I want to do something important in my life!

This is a statement I hear many times as a year comes to an end. Why is it that we as human beings feel the need to be greater than we are? Is it genetic or cultural? Is the need to continually be in an upwardly mobile path an American trait? Is the American dream something that is part of the human nature?

I ask these questions because I wish to challenge myself, and you, to just sit and be aware of them. Ponder for a moment as you read this what it means for you to be significant.

As you open your consciousness to significance awareness, consider what would happen if you:

Remove the need to be significant to any one person in your life.

What decisions do you make on a regular basis in order to impress or be important to a person you know or love? How many times do you do something because you receive gratification from the attention from a son or daughter, loved one, coach, best friend or colleague? What would be different if you removed that person’s influence from your choices for just this moment? Can you do that?

Remove the need to measure your performance.

Everyday I am aware of sales numbers, customer satisfaction ratings, number of clicks on Google searches of my web site. What numbers do you see everyday in your professional or personal life? Everyday in the gym I am aware of numbers – weight lifted, body fat percentage, all pertaining to “Gainz!” What would be different for you if for this moment these numbers/performance ratings had no meaning to you whatsoever? Do you sense any difference in your self?

Remove the need to be in the right place at the right time.

As I write this, I am laughing, because each of these suggestions are coming straight from my higher consciousness, showing me my own behavior patterns. I cannot tell you how many times I achieved “dreams” by not trying. Nevertheless, I will spend so much energy trying to make things happen I desire, only to have the “dream” happen without any trying. I still struggle to let go and let it happen. For example, I have a passion for conducting, as in symphony orchestras. I love to study the great maestros, and I will stop in my tracks to listen to an orchestra performance. I have had the fortune to meet several maestros in my life, but actually had one hour conversations with two conductors in the most unexpected places. One in the middle of an Apple Store!

Remove the need to be a hero.

Throughout my life I’ve had many heroes. Let’s see, Batman, Tarzan, Sherlock Holmes, Spock, Sir Georg Solti, Mozart, Abraham Lincoln, Okay, you can stop laughing. When I started teaching at the age of 16, I began by emulating those who taught me. It didn’t work. I not only frustrated my students … and me. Every hero in the movies and literature live through their struggles, learning how to utilize their gifts, their super powers, to benefit mankind. Every hero we have struggles. They work through their lives like we do. When it comes down to it, they become our hero because of what we identify with as a fellow human being. Super powers are only representations of our personal desires, our potential, our hope to be accepted for being who we are.

Just be…

After this process of these suggestions of removing, I hope you will be aware that what remains is you, your uniqueness. You have all that you need to be special. Your intentional awareness of who you are and what you contribute to your friends, colleagues, family is significant.

You are achieving significance when you honor your own uniqueness.

All you have to do is recognize it. Make 2016 a significant year for you by being open to the awareness of your gifts.