I’m not suggesting that you escape and hide from technology or the internet; the digital wave has its place in modern life. But you don’t always have to ride the wave. You can choose to let a few waves pass you by.

Instead, swim out to calmer waters, past the digital mayhem, sit, and be still. Let nature’s current guide you. Listen carefully to the silence. You can learn more from this primordial silence than you’ll ever learn mindlessly racing around in the digital world.

Then, when you’re more centered and wise, ride the next wave—if you choose.

If you engage with technology from a grounded perspective, your experience of the digital wave will be radically different. The wave won’t have such a strong hold on you. You will no longer be pulled in the direction of the current, unable to make effective, meaningful decisions.

Now, you’ll ride the wave with a sense of nonattachment, engaged with the wave, but not at the effect of the wave. Herein lies your freedom, as David R. Hawkins says, to be in the world, but not of it.

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1. The Digital Addiction
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3. A Closer Look at our Digital Addiction

The human ego has a constant drive to control its environment. Secretly believing that it is the source of the universe, the ego willfully looks to change everything. From the ego’s perspective, it is the source of creative inspiration.

Consciousness and psychological research, however, has demonstrated that the ego actually blocks creative expression. The more humility you possess, the more you are able to get out of your own way. As the ego’s hold is minimized, your creative potential is realized.

Instead of attempting to control the creative process, let go trying to change anything.

As a Student, your job is to explore the problem from every angle. But then, the Wanderer must step in. In the state of the Wanderer, the creative genius surrenders to the problem to something beyond himself and awaits the Muse’s answer.

When confronted with a difficult problem, seek to understand the nature of the problem. But then, simply allow the problem to be there. Your creative output can soar.

Related posts:

1. The Creative Process Revisited
2. Creative Geniuses Surrender to the Moment
3. Welcome the Wanderer

Being cautious is a biologically-driven function. The animal aspect of our brain is wired for survival. As an inborn trait, it’s the human being’s default way of processing information.

Caution is important, but in excess, it leads one to being judgmental and critical of everything. People dominated by this perspective can be negative, life draining and difficult to be around. Dominantly cautious people are also called “dream stompers” as they are quick to point out what’s wrong with other people’s ideas and dreams.

Caution is a useful function in business because it can help you strengthen your ideas and avoid making critical errors. The opposite of caution—the ability to value an idea—is also of great value, but a much less developed ability in most people.

Developer of the Six Thinking Hats Edward de Bono explains, “We need to develop ‘value sensitivity.’ That means being as sensitive to value as we already are sensitive to danger. I have sat in on many creative meetings where excellent ideas have been generated. Unfortunately, the people present do not see the value in their own ideas. It is a waste of time setting out to be creative if you are not going to recognize a good idea.”

The perspective that values ideas, de Bono calls Yellow Hat. Whereas cautionary thinking (Black Hat) comes natural to most, Yellow Hat’s value sensitivity needs to be learned and cultivated.

Start by suspending judgment when an idea is put forth. Evaluate the idea from different perspectives, looking for potential benefits and ways of putting the idea into practice. Invest time looking for positive aspects of an idea instead of just being critical.

To criticize an idea you have to ask, What’s wrong with this? In wearing a Yellow Hat, ask, What value is there in this idea? What benefits and merits does this idea hold?

Be receptive to the positive aspects of your ideas and those of your team members. Value sensitivity helps you make new alchemical connections and unearth more novel, quality ideas.

Related posts:

1. When to Share Your Ideas
2. Allowing Ideas to Enter Your Mind
3. The Origin of Ideas

As a consequence of the culture’s obsession with the new, however, we often read a book with the intention of getting to the next book. This objective lacks purpose and is often a waste of time.

Alternatively, we can read with more meaningful intention and purpose, asking questions to ourselves that challenge our understanding as we read. What’s your driving purpose for investing many hours into the book? What are you looking to learn? What are the questions you’d like to answer? Do you agree with the author’s assertions? Do you have enough information to develop a well-informed perspective?

Determining your objectives or purpose in advance will help you stay focused on your task instead of aimlessly flipping from page to page. If you’re seeking those nuggets of truth within the written word, you have to read mindfully and actively.

