Welcome to the 3rd challenge
Operate at your full potential!
When you have already created the favorable conditions and adopted the practices of the first challenge and also freed yourself of your limiting beliefs, conditioning and behaviors in the second challenge, you are fully prepared to start the third challenge.
The overall objective of the third challenge is to reach our full potential.
We all have the opportunity to develop our personal and professional skills during our life but most people often overlook three major key factors which all have the power to prevent them to reach their full potential and experience life at its very best.
The first one is to learn to live in the ‘tempo Giusto’, the appropriate tempo. Whenever we live a life which creates regular stress, we can be absolutely sure that our tempo is not the right one!
Unfortunately, the environment in which we live today, for most of us, has conditioned us to accept stress as ‘normal’ despite the fact that numerous studies have proven that stress is responsible for numerous maladies to many, if not all, of our organs. Stress induces increased levels of acidity in our body which deteriorates our cardiovascular system, our digestive functions, our muscular system, our bone structure, our reproductive system, our brain and is responsible for decreased tonus, chronic fatigue, innumerable diseases as well as accelerating our aging process..
But deteriorating our health and shortening our life is not the only huge price we have to pay by allowing stress to become a normal part of our lives..
It also impacts our performance. Stress has been proven to deteriorate our performance in 90 % of our activities. For the other 10%, stress only improves the performance as long as it remains moderate.. as soon as the stress increases, the performance starts to drop as well…
Besides deteriorating our health, longevity and capacity to be at our best, stress is also stealing from us time we could have really enjoyed.
This is an incredible huge sacrifice that most people accept nowadays.
Besides stress, the second factor preventing us to be at our full potential is our increasing inability due to stress to be fully ‘Here and Now’. All the athletes, artists know that they are only at their very best when they are fully present. All the persons who succeed in reaching the state of FLOW, described by positive psychology as the state when the person reaches its top performance, is able to give its best contribution and at the same time enjoy the best life experience, have developed the ability to be perfectly ‘Here and Now’. In fact the state of FLOW can never be achieved without this ability.
Unfortunately we live more and more in a word of stress and constant distractions and less and less people are capable nowadays to live fully the present.
Finally we are also prevented to reach our full potential when we do not leverage fully all the types of information at our disposal at every moment which also requires to be fully ‘Here and Now’.
A mountain climber or tightrope walker does not solely rely on the information (s)he receives from her/his rational mind to succeed, (s)he must also be fully attentive to her/his emotions, to all her/his sensations as well as take into account her/his gut feeling and intuition. If (s)he fails to do so, her/his life is actually at risk.
We must learn to do the same to make sure we have, in every circumstances, the optimal reactions, we take the best decisions and are able to capture all the opportunities as soon as they arise.
When we have adopted the ‘right tempo’, we have developed our presence ‘Here and Now’ and have learned to leverage fully all the types of information at our disposal at every moment, we start operating at our full potential.
This is precisely the overall objective of this third challenge.
Tempo Giusto
Let’s start first with adopting the right tempo.We live in a world with a constant obsession and fascination for speed.
In fact this obsession started only around the middle of the 20th century. Before that time, humanity did not even know the word stress!
As was explained, with much humour, by a chaplain in Canada, if Christ came back today, the real miracle would not be to make the paralyzed persons walk, the real miracle would be to make all these valid people walk instead of running like crazy!’
He is actually right!
The objective of this challenge is to learn to find and keep our ‘tempo Guisto’, the right tempo for us.
By doing so, we will not only improve our health and longevity but also immediately improve our wellbeing by avoiding unnecessary conflicts, by eliminating a major source of errors and frustrations… we will immediately start experiencing a lightness and joy we just can’t feel anymore when we remain in a state of constant stress.
This requires however to accept to take a step aside, this is really a difficult step to take since it may initially create initial loss but this is the price to pay for achieving so much higher gains. Refusing this initial loss results in fact in the highest loss of all, the loss of your health, longevity, ability to reach your peak performance, to contribute at your very best and enjoy life at the fullest!
When the Dalai Lama was asked one day about what surprised him most about humanity, he answered « Man! Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.”
This is a great summary of the trap most of us fall into. Refusing a short term loss to step aside a life with a high level of stress results in the highest loss of all: losing our well being, health and longevity !
