Deconstruction Self Actualization (Part IV): Putting It All Together

Knowing what you want and why you want it is the hard part. Since you know that you need to have an overwhelming amount of confidence and drive to achieve your goals, I propose the following question, "What are you waiting for?"

Michael Jordan could have quit when he got cut from his high school basketball team and Thomas Edison could have given up after his 9,999th result on working on the light bulb, though they persisted and pursued their passion.

Choosing to be that person who goes against the stream and pursues what THEY want and not what others tells them is difficult [trust me I know] but I strongly believe that when you pursue your passion you will be successful. You will feel accomplished. You will be happy. After all, it is a byproduct of your pursuit of self-actualization.

Deconstructing Self-Actualization (Part III) – Delusion: seeing through the tough times

Consistently achieving goals means having a wholehearted belief and, on occasion, some delusion. Delusion is what separates the artist from the painter, what drove Vincent van Gogh to continue painting even though he only lived to see the sale of one of his paintings (The Red Vineyards near Arles, 1888). 

Most people do not fully pursue their goals because of fear of failure, fear of success, and fear of the process. Technological advancement came with a cost–our desire to dream has demised as we have conformed to the culture of instant gratification.

The fear of failure and enduring the process changed our perception of success and even remodeled the way we describe those who dream. Ascribing adjectives to characterize their ambition, recounting it either as genius or neurotic; depending on the outcome (of course). Regardless of our preconceived notions, being delusional can be used to persevere in the light of conflict.

Alfred Korzybski, a philosopher and scientist, stated that our perceptions shape our reality (“The map is not the territory”). This conviction, which we call delusion, is what motivates entrepreneurs to take massive action in concretizing a goal. Hence our commitment to a dream can become a reality insofar that we are delusional in taking small consistent action that compound into a journey.

Assume there will be setbacks and naysayers when pursuing your goals. A vast majority of our society simply exists and never lives to dream as they have surrendered to the easy way out, the way that reaps minimal risks, which manifest little rewards. We need to change this and start living with passion.

In sum, being delusional in pursuing our goals will allow us to prevail when faced with the emotional barriers that most cave to. Although we stated the importance of being convict in our ideas, we mustn’t forget to be flexible as the greatest opportunities can potentially surface from our perceived misfortunes. It is in those trying moments which we can change the map and allow our creative genius to assist us in materializing our greatest endeavors.

Deconstructing Self-Actualization (Part II) – Mapping out Success

In the last post we outlined the importance of having clarity of intent and from there we ultimately established the why factor. In this post we will establishing the where factor, in this case, what is our ultimate goal? As mentioned previously, too often do we see people going with the flow indicating their lack of direction.

Let’s suppose that our lives were metaphorically represented by an airplane and each of us are pilots that need to travel from Los Angeles (LAX) to London (LHR). In order to properly fly this aircraft, assuming we were properly trained, we need to consider all of the factors like altitude, wind speed, turbulence, etc. before embarking on this trip. When it comes to piloting our lives, we simply hop in the cockpit, take off and hope that we get there. The result – some of us end up around Greenland, some of us end up in Algeria, while the rest run out of fuel along the way.

 

Bottom line: we need goals so we can gage our trajectory, better allowing us to assess our results and calibrate if needed.

Taking little steps in the direction of our goal is what will ultimately manifest a massive change, as opposed to the quantum leaps conventional wisdom forces us to believe. Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali and Pelé did not become great athletes out of sheer luck. They all were deeply focused as they practiced for years on end, progressing forward in small increments, compounding, towards the legacies we read about today.

The current state of our careers, finances, health and personal development are all fruits of actions we performed, both at a conscious and unconscious level, which was compounded over time resulting in the reflection you see on the other side of the mirror. Jeff Olson explores this very concept in depth in his book The Slight Edge. Hence why we must understand where we are aiming as opposed to simply winging it.

In sum, reflect on your ambitions and develop a plan, take action and reassess whether your daily actions are working towards or against your goals. Though the results may not be seen today, your consistency will manifest massive change when compounded over time. The little things really do count. You will be amazed.

Deconstructing Self-Actualization (Part I) - Clarity of Intent

The Society for Human Resource Management annually conducts a study measuring job satisfaction. In 2012 they reported 38% of U.S. employees were “very satisfied” with their job, leaving more than half of the workforce (62%) satisfied or less than satisfied. According to the famous paper “Motivation and Personality” published by Abraham Maslow in (1954) – as humans we seek self-actualization desiring to become more of what we already are. With more than half of the workforce not participating in the pinnacle of satisfaction – it is essential that we comprehend this dichotomy.

The question emerges: how happy are you with your career decisions? Unfortunately most answers range from discontentment to mild-satisfaction, as most people do not fully comprehend what drives their decisions, as they submissive to being reactive to their external environment. For example, in the case of an individual entering a new field, they will face numerous learning curves (cultural, educational, socio-political, etc.) though having clarity in their intent will keep them resilient in light of conflict.

Often we do not question our motives nor do we fully cognize our aspirations – we simply go with the flow. Thomas Edison, Walt Disney, and Steve Jobs did not go with the flow, they proactively (not reactively) planned and passionately executed on their visions. Without clarity we are prone to erroneously make decisions, which we justify due to prestige, compensation, or simply, avoidance of pain (fear). It is imperative that we fathom our motives in order to assess and achieve long-term success, insofar that we lack intent; we continue achieving mediocrity, ensuing, at best, satisfaction.

In sum, when we deliberate our motives we become present to our decisions as we examine them on the basis of empirical truths. As humans we are socially programmed to seek pleasure and avoid pain, understanding this basis will bring to light our true intentions on our path of enlightenment and self-realization.

Resiliency.

As you are aware, we face adversity during every facet of our existence when choosing to be proactive versus reactive- be it in starting a new relationship, pursuing a new career, or simply acquiring a new hobby. When faced with these struggles we tend to cede to our limiting beliefs by blaming external factors versus adapting and maintaining course. Below are some of my reflections and I hope I am able to convey the message as efficient as possible.

During the chaos and convoluted circumstances we find ourselves in- we tend to avoid confronting our conflicts as we seek clarity and comfort through conventional wisdom. The infamous comfort zone. Instead we must confront these limiting beliefs to develop a tolerance, and even a taste for the turmoil that will strengthen us in the process.

In being present we reflect and gather the ability to silence the anxiety experienced as we ground ourselves in reality, maintaining our composure and never over reacting in the face of conflict. Through this process we cultivate resiliency, a virtue that equips us with the tools to see through the trials and tribulations. An aptitude which allows us to endure the many conflicting, chaotic and complex circumstances endured in the course of our journey.

Bottom line: being conscious of the resiliency required in achieving any result is just as important as having clarity of intent.

Hopefully this puts things in perspective and gives you a small thing to think about when the going gets tough. My two cents.