Quantum Leaps

As we walk this vale of tears, from time to time we are given the opportunity to experience beneficial state changes in our life. Some of them are quite natural, even expected. One day we are single, then as the result of energy we have dumped into that relationship we find that we are married. Years pass and husband and wife, quite naturally, become parents. Some of these state changes can be unexpected. As the result of energy dumped into a high school education a small town girl, dreaming small town dreams, is accepted to a major university. All of a sudden the small town girl becomes a sophisticated academic, a fully accepted member of her new community.

Phases of life like technological development seem to follow what is often called S curves. We start off slow. Then gather momentum. Things change very rapidly. When we reach the end of the project or the limit of the technology progress begins to slow, eventually flat lining.

Consider the top speed of piston engine propeller driven aircraft. Things started rather slowly with the Wright Flyer, top speed 30 mph. During World War I, top speed almost doubled from approximately 100 mph to 200 mph. During World War II top speed climbed from 300 mph to almost 450 mph. At that point top speed flat lined. The aircraft industry reached the technological limits of the piston engine propeller driven aircraft.

Then something happened. The Germans introduced the world’s first jet fighter plane. It was almost 100 mph faster than any other aircraft in the skies. Fueled by the desperate energy of war, aircraft top speed experienced a major state change. The curve started over again 100 mph higher. It took a while for jet aircraft to crack the sound barrier. Then top speeds accelerated very rapidly to Mach 2.5, over 1400 mph. This is pretty much the practical limit for jet aircraft. The SR-71 reached Mach 3.5 but the technology required to reach that speed is not practical for use in a normal fighter aircraft. Once again, we await a state change in technology to begin the process for a third time.

Check out your life. Where are you on the S curve; at the beginning, just learning a new role in life, are you rapidly improving, or have you reached the limits of your belief system? Are you flat lining? If you are stuck in a rut, if you are measuring very little beneficial change in your life, perhaps your beliefs about yourself and your abilities have reached the end of an S Curve. Perhaps it is time to look for an opportunity for a state change. Such state changes require a great deal of energy. They come at the end of serious effort or as the result of amazing good fortune. For the purposes of this blog, energy is measured in units of money. However, life is not limited to money.

Has the time come to change the way you think about yourself? Is it time to jump to a new life, experiencing a beneficial state change without your old limits?

Philippians 4:

[13] I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.