The Illusion: Motor And Breath Of Our Desires
We have all been excited about something or someone at some time in our life, right? Try to remember a time when you have experienced this feeling very intensely. It was linked to other mental variables, right? Among them, a very specific one: motivation.
When something or someone really excites us and we do not “enjoy” it, we witness how that illusion becomes a force. A source of energy that we pull to achieve what is drawn on our horizon as a desire with possibilities. That is to say, in this case the illusion would act as an element that predisposes us for action, just as fire heats everything that we bring it closer to . Thus, it is worth asking ourselves, what does the illusion have to achieve this? Read on and find out!
What is illusion?
Intuitively, if we think about what illusion is, we are all likely to include positive ideas in the definition. In fact, we associate it with positive values. It is something that helps us to seek change and to improve as people. But not only that, it also makes us grow and our quality of life increases, without forgetting that it is a powerful reinforcer for those actions with which we feel good.
That is, it motivates us to use the necessary means to achieve the object of that illusion. It is an initial hope, fueled by the idea or hunch that we have spotted something positive on our radar . What does this mean? That illusion is what stimulates us, at the same time that it does so with the actions we carry out to achieve it, as well as the consequence itself.
Let’s take an example. The illusion appears when we see the offer of the job we want, that is, the stimulus. But not only there, also while we prepare the curriculum and the subsequent interview, or in other words, in our response to achieve it. Finally, when we are selected for that job (the consequence), it is normal for this illusion to remain.
In short, the illusion is partly born of faith, of imagining a possibility at least of achieving what we want. It materializes when we start walking the path to achieve it and sign a contract in which we promise not to give up at the first obstacle, be it real or imaginary, anticipated or unforeseen.
What are the components of the illusion?
As we have seen, illusion is stimulus, response and consequence, but not only that, but it is made up of many more elements. Thus, some related to emotions appear, especially of a positive nature. In this way, illusion is linked to joy and happiness, but also to the will to live.
On the other hand, illusion is associated with more cognitive processes, such as our thoughts and beliefs. Future and life projects, valuing the everyday and relationships with our loved ones, trusting ourselves, having hope in achieving our goals and being constant would be elements of this group.
Finally, linked to the idea that we respond when the illusion appears, we see that there are action or behavioral elements. That is, all those behaviors that we carry out when something excites us and motivates us to want to achieve a certain goal.
The illusion and its projection
From everything that has been discussed so far, a key idea emerges: the importance of illusion as a driver of our growth . When something excites us, we are better able to face the different handicaps that come our way, without paralyzing or losing energy. That is, we empower ourselves.
Thus, we managed to move forward despite the uncertainty of whether or not we will achieve our goal. Of course, as with much more ingredients in our life, we have to stay in control. If we set ourselves unattainable goals, what we will achieve in the long run is wasting time and feeling worse.
I explain. If I like painting, but up to now I have dedicated a few hours to it and I have not done higher studies in this regard, but I consider the idea of leaving my job to make a living from my paintings, it will surely fail and end up bankrupt. In this way, I will feel bad and surely not try to carry out other projects that excite me. This is precisely the other side of illusion, disappointment, which, far from stimulating growth, makes us conservative.
What does not take away so that I am excited and motivated to continue improving, but I will be aware that “my life is not going to do it” and I will not prioritize it over other more important activities that will require my time … Do you see where I want to get? It is important to find objectives that excite us, but that are achievable and not a source of continuous frustrations, so that the consequences of trying to achieve them are positive and the illusion increases, instead of getting smaller.
Images courtesy of Marc Olivier Jodoin, Aleksandr Ledogorov and Crak Tibbs.
