May 23rd, 2010 by rob white
I was reading about a Chinese panda car that can do stunts. This subcompact car can rear up off its hind wheels, can hop around and even do a reverse donut! Wow, if a car can do that, what can I do that I’ve not yet imagined?
The truth of your unlimitedness comes with pure awareness. (I know the word unlimitedness is not in the dictionary, but I think it should be) When we are willing to forsake our collection of self-limiting beliefs, we see ourselves very differently. The engineers of the Chinese Panda car began looking at cars in a very different way – no limits!
If you want to really experience your unlimitedness, then don’t listen to that self-talk that says, “I’m ONLY human.” Consider that kind of inward chatter like meaningless background music that you hear on an elevator – let it just pass on through.
When I listen deeper than my automatic self-talk, I become aware of a still, small voice that tells me of my bottomless reserve of unrealized potential. That voice is what continually urges us to try new things. Children love trying new things because they’ve not yet learned that they are ‘ONLY human’. My newest thing is writing … I love, love, love it!
I love proving to myself I am more than ‘ONLY human’. Clearly there would be no human footprints on the moon if everyone listened to the world-voice’s chant” ‘be careful, after all – you are ONLY human – if man was meant to fly he would have been born with wings’.
What do you dream of doing, but have not yet made a move toward that dream because you are ‘ONLY human’… not smart enough… too short… too old… too young… born on the wrong side of town… ad infinitum?
Listen to that still, small voice with perfect awareness – what once seemed impossible becomes a possibility for you! Listen… be aware… and a very different quality of desire shows up in you.
Hi Rob,
Thanks for the post.
I really appreciate the reminder of how human beings are capable of doing so much. I’m doing my best to be aware of any limiting beliefs that I have. I find that exposing them makes them a lot weaker.
Your post reminds me of a story I heard years ago about a car company (I think it might have been Chrysler, but please don’t quote me on that!) that hired lots of young engineers in their twenties, because they didn’t already know what was not possible! And then the group went on to be very successful.
indeed, Greg, awareness is the key step to exposing self-limiting beliefs … and as you have pointed out with prior comments – step 2 is to hold yourself 100% responsible for swapping them in for something new.
[...] What does a Panda car have to do with me? by Rob White at Mind Adventure [...]
I can remember that feeling I had as a child when anything was possible. Something I suppressed was my desire to be a photographer. I think I could have been a darn good one. Somehow life gets busy and it falls by the wayside
Yes, Carol Anne …it SEEMS like life gets busy and falls by the wayside, but I find it is ‘me’ that busys my mind with too many matters and that is why life seems to pass me by. I believe it is always up to us to prioritize what we intend our live’s to be about, so that time is on our side.
Hey Rob, do you create all these fancy pictures in your articles yourself?
About your article,… I think I’m going to go work now. lol. Your article is exactly the affirmation I need, keeping a blog is so much hard work. Especially when you gotta write guest post the very same weekend :/
Since we’re on this subject…how long have you had your blog up Rob?
I always like hearing stories of self-made people…so inspiring!
All the best,
Parker
Hi Parker Lee. Nick, my artist friend is responsible for the illustrations. He is brilliant! Yes, hearing how self-made people made themselves to be successful is always inspiring. If it is to be … it is always up to you and me. No one else can do it for us, and we all have the capacity to be successful with whatever we set our mind to. i have proven this to myself in many domains of life. Thanks for the feedback.
Rob, another fantastic post!
You’re so right to remind us that we are unlimited! All we need to do is set the intention and take action – one foot in front of the other.
Thank you again.
yes, Angela … there are two ladders we must climb simultaneously (that is if we intend to live our lives as we dream it can be). The Thinking Ladder and the Doing ladder are always right there waiting for us … step up one rung at a time. We are superlative creators – if we set our aim and move steadfastly in its direction, we cannot miss. blessings.
Hello Rob,
It’s so true that we are only held back by the limits we choose to believe in. Changing those old thought patterns is difficult, but it can be done.
I too have only recently discovered writing and I’m so amazed by how much I love it, I wonder why I haven’t done it before?
Then, I realize, that it was all due to limiting beliefs.
Now to get to work on the other ones!
Thanks for sharing!
It certainly is those pesky ‘self-limiting beliefs’ that we take on during childhood rearing that can curse us for a lifetime, Jenny Ann. What the mind believes, it achieves …. and that includes proving that we are limited if we have conditioned it to believe that. We succeed at losing at life if we convince the mind that we don’t have what it takes to win at life. HMMM.
