The Past DOES Equal the Future (Blog)

[mlkirchw]

Very interesting article although it lacks the HEART of what it takes to make real change in your life.

Habits are so firmly attached to the person you believe yourself to be, that to try to change them without considering your self image is like putting the cart before the horse. For example, when I was about 36 I finally started the habit of flossing my teeth every day. My mother worked at a dentist office all my life and I was never motivated to do so this prior to this age. I didn't really make a conscious decision to start this habit either, it just was a result of a change in who I saw myself to be. At this age my wife had our first child. I was no longer a irresponsible punk...I was going to be a father. And as a father I believe I am, among other things, a central role model for my children. This idea alone and the change in who I saw myself to be was all it took to start or stop a lot of habits I currently continue with today.

Now, the question is, would I still be flossing if I wasn't a father and I tried Steve"s 30 days to success? Maybe, but I just don't see an irresponsible punk sticking with it. If you can't see yourself as a professional writer, is starting the habit of writing every day going really become part of your future lifestyle? Is writing every day going to change who you think you are and make you believe you are a professional writer? I doubt it. I really think you have to believe you are who you want to be before real positive changes in habits are made. And that's easy....just start believing it.

[Angela]

Originally Posted by ssandra

It wasn't against you James (but you probably already knew that). It's just that when I saw your question I was predicting to myself what Angela's response would be and so it became kind of an inside joke that only I am inside of

Yeah, it's pretty predictable from the past that if someone says, "You wanna get results? Ditch your friends and family and move to a new town!" I'm likely to pipe up with "If you move to a perspective of 100% responsibility, you can get the results you want regardless of your environment. You don't have to be constantly moving away from what you don't like. If you don't do that -- if you continue to live in a perspective that your state is a matter of your external circumstances -- then it doesn't matter where you go or who you hang out with -- you will be giving your power away to others, to decide at their whim how you feel and what results you get.

[James81]

Originally Posted by ssandra

It wasn't against you James (but you probably already knew that). It's just that when I saw your question I was predicting to myself what Angela's response would be and so it became kind of an inside joke that only I am inside of

Yeah, that Angela can be a one trick pony sometimes.

[ssandra]

Originally Posted by James81

Yeah, that Angela can be a one trick pony sometimes.

Why change a good thing...

But it's funny non the less

[Angela]

Taking 100% responsibility is such an EXCELLENT trick!

[danas]

Wow! what a valuable article! *I love it Steve!
I find it true and I need help breaking patterns.

If I look at the last 30 days, most areas are going well. In the last 30 days I've made some strong new friendships with highly aware people or proffesionally successful. 5 new frienships were made that I feel may last long term.
Careerwise I've *accomplished major goals this month which I set years ago.*I've worked hard and now I have a whole new set of career goals.
Healthwise I've been raw 2 years and loving it. I feel and look better than ever before.
Financially I live in abundance and have plenty in my bank account, more then ever before in my life. I also have a few assets. So no financial worries.
Another thing is my intuition, I feel it's coming in loud and clear, my dreams are literally short term predictions, so Im glad for this new skill I'm developing.
The only thing which Im worried about (and which is the area in my life that I feel stuck) is intimate relationships...
Let's see: march 19th, where was I ?
Finally I got over an ex who came back into my life just to reject me again, and thank goodness for that! I now know I wouldve been so miserable with him, I've recently discovered he is actully jealous of my success. Not someone I can*rely on.
On march 18th another ex who rejected me a year ago*and we haven't been in touch since then, got back in touch. He's been calling and we hanged out but his intensions aren't clear. Does he want friendship or romance ? I suspect he doesnt know. But as the month is going by I feel like I'm falling for him again in a big way, (and Im pretty sure he knows that). So this weekend, after a bit of pursuing him, my intuition told me that I must let him come to me and*do all the work to pursue me, and only if he lives up to my standards will I let him in, until then I won't contact him and I'm moving on. I just can't keep going after guys who aren't as into me or don't know what they want.
besides that there is another guy who also probably isn't ready for a relationship either, and I don't think I want one with him either but we've been snugling*together, which is nice but surely not enough for me. So I guess I've been attracting guys who aren't that into me... Or that I'm not that into, but I didn't even mention those. Hmm so how DO I break that pattern so that I'm actually in a fullfilling relationship in a years time ?
This is one thing I keep asking myself...
Any suggestions?? What are my relationship patterns that need breaking?? Be blunt. I need it spelt out *

