Inspiraelevation

Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty, the main part.

There are several core strengths one must have to excel, and this is unquestionable.

Many of my articles have been written to address these strengths, some concrete and observable while others abstract and unobservable.

Many of the articles to follow will address many other components of success, some in detail, others in summary format

Some will focus on practical application. Others will give a broad overview of concepts.

This article addresses the core of all success, GRIT

One of the most significant character strengths underlining success is that of Grit.

Grit in simpler terms is defined as dogged determination.

When all is said in done what will set apart the achievers from the ordinary is the unflinching desire to succeed and to persist beyond what one can conceptualize.

Talent is profuse and an abundant resource in this world.

It is not talent alone that will get you across the finish line. That will just give you a position at the starting block.

We all have the potential for greatness if we are in the right lane.

When it comes for work to be done or roles to be filled, there is no lack or insufficiency.

There is this great myth that there are more people than there are roles to fill.

Be assured nothing is by incident or accident, and everything and everyone has a purpose.

Why are there so many who drift hopelessly along.

The reasons are plentiful.

1. There  are many who do not seek to fill a purpose. They are not concerned with what contribution that they may offer the world or leave to the next generation. They are just existing just to exist.
2. Some do not understand the meaning of purpose. There is great confusion with a job and a calling. One you do to make ends meet the other you do  to meet the needs of others. Many simply cannot distinguish the difference.
3.  others are unaware of their purpose.
4. Then there are those who are too busy trying to fill someone else’s calling.

When you find out what your purpose is and demonstrate the grit necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of what is expected nothing can stop you.

What is for you, it is for you. No one else in the world will be able to fulfill your purpose to the extent that you can.

How does one develop grit?

Through deliberate, targeted practice of course.

Do something challenging (hard) and stick with it.

When you test your limits and then push to expand beyond them, you grow exponentially,

Grit is about pushing past the hard parts.

To learn to accomplish this, you must pursue a challenge.

If it is too easy, it will not work.

You have to stretch beyond your comfort zone and know that you will not be broken.

Start today.

Lay the first brick on the pathway to success.

Find your challenge and then stick with it, “just do it.”

Life is meant to be lived in moments.

We are made to experience the fullness of joy, love, and of pain.

In those moments, we find purpose and reason.

practicing presence is important.

Practicing presence is making deliberate efforts to train all of one’s focus on one activity at a time to experience the fullness of it.

Practicing presence is refusing  to permit oneself to be pulled away by distractions of thoughts, competing interests, or future responsibilities.

“We have to pay attention to this very moment, the totality of what is happening right now. And the reason we don’t want to pay attention is because it’s not always pleasant” (Beck).

However, experiencing the fullness of hurt helps us to savor the sweetness of love.

Tasting the bitter fruit of grief and loss helps us to celebrate life with a robustness of spirit.

Knowing that falling is possible helps us to appreciate the strength to stand.

Lack teaches us the lesson of plenty.

Lessons can only be learned if we are willing to sit still and attentively listen.

“it is only when the student is ready, that the master appeareth.”

Few can embrace such.

Our experience with pain has conditioned  our thinking. Rather than  awakening within us  respect, a resolution, a sacred understanding of our proneness to frailty, it catalyzes deep-seated; fearful thoughts.

Our fearful thoughts tell us to avoid, to run, and to turn.

The fear lodges itself within the brain disallowing free thought, reason, and rationality.

“Clearly, all fear has an element of resistance and a leaning away from the moment. Its dynamic is not unlike that of strong desire except that fear leans backward into the last safe moment while desire leans forward toward the next possibility of satisfaction. Each lacks presence”. –Stephen Levine

Essentially the pent up fear causes a bottleneck.

“The bottleneck of fear isn’t caused by the conditioning, but by the decision about myself I have reached based on that conditioning” (Beck 36).

It is difficult to break free from these patterns of thinking.

It is our thoughts about ourselves, our situations, our experiences, and our connections that must be addressed.

The truth is, some things in life are hard.

Some things take a lot of effort.

Simply thinking about change, or hoping for change, or even pledging change, is ineffective.

It does not work. You have to put in the work.

The work never begins during times of ease but always in the face of harsh realities. This is when we are tried and tested.

Let’s face it, in the presence of pain is hard to think of anything else.

It is hard to think of the lesson beneath.

If we want to live our best lives we cannot afford not to think beyond the pain.

” We do have to be  aware of our thoughts and actions; we do have to be aware of our false reactions to life. Only by doing so can we see that from the beginning the bottleneck of fear is an illusion” (Beck 37).

The illusion works to suppress one’s reality,

Fear paralyzes and keeps us from learning from our experiences.

“A thought in and of itself is just pure sensory input, an energy fragment. At first we feel our thoughts are real, and out of that we create the self-centered emotions, and out of that we create a barrier to seeing life as it is because if we are caught in self-centered emotions we can’t see people or situations clearly. But we fear to see thoughts as they are” (Beck 49).