Hi Rob,
What a great post, and I love the graphics! I second the motion to have the word “unlimitedness” entered into the dictionary!
Topi
Thanks, Topi, for seconding the motion to add the world ‘unlimitedness’ to the dictionary. Just meditating on this word can open space for new thoughts to come visit you.
Hi Rob,
Very insightful post. We have the power to utilize our brains and achieve the impossible and the difficult.
We need to channelize our effort with passion and determination to be successful. After we are human beings and only we are capable of doing it
Bye for now,
Cheryl Paris
The Acorn Coach Blog
yes, Cheryl … ‘being human’ is an extraordinary opportunity to experience one’s ‘unlimitedness’. When we effectively channel our effort with determination, there is no telling how high we may soar!
Hey Rob,
Two things:
#1 I think I’m going to adopt the word unlimitedness into my vocab
#2 Where can I buy a panda car?
I really appreciated this post. And knowing that you were (are?) a successful real estate developer and restaurateur before this, lets me know that you’ve probably faced those little demons inside the head telling you what you can’t do, numerous times.
This post is also timely in that I decided to agree to challenge by my girlfriend. She is also a circus artist and has challenged me to come up with an act, any act, for a show in two months. This is terrifying! I keep thinking of how I may not be good enough, skilled enough, experienced enough, etc. to come up with one, even though a large part of me knows that this will be exciting as hell!
Thanks for the encouragement Rob!
Take care,
Ben
Hi Ben … whenever I agree (with myself) to take on a new challenge and do something very new – I remind myself that my success will be a result of accumulated learning that comes with a lot of ‘OOPSES’ along the way (as I mentioned before). Now I remember to say ‘OOPS” when the inevitable embarrassing moments come and I make those mistakes. Good luck1
What the… is this real? That’s awesome, but kind of dangerous for the driver? Haha… I guess the point of this isn’t so much about the cars that can do stunts, but about the what human beings are capable of doing. There is no limit to what we can do as a human being and this is just “one” example of just that. By listening to that small voice inside of us, we can turn the impossible to the possible. Thanks for this Rob! I still can’t get over this idea… Haha…
I notice, Hulbert, that my relationship with life changes whenever I am willing to entertain a new idea that wobbles my belief system. Yes this blog is all about what it would be like if we decided to look at ourselves very differently. There are tremendous possibilities in the impossible!
Hey Rob,
Thanks for the wonderful reminder.
I just finished Seth Godin’s book Tribes and feel inspired and “on fire”. He talks about having faith and proceeding with what you believe in. He encourages us to BELIEVE in ourselves.
He also points out something I love – that criticism is good even though it can be painful in the moment. He notes that if someone is criticizing they felt what we had to say was important enough to comment on.
I just twittered a video of a famous rock climber who RAN up the side of sheer cliffs. It was amazing and a very palpable reminded that the things we hold ourselves back about are BS!
Thanks again for your always beneficial musings!
Warm regards,
Lauren
YES, Lauren, whenever we decide to prove our faith in our unlimted creative capacity, we find ourselves ‘OOPSING’ our way to our aspiration. If it was easy – we’d not need faith. Criticism is always an opportunity to learn something if we do not take it personally. Mountain climbers do not take the mountain personally – it is always criticizing (by tripping the climber up).
I truly believe that we are capable of unlimited growth. The fact that the 1964 100m world record of 10.06 would barely get in as a qualifying time now, let alone a winning time, shows the growth we’re capable of.
yes, Tom, set your aspiration with a deep conviction and there are many possibilities in the ‘impossible’. The fact that you know precisley when to blink your eyes each time it is necessary, is proof that infinite intelligence is always available to help you with your growth. blessings, rob
Great Post! Humans can really do so much! Thanks for sharing
Indeed, Richard …. humans are infinitely unique. That’s the ‘kick’ out of being human.
Hello Rob,
Great article. Truly, the largest roadblock to overcome is ourselves, and sometimes it is the only roadblock. We are so capable of so much and you rightly pointed out that it is typically our own self-limiting beliefs that keep us down.
I am reminded of that quote “What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?” We should attempt and KNOW we will NOT fail!
Thanks for the great article.
Hi Keith, I find that often I fail when I attempt something new, but when I see it as ‘FAILING FORWARD’, I learn the lesson offered and refine what I do. I love your soaring spirit.
Whoa! Cool. I want a Panda Car.
