Between stimulus and response…
Friday, June 13th, 2008Increasing Response Time
Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.
STIMULUSÂ = FREEDOM TO CHOOSEÂ = RESPONSE
What we all need is a “pause button”-something that enables us to stop between what happens to us and our response to it, and to choose our own response. It is possible for us as individuals to develop this capacity to pause. It is possible to act rather than react.
We can step back and examine our lives and our behavior. The first step is self-awareness.
Self-awareness: As humans we can stand apart form our own life and observe it. We can look at our thoughts. We can then decide to change our thoughts and behavior.
Conscience: Moral or ethical sense, or inner voice. It is the hardware of our soul.Â
Imagination: The ability to envision something entirely different from past experiences. It is seeing yourself responding differently.
Independent will: The power to take action. The internal power we all have to be our “best self”. The decision to recommit, to win the battles privately, to set personal goals, and identify motives and values. The essence of true happiness is subordinating what we want now for what we want eventually.Â
The four principles reside in the space we humans have between what happens to us and our response to it. The fact that we have these four gifts means no one has to be a victim.
