“In order to be open to creativity, one must have the capacity for constructive use of solitude. One must overcome the fear of being alone.” ― Rollo May
We live in an attribution world; namely, we always attribute ‘something’ (out there) to our feeling state: get this = achieve that; avoid this = don’t get that. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions, premised on changing the outside world in which we live.
Take the personal development paradigm. There’s nothing universal. In those terms, it’s no wonder we go running off in all directions looking for the next fix. (Look at the number of books in this area and you’ll understand my point.)
What about the business world? Mutatis mutandis: it’s premised on the idea that we have to garner or let go of certain attributes and only then will we reach our goal.
What if there was no need to journey outwith and understand that what we seek, we already are?
Let me say that again — perhaps less prosaically. What if there was no need to keep chasing down the next fix, the next new thing or to change a habit and to understand that life, our life, is governed by a set of universal (psychological) principles that if understood would transform our lives and our businesses forever. And like all new wizz-bang ‘things’, I’m happy to admit that what I’m about to tell you is nothing new. It’s just that we’ve been looking in the wrong direction.
For a start, how can something in the external world, e.g. a car, a house, a new toy, send you good feelings (or bad feelings depending on your mood state)? It can’t, and it never has. Your feelings arise from your thinking. Period.
If grasped, what does this mean in practice? You stop taking your thinking so seriously. Better still, you’d stop dabbling in your thinking and assume that, if changed, your world would improve. It might, but it never lasts. And, worse still, particularly in a business context, it means you keep looking for something bigger, assuming, as I’ve said already, that your feeling state is attributable to something outwith you.
Back to my thinking-feeling point.
You live in the experience of your thinking 100% of the time. If you think otherwise, please raise your hand and tell me where your feelings come from.
What, you don’t know…after all these years.
Sorry, but the journey is within. Tough, eh!
Even if you grasp this thought-feeling thing, you need to understand that underpinning your feelings lies an awareness of everything. Some call it the witnessing presence but it’s the awareness that there is a thinker and a thinking self. Also, you know when your consciousness is up because everything seems fresh. Equally, when it’s depressed, everything’s a bit harder.
But, once again, there’s nothing to do. Be – there’s nothing else.
And of course, beyond our consciousness lies a universal mind or energy that keeps the whole system intact. Lost? Well, think about your breathing, your seeing and your healing. How does it happen? What, you think it’s a matter of molecular biology? Really. Well, what powers those gifts? They don’t arise on their own.
In the end, you’re probably thinking that this doesn’t help you one jot in your business. But you’re wrong. If you’re willing to enquire within, you may just see that clarity, performance and success arises not by linking success with an external result but in letting go and falling into wisdom that’s innate in all of us.
If, of course, none of this makes sense, then please feel free to reach out and connect with me, and I’ll explain why I believe the less you have on your mind the more successful you’ll be.
PS. I just launched on Patreon and it would be wonderful if you’re able to support my work by making a nominal pledge of $3 a month. Much love.
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