Written by: Daniel Mangena, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
2020 saw one of the biggest rises in life coaches, and it’s easy to see why!
All of a sudden, we were forced into a state of introspection. Sat around, no longer able to be out there in the world chasing down whatever it was that we were chasing down; we all took stock of what was important to us.
For some, this was about getting out of relationships or jobs that weren’t really serving them and asking more existential questions for themselves.
Who can really argue with that (on the face of it, at least)?
With such a heavy focus on the internal and a distilling of life into its most fundamentally important aspects: naturally, lots of people have turned to meditation in their quest for inner engagement and alignment.
How many have actually seen this payoff in their day-to-day lives, though?
Meditation is an incredibly effective practice for bringing your physical and inner self back into alignment in the present moment. It can help with pain relief, anxiety, and clarity of thought.
How does it do this? Fundamentally because it stops you from living mentally in either a state of past trauma or imagined future stress. It forces your attention into the present and out of a state of judgment.
This is why so many life coaches, personal development experts, councilors, etc. Encourage the practice of meditation. It’s also why I do! Meditation is one of the greatest tools in your arsenal when it comes to creating your dream life.
So why should you stop meditating?
Hopefully, by now, you’ll understand that I’m not saying that you should never meditate. Quite the opposite! In fact: in order to stop something, you have to already be in the process of doing it.
The point I am making is that in order for meditation to have its desired effect (alignment of the physical and spiritual in the present moment), you need to bring that alignment into the physical realm.
That is to say: you need to actually step back into physical reality, where you can take physical action.
I can’t tell you how many clients I’ve come across who have been taught previously to focus on the inner-work. Meditate diligently, erect vision boards, and chant positive affirmations twice a day. These are all great, but only if they are in service of a physical end!
Think about it: if you are looking for a new life, one where you have everything you need and live in a state of happiness, joy, abundance, etc., you are seeking a specific physical reality. Of course, you’re seeking the emotional payoffs, but they come from your physical surroundings.
Just as you’re looking to be aligned in the present, so too must you be in the future - in order to experience your desired outcome.
Action!
Taking action is concurrently the most and least important part of realizing anything.
Least - because blind action will not result in a specific outcome. You have to be specific with your goal and specific with your actions, and that means doing the prep-work meticulously!
Mostly - because no matter how much preparation we do, taking no action at all will mean that whatever desire you hold remains unrealized in the physical realm.
These things have to work in tandem. This is why just meditating, looking at vision boards, and doing yoga is not bearing tangible results. You need to make it a part of a holistic view of how you live your life, not where you stop!
It’s got to be about implementing change in your life as a whole, not just in the area.
So many people (it seems from an anecdotal perspective anyway) get caught up in the sexiness of meditation and mind work. They miss the opportunities that come their way to improve themselves and their situation because they’ve not understood the bigger picture.
That brings me on to - intention.
Intent means everything when it comes to any action. We recognize this in law, with punishment being metered out on a sliding scale - as dictated by the intent behind an individual’s actions.
So why can’t we recognize the significance of our own intentions when it comes to the practices that we engage in every day?!
The intent is not a “set & forget” thing either. We need to keep checking in with our intentions, goals, and desires on a daily basis. Why? Well put it this way: it’s estimated that we dedicate only 3% of our brain function to the conscious mind. The other 97% is taken up with subconscious processes.
When you view intentions (as I do) as the mechanism by which we disrupt a subconscious pattern, you realize just how important they are! We’re talking about harnessing 97% of your brain and directing it towards your goals.
Think about this and really let it sink in: the vast majority of our actions are guided by programming, over which we didn’t have any conscious input. That’s crazy!
Of course, things like breathing, chewing our food, walking, etc., are generally best left to our subconscious. After all, if you have to consciously decide to move every muscle and take each breath, you wouldn’t get a lot done.
That said, and not to go off on too much of a tangent here, but most people do not chew their food enough! We should be training ourselves to chew our food for longer in order to alleviate the amount of work our gut has to do. That can have a marked impact on our overall weight and health!
But I digress!
By clearly setting and then staying in check with our intentions, we can make sure that our actions are serving us in creating the life that we truly desire.
Understanding our desires fully is vital and a whole other topic, but it is a good intention for meditating. Spending time in the present moment, witnessing without judgment what’s going on in your mind and body, is a great way to connect to what you truly desire!
This is what I’m talking about, though: once you’ve created that connection, understood your desires, and fulfilled your intent - it’s time to stop meditating!
By having that intent, you’ve effectively designated the criteria for when meditating has ceased to serve your goals. This is the whole point! Be aware of that and honor it. Only then will you start to see the promised results from your mindful practices.
Daniel Mangena, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Dan Mangena is a best-selling author, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and public speaker. Recently named in the Wall St Journal as a "Master of Success," he is completely self-made and has spent decades perfecting his world-class coaching methodology. His books, podcasts, events & retreats continue to help captains-of-industry and private individuals alike live an abundant, joyful, purpose-driven life. He offers many unique and effective free tools via his website.