When we grow, when we get understanding, we can learn to separate our thought life from reality.

We can bring our thoughts under subjection.

We can control our thoughts and not let our thoughts control us.

We can experience life as it was meant to be experienced.

This means that one  learns to look at life as it is.

There are no bad experiences only our thoughts concerning those experiences.

All experiences exist to teach us.

Knowing this, we can be resolved. We can be expectant.

After the test passes comes the reward.

In every situation, whatsoever we find ourselves we will be content.

“Trust in things being as they are as the secret of life”(Beck 48).

There is nothing one can purely rely on in the earthly realm.

At some point or another all things have the potential to fail us.

This is merely the byproduct of materialism.

It is the blight of being temporal and temporary.

“Life is always going to be the way it is”(Beck 48).

It is we that must learn to find peace and contentment with that.

Beck, Charlotte. Everyday Zen: Love and Work. Harper Collins. print.

Enlightenment cannot be sought after.

“If we demand enlightenment, it hides. All that we can do is make ourselves enlightenment-prone. We learn to treasure the possibility of awakening in all moments and circumstances. We learn to simplify and cultivate the receptivity of heart that can be touched by profound understanding. We learn to listen deeply and discover stillness amid the movement in our world.” – Christina Feldman

One becomes enlightened

Enlightenment is the measure of growth or stature gained by he or she who seeks above all wisdom, to live a life of love, of charity, and of giving freely of self, that others may blossom.

It is being the beautiful person you were destined to become.

What does one who is enlightened look like?

Those who are enlightened are fully aware, they are fully conscious.

They are aware of themselves, their surrounding world, and are able to separate themselves from the noise of the world in which they inhabit.

They are no longer humans doing but human’s being.

“Enlightenment is not about becoming divine, instead it’s about becoming more fully human. It is the end of ignorance. ” -Lama Surya Das

 

Those who are then enlightened, use their newfound awareness to rise to levels of greater understanding thereby achieving a state of inner peace that surpasses all comprehension.

It is an inhaling of the beauty and magnificence of life and its myriad complexities and components and exhaling acceptance and understanding.

As Wayne Dyer author of “Wisdom of the Ages,” so eloquently stated, “If I could define enlightenment briefly I would say it is, “the quiet acceptance of what is.”

Although many seek few fully develop it for many it takes a lifetime.

“There are very few human beings who receive the truth, complete and staggering, by instant illumination. Most of them acquire it fragment by fragment, on a small-scale, by successive developments, cellularly, like a laborious mosaic” – Anais Nin

For one who does manage to become enlightened

• He or she grasps the purpose of it all, of everything, of one’s existence.
• He or she sees the intricate little pieces of life fit together into one giant mosaic.
•  one exquisite landscape.

“To the illumined man or woman, a clod of dirt, a stone, and gold are the same.” – Bhagavad Gita

Why is it that so few become enlightened?

Many are looking in the wrong locations for enlightenment.

1. They are looking for enlightenment in places. 

Enlightenment is not a byproduct of having visited zen gardens, mountaintops, cathedrals, temples, or other locales.

2.  They are looking for enlightenment from others.

They are seeking enlightenment apart from themselves, to come from some great teacher.

3. They are awaiting some grand alteration in events, but this is to no avail.

Enlightenment does not change our physical into a metaphysical state. Our physical form and surroundings remain the same. One does not ascend above the drone of daily existence.

There  is a Zen proverb that eloquently states

“Before enlightenment chopping wood, carrying water” (Dyer p 59)

“After enlightenment chopping wood, carrying water ” (Dyer p 59)

There is no significant alteration of circumstances, events, or places required to become enlightened.

“Inside or outside of yourself you never have to change what you see, only the way you see it” (p 63)

 

 enlightenment indicates a change in perception and perspective.

“In general enlightenment will not change your outer world, but will change your way of processing the world” (Dyer p 61)

Old habits are broken and new ones enacted. One becomes reborn a new person. They simply seem different.

To them, the world no longer seems the same because he or she is no longer blind but sees the world in vivid color.

 

Enlightenment awakens.

 

The evidence of such is undeniable, one demonstrates such in the life that they live.

Dyer, Wayne. “Wisdom of the Ages.” Harper Collins. Print

Self-fulfilling prophecy plays a vital role in what we are to become or what we are to achieve.

Self-fulfilling prophecy is the action(s) one carries out based on internalization of a belief, be it erroneous or not, which has been  imparted on one by self or another, and found lodging in one’s brain as a result of  verbal repetition or thought.

Many people talk themselves out of doing those things that benefit us by focusing on those behaviours and character traits that don’t.

We become that which we dwell upon most.

“You’re always reinforcing something- even when you’re doing nothing” (Blanchard)

Your brain is always working even when you are not.

Words have sticking power.

That is why suggestion or auto-suggestion is powerful.

