The ghost in your machine

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I was looking in the mirror this morning while brushing my teeth—trying to ignore the fact that my two boys were staging a coup in the hallway involving a laundry basket and a plastic sword—and I had a thought.

Who is actually running the show here?

We spend so much time looking "out there" for the answers. We look at the economy, the algorithm, the weather here in Columbus (which is usually confused), or our bank accounts, and we think those external things dictate our reality. But that is like yelling at a movie screen because you don't like the plot.

The projector is behind you.

The foundational premise of everything we are going to talk about this week is simple but terrifying: The locus of control is within you.

As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. Your mind is the creative cause of all that transpires. If you are broke, unhappy, or just feeling stuck in the mud, it is not because the world is against you. It is because your internal GPS is set to "Swamp."

True power isn't found in reacting to the noise outside. It is found in consciously directing the thoughts and feelings that create the noise in the first place.

Now, I know what you might be thinking. "Bradley, that sounds nice, but I need to earn my way to success. I need to prove I’m worthy."

Stop it. That is a false premise.

You are the highest form of creation on the face of the earth. You do not need to "shore up your self-image" to earn a good life any more than a rose needs to fill out a spreadsheet to earn its bloom. Your worth is inherent. It is absolute. It is factory-installed.

The question isn't, "Am I worthy of this goal?" The question is, "Is this idea worthy of me?"

That shift changes everything. It transforms you from a beggar seeking crumbs into an investor looking for a place to deposit your life’s energy. You must distinguish between being responsible to others (like my wife and kids) and being responsible for your results. You are the only one responsible for your results. Blaming karma, heredity, or the government is a surrender of your sovereign power.

As you continue to follow this series, you will realize that the more you read my emails, the more success you will have in identifying these internal levers. It creates a momentum that is hard to stop.

We have established that you are the captain of the ship. You have the wheel. You have the inherent worth to sail anywhere you want.

But that begs a massive, glaring question. If you can go anywhere... where on earth should you actually go? Most people aim for the shore they can already see, and that is exactly why they sink.

Tomorrow, I am going to show you why your current goals are likely boring the universe to tears, and how to pick a target that actually scares you into greatness.

Look out for it,

Bradley Woods

P.S. If you possessed a magic lamp, would you ask the Genie for a slightly better toaster? Of course not. So why do we do that with our lives? Reply to this email: What is one thing you would ask for if you knew the answer would be "Yes"?

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