Are you the type of person who has big plans but just never seems to get anywhere with them? Did you make resolutions at the start of 09' and completely ignore them? Perhaps you feel like life is just getting in the way and you can't stay on track?
If you could relate to any of those questions, then this post is for you. There is no doubt in my mind that the human brain contains some form of 'goal seeking mechanism.' Our first aim and main goal is of course, to survive: we need adequate food, water and at least some form of shelter and out of necessity.
In this day and age, it's becoming a lot rarer for anyone to be desperate for food and water, at least in western society or for anybody who is able to read this article. Because of that, we don't just focus on survival and instead set other goals for ourselves. They might be productivity goals, sporting goals or even financial goals. Whatever they are, we all have them.
In this mail I want to look at the four main reasons people fail to achieve their goals. I hope that some of these points might help to awaken you to where you may have been going wrong.
1. Limiting Beliefs
At times, when I've failed to attain the things I'm going for in life, it's simply because I didn't believe I could fulfil my desires. It could be my friends telling me that I can't do something or my own beliefs based on past experiences. Either way, I would prove myself and others right by failing to achieve what I wanted.
"Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right" - Henry Ford
If you start doubting your own potential, it will make it far more likely for you to give up on a goal and just move on to something else. A good way to get past this limitation is to find people who have had success on a similar path and find out as much about them as you can.
2. Picking the Wrong Goal
Saying that you picked the wrong goal should not be used an excuse for being lazy or finding it easy to give up. Picking the wrong goal should only be stated when you really have chosen the wrong goal. Wrong goals come in many formats, they could be:
Things you're trying to achieve because other people want you to
Doing something just to impress others
Focusing on something you don't care if you achieve or not
Mirroring others just because you think it's the right path to take
There are more examples of this, but these are some of the most common. A good way to find the 'right' goal for you is to literally pick up a pen(cil) and paper and start writing down all the things you would like to achieve. If you do this for a decent amount of time, there will be something that just stands out, something that just feels right. This is probably the right goal for you.
3. You Lack Consistency / Patience
The key here is to keep going. Once you've decided on your goal, don't let anything get in the way. There may be times when 'life' distracts you as it always will, but once things are dealt with, get back on track.
4. There's No "Next Step," No Action Plan
Some people simply set themselves a goal and leave it at that. It's something they have at the back of their mind and take action on whenever they remember. There's no use in having a goal if you don't lay out an action plan for yourself or at least some time-frame in which you would like to complete it.
Every morning I go over a sheet of paper which contains my three main goals in life. They are related to my health, wealth and my other goals. I then set tasks for each, where necessary, and work to complete those during the day. I have a little freedom as I work for myself, but the principle of putting a plan together still applies.
I know for a fact that if I didn't set out goals or targets for certain aspects of my life, they wouldn't be as far along progression wise as they are now.
Search This Blog
Showing posts with label Philosophy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Philosophy. Show all posts
August 25, 2009
The 5 Elements
Existence or Cosmos is made up of the five elements – Earth, Water, Fire, Air and
Ether. All these elements are different forms of the same Existential Energy which we call
God.
The basic thirst of man is to find a connection with this Existential Energy. All religions
have been born with the idea of finding a connection with Existence through the five
elements.
Let us examine how this is achieved:
Take the first element – the Earth element. Idol worship is nothing but trying to find a
connection with the Existential Energy through the Earth element. Idols are made up of
earth or clay. Through worshipping idols, we are actually trying to find a connection
through the Earth element.
Here, one point has to be clearly understood: We are not worshipping the idols; we are
worshipping through the idols. If this point is understood, there will not be so much of
fight and fanaticism over forms and idols. The Energy that everyone is worshipping is
one and the same. This has to be very clearly understood.
Next, we come to the water element. It is a spiritual practice to take bath in sacred rivers.
This is actually a technique to try to realise the Existential Energy through the water
element.
We perform so many fire rituals at our homes and temples. This practice is to
realise the Existential Energy through the fire element.
