Unique Perspectives in Mental Health

Questioner: “Is not gradualness the law of life?”

Maharaj: “Oh, no.  The preparation alone is gradual, the change itself is sudden and complete.  Gradual change does not take you to a new level…  You need courage to let go.”

Questioner: “But I need time to collect my courage…to ripen for action.”

Maharaj: “The entire approach is wrong.  Action delayed is action abandoned.  There may be other chances for other actions, but the present moment is lost – irretrievably lost.  All preparation is for the future – you cannot prepare for the present.”

Preparation and planning are intoxicating.

We write plans to feel in control and make the ‘right’ decisions.  And yet, we focus our energies on past and future – on things outside our control.  We create and follow a plan that is akin to one big spin of the Roulette Wheel.  We’ll refute this notion, but it’s the truth.

I’ve always been a big planner.  When business would go sour I’d start crunching numbers, review best practices, and spend days creating a detailed plan of action.  I was paralyzed by planning.  As fate would have it, I decided to change my approach. I wanted to see what life would be like if I decided to act in the moment, to ride the energy of inspiration and conviction.

I still have plans.  It’s just that their scope and purpose have shifted.  I’m now free from second guessing and fear, free from an untold number of things.  Today, my ‘plans’ are designed to keep me focused on the present while being mindful of the future.  It’s a dynamic process that keeps me in action mode.  I learn and see by doing.

People will tell you a well thought out plan is a must.  I disagree.  Courageously following your convictions may be scary, but following a plan that has no connection with reality is even scarier.

Let action follow your conviction.

If inspiration hits you, give it the attention it deserves at that very moment.  Don’t be lulled to sleep by your preparations. Follow the energy.  It will lead you to the knowing you thought planning would open.

And remember: “Action delayed is action abandoned.”

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A pale green lizard is cooked by mistake, and worms become crust along the pavement.  And you?  You walk out into the heat of summer sapped of energy, hoping to fall off into a daydream.

And what’s stopping you?  Your colleagues and clients are in far off places.  There’s no one home.   Where do you find the motivation?  How do you push yourself to find new ideas and opportunity?

It’s hard.  Well…not the idea generation process.  That’s not really hard.  Giving yourself permission to have them – that’s hard.

Ideas are often dulled by tough critics, unreasonable benchmarks, and the almighty dollar.  Most ideas are thrown away before they ever have time to grow into something deliciously unexpected.

But we can still triumph.  In the midst of a sun-baked summer, we can get closer to opportunity by boldly pursuing our genuine interests.

We can be unafraid of our ideas and desires.

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“If I’d have asked customers what they wanted, they would have told me, ‘A faster horse!’ ”  -Henry Ford

In the 1920’s and 30’s, the standard form of treatment was psychoanalytic in nature, consisting of four to five sessions per week for years at a time.  Psychological problems were seen as the result of intrapsychic conflicts and unconscious motivations with an unwavering emphasis on the past.

Let’s think about this for a moment.

What insights would people have been able to provide in 1930 if you asked what they wanted from your services?  What would you and I be able to brainstorm and offer our community if we were practicing?

My guess is we would not be entertaining thoughts of family therapy, ADHD treatment, or short-term cognitive therapy.  Online Psychotherapy?  The mere mention of it would be unintelligible and viewed as completely absurd.  Yet all these have come to pass and are in various stages of growth.

It’s difficult to see beyond the surface.  We look to grow our practice and expand our careers, but we may only be able to see a few feet in front.  We only see the “faster horse”.  The context of our lives provides a backdrop that rewards the obvious.

Public opinion is an even trickier and more dangerous factor to consider.  It makes perfect sense to seek out those we respect most, and it is considered wise to listen to what the community is saying they want and need.  But do they really know?  Consider the lesson offered by Henry Ford.  Progress and innovation rarely come from a place of knowing.  At some point we must look beyond the feedback, opinions and daunting criticisms.

Avoid the temptation to accept things at face value.  Use the advice and input you receive as inspiration to change, but don’t let it define your direction.  In the end, you must look inward and do the work you believe is worth doing.

If you choose not to, your “possibilities” will only reach out to the realm of what already exists.  And as others begin to stretch the boundaries, linear progressions will be broken.  A sudden “leap” in progress and innovation will occur.

That’s when you’ll find yourself chasing cars on horseback.

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