Obstacles to Your Growth - Part 2: How to Release Your David from the Granite of Your Life.
Three Art Quotes To Inspire You As You Design Your Ideal Life
I’ve had some interesting discussions lately regarding the achievement of goals.
One of the most recent led me to a sudden epiphany that reminded me of what I thought was a Michelangelo quote: “I see the statue trapped inside the granite block. My work is to release the statue.”
Well, turns out that’s not his exact quote, just my fuzzy memory of it. The actual quote is:
“The sculpture is already complete within the marble block, before I start my work. It is already there, I just have to chisel away the superfluous material.” ― Michelangelo
Working to help clients change their lives is an interesting profession. No matter whether we’re using hypnotherapy or life coaching as our method of process, some come to it eager to achieve and ready to do the work necessary to realize their goals. Others come without a clear idea of what their goals are, but know that something isn’t right, otherwise they wouldn’t be feeling some level of angst.
In both cases, there may come times when the client comes to realize that who they currently believe themselves to be, and the behaviors that being that person entails, is not serving their achievement of their ideal life.
They have to take a hard look at the things they are doing that are not in alignment with reaching their goals. They have “stuff” that could be behaviors, emotional attachments, actual physical belongings (and the emotional attachment to them), or maybe just an old limiting belief about what they deserve to achieve in their life.
This is the “superfluous material” that needs to be chipped away so that they can reveal the beautiful statue of their ideal life.
Their ideal lives are already inside them. If they weren’t, the client would not have a concept for the definition and experience of “ideal.” They merely need to begin removing that which is getting in the way.
This can be hard work. It can be uncomfortable. It takes commitment when old, familiar ways of being are challenged with new, unfamiliar, and initially uncomfortable ideas and behaviors.
But, if we are committed to creating art, the REAL art of living an ideal life, let’s remember these words from Susan Sontag:
Real art has the capacity to make us nervous. ― Susan Sontag
Our goal is to develop a clear picture or feeling of the elements that constitute an ideal life for a client. Then it’s possible for them to create a stronger, positive emotional connection to that outcome than they may have to their familiar, default comfort zone habits that are actually kind of uncomfortable (otherwise they wouldn’t be looking for a way to make life better).
If you are in the process of doing the work to change and improve your life, please keep this idea in mind. The path is not always comfortable, but only through facing and overcoming challenges do we grow and become the individuals we wish to be. A good coach can help you get past these moments and realize your growing inner strength, resolve, and resourcefulness.
Stay on the path, trust the process, and see how as you face the uncomfortable feelings, you are removing that which has held you back up until now.
It’s important to examine the blocks of material that we are considering removing. Sometimes not all of it is superfluous. Some elements from our childhood and earlier years are essential parts of who we are.
Those childhood memories of what made us happy before we were told that it was inappropriate to enjoy those things as an adult, are key portions of our essence and may even shed light to help us find our purpose in life.
Let’s consider this wonderful quote from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry:
“A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” ― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Consider yourself the master artist. You are designing your ideal life.
Be bold. Be daring. Make yourself uncomfortable.
Remove that which does not serve the grand design…