EXPRESSING YOUR GREATNESS
Monday , May 24, 2010
If you are completely satisfied with what you have, what you do, and who you are, then do not read any further (and also send me an email to tell me how the heck you achieved it). Because I don't know about you, but I am still stumbling along sometimes like I have two left feet! ;-) I think that we all realise that none of us are using 100% of our capacity. Numerous studies and theories lead us to believe that we use less than 10% of the full capacity of our minds (some suggest as low as 5%). And how about this for a random thought…the amount of energy produced from splitting a single atom is about two hundred million electronvolt’s, and our body is made up of trillions of atoms. So in Carl Massy theory, we have enough ‘potential’ energy in us to turn the planet into a HUGE firecracker!! So know this. However much you think you have reached your full potential or capacity, know that you (and me) have barely scratched the surface. We can become so much more than what we have shown so far – regardless of how old we are. I remember reading in ‘Survival of the Fittest’ by Mike Stroud, of a woman in her late 50’s that took up long distance running (she was never a runner when she was younger). She went on, in her sixties, to compete in the Eco Challenge which is one of the most gruelling adventure races on the planet!
So…we all have more in us.
From my experience I believe that these are some of the things that hold us back from being truly magnificent:
1. Not choosing big enough goals. The type of goals that really stretch us and keep us on the edge of growth. That are outside of our comfort zones. That operate within our emotional and mental capacity. Sort of like lifting small weights in the gym. They might maintain some muscles, but they will never cause the muscles to grow! In the gym, as in life, you need resistance to grow. And you need big goals to get you inspired!!
2. Being overcome by temporary setback (or even a number of setbacks). Setbacks are also part of the experience of life. They are the stuff that crafts us into better beings. That lets us know what works and what doesn’t – thus increasing our knowledge of the steps to success. They also have the potential to increase our emotional threshold. If we laugh at setbacks, and laugh at ourselves, and laugh at life, then dust ourselves off and get back up again – well then we learn to become truly great.
3. Complacency (a.k.a. going backwards). If a plant in the garden decides to stop growing, what happens to the plants around it? They continue to grow, because that is their nature. And what happens to the plant that has decided not to grow? It is soon covered up and misses out on the life giving sunshine. Its roots don’t draw in water because there is none left at that same level. It is not that this plant is not growing – now it is actually dying. So getting too complacent with this gift of life will eventually mean that you are on the road to backwards.
4. Fear of the unknown (or change). This stops so many people in their tracks. And again it is contrary to nature. We cannot, not grow. And with growth comes change – whether it is physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually. So we have to change. And if we resist it, then we are going against the flow of the universe. We are hurting on the inside and life just gets harder and harder. Be ok with changing friends throughout your life, or partners, or occupations, or job titles, or countries, or income, or anything else which may come your way. There is not one thing that happens to you in life that creates a change, which you cannot look back on in 5 years as a positive life experience. So welcome change for what it is. A chance to allow you to grow into your greatness.
5. Not being fully present in your life in general and the things that you do on a daily basis. Not being committed 100% to what you are doing. Not mastering and excelling at what you are doing. Plus you do not feel life through all of your senses. You don’t truly hear the sound of the wind in the leaves, or see the colours dance across the sky at dawn and dusk, or taste the sweetness of that apple as you bite into it, or feel that life giving sensation as you draw that breath deep inside you, or smell the richness of a freshly cut lawn. Show up 100% in life and it suddenly takes on a whole new meaning (you will also be amazed at the strength that this gives you as well).
6. Not knowing how great we can be. Because we decided to believe the wrong people and the wrong messages. This is a HUGE factor. We believe the messages that we hear around us. There are SO many examples in history of people becoming great BECAUSE they did not listen to the general consensus or even people closest to them. Nelson Mandela did not listen to his own confidents who said his way would not work. Ghandi did not stop because he was told that he was too insignificant to succeed against the British Empire. Mother Teresa did not stop helping people because she was told the task was too big. The Wright Brothers didn’t give up on flying because people said that metal could not stay in the air (which is handy for me otherwise the trip to and from Laos would be longer than the time I would spend there!).
I have realised that the adventure of life is deciding to live our lives to our fullest. To set big goals; and then go after them. That the joy of life is the successes, the falls, the stumbles, the wins, the confusion, the innovation, the journey and the ultimate destination. This whole thing is life. Life isn’t just the good bits or the bad bits. It is the whole lot thrown together in a big mixer. You haven’t had a better life just because you haven’t experienced any really bad stuff. It is ALL part of the experience we call ‘life’. It is not about getting to the end of your days and saying – yeah, I had a pretty easy run. It is about getting to the end of life and knowing that you played full on and tried to push yourself emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually to the highest level that you could. That you tapped into, and then unearthed, your incredible magnificent inner potential. That you cracked a few inner atoms and sent big arse firecrackers throughout the whole universe!!
So I challenge you to look in. Or to look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself if you are playing too safe hand, or are playing to your full potential? And if you know that you have more in you; then do something about it. Push the envelope. Climb that mountain. Start that new business. Throw in that job that you hate. Commit to that partner that you have not been fully present with. Laugh at yourself a little more. Be more present in everything that you do. And live life more fully. Regardless of whether you believe that we have one shot at the title or are reincarnated for another crack at getting it right, the fact remains that this life is all that we have for now! So get living it (myself included!).
I look forward to seeing you on the big stage where you can stand up and truthfully say that you are living life to the best of your inner abilities!!
BRAVO!!!
Posted by Carl Massy at 05 : 39 PM
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