It’s late. The final Pink Bat manuscript is due tomorrow. From my office I can see several Chicago landmark buildings lit with pink lights. It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Amidst this pink glow—the posters, the ribbons, and special events—we are all reminded of the search for solutions to save lives. The color connection to this cause… and my book title… is obvious. Less obvious, but more relevant, is the thinking found inside.

For every problem, there exists a solution… and at the very least, an opportunity. Breast cancer is no different. But it takes an open mind… imagination, purpose and passion… to find it. In time, this “problem” will be viewed differently… and an unseen solution will appear. Perhaps an outsider will see what experienced insiders have missed. Someone less influenced by perceptual blindness… an unlikely suspect.

My reasons for writing Pink Bat were to plant some seeds, capture imaginations, and inspire people to see the world in a new light. I hope I’ve accomplished these objectives in some way.

You can live each day in a world filled with “problems,” or rise each morning and embrace a world filled with unseen solutions… eager for you to find them. The decision is yours… both worlds exist. The one you choose is the one you will create.

A year has passed… and much has changed.

According to the American Cancer Society, about 1.3 million women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and about 465,000 will die from the disease. This is unacceptable.

On a personal note, my mom was diagnosed with colon cancer a few months ago and my father-in-law with bladder cancer. They are both currently in treatment. Hopefully these cancers were caught in time. Whether it’s breast cancer or any other kind of cancer, prevention and early detection are key.

As I write this post, Pink Bat is back at press—again. It has done well and I have received many positive responses—personal stories, examples and insights. Thank you. In light of all that’s happened since releasing it, and all that remains, I’m discounting Pink Bat this month to $11.95 and donating a portion of the proceeds to cancer research for every book sold.

Be inspired! Watch the Pink Bat video.

What struck me most was how the hypnotist had implanted a post-hypnotic suggestion. After the volunteer was “snapped” out of his trance, whenever the hypnotist said, “Chicken,” the volunteer instantly clucked… and did so loudly!

After the performance, I talked to the volunteer. He didn’t recall acting like a chicken… nor did he know why he clucked. His claims rang true and he seemed most sincere.

Over the years, I’ve observed that in some ways many people appear to be hypnotized… myself included. While few people cluck when “chicken” is mentioned, certain other words do elicit equally abrupt and predictable responses. Sometimes I wonder if our society is operating under post-hypnotic suggestions? Just bring up religion, politics, abortion, offshore drilling, healthcare, diet or lifestyle issues… and observe what happens. The mere mention of certain subjects or words often elicits uncontrollable clucks… I mean auto-responses. It’s difficult to have a meaningful conversation when someone starts clucking before you can finish asking your question or sharing your idea.

In order for a volunteer to be hypnotized, he/she must willingly enable the hypnotist to take control of his/her critical thinking. Recently, I’ve observed many people have willingly enabled radio talk show hosts, cable TV personalities, religious leaders and politicians to do the same. For many, blind trust (following) has replaced independent critical thinking.

Before selecting volunteers, the stage hypnotist gives the audience a few exercises and plants ideas in their minds: “Only intelligent people can be hypnotized” or “Only those who are open-minded to being hypnotized can be,” and so on. Do these kinds of suggestions and affirmations sound familiar? If not, try replacing “hypnotized” with Democratic, Republican, Conservative, Liberal, Christian, Muslim, Atheist, and so on.

Hypnotists identify people who appear to be trusting and willing to go along. Once a volunteer is selected, the hypnotist has him/her imagine some ordinary situations, like being cold, hot or thirsty. Gradually he builds on these connections with more suggestions until eventually he has them strutting and clucking like a chicken. Whether it’s a stage hypnotist, an authority figure, celebrity or someone else… the process works much the same. For whatever the reasons, some people are more susceptible to falling under spells (and remaining under) than others.

As with most things in our lives, change starts with awareness. In the case of hypnosis, “All hypnosis is self-hypnosis.” In other words, we must be willing to go along. Whether we remain mesmerized, wake up or stay someplace in between… the choice is always ours.

What started me time traveling was realizing many of the people that influence my thinking had left this world before I ever arrived. Compelled to meet and understand my influencers, I started visiting them. After several trips, patterns started to emerge. I found many of my heroes weren’t heroes at all… at least not during their lifetimes. Some were rejected by society. Many were considered radical, dangerous, or even insane. Traveling forward from these places in time, I observed how it took future generations to start understanding the courage, brilliance and insight these individuals possessed. Looking back from the present, it’s hard to believe these people weren’t celebrated. Then again, future generations will see us in the same light… and wonder the same.

