Now, a generation later, my sons are growing up in a technical world much different from mine, but still, success is elusive. There are now cell phones, tablets, laptops, watches, and vision goggles that provide 24-7 access to media and entertainment. While these devices make our lives more convenient and useful, they also provide a source of endless distraction and anxiety. The constant stream of music, news, social chatter, and information access has actually made it harder to focus on bettering our lives. How then, can we focus on anything?
The shift created by the Internet and wireless communications has provided youth constant access to media and ideas that few parents can control. Constant negative influences from the media focus on sex, greed, scarcity, and lack of opportunity. Parents are increasingly unable to manage all the demands of modern life and still provide the positive guidance they intended for their children.
What is the result? I believe it is a world in which we now have an epidemic of low self-esteem. This lack of self-esteem has evolved into social and personal problems that are expressed as addiction, distraction, poverty, and consumerism. These problems are actually just self-sabotage and frustration caused by self-loathing. When people have a low self-concept, they engage in activities that expose these negative beliefs such as abusing drugs, alcohol, food, sex, work, and shopping or even turning to violence and crime.
To counteract these problems, we must first address this lack of personal confidence, so that it won’t be unleashed in self-defeating behaviors. Too many people have no belief in their own abilities. Too many people blame others for their circumstances. Too many people extract revenge on a society they blame for their problems.
At the root of many social problems are beliefs in myths that are not true. These myths are supported by the media and make us easy to manipulate. On the bright side, once these myths are debunked, the pitfalls they create can be avoided, and one of the biggest myths portrayed to us is that of the rare chosen one. This myth keeps us stuck with no hope of fulfilling our true greater destiny.
Once we escape this myth, we become free to develop ourselves and fulfill our dreams. This takes dedication, skill development, knowledge, and action. When you begin to take action, a path becomes clear, you start to shed fears and doubts, and progressively recreate yourself. Then as one of the new, soon to rise, self-chosen ones, you will need a guide to complete the journey. This book is that guide.
I begin by discussing the historical myth of the chosen one. First, we will review the mythical rare chosen one portrayed in popular movies and literature. Second, we will dispel this myth—these are not true chosen ones because they cannot exist without the missing element that is possessed by real chosen ones—they choose themselves.
Finally, we will show that anyone can become one of the many self-chosen ones. The path these chosen ones take will be made clear, and the core components will be revealed. The psychological frameworks and attainment levels will guide you through the distractions and pitfalls along the journey.
LET’S BEGIN THAT JOURNEY NOW
PART 1
1
MYTH
So why are so many still waiting to be chosen? We wait for a chance at success or fame hoping to get that big break by being chosen by others.
Throughout history, we have heard the legendary stories of the mythical chosen one. In these fables, the chosen one is born of or chosen for greatness, success, or adventure. Often, the chosen one is not even aware of their potential until some event forces it to come forward. Then, they rise and fulfill some immense service to the world.
These legends of history are even embodied in religion and ancient books such as the Bible or Aesop’s Fables. The Jews were considered the chosen people by some accounts. It could also be argued that God chose Jesus. There is a lot of choosing going on in these stories, but only for a few.
In more recent times, theater and movies have kept this myth alive. The wizard Harry Potter from the books and movies was recognized as chosen for greatness due to his unknown ability to have seemingly defeated Voldemort. In the story, the great, evil wizard Voldemort came to kill Harry when he was just an infant. Both his parents were killed in the battle, but Voldemort lost almost all of his powers and fled terribly weakened while Harry sustained only a lightning-shaped scar on his head. What a conversation starter the scar must have been.
Luke Skywalker from the movie Star Wars was chosen to become a Jedi Knight and save the galaxy from the evil Galactic Empire. According to the movie, after the demise of the Jedi Knights, Luke was chosen by one of the last remaining Jedis to train as one and fulfill his destiny of toppling the evil Empire. Unknown to Luke, his father served the Empire as a Sith. He was certainly born for this job! After many battles, misgivings, and mistakes, Luke becomes a Jedi, and he destroys the dreaded Death Star weapon.
The mythical chosen one is supposedly instilled at birth or by another with special virtues and skills that set them apart from everyone else. Everything then comes naturally to them, and they require little effort to accomplish great tasks. They feel no fear but may initially doubt their abilities. They have intellect and wisdom far above our own. They may not have acquired greatness yet, but it’s just a matter of time until they do. How can we all sign up for this job?
Hollywood loves this storyline. In another classic example from 1986, Eddie Murphy starred in the movie The Golden Child, which begins in a temple in the distant land of Nepal. Chosen one stories always have an adventure in them. In the story, a young boy has mystical powers and abilities, shows his power to the monks of the temple and, to their amazement, revives a dead bird. Then, to create the movie plot, the boy is captured by some villains and held hostage.
Eddie Murphy, an altruistic and funny social worker in Los Angeles, is contacted by a mysterious Asian woman who tells him of the kidnapping. She says he is the chosen one who will save the child. He does not believe her, although he finds her so attractive he decides to pretend so he can keep her around. He initially doubts his abilities, but soon finds himself on the crazy search for the captors, who for some reason brought the child to Los Angeles.
Ultimately, he finds the courage and strength to save the boy and even win over the beautiful girl. Why does he do this? Did he really need a date that badly? Does he do this because he was the chosen one? Who chose him again? To recap, the Asian woman chose him based upon some divine guidance. And so, true to the chosen one myth, he struggles to believe in his destiny but ultimately prevails.
There are many other movies, which show men and women chosen somehow for greatness. War movies often show soldiers who are chosen to perform a great mission. These men and women usually earn it the hard way. However, the myth often shows examples of people who are able to achieve their goals without hard work, determination, vision, or persistence.
The mythical chosen one achieves their goals by having special abilities, destiny, or luck. They set an unfortunate example for the world that you are either born or chosen for greatness, or you are not. It sounds like a great life, but most of us have not been chosen this way.
Where are the successful movies and stories of the countless men and women who weren’t born chosen? Where are the stories of the ones who were born poor, uneducated, disadvantaged, and fearful? Where are the stories of the ones who accomplished amazing things despite their circumstances? We rarely see these types of stories in the popular media. I guess they don’t make for compelling movie trailers.
When we see so many mythical