[shasah]

Thank you Steve. This one is something I needed to see again. I say again because I lived it for a year but lately I have been backsliding in some areas. Mainly because there doesn't seem to be enough time in the day. But that goes to some of the areas that I need to improve on...time management, not spending so much time on the internet, and pushing comfort zones again. I will keep my notes and check them out in a year but I'm betting that I will be able to see a difference much sooner. It seems that adding new habits sometimes takes away from old (but good) habits.

It also made me recognize that there are a few areas that I haven't given much attention to that may need a massage. Looking forward to looking backwards

[Burris5000]

I enjoyed this article. I had similar thoughts on where my life is headed if I stay on the same path. It is more of the same (nothing to get really excited and inspired about, but not the end of the world, either). As an example, I used my family, as we seem to fall in the same patterns over and over again. It really feels like I treadmill. I look forward to inject a new past. If I look to one year ago, it seems that 1 year ago was more exciting than now (I was in Moscow, Russia for two weeks), but if I go back two or three years, then yes, there is 90% similarity in my life now as there was back then. If I go back five years, my education/career is the only thing really different, as my personal life and family life are still about 90% similar to now.

[Curtis2011]

Great article.

I would just give one added note: That past habits can be changed easily with a change in your location.

Habits are patterns of how we interact with our environment. Change the environment, and new patterns appear.

An example from my own life is that I hardly work out while at college, but as soon as I get home for summer break I go to the gym literally every single morning (have done so for the past 3 or 4 summers now). It is just "what I do" while I'm home.

You can do the same with any of your habits. Many people who broke drug addictions did so by moving to a new city and "starting fresh" in a new crowd and a new place. You can move to a new location and make new habits.

Even taking a vacation for a few days is enough to completely disrupt old habits. This can be good for disrupting bad habits, but it also kills your positive habits as well, so use with caution.

There are also plenty of easier ways to build new habits, but that is a bit more complicated

[Federer]

Seriously,

This is very tough truth to accept. Never thought in this way. Will read again.

Thank you steve.

[cacheborn]

Great post, a wake up call I think. Thanks, Steve.

It is harsh compared to many other posts but I think that's on purpose. If you are sleeping and won't wake up no matter what, a glass of cold water is the solution. Unpleasant, but it sure wakes you up.

Throughout the post, I had this nagging question at the back of mind. So where do intentions come in? At the end I got it. This is about getting yourself into the right vibration. If you want to compete in a marathon but have not run a single day, I doubt how are you going to manifest it.

Also agree with Curtis. Change in environment speeds up the process tremendously.

Interesting example about the writers. Reminded me of "What I talk About When I Talk About Running" by Murakami, the famous novelist. He says,

I generally concentrate on work for three or four hours every morning. I sit at my desk and focus totally on what I'm writing. I don't see anything else, I don't think about anything else...

In private correspondence the great mystery writer Raymond Chandler once confessed
that even if he didn't write anything, he made sure he sat down at his desk every single day and concentrated.

A great book, btw.

[Cochonette]

This is depressing... in a year, I will be living a miserable life in all the same ways as I am now since none of those things are changeable unless the first one is, and it isn't... unless I get lucky and have easy classes next Spring.

But I like the point about the past being a predictor. I too often get caught up in the speculation of things, in imagining things to be better... it's basically daydreaming. I want to keep my mind on the reality. If I think things have gotten better when they haven't yet, it will only be more frustrating to see that they haven't.

[codefreeze]

Originally Posted by Curtis2011

Great article.

I would just give one added note: That past habits can be changed easily with a change in your location.
...

For what it's worth I totally agree. I know this from my own experience. I was able to get new insights and create new habits quite easily when I lived in Thailand for a short while. It did help that my apartment had its own gym and pool I've seen many people change their lives in a major way by relocating.

