“God said ‘Love your enemy’.
And I obeyed him and loved myself.”
– Khalil Gibran
You might read the above quote and think ‘This doesn’t relate to me.’
But whether you’re a man or woman, I believe it’s very relevant to anyone seeking the best in business and life. Indeed any field.
As I’ve often written and spoken about, I call my inner critic ‘Gollum’ after the Lord of The Rings character – he’s very conflicted, always against himself and paranoid of others.
If let, Gollum can be very hard on our-’selves’.
Loving yourself, to me, isn’t about giving yourself treats or buying the latest car or gadget (all of which are fun but never lasting).
Loving yourself can be very practical and indeed profit impacting.
For example:
- Believing that you really deserve success or indeed happiness (this can often be a block to people ‘letting’ themselves achieve success)
- Forgiving yourself for mistakes made in the past (business and personal)
- Making time to ‘know yourself’ – To explore your values, purpose and true desires.
- Applying the same compassion to yourself as you do to others
- Allowing yourself to dream and work towards about the kind of future you’d really like
- Stepping back to really recognise your worth and value – both in business and in life
- Taking a Friday off just for you i.e. no kids, no partner, no obligations, just pure indulgence. (This one if done well, will boost your creativity and your profit.)
- To believe in yourself as you would others.
- Recognising that while there’s loads of things not done, there is plenty done. And plenty of great things to be grateful for.
Imagine a version of yourself that has a deep purpose, is clear on what you stand for, has the ability to forgive yourself and others, can enjoy any day regardless of circumstances and has made the time to develop your best in the areas that matter most.
This to me is the result of really ‘loving yourself’. And it creates a more balanced and energised version of you. One that allows for your best to emerge.
And that kind of result will transform any organisation that this version of you works in.
Over 20 years of working with top performers and also taking on the ultimate challenge of loving my-self (some days better than others…), I can say that most people are walking around with all sorts of mental and emotional baggage – ‘Mind Junk’.
The kind of baggage that is bad for business and bad for life.
And this approach isn’t a sustainable strategy for success.
Loving your enemy is never easy. But it’s the money shot.
Where can you start?
Shane
ps – if this post resonates, please let me know.
Online Academy: Achieve more clarity, excel in your personal and professional development with some of my online courses and talks. Learn at your own pace from anywhere. More details here.
Topics include:
- State Of Mind: Improve The Key To Better Results In Busines And Life
- Thrive: How To Do It In A World That’s Changing Faster Than Ever
- BluePrint Online : Improve your Purpose, Clarity and Focus
Are you thinking of going to The Dinner For Ladies Who Don’t Lunch?
I’d suggest you book today, as only a few tickets are left and there are limited places. Taking place on 12th April, this year the special guest is Breege O’Donoghue, one of the driving forces behind the international success that is Penneys/Primark. A fun and inspiring event, if you attend you just never know who you will be sitting beside. Booking here.
Connect:
My Blog – The Eye Of The Storm: https://shanecradock.com/blog/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/shanecradock
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShaneCradock.InspiredBusiness/
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanecradock/
