Blog Posts

Perfection: An Illusion or an Awakening to Your Truth?

Mon, 06 Nov 2017 04:31:00 GMT

The topic "The Illusion of Perfection" in Robert Fritz's in one of his newsletters caught my attention. And for the first time as a long-term follower of his writings, I found myself to differ from his expressed views. Fritz starts out with a quote by Richard Bach, which he labelled as a typical New Age notion.

"There is such a thing as perfection...and our purpose for living is to find that perfection and show it forth..."

Firstly, Fritz questions whether that (finding that perfection) is really our purpose for living. He then cites what he calls 'built-in assumptions" that need to be questioned. Thirdly, he gives a historical account of the concept of perfection as seen and proposed over the ages - by the ancient Greeks, Plato, Eastern religions such as Hinduism, Aristotle and more. From this review it is evident to me that they all believed in the notion of perfection but differed in the way perfection was obtained. This makes perfect sense. As we evolve we see and perceive things differently.

Having been on a conscious evolution path since 2004, Perfection has taken on a total different meaning for me. Perfection is already within each and everyone of us. The drive for perfection is a search for wholeness - for the expression of our authentic self that has always been and always will be within us - it is perfect.

Yes, I do embrace that our purpose for living is to find (I'll say find again) that perfection - as we may have lost connection through social conditioning. It is through our authentic self and the expression of our unique gifts that we contribute in service to others, joyful and effortless. It is not an obligation and it doesn't feel like one.

Fritz's exploration and discussion around "mandate a life-purpose that is ordained, in which there is no free choice" has no meaning for me.

Is it free will or ordained? I don't know! Is it important for me to know? No!

Stop and Reflect

I invite you to take a moment in silence to reflect what Perfection means to you? Is it an Illusion or an Awakening to Your Truth? Or is it something else?

Your Invisible Mentors: How to Access and Honour Their Wisdom

Sat, 16 Jan 2016 05:43:00 GMT

Today, I want to write about how I became aware of my invisible mentor and how he was, and continues to be, a huge positive and expansive influence in my life.

Years ago, when working in middle management in Neuroscience of a major Teaching Hospital, I was faced with a nurse in distress, let's call her Ina, who felt that she was discriminated against because she was not Australian. The situation was bizarre in that our nursing team, with the exception of one nurse, were non-Australians.

Without going into the details of the grievance I tried very hard to comprehend the essence of Ina's grievance. Every morning shift Ina was on duty we ended up in my office trying to resolve the grievance. We parted with the understanding that we had reached a resolution only to receive a phone call from Ina a couple of hours later to realise that nothing had been resolved. It was a distressing time on both sides. I had hit a brick wall in that I run out of ideas on how to resolve this, and to be very honest, also of patience.

One morning as I walked into my office I noticed the quote on my desk calendar. The quote was by Albert Einstein and spoke directly to me. It said:

"Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome is the definition of insanity."

Well, one thing was clear to me 'I wasn't insane' but I asked myself 'what was I doing over and over again and expecting a different outcome?' It was obvious what I did wasn't working. There must be another way but what? The answer came the following morning 'Take the pressure off you and simply listen with curiosity.' And that is what I did during our next meeting. What I discovered was truly revealing and had nothing to do with discrimination. It was about a need for control in the work situation. Ina was married to a controlling husband and had little control in her private life. What she was really looking for was some control in her work situation. Having discovered this truth, we were able to work out an approach that would work for Ina while meeting the needs of our unit overall.

Albert Einstein's quote had such a huge impact on me at the time, and was the first quote I became consciously aware of, and embraced as an invisible guide.

A print of Albert Einstein's portrait, painted by Spanish Artist, has its honourable place in my office. He has become my invisible mentor whose wisdom speaks to me through his timeless quotes. 'The Question is more important than the Answer' - 'Imagination is more important than Knowledge' - 'Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome is the definition of insanity' are the most profound quotes that guide me in my everyday life - personally and professionally.

Looking at Albert Einstein in my office, I notice that some of my thoughts and actions bring a little smile to his face, and others raise his eyebrows. Is it true? I don't know! I chose imagination over knowing. My imagination becomes my reality. I take the smile as a confirmation. And the raised eyebrows as a message to question my thoughts and actions.

Take a Moment to Reflect:

Who is your invisible mentor? Do you listen, embrace and honour his or her wisdom? When you do, you will never feel alone, not even in the most painful circumstances.

Authenticity: Serving our deepest essence and character

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 02:58:00 GMT

"No man can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude without finally getting bewildered as to which may be true.” ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne

The concept of authenticity in recent times has received significant amount of attention as more people search for deeper meaning and purpose in their lives and work. Wherever you look people talk and write about authenticity, the importance of being authentic, and what qualities authentic leaders “should” demonstrate.

What is there to gain from being authentic?

