The inner condition of the PR consultant, architect, engineer, lawyer, doctor, trainer, or coach often determines the outcome. The outer world will be what it is. How I start my day often determines how I meet each moment, and this, in turn, changes the course of my life and the lives of others.
I heard a story recently about a person walking down a street to the gym. The street is the same, but the person changes. The walk to the gym and the walk back are experienced with a different energy. For me (I hope to get myself into a gym soon), but till then, this energy shift comes with my morning walk. The days that I begin by walking for an hour in nature feel completely different from the days when I roll out of bed and plunge headfirst into work.
The same work is met by a different me. Underlining the interplay between my external environment and my inner world. Both shape each other, and the dance between my inner condition and the environment is what determines the quality of my life. My inner state affects all states.
Everything is energy, and when we come into coherence and alignment, there is flow. Sometimes the environment impacts our inner world, and sometimes our inner condition shapes the outer world. A beautiful quote from Nicholas Janni that stayed with me: “The highest calling of leadership is to be a blessing”. The leader who can drive outcomes and direct resources from a flow state is able to operate in a way that is not triggered, reactive, or defensive. The shift from a fear and scarcity-based approach to one of gratitude, abundance, and possibilities is what shapes organisational culture.
What percentage of my day is spent in an energised, connected, flow state? One where my doing and my being are aligned. What can I do to be the leader who is a blessing?
If your leader were the weather, what kind of weather would enter the room (most of the time) when they arrive? Now ask yourself – what weather do you bring with you when you enter a room? The impact of weather on the ecosystem is easy to understand. Looking inwards and being aware of my inner verse is not so easy, but once I understand, I often get to choose the weather I want to be.
The thought occurs to me, even if I get my inner condition aligned and walk into an office environment with the right energy, and can transmit the same, is that enough? What happens if the Wi-Fi signal is weak? Or if people have turned their Bluetooth off? Will they be open and able to receive what I am transmitting? What if my message is not in sync with their current reality and KPI?
The only answer that makes sense is not to focus on the outcome. It is about doing something that makes deep sense to me. It is about being the kind of person that I believe will be of the best service to my world and theirs. This is the highest call of leadership – to be my best self and do my best, this is the blessing. My wisdom from this week, gleaned from an online session I had the privileged of attending, is “nothing needs fixing, everything needs feeling”.
“The longest journey is from head to heart”, a quote that captures the essence of what it takes to shift from “human doing” to “human being”. Getting in shape on the inside is hard work, too. It requires discipline and commitment to building the muscle of being.
Sometimes all it takes is a walk in nature or a workout in the gym to get back on track and engage with the world from a place of gratitude and giving. This brings balance and an energised strength of being to whatever work and life bring my way. Keep walking. Keep working out, do the daily push ups of inner work.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
The views and opinions published here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher.
