We left off last time at: embracing the duty we have as Leaders and use the remarkable influence through which we can help set empowering trends, build inclusive atmospheres and encourage open, respectful communication to progress together as well as individually.
Let us continue from the Bigger Picture we placed ourselves in last time and zoom into your individual Path and Consciousness practices.
To inspire, we need to look at what we inspire with – how much do we know ourselves?
Questions throughout will help gain relevant insights.
What kind of Character traits do you represent in your actions? How balanced is your perception based on which you form opinions and make decisions? What are Values and Beliefs that form your Vision for Life – your Compass for accurate discernment?
It may be Self-evident, but we shall genuinely contemplate this in our day-to-day as well: everything you learn about yourself can help enhance the quality of your Leadership – to better understand, more wisely influence and empower the ones who turn to you for Inspiration and consider you as an example to be followed.
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When you genuinely want to inspire, it will come from a place of Meaning and Purpose that is both serving your Self-actualization as well as everyone around you, in your Circle of Influence (added notes in Resources).
If we've learnt anything over the past thousands of years, there's a repeating lesson many great teachers keep saying from at least as early as the ancient Greeks: our enlightening increase in Consciousness begins when we start to grasp and use the power of the Mind. Expressed also as "All is Mind" or "You become what you think about" or "As you think, so shall you become"– from Buddha to Earl Nightingale, Napoleon Hill to Bruce Lee.
Have you heard that notion in any other form?
How do you see the role of the Mind?
How much do you value your intuitive nudges?
In which ways do you utilise the balance and coherence of Mind and Heart /Intuition?
“We control with our own minds most everything in our lives, including our health, our careers, our relationships, and our futures.” – Shad Helmstetter
At this point I mention a caution that I like to repeat, apply myself and stand for: we shall be careful not take just one human being's conclusions (no matter how popular, famous or renowned they are) as "untouchable" or absolute, and apply them one-to-one to our Lives, nor believe that just because many people say the same thing it's more certain that it's true or accurate. I'm sure you can remember historical events, or even had personal experiences, that show how careful we need to be with this type of approach.
I'm elaborating on this in an entire paragraph, because discerning our learning and information with care, is fundamental for conscious quality living.
When we get too blindsided with certain ideas, even emotionally heavily involved in defending them, this is where we tend to go down the path of dogmatic, limited thinking, close-mindedness. The kind that leads to conflict, injustice and on a planetary scale: war.
I believe that we've come to a point where we are more likely able to transcend our past – individually as well as collectively.
These considerations become especially important when sifting through our own belief system. In the Work together it is necessary for a greater quality of thinking that fuels positive transformation, that you honestly and truthfully look at where you stand with your beliefs. Filtered, confirmed and created by your Mind.
We learn to embrace the possible rawness of such honesty and truthfulness even with uncomfortable discoveries, because we learn to couple it with releasing blaming-shaming ourselves (or others). This way we can reframe the findings as useful information.
Which of your beliefs have significant emotional attachment to them?
Which of your convictions seem to draw in conflict?
Which convictions cause you to judge or condemn others who have a different view?
Which habits do you want to free yourself rom?
Try asking yourself "Is this thought/habit helpful?" and see if you want to change how you relate to them or release/replace them.
When we learn from the external world, as wise as our sources may be, we can simply see various creeds as potential puzzle pieces to our own puzzle: understanding how the Universe works while honing our authentic, unique perception on it and expression in it.
The Mind may be a very relevant lever in how we gain clarity and achieve positive Change, but to balance it with the rest of our capabilities, will potentially achieve most harmony.
Like your Heart, Soul (however you like to relate to or call drivers that do not stem from the Mind) usually know what they are doing aligned with your optimal Life Path.
Intuition will counterbalance overthinking and lead you on ways to trust yourself more, away from judgement and Self-criticism. While these work for us via more of a "tuning in" (Meditation, Mindfulness, Flow), our decision process via the Mind need more conscious tending.
As Steve Jobs reflected on this in his Commencement Speech at Stanford in 2005 (I linked the full speech in Resources):
"Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary." – Steve Jobs
Maybe not an exemplary Leader in every aspect – his approach was often different than our aim here with rather balanced attitudes –, but he quite clearly showcased some of the Visionary attributes of Leaders. To dare to see the world a little (or groundbreakingly) differently. To dare see beyond what we believe to know today.
This ability will be essential as we outgrow our past limitations and shall be maintained to keep our Mind open and our perspective as fresh as it can be.
