There’s a question I like to ask my clients at the beginning of their work with me.  First, I describe two choices:

Choice 1: We’re blessed to live in a world with the sun that does many things for us and our planet—it gives us warmth, drives our weather patterns, nourishes our plant life, and countless other things we couldn’t live without. How hard do you have to work for the sun to do these things? Not one bit, right?

Choice 2: Now, imagine living in a room your whole life where the sunlight is completely blocked out. To survive, you still need many functions the sun provides, so there is a light in the ceiling that does those things. But, there’s a catch—this light is attached to a stationary bike which you must ride to keep the light turned on. So, you have to work hard just to survive.

The Question: Would you rather continue to ride the bike or get off and stand out in the sunshine? That’s the difference between surviving through your pattern of Learned Distress® and living from your well-being. (Find out which Learned Distress pattern is yours through this scientifically validated personality tool.)

Your bike-riding style is your Quanta Change® Sensory Quotient® pattern. 

Idealists are able to ride the bike well and they keep the light turned on brightly, but it’s very hard work.

Perfectionists control their riding to make sure that the light is turned on the “right way.”

Dictators ride the bike their own way, it is the only way, and they make sure everyone else does it their way, too.

The Defeatist’s bike rarely works despite their very best efforts, and in the rare case that they do get the light turned on, Defeatists just know that darkness is only a few moments away again.

Optimists always have some crisis with their bike, but they keep struggling to overcome these difficulties.

Caregivers know they can’t keep the light turned on by themselves, so they make sure to ride the bike in whatever way will get them the help they need.

Quanta Change gives you the choice to allow your well-being to work for you, just as the sun works for our planet and humankind. To learn what your “bike riding style” is and what “relaxing in the sun” might look like for you, click to take the Sensory Quotient test.

Sara Avery is the Executive Director of Quanta Change, and she’s been guiding people through this process for the past 16 years. Click to get your free, personalized SQ report and to sign up for a free, 30-minute call with her to understand how your SQ generates the biggest challenge in your life.