I get that way when I’m stressed. I kind of shrug my shoulders and think “I’m only human.” I don’t know if it is a cop out but I do feel relieved. I’ll have to rethink next time I get that way.
Hey Rob, those standard phrases in society drive me nuts. “Do it while you can before you have children” is the one that drives me bananas. Why? Because if I have children, I must become a slave-driver and never travel again? Can you explain that to me?
)
)!
So I never use excuses and I never take any – it’s a shift in attitude and mindset that has to happen from within though. No matter how I try to talk someone into a logical flow of thoughts (similar to what you explain), the cliche sayings just rule over and it seems to be useless. It has to come from within! Thank you for the great post here. (You have heard of the square Japanese watermelon too I am sure
YES, Farnoosh … we must be wary of the world-voice that is always giving reasons why we should not break free of our limited ways of seeing things. All answers to experiencing our ‘unlimitedness’ come from deep within (beyond the indoctrination the world imposes on us). Great noticement. The Japanese created a square watermelon to stop it from rolling around in the refrigerator. What else can humankind do?
I had no idea it was to keep it from rolling around in the fridge….and do you know how expensive it is/ Close to $100 USD in Tokyo for one of those watermelons. Ah the possibilities…..(and what you can charge for it
)!
Hi Rob, nice to read your wise words here today. I often bristle when I hear anyone say “only human”. We’ve heard male politicians use it as an excuse for their indiscretions. Humans have invented countless wonderful things. Add to that our ability to love. What other species can do that?
Yes, Belinda, saying we are ‘ONLY human’ can put a great curse on us. It casts us under a spell of 1,000 excuses for why our lives are not working. Nice comment. Thank you.
We used to talk about this during our Mastermind meetings. Remember we had the issue where people were just not thinking realistically. They had a big idea but no solid foundation. Ultimately they ended up in a bad situation with nothing but regret and anger. Thinking big is great, but I get skeptical after watching their situation unfold. How does one reconcile thinking the impossible while keeping their feet on the ground?
If you imagine something and truly experience it at the level of abstraction – what you are conceiving, you can achieve. If you are caught in a ‘fantasy wish’, you do imagine it but there is a lot of howling voices inside of you that are saying ‘NO’. Meditation helps rid the howling voices, Salty.
Hey Rob. This is a powerful message you are sending out. We are only held back by our own beliefs. If we weren’t creative and courageous, the world wouldn’t be what it is today.
Thank you FN ….for reminding everyone that it takes courage to put human footprints on the moon, for human beings to have walked out of caves and built high rise condos … etc. The world woudn’t be what it is today.
Rob -
Well, where I’m from, a Panda car is something you end up in if you do something very naughty (a police car).
I think this post is a great reminder for everyone that Everything is Possible. I believe it (most of the time) and time and again see amazing things happen. Very inspiring!
Phil
Thanks for your honesty, Phil. I, too, believe ‘everything is possible’ except when I don’t believe it. We all have our weak moments.
My problem is I set big goals and and don’t even come close to achieving them. Like last year my goal was to make $100,000 after making $50,000 the year before. I ended up making like $52k well short of my goal. I chalked it up to the bad economy, family obligations in general ‘being human’. BUT, I was actually OK with being human. Maybe I need bigger goals… or smaller goals? I guess what I mean is how can I get over complacency because most of the time I think being human is pretty good for me.
Wow, I love your inquiry, GeorgieBoy. The ego will support you with setting lofty goals, but not to encourage you to have a breakthrough. It’s goal is to have you fail so it can say, ‘see. I told you so … you’re ONLY human’. When you really understand that being human contains infinite possibilities … really, really get it … then setting a goal of $100,000 becomes your magnificent obsession! Look out world, here I come!!! I remember setting that goal years ago,and then I added another zero … because I realized that in the eyes of the infinite – what’s the difference?
I love what you taught me at your seminar – look for possibilities in the possible. That one idea has changed my life.
I proved to myself that I am more than ‘ONLY human’ this week. I used the excuse tht I could not lose weight because I am ‘ONLY human’ and my metabolsim is too slow. I lost 3 lbs in spite of that lame excuse!
I proved I am more than ‘ONLY human’ this week. My old excuse was ‘I am ONLY human and my metabolsim is slow’. I lost 3 lbs in spite of being ONLY human!
I proved I am more than ‘ONLY human’ this week. I lost 3 lbs in spite of the fact that I used to say that I am ONLY human and my metabolsim is too slow.
