The Choice That Very Few People Ever Make

The picture of me used for this quote is one I come back to often.

I’m standing in a doorway.

I’m 20 years old.

At the time, I didn’t fully appreciate the symbolism—but I do now.

That doorway wasn’t just a doorway.

It was a threshold. It marked the end of the first quarter of my life. And the dawning of the second…

Since then I’ve come to see life not in four quarters—but in five:

• 1–20 → The first quarter: formation, exposure, conditioning

  
  

• 21–40 → The second quarter: building, striving, proving, establishing

  
  

• 41–60 → The third quarter: refining, aligning, elevating

  
  

• 61–80 → The fourth quarter: legacy, impact, perspective

  
  

• 81–100 → The fifth quarter: bonus time—overtime

At 20, I was stepping out of the first quarter… and standing at the edge of everything that would come next.

The Life That Was Already Being Written - Seeds Had Been Planted Years Prior...

By the time that photo was taken, my life wasn’t random.

It was already intentional.

At five years old, I decided I would work for IBM.

That wasn’t accidental. My mother—who worked as a janitor there—once had to take me with her to work. That night, I saw something different. Something bigger. Something that imprinted on me.

At nine years old, I started reading the Encyclopedia Britannica—A to Z.

That experience expanded my mind in a way that most people never experience. It introduced me to the idea that the world was vast… and that life could be designed.

By 20, I was in college, pursuing a degree in Management Information Systems so that I could go to work at Owens Corning Fiberglas as an IBM software engineer. That was another goal that I had set at age 11 when they opened their new World HQ Tower in downtown Toledo Ohio, my home town. They were the top company in town to work for at that time, so that's how I decided to work on their IBM systems.

I was on a path. That path also included moving to Colorado after working at Owen’s Corning for 2 years, having graduated college with an IT degree at 21. Colorado was another goal I set at age 11, and which I accomplished exactly on schedule at age 23.

And my 20’s were amazing in Colorado. Skiing, white water rafting, hang gliding, mountain climbing, camping, hiking, fishing…

But here’s what matters most:

I wasn’t just following a path—I was beginning to choose who I would be in that picture. I was reality shaping…

The Doorway Most People Never Walk Through

Looking back at that photo now, I see something clearly:

I was standing between two realities.

• The reality I was born into

• The reality I was about to create

And the difference between those two realities came down to one thing:

The choice that very few people ever make, which is to exit their default reality — and embrace their authenticity…

Most people never make that choice.

They stay in the life they were given.

They stay in the identity they were handed.

They stay in the expectations placed on them while making only small adjustments to ease their growing discomfort.

Why?

Because the default reality is familiar.

It’s predictable.

It’s safe.

But it’s not you.

Authenticity Is Not Comfortable—It’s Transformational

Here’s the truth most people avoid:

Authenticity requires separation.

Separation from:

• Old identities

• Old environments

• Old expectations

• Old versions of yourself

At 20, I didn’t have all the answers—but I had something more important:

I had a willingness to step forward anyway, to trust my inner vision of self, and believe I could manifest it.

There was a sense of expectancy.

A belief that something bigger was out ahead.

And that belief wasn’t naive.

It was directive.

Because when you begin to align with who you truly are, your decisions start to change.

And when your decisions change… your reality soon follows.

Your Life Reflects Your Authenticity—Or Your Avoidance of It

Sitting here today, I can say this with clarity:

My life is a reflection of my authenticity.

Not perfection.

Not luck.

Not chance.

Authenticity.

Every major shift in my life came from a moment where I chose:

• To step out

• To step forward

• To step into something that felt more true

And every time I did… a new, more satisfying reality opened up.

The Choice Is Always Available

Here’s the part most people miss:

You don’t make this choice once.

You make it over and over again.

At 20.

At 30.

At 45.

At 60.

At 75.

At every stage of life, there is another doorway.

Another threshold.

Another opportunity to ask:

Am I living in my default reality… or in my authenticity?

Invest 5 Minutes to Snap Yourself Into a New Reality

Let’s make this practical.

1. Reflect

Where in your life are you operating in a default reality?

• A role you’ve outgrown

• A pattern you’ve normalized

• A version of yourself that no longer fits

Be honest.

2. Write

Define what your authentic self looks like in that area.

Not what’s expected.

Not what’s convenient.

What’s true.

Write it down.

3. Act

Take one action today that aligns with that authentic version.

Not a big move.

A real move.

Because authenticity is not discovered in thought—it’s revealed in action.

Closing Thought

That 20-year-old Mark Johnson standing in the doorway didn’t know exactly how it would all unfold.

But he knew this: He wasn’t going to stay where he started.

And neither should you.

Because the life you want…

Is waiting on the other side of a choice most people never make.

—-

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Namaste 🙏🏾

Mark Johnson

March, 2026