During one of my journeys, a great hero of mine from the 1400s explained that expending too much time and energy trying to convince people from your own time period is unproductive. “Think, write and create for the unborn,” he said. “They will come to understand and value your insight and effort.” In his case, no truer words could be spoken… and I told him so. I appreciate his advice and often heed it.

The more you travel, the clearer one thing becomes… time exposes the truth. As it turns out, many past “heroes” weren’t heroes at all. They were popular charlatans, people of privilege or barbaric leaders driven by self-serving agendas. These individuals weren’t whom they claimed to be… or what they were perceived to be during their time. Many were truth twisters and propaganda creators on a mission to gain power and prestige in their lifetime… and were willing to achieve it at any cost. Whether it’s past, present or future one thing remains consistent—leaders need supporters and followers to succeed.

Most real heroes remain unknown. Very few are recognized by their society, peers or by future generations. They are called regular people. But they are far from regular. Rhetoric, propaganda or popular chants don’t influence them. They think independently and seek the truth. They take action and do what they believe is right—regardless of whether it’s popular at the time or not. Like all real heroes, these individuals realize that life continues long after they’re gone. They understand, like other real heroes before them, that we each have a responsibility to future generations as well.

By traveling in the future, this becomes obvious. Once while in 2060, I met a distant relative of mine (no pun intended). While his language was derived from English, it sounded much different than what’s spoken today. Regardless, we were able to communicate. To my surprise, some things had changed drastically while others appeared much the same.

You might imagine; I had many questions about his world… but not nearly as many as he had about mine. As he shared his understanding of history with me, I was both amazed and saddened by my lack of understanding of our present. While some of his information was inaccurate, much of it was spot on (with additional insight). Some things are difficult to see in present tense. Many of the “important” issues today are considered insignificant by future generations… if they’re considered at all. As with our past, many of today’s leaders and heroes are considered criminals by 2060 standards. Likewise, many of our outcasts are considered as brilliant visionaries… real heroes.

If you’re new to time traveling, I suggest starting with your own life. Travel back to your childhood and then project yourself into the future. Reflect on the decisions you’ve made over the years. If you’re like me, you’ve made some good and some pretty bad ones along the way. Each decision provides a lesson… and establishes a pattern. Notice how some of your most difficult decisions turn out to be the best… at least in the long run.

Chances are you knew they were right when you made them, too. How? After you gathered information, consulted your brain and listened to your heart… you intuitively left the present, scanned your past and then traveled to the future. This makes most decisions seem obvious… the benefits of time travel are powerful.

Here are three questions to ponder:
1. What side of history will you be on?
2. Who are your past and present heroes… and why?
3. How will you be viewed by future generations?

Only time will tell…

Why didn’t they accept it at first? Simple. With a duck-like bill, an otter-like body, a tail like a beaver, and webbed feet, the platypus didn’t fit an established category. So it couldn’t possibly be real! While this may seem funny, the idea of rejecting ideas (new realities) that don’t fit neatly into accepted categories, still happens on a regular basis.

I learned this firsthand while working with Michael Jordan on his book, Rare Air. It was my first retail book experience so I was naive to the process. After working hard and putting a presentation together, I flew to NYC to meet with several prominent publishers. (By the way, when Michael writes a letter on your behalf, asking someone (anyone) to meet with you… they will.) By the end of my first meeting, I learned that since Rare Air didn’t fit an existing category, it couldn’t be “real.”

Like the scientists and the platypus, every publisher who initially saw Rare Air rejected it. By reinforcing each other’s beliefs… they shook ours. When Michael asked whom we had selected to publish his book, we were speechless. We had one last meeting set up in California with Harper Collins. But this time we were prepared… since a category didn’t exist, we decided to create a new one. We called it a “pictorial autobiography” and the publisher bravely (or naively) accepted it. Rare Air went on to become a NY Times best-seller, sold more than a million copies in numerous languages… and established a new publishing niche.

Years later, I reconnected with one of those NY publishing executives on another project. “What were we thinking?” he asked me. He went on to say, “After Rare Air’s phenomenal success, I would often lay awake at night reliving your presentation… it was so obvious! Why on earth couldn’t we see it then?” The answer to his question was… and still is… obvious. He and the other publishers were so focused on the status quo, and established categories, they couldn’t see new possibilities. They chose accepted categories over reality. Categories exist everywhere. They can help us, but also blind us if we’re not careful. Most importantly, they don’t define reality unless we let them.

Before you throw out a great idea, stop and question the existing categories… it might be time for a change. Creativity is constantly exposing reality, and in the process, changing and creating new categories.