How Do They Find Their Boundless Energy? — Part 1

Create the Best Possible Conditions for Success

Some people seem to have boundless energy and time. They crush it at work and have a thriving side hustle. They coach their son’s baseball team, go out with friends, and still have time to play in the local softball league.

All the while, another person’s day job is enough to zap their energy and leave them feeling exhausted by six p.m..

There is one common trait that separates those that have boundless energy and those that don’t.

The Parable of Two Wolves

I came across this parable about an old Cherokee teaching his grandson about life:

“A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy. “It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil — he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”

He continued, “The other is good — he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you — and inside every other person, too.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”

The old Cherokee replies, “The one you feed.”

The Energy That Drives You

Picture a spectrum of energy. The far left is labeled constrictive energy and on the right side, you read expansive energy.

Constrictive energy tightens, depletes, narrows, and requires effort. Expansive energy is broad, open, replenishing, creative, and effortless.

The question now becomes, how do we best use our energy to create the best possible conditions for success?

“The most we can hope for is to create the best possible conditions for success, then let go of the outcome. The ride is a lot more fun that way.”

PHIL JACKSON, ELEVEN RINGS: THE SOUL OF SUCCESS

This is a two-part article. In part one, you’ll take a closer look at constrictive energy and how it shows up in your life.

Part two will explore how you can cultivate expansive energy. This being the most useful energy for you to be your best and create what you want most in life.

What Does Constrictive Energy Feel Like?

The easiest way for me to know the energy I’m resonating in is by noticing the sensations in my body. The tightening of my brow, the knot in my stomach, or the hotness under the collar.

These are often the first signs of our fight or flight response to perceived threats. There is a literal tightening of the muscles and narrowness of focus that comes as a result.

We are ready to bounce into action. And if we are a gladiator in the arena of life then this would serve us well. But we’re not.

Traits like listening, connection, communication, collaboration, and creativity are what lead to success. When our ego feels threatened these skills are the hardest to tap into.

Emotional intelligence is critical. Awareness of what’s driving these unhelpful constrictive states is the first step.

These six things are stifling your boundless energy:

1. Avoiding Stress

It’s natural for you to move away from painful experiences and toward that which feels good. Stress is unpleasant so you avoid it. You put off doing what you know you should because you don’t like the stress it creates.

Your desires and goals are on the other side of your stress, pain, and discomfort. So, avoiding stress is, at its core, an avoidance to living life.

2. Judgments

You go around all day labeling everything and anything. That’s good, that’s bad, she’s right, he’s wrong.

“If you are pained by external things, it is not they that disturb you, but your own judgment of them. And it is in your power to wipe out that judgment now.”

MARCUS AURELIUS

If you want to sit on the sideline of life and be the critic, then judgments are a great way to stay entertained.

But if you desire to be an active force in creating life, how do these judgments serve you?

3. Covering Your Ass

You let fear drive your actions, playing it safe, unwilling to raise your hand, speak up, or express your creativity.

More time and energy is spent on protecting your identity than on creating something meaningful.

4. Brooding

You get caught up in the thoughts you are having. I suck, this isn’t fair, he’s an asshole, I’m an idiot, I’ll never be able to do that, I’m not ready, I’m too young, or too old.

One of the greatest addictions, you never read about it in the papers because the people who are addicted to it don’t know, is the addiction to thinking.

ECKHART TOLLE

How much time do you spend stuck in your head, instead of engaging with this moment?

5. Busyness

You love to brag about being busy. For some strange reason, you celebrate the fact that you are only getting four hours of sleep every night.

You find yourself solving problem after problem but no closer to the goals you’ve set for yourself.

6. Excessive Expectations

Whatever it is, you want it now and you want it your way. When you don’t you are angry and frustrated.

How often do your expectations create frustrations? This is a telltale sign of excessive expectations.

In fact, there is no inherent problem in our desire to escalate our goals, as long as we enjoy the struggle along the way. The problem arises when people are so fixated on what they want to achieve that they cease to derive pleasure from the present.

MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI, FLOW

Conclusion

These six causes are stifling the boundless energy you could be experiencing.

Catch yourself as you slide into this energy state. Take a moment to ask what’s going on and why.

There are very few circumstances where constrictive energy creates the conditions for success. Avoiding stress, making judgments, brooding, fear, busyness, and excessive expectations are not serving you.

What could be more futile, more insane, than to create inner resistance to something that already is? What could be more insane than to oppose life itself, which is now and always now? Surrender to what is. Say “yes” to life — and see how life suddenly starts working for you rather than against you.

ECKHART TOLLE, POWER OF NOW

In part 2 of this article, we will explore how you can shift into the energy that serves you — expansive energy.

How aware are you of your energy right now?

Is it helping or hurting your ability to create the results you desire?

DOWNLOAD MY FREE EXECUTIVE MORNING PLAN!

Click here and download The Executive Morning Plan: Fuel your performance by taking control of your morning (without Inbox Zero and More Task Lists)!