In Defense of the Art of Wow

By Walt F.J. Goodridge

Special to the Saipan Tribune
Originally published: Wednesday, October 1, 2008


The only way to take control of your life, raise your standard of living and move beyond merely surviving is to create your own unique product or service that you offer to increasing numbers of people in exchange for the things of value that you desire. This simple formula applies to countries as well as people. A self-sufficient economy has its own products or services of value to export to the world. Similarly, a self-sufficient individual has something of value to exchange in the global marketplace. That thing of value is based on your natural talent, skill, or interest—in other words, your passion!

And now for something completely different…

There are those who believe mankind is inherently evil with occasional expressions of goodness. Others believe that man is essentially good with occasional lapses into evil. There are those who believe that the human condition is best likened to that of the downward spiral of a fallen angel. Others see it as the hopeful rising of an intelligent ape. And others believe that we are all somewhere in between. There are those who believe that each person has chosen a specific manifestation on this plane, and that the expression of good or evil on the planet is secondary to the underlying purpose of that manifestation. They believe that we choose our roles for the purpose of the experience alone, and that the question of man’s goodness or evil is not the essential query. The essential query is, “What shall I experience in this lifetime?” “What experiences are consistent with the role I have chosen?”

In other words, there are those who believe that on a spiritual level, the beggar has chosen to be a beggar, and that he will therefore choose the experiences in this life which allow him to always manifest that reality. They say that the choice is already made. They say that despite the grandiose and optimistic teachings of texts like the Tao of Wow, that there are those who by virtue of this prior choice have chosen to live the outpicturing consistent with the role of say, victim. And that there is nothing that we or anyone can do to alter that choice in any fundamental way.

That presents us, then, with a unique question and a potentially unanswerable dilemma. That question is: What real change do we effect in exposing others to the teachings of the Tao of Wow?

Do we provide true guidance or merely confirmation to those who have already chosen their paths? If the belief we alluded to earlier is true, then Wow can be achieved only by those who have chosen “Wow Master” as their role. If true, then the Tao of Wow is not a map, therefore, of a path that any may choose to follow, but a chronicle of a path that only those who have already chosen it may take. It would merely be a mirror put up to the Wow Master so that he may recognize and manifest himself as that which he has already chosen to be. Therefore, we would have to conclude that no one but a Wow Master would recognize the path of Wow.

To him who has not chosen Wow Master as his role, the words of the Tao of Wow would be nothing more than an unknowable, unattainable, idealistic fairy tale which can be observed from without but never experienced from within.

This, then, is the eternal dilemma of all great teachings. Do they in fact encourage those who were on a different path to divert from that path? Is there real change that occurs as a result of the words on these pages? Or, is there merely recognition and confirmation by those who are already traveling the path. Do we change lives, or simply reflect them? Do we provide a road for others to follow, or simply outline a path that only those so inclined will and can make? Do we provide guidance or only confirmation?

That is the question.

The Tao of Wow assumes that given the choice to align the human condition with angels or apes, that we are more in league with angels. It assumes that this journey is not one up or down, but merely the earthly experience of a visiting spirit.

While there is evidence to support the contention that the “movement of man” mimics the theory of entropy, and that chaos is the underlying nature of the universe, there is ample evidence to the contrary—that there is order and growth and purposeful, positive development at play. Throughout mankind’s history, it is the inexorable thrust for greatness that sets the Wow Masters apart enough for us to gaze at them in awe. It is the greatness achieved, rather than the depths of decadence descended into, which characterizes the movers and the shakers and those held in esteem by the masses of men. And those who represent man’s baser instincts are just a smaller element of the populace who simply stand out all the more for their rarity. Perhaps it is the very fact of their rarity that they assume levels of prominence in the minds of many. In other words, in any quantification of the Wow Masters of history, there are more Martin Luther Kings, than there have been Hitlers.

It is this realization upon which The Tao of Wow hinges. Wow could not exist in a land of chaos and inherent evil. The Art of Wow, and for that matter, all WowMasters exist because of a reverence for something greater. The fundamental and consistent similarity among all Wow Masters is the belief in the Eternal Wow.

There is an underlying belief that there is something grander of which we are all minuscule manifestations and expressions. It is this humility that characterizes all who have attained the level of Wow Master on this plane.

SUMMARY OF THE ART OF WOW

In order to master the Art of Wow, you must first set your objective. You must identify the real enemy. You must understand that the battlefield exists only in the mind. You must be aware of and know how to negotiate the perceived obstacles of people and their actions, situations and conditions, and the passage of time.

To prepare to wage wow, you must be aware of societal expectations, your assets and the means of activating them, the challenges that confront you, the bar of present output, the Wow Master Ideal, and the method and pace of executing the steps to accomplishing your goal. You must be aware of the moods of the masses and how they affect your success. You must react correctly to the various situations you will encounter, and you must be willing to gain energy and inspiration from the Eternal Wow.

To wage wow, you must know how to use your thoughts, your words and your actions to elicit the response you desire.

The strategy for waging wow successfully is always to conquer the double agent of contrary mind first, to join forces with people of like mind, compete with none, remain above the fray, achieve victory through self-surrender, and to conquer the double agent once again. The Rules of Engagement will help you.

In attempting to wage wow, you may be ineffective if you misread the bar, misread people’s mood, address the wrong target audience, address the right audience incorrectly, or doubt your own abilities. You must give your task your complete attention.

As you wage wow, the world may respond with indifference, envy, criticism, sabotage, imitation, competition, support or worship. Each requires a different response from you.

Your eventual success will hinge upon choosing the correct response. These include ignoring, producing, observing, waiting, giving, focusing, completing, listening or simply walking way.

Finally, you must surrender your will to the Eternal Wow.

For more information on mastering the art of wow, visit www.artofwow.com.

Note: For more tips on overcoming your fears, acting on your ideas, changing the game, and creating a passion-centered lifestyle, visit www.passionprofit.com!

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Until next week, remember, success is a journey, not a destination!