Success Advice
Why Your Spirituality is the Catalyst for Greater Long-Term Success
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You don’t need to believe in God to benefit from spirituality. In fact, many people don’t. It’s a common misconception that often gets in the way of exploring the subject. And it’s a shame. There’s a lot you can gain from adopting some of the attitudes and techniques that make up what you’d call a spiritual practice.
That’s all spirituality is at its base level. It’s a set of skills you can use to enhance your life as well as those around you. Some of them are so detached from ritual or ceremony, you may find you’re already practicing them to a certain degree. But if you’re willing to dig a little deeper and expand on some of these concepts, you can make some positive changes in your life.
Empathizing with Others (How Do I Meet Their Needs?)
Spirituality is the art of how well you treat others. Many would argue that it’s more of an inward pursuit – and there are many practices that support that statement. However, the work you do on yourself is intended to create better relationships with your peers.
Empathy is a core skill that’s part of what’s referred to as your emotional intelligence. It not only feels good to extend to others, it facilitates action. That may sound a little contrived and even manipulative. But it’s not – as long as you’re acting from a place of authenticity.
The way you truly empathize with someone isn’t by feeling sorry for them. That’s sympathy. What you are trying to do is establish that person’s needs, whether they’re physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual. Everyone wants something – even if it’s just to feel heard.
When you’re able to establish someone’s core need, you can start speaking their language. You let go of the egocentric ‘me’ and focus on them. And all it requires is to simply ask questions. Express your curiosity and show a genuine interest in people.
Tip: If you’re trying to pitch someone for your goods or service, stop trying to sell them on what you can do. Establish their pain points – their needs. From there, you have a far better avenue to build rapport and potentially close your deal.
“Whenever you are about to find fault with someone, ask yourself the following question: What fault of mine most nearly resembles the one I am about to criticize?” – Marcus Aurelius
Mindfulness & Self Awareness
Mindfulness has become such an overused term both within spirituality and the mainstream. In many ways, it’s lost much of the original meaning it was meant to convey. It’s actually both a form of meditation and a conscious way of living. However, it’s often reduced to simply “living in the moment.”
When it’s executed properly, mindfulness can be an amazing tool for self-diagnosing and correcting problem areas in your life. If you strip away the fluff and see it for what it really is, it’s essentially self-awareness – taken to the nth degree.
To live mindfully means taking responsibility for your actions. You’re deliberate – almost conservative. You see the knock-on effect a certain course is going to have not only on yourself but those around you. You could even think of it as the skill of foresight.
Acting from a heightened state of awareness allows you to make better decisions. You see the cause and effect of each choice and are able to let go of the need for impulsive and emotionally charged decisions. You instead come from a place of rational thinking and logic.
Tip: The best way to begin applying mindfulness to your life is to slow down. Start questioning your actions. A little more time spent in contemplation can save a lot of time trying to undo your poor choices at a later date.
“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” – Carl Jung
Visualisation & Manifestation
The law of attraction has been popularized as a way of manifesting success and abundance for many years now. But even without reading the many books that have been written on the subject, you may be surprised to learn you’ve already been practicing it.
One of these techniques is rooted in your daydreams. They’re far from being a bad thing. Framed in a different light, they can be seen as visualizations – a key component in manifestation. If you’ve ever found yourself envisioning your future success in an ‘absent moment’ – don’t stop.
By doing this, you’re setting the intention that this is the reality you want the world to reflect back at you. It may sound “woo-woo” if you’re unfamiliar with the concept. But I guarantee you, every successful person has done this, whether knowingly or unknowingly.
You can take this concept a step further by incorporating it into a short meditation. Close your eyes, create a quiet space, and really expand on these visualizations. Place yourself in the center of the narrative and walk yourself through them step-by-step. By doing this, you’re strengthening your belief and programming your subconscious for success.
Tip: During your meditations, try and bring the emotion of what it would feel like to experience your success. Visualization is more than just creating a picture in your mind. It’s about using all of your senses to create a tangible and almost tactile image.