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Stress can have a significant impact on a person’s life, affecting their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. The effects of stress can vary from person to person and can range from short-term to chronic. Here are some of the common impacts of stress on one’s life:
Physical Health:
Increased risk of chronic diseases: Prolonged stress can contribute to the development or exacerbation of various health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension.
Weakened immune system: Stress can suppress the immune system, making individuals more susceptible to infections and illnesses.
Muscle tension and pain: Stress can lead to muscle tension, headaches, and body aches.
Sleep disturbances: Stress often disrupts sleep patterns, leading to insomnia or restless nights.
Mental Health:
Anxiety and depression: Chronic stress can contribute to the development or worsening of anxiety and depression disorders.
Cognitive impairment: Stress can impair concentration, memory, and decision-making abilities.
Mood swings: Stress can lead to irritability, mood swings, and emotional instability.
Increased risk of substance abuse: Some people turn to substances like alcohol or drugs as a way to cope with stress.
Emotional Well-being:
Decreased happiness and life satisfaction: Stress can diminish a person’s overall sense of well-being and life satisfaction.
Reduced resilience: Chronic stress can make it more difficult for individuals to cope with future challenges and setbacks.
Relationship strain: Stress can lead to conflicts and strained relationships with family, friends, and colleagues.
Behavioral Changes:
Unhealthy coping mechanisms: Some individuals may resort to unhealthy behaviors such as overeating, smoking, or excessive drinking to manage stress.
Social withdrawal: Stress can lead to isolation and reduced social engagement.
Reduced productivity: Stress can impair job performance and reduce productivity.
Long-Term Effects:
Burnout: Prolonged exposure to high levels of stress can lead to burnout, which is characterized by emotional exhaustion, reduced job performance, and a sense of hopelessness.
Cardiovascular issues: Chronic stress is associated with an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
Digestive problems: Stress can contribute to gastrointestinal issues such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
It’s important to note that not all stress is harmful. Some level of stress, known as « eustress, » can be motivating and beneficial in certain situations. However, when stress becomes chronic and overwhelming, it can have a detrimental impact on one’s life. Managing and coping with stress through relaxation techniques, exercise, social support, and seeking professional help when needed are essential steps in mitigating its negative effects
Developing our presence ‘Here and Now’
Once we’ve succeeded in finding and keeping our tempo Giusto, we also have to develop our capacity to be and remain ‘Here and Now’.Many people keep living in the past, being either nostalgic or being obsessed with past events they can not change. We know now thanks to biochemistry and epigenetic, that by doing so they condemn themselves to remain prisoner of the same biochemistry soup and inhibit the expression of some of their genes. It is as if their past was entirely conditioning their present and their future to come. Past is History. We have to learn from History but should not remain prisoner from our past.
Other people live in the future, in a future they hope they can eventually reach their dream which will make them finally feel fulfilled. This is also a trap. Life is full of surprise and is rarely as we expected. We also never know how long we will live. The future is therefore always hypothetical. The key is to enjoy fully every ‘present’ we receive in our life by being ‘fully’ present.
Our constant objective should be to be fully present in whatever we do, in all our activities and all our interactions.
It is only when we are fully present, that we can have the chance to be at our peak performance, that we can contribute at our very best and can enjoy life’s optimal experience as shown by all the persons who reach the state of FLOW.
This takes practice and time.
When we are fully present, for instance, when we are interacting with someone else, we are actually completely changing the interaction:
– first this person will notice and be appreciative of your active listening,
– secondly you will avoid many of the misunderstandings which occur due to a lack of attention,
– and last of all you will have all the information you need to give the best possible response based on the additional information you will have captured.
The overall impact is a much clearer understanding, a naturally better exchange and a more satisfying experience for both parties.
When we are fully in the present, we also have the capacity to capture every opportunity as soon as it arises. This is key as an opportunity which presents itself may never come again in our lifetime. This has been proven time and time again. Many people at the end of their lives regret having missed their chance by not seizing an opportunity which presented itself because they thought it was not the right time…unfortunately the opportunity never came again…
Being fully present will only become possible once we have developed our full ATTENTION with all our senses on what happens at the present moment. To keep our attention on the present we will have to develop another key ability: our VIGILANCE. Our vigilance will alert us as soon as our mind diverts its attention through compulsive thoughts or a circular mental rumination. Once we receive this alert, we can bring back our attention to the present.