How do you practice to see past your current assumptions?
How do you approach roadblocks when you encounter them?
What is your relationship to "failure" or "impossible"? Are you using these words or reframing them?
How do you treat novel ideas that are not your own?
In what ways do you currently encourage innovation and rattling the status quo – even if it means deviation or disagreement with your methods?
Our Mind is creating circumstance on purpose (consciously) and executes automatic programmes (sub- and unconsciously) at the same time. You could say that all our limitations originate here and we discover gradually that they are indeed, to a large degree, Self-imposed.
Once we learn to maintain our Mind well – it is often referred to as tending "the Garden of the Mind" –, it becomes a source of pure potential. Our way of thinking impacts our attitude to Life.
That is why our Work of Consciousness is a sort of harmonization of our conscious thoughts as well as our subconscious and unconscious dynamics, so that all are in positive contribution to our aims, Success and Well-being.
The Subconscious is also feeding our intuitive nudges. While the ones who are more spiritually inclined see Intuition as a blend of subconscious data and a greater beyond-human existence (often referred to as the Higher Self).
In these past years I've learned to explore and see the benefits of broadening the average analytical perspective and consider a vast array of learning fields: from scientific reasoning to philosophical-spiritual sparks of Wisdom. I've also learned to appreciate that all of us seem to have our individual ways to Self-discovery.
A Leader's style of Leadership will be much defined by their Character, Self-concept, the Values they cherish.
How do you see this today?
How does your Character show up in your Leadership practice?
And how can we improve therefore Leadership and our Value-footprint?
By investing into increasing Awareness, making a conscious effort to improve all determining and influencing elements of the Self.
Working on a deeper comprehension of your Self; accepting, developing , discovering facets of who you believe to be and who you want to become, helps as a sort of looking glass.
The more you learn your own human dynamics, the more you recognise such behavioural patterns in others'.
Thus seeing the interconnectedness and similarities, beyond differences, will prompt you to respond more wisely and ask better questions, so that you replace assumptions and judgement with true understanding and connection.
This may be a lifelong learning process, but one we can embrace and enjoy, so that we are not burning energy in resistance, but investing it instead into meaningful progress.
If you want to fully embrace your role as great and inspiring Leader, you will need to brace yourself for the the very deep questions through which you examine your reality, the beliefs and habits you built around your Life and Leadership. With all their facets. Appealing or not.
Discomfort often shows up when we are about to change hardwired routines and ways of thinking (see as example the Dr. Joe Dispenza material that describes the connection between neuroplasticity and habits in detail).
We can overcome undesired programming through Awareness and consciously choosing differently. This is a transformative element that can help anyone who commits to use it: Awareness and Choice.
You get to be an example of Self-/Empowerment.
When someone is willing to face their own shadows and commit to expand and evolve, it can encourage others to do that too. It serves as Inspiration.
What do you think and feel about your Leadership today in the light of the things discussed here today?
What kind of puzzle pieces – role models, quotes, stories, memorable situations and more – built your image and beliefs around what Leadership means to you?
What inspires you?
What does inspire you in another Leader?
Why do you want to inspire others?
This last question will be especially interesting to explore. By answering it, your Character reveals itself further. Your intentions and drivers. The Values you find worthwhile building a Life and Leadership upon.
This Work can feel like a very vulnerable space. And it is in many aspects. It is about becoming more real, more open about parts of yourself that you haven't looked at in a while. There is usually an innate understanding in all of us that these deeper parts of who we are, are important to take care of, but because it requires dedicated attention to actually understand how they influence the thoughts, emotions, moods and circumstances we have and create, we most often don't take the time and energy to do this, but let ourselves be carried away by our everyday routine. Exactly that routine that currently doesn't seem like it's working best.
The intention to change for the better ignites progress.
I deeply believe that caring to invest into improving our Consciousness, Self/Awareness, Character, a clear Concept of Self and authentically expressing our Values, results in higher quality living and leading.
Because I myself know how much Courage it takes to commit to real positive Change and keep going, I maintain this space as safe, supportive, respectful and continually evolving as I best can.
The more you understand the Value of this Inner Work, the more natural it becomes to be non-judgemental and compassionate towards everyone else – all in various stages of their Journey. I see this lesson for myself daily.
As a Leader you'll get to see the fantastic interconnected fabric of these Journeys around you. How you evolve, will evolve your contribution to it.
As Dr. Joe Dispenza says: "If you invest in yourself, you invest into the future."
And I'd add: into your positive, inspiring impact and Value-footprint.
