Mastery with Peace

I see so much anxiety in the people around me, my friends and family, peers and students. There are times I feel helpless, unable to break through the barrier that is built between them and the peace they deserve in life.

The I Ho Chuan is a program built specifically for the purpose of furthering us on our path, to get us closer to what we want and who we want to be, to empower us to make the choices and take the actions necessary to get more from life.

But I see this message getting twisted for some individuals. Instead of being empowering, the message becomes a staggering weight. Instead of knowledge it becomes resentment. Instead of a driving force, motivation to make what we want for ourselves, it becomes an unhealthy expectation of oneself or others.

Check in with yourself. What do you feel when you think about your path to mastery? Empowered, confident, bold? Or resentment, anxiety, burden?

What do I want for you? I hope we’re on the same page with regard to this. I want you to achieve the depth of understanding and ability, in whatever field you are passionate about, that constitutes as mastery. I want you confident enough to feel pride, humble enough to admit limitations, and empowered enough to make the choices that will get you what you want.

We always strive to become a better version of ourselves. But this does not mean we cannot know peace. Find that balance for yourself; be driven but without anxiety or ego. Be confident, confident enough to be comfortable with your shortcomings. Take pride in both your achievements and failures. Embrace the journey.

Humility vs Ego

I remember when I was a teenager being asked “what is humility vs ego” as a part of the theory needed to advance in rank. To be honest, I could give a definition of each but I did not understand the question.

We talk a lot about recognizing when we are acting on our ego. We all acknowledge that we all have one, and so the goal is to recognize it, to be in control of it and to not let it define our actions or thoughts.

What is the difference? Humility is honest. It allows you to see the good and bad, your strengths and weaknesses. It does not judge and it does not elicit pride or shame. It just defines what is. With that knowledge you can then redefine and change your reality as you see fit.

Ego, on the other hand, lies. Not that you yourself lie, but ego is that little flurry of thought that alters what you do and what you say in an effort to control what is instead of embrace it. It is a way to try to manage what others believe about you. Ego is dishonest, and as such it holds you prisoner inside your current situation and removes your ability to affect your reality, to change your situation, to better yourself instead of just the perception of you.

Are you trying to sell yourself instead of build yourself? Do you feel like you have something you need to prove? To convince others of? If you ask a question, does the answer generate more questions or just more comments, justifications?

To excel at anything, you need to understand what you know and what you still need to discover. You need to open your heart to the idea that you have more to learn. And be excited about it, not ashamed of it. Seek out those that can help you, open yourself to their knowledge and experience. Do not be frustrated that you have holes in your abilities or understanding. Seek to fill them, not hide them.

Pursue betterment for the sake of becoming a better you. You have nothing to prove, only something to gain. Accept yourself as you are, all of what you are. There is nothing wrong with you. Choose to create change in yourself and your situation. Or not. Just don’t spend your time and energy on creating an image that is false. The energy needed to maintain it is so much more than the energy needed to elicit honest progress.