The Four Pillars
The Four Pillars of The Viable Alternative represent the milestones a person reaches in his evolution as an individual that leads him down the path of The Viable Alternative. These steps are by no means conclusive, meaning that if you’re continuously growing and evolving as a person, the process of self-discovery and self-actualization never truly end, and as you reach another level of growth, you’ll counter these pillars once more.
Self Realization
This is the first pillar of The Viable Alternative which can be considered your “awakening.” Up until this point, you may have been told by The Illusion that you were worthless because you didn’t fit a certain standard and believed what you were told. Or, you may have been trying to live up to a certain standard your entire life but have always fallen short because The Illusion said you still didn’t measure up despite your efforts. Or, you may have just seen yourself as a cog in the wheel of The Illusion, with nothing particularly special about you. Or you may have seen the example of someone else where you see this person living a miserable or mundane existence and you decided henceforth you didn’t want to be that way. In another case, maybe you saw someone who inspired you greatly, and you decided to follow his example.
No matter the trigger, this is where you realize that apart from what you’ve been taught by The Illusion, you’re a unique being, with a unique mix of internal resources and treasures that lay within, waiting for you to mine and exploit them. You realize that though in The Illusion, there are people who are idolized for their greatness, you can be great in your own unique way. You begin to shun the ideas that are put forth by The Illusion of what type of person you should be, and realize there is a greater YOU within, full of wonder and awe, that’s waiting to be brought forth.
With this new realization of self, you become inspired about your possibilities. You look at all the great things done by people past and present, you look at all the successful people, and you begin to wonder and get inspired about how your success will turn up You wonder how your greatness will manifest. You may not have an inkling yet of truly what lays within, or what you want to do, but you realize that boundless possibilities exist.
This pillar is the equivalent of a slave realizing that he’s not just a piece of property, but rather a human being who not only has the right to be free, but also that his TRUE value is immeasurable compared to what his “master” has put on him. It’s when a poor, Third World nation that is exploited by the richer nations of the world realize that she has resources in her land that she can exploit to become a rich nation.
Self Appointment
Now that the first pillar of Self Realization has been erected where you realize that there’s a unique greatness about you, and you’re inspired and curious about what you can uniquely create, your curiosity and inspiration reach a point where they’re bursting at the seams. You now begin to see that who you are and what you have is so special that there is NO WAY you’re going to look to The Illusion any longer for permission to be successful. You now see that it’s within your power to appoint yourself the right to be uniquely great. Thus, instead of seeking permission from The Illusion and feeling frustrated, depressed and helpless because it won’t give it to you, you take back your power and appoint yourself the right to live life on your own terms. This is where you appoint yourself the right to set the standards of your own life, and cast aside those set by The Illusion.
This pillar is the equivalent of a slave realizing that his master will never set him free so he decides that he will set himself free and starts making plans to do so. It’s when a poor Third World nation decides to stop looking for the richer nations of the world for “handouts” in the form of foreign aid, and decides to stop letting the richer nations of the world dictate to her how she should run her economy, realizing both that foreign aid keeps her a “cripple” and that the richer nations don’t have her best interests in mind. Instead, she decides that she will find her own way to use what she has to become a rich, powerful nation.
Self Discovery
Though your journey to The Viable Alternative actually begins in the first pillar when you realize that you’re greater than what you’ve been told, your PHYSICAL journey starts at this pillar because this is where you “step out” and experience the trials and tribulations that are necessary for you to discover who you really are. You may have little or no tools whatsoever, but this is where you’re inspired or compelled to step out of The Illusion and “build your own”. What you may physically lack is matched with a fierce determination to make something out of nothing. This is the proverbial planting of the mustard seed, or the taking lemons and making lemonade. By going through some of the biggest challenges in your life, you purge yourself layer by layer of the false self-image that was created by The Illusion, you grow and evolve as an individual, and discover the unique mix of resources and treasures that lay within you.
Though you do reach a certain point where this pillar is erected and you move on to erect the next pillar, the process of self discovery is ongoing. Because you were created by an unlimited God who works within you, your process of self-discovery is a continuous process . Also, the “territory” that lays within is so VAST, you are constantly growing and learning about who you are.
This pillar is the equivalent of a slave going from the planning process to acquiring his freedom either by escape or by buying it. It can also be compared to a poor Third World country taking it’s resources and going through the process of industrialization in order to become a self sufficient nation. Or you can think of a small group of people who occupy a limited territory, who expand their territory through wars, alliances and acquisitions to become a vast empire. Or, think of Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars Trilogy, who had to face trials and tribulations in order to become a Jedi. This pillar represents what he learned about himself along the way on his journey to becoming a Jedi Knight.
Self Actualization
This last pillar is where you’ve built your own and you’re now “governing” what you’ve build. In the previous three pillars, you’ve decided that you can be uniquely great, appointed yourself the right to go and get what’s rightfully yours, and then went on the whole journey of building and establishing your vision within and without. Now, what you have is built and you’re able sit on the throne of your “empire.” This is the proverbial “entering the Hall of Champions”, or taking your place among the “table of the great.” You’ve earned it. Your stature has reached a point where you can also look at The Illusion eye to eye and laugh at it. Your greatness is now manifested in a way that was never seen before and in a way that no one else can emulate past, present and future.
At this pillar you have been humbled. You realize that in actuality, though you made the decision to start the journey and shun The Illusion, that you’re not the one who’s really in control, but rather, it’s God within who is manifesting through you. You find as you surrender your control more and more to Him, the more of your unique greatness is manifested. God manifests His divinity through you in a unique way that can’t be manifested through anyone else. This is why I said that the last two pillar are ongoing, because the more you discover who you are, the more you’re able to surrender, and the more of YOU that is actualized by God within.
This pillar can be likened to a slave making his way to freedom AND making a life of prosperity for himself (a slave becoming a “king”). It’s also can be likened to a poor Third World nation becoming powerful, rich and self-sufficient. Or, in the Star Wars Trilogy, it’s when Luke Skywalker completes his training to become a Jedi.
