Lesson 2: How to find your emotional blind spots
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Hi Reader, In our last lesson, we explored the Golden Algorithm. We saw how the emotions we avoid don’t just go away. Instead, they come back and end up unconsciously driving all our decisions (and as a result, our lives). Today, we’re going to take the first step in undoing the Golden Algorithm. We will walk you through exactly how to find some of these “blind spot” emotions that are running your life. The JesterThere was once a town jester who loved to dance about wildly in the streets. He would wail, laugh, and cry out without abandon in the town square. “Shameful,” the blacksmith said. “Taking up far too much space. Proper men should not show off and do these things.” “Magnificent,” the young poet said. “He is so self-expressed. I wish I could be like him.” “Embarrassing and offensive,” the merchant’s wife said. She turned away in scorn. One day, the king of the land happened to be passing by the town. He was known to be one of the wisest and most benevolent throughout the lands. Curious, he paused to watch all of this unfold. The jester finished a clumsy somersault, dusted off his knees, and smiled at the king. “Why do you provoke them so?” the king asked. “You must know that some adore you and some despise you.” The jester shrugged. “I do nothing to them. I only move.” The king frowned. “So which of them sees you correctly?” “None of them,” he said. “I am only a mirror.” He winked at the king: “A special mirror. I show them only what they are unwilling to see in themselves.” The king bowed. “Thank you,” he said. “You give these people a gift greater than I have ever been able to give them.” Lesson 2: How to find your emotional blind spotsIn the Great Decisions Course, there are five different ways we will teach you how to find your emotional blind spots. One of the most effective ways is to look where you judge others (or yourself) harshly. Think of it like looking at a mirror. Any time you judge someone as arrogant, messy, needy, (or whatever triggers you), it is a flare pointing to what you were taught to not allow. And any time you’re doing this, there’s an emotional experience you’re trying to avoid. The way to find what that emotional blind spot is is to ask yourself: “If I couldn’t feel judgement at this moment, what emotion would I have to feel?” For example:
You can try it for yourself below: During the course, we’ll give you four more ways to uncover the decisions you avoid, and you’ll have multiple paired and group exercises that will help you keep excavating deeper. Often, even simply uncovering these and seeing your avoidance with compassion and awareness can lead to profound breakthroughs. But some of the most powerful shifts happen when you start to really see these “negative” emotions you avoid, and realize that they’re not what you think they are. I’ll see you in Lesson 3 where we’ll be diving into some powerful perspective shifters. Big Love, Joe PS. Missed previous Prep Guide emails? Read them here: |
Art of Accomplishment
Hi Reader, Now that we’ve begun to identify some of your avoided emotions, we’re going to take this process to the next level. This is the unlock that can create some incredibly powerful transformations. Because whether you’re aware of it or not, your mind is constantly telling you stories about your emotions. But many of those stories aren’t true. The Boy and the River There was once a boy who was terrified of the river. He had fallen in once as a child and remembered the cold shock, the...
Hi Reader, Now that we’ve begun to identify some of your avoided emotions, we’re going to take this process to the next level. This is the unlock that can create some incredibly powerful transformations. Because whether you’re aware of it or not, your mind is constantly telling you stories about your emotions. But many of those stories aren’t true. The Boy and the River There was once a boy who was terrified of the river. He had fallen in once as a child and remembered the cold shock, the...
Hi Reader, In our last lesson, we explored the Golden Algorithm. We saw how the emotions we avoid don’t just go away. Instead, they come back and end up unconsciously driving all our decisions. And as a result, our lives. Today, we’re going to take the first step in undoing the Golden Algorithm. We will walk you through exactly how to find some of these “blind spot” emotions. The Jester There was once a town jester who loved to dance about wildly in the streets. He would wail, laugh, and cry...