Conscious

CHAPTER 9Your Roots of Conscious Living

I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life … It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love.

—Steve Jobs, 2005 Stanford Commencement Address¹

Looking closely at yourself, tapping into your innate wisdom, being vulnerable and imperfect all help you to Go Deep. The next step is to build a healthy foundation. By planting seeds that ground yourself, you strengthen the roots that protect you from the winds of change.

We all have the internal tools available to keep our feet on the ground while striving to achieve our potential. They are our roots for conscious living: How you live (physical), how you feel (emotional), how you think (intellectual), how you interact (social), how you perform (vocational), and how you see the world (spiritual).² Our roots work together to nourish our mind and our heart. They help us thrive in the pressure cooker we often find ourselves in. They are truly interdependent and none can be neglected. The deeper and more widespread your roots are, the ...