Tell yourself something long enough or permit someone to tell you something often enough you will begin to accept it as true and act out in said fashion.

For this very reason, one should take care of who they let speak into their lives.

One must take extra caution regarding what one focuses on.

If you want to have positive outcomes you have to accentuate the positives.

• Focus on what you are doing right.
• Focus on what you are good at.
• Focus on your assets.
• Focus on your best traits.

Remember the universal law of magnetism.

You draw unto yourself what you put out.

If your focus is on negative, you will draw unto yourself more of the same.

“Humans naturally want approval from others” (Blanchard)

We crave attention.

The wrong type of attention is detrimental.

Therefore, watch from whom and where you derive your worth and value.

Watch who you let whisper in your ear or who you entertain in a conversation.

Do not under any circumstance let someone demean you or over amplify your flaws.

Remove yourself from the company of those who incessantly devalue your worth or barrage you with insults.

Never accept or choose to stay in the presence of those who always tell you what you cannot do or what will not happen.

Seek out people who will focus on your positives, who will catch you doing what is right; because this is the type of thing that will encourage you and give you zest so that you may do more of the same.

Everyone needs encouragement.

“When one is dealing with their kids, or with the people at work, and consistently call attention to what they do right, it is like they’re responding to the best that’s in them” (Blanchard)

Responding to the best in people drives them to be their best, even when they are at their worst.

The Art of Suggestion is a powerful thing.

Blanchard, Ken. (2002).  “Whale Done!” New York: NY, Simon and Schuster. Print.

A breakthrough is the fulfilment of a long-anticipated outcome.

The elusive prize sought out for consistent efforts, and toil yet to be rewarded

If one were to pique the mind or pull up a chair to hold attendance to some of the greatest thinkers and innovators of humankind one would come to the full understanding of the process of achievement.

Success is a journey.

A journey riddled with setbacks and opposition.

But like all good things that come about with hard work and time withstanding, so does success

If you are sweating it out, waiting it out, and refusing to doubt then what you are working for will one day work for you.

• Give it time
• Don’t ever give up

Things don’t always happen when we want them,  and for good cause

We are not always equipped to handle what we want.

For many, if they got what they wanted when they wanted it, then the obtainment of their desires would consume them.

Good things grow with time.

What grows too fast is born pre-mature, underdeveloped, undernourished, and struggles to survive.

Great things take the time to build.

That which one constructs too fast is often shoddy, and incapable of withstanding the elements of nature and the corrosive force of time.

Such things will often have to be torn down and rebuilt.

It takes time to succeed.

The more you grow, the more you know, the more prepared, the more polished, and the more brilliant you will shine.

Most expectations are unrealistic.

A lesson through symbolism

Has a farmer ever planted a seed in a patch of soil and expected a full harvest on the morrow.

Does he or she not nourish, water, and till the soil that the harvest be robust?

Does he or she not treat the soil and weed the garden to protect?

Must not the sower of seed await the sun,  for the seed to struggle through the dirt,  and patiently wait for the seed to endure the elements of the wind or a strong rain.

We are not unlike the farmer.

Our dreams are our seeds

Our work, practice, and dedication the nourishment and preparation.

Our vigilance to our thoughts  and actions our protectorate.

Must the dreamer not wait for his or her dreams to see the light of day.

Are we the ambitious, innovators, creators, the believes not left to struggle, to push for one to take notice of our dreams.

Must not our hopes endure the elements of both criticism and opposition.

Surely we can see the process of our lives reflected in that of the sower and seed.

Our lives as a reflection

1. Make sure that you are not sowing your seed in the wrong place.

Thorny soil will not produce a full harvest no matter how much work you put into it.

2. Make sure that you are sowing the right seed.

If you invest in something that is not for you, or does not make good use of your gifts or talent no matter how much you work, a breakthrough will be impossible.

3. Make sure that you are sowing in the right season.

Frost and snow are detrimental to crops and will kill most seeds before they have time to grow.

For everything, there is a season and a purpose.

Perhaps the time for fulfillment is not yet.

Learn the art of discernment.

4. Make sure you are not depriving your seed of nourishment needed.

All things need attending.

• Do everything you can to grow.
• Learn all you can.
• Continuously improve.

5. Make sure you are protecting your seed.

Don’t let naysayers get in your head.

Stay away from dream snatchers.

Protect your dream as you would your infant child.

Don’t rush it!

That does not mean to sit back and do nothing.

It means to do what is necessary.

Don’t try to force open closed doors,  doors close for a reason.

If a door closes or is closed search for another door, a cracked door, or open windows.

When one door closes, another avenue will open and sometimes in the most unexpected of places.

In summation

• Hard work is essential.
• Putting your time and effort into building is necessary.
• Diligence and vigilance are a skill set one must encompass.
• If you want something worth having patient hope is quintessential

Don’t ever, ever give up.

Your breakthrough is coming.