The Wolves Of Yellowstone Park...
The Conscious Effect And The Subconscious Effect

By Ange Fonce

Of all the spurious ideas and analysis you see peddled in the "self development" and "new age" field is the idea is that if you "think" it... what ever you "think" about will be "attracted" to you... what a load of "old beliefs." 

This idea is one that bugs me more than any other.

Simply put... it is the idea that world is like a "wishing machine" that can be messed with... tweaked and somehow mastered by the simply act of "willing" it. 

You see a lot of this these days... you read people claiming they have some kind of "mystical power"... they can pull "levers" to "influence" all that is life... as if it is as simple as driving a car.

The problem is... the second you "believe" that "life" is something you can "control" like some "benign man made wishing machine"... you are in trouble. 

Because there is something else going in life ALL the time... and that is Cause and Effect!

And it is the “effect” part we shall be looking at in this article... because the “effect” part is where a lot of things can happen... we never “thought” of or “anticipated.”
 
The Conscious Effect And The Subconscious Effect...

There is plenty you can do to “transform things” in your life... and you have to be the "cause" of those "transformations" and the "effects" they will have.... yet it is not as simple as pulling a lever or pressing on the accelerator of a car and watching the speedometer rise. 

I have always thought a more apt “metaphor” is to compare “your life” to that of a “natural ecosystem”.... like an infinitely complex web of  “dynamic” plants and animals... which we are a part off... all acting according to their own “interests” and “desires”... that makes up a much wider “dynamic system.” 

You and I are "individual dynamic micro systems" interacting with a much larger "dynamic macro system" and the "effect"  of both "systems" flows "dynamically" both ways.

Now... as “humans” we can “influence” nature and “transform” our own lives “directly”... yet we cannot “control” it... because  we can barely “understand” what our “actions” will do... because there is the “conscious cause” and the “subconscious cause” and both can have completely “different effects” as the results of our own “actions.”

The “conscious effect” can be measured "directly"... and be “predictable”... the “subconscious effect”... can only be "observed" and "measured" over “time” and its “outcome” is often “unpredictable.”

Now... let me use a “brilliant example” of these “different effects.” 

The Wolves Of Yellowstone National Park in the USA... 

Back in 1995... ecologists in America had become worried about the worrying drop in numbers of grey wolves all over the country... they were being hunted out of existence... so 20 years ago... they decided to try and fix the situation and quietly started reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone.

The “effects” of that one "conscious decision"... the “cause” and the “desire” to take “action”... were mind bogglingly complex. 

There had not been any wolves in Yellowstone for 70 years... that meant the numbers of deer in the park had sky rocketed... despite “human efforts” to “control” the population... not only that... the deer had massively reduced much of the vegetation of the park through overgrazing. 

When the wolves arrived... that “transformed” over "time." 

And not just because they hunted and killed some of the deer... the wolves also had... I use this term loosely... a “psychological effect” on the remaining deer population... a “natural predator” was back in the "ecosystem"...  the deer started avoiding certain areas of the park... due to the threat of being hunted... they avoided valleys and gorges and other places they could be trapped easily. 

Within a short space of "time"... the landscape in those places “transformed”... places that had been barren a handful of years before became great forests... the height of some trees quintupled in less than a decade. 

As soon as that happened... huge numbers of birds flocked to the new forests... the population of beavers exploded... "transforming" the ecology of the rivers and marshes.... the “entire ecosystem transformed”... the numbers of hawks... rabbits, badgers... rats and bears all shot up. 

And perhaps the most interesting “effect” of the wolves was their “transformation” of the rivers of Yellowstone. 

The increased vegetation and plant life “transformed” the nature of the soil on riverbanks... decreased erosion and stopped the rivers meandering... making them “flow faster” and straighter and “reshaping” the “fundamental landscape" of the park. 

My point is... in a “complex dynamic ecosystem” even seemingly “simple actions” can have “profound... long lasting” and “unexpected effects.” 

Who would have “predicted” that reintroducing wolves to a national park would “transform” the “direction” of the rivers? 

Who could have “understood” that? 

And who could possibly “control” the “process?”

Okay... the  “ecological example” is over... now back to “personal development” and your “life.” 

The same “principles” applies “equally” in your “life” as it does in Yellowstone National Park.

Your “personality” is just as “intricate... dynamic” and “complex” as the “dynamic ecosystem” of a “natural park”...  and “transforming” what is “happening” in it will have just as many “unexpected” and “uncontrollable” side effects... that can greatly “benefit” you... as a "whole person." 

This “thinking” is not new by the way... although it might “feel” like it as you read this article... and I am going to jump into a very “different” field outside of “psychology” and “personal development” to show you that. 

The French economist Frederic Bastiat explained this “idea” almost 200 years ago in his essay ...

