Reality as constructed by narrative? How many of our limitations are imparted upon us due to narrative? A simple example; you wanna go lift a barbell, if you believe you cannot do it; a) you never even try b) you bail mid lift A very down to earth example of how a "soft" narrative can concretely limit your physical capabilities. Another great example is stretching/yoga... you may believe that if you continue the "stretch" something will "come apart", the worry makes you tense, makes the stretch impossible. QED narrative produces a physical reality. ``` Narrative → tension → reduced range of motion → confirms narrative ("see, I can't do it") → more tension next attempt. ``` Eventually a physical cage is formed. Not a cage made of steely bars, but of a narrative that limits you just as much. Most of us may have the simplistic model: > matter → experience → narrative It's at minimum a 2 way loop: > narrative ↔ physical state ↔ experience Now the question.. how deep does this go? > narrative → physical state → experience (?) Using the same model of questioning, which other things are limitations, merely because we believe they are? How many limitations have become internalized because they've been repeated by authority figures since childhood, then later on your peers who eventually succumbed to the limitations too? "Magic only exists in fiction" -- we make sand do math (credit to [mo bitar](https://mo.io/) for this line) "No you cannot fly" -- space x will IPO this year.... "No you can't do... x" Many uttered limitations like this is merely the consequence of the individual uttering them, seeking to protect their ego by extrapolating their own limitations as universal law. A considerable amount of the limitations which we utter are merely the consequence of the individual extrapolating their own limitations into universal law. The great scientist/inventors/\*nauts are those who dare to seek out the strongest held limitation -- and then obliterates it. The agents who truly wants to evolve are those who ruthlessly test; which of my limitations are consequences of narrative vs something I've personally put to the test. This is also the mindset required for a red teamer.