Hey Rob,
I don’t agree that a person’s limiting self talk is based on the notion that we are “ONLY humans.” When I consider the fact that I’m a human being I see limitless potential. I see billions of years of matter and energy interacting to form something so spectacular in its conception. I see the capability to manifest thought into reality, and the ability to take something I feel strongly about as far as I want to take it. As long as I put forth the effort.
When I’m not aware of myself, I find that I can go through half a day in a haze, making decisions on autopilot. I’m aware of what I’m doing, but i’m not aware. While the truth is that being a human being is a gift, this is only apparent when I’m completely clear-headed. But that idea reinforces the fact that this opportunity to make a difference is so precious.
The mind chatters constantly and much of the time, for me, with notions that limit my potential. I’m always hearing that I’m not good enough through comparing myself with other people. That is the only basis for finding fault in myself that I know of. I’m guilty of comparing myself to other people so I’m working on accepting myself as I am. You wrote about that recently; it was rule #1.
I think if people thought more about being human as a personal and temporary epic adventure, and not just some construct of physical limitations we would all be treating ourselves and others a lot better.
I haven’t meditated in a long time. Last night I made a promise to myself that I will meditate everyday for ten minutes until my graduation party, which is in one month. My reward is the potential for feeling overall better about my life.
Best,
Terrence Hanscom
Hi Terrence,
‘ONLY human’, Terrence, is a consequence of the world voice insisting that we cannot make it alone. Clearly, being human have infinite possibilities, but why are so many folks on aid or welfare or section 8 housing etc. detc. etc.? Ask then. They will tell you: ‘I am ONLY human, what do you expect of me?”
The notion ‘ONLY human’ is a gross error that has most human beings living their lives from a victim mentality. They can give you a thousand reasons why their lives don’t work. Reason # 1 is “I am only human … I am doing the best I can.”
I can see that you intellectually understand what you are saying, Terrence. The question is: Do you experience your infinite uniqueness? Are you creating your life as you dream it will be in your wildest moments of fantsasy? Perhaps you are. Only you know the truth about that.
When you are not aware of yourself, Terrence, is when you are cast under a spell of being ‘ONLY human’ …. reacting to life rather than consciously creating the future you yearn to experience. WE ALL DO IT! Some, more than others.
When your mind chatters with notions that limit your potential, Terrence, what do you think is the axel thought? I am ‘ONLY human. If you did not subconsciously think you were ‘ONLY human’ those thoughts would not be able to limit your potential – you would be superman! Which you are when you allow yourself to be.
Most folks believe they are there bodies, Terrence. It is difficult NOT to believe that we are our bodies because we relate to one another around that notion. We look in the mirror and say, ‘that’s me’. We fear death because we believe we are our bodies and we believe when our bodies die – we die.
Well-being is a great purpose for meditating, Terrence. This email is a great comment on the blog, Terrence … consider leaving it on the website for others to learn from?
Blessings, rob
Rob: What a great inspirational article. Thanks for sharing that. I completely agree that it is all about figuring out how to get out of our own way and dismiss those limiting beliefs that are holding us back. Once we are able to do that consistently, we set ourselves up to accomplish anything and everything we desire. Great article. Thanks again.
INDEED, Sibyl … it is about getting out of our own ways; it is about getting the artificial self out of the picture so the Authentic-Self can express its magnificence through us. I sense your growing energy!
Nothing like a nice car to do tricks for you. Who needs a pet when you can get a Panda car?
If i’m going to get a pet, I’d rather a Panda bear
I feel like I am more than ‘ONLY human’ when I am playing tennis. sometimes I amaze myself. When i dance I know that I am ‘ONLY human’ – no rhythm.
I love to dance even when I am out of synch with the tune I am dancing to. I just get into the music my way. That’s what matters.
Like Frank Sinatra’s song says, Salty: ‘I do it my way’.
The mind is so able to create a world independent of what nature originally offers. Look wahat a farmer can do with barren ground.
I love what a farmer can do with barren ground and I love what a person can do with his or her barren field of consciousness – fill it with enriching ideas and opinions.
My field of consciousness is no longer barren – I love the 180 adventure I am taking.
Thanks, Adrean …. I love that you are giving the 180 Mind Adventure a try.
I was once only conscious of my looks, thinking that was all there is of me. I am now conscious of my music talent and am developing it by practicing the piano several hours each day. I love how I feel with this new consciousness.
Looks can wane (and do), Kim. Honed talents only get better as we age. Great discovery!
What kind of mileage does the Panda car get. That’s the big question these days, no matter how many tricks it can do.