How are iPhones, Adam & Eve, Snow White and Our Ambition all related?

A big bite of an Apple can be toxic.

Numerous times in the past, my gorgeous and very patient wife, Brandie, has been privy to one of my hidden/secret/private frustrations: “I KNOW WHAT TO DO, WHY CAN’T I ACT ON IT AND BE CONSISTENT.”  

While in Ancient Greece, the Apostle Paul more powerfully wrote, “For the good that I would… I do not: but the evil (wrong) which I would not, that I do” (Roman 7:19). Maybe you’ve dealt with the same conundrum. Turn over yet another leaf. Re-set the same New Years Goals year after year. Yo-yo diets. “I should move more, get better organized, wake up earlier, etc, etc, etc. 

Instead of Ready, Aim, Fire, Accomplish, Celebrate!  Its more often Ready, Aim, Aim, Aim, Aim…NO FIRE, NO ACTION.  I’ve been there an embarrassingly number of times.

As a bit of a science nerd… It’s like our life is a distortion of Newton’s 3rd Law (You know, the Action/Reaction one): “For every intended action there is an equal and opposite action.” Shall I share some personal examples:

 

Newton’s 3rd Law (Distorted)

Let’s segway from the image of Isaac Newton’s collision with a falling apple in the 17th Century to THE Apple of today.

Did you every ponder why Apple’s logo is an apple with a bite taken out of it? Nah, me neither… until now. There are many theories, I’ll add my sarcastic one to the conspiracy discussion. (Disclosure: I believe Apple is an amazing company and am proud that Apple products fill our home. I am merely trying to change my, and your neuro-association relating to technology).

  • I’m sure its NOT a Disney reference to the Evil Queen persuading Snow White to take a bite of the toxic apple, causing her to fall into a deep sleep.  Have we been persuaded to consume our apple infused with a toxic boob-tube and vidiot cocktail? Instead of having to sit in front of a T.V. after work, I can now fill my brain with a ceaseless procession of low-brow content irrespective of time or location.

  • I’m sure its NOT a biblical reference to the O.G. humans. Despite warnings from God, Adam and Eve bit the forbidden fruit, possibly an apple. Eating from the tree of knowledge was to be the greatest transgression against God and humanity is cast out of Eden.  The logo couldn’t possibly be to signify the fall of humanity.

Let’s unpack this. We are curious humans. In fact, I believe we need to cultivate and guide this curiosity more fully so we can be creators of our own lives. It sounds virtuous to have a thirst for knowledge, but often we are a bunch of epistemophiliacs (excessive striving for knowledge) and its derailing our goals, killing our ambition. We want to know everything and do little.

“Knowledge is Not Power, Knowledge is only Potential power. Action is power.”  Tony Robbins

“Knowledge is only potential power. It becomes power only when, and if, it is organized into definite plans of action, and directed to a definite end.” Napoleon Hill

Too frequently in my life and I’m betting in your’s too, Belief & Action, Knowing & Doing, Education & Obedience are miles apart. Consistent and purposeful action is the key. 

 

“Ohhhhh”, you say sarcastically, “I just need to act better and then I’ll get everything I want in life…Thank’s Captain Obvious.”

Good point. 

 

Here’s how we can cease, once and for ever, questioning ourselves with “I know what to do, why don’t I just do it?“ 

RE-ASSIGN OUR NEURO-ASSOCIATIONS - Eliminate the Mixed Emotions. I’ll dive into this little Brain Beauty on a future post, but for now:

What if the next time you grab your Apple iPhone to find some COMFORTING DISTRACTION/KNOWLEDGE, you momentarily visualize Snow White or Adam & Eve about to sink their teeth into that juicy fruit and ponder the “harmless” consequences.  Ask, “Will this nourish my ambition and focus or will this bite spew toxic sludge into my life.  (I admit it is extreme, but as humans we are extremely good at creating and believing harmful justifications for why something is not-that-big-a-deal.)

Remember the proverb, “An apple a day…keeps the doctor away.” Well, I’m beginning to realize that “Apple all day makes you and me impotent (unable to take effective action)!”

To wrap up this discussion about Apple’s logo:

Apple vs. Your Goals…We Lose