I Can. Therefore, I Will.

Before we begin, let me first ask you a simple question. Don’t worry. This won’t
bend your mind nor twist your brain. It’s a no-brainer, actually. Ok, here goes: What do
Superman, Spiderman, Batman, the X-men, and the Incredible Hulk have in common?
See, it’s easy, right? Yes, they all have supernatural powers – special abilities that make
them supreme, invincible and indestructible, and which cause them to be recognized as
superheroes. They use these special powers to do good things to people and defeat evil
entities. But, unfortunately, they are not real. They are only works of man’s creative
imagination. They don’t exist in the real world. That’s why, unlike in comic books and
movies, when our city is in trouble, there is no superhero to call to save the day. It really
seems to be too good to be true, isn’t it?
Now, let us try to add another one in the list; this time, a real person, say you, me,
your teacher, my next-door neighbor, or simply anyone who exists in this world. The list
would now be like this: Superman, Spiderman, Batman, the X-men, the Incredible Hulk,
and you. Again, same question: What could be the common factor among those in the
list? Remember, it includes you now. So before answering, you might ask another
question first. Is there really something we all possess? Indeed, there is. Even changing
the last entry to me, your teacher, my next-door neighbor, or whoever real person you
may think of, still there will always be something common between a superhero and a
real person like you and me, and that is power.
Ever envied a superhero for having supernatural powers? I think we all have. Just
imagine how cool and fascinating it would be to become invisible even for just a minute
or two, to fly across mountains and seas, to climb tall buildings and walls, to create fire or
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ice depending on what the situation needs, or to simply have that special physical
strength to be able to do things that normal people can’t do. But are these kinds of power
only necessary to make us superior over others? As real people in the real world, we can
never possess any of these supernatural physical powers. What we have is the power to
mold our personality, to shape our future, to create our destiny, and to determine who and
what we are – a power greater than any other supernatural powers, a power that builds
reality and not mere imagination, a power which everyone possesses and can make him a
hero in his own ways. This is the power of the mind.
Funny how we tend to be so addicted in looking outside ourselves that we have
almost totally lost access to our inner being. We are so afraid to look inward because we
might not be happy with what we could see. We make our lives so hectic that we
eliminate the slightest risk of looking into ourselves. Therefore, we settle on observing
things outside of our own. We make comparisons, judgments, and evaluations which only
lead us in concluding and, worse, accepting the fact that we are inferior among others.
What we don’t know is that we have the power to reverse what the outside world
makes us believe in. If it says that we are wrong, we have the power to make us right. If it
says we are losers, we have the power to be winners. If it says we are non-existent, we
have the power to make everyone see that we are alive and surviving. And that is how the
power of our mind works – making us more supreme, invincible, and indestructible than
any other superhero is.
If the world says you can’t, say “I can. Therefore, I will.”
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CHAPTER 1
The Nature of the Human Mind
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Chapter 1
The Nature of the Human Mind
No species possesses a purpose beyond the imperatives created by genetic history...
The human mind is a device for survival and reproduction, and reason is just one of its
various techniques.
- Edward O. Wilson (1929- )
On Earth, man occupies a peculiar position that sets him apart him from all other
entities in our planet. While all the other things – animate or inanimate, living or nonliving
– behave according to regular patterns to balance nature, man seems to enjoy –
within definite limits – a small amount of freedom. Man controls his way of living,
speaks his own language, perceives and learns great amount of knowledge, manages his
emotions, and deals properly with problems he faces. All of which is unique to man only.
There is, in fact, within the infinite expanse of the universe a small field in which man's
conscious conduct can change the course of events.
It is this fact that causes man to distinguish between an external world subject to
unstoppable and endless necessity, and...