We can look at authenticity from a tangible and intangible perspective. The tangible is the product and service you deliver. The intangible is you - the person - and how congruently you show up in the world. When you look at a tangible product it is easy to establish whether it is or isn’t authentic. When it comes to personal authenticity this is more difficult.

The dictionary definition is not helpful in establishing whether a person is or isn’t authentic in the truest sense. It uses the terms authenticity and genuine interchangeable. On the surface they may appear to be the same but as any person who connected with their authenticity will tell you in hindsight, they are distinctively different. My definition of authenticity is genuine minus social conditioning.

Genuine to me means not pretending to be someone we are not. Authenticity is the inner voice that is, and always has been, deep within us. It is the voice that knows what is right and wrong in the world. It is grounded in honoring the worth and dignity of our humanity. It is the voice that knows our higher purpose and our unique contribution to the world.

Connecting with our authenticity is not a luxury. It is as essential as oxygen to survive at high altitudes. The expression of our authenticity is quintessential for serving our deepest essence and character in the co-evolution of our global culture. A culture that enriches deepens and broadens the spiritual sense of self for the greater good of all of humanity.

Unfortunately for most of us our authenticity is buried beneath layers and layers of social conditioning from which we need to free ourselves. Contrary to common beliefs, this does not take years of hard work. It requires a readiness and openness on our part to look deep inside ourselves and start to rekindle what’s truly important to us and connect with our guiding light that has brought us to where we are today. A clear worldview, integrity and congruency are the hallmarks of an authentic leader.

Are you living an authentic life? If you are not, what is stopping you? What does it cost you emotionally, physically, and spiritually? Listen to your inner voice and be truthful with yourself.

Act Now! There is nothing to be afraid of!

Integrity: The light within

Mon, 20 Apr 2015 01:34:00 GMT

Integrity is perhaps one of the least understood human values in society and yet it is the one that people in public life most frequently are questioned, scrutinised and criticised in and by the media.

In 1998, when my coach Christine McDougall asked me to write a brief personal biography, amongst other points I wrote, “My vision is to change the fabric of society and for people to live a life in integrity.” I was astonished by what I had written because at that time I had no idea what integrity meant or how I would realise my vision, yet deep down I knew I would.

Over the years I fully grasped the significance of integrity and how it positively shapes or weakens ones character and place in the world. How it either builds or erodes our self-esteem and self-respect – the essence of who we are -- with or without our conscious awareness.

Structural Integrity

When engineers say a building has structural integrity, they mean that the building has a hidden life, a strong foundation that gives the whole building integrity and strength.

We often think integrity is grounded in the professional realm and seek to perpetuate a strong ethical persona in front of those who only know us on a professional level. However, integrity is rooted deep within us, within our private world. It is not rooted in our professional life, personal world of interpersonal relationships, or in the public life. It is only revealed there.

I love Cherie Carter Scott’s simple yet powerful definition of integrity. In her book “If Success Is A Game, These Are The Rules,” she says, “Integrity is doing the right thing, especially when no one is watching. “ While this definition is simple it also raises the questions, “What is the right thing to do and by whose definition?”

Before answering these questions I want to underscore that “Integrity” is personal. What I perceive to be in integrity, you may not, and vice versa. A person is either in integrity or is not. There are no degrees of integrity and yet we may operate at different levels of integrity. It is my choice whether to work in a company or partnership, or do business with someone that doesn’t share my level of integrity. Naturally, this decision comes at a cost. It usually shows up as a high level of stress and discontent. It is not my right to criticise another person’s level of integrity. And here lies the dilemma and struggle that the majority of people experience.

“Maintaining integrity is one of the highest lessons to learn in terms of human evolution,” says Cheri Carter Scott. “It is a lesson that often comes up when you succeed, for it is then that you might be called upon to compromise your values in order to proceed. Integrity demands that you remember who you are in the light of your success and honour that person."

Taking a Quantum Leap

To be true to one’s integrity takes a quantum leap because it involves being strong inside, resisting any temptations and taking responsibility for our decisions and choices. If I choose to stay within a company or professional realm that is not in line with my level of integrity, I need to take responsibility for that choice and pay the price. I do not have the right to blame anyone else for what happens or doesn’t happen in my life as a result of my choice. At the same time I also owe the company or professional group, I chose to associate myself with, to be a fully contributing member.

Coming back to the questions, “What is the right thing to do and by whose definition?” Each of us knows deep down what is the right thing to do. All we need is to listen to our inner voice. So first and foremost integrity is about doing what we know to be the right thing, irrespective of the presence or absence of the law. Secondly, it is about observing legal and ethical standards.

Integrity is a choice and a way of life. It creates the solid foundation for a peaceful inner life in a world of chaos, uncertainty and accelerated change.

Elizabeth Kubler-Ross expresses the essence of integrity in the most profound way

"People are like stained glass windows: they sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light within."

Stop and Reflect

What is your inner voice telling you about your integrity? If you are ignoring the message, what does it cost you daily – physically, emotionally, spiritually and economically – to ignore your truth?