Developing our attention and vigilance is not only required to be able to reach the state of FLOW, it is also key to improve our interactions, to become aware of the opportunities when they arise. Being fully ‘Here and Now’ also allows us to capture the best part of every moment, in short to enjoy the present moment as much as we can, like a special gift!
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The importance of being fully present in the here and now, often referred to as mindfulness, is a concept deeply rooted in various philosophical and psychological traditions, including Buddhism and modern psychology. This state of mindfulness involves paying full attention to your current moment and experiences without judgment or distraction. Here are some reasons why being fully present in the here and now is considered significant:
Reduced Stress and Anxiety: When you focus on the present moment, you are not dwelling on past regrets or worrying about the future. This can help reduce stress and anxiety, as these conditions often arise from thoughts about what has already happened or what might happen.
Improved Mental Health: Mindfulness practices have been shown to be effective in enhancing mental well-being. They can reduce symptoms of depression, improve mood regulation, and increase overall mental resilience.
Enhanced Emotional Regulation: Being fully present allows you to observe your emotions as they arise without immediately reacting to them. This can help you respond to situations more skillfully and avoid impulsive, emotionally driven decisions.
Better Relationships: Mindfulness can improve your relationships by enabling you to listen more attentively and empathetically, as well as respond to others in a more thoughtful and considerate manner.
Increased Focus and Productivity: Mindfulness can sharpen your concentration and enhance your ability to stay engaged in tasks. By reducing distractions and promoting single-tasking, you can improve your productivity and work more efficiently.
Greater Self-Awareness: Being present allows you to better understand yourself, your thought patterns, and your reactions. This self-awareness can lead to personal growth and the ability to make positive changes in your life.
Enhanced Physical Health: Mindfulness practices have been associated with improved physical health outcomes. They can lower blood pressure, boost the immune system, and even reduce the perception of pain.
Enjoyment of Life: Fully experiencing the present moment can lead to a greater appreciation for the simple joys of life. Whether it’s savoring a delicious meal, enjoying a beautiful sunset, or spending time with loved ones, mindfulness helps you find pleasure in everyday experiences.
Increased Resilience: Mindfulness can help you adapt more effectively to life’s challenges. By staying grounded in the present moment, you are better equipped to deal with adversity and bounce back from setbacks.
Spiritual Growth: For some people, mindfulness is an integral part of their spiritual practice. It can deepen their connection to the spiritual or transcendent aspects of life and foster a sense of inner peace and purpose.
In essence, being fully present in the here and now is a valuable skill that can lead to improved mental and emotional well-being, healthier relationships, and a more fulfilling life. It enables you to make the most of each moment and navigate life’s ups and downs with greater resilience and equanimity.
Capturing at every moment and taking into account all types of information at our disposal.
Once we have adjusted to the tempo Giusto, we have developed our capacity to remain ‘Here and Now’ we are ready to capture and integrate all types of information at our disposal in order to optimize our reactions and decisions. In most of the western societies, the mind is predominant and we have disconnected ourselves from two important sources of information: the information coming from our heart, the one coming from our gut as well as our intuition.By doing so we are at high risk to react improperly and to take bad decisions with devastating consequences.
This is precisely what happens to the persons who end-up in burn-out. Their mind which was predominant has pushed them to continue and to disregard their heart and gut feeling. The devastating consequence is a complete breakdown requiring usually months if not years to fully recover.
This is also what happens to people who end-up ‘burning their entire life’. It is only at the end of their life that they realize that they wasted their life! The signals were there all along but were just not captured or/and taken into account.
Integrating information coming from our heart
We now know that the heart contains neurons. It starts to beat even before the brain exists and therefore has the capacity to receive information, to treat information, to learn, to remember, and to communicate a response directly to our nervous system.It also emits a strong electromagnetic field which can be detected as far as 4 meters. This electromagnetic field changes according to the emotional state and can give us precious information we can take into account during our interactions.
Our heart is constantly receiving, treating and reacting to information, we have an emotional intelligence which we should all learn to fully use.
When we take decisions based only on our mind, they can lack of empathy..and at the end may very well be destructive. The current state of our planet is a vibrant proof of the danger of decisions taken under the sole influence of the mind.
