There’s no escaping your business or the work you do.
Your business can either be thriving or struggling. You’re either passionate about your work or you’re not. You either collaborate with people you resonate with or you don’t. You lean towards happiness or frustration and burnout.
Indeed, business is the ultimate feedback loop. Your inner self is always present no matter where you are or what you're doing. Your business reflects every aspect of your psyche.
Your interests. Your relationships with people. Your relationship with money. Your focus. Your energy levels. Your self-care. Your inner dialogue. Your daily choices. Your self-confidence.
Running a business exposes your insecurities and fears. We worry about sales and cash flow. We fear other people's opinions. Sometimes, we retreat and become less authentic. Sometimes, we lack the confidence to bring our ideas to life. We fear rejection, judgment, and not feeling good enough.
Can you see what you’re experiencing? Your soul is evolving.
Business is the gateway to spiritual evolution.
Everyone is aware of Darwin's Theory of Evolution. If not, I will give you a brief rundown. Darwin studied how animals would adapt to their environment to survive. He concluded that evolution was the survival of the fittest. Animals had to form adaptations or grow new parts to survive. The same is true for us in the world of business.
In business, we face challenges that test our limits, beliefs, and resolve. Just as animals acquire new traits to thrive, we must get new traits to succeed.
Starting a business helped me come to this realization. There's no hiding when you start a business. The market determines your success. If something isn’t working, there’s no one to blame but yourself. It forces you to take radical responsibility.
When I first started my business, I was too scared to make cold calls to advertise.
My business was struggling, and I was still hesitant to call a stranger, because I was scared to get rejected.
When I invested $10,000 in coaching to learn more about business, all I could think about was, what happens if this fails and I lose this money?
I was reluctant to post on social media to promote my business because I was afraid of looking salesy.
I understood quickly that I had to stop avoiding facing my weaknesses and fears. There was a part of me refusing to adapt. A deep-seated fear that I couldn’t overcome, stopping me from hitting the next level.
But when your livelihood is tied to your business, you have no other option but to address the core of these issues.
You need to grow spiritually. You must start to heal and understand the dark forces that are holding you back (Yourself).
If you don't, you will forever have a glass ceiling over your head. You will feel trapped and constantly at war with yourself.
As I faced these fears, I began to see the change. I forced myself to make those cold calls, each one getting easier. I trusted the $10,000 investment would pay off, and it did. Slowly, I started posting on social media, and the response was better than I imagined.
Each step was a spiritual growth moment. Each fear faced was a lesson learned. My business improved because I improved.
Your business is a unique expression of who you are. If you are not growing as a person, then neither is your business. If you want a successful business, you must go through a spiritual evolution.
What is Spirituality?
Spirituality has become a bit of a buzzword these days. Most people think that spirituality is about being religious. That it is about charging your crystals or that you need to meditate three hours a day and cut yourself away from the world. While these can be perceived as spiritual, it puts people off from the core idea behind spirituality.
Spirituality is all about learning about your inner world. It is about getting to know the parts of yourself that you're hiding away from. The parts of you that you are scared to let the world know about. We all have an ego, which is a persona that we show the world. It is this part of your identity that you consider your ‘self’.
Understanding the Ego
The ego is a collection of thoughts, feelings, and behaviours that form a story of how your life is. It's the narrative we tell ourselves, full of limitations and self-imposed boundaries. Marianne Williamson describes the ego as "quite literally a fearful thought." From a young age, we are taught to be "good" by meeting certain conditions. We are rarely taught that we are essentially good just as we are. This lack of unconditional approval shapes our ego, leading us to believe that we are not enough.
The ego is the belief in separation. This belief system causes us to see ourselves as separate from the world and from others. It drives us to act out of fear, doubt, and insecurity, creating obstacles that hold us back in various areas of our lives.
The Three Beliefs of the Ego
Three fundamental beliefs drive the ego:
Belief in Lack: The notion that "I am incomplete" or "I am lacking." This belief leads to feelings of sadness, depression, and self-loathing. It drives us to seek external validation and fulfillment, believing that we are not enough as we are.
Belief in Outcome Happiness: The idea that "My happiness depends on outcomes." This belief creates attachments and personal desires, leading us to constantly chase after external achievements or validations. It manifests through emotions like anger, frustration, and resentment when outcomes are not met.
Belief in Control: The belief that "I am in control." This belief causes stress, worry, and anxiety as we try to manipulate and control life to feel safe. The ego's sense of control is an illusion, as it fails to recognize that we are part of a larger whole, influenced by forces beyond our individual control.
Spirituality and the True Self
Spirituality is about transcending these ego-driven beliefs and connecting with your true self. It's about understanding that your true essence is not the fearful, limited persona created by the ego, but a heart-based consciousness or oneness that exists beyond the ego.
Think of your true self as the sun hidden behind clouds. The clouds represent your ego, filled with fear and doubt. The sun is always there, shining brightly, but the clouds obscure its light. By dissolving the clouds of the ego, you allow your true self to shine through, bringing warmth, clarity, and light into your life.
Your true self is the part of you that acts with love and integrity, even when no one is watching. It's the quiet confidence that comes from knowing your worth, regardless of external validation. It’s the sense of peace you feel when you’re aligned with your values and purpose.
Spirituality is about aligning with the true essence of who you are.
By understanding and transcending the ego, we can tap into our true potential and live a life of purpose and joy. This transformation has led me towards greater success and fulfillment, both in my business and in life.
Now if I’m going to be honest with you, there are times when I fall victim to the ego. I still slip back into old insecurities, fears, and doubts that hold me back.
But I’m getting better at becoming aware of these patterns.
Noticing when they occur in the present moment and putting a stop to them.
Let me share that process with you.
Transcending the Ego
One of my favorite movies is The Matrix.
In my eyes, it is a movie that represents breaking free from the mental programs of egoic conditioning. These programs have unconsciously enslaved us.
You realize you've been a prisoner to the system. It's the ego, and it has controlled you.
This system causes you to perceive, think, and react in ways that you don't truly want.
The moment you become aware of the ego, it loses its grip on you because its power depends on your unconscious belief in it.
So here's how to break free:
1) Answer the Call
In The Matrix, Neo (the main character) has to make a choice: continue living out the program or awaken to a new reality.
Now that you are aware of your ego, you face the same choice.
Question every thought. Consider whether you are choosing your thoughts or if they are appearing automatically. Recognize that bad thoughts come from the ego. Good thoughts come from the true self.
Start to become very suspicious of every thought that appears. Are you really choosing these thoughts, or are they just appearing automatically?
2) Remove the Anchor Points
Understand that you have a body, a mind, and memories, but you are not those things.
Identify and release attachments to these identities.
For example, if you are a musician, make music because you love it, not because it defines your worth.
Recognize that these identities are illusions. There is no separate self living a separate life; you are life itself.
3) Do not let appearances sway you.
Ignore negative thoughts and emotions by recognizing they do not define you.
Focus on what feels good and true.
Consistently practice turning your attention away from negative patterns. Realize that negative emotions and thoughts are simply part of the ego's program. They are not who you truly are.
Understanding these concepts and using them in your life and business can help you rise above the ego. You will then find more freedom, joy, and authenticity.
As you go on this journey, watch as your business and life transform in profound ways.
Your business will not only succeed but also become a force for good, reflecting the true essence of who you are.
See you next week.
Stefan
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