The fourth element is the air. Chanting mantras is nothing but trying to connect to
the Cosmic Energy through the air element. When we chant, we are playing with our
breath, which is nothing but the air element.
Finally, we come to the element which is the subtlest form of the Existential Energy – the
Ether element. Meditation is nothing but trying to connect to Existence through the ether
element.
The earth element is the first plane of tuning ourselves to the Energy and ether is the final
plane of tuning. We can start with the earth element – idol worship, but we tend to get
stuck there and there starts the problem.
You can start education with a kindergarten school, but you cannot stay in kindergarten forever,
can you? In the same way, you can start with idol worship so that you have something tangible
when you try to connect to the Cosmic Energy, but you have to ultimately graduate from it and
start meditating to fine tune yourself with Existence.
Once you start doing this and experiencing the joys of meditation, you will find yourself
expanding and exploding in all directions - 360 degrees.
Ritualistic worship always draws tight boundaries around you. It keeps you in a closed circle.
But once you have had a taste of meditation, you will start becoming an expanse. Then, when
you go back to rituals, you will look at them from a different dimension!
If you understand the underlying concept of the five elements, you will be able to enjoy
Existence continuously instead of getting stuck in different forms of worship. So, just try
to understand this and start resonating with Existence!
Ether. All these elements are different forms of the same Existential Energy which we call
God.
The basic thirst of man is to find a connection with this Existential Energy. All religions
have been born with the idea of finding a connection with Existence through the five
elements.
Let us examine how this is achieved:
Take the first element – the Earth element. Idol worship is nothing but trying to find a
connection with the Existential Energy through the Earth element. Idols are made up of
earth or clay. Through worshipping idols, we are actually trying to find a connection
through the Earth element.
Here, one point has to be clearly understood: We are not worshipping the idols; we are
worshipping through the idols. If this point is understood, there will not be so much of
fight and fanaticism over forms and idols. The Energy that everyone is worshipping is
one and the same. This has to be very clearly understood.
Next, we come to the water element. It is a spiritual practice to take bath in sacred rivers.
This is actually a technique to try to realise the Existential Energy through the water
element.
We perform so many fire rituals at our homes and temples. This practice is to
realise the Existential Energy through the fire element.
The fourth element is the air. Chanting mantras is nothing but trying to connect to
the Cosmic Energy through the air element. When we chant, we are playing with our
breath, which is nothing but the air element.
Finally, we come to the element which is the subtlest form of the Existential Energy – the
Ether element. Meditation is nothing but trying to connect to Existence through the ether
element.
The earth element is the first plane of tuning ourselves to the Energy and ether is the final
plane of tuning. We can start with the earth element – idol worship, but we tend to get
stuck there and there starts the problem.
You can start education with a kindergarten school, but you cannot stay in kindergarten forever,
can you? In the same way, you can start with idol worship so that you have something tangible
when you try to connect to the Cosmic Energy, but you have to ultimately graduate from it and
start meditating to fine tune yourself with Existence.
Once you start doing this and experiencing the joys of meditation, you will find yourself
expanding and exploding in all directions - 360 degrees.
Ritualistic worship always draws tight boundaries around you. It keeps you in a closed circle.
But once you have had a taste of meditation, you will start becoming an expanse. Then, when
you go back to rituals, you will look at them from a different dimension!
If you understand the underlying concept of the five elements, you will be able to enjoy
Existence continuously instead of getting stuck in different forms of worship. So, just try
to understand this and start resonating with Existence!
Today's Spiritual Science
Pain can lead to enlightenment
The next time you experience some pain, try this.
Lie down in a dark room with your eyes closed and focus upon the point of pain to the exclusion of all else.
As you experience the point of pain, drop the notion of ‘pain’ from your mind. Focus all
Your attention at this spot and soon you will find it shrinking. Concentrate further and you find that the pain
has disappeared and in its place you experience pleasure; pain and pleasure are the same sensation with
different tags. Your awareness of pain has caused it to disappear and bring in the positive energy of pleasure.