Whenever our mental and emotional intelligence are aligned, we can be confident that we are taking the right decision.
Whenever there is an opposition between these two forms of intelligence, we should be really cautious.
Our love life also gives us the opportunity to realize the importance of taking both types of intelligence into account. If we choose a partner based simply on rational criteria, we will not ‘vibrate’ and feel the intense joy one can feel when our partner meets our rational criteria and is also chosen by our heart. On the other hand if we choose our partner only based on our emotions and decide to suppress the warnings emitted by our brain, we can also end up in a really frustrating situation. It is only when the mental and emotional intelligence are aligned that we have the best chance to live a fulfilling partnership.
We can never reach our full potential without using fully our mental and emotional intelligence.
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Emotional intelligence (EI), also known as emotional quotient (EQ), refers to the ability to recognize, understand, manage, and effectively use one’s own emotions and the emotions of others. It involves a set of skills and competencies related to emotions and interpersonal interactions. Daniel Goleman, a psychologist and author, popularized the concept of emotional intelligence and identified five key components:
Self-awareness: This is the ability to recognize and understand your own emotions, including their causes and effects. Self-aware individuals are in tune with their feelings and can accurately assess their strengths and weaknesses.
Self-regulation: Self-regulation involves the ability to control and manage one’s emotions, impulses, and reactions. It includes staying calm under pressure, adapting to change, and avoiding impulsive or destructive behavior.
Social awareness: Social awareness is the capacity to perceive and understand the emotions and needs of others. It involves empathy, which is the ability to connect with and show compassion for others’ feelings and perspectives.
Relationship management: This component focuses on using emotional intelligence to navigate social situations effectively. It includes skills such as communication, conflict resolution, collaboration, and building and maintaining healthy relationships.
Motivation: Motivation in the context of emotional intelligence refers to the drive to set and achieve personal and professional goals. People with high emotional intelligence are often more resilient, have a positive outlook on life, and are better at motivating themselves and others.
The importance of emotional intelligence lies in its significant impact on personal and professional success and well-being. Here are some key reasons why emotional intelligence is important:
Improved interpersonal relationships: High EQ individuals are better at understanding and managing their relationships, leading to more satisfying and harmonious interactions with family, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances.
Enhanced communication: Effective communication is a crucial skill in both personal and professional life. EI helps individuals communicate more clearly, empathetically, and persuasively, leading to better collaboration and conflict resolution.
Leadership effectiveness: Leaders with high emotional intelligence are often more successful in motivating and inspiring their teams. They can handle challenging situations, provide support, and create a positive work environment.
Stress management: People with a strong EQ are better equipped to handle stress and adversity. They can remain composed in high-pressure situations and find healthy ways to cope with stress.
Decision-making: Emotional intelligence can lead to better decision-making, as it allows individuals to consider both logical reasoning and emotional factors when making choices.
Personal well-being: Individuals with high emotional intelligence tend to experience better mental and emotional health. They are more resilient and have a greater sense of self-worth and fulfillment.
Conflict resolution: EI helps in resolving conflicts constructively by promoting understanding, empathy, and compromise, which can prevent escalations and foster better relationships.
In summary, emotional intelligence is a critical set of skills that can significantly impact various aspects of a person’s life, from their relationships and communication to their leadership abilities and overall well-being. Developing and nurturing emotional intelligence can lead to a more fulfilling and successful life.
Integrating Gut feeling & intuition
Besides our emotional intelligence, we also have an ‘instinctive intelligence’.In critical situations we can experience sensations in our gut, what is referred to as ‘a gut feeling’. We also have neurons in our gut which relay sensory information to a part of our brain.
As for emotional intelligence, we can either choose to integrate this sensory information into our reactions and decisions or to simply ignore it.
There are many testimonies of people explaining how following their gut feeling saved them from difficult situations or has guided them towards what was best for them.
Usually a feeling of tightness in our gut signals a potential threatening situation, on the other hand a warm and relaxed gut is a positive signal.
In addition to these Gut feeling signals, we can also be alerted by our intuition. Intuition is different from Gut feeling. Gut feeling usually occurs shortly before and during the event and is just giving us a good or bad sensation regarding this event. Intuition, on the other hand, often occurs long before an event and usually gives us the ability to anticipate the potential consequences.