Career breaks and travel are another great way to kick off change, and break past habits.

[codefreeze]

Interesting and insightful article. I had never thought of it quite like that, but I can see it's a very powerful idea.

Looks like I'm going to have to start keeping a journal at some point, so I can track progress (or lack of it). Will be interesting to see where I am in a years time.

[Dan Morelle]

So, habits beat goals, or better yet, the habit is the goal and once you've established the habit its just a matter of time before you achieve the goal.

Does this really detract from Robbins' philosophy? He suggests you should decide what you want (set the goal), understand the cost (habits/behaviour etc) and pay the price (change your behaviour). Surely this past/future business is just another excuse for Steve to get in some Next Generation idioms

[Snorkledorf]

Firing on all cylinders here, Steve. Excellent post!

[Marc Robertson]

What is the catalyst needed for causing a change in the future as opposed to being a reflection of the past?

In my new Raw Vegan weight loss adventure I'm facing a challenge that many attempt but few succeed. Every year fitness centers get jam packed for a couple weeks until the half hearted new year's resolutions fade away. What needs to happen for such a transition to occur?

[cacheborn]

Originally Posted by Marc Robertson

What is the catalyst needed for causing a change in the future as opposed to being a reflection of the past?

In my new Raw Vegan weight loss adventure I'm facing a challenge that many attempt but few succeed. Every year fitness centers get jam packed for a couple weeks until the half hearted new year's resolutions fade away. What needs to happen for such a transition to occur?

Depends on you. Even the realisation that what you do this very instant will be your past next moment could be the catalyst. I can change my past right at this very moment.

[Jim Freeman]

Dear Steve,

I've been here for a while and I've always wished my first post to you to be a message of love and appreciation. I'm glad to have learned much from you through the years. Even when I happened sometimes to have a few reservations, I was still inspired, and grateful. Today, however, I'm afraid I disagree with you, my friend. Perhaps I didn't fully understand your article, so please be patient with me, and forgive my English.

* * *

Although it was never clear what you, or Tony Robbins, exactly mean by "equal" in "The past DOES equal the future," you later explain, "The truth is that past performance is in fact the best predictor of future performance." You also state the validity of this truth "not just with individual human beings but with teams, companies, technology, political bodies, and other time-bound entities." And you take it still further saying, "even when it comes to personal growth and conscious living, for all intents and purposes, the past DOES equal the future."

But, how could you, if I may ask, reach "this truth" as you call it? What ground do we have here?

It is the fact that people often fail to "break with the past and create a whole new future" for themselves. "How often do people actually pull that off when they attempt it," you ask.

Yet, particularly for this reason, I may argue, a whole industry has evolved and developed, utilizing disciplines and tools as simple as NLP, as authentic as psychology and as certain as neuroscience.

In this industry, like in all industries, some so-called gurus and masters were still profoundly ignorant and shallow. They were as helpless as their clients. They joined in not to make change or difference, but money. And by ever-creative means of marketing, they did. They, now famous, could attract more and more people who, understandably, never made it and never broke with their past.

Things got even worse recently, you must have noticed, when people began to confuse this industry of change, based on scientific knowledge, with the new, multimillion Industry of Dreams thanks to "The Secret." Now, by the Holy Law of Attraction, people are not only able to break with their past but also shape their future and design their destiny. By the Holy Law of Attraction, a complete jerk may turn as rich as a Bill Gates, or as attractive as a George Clooney, and all he may need to achieve this is only the magical toolbox of Affirmations and Visualizations, as gracefully instructed by a Joe Vitale. People now think they, by the Law of Attraction, can heal their deepest wounds, change their most persistent beliefs and habits, or fix their internal distortions and self-image. Some go as far as to believe that they, still by the Law of Attraction, can become taller, have prettier eyes, or manifest smaller noses.

In this surrealistic scene, the key word is "Believe." You can hear the voice today roaring the world over, so deep and confident as a prophet's. "BELIEVE... JUST BELIEEEEVE."

Thus, people must fail, to say the least. Still, it never justifies you or me to betray at least 200 years of scientific research and knowledge. When people, serious and sensible people, fail to change, they do only because they don't know how to. But when they learn, or seek the help of those who know, they succeed and they do break with their past altogether.