When you examine the phenomenon of pain deeply, you realize that you are not the body.
No pain can affect the real you. When you overcome pain, you experience the rare freedom arising out of non-attachment.
You then exist as an Atman, an enlightened Master. Pain can be the gateway to bliss, your
key to enlightenment. When you transcend both pain and pleasure, which are both one and the same, you
experience bliss, which is perfect harmony, inner silence and total peace.
To live life without pain and suffering, become aware of the emotion of pain. Then accept
the present — the here and now.
Awareness with acceptance is the way out of pain and suffering. Suffering is important, in
life, for growth. When you understand suffering, you will realize how unnecessary it is!
And meditation is the key to that awareness and acceptance.
Pain is a basic necessity of our lives; in the absence of pain we may start styling our faces
and limbs as we do our hair everyday! Pain is a sign of our body wisdom and renders us
integrated humans.
Emotionally and mentally, pain arises out of our resistance to the present. Such pain is
additive and creates a negative energy field around us that we can refer to as the ‘Pain
Body’. Emotional imbalance disturbs the physical body; sexual repression leads to back pain; a
sense of bearing high responsibilities causes shoulder pain; when you are in unfriendly
company your body seems to shrink.
Pain calls for our attention; because attention is energy.
We invite pain upon ourselves through a lack of moderation in whatever we do, and often
enjoy the pain as it brings us attention.
To sustain ourselves, we create a low energy pool of ailments, and gladly suffer cold and
cancer. Pain and dis-ease are often substitutes for a lack of attention. They are signs that we are
desperately seeking, begging and demanding attention.
It is established that a human being can stay alive without food for 90 days but could
develop serious mental trauma if he or she is not paid any attention to for 14 days.
So practice to pay attention and stay in the here and now!
The next time you experience some pain, try this.
Lie down in a dark room with your eyes closed and focus upon the point of pain to the exclusion of all else.
As you experience the point of pain, drop the notion of ‘pain’ from your mind. Focus all
Your attention at this spot and soon you will find it shrinking. Concentrate further and you find that the pain
has disappeared and in its place you experience pleasure; pain and pleasure are the same sensation with
different tags. Your awareness of pain has caused it to disappear and bring in the positive energy of pleasure.
When you examine the phenomenon of pain deeply, you realize that you are not the body.
No pain can affect the real you. When you overcome pain, you experience the rare freedom arising out of non-attachment.
You then exist as an Atman, an enlightened Master. Pain can be the gateway to bliss, your
key to enlightenment. When you transcend both pain and pleasure, which are both one and the same, you
experience bliss, which is perfect harmony, inner silence and total peace.
To live life without pain and suffering, become aware of the emotion of pain. Then accept
the present — the here and now.
Awareness with acceptance is the way out of pain and suffering. Suffering is important, in
life, for growth. When you understand suffering, you will realize how unnecessary it is!
And meditation is the key to that awareness and acceptance.
Pain is a basic necessity of our lives; in the absence of pain we may start styling our faces
and limbs as we do our hair everyday! Pain is a sign of our body wisdom and renders us
integrated humans.
Emotionally and mentally, pain arises out of our resistance to the present. Such pain is
additive and creates a negative energy field around us that we can refer to as the ‘Pain
Body’. Emotional imbalance disturbs the physical body; sexual repression leads to back pain; a
sense of bearing high responsibilities causes shoulder pain; when you are in unfriendly
company your body seems to shrink.
Pain calls for our attention; because attention is energy.
We invite pain upon ourselves through a lack of moderation in whatever we do, and often
enjoy the pain as it brings us attention.
To sustain ourselves, we create a low energy pool of ailments, and gladly suffer cold and
cancer. Pain and dis-ease are often substitutes for a lack of attention. They are signs that we are
desperately seeking, begging and demanding attention.
It is established that a human being can stay alive without food for 90 days but could
develop serious mental trauma if he or she is not paid any attention to for 14 days.
So practice to pay attention and stay in the here and now!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)