Closing the 18-Inch Gap Podcast-EP060: Five Awareness Levels to Realize Your Dreams NOW!

In today's episode, I will be exploring something from my law enforcement days that directly ties into today's topic. It's a way to describe a type of mindset that someone is in at any given time. It's a way to describe where someone's mindset is at any given time. We will all experience any of these five at any given point. As with everything else, it's the extremes that we need to be careful with as you will shortly see once I explain each one. Mindset is so important in everything we do. In achieving your dream this is crucial. Mindset is practically everything! So more about this on the other side.

Quote of the week: No matter what, you got to come in, and you got to continue to work, continue to have that mindset to get better every single day.

Saquon Barkley

Points covered: Five Awareness Levels

1. Condition White – Completely Checked Out

Mindset/Emotional State:
In this state, the person is disconnected from their surroundings and often from themselves. There may be a sense of numbness, apathy, or escapism, where the person avoids reality or uncomfortable truths.

Impact on Dream Achievement:
At this level, pursuing dreams is nearly impossible. People in Condition White often aren't aware they have a dream, or they've buried it so deep it doesn't feel relevant. There's no active engagement with their goals, no self-reflection, and no action. They may not even recognize that they're dissatisfied because they're so disconnected from purpose.

Support Strategies:
Helping someone in this state requires compassionate awakening. Start with gentle awareness-building: daily check-ins, mindfulness exercises, or simple journaling prompts like "What makes you feel alive?"

2. Condition Orange – Somewhat Aware of Surroundings

Mindset/Emotional State:
Here, the person is starting to tune in. They know something feels off or that they want more, but clarity is fuzzy. There's curiosity but also hesitation. Emotionally, they may feel restlessness, slight anxiety, or even frustration from knowing they should be doing more but aren't sure how.

Impact on Dream Achievement:
In Condition Orange, people may start setting vague goals or talk about change, but they struggle to create consistency. They might dabble—read a few books, sign up for a course, or journal sporadically—but rarely follow through.

Support Strategies:
This is a good place to introduce structured self-awareness tools like vision exercises, values identification, or guided coaching conversations. Help them explore what they want without judgment. Introduce decision-making frameworks that allow them to compare options without overwhelm.

3. Condition Yellow – Somewhat Aware of Surroundings (but More Engaged)

Mindset/Emotional State:
This state reflects relaxed alertness. The person is more tuned in to their goals and starting to create consistent awareness around what they want and why. There's growing confidence and more frequent engagement in self-reflection. Emotionally, they're motivated, open to feedback, and starting to stretch beyond their comfort zone.

Impact on Dream Achievement:
Condition Yellow is a fertile space for momentum. They may be experimenting with new habits, building a support network, or actively working on their goals. They still encounter resistance or fear, but they're more likely to push through it. They can begin to see results, which reinforces belief in their dreams.

Support Strategies:
Here, emphasize momentum-building strategies: tracking progress, celebrating wins, and refining vision into tangible action steps. Decision-making can be enhanced with tools like time-blocking, priority planning, or emotional regulation practices like breathwork or gratitude.

4. Condition Red – Somewhat Unaware Due to Being Under Stress

Mindset/Emotional State:
In Condition Red, the person is in survival mode. They may be actively pursuing goals but are emotionally hijacked by stress, fear, or pressure. There's a tendency to overthink, become reactive, or retreat into avoidance again. Emotionally, this shows up as overwhelm, anxiety, self-sabotage, or burnout.

Impact on Dream Achievement:
Progress becomes inconsistent or stalls completely. Decisions may be fear-based rather than aligned with vision. They may abandon big dreams in favor of "safer" or more familiar patterns. They're operating with tunnel vision, unable to access the creativity and flexibility needed to stay on track.

Support Strategies:
Focus on nervous system regulation and stress resilience—introduce breathwork, grounding exercises, or routines that bring safety to the body and mind. Build emotional awareness around what triggers the stress response and how to reframe perceived threats.

5. Condition Black – Completely Unaware Due to Extreme Danger or Overwhelm

Mindset/Emotional State:
This is a state of emotional shutdown or chaos. The person may be experiencing crisis, trauma, or a complete break in self-trust. There's disorientation, paralysis, or panic—where even small tasks feel impossible.

Impact on Dream Achievement:
In Condition Black, dreams feel irrelevant or impossible. The person is in total survival mode and can't access higher reasoning or vision. This may be a result of accumulated stress or external life crisis.

Support Strategies:
In this condition, trauma-informed care is essential. The focus should be on restoring basic stability—sleep, nourishment, safety, and connection. Avoid pushing for big breakthroughs; instead, help them regulate, rest, and return to self-kindness.

Book: Closing The 18-Inch Gap