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242 A Programmer’s Guide to the Mind

The second group did not have to jump, and so as far as me is concerned,
they are still living in Russia. The only difference is that their physical
bodies have moved a few thousand kilometers to the West.
The diagram below describes the three requirements for personal
transformation. First, transformation is only possible if a new me exists.
Building this new me takes time and effort. Second, the old me must
eventually be destroyed. If transformation is to be complete, then in some
way, the new me must eventually replace the old one. Third, personal
transformation centers around a crisis point in which there is a shift in
personal identity. This „leap‟ happens at two levels. First, there is generally
a major climax when the core of me makes the jump. Second, this
fundamental point will be surrounded by scores of lesser crises in which
smaller fragments of me make the shift.

The order of these three elements can vary. For instance, it is possible
to emphasize the first point. In this case, identity will be drawn to the new
me. Transformation may also be driven by the second aspect. Here,
identity will be „kicked out‟ of the old me. I suggest that the first option is
more pleasant.

Head in the Clouds and Feet on the Ground

Anyone will eventually jump off a cliff if he is pushed hard enough.
However, I suggest that a person can also be motivated to leap by the pull
of vision. Suppose that I see something hovering out in the clouds which is
so attractive that it makes everything around me look like hell. One could
say, suppose that I peer through the clouds and get a glimpse of heaven. If
the contrast between „heaven‟ and my „hell‟ is great enough, then I will
jump, not because I was pushed, but rather because I was pulled.
But how does the mind create a „vision of heaven,‟ and what if this
heaven isn‟t real but a figment of the imagination? Obviously, these are
very important questions. Hinduism and Buddhism, for instance, teach

1. Build the
   new 'me'
   2. Destroy
   the old 'me'


2. Identity
   must move.