Making The Shift from Ego-Driven Ambition to a Life of Meaning

4 Major Shifts We Can Make Towards Our Greater Purpose

Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

The Shiftillustrates how and why to make the move from ambition to meaning. Such a shift
eliminates our feelings of separateness, illuminates our spiritual connectedness, and involves moving
from the ego-directed morning into the afternoon of life where everything is primarily influenced by
purpose.

As we contemplate leaving the morning of our life, where ego has played a commanding role, and
entering the afternoon (and evening), where meaning and purpose replace ambition and struggle, we
may encounter unexpected occurrences that accompany this new direction.

Its almost a universal law that well experience a fall of some kind. Yet these falls or low points
provide the energy we need to move away from ego and into a life of meaning and purpose.

The Shift doesnt mean that we lose our drive and ambition; it signifies that we become ambitious
about something new. We make a commitment to living a life based on experiencing meaning and
feeling purposeful, rather than never-ending demands and false promises that are the trademark of
the egos agenda.

What is The Shift?

The first shift that we all make takes us from nonbeing to being; from Spirit to form; from the
invisible to our corporeal world of things.

The next shift is the phase I call Ambition where we take on an ego self that is the opposite of the
place of Spirit from which we came. Ego in this context is our false self.

These first two shifts are mandatory in the human journey.

Unfortunately, for many people, Ambition is often the end of their life story, but there are two more
shifts open to us!

We can all choose to make the leap past the second shift of ego-driven ambition. We arrive at the
third shift when we realize that we have an option to make a U-turn away from the false self. We can
do an about-face and head back to the place of Spirit in a third shift.

And then, in the fourth shift, we achieve a life of Meaning and purpose by rededicating our Ambition
to the fulfillment of our authentic self. We discover that the laws of the material world do not
necessarily apply in the presence of the Meaning that is encouraged by our shift to Source.
Manifestations of miracles begin to populate the landscape of life.

Meaning is now what defines all the moments of our existence. We can fulfill our greatest calling
when we consciously undertake the journey from Ambition to Meaning. We can transform our
individual lives and influence the destiny of our sacred planet as well.
1
My Quotes / notes from movie

Each of us at some time will experience a quantum moment.

Be soft, be flexible and allow your life to happen.

Stop interfering in your life and let it be done.

Forget about yourself and just reach out and give to another.

You dont attract what you want you attract what you are.

Sometimes you just have to show up, pay attention and your music (purpose) comes

Ambition with meaning is your purpose.

Your authentic self is way beyond the ego.

Your quantum moment or shift can be caused by a comment, an event in your life, a hardship you
suffer or anything at all

4 virtues by Lao-tzu reverence for all life, sincerity (being honest), gentleness and supportiveness
(offer service)

Ultimately we are all going to get it. Why die to get it when you can get it while you are here.

Your purpose will always be found in service.

You are only a thought away from changing your life.

There was a study done on peoples values / priorities both before and after their quantum moment.
Mens values before this shift are wealth, a sense of adventure, achievement, pleasure and
respect. After the shift mens values changed to spirituality, personal peace, family, gods
will/purpose and then honesty (with feelings). Womens top 5 values before a quantum moment
were family, sense of independence, career, fitting in and attractiveness. After a shift moment
womens values changed to their own personal growth, sense of self esteem, spirituality,
happiness and forgiveness.

2
Early Life Priorities Later Life Priorities

WOMEN
1 Family (taking care of everyone) 1 Personal growth
2 Independence 2 Self-esteem
3 Career 3 Spirituality
4 Fitting in 4 Happiness
5 Attractiveness 5 Generosity

Of course this is just a sample study. In case you were wondering, here are the research results of
the priority shift for men:

MEN
1 Wealth 1 Spirituality
2 Sense of adventure 2 Personal peace
3 Achievement 3 Family
4 Pleasure 4 Gods Will (sense of purpose)
5 Respect 5 Honesty

With both genders, the tendency is a shift from an egocentric life perspective to a more spiritually
balanced, more authentic life.

John C. Maxwell declares: Change is inevitable. Growth is optional. Are you fighting change
at every turn, or are you accepting it, using it, and moving with it? When you embrace change
you can confidently communicate who you are and support what you want and
need. from Quintessential Style: Cultivate and Communicate Your Signature Look

Spiritual Movie Review: The Shift from Ambition to Meaning by Wayne Dyer

Is it possible to achieve our dreams of success without a spiritual practice?

Can we be both spiritual and successful? Or are the two mutually exclusive?

I remember growing up I started developing ambitions about the future of my life.

I fantasized about having a successful business, having lots of money, and being cool and confident
in social situationsthe usual aspirations for a young man.

Yet deep down, I felt a small and subtle but ever-present longing for becoming more "spiritual".

