Continued…
Peter Senge said that “Small changes can produce big results but the areas of highest leverage are the least obvious.” That is another reason why it makes eminent sense to learn to slow down. When you are engaged with higher leverage work, you need to work less frenetically. Life is more spacious. And fulfilling. How do we even begin to resolve that which we can see intellectually but struggle in living it? Obviously the answers lie at a different level of consciousness than the one that created it- was it not Einstein who said something to that effect?
The fundamental issue is that we are not in touch with the real. The illusion is far too hypnotizing. The industrial age conditioning about more is better, linearity and sequential assembly line thinking about of time and life has us caught in the matrix. Breaking free requires us to first of all acknowledge and be willing to not know. It requires a certain innocence of perception, a willingness to discover and let the answer surprise us. But who has the time for surprises?
Good is indeed the enemy of the Great. Like Gay Hendricks says, “We are so busy trying to prove that we are okay that we forget that we are magnificent.” Somewhere in our upbringing, the environment (read- society, parents, teachers) did not cherish our greatness. And systematically ‘degeniused’ us. Not deliberately but unconsciously. But now we have a choice.
Are we going to live as an extension of our part by default or choose to live by design? Robert Fritz, one of my favourite authors recently wrote a book with a telling title, Your Life as Art. And to design your life is the work of a lifetime. Mike Jay has also done some very interesting work in enabling a design aligned to your soul. You may like to explore his book, CPR for the Soul… Creating Personal Resilience by Design (www.cprforthesoul.com).
God speaks to us in the gap between our thoughts. We require to access our intuition which only comes from connecting with silence and space. The supreme paradox is that unless we can slow down, we will not even get a glimpse of that infinite potential that lies in each of us. Stephen Covey in his latest book – The 8th Habit – speaks of moving from effectiveness to Greatness. By accessing our voice, our authenticity. And inspiring others to find theirs.
Essentially, the challenge is to learn to connect to our essence, our purpose, our calling which whispers to us often and sometimes even shouts. This challenges us to step out of our comfort zones and live life at a very different level. From outside it seems to be a matter of courage. People have often asked me, “It must have required courage to step out of the secure corporate existence at an early age of 32 to follow your calling (which has been to learn and inspire learning).” I feel it was really clarity which gave conviction, not really courage.
In my journey, I have had the fortune and privilege of meeting many fellow travelers and teachers who have helped me, reminded me, woken me up to follow my heart. And yet I don’t learn easily. I compromise and get thrown off, everyday. I am reasonable. And get caught up in the mind.
Robert Fritz says, “If you limit your choices to only what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all you have left is a compromise. You never have the same enthusiasm. Because the human spirit will not invest itself in a compromise.”
Paulo Coelho in his bestseller, The Alchemist eloquently brings this forth in a dialogue between the shepherd boy and the alchemist.
“My heart is afraid that it will suffer,” the boy confides. “Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself,” the alchemist replies. “And no heart has suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second’s encounter with God.”
So there is fear. Our biggest challenge. Which can be our ally. In some ways, fear is inevitable. So instead of fighting it, can we like the Aikido masters allow and encompass that which opposes. We have hardly learnt to deal with feelings in a way that the creative energy hidden in them can be harnessed, transmuted. Only in recent times we are learning that instead of suppressing or avoiding we can feel our feelings. Vicki Escude puts it well, “Congratulate your mind when fear stalks you because it is doing its job well! Then gently begin introducing new thoughts.”
I was inspired when I read Seven Sacred Attitudes’ by Erica Ross Krieger. Two of those attitudes are, “Go Slow” and “Do less” – elegant, simple and effective. I have chosen her to be my coach to help me write my book which has been in my mind and heart for several years now.
In essence, there is wisdom in the paradox, ‘Slower is faster’ – one that we will recognize only if we have the willingness to pause, to reflect to smell the flowers, take time to connect with nature, to laugh loudly and hold a baby’s hand.
Doing Little
It puzzles people at first, to see how little the able leader does and yet how much gets done.
But the leader knows that is how things work. After all Tao does nothing at all, yet everything gets done.
When the leader gets too busy, the time has come to return to selfless silence.
Selflessness gives one center.
Center creates order.
When there is order, there is little to do.
– John Heider, Tao of Leadership
Kiran Gulrajani is the founder of CoEvolve, an ecosystem of facilitators (coaches, social entrepreneurs & leaders in business, education, wellness and community). Since 1996 he has been co-creating this community and contributing to developing leaders across diverse sectors. He is on the Advisory Board of Edumedia and affiliated with the Conscious Capitalism Institute. He enjoys writing (www.CoEvolveWithKiran.wordpress.com). His flagship program, ‘Tao of Facilitation’ has touched the lives of thousands deeply. He is inspired by Lao Tsu, Ramana Maharshi and J.Krishnamurti. His work integrates the richness of eastern and western wisdom. He is a B.Tech from IITB Bombay and MBA from XLRI, Jamshedpur. Previously worked with HCL Ltd and ITC Ltd. He enjoys enabling people to discover the magnificence hidden within.