4 Principles of Success I Learned from Tolle

If you have followed me for any period of time you know I’m a fan of Eckhart Tolle and his philosophies.

He’s most known for the book The Power of Now.

One of the main points of that book is that most people “live in their head” and identify with the voice in their mind that constantly talks, judges, analyzes, worries, and complains.

He says that this voice is not who you are.

It’s a product of conditioning and ego.

Being in your head is negative for several reasons.

It prevents you from being present and aware of the reality that is beyond the mind.
It causes you to suffer and create problems that do not exist.
It disconnects you from your true self, which is pure consciousness and peace.

He also believes that when we are not in our head, we can experience the power of now, which is a state of grace, joy, and freedom.

I highly recommend the audiobook, Practicing the Power of Now.

It’s awesome daily meditation based on The Power of Now principles.

If you grab the book on Kindle you can add the audio version for an additional $7-$8.

I KNOW this stuff may sound “out there”.

But seriously, just listen to it as you are getting your 10,000 steps in each day.

You will definitely get something out of it.

You are likely spending too much time in your head and listening to this audiobook will help get you out of that trap.

I’ve been there, and it’s a terrible way to live.

Almost like being in a mental prison.

I STILL listen to this book on a regular basis because it is easy to go back to the default way of thinking.

It’s that important.

Here are 4 principles that I’ve learned from Eckhart Tolle that have helped me the most.

Principle #1 – Be in a State of Complete Acceptance

This is one of the single most important principles I have ever learned in my entire life. When things go wrong, and you’re unhappy with an event or situation, the mind likes to resist it.

By resisting it, you create negativity.

The mind believes that through negativity it can manipulate a desired outcome, otherwise, why else would you create negativity? Negativity only ever brings more negativity and all it takes is one retrospection to see that this is the case.

This is precisely why when one thing goes wrong, everything goes wrong.

To be in a state of complete acceptance means to embrace everything in your life, even the worst stuff, as if you had chosen it. You no longer let your mind and ego cling onto an undesired event.

What happens is absolutely beautiful!

You create room for positive action. You’re no longer resisting anything and because of this, nothing is holding you back. You’re completely free to work toward your goals.

Furthermore, this shift in outlook creates gratitude.

When you’re grateful for what you have, you’re acting out of a state of abundance, and more great things seem to come your way.

In the area of fat loss, for instance, you must accept where you are right now and take full and absolute responsibility. Then and only then will you be able to move forward.

Principle #2 – Learn from Your Past but Don’t Identify With It

One lesson I picked up on pretty quickly by comparing those that succeeded to those that could never seem to catch a break was this; the ‘unlucky’ person always seems to dwell on their past and all the unfortunate things that were done to them.

They create an identity out of their past, and they tell their victim story to other people to strengthen it.

So long as you’re identifying with your past, you will never be free of it. Only when you take responsibility for where you are right now will you be able to move forward.

This may sound quite simple, but the magnitude of this very thinking process can not be understated.

Instead of deflecting the blame onto someone else, you are taking full responsibility and taking complete power over your life. This is the very start of a massive life transformation.

You were blind, but now you can see.

Instead of seeing yourself as a victim of your circumstances, you now see all the different things you could have done to avoid a situation. This process gets the brain working and puts you into success mode.

Principle #3 – Don’t Look to the Future for Salvation

The human condition always likes to project happiness into the future. It tells us that we’ll be happy, complete, and fulfilled when we have this and that.

As long as you’re chasing fulfillment in the future, you’ll always feel incomplete and inadequate.

Why?

Because fulfillment, happiness and salvation can only ever be experienced in the present moment. It can’t be experienced in the future. Nothing can ever be experienced in the future.

This is hard for the mind to grasp. But when the day comes that you thought would give your life meaning, invariably, the same state of lack reappears.

This is really a dreadful mentality to have.

This mindset strips away the beauty of the adventure because it sees the present moment as a mere stepping stone.

Your life turns into a chronic obsession to arrive, to attain, and to make it. This desperation kills the beauty, creativity, and liveliness behind what you do.

Everything becomes a means to an end instead of joyous in its own right. As far as fitness is concerned, this mentality makes the journey a slow and painful one.

Principle #4 – Make the Present Moment the Primary Emphasis of Your Life

In the great words of Eckhart Tolle:

“As soon as you honor the present moment, all unhappiness and struggle dissolve, and life begins to flow with joy and ease. When you act out of the present-moment awareness, whatever you do becomes imbued with a sense of quality, care, and love – even the most simple action.”

The idea is to spend most of your life with your attention honed in on the moment that you’re in. This is when working and seemingly laborious tasks become so deeply satisfying.

Have you ever been so intensely focused on what you were doing that all your problems dissolved?

Nothing else in life mattered. You were just simply being, and it felt fantastic.

Surely you have!

This is precisely why people love drinking, partying, riding motorcycles, surfing, racing, and sex…. Anything that takes them out of their head for a change and makes them feel alive.

The greatest artists, athletes, writers, business people… They get so enraptured with their work because it brings them into presence and it connects them to being.

When you can become present to what you’re doing, you’ll be amazed at just how incredible life becomes.

However, this is a very difficult skill set to attain, but easily one of the greatest skills you can ever learn. It requires you to observe your mind and to catch your mind when it tries to escape the present moment.

Summary: You Need to Have a Productive Mental Model in Place

My world began to change once I really internalized these 4 principles.

It’s not enough to just read these tips once.

I highly recommend getting Practicing The Power of Now on audiobook and listening to it for the next couple of weeks as you get your 10,000 steps in.

I still come back to this on a regular basis.

Success rarely happens by accident.

Get your mind and mental framework right, and watch as good things begin happening all around you.

Follow these 4 principles as you work towards your goals.

You will not only achieve success.

You will enjoy every step along the way because you are living in the present moment.

*Note: This is some of the powerful mindset content/coaching we cover with clients. We have room for a few more spots in our Movie Star Coaching: Apply Here

Talk Soon,

Greg O’Gallagher

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