Whenever that feeling would come up, I would usually brush it off and say to myself, "I'll study
spirituality when I'm older" or "Once I get my life together and achieve most of my goals, then I can
spend time on spiritual stuff."
3
I've come to realize the irony in it all because without the "spiritual stuff", it becomes pretty tough to
achieve anything in life and truly be happy.

Sure, you can achieve anything without being spiritual, but in my own experience, to truly find
fulfillment, one must begin to focus inward and reconnect with their source.

At that point, everything changes quality and fulfillment is experienced not through achievement but
by alignment.

Because of this, many of the old ambitions fall away and are replaced by new ambitions, ones that
are created out of a new paradigm of reality; a new understanding of the world.

Instead of the cycle of reaching for a goal and suffering until it is reached, one aligns oneself with a
deeper purpose and all action arises out of that purpose.

The fulfillment comes from the purpose itself, rather than in the achieving of any particular goal or
action.

In this way, one is happy when they start a new project or goal, they are happy while it is in progress,
and they are happy when it comes to fruition.

This way one lives in a state of constant fulfillment every moment is full and complete just by the
fact that it is happening.

Sounds good doesn't it?

This is the basic premise of Wayne Dyer's first feature film, entitled "The Shift" (originally it was titled
Ambition to Meaning: Finding Your Life's Purpose).

Wayne Dyer is a widely known and well respected author and speaker in the area of personal
development and spirituality.

He has created many video programs centered around his various concepts but this is his first full-on
movie with actors, a plot, and more.

I really like the way they created this film. It's a new and unique approach to film making.

The movie follows 3 separate story lines that all weave together at a retreat center in Northern
California. One story follows a woman as she handles the pressures of being a loving wife and
mother while coming to terms the feeling that something is missing from her life.

Another story follows an ambitious young filmmaker who is on the verge of making his breakthrough
film that will launch his career into the big league.

The third story follows a young corporate executive who's drive to succeed at work has taken a toll
on his relationship with his wife, and with himself.

4
Interspersed throughout the movie, Wayne Dyer narrates with words of wisdom that describe the
transition from the ambition phase of our life, where success is "out there", to the meaning phase of
our life, where success is "in here".

Wayne is also part of the movie, since the filmmaker character is supposed to film Dr. Dyer as a mini
project before his big movie deal. So in this way Wayne is actually a character in the movie, even
though he plays himself.

As the 3 story lines start to culminate, the various characters start to see parts of their lives
breakdown or transition as they make the critical shift.

Although to them it seems confusing and frustrating, when viewed from the context that Wayne
provides, we see that life does have a deeper meaning and when we connect with our own inner
calling and align ourselves with this purpose, we find an unending source of joy, love, and guidance.

I especially liked this film because it sheds new light on one of the biggest sources of suffering and
misunderstanding in the western world the confusion between a needy, longing desire for
something and the steadfast, accepting path to actually realizing it.

So many of us, myself included, confuse wanting something really really badly as progress toward
attaining that thing.

As discussed in the post, Fulfillment is Found Not Through Attainment but by Letting Go, we can see
that by letting go of something we want in advance, we actually make it much easier to bring into our
lives.

Another reason I like this film, besides the powerful body of wisdom presented throughout, is the
living and breathing example of a man who has integrated his yin and yang side (his masculine and
feminine parts), which is Wayne Dyer of course.

Wayne Dyer creates out of a deep connection to his innermost purpose and lives life with an open
heart.

Rare is a man who expresses both truth and love in such a way as him.

Here is an excerpt about the movie:

Best-Selling Author and Renowned Spiritual Teacher, Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, Presents His First
Feature FilmThe Shift (formerly titled Ambition to Meaning).

What is The Shift? Its the story of the most important moment of your lifewhen you stop striving
and start arriving! Its the choice you make to move toward a life that gathers up the pieces of your
best, most fulfilled, most loving self. Its the moment when you start living a life rich with meaning and
begin playing the music you came here to play!

Are you ready to make the shift that changes everything? When will you find the joy, the peace, and
the love that you came here to give and to receive?

In this inspiring new movie, youll enjoy an engaging, heartwarming and humorous tale of
transformation on vacation. Youll marvel at the beauty of the windswept ocean scenery. Share the
5
characters delight as they receive the most precious giftpermission to follow their hearts. Hear
Wayne say, Dont die with your music still in you and see everyone set free to join the orchestra!

Early in life, we follow the path mapped out by ego, a path of ambition, competition, and striving.
When midlife dawns, we too often find ourselves stranded in a lonely and desolate place we never
intended to visit. Our feelings of sadness and frustration tell us we took a wrong turn. Like a shift in
the wind or a change in the tide, the yearning we feel at midlife is a call to renewal. The Shift shows
us the path home, the path to rediscovering our true self, our purpose, and the life of meaning that is
our true calling.

When you get itthat you dont do things because of what somebody else is going to do for you, but
you do them because youre living your lifes purposeyou can light up the whole world with that kind
of love. Thats how it works for me.
Wayne Dyer