To continue the conversation within the framework of Coaching and Mentoring
I invite you to...
utilise the Self-evaluation questions link on the website, and I'll also send a form designed for Discovery.
Feedback, questions and sharing are most welcome.
What kind of new insights have you gained? Could you eliminate some doubts? Confirmed certain priorities to yourself as you read through? Ignited new light bulbs?
If you want to share your ideas around this theme or specific questions about what you are currently focusing on solving-improving, simply send me a message.
In the meantime enjoy your contemplation time as you learn to improve your Life and Leadership.
Tamara
recommended resources
To inspire further valuable insights. With my notes.
Stephen R. Covey's ideas live on in many forms and his principles for Personal Growth seem still evergreen. His book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People contains practically applicable concepts like the Circles of Influence-Concern-Control. I regularly mention this concept, because it's immensely helpful when you want to focus your precious energies, attention and time on the right things, the things that matter most to you. It also helps become more proactive than reactive, to respond rather than react to circumstance.
When in doubt you can ask yourself: "What can I really influence?", and "From the things I identify that I can influence them, which ones truly contribute to my goals and are aligned with my Values?". Our #discernment is our greatest ally when it comes to prioritising what we choose to channel our invested efforts into that will bring the highest yield.
In this video Stephen explains his concept quite memorably: Circle of Concern and Circle of Influence | Be Proactive | The 7 Habits | Stephen Covey - YouTube
Shad Helmstetter's book What to Say When You Talk to Your Self is a fundamental resource to understand the power and role of our Self-talk, and how to shape our Inner Conversations so that they become beneficial to optimise our way of thinking.
A quote from said book: “Research in neuroscience has shown us how the brain gets programmed, and people want to know how they can use that knowledge to change their programming, and improve their lives.”
The concept Robert Dilts' Logical Levels of Change will help with the greater context and Life Vision-building. Joseph Rodrigues' video Robert Dilts Logical Levels of Change - YouTube explains it very well in detail.
Self-actualization we will interpret individually how it looks like for us, but for reference points to the concept I recommend to look again at Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs (a.k.a. "Maslow Pyramid") or Carl Rogers' description of it. No human-made concept may be entirely accurate trying to make sense of such complexity as Life, but they can provide useful perspectives for our own conclusions.
Just like they did, I also see it as a lifelong unfolding process that we learn to appreciate and not a single event we strive towards: when in our actions and behaviour, we become congruent with our Ideal Self, the person we want to be.
This article by Crystal Raypole gives a pretty good list of the general qualities of a Self-actualized Life: Self-Actualization: What It Is and How to Achieve It (healthline.com)
See what resonates.
Steve's Commencement Speech transcription: Text of Steve Jobs' Commencement address (2005) (stanford.edu)
and the speech itself Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford Commencement Address - YouTube
Dr. Joe Dispenza is and teaches another level of Personal Evolution. He bridges science and spirituality in ways that seem most natural: our technological advancement allows now to show and measure the benefits of Meditation and changed way of thinking via brain scans, RV testing, gene expression tests, immune regulation, cellular metabolism, longevity measurements (telomeres), while the personally experienced phenomena are a blend of physical, emotional, mental upgrades as well as things beyond description but rather of a spiritual quality. His meditations are based on neuroscience and quantum physics. He combines in his work these fields with brain chemistry, biology, genetics and epigenetics.
Any of his books are a recommended read (or in audiobook form on YouTube), starting with Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself.
The Lifebook concept by Jon and Missy Butcher is currently still available within the Mindvalley resources as a 6-week course. I've done mine in 2019 (+ the Mastery course that focuses on implementation of the Lifebook goals and related habits) and found it a worthwhile investment — no affiliation, simply sharing what's worked well for me and I share here resources I trust enough (and the results they helped me produce) to recommend them.
It's basically a comprehensive process where you look at 12 dimensions covering your entire Life (Health & Fitness, Intellectual, Spiritual, Character, Emotional, Love, Parenting, Social, Financial, Career, Quality of Life, Life Vision) from a visionary to a practical perspective, bringing dreams into reality. Asking yourself simple yet fundamental questions structuring around Premise-Vision-Purpose-Strategy for each and every one, you gain answers on what matters to you most in these areas.
This process exists in many shapes and forms (such as Ikigai or Wheel of Life) and this one tends to be a real good deep-dive.
I certainly bring all my learnings into my Coaching, so that my personal investments and revelations enrich not only my Life, but through my work all yours too.
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