“He is free from self-display, and therefore he shines.” ~ Lao Tzu
I just heard an interview about a musical band that recently went mainstream. The bandleader was talking about the days when no one came to their concerts. She shared the story of a gig that her band and another band were scheduled to play. Nobody showed up to see them perform. Not a single person.
What did they do? They played their sets for each other. They gave it their all and played one of their best concerts that day. They also had a lot of fun. Now they play to sold out venues. They still have fun.
This story is a powerful demonstration of how success functions from a spiritual point of view. We pursue success thinking that it is all about the bright lights and attention. But it’s hard to be in the spotlight. It can be burdensome. You don’t need to look far to see the price people pay for their fame and success: lack of privacy, high expectations, being criticized, being misunderstood, isolation. If you are not already successful internally when the bright lights shine, external success will be meaningless. There’s a popular saying that success will not change your character, but will amplify it.
Let’s take things to a more basic level. We want happiness, peace, love, and a sense of well-being. These are all signs of inner success. We mistakenly believe that in order to experience inner success, certain external signs of success must be in place first:
- I must have this level of income.
- I must drive that car.
- I must have these friends.
- I must live in this big house located in that zip code.
- I must be universally loved by all.
If you are reading this, you probably already know that this is an illusion. While inner success can attract external success, it rarely works the other way around. Whenever you are tempted to go after externals first, think about that bandleader playing to that empty house with all her heart.
Some tips for spiritual success (no screaming fans required):
Define your why. Clearly define the “why” that motivates you. The “why” is the engine that will drive the “what” and the “how.” Without it, you won’t execute when no one is watching.
Always bring your “A” game. Success is all about muscle memory. I know virtually nothing about golf. But I do know that to have the perfect golf swing, you must practice so much that it becomes second nature. How about your spiritual muscle memory? Are you happy and enthusiastic as you give that presentation to a room of five people? How about two? One? Zero? Do you think that infectious enthusiasm will magically show up when there’s a hundred people in front of you? It won’t.
Don’t let external success get between you and what you really want. It’s funny (and sad) how we pursue our heart’s desires in roundabout ways. External success is not the path to internal success, it’s simply a by-product. Want happiness? Smile. Want peace? Be a peacemaker. Want to be esteemed by your peers? Give the best of yourself to everyone you meet. Want to be loved? Love.
Enjoy life. Don’t wait for the sold-out crowd of adoring fans. Don’t hold out. Start playing your music. You’ll eventually attract a crowd.
Well said, Cylon!
Thank you 🙂