Up till the 1970s, persistent problems as severe and anguishing as phobias used to take 6 long months in average to cure. Today, by means of simple NLP techniques, it takes only 20 minutes! In one short session, a lifelong phobia can be cured, permanently. Isn't this a cut with the past? Similarly, applying TA basics, only the basics, we can save a collapsing marriage. And by merely understanding the so called Conditional Beliefs, we can eliminate most, if not all, of our negative behavior and habits.

So no, man, the past does NOT equal the future. And yes, people can change and break with their past, and they do, and they do in minutes. Change is not only possible but even easy when we really want, and when we learn how to. In fact this is the truth, dear Steve, that YOU, and smart, knowledgeable people like you, have always taught and inspired.

The irony is, you took this long round, time-traveled to the past to change the present predictions, then finally came back again to the same old conclusion: "You can change the past by installing a new habit or breaking an existing habit," you wrote. "Really these are the same thing, since you can’t break an old habit without installing a new one to replace it."

Old wine in new bottle?
Or, I seriously mean it, did I miss the point?

Then, after this article, you're back right here to say, "This is the sort of info that has caused a few people to leave the room in tears when I talk about it professionally..."

This finally was the line that pushed me to write you this lengthy post, Steve. As I told you in the beginning, I already had my reservations before about some of your ideas, but never bothered to comment--at least due to limitations of both time and language. This time, however, I felt like I had to. Do you know why?

Because like all friends here, I do believe in you, Steve. I believe you can do and you always do better. I believe you are fully aware, after all these years, how huge your responsibility is. I believe you know how significant your word can be, how healing, and how hurtful. I believe you know that a leader is measured by the caliber of people who choose to follow, and here you are, worthy of such fantastic group of souls and minds around. I believe that, despite all transitions that you may have been through lately, it was only your photo-avatar that you've changed here.

So, my friend and fellow, from your example, from you and many like you, I've always learned that the least we can give people is hope. The most we may take, still hope.

Please, Steve, don't let them leave again in tears.

* * *

[Chrisi]

Thank you Steve. I used to promise myself everything will be different from the next day on when I hit a really low point. It turned out that changes only occurred when I worked on them optimistically and with joy instead of grief. And your book takes some credit for turning me into a more optimistic person again.

[smileytrysh]

I understand what you're saying in your post, that past behaviour can be a predictor of future behaviour. And maybe that is true for most people, but if so, I'm definately the exception to the rule!

Almost 3 years ago now, I left my abusive husband and moved with my young daughter to a new city and started over. I was a WRECK at that point, I couldn't hold down a job, I partied all the time, I had no aspirations. 3 years later, I'm in the best shape of my life, I've quit smoking (1 year in April!), quit drinking, gone back to University, I'm in a relationship with a man who I love and who treats me like gold, and my life is just in a constant state of improvement! So I think that is the message the Tony Robbins is trying to convey - that you don't have to spend your life thinking that your past mistakes are all that defines you. People have the power to change, I'm living proof! Don't give up hope!

[MidasGirl]

The past absolutely does NOT equal the future. Everyday you wake up you are either better off or worse off than yesterday.

But it was clever of you Steve to invoke the BIG MAN to get peoples' attention. There is no past or future anyway. Only the present!

[spirit4711]

Well Steve you did it again - I felt quite uncomfortable after reading your blog post. Damn you.

I'll re-read it again soon but thanks for the post.

For now I'll agree (again... ) with Angela:

Originally Posted by Angela

"....for all intents and purposes, the past DOES equal the future."

That's just dead wrong.

For many intents and purposes, the past is certainly an excellent predictor of a likely future, but that's only a strong tendency.

You don't have to break off your your relationships, move to a new town, totally revamp all your habits, to break out of that tendency. You can simply change your relationship to the past. Of course, changing your relationship to the past may end up with your breaking off your relationships, moving to a new town, and totally revamping your habits, but it's upside-down thinking to change your behavior first, thinking your behavior is going to powerfully change your habits, beliefs, attitudes, values, and purpose.

