Implications of Quantum Physics for Equestrians

Anyone else who has a rudimentary grasp of physics (of any kind, really), but finds it all very fascinating? Raise your hands high. Let me see ‘em.

I know you’re out there.

Okay, so this week’s Non-Horsey Husband newsletter may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but let’s see how it goes, eh?

Recently we’ve discovered The Why Files on YouTube. For the uninitiated it’s like the History Channel and the Twilight Zone had a baby.

It’s amazing.

Never put an episode of it on if you plan to do ANYTHING else with the next half-hour of your life.

A week ago Nicole put on the most recent episode for herself and the kids, and soon enough I found myself sucked in too. It was called, “Many Worlds Theory: You’re In a Parallel Universe.” I’ve embedded it here for the curious:

I couldn’t help but consider the implications of this crazy physics theory. And, yes, absolutely, I’ll admit that it can be… uncomfortable to considering these ideas. It’s mind bending.

But I also think there’s a lot of value to wrestling with the discomfort because there’s a lot of reason for hope in this “many worlds, many lives” concept.

What is this concept, in a nutshell?

From quantum physics there is growing evidence to support the idea that every decision point in our lives is a focal point upon which a new universe and a new version of us splits off and forms.

Almost like “Sliding Doors,” the 1998 film starring Gwyneth Paltrow.

In Sliding Doors, Gwyneth Paltrow plays a character who’s life and future radically changes based on whether or not she catches a train. If you haven’t seen it, it’s a rom-com worthy of a watch, and I won’t spoil the ending for you.

The point is that the movie does a subtle and entertaining job exposing the concept for how something so simple as missing a train can irrevocably change our lives.

Consider 9/11.

Think of the people who weren’t supposed to be “in the office” at the Twin Towers that day, but were.

Think of the people who were supposed to be “in office” …but were out sick or on vacation.

Or those who were running late, or stuck in traffic—and it saved their lives…

Infinitely small moments can forever change the trajectory of our lives.

And we can never know exactly what we gave up in making one choice over another. Or what hells we avoided in making one choice over another. And sometimes it may not even matter because life may dovetail back into a common thread—just like those Choose Your Own Adventure books I read as a kid. Sometimes no matter what you do certain aspects of life seem almost deterministic.

So what does this have to do with your life and dreams as an equestrian?

Everything.

Because most of us, I’d argue, rarely achieve our dreams on exactly the timeline we’d planned on. Whether that’s winning a belt buckle, a World Championship, writing a best seller (one of my dreams), or any other accomplishment, our path through life rarely conforms with our expectations.

And we can be awful quick to decide that, “hey, if it hasn’t happened by now then:”

A) It won’t happen

B) It wasn’t “meant to be”

C) We’re to blame for it

But if we lean into this many worlds, many lives concept from physics we can see that perhaps all is well.

Perhaps there’s a bigger “story arc” we can’t observe. A beautiful thing. An arc of our life that, in retrospect will be even better than the one we had in mind.

Because quantum physics suggest that literally if we can conceive it, we can achieve it.

No matter what the obstacles. No matter the challenges. No matter were you are at now.

Sure, probability is a thing, and if you’ve strung together certain probabilities long enough then you can theoretically box yourself into more limited potentialities.

BUT…

Even then the fact that you conceive of a different, better future means that you can achieve it.

This is what leads to all those epic “based on a true story” movies.

If it was easy nobody would make a movie about it.

Let’s be honest. Who wants to watch a movie about “attractive youngster, born with a spoon in her mouth, got into horses because she was bored. Turns out she had some natural talent at it, and that talent combined with the best trainers and facilities money can buy, yielded astounding professional results. She was one of the youngest EVER to win a World Championship?”

BORING.

Would you watch it? I wouldn’t. The only way that movie gets made is if her rich oil baron daddy finances the entire production AND calls in favors to have theaters show it.

Instead, imagine the riveting tale of a courageous teenager who is determined to resume competitive rodeo months after her paralyzing spinal cord injury.

