality of your life.
So, when you’re ready to take your sense of wonder to the next level, consider doing one or all of the following:
BOLD MOVE NUMBER ONE. Remember you’re still a kid. None of us ever really “grow up.” Oh, we pretend we’re adults from time to time. But, we’re still all kids. Just go ahead and own that and watch the flood of curiosity and wonder come rushing back. (WONDER-FULL NOTE: Don’t worry, I won’t take your comfort zone away all at once – you can still delude yourself back into being a grown up later on.)
BOLD MOVE NUMBER TWO. Declare this your Year of Adventure. In fact, I dare you to have any type of adventure at all. But you have to choose an adventure – something wild and exciting. You can’t wait for it to come to you. Now . . . What type of adventure do you choose? (WONDER-FULL NOTE: By the way, did you notice how you felt while you were deciding? That’s the sense of wonder we want to capture all over again.)
BOLD MOVE NUMBER THREE: Get out and DO something . . . then SHARE it with the World. If you could do anything and money was not object and you knew you could not fail, what would you do? Most of us sit around reacting to events when we could be responding to our wonder. I want you to participate in your own success. That happens most effectively when you choose to get off your behind and make a mark on the world. And when you also choose to share yourself and what you are doing with others, you will find that Wonder just starts to happen. (WONDER-FULL NOTE: You might even want to consider sharing first, and then figuring out what to do about that choice. You will find that when you share you actually get back.)
BOLD MOVE NUMBER FOUR: Manipulate Time. What if you had the superpower to shrink or expand time? How would you life be different if you could take control of Time and make it conform to your needs, wants, and wishes? What would that do for you? Now I know that some of you are already saying, “This is the stuff of science fiction?” No, it isn’t. Everyone of you has experienced time “feeling” like it’s moving at different speeds depending on the activity you might be engaged in at the time. Time has dragged on for those of wanting to leave work. Time has escaped you when you are lost in an activity. And time has stopped when you are in love. Perhaps you are actually able to shift the way Time acts for you after all. I suggest you take some time and figure out how you can make Time serve you rather than being a slave to the clock. (WONDER-FULL NOTE: Just the creative act of figuring out how to manipulate Time will increase your sense of wonder.)
BOLD MOVE NUMBER FIVE. Create a Wonder Mantra. I’ve written about mantras and incantations before. These are words or phrases that you repeat throughout the day and which conjure a particular feeling, mood, experience or chosen effect. The key to powerful mantras is that they should be short and easily repeated by you. Here are some to get you started:
I am passionately curious. – (Adapted from Albert Einstein)
Curiosity is the highest form of bravery. – (Adapted from Victor Hugo)
Curiosity leads me down new paths. – (Adapted from Walt Disney)
Give up the Good. Go for the Great. – (Adapted from John D. Rockefeller)
Love is three quarters curiosity. – (Giacomo Casanova)
Imagination will get me everywhere. – (Adapted from Albert Einstein)
(WONDER-FULL NOTE: “Mantras are energy which can be likened to fire. Fire can cook your lunch or burn down the forest.” – M. Rose Windels, Breath the Ultimate Secret to Life)
So, I’m curious . . . What will you create for yourself today? Let me know.
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SCOTT GROSSBERG thinkingmagically.com 