What Is Seen And Not Seen... 

“In the economic sphere an act, a habit, an institution, a law produces not only one effect, but a series of effects. Of these effects, the first alone is immediate; it appears simultaneously with its cause; it is seen. The other effects emerge only subsequently; they are not seen; we are fortunate if we foresee them... There is only one difference between a bad economist and a good one: the bad economist confines himself to the visible effect; the good economist takes into account both the effect that can be seen and those effects that must be foreseen.”

To explain this briefly using my “ecology metaphor”... 

What is “seen” is what is “obvious”... we have “introduced” more wolves... we can “see” that there are “more” wolves and “fewer” deer. 

That is the “conscious effect” of “cause” and “action.” 

What is “unseen” are all the “profound” and “long lasting effects” that the wolves  would have on “transforming” the landscape... the other animals... the trees... the rivers changing course. 

That is the “unconscious effect” of “cause” and “action.”

Certainly is easy to spot the “first effect”... the “conscious effect”...  that is “why” so much of your “analysis” is  “focused” on it "right now" and the whole world will “see it”... it will be an “obvious” and  of “first order influence”... that you “direct dynamically” on your own “personal dynamic life system.” 

Yet... what about the “unseen effects” of your “conscious actions”... the second or third order of "influence"... the "unconscious dynamic effect?"

This is were all that “wishing” and “hoping” and “believing” bullshit... all falls down.

Simple because if you are not “aware” of your “subconscious actions” and the “dynamic effects” they can have... everything you do “consciously” can be completely “undone” or have “effects” you would never have “thought” about... "considered" or even “thought” through?

Yes... it is harder to “know” and "understand" this sort of stuff. 

It is also much more “valuable”... to have at least an “understanding” of what you are doing NOW... and “how” it will “impact” on your future... the “hidden benefits” you can “gain” and “sustain” or “losses” you never “thought” off or “considered?”

Many people develop a good Plan A for "achieving" and "acquiring" their "personal goals"... there is just 1 HUGE problem with that... it is called LIFE!

What if Life comes along throwing you some hard "curve balls" and your lovely Plan A is completely wrecked? 

Going to go "wishing... hoping" and getting the "magic ju ju bag" out... or the old faithful... the "invisible friend?"

Now... does it not make "sense" to also have a Plan B... to "predict" and be able to "deal" with the "unforeseen effect?" 

Would you not agree?

To me that is a more “focused... directed” and "responsible approach" to what you want to “transform” and “create” in your life... instead of “wishing... hoping” and “believing” in some sort “magical power” or taking the “lucky dip bag” approach... the lazy mans method.

Instead you “focus” CONSCIOUSLY and do the WORK on what you want to “transform” and “create” for YOU!

And I will finish this article with a well known “idiom”...

“Be careful what you wish for... lest it come true... if you get things that you desire... there may be “unforeseen” and “unpleasant consequences.”

Better to be “focused” and “precise” in “knowing” and “understanding” what you want to TRANSFORM and CREATE and HOW it will BENEFIT you... even if there are “unseen effects”... you can “predict” the “probability” of them.   

And this is where Dynamic Life Development Systems is “different” than the rest.

None of that “wishing... hoping” or “magical bally hoo” stuff... the “lucky dip bag” approach to “personal development” and “transformation” and “life building.”

I will be sincere with you... Dynamic Life Development Systems is a REAL challenge and you have to do REAL work... because it provides REAL value to those who "commit" to the System to "invest" and “transform” themselves.

Maybe I cannot offer the "opportunity" to you because I suspect the System is more than you need... because it is a powerful System for those who "truly" want to "invest" and "personally develop" themselves to be “powerful” and "create" real  "wealth" and “value” in their life.

Instead of making do “hoping... wishing”... and "believing” that some kind of “magic” will happen if they just "think" it and make it alright for them like most do... their “wealth” and "life value" being what?

Dynamic Lifers "create" the "wealth" of "life"... they "love" living!

Because there is nothing out there... that can perform like this System... that “produces” such “powerful results!”

There is no “lucky dip bag” approach... in Dynamic Life Development Systems... it is Focused Science for “transformation!”

Look “how” the Wolves “transformed” the whole “ecosystem” of  Yellowstone National Park in the USA... to the “benefit” of EVERYTHING living there.

Both “seen benefits” and “unseen benefits” in a "dynamic life system!"

‏As always... leave a man or woman all the "better" for "knowing" you.

Thank you and may you enjoy a Prosperous and Dynamic day!

Yours Sincerely

 


Ange is an  Author... Speaker... and Dynamic Peak Performance Personal Development Consultant... and Humanistic Counselling Psychologist who works with men and women on line and real world who desire to "personally develop" themselves and their "relationships" to become Dynamic Lifers... "creators" of their own life and wealth!

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