If you have a clear purpose when reading a book, you’ll be more likely to read the same book more than once. You may sometimes feel that there’s a reading scorecard—you want to check your current book off your list. But what if you only comprehended 10% of the book’s material? If you determined that the book was important enough to read in the first place, why jump to the next book when you’ve only assimilated 10%?

Of course, not every book requires such close attention. Chances are, however, that the most challenging books will offer the greatest long-term rewards.

Keep in mind why you’re reading a particular book. We generally read nonfiction books to acquire specific knowledge and apply this knowledge to our lives. Learn to ask meaningful questions as you read a book as if you’re opening a dialogue with the author. Challenge yourself to further your understanding and re-read the material until the information is assimilated.

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2. The Art of Serious Reading
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I dare say most of us do a pretty lousy job in this area. We put off personal celebration, telling ourselves that we’ll take some time off when “we’re done.” The challenge is that we’re never done: Emails and text messages continue to stream in, phones continue to ring and there’s a never-ending demand to complete a task and move on to the next.

The celebration is postponed indefinitely, or so it seems. We often overextend ourselves, depleting our physical and mental reserves, eventually leading to varying levels of burn out.

Celebrating is important for personal fulfillment, which is why Rejuvenation Days, or R-Days, are important. R-Days help us cultivate greater levels of energy and enjoyment for even mundane undertakings. An R-Day is a day consciously set aside for nurturing your body, mind and spirit. These brief periods of inner nourishment transform your perspective.

Taking an R-Day is a decision to play, void of any work- or home-related concerns. In this sacred space, magical renewal and healing occur. R-Days help you reconnect with a remote part of yourself—an area buried by years of responsibilities and sacrifices.

Even if you are intensely enthusiastic about what you do professionally, scheduled time away from work only adds to your drive. Sometimes the best way to stay on track is to periodically diverge from the trail.

For those still chanting the mantra “I don’t have time”—yes, you do. You can’t afford not to take R-Days. In many ways, this cherished time becomes the lifeblood of your creative pursuits. There’s even a working theory that states the more R-Days you take, the more productive and fulfilled you become. (Care to put this theory to the test?)

My R-Days usually lead me on a hike through the woods with my yellow lab, a writing adventure on the back deck, or perhaps an exploratory journey through a great book. Where will your R-Days take you?

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In his later years, he began feeling great inner turmoil and perhaps his own mortality. The king called forth a powerful wizard to fashion him a magical amulet to help him deal with any situation. He wanted something that would alleviate suffering and provide perspective and great wisdom.

Only a few days later, the wise wizard returned to the king and presented him with a small box. The king opened the box and took out a simple gold ring. Feeling as though the wizard had played him for a fool, he examined the ring more carefully. Upon discovering and reading the inscription on the ring, the great king smiled, stood up and bowed to the wise wizard.

What was inscribed on the ring? The words: “And this too shall pass.”

Whether it’s a difficult situation, an unfamiliar experience or even something pleasurable—it will pass. There is only ONE constant in the universe: Change.

Knowing this we have two choices: We can accept and embrace change, or we can resist and fight change and face the consequences.

When we resist change, we suffer. We confine our experience to a limited bubble, hindering our ability to grow. Resisting change inhibits our ability to become great leaders whom by necessity can handle substantial levels of uncertainty.

And what about those who embrace change with open arms? They have all the fun. They are the leaders of each generation who boldly progress forward—blazing new frontiers, constantly charging ahead.

A person who embraces uncertainty may flinch initially, but quickly acknowledges his primal fear and then lunges forward. This person is highly adaptable and solves problems quickly as a consequence of letting go of resistance and being open to alternative points of view.

A very simple, yet powerful three-step process can help you embrace positive change. This little strategy can transform your business practices and every other area of your life:

1. Try lots of stuff.
2. Keep what works.
3. Discard the rest.

Stay open to change and be prepared to embrace what life brings you. With resilience and trust, you will begin to chart your course through the great abyss of exploration. An incredible life adventure awaits!

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