How to Be a Greater Person

“When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds, your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great, and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties, and talents become alive and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be.”

–Patanjali

There is a natural harmony to the Universe, and life does make sense. The things that we are the most passionate about, are the things that we are the best at. This is no accident, as life is meant to be enjoyable for all. When we feel excited about some project or task, it is a clue that we are meant to accomplish it.

Naturally, we still have free will in the matter. There is always the choice to pursue our dreams, or to ignore our calling. The decision seems fairly obvious when stated like this, and yet the vast majority of us refuse to listen to inspiration.

There are a variety of reasons for this, and no judgement should be passed on those who don’t heed their inner calling. Fear is the number one reason people don’t follow the path which would make them most happy. Fear of failure, fear what others will think, and the list goes on. It is unfortunate that few have the courage to face these fears.

Another reason is our upbringing, and programming we received while growing up. We are taught to ignore our intuition, and look for external recognition and guidance. What others think becomes more important that what we do. Someone is always telling us what to think, whether that be our family, friends, or the media. But what no one is telling you is to listen to your heart.

We are capable of so much more if we would only stop trying to metaphorically swim upstream, and instead follow our natural aptitudes downstream. It is the path of least resistance to follow where enthusiasm may take us. And yet how many people do you know that are truly happy with the work that they are providing the world with?

Were we to actually have the courage to follow our own inner guidance, and have what others think be only of secondary importance, we would literally astound ourselves. This is what Patanjali is saying in the quote to begin this blog. We may not even be consciously aware of the talents we possess, and what we could accomplish. But if we don’t try, we will never discover how truly great we can be.

Words often hint at deeper meanings than we give them credit for. Enthusiasm and inspiration are two such words. The root of the word “enthusasim” comes from Greek, and is two separate words. “En” means “within,” and “theos” is “God;” therefore it translates to the “God within.” God is speaking to us every moment, if we would only listen to what makes us enthusiastic. Inspiration is similar, and means “in spirit.” When you are inspired, you are literally breathing in spirit.

Although this quote may make it seem like if you pursue your passion, you will unlock fame and fortune, this is not always the case. Results are not what hopes and dreams should be based upon–the actions themselves and the feeling you get while doing them is important. Each of us have different talents, and we are more or less suited for different projects than others. We should try to avoid comparing ourselves with what others achieve.

Not everyone wants to be rich and famous either. For some, it would be a nightmare to be in the public eye. Others can’t seem to get enough of it. We know what is right for us, and it only requires a bit of introspection. When we are inspired by something, that is the best way to tell. Perhaps you really enjoy cooking or cleaning, while someone else loves public speaking. What makes you truly happy should be your compass to guide you, not what will likely end up giving you the most recognition in the eyes of society.

Paradoxically, the Universe has a funny way of giving us everything we want if we only listen to our inner calling, and not base our actions on probable outcomes. Others would have us believe that certain things may make us happy, and if we’ve learned to ignore our intuition we tend to believe them. And yet when we follow our own inner guidance, we never seem to be lacking. We may not get the job our parents always wanted for us, or the car we know our friends would be envious of, but we will have everything we need.

Being happy is the most important thing, and no amount of external goods or recognition will ever satisfy us in the long run. Doing what we love is a reward in itself, and the results become of secondary importance. Somehow, however, we will end up with the exact results we always wanted! We may not even know what we truly wanted at the time, but when it comes it will become clear. Paying attention to when we feel enthusiastic and inspired is the only way to learn this. I encourage you to not take my word for this, but instead try it out for yourself–what have you got to lose?