It works better to start at the top, and let the behavior shake out.

[Angela]

If it makes you feel uncomfortable for someone with authority to tell you you're limited, it's probably resonating with your deep down belief that he's right -- you ARE limited.

Limiting beliefs have us simultaneously hiding that they're true and avoiding people find out that they ARE true, so it tends to feel uncomfortable when they're reactivated.

And just because someone pointing out that you're limited resonates with your own belief about yourself, that doesn't mean that it's The Truth about you.

If you disconnect the mechanism of your limiting belief, no one (not Steve Pavlina, not Tony Robbins, not nobody) will have the power to push that button and make you feel uncomfortable.

[ssandra]

Originally Posted by Angela

If it makes you feel uncomfortable for someone with authority to tell you you're limited, it's probably resonating with your deep down belief that he's right -- you ARE limited.

Personally, I read the entire post differently. I read it as: If you keep doing the same things, you will keep getting the same results.

You have to change the past, to change the future. Right now, is past.

So, if I do all the same things. Think all the same thoughts... I will get all the same results.

It doesn't matter what changes first, your thoughts or your actions, but something has to change for history not to repeat it self.

I agree though that changing your thoughts makes it easier to change your actions. But if you are at the moment unable / uninterested to change your thoughts, or you don't know how to because you don't know exactly what thought it is, action is not a bad place to start....

[Angela]

Originally Posted by ssandra

Personally, I read the entire post differently. I read it as: If you keep doing the same things, you will keep getting the same results.

I agree with that!

I agree though that changing your thoughts makes it easier to change your actions. But if you are at the moment unable / uninterested to change your thoughts, or you don't know how to because you don't know exactly what thought it is, action is not a bad place to start....

I agree with that, too... action is not a bad place to start. Action can often generate momentum, at least temporarily. And taking action that conflicts with your higher levels of change (your attitudes, beliefs, identity, and purpose) will almost certainly result in inner conflict or outpootering.

Action taken in conflict with a belief that your past equals your future aren't likely to be terribly effective. The choices you've made, both conscious and unconscious, certainly influence the choices you make right now, and now, and now, but they are not equivalent to the ones you make now or tomorrow. Unless you choose it to be so.

You have the power to choose now actions, thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, identity, and purpose that generate a future-past that works really well for you.

[KaleidoskopicVision]

I've always wished for a time machine. Steve, you've given me the next best thing. Thank you.

[ellie]

Damn I wrote a reply and the site went down

I was trying to say, that yesterday before reading this post, I was in my car, asking myself this very question. What pattern from my past is causing me a block in making the money the way I want?

I have been able to change a lot of patterns in my past, and have seen fantastic results, great work life, creativity has literally soared, designing a product range, able to go out and smell the roses throughout the week, much happier in life in general, but...there definitely is a block for me making money the way I want.

For me I don't think it has to do with lack of talent, I know what I am creating is good, but there's something in my past that is making this hurdle for me hard to jump and I can't quite see the reason.

I am not frivolous with money, all I can sort of correlate it with, is that my parents always struggled with money, and somehow I am blocking success due to that fact, which in not really a pattern as such. But how to rectify the situation...I'm not sure how to tackle this?

[Andrew Brunelle]

Interesting post, Steve. A different perspective of self-improvement if you would. Looking at your past to determine your future. Of course, everything that has happened is your past and everything that hasn't happened yet is your future. I totally resonated with your point that we can all easily predict what other people (and even ourselves) will be like in a year based on the patterns we've been running and our recent past.

Most people just go around repeating the same habits/patterns for their whole lives. So it's no wonder their lives never change. A habit change, once established, will become part of our past as well and it will inevitably equal our future. This post really got me thinking about some changes I need to make. I've already started making some of them. Thank you.

[Burris5000]

The following quote has me wondering something:
"This is the sort of info that has caused a few people to leave the room in tears when I talk about it professionally..."

Did those who left the room in tears ever come back? Did they realize what the message was and overcame their issues from the past? Or did they leave the room, never to return?

Anyone here on the forums leave the room because of this? Any past CGW attendees have any experience running out of the room, or saw others do so? Did they return?