Intuition is like knowing, except that we have no idea how or why we know it.
We all are capable to have intuitions but many of us do not develop this ability and choose not to pay much attention to the intuitions they may have.
Until recently, science was based on the hypothesis of a linear time and strict causality and intuition was considered by scientists as pure fantasy. Now that quantum physics has proved that time is not linear and that retro-causality is possible, intuition can not be considered anymore as scientifically not grounded.
Intuition could be in fact a form of pre-cognitive intelligence. In any case, each time our intuition anticipates positive consequences, we can go forward with serenity; on the contrary we should consider changing our plans whenever our intuition anticipate negative consequences.
Once we have become fully aware of our sensations and intuitions, we can now take them into account to decide on the most appropriate response to any situation or event.
What is certain is that we are not at our full potential as long as we do not fully leverage all these forms of intelligences.
Whenever we have let our brain take full control at the expense of all the other forms of intelligence, we are like a downgraded version of ourselves. Now that artificial intelligence already has already surpassed our analytical intelligence, it is really time we develop and fully use all our emotional, instinctive and ‘pre-cognitive’ intelligence!
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Gut feeling and intuition are often regarded as important aspects of decision-making and problem-solving. While they may not always be based on explicit reasoning or concrete evidence, they can play a significant role in guiding our choices and actions. Here are some reasons why gut feeling and intuition are important:
Rapid Decision-Making: In certain situations, we don’t have the luxury of time to gather all the necessary information and weigh all the pros and cons. Intuition can provide a quick, subconscious assessment of a situation, helping us make faster decisions.
Pattern Recognition: Intuition can be a result of our brain’s ability to recognize patterns and draw upon past experiences and knowledge. It can identify subtle cues or signals that we may not consciously notice, leading to more informed decisions.
Creativity: Gut feeling and intuition can be a source of creative insights and ideas. They can help us see connections between seemingly unrelated pieces of information or come up with novel solutions to problems.
Emotional Intelligence: Intuition often involves an understanding of human emotions and social dynamics. It can help us navigate complex social situations, empathize with others, and make choices that consider the feelings and needs of those involved.
Risk Assessment: Intuition can provide a sense of danger or risk in a given situation, even when we can’t explicitly pinpoint the reasons behind it. This can be valuable in avoiding potentially harmful or dangerous scenarios.
Trusting Ourselves: Gut feelings can give us confidence in our decisions. When we trust our intuition and it turns out to be correct, it reinforces our self-confidence and decision-making abilities.
Decision Support: While intuition should not replace careful analysis and critical thinking, it can serve as an additional source of information when making complex decisions. Combining intuition with rational analysis can lead to more well-rounded choices.
Personal Growth: Developing and honing your intuition can lead to personal growth and self-awareness. It encourages you to listen to your inner voice and better understand your own values, desires, and instincts.
It’s important to note that gut feeling and intuition are not infallible, and they can sometimes lead us astray, especially in situations where emotions, biases, or personal beliefs heavily influence our judgment. Therefore, it’s crucial to strike a balance between intuition and rational decision-making, especially in critical or high-stakes situations. Additionally, honing your intuition over time and learning to differentiate between genuine intuitive insights and random feelings is a skill that can improve decision-making and problem-solving abilities.
Time to practice!
Only practices will allow you to achieve actual results.And these practices must be repeated. It is only through repetition, that we can change our habits and even modify our biochemistry and the expression of our genes, as shown by the recent studies in neuroscience and epigenetic!
However in order to obtain these powerful and lasting transformations, you must practice daily until these transformations start to occur!
We understand that there is a significant gap between understanding fully ‘what must be achieved’ and achieving it. Once we will have received sufficient funding to do so, we are committed to co-design a dedicated program summarizing for you all the best practices to succeed this 3rd challenge and allowing you to have access to the best possible online resources & guidance as well as personal guidance with recognized experts.
You can actively contribute to the creation of this specific program by sending us suggestions of great content, by advising us the best experts you have identified in this area or by simply contributing to our tepee account. Upon receipt of your contribution, we will send you an application form to become one of our advisory member. We are looking forward designing the best possible program thorough your valuable inputs, advises and contributions.
We thank you in advance for any of your contribution to help as many people as possible to live their life at its very best.