The Magic of Possibilities

"Normally, we do not so much look at things as overlook them." --- Alan Watts

In the inspiring movie What The Bleep Do We Know, one of the speakers makes the point that quantum mechanics is the physics of possibilities. The idea is that every moment is filled with possibilities.

Unfortunately, many of us don't see life that way. Instead of possibilities, we see limitations. In fact, the older we get the less possibilities we believe we have in our lives.

After all, where are these possibilities when we are trapped in a bad marriage or stuck working at a soulless job?

The Japanese martial art of Aikido teaches us to shift our thinking. In Aikido, there are always possibilities or options. The problem is that when confronted with stress - or an attacker in the case of the martial arts - we suffer from tunnel vision.

In the face of real conflict, we see just two options. Either we lash out in anger by meeting force with force or harsh words with harsh words. Or we give way to fear and play the victim.

But in the practice of Aikido, we realize that there are actually more than two options. Instead of advancing or retreating, we could also choose a third way in which we blend with the force by re-directing it into another direction for our own advantage. In this way, we take a potentially negative experience and turn it into a positive one.

The same idea holds true in business.

In the corporate world, we've been conditioned to believe that bigger is better. For many small business owners, "grow or die" is seen as the only option. The idea is that we grow a business so that we can increase revenue, hire more employees, and ultimately cash out, sell our business and retire.

But are those really the only choices?

What if we take a step back and catch a glimpse of the big picture? What do we actually value most about our business?

Is it growth above all else? Or is it perhaps control over our vision and freedom to spend more time with our families and communities? In those latter cases, bigger is not necessarily better.

The point is that in martial arts, business, quantum mechanics or any aspect of life, we always have an infinite number of possibilities and options. It just requires that we widen the scope of our vision. When we do this, we see not only main road but also the roads less traveled.

This idea can also be applied to the most mundane tasks. For instance, think about taking a trip to the supermarket. You could follow the familiar pattern of rushing in and out, avoiding eye contact at every turn. Or you could choose another path ~ perhaps engaging the people in your shopping universe with a big smile and a playful attitude.

When we open our minds as well as our hearts to the infinite possibilities available to us at any moment, we start living a deeper, richer and more meaningful life. Antoine de Saint-Exupery said it best: "It is only with the heart one can see clearly. What is essential is invisible to the eye."