ArlenJ.com
March 1, 2020
Former NBA forward Antoine Walker is today a humble man who experienced life’s most extreme highs and frustrating lows.
Walker was an all-state forward at Mount Carmel High School in Chicago. He earned a full-ride athletic scholarship to NCAA powerhouse Kentucky in 1994. Walker, at age 19, won an NCAA Championship in 1996 and was selected as the sixth-overall pick in the NBA Draft that same year by the Boston Celtics. We won an NBA Championship with the Miami Heat in 2006. Walker retired from the NBA in 2008, having earned over $110 million in salary. But due to extreme generosity, indulgence and bad investment, Walker lost his fortune and filed for bankruptcy in 2010. He chronicled this chapter of his life in the 2020 documentary Gone In An Instant.
Mr. Walker, like many young entrepreneurs, athletes and actors who come upon material success early, fell victim to false pedestals. The maxim goes that money doesn’t change you; it makes you more of what you already are. Personal development ceases when individuals are placed on pedestals by themselves and others.
Relationship authenticity with oneself
Michael Formica is a psychotherapist and Initiate of the Shankya Yoga lineage. His writings on Psychology Today articulate the negative effects of self-objectification. Placing yourself or others on pedestals, false to otherwise, diminishes the authentic self of both parties.
The Center for Growth in Philadelphia defines the authentic self as doing what you say. It’s not your career, possessions, or roles in life (father, brother, etc.). The authentic self is your thoughts, words and actions being played out in real-life. Those who are not living as their authentic self mask their mental deficiencies by going into “people pleasing” mode.
There is a time and place for the different aspects of our personality. Your authentic self may not be the best presentation for a job interview. It’s imperative, however, to understand that these variations of the self are situational. Social media presentations, for instance, are situational. Most are presenting their “best” self, not their authentic self on Facebook, Instagram, etc. But too many “likes” and “retweets” (false pedestals) can lead you down the path of losing the authentic self.
Alpha brainwaves remedy false pedestals
Your alpha brain activity commenced immediately when you wake up in the morning. Scientists describe this as a state of wakeful rest. It’s the ideal state of consciousness for learning and solving complex tasks. College guidance counselors frequently tell students to study at night right before bedtime. They wake upon with sense of mental clarity despite absorbing a lot of information just a few hours prior.
Consciousness through meditation is one of the most common methods of activating alpha brain waves. Other relaxation techniques like deep breathing, yoga and even prayer in some people activate their alpha brain waves. Activating alpha brain waves gets the conscious self back on track when it’s been distracted and even diminished through false pedestals.
The ALPHA by Prodigy Mindset™ Gym utilizes 21-day training cycles that connect men to their internal monologue system (IMS). Self-induction of the Alpha Brain Wavelength becomes reflexive with regular training, similar to working out your physical body. Join the ALPHA by Prodigy Mindset Gym™ today.