What do you want out of life? Most of people I talk to want to make life easier. They don't really care about dominating world, or even reaching pinnacles of success. They want to work a little less, make a little more money, have their relationships be a little more satisfying. There is nothing wrong with this idea. Life is usually a series of growth steps. Moving from one level to next level slightly further ahead than last. Evolution on a personal level.

But why stop there? What if you could have all your dreams fulfilled? What if you could say some magic word and have all your troubles go away? While not majority, there is definitely a large population who would like this scenario. Instant gratification. I want it all. Give me, give me, gimme. Sound familiar? I'm sure you've heard this tune from at least one person in last month.

What's difference between these two mindsets? One point of view only wants next step in pathway of evolution. The other wants everything now. I think that main difference between these two mindsets is one of belief. One person believes that they can have it all, and other believes that getting a little bit more is all they can have or all they should have.

Of course, person who believes that it is wrong to want everything will disagree with me. This person will say that difference is one of values and morals. Anyone who studies history and cultures will realize at some point that values and morals depend greatly on society in which one lives. In some cultures, it is considered a great honor to take head of an enemy and eat his body. In other cultures, women are considered superior sex. In still other cultures, education is considered a waste of time. These 'values' are at odds with what is generally accepted in America as being 'right', or normal course of life.

Today, many cultures of world are becoming much closer to each other, much easier to make contact with. We can no longer remain ignorant of other cultures and their value systems. Gradually, we are starting to accept differences between ourselves and other people. Being intellectually sophisticated, we are beginning to realize that values are indeed relative, and may be exchanged with other values when time and situation is right.

Whether you believe that you deserve to have everything you want in life, or if it is 'better' to make progress a step at a time doesn't matter. You can live your life any way you want to live it. One thing that we all have in common is that we want our lives to improve. And we will use techniques that seem logical and feel natural to us. If it seems logical to take additional classes to get ahead in our job, and it is not too difficult to take those classes, most of us will take that step. If it seems logical to change certain habits in order to make progress in an area of life we care about, and there is a process of changing those habits that does not require us to do anything unpleasant, we will usually take steps to make required changes.

Revolutionary Balance

I lay my head on my pillow at night and marvel at idea I am traveling on surface of earth at somewhere near speed of sound. While spinning at this speed, I marvel that I am also rocketing through space at more than 66,000 miles per hour. I think of fondness with which evolution is studied and taught, knowing I live not in a strictly evolutionary system, but one at same time, revolutionary.

If we look at a 6,000 year Age of Man from Adam to now, we can safely say first two thirds of age, or 4,000 years, were indeed evolutionary. Incremental social and cultural changes provided stability and small expectations. When Jesus walked earth in flesh, we transitioned from evolutionary change to revolutionary change - by design. Species now go extinct without any further traces of evolution. To become extinct must seem revolutionary to those who do. Try to imagine your own family as last of its kind.

Those born about 25 years either side of 1900 know nothing but revolution. They have seen more change than all generations preceding them. Many survived to be old and see grandchildren and great - grandchildren. Stability and balance flew out their windows. Expectations were raised so high as to dwarf those of earlier generations. Events exceeded those expectations enough to be frightening and disorienting. These folks are a testimony to flexibility and adaptability of human spirit. While I am speaking of people in Western cultures, same is becoming very true at a faster pace in other parts of globe. They too will adapt.