(That’s Walk. Ride. Rodeo. on Netflix)

Here’s the thing. You’ve go a paralyzing spinal cord injury. Who would blame you for giving up, bowing out.

Not me.

But the stuff of epics and great stories is going AGAINST the odds.

And quantum physics can make that happen for us. That a helpful nudge or shove from God here and there, amiright?

I guess what I’m trying to say is, hey, wherever you’re at, whatever your goals are, don’t waste your energy talking yourself out of them.

Don’t assume that just because you’re tragically disabled, or older than you’d like, or poorer than you’d like, or lacking a horse with ideal pedigree, or…whatever…that your options, your outcomes, are limited. That your story has to suck.

Because there’s no reason your story can’t be epic. Can’t be legendary.

And even if Hollywood never gets around to making a story about your life (these days they seem to be making what we parents would call “poor choices,” anyway) there’s plenty of fun and meaning and satisfaction you can achieve in your life.

Far more than you expect.

In fact, I remember a study which found that most people vastly underestimate how much better their life will get in the next 5-10 years.

In that study most people assumed that life would get better, but they vastly underestimated just how much. Their expectations were far too conservative.

But it makes sense. We see only the recipes we can make with the ingredients of our current lives, not the recipes we can make with the ingredients we don’t even yet have access too. Ingredients we get access too with a myriad of small and large decisions we will make in the next minute, hour, day, week, month, year…

To me it’s enormously hopeful to recognize that quantum mechanics means that the canvas of my life ahead of my is still wide open. That, while some days I might feel like a washed up middle-aged dude, in fact my potential is still profound.

I could still turn into the next JK Rowling. Write the next Harry Potter.

I could still write, direct, and produce movies—as I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid.

Just because it hasn’t happened YET, doesn’t mean it CAN’T. The fact that I can even imagine it means that it’s possible.

Speaking of JK Rowling, do you know how hold she was when she started writing Harry Potter? 27. It took her five years to write the first book, and it was released when she was 32.

How old was she when she finished writing the series? 41. From the release of the first book to the last book that’s less than 10 years!

Can you imagine the astonishing transformation her life experienced in those ten years? It would be almost unrecognizable.

Because at 32 she was a teacher. Annual salary? Somewhere between 17,000-39,000 Pounds .

And seven years later she was a BILLIONAIRE (before she even turned 40).

So let me ask you: if someone asked JK Rowling at her 30th birthday what she expected from the next decade, what do you suppose she would’ve said?

I guarantee BILLIONAIRE wouldn’t be one of her predictions. Nor even millionaire.

She’d probably hope for the publication of her first book. A modest advance, and friendly reviews. Enough to live off of.

The potential of a decade is enormous.

And just because you can’t imagine how you can go from point A (where you are) to point B (where you want to be) doesn’t mean there isn’t a path.

Quantum physics assures us there is.

How do you weigh the odds in your favor?

Each day, do the things which you would expect would lead to the outcomes you want.

If you want long healthy life, maybe avoid drugs, overeating, smoking, sedentary habits.

If you want to win a World Championship, exercise, eat healthy, get enough sleep, train your brain.

If you want to be a best selling author (speaking to myself here), write a page. Put pen to paper, fingers to keyboard, and start making it happen.

See, whether it’s God himself or His quantum physics (or some combination thereof) if we’re committed to sitting on the couch or never leaving our beds there’s only so much He or quantum physics can do.

Sure, is there always some tiny probability that you’re diligently endeavoring to watch the entirety of Netflix’s library and God/universe/quantum physics interrupts to drag you off the couch and transform your life? Well, yes.

But that probability is TINY, and you can weight the dice in your favor if you get off the couch and get out there.

So, what do you say? Want to join me in (metaphorically) getting off the couch and getting out there, weighting the dice in our favor?

Let’s do it!

Thanks for reading, mi amigo (I have a silly gringo’s fascination with Spanish)!

Until next week…

Warm regards,

Abe

PS: Interested in learning more mental skills, free?

CLICK HERE to save your seat for our next free “Develop Unshakable Confidence” mini-mental bootcamp coming soon!