Posted by Eric Wilson
I was having coffee with a successful entrepreneur last week when he said something that stopped me cold.
“I have everything I ever wanted—the business, the house, the recognition—but I wake up every morning feeling like I’m running on a hamster wheel. What’s wrong with me?”
Nothing was wrong with him. He just didn’t understand which consciousness level he was operating from, and how that level was creating his entire experience of reality.
Most people go through life never realizing that consciousness operates at different frequencies—what I call “The Code” in my book “The Attention Compass.” These nine levels determine not just how you feel, but literally what you perceive as possible in any given moment.
Here’s a simple assessment that will reveal exactly where you’re operating from right now. More importantly, it’ll show you what becomes available when you shift to higher levels.
The 60-Second Consciousness Assessment
Read each statement below and notice which ones feel most true to your current experience. Don’t overthink it—your first instinct is usually most accurate.
GROUP A:
- I often feel like I don’t deserve good things that happen to me
- Success feels more threatening than failure sometimes
- I frequently apologize for things that aren’t my fault
- I avoid opportunities because “people like me don’t do that”
- I feel fundamentally flawed in ways others aren’t
GROUP B:
- I constantly replay past mistakes and missed opportunities
- “If only I had…” is a regular thought pattern for me
- I punish myself more harshly than I’d punish others for the same mistakes
- I feel responsible for things that went wrong, even when they weren’t my fault
- Regret dominates many of my quiet moments
GROUP C:
- “What’s the point?” is my response to most suggestions for change
- I can systematically explain why any new opportunity won’t work
- I’ve given up on several dreams and call it “being realistic”
- I feel emotionally numb more often than I feel genuinely excited
- Hope feels naive or dangerous to me
GROUP D:
- I make most decisions based on avoiding what I don’t want rather than pursuing what I do want
- I stay in situations that don’t fulfill me because they’re “safe”
- I constantly worry about worst-case scenarios
- “I need to be careful” guides more choices than “I want to explore”
- Security matters more to me than satisfaction
GROUP E:
- “I’ll be happy when…” is a frequent thought pattern
- I achieve goals but the satisfaction never lasts as long as expected
- I compare my life to others’ social media highlights
- I feel like something is always missing, no matter what I accomplish
- I’m constantly seeking the next thing that will finally make me feel complete
GROUP F:
- I feel energized by the possibility of change, even when it’s difficult
- “This needs to be different” is stronger than “I need to be safe”
- I can access determination even when I’m scared
- I’m willing to set boundaries that might upset others
- I feel powerful rather than victimized when facing challenges
GROUP G:
- I can see both sides of most conflicts without losing my own perspective
- “Given that this is happening, what’s my best response?” is how I approach problems
- I feel curious about difficulties rather than just frustrated by them
- I can disagree with someone without making them wrong
- I respond to setbacks by adjusting my approach rather than questioning my worth
GROUP H:
- I trust that things will work out, even when I can’t see how
- I take action without needing to control every outcome
- I notice meaningful coincidences and synchronicities regularly
- I feel connected to something larger than my personal concerns
- Challenges feel like opportunities for growth rather than threats to survive
GROUP I:
- Boundaries between “me” and “others” sometimes feel arbitrary
- I experience moments where time seems to stop or stretch
- I feel deeply connected to nature, music, or creative expression
- I sometimes know things without knowing how I know them
- I feel most like myself when I’m not thinking about myself
Your Consciousness Level Results:
Mostly A’s: Level 1 – Shame You’re operating from a frequency of hopelessness and unworthiness. This isn’t a permanent state, but it requires gentle, consistent work to shift upward. The good news: recognizing this level is the first step toward transformation.
Mostly B’s: Level 2 – Guilt You’re caught in regret and self-punishment patterns. Your energy is consumed by the past rather than available for the present. Learning to forgive yourself—not just intellectually but energetically—is your pathway forward.
Mostly C’s: Level 3 – Apathy You’ve mistaken resignation for wisdom. This level masquerades as rationality but actually blocks you from seeing real possibilities. The key is distinguishing between genuine assessment and habitual negativity.
Mostly D’s: Level 4 – Fear You’re making decisions from survival consciousness rather than thriving consciousness. This is where most of society operates—functional but not fulfilling. Safety has become more important than growth.
Mostly E’s: Level 5 – Desire You’re caught in the “achievement trap”—always seeking the next thing that will complete you. This level has more energy than the lower ones but still operates from a sense of lack. The hamster wheel my entrepreneur friend described.
Mostly F’s: Level 6 – Anger Congratulations—you’ve reached the breakthrough level. Anger at this level isn’t destructive rage but determined energy for change. You’ve stopped accepting what doesn’t serve you. Use this energy wisely to move higher.
Mostly G’s: Level 7 – Acceptance You’re operating from genuine flow consciousness. Reality is your friend rather than your enemy. You can work with what is rather than fighting what isn’t. This is where real effectiveness begins.
Mostly H’s: Level 8 – Peace You’ve accessed deep trust in life’s intelligence. You can take inspired action without attachment to results. Most people only glimpse this level occasionally, but you’re experiencing it more consistently.
Mostly I’s: Level 9 – Enlightenment You’re experiencing consciousness beyond individual identity. These are peak experiences that most people have only briefly, but they show you what’s possible when awareness expands beyond personal boundaries.
Why This Matters More Than You Think
Your consciousness level isn’t just how you feel—it’s what you can perceive, create, and attract. Two people in identical circumstances will have completely different experiences based solely on their consciousness frequency.
From Level 4 (Fear), a job interview is a threat to survive. From Level 7 (Acceptance), it’s an opportunity to explore mutual fit. Same interview, entirely different reality.
From Level 5 (Desire), relationships are sources of validation. From Level 8 (Peace), they’re expressions of connection. Same person across from you, completely different experience.
The Simple Daily Practice
Now that you know your current level, here’s how to begin shifting upward:
Each morning, ask: “What level am I operating from today?” Notice without judgment—just awareness.
Throughout the day, when you feel triggered or stuck, pause and ask: “What would the next level up see in this situation?”
Don’t try to jump from Level 3 to Level 8 overnight. Just focus on moving one level higher in how you perceive and respond to whatever you’re facing.
The Promise of Higher Levels
I’ve lived at most of these levels during different periods of my life. The difference isn’t just subjective—it’s practical. Higher levels quite literally create different realities through the frequency they broadcast.
At Level 4, I attracted circumstances that confirmed my fears. At Level 7, solutions appeared that I couldn’t have imagined from lower levels. At Level 8, synchronicities became so common I stopped calling them coincidences.
This isn’t magical thinking—it’s consciousness physics. The frequency you embody determines the experiences that resonate into your life.
Your Next Step
Take this assessment again in a month. You might be surprised how your responses change as you become more aware of these levels and practice shifting between them.
Remember: you’re not permanently fixed at any level. These are frequencies you can learn to tune into consciously rather than just experiencing randomly.
The question isn’t what level you’re at right now. The question is: what level do you want to explore next?
Want to understand which consciousness level you’re operating from and how to shift to higher frequencies? This assessment is just the beginning. Email me at eric@theattentioncompass.com
Eric Wilson helps people identify and shift their consciousness levels for more effective living. His approach shows how small shifts in awareness create dramatic changes in experience.