Quantum leaping in 2024
Instagram’s algorithm has been showing me a lot of posts lately from spiritual coaches talking about changes in the world and leveling up. There are two major themes that I've been reflecting on a lot since the end of last year:
(1) The first is that the world as we know it is shifting drastically. According to Chinese astrology, we're moving into a new twenty year cycle called Period 9. The last twenty years was associated with mountains and young men (think rise of male entrepreneurs like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg). Given the strong earth element, we saw the high value of real estate. However, this new phase is al about innovation, new media, business, technology, and the power of women. There is a strong fire element, which brings great power, anger, desire, and strength but a need to be careful so that you don't get burned. We're already seeing a much different world that we could have imagined 5-10 years ago. When I think about 17 year olds who are getting paid $30K to make a 1 minute video, it really reinforces how different today's world works. This kind of work was literally unimaginable when I was17. Even seeing it in real time right now, I still don’t fully believe it.
(2) The second idea is related to the first but more personalized: dream of personal visions beyond what you even imagine. In the past, I've thought about growth, opportunities, and next steps linearly, in the context of the past and present. However, this past year has really taught me that any of the linear options, whether slightly up, down, or sideways are not what I really want. What I really want to tap into this year is dreaming and exploring opportunities that are on a different level--in a whole different universe. In some ways, I already feel like I've started to tap into this. When I was finishing graduate school about 2.5 years ago, I was embarking on a new chapter without having any clue what I wanted to do in the medium or long term. I could not have imagined all of the things that would take place over the next couple of years and I certainly could not have predicted that I would be where I am today. One of my favorite quotes of all time comes from Jim Carrey, who says: “Your job is not to figure out how it’s going to happen for you, but to open the door in your head. And when the door opens in real life, just walk through it.”
It’s humbling, scary, and a little downright depressing to admit that I’ve been in this job search for about eight months. I know that many people are in similar boats, especially people in the tech / startup community. I don’t know if it’s the delusion of being out of work for so long or the internal voice speaking, but I don’t think going back to a 9-5 is the right move for me. It would be the path of returning to a world of linear growth (or decline). I don’t want to play in that realm anymore. There are infinite versions of us living different lives in different timelines. What if we opened up our minds to potentially try on one of those different lives in this lifetime?
In some ways, I feel like I’m already taste testing one possible timeline. As someone who was so heads down and committed to the 9-5 path I was on, it’s taking me longer than it might take others to make the kinds of leaps and changes that I want to make. However, if someone told me even a year ago that I could make over $10K in one month trading and investing, I would’ve asked: who, me? Making six figures this year from trading is no longer a quantum leap. In fact, it would be a part of very linear growth—I would only need to make on average $8,333 per month—which is doable. Even all of my side interests that I really want to make happen this year like buying a property are completely imaginable, possible, and even likely.
So that’s why my phrase for this year is: quantum leaping. I want to end the year thinking: I can’t believe this is my life. Just like the quote says, I don’t need to figure out the how right now, but I need to be open and ready. I was in a therapy session last year where I asked my therapist what it would take for me to take a leap of faith to become fully self employed. And she said that leaps of faith happen not because of the physical, tangible evidence but in spite of them. I encourage all of us to keep our minds and more importantly, our hearts, open so that when it comes time to jump, we can do so—with confidence, ease, and trust that it will all work out.