Why Did You Have A Heart Attack?

Best-selling novelist Michael Crichton tells a story about his medical school years in his book Travels. He and his intern pals were bored, because nearly the whole surgical floor was filled with heart attack patients. Although a heart attack is pretty dramatic for the patient, apparently it’s not the most exciting challenge for doctors-in-training. Hoping to liven up patient rounds, he decided he’d ask a different question from the usual checklist of symptoms. He asked instead, “Why did you have a heart attack?”

The responses shook him to his core and changed his entire view of medicine. First, every patient had an immediate answer. It was as if they had been asking themselves that question and waiting for a doctor smart enough to ask it. Second, every single patient reported a psychological or emotional reason. Nobody said it was too much bacon and too little exercise. They gave answers such as the following: “I lost my job and my pension.” “I want a divorce, and I feel guilty.” “My daughter wants to marry someone of a different race.”

The astounded Crichton took his findings to the chief of medicine, who responded with a story of his own. He once was hospitalized with a slipped disc precisely when he had to reject a paper written by a close colleague. He understood that the slipped disc had postponed facing an unpleasant circumstance, and he saw a clear cause and effect.

Although you can’t be precisely sure of the content of your mindset, you can be sure it’s affecting your life experiences. Through this experience, Crichton began to understand what every Truth student understands: your mindset and emotions create your reality. In every area of your life, your skills, contacts, education, and intelligence, all get trumped by your mindset and emotions. That’s why we focus first on the right mindset. We know that if we don’t get that right, the rest is wasted energy.

Here’s a question that might give you some interesting insights.

Ask yourself a version of “Why did I have a heart attack?” Ask, “What is my greatest desire right now, and what mindset, beliefs, and thoughts are keeping me from it?” See what comes up. If you’re honest with yourself, your answer can lead you to inner changes that can create positive outer results.