A maxim inscribed on the Temple of Apollo says, “Know Thyself.” Greater knowledge of oneself results in greater happiness. It allows you to discover your true passions and understand your strengths and weaknesses. When we find ourselves, we also find our flow, where we are lost in the moment doing things we naturally excel and enjoy. Once you can develop your strengths and find ways to overcome your weaknesses, life becomes a less treacherous journey.
Most highly successful people spend time on introspection. When we look within, we find clarity of vision, new ideas to solve old problems, areas of ourselves that need improvement, and places we find true joy, contentment, and achievement. Developing this regular habit will set you on a path of lifetime growth, success, and achievement.
Meditation is the regular habit of disconnecting from the outside world and spending a few minutes exploring our inside world. Those who speak about meditation being crucial to their success include Jerry Seinfeld, Katy Perry, Bill Gates, Timothy Ferriss, RuPaul, and Michael Jordan. With so many solid endorsements and few detractors, meditation certainly seems worth a try.
There are many ways to meditate and forms of meditation. Often when we are praying, doing yoga, or just zoning out to the sound of the waves, we are in a state where we look within. There are many recommendations on forms, how, what length, what time of day, and more. Ignore them all and start. Whatever works for you. I regularly meditate 20-30 minutes each day, or more, and began by meditating for one minute a day.
Once you learn how to unplug from the outside world and look within successfully, you can take it to an advanced level by adding an intent or question to answer during your practice. Here are a few questions to ponder to improve performance and maximize your success.
- What is my greatness?
- Where am I letting myself off the hook?
- How big are my dreams?
- When do I let realistic get in the way?
- Who do I want to be?
- Am I living up to my own standard?
The more often you ask yourself these questions, the more successful you will become. The more honest you can be with the answers, the greater the benefit you will receive.
Once we know ourselves, we can guide our own journey to success and be less heavily influenced by others. Several highly successful clients spent the first half of their careers following their parents’ dreams, only to find true success when they changed streams and followed their true passions. We can only reach maxim mum success when we are on a path we have chosen honestly through introspection without influence from the outside world.
Deciding who you want to be will set you on a path of becoming that person. Dream big, and don’t let the impossible get in the way. At one time, it was impossible to go to the moon, connect to the internet, or take your phone wherever you chose. True greatness comes from achieving the impossible and not letting reality get in the way. Try meditation and discover all you want to be.
