FSOC – The morphine of self-improvement
Released on July 3rd, 2020
This week’s Friday Shot of Clarity is an excerpt from my first book CLARITY: Clear Mind, Better Performance, Bigger Results (© 2013 Jamie Smart published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd). It’s taken from Chapter 18 – Penicillin for the Mind:
During an unexpectedly moving scene in the comedy Get Him to the Greek (2010, Universal Pictures), drug-addicted rock star Aldous Snow (played by Russell Brand) tries to convince his ex-girlfriend to get back together with him. She explains that she’s drug-free, and that the past few months have been the happiest of her life. He protests that he was clean for seven years when they were together. She replies “And you did yoga for five hours a day. That’s mental! There’s nothing in this world that you can’t turn into heroin.”
The morphine of self-improvement
Outside my window stands a strong, healthy tree, about forty feet tall. Many years ago, a seed was planted in the ground, and it started growing.
The roots reach down into the nourishing soil, creating a strong foundation; the leaves absorb sunlight and carbon dioxide, transforming them into life-giving nutrients; the branches and leaves drink in the falling rain.
The tree continues growing.
The tree doesn’t “work on” growing. It just grows. Growing is its nature. There’s a way in which our attempts to “take control” of our personal evolution can actually interfere with our natural propensity to grow.
The seeker’s habitual searching is the very thing that stands in the way of them finding what they yearn for.
Like an opiate, the intoxicating patterns of struggle and striving numb their emotional pain, while blinding them to the natural joy of living.
“There’s nothing in this world that you can’t turn into heroin…”
But, like the tree in my garden, it is your nature to grow. Clarity of understanding unlocks the self-love, gratitude and acceptance that are the sunlight, rainwater and nutrients of your personal evolution.
While you don’t get to decide the timescale, increases in consciousness and clarity of understanding are inevitable for you when you get out of your own way, let your wisdom guide you and start enjoying your life as it is today.
By the way… as we’re navigating these strange, post-lockdown times, I’ve decided to do a series of free training sessions around sharing the principles and making a difference to others.
It’s going to be my biggest free training in years, is going to run over a number of days (July 5th-8th) and is going to have a precise focus on supporting you in…
– Having insights into this understanding that make a difference to you in your own life and,
– Sharing the 3 principles with others so you can
– Have an impact, make a difference and help get this understanding ‘out there’
We’re starting in a couple of days, and it’s going to be a wild ride!
Q: Would you like to join me for these masterclasses?
The “How to Share the 3 Principles” Masterclass is free. There will be four live broadcast training sessions… plus downloads, a great big FAQ on sharing the principles, case studies, a private Facebook group, and more.
Just enter your email address here to sign up:
>> How to share the 3 principles: Click here to register for the free masterclass series.
Big love
Jamie
Jamie Smart, Sunday Times Bestselling Author, Speaker and Executive Coach
P.S. Full disclosure: towards the end of the Masterclass I’m going to open up registration for my ClarityPro Membership Group (for the first time this year). But first I’m going to be giving you my all and sharing my heart out over the four sessions of the Masterclass – and it won’t cost you a penny.
P.P.S. The first Masterclass starts Sunday, July 5th at 6 pm UK time (10 am Pacific, 1 pm Eastern). If you want in on it, CLICK HERE to register.