The Romans believed everyone was born with a god to guide them called “Genius.” Later, science discovered that matter, as we refer to it, does not exist. Everything is a form of energy, which is the substance of our universe. So it would be safe to assume each of us is a unique energy form in the web of life.
Additionally, and most startling, is that science has discovered that everything is connected by a force outside of time and space. If all this is true, which I believe it is, then to know our true nature or essence, is the first step in becoming a visionary.
If we know and and learn to respond to life from our God-given essence, and everything is connected, we will envision our future naturally. In fact, it will come flowing in continuously.
The five ways
- Know your essence or natural Genius
- Live from your essence to attract and envision the future
- Let go of things that block awareness and trap you in fear
- Know when you know what you see or feel is right
- Practice taking action even if you are afraid
Pure expression of essence
As children we are a pure expression of our essence. Children, before the loss of innocence, are present, curious, innovative, quick learners, and just a joy to be around. This is because they have not developed cognitive frameworks. They are not worrying about tomorrow, they are engaged in the present. They are creating their future at incredible rates.
Loss of innocence
At the loss of innocence we lose touch with our essence, or as some would say, our soul. We all go through this loss. The good news we cannot lose our essence. We just mistakenly place our consciousness on our fears and desires.
Blocked by fear
Over time the frameworks of thought we developed to protect and guide us block our experience of our essence. We no longer know our essential self. As our essence is covered by an avalanche of fears, we lose our ability to envision the future. Our bad experiences trap us inside cognitive frameworks we have adopted to protect ourselves.
Our very essence is trapped, but always waits to be released. We get glimpses, but often deny them as unreal. We think it is all “too good to be true.” We become cynical and angry with ourselves and the struggle of life. Just know, it will not stop calling us because it is who we are.
Knowing when you know
It is important to realize our thoughts are useful to plan, but can drive us crazy and block our knowing. The definition of insanity is repeating the same patterns of thought and action while getting the same unsatisfactory experiences. Then being angry at someone else, ourselves, or life itself. Yet our vision is there calling, we are just not tuned in.
Practice taking action
There is no substitute for practice to achieve mastery of anything. We have to practice:
- Knowing how to get to our highest states-of-mind
- Letting go of the fears that have built up over time
We have to practice expanding our glimpses into our essence. Moments when we have been in an elevated state-of-mind. Go back and get a sense of the feeling, so we can recreate it at will. Then we must practice, letting go of the persistent patterns that block us from taking action. Both take practice.
Paul David Walker is founder of Genius Stone Partners and author of Invent Your Future — Starting With Your Calling. For more than 30 years he has successfully guided the CEOs and senior executive teams of such Fortune 500 and mid-sized companies as New York Life, Mutual of Omaha, Chase GIS, Finance One, Pacific Mutual, Rockwell International, Conexant Systems, Harrods, Anne Klein, Union Pacific, StarKist, The City of Long Beach, Culver Studios and many other organizations. He also is author of Unleashing Genius: Leading Yourself, Teams, and Corporations. Visit www.inventyourfuturebook.com or www.geniusstone.com
