7 Personal FOCUS Plateaus of Self Esteem
ANIMALISTIC
At the lowest Plateau, like the eagle in the photo, you are simply reacting to your physical environment to satisfy your NEEDS. Basic needs or "SNOWE", include Sleep - Nourishment - Oxygen - Water - Emotions. Desiring or wanting something is different than needing something. Awareness of which Plateau you are operating on is the First Cornerstone of the Find, Maintain, and Sustain Your Focus journey beyond just satisfying your physical needs.
MASS MOVEMENT
At this next Plateau, you stampede with the herd, swim with the school, fly with the flock, or buzz with the swarm. You are still in a "reactive" mode, and do what the rest of the group does, without expression of your true desire. Like an animal, the only thing you are focused on is the movement of the masses. Personal growth is not on your mind. There is safety in numbers, however you limit yourself when you mindlessly "follow-the-crowd". Here your self esteem is wrapped up in the identity of the group. The media, television, advertising firms, and marketing guru's count on you to remain at this second lowest plateau, where they are thinking for you, directing you, without you doing much focused thinking on your own.
PERSONAL ASPIRATION
As you move up the scale of awareness you begin to raise your head above the herd or crowd, and you develop a sense that you can think-for-yourself. You begin to narrow your view and focus on things that you desire, beyond the safety, comfort and influence of the group. Your emotion begin to kick in, and a spiritual component of your being awakens. You develop a new, focused, personal aspiration that you are now aware of. There is both excitement and fear about "stepping-out" of the crowd and "responding" to the physical world on your terms, verses simply "reacting" to it. You begin to be aware that by altering your perspective and thinking, you can Be, Do, and Have the things you desire in life. At this plateau you have aspirations about things you want to focus on, in and for your life.
INDIVIDUALISM
At this next higher Personal Plateau, you recognize yourself as a unique, divine, special individual capable of incredible things, personal growth, desire, and accomplishments. You pull away from the crowd and express yourself more fully and openly, operating more in the light of your true self, less and less out of fear, doubt, and confusion. You focus primarily on who you are being and what you want. Your self esteem raises, and your ego takes a back seat. You shine the light of your brilliance in areas of your life that were previously in the dark. You can now begin to really focus on the things that truly matter to you. It is at this level where you can hone in and find that which is worthy of your focus and your life.
DICIPLINE
True Discipline is "giving yourself a command and following it, when no one else is looking". At the Discipline Plateau, it becomes obvious that focus is key to your success. When there are no distractions or noise, it is easy for you to maintain your focus. However, life is not without distractions and noise. In order to maintain and sustain focus for long-lasting personal growth and success, you must maintain discipline. Here there are no escape hatches or back-doors for you sneak out of. This is where the rubber-hits-the-road. Without sufficient discipline, maintaining and sustaining your focus will be virtually impossible. Success takes discipline...Success is where focus and discipline become one.
EXPERIENCE
This second to highest Personal Plateau is where you can regularly focus your focus, and experience yourself as the divine, disciplined individual you know you are. Your personal growth and self esteem are strengthening. Your confidence grows as there is less and less fear, doubt, and confusion in your daily existence. You know who you are and what you desire, because you experience the benefits and advantages of being laser focused. People begin to notice a huge shift in who you are for them. Things that previous seemed difficult or impossible are now done easily. You now control to direct your efforts and sustain your focus.
MASTERY / EXPERTISE
The Mastery Plateau some say is impassible, one which you never transcend beyond. Here you are fully expressed, completely focused on your purposeful being. You are living at your highest level of personal growth and maximum potential in at least one of the Five Life Spheres. You realize and manifest that which you desire. Maintaining and sustaining this level of mastery and expertise requires the highest, most disciplined focus possible. Reaching this level of self esteem, you realize focus at the highest level is a life-long journey, and you are focused every second, of every minute, of every hour of every day......That is Focused Mastery.
Awareness of the Seven Personal Focus Plateaus is the first step in identifying where you are on the hierarchy in the Five Life Spheres of your life. Your new found awareness will lead you to greater control, self esteem, and direction in all life spheres. This control and direction will require focus, helping you generate and strengthen your sustained personal growth....When you Focus on Your Focus, you raise your life and the lives around you, higher and higher.