Stop Using Heredity As An Excuse

 

Recently I’ve had the opportunity to become part of a terrific mastermind alliance as part of my deep dive into personal development.  The first stop on this deep dive is a discussion of Wallace Wattle’s Science of Being Great.  One of the first things Mr. Wattles does is highlight heredity and that it isn’t an obstacle to one’s greatness.

 

Heredity’s Role In Growth

 

In the opening sentence of chapter two the potential to use heredity as an excuse is blown out of the water.

 

 

The mastermind alliance I’m part of with four other people meets bi-monthly.  During our Zoom calls each of us takes a chapter, highlighting what we saw as key points or takeaways from what Mr. Wattles has shared.  On our first call I had the honor of sharing my insights on Chapter Two.  And this quote just happen to be takeaway number one.

If you really stop to think about how often is the excuse of heredity utilized by people when explaining their situation.  Consider these comments:

• “My parents did it this way”
• “It’s how my family has always done it”
• “I’ll fail because we didn’t get the same opportunities as Joey growing up”
• “It’s just got to be this way because of family traditions”. 

Each of these comments are different ways of utilizing heredity as an excuse for not attaining one’s bliss, for hindering one’s growth into the best version of himself or herself.

That isn’t to say these things aren’t true, it’s just that these circumstances that one may be born into can be overcome through growth.  Situations can change if one is willing to put in the work to establish good habits.  Og Mandino discusses this in Scroll I of his book The Greatest Salesman In The World.  Why?  Because it is a key to greatness.

 

Desire To Achieve Greatness

 

Another thing that stood out to me in this chapter of The Science Of Being Great was desire.  During the courageous adventure known as the Master Key Experience (which you can learn more about here) one of the phrases that becomes a habit to recite multiple times a day is the phrase “I can be what I will to be”.  

A powerful link back to that phrase was discovered as this variation is found in one of the last paragraphs.

 

 

This is an important key to eliminating the cement that society has covered the greatness inside each of us with.  Both Charles Haanel and Wallace Wattles highlight this.  In the Master Key System it’s described as developing that burning desire for one’s definite.  In Science Of Being Great it’s described as fixating on an ideal.  In both cases the result of utilizing this power within, if everything is in harmony, is manifestation of one’s bliss. Or as I mentioned during my 2019 journey, a realization that we are each nature’s greatest miracle.

 

What Power?

 

A logical next question would be what is this power?  It’s a key to success, a key to not allowing heredity to be an excuse for not uncovering the greatness that is inside and letting the world see it.  Consider the stories of people like Martin Luther or Abraham Lincoln.  Neither of these gentlemen allowed their circumstances or heredity to stand in the way of growth.  Instead they utilized what Mr. Wattles refers to as the “Principle of Power” to eliminate heredity as an excuse to achieving their greatness.