This week’s article is dedicated to Passover, which starts tomorrow.
Passover, according to the Jewish tradition, is a time to break free from bondage.
Just like the Israelites coming out of slavery in Egypt and crossing the Red Sea, this is a time to release the shackles and fearlessly walk towards freedom. External freedom but, more importantly, internal freedom.
But how do we do that?
How do we fearlessly take the first step towards internal freedom?
Well, it turns out it all begins in kindergarten…
Kindergarten-level
It was almost 10 years ago, at the end of one of my workshops when one of the participants asked me if I could teach her my method for succeeding in everything I do.
I smiled and thought about it for a while, then took a deep breath and answered:
“You know, the truth of the matter is that succeeding in everything you do is not hard at all;
it is actually much easier than most people think.”
When I saw her puzzled look, I continued:
“Here is my method to succeeding in everything you do:
Every time I want to be perfectly successful in everything I do,
I go to my daughter’s kindergarten and play with her toys.
There, I am 100% certain that I will always succeed.
In kindergarten, I know that I will never fail…”
Interestingly enough, many entrepreneurs, executives, teams and organizations I meet grow and reach a certain level of success and then start limiting themselves to their “kindergarten-level”.
A level where it is safe.
A level where they are always succeeding, never feeling the sting of failure.
Yet, at the kindergarten level, we also enslave ourselves.
We prevent ourselves from growing, trying, failing and learning.
Because in school we were always taught how to succeed
Never how to fail.
If you think about it, as babies, had we succumbed to our fear of falling and bumping our heads, would we ever have dared to take our first step?
Would we have learned to eat? Talk? Get dressed?
Would we have learned anything new and unfamiliar?
So why is it that, as adults, we shackle ourselves? Hold ourselves back?
When did we lose that freedom, that natural and straightforward courage we had as babies learning to walk?
When did we lose our natural courage to try, dare, fall, and still get up and try again and again until we learn?
And more importantly:
Why is it that when our babies take their first steps
we encourage them joyfully: “Good Job! You can do it! One more step!”
And when they fall, we hug and soothe them, saying: “Don’t worry, we love you, let’s try again.”
Yet we never encourage ourselves for trying, and never ever hug ourselves when we fall and fail?
Instead, we harshly judge ourselves based on the results rather than on the motivation, intention and effort.
Ask yourself:
When was the last time you patted yourself on the back for a failed attempt?
When did you last compliment yourself for being brave enough to try, even though you failed?
So here is my take on freedom:
Maybe instead of seeking success in everything we do
We should focus on growing from everything we do—when we succeed and especially when we don’t.
Want to know more?
Here are 2 super quick exercises to start practicing your inner freedom.
I invite you to try them out, share your experiences, and have a Happy Passover!
