The Unconscious Reason Why Most People Will Fail in Their Pursuit of True Metaphysical Growth and Happiness

The key to experiencing the success you are looking for in all areas of your life, including personal growth and conscious creation of reality, is an understanding of your motive.

“You are not here to merely make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.” – Woodrow Wilson

A psychologist named Tim Kasser, along with a variety of other psychologists, has repeatedly done studies that show the direct correlation between aspirations and well-being. This is very important for us to be aware of, as many of our aspirations are unconscious, so only by becoming aware of them, can they be changed.

According to Kasser, there are two main types of goals/aspirations:

Extrinsic aspirations depend on contingent reaction of others and are typically engaged in as a means to an end. This type of aspiration includes such things as money, fame, and image (appealing appearance).

Intrinsic aspirations are expressive of natural growth tendencies and are likely to satisfy basic psychological needs. This type of aspiration includes such things as growth, connectedness, and helpfulness.

Basically through a variety of controlled studies, psychologists have repeatedly shown that intrinsic aspirations are conclusively related to higher well-being. Whereas extrinsic aspirations are related to a lower well-being and happiness.

When you get down to the primary reason why anyone wants anything in life it is almost always because they think it will make them happy. All we truly want from life is happiness. To obtain the happiness that mostly everyone seeks, it is key to focus on intrinsic aspirations.

People desire things like money, power, and fame (extrinsic aspirations) because they believe these things will make them happy. Based on scientific proof, we know it does not work like that. Those things are just a means to an end, which will result in a lower well-being for you in the long run. If you didn’t intuitively know this already, I strongly urge you to look up the results of Kasser’s research on extrinsic vs. intrinsic goals online.

Many people, especially in the western culture, are prone to seek extrinsic goals. We all know at a conscious level that money does not make you happy. But due to unconscious cultural influences we are basically programmed to seek material things like money as a means to happiness regardless of our conscious understanding.

This is mostly due to the mainstream media and other cultural outlets that program us to focus on extrinsic goals over intrinsic goals. Simply being aware of such an unconscious influence allows you to begin to shed your cultural programming so that you may experience the state of well-being that you desire.

Once you are aware of such unconscious influences you must exert your will to focus on intrinsic aspirations in achieving your spiritual growth. You must continue to work with the law of attraction and personal growth information but with a sole focus on intrinsic goals. This is the only way you will ever obtain your desired results. This goes without saying, but also be wary of metaphysical information that focuses on extrinsic values!

In the bigger picture, it will not be until humans offer the deepest respect for all of life, that humanity will know its highest, most noble self. Only when we focus on intrinsic goals like self-acceptance and our deep interconnectedness, will we know what true happiness is. The results of such a shift will profoundly impact all of earth.

All in all, this just comes down to basic metaphysics. Turn off your TV. Become aware of, and inactivate, limiting unconscious cultural influences. Make an effort to go within. Seek peace and love with yourself. Then, you must show that love and peace to all others (although it will come naturally once you have found it with yourself).

Obtaining happiness has always been that simple…