Our greatest asset and our biggest liability are one and the same thing. It’s our thinking. Just as quickly as we can be presented with a flash of inspiration and possibility, we can talk ourselves out of it. Have you ever heard yourself use the phrase, I would love to, but…? That is exactly what I am talking about, all-in-one sentence; possibility on one hand, and limitations on the other. This is why we need to stop thinking and start bearing witness to the potential each one of us has.
I had one of the most wonderful experiences last week. After a visit with my dad and his partner, I was inspired to visit The Lume, in Melbourne. OMG. There is no way I could possibly try to describe it in any way that would possibly do it any credit at all. Let me try as well as I can, with the help of their website; The Lume is a purpose-built space to seamlessly animate art at such a jaw-dropping scale. Much more than a simple exhibition space, THE LUME Melbourne’s state-of-the-art design combines sights, sounds, tastes, and aromas to give visitors a unique chance to enter into the world of the artist.
The show was called Monet and Friends and showcased the works of Claude Monet and all the French Impressionists of the era. The uniqueness of this exhibition, if that’s what you could call it, is that the artwork was dynamically projected on the walls, the floors, and the ceilings. It was accompanied by animations, music, and sounds that elevated it to a whole different level of immersive experience. It was mind-blowing. On entry, there was a quote projected on the wall by Monet that read:
“All I did was look at what the universe showed me to let my brush bear witness to it”.
In other words, he saw the beauty that was all around him, and he just let the art flow freely through him to his brush and onto the canvas. He didn’t plan it, he didn’t overthink it, he didn’t reason it, and he didn’t even necessarily visualise it. He felt it and then just allowed it to emerge as he bore witness to it. This is artwork that has spanned the globe and delighted people for centuries. It wasn’t planned and it wasn’t considered, it was felt, and it just flowed.
This may sound ethereal, but this quote impacted me in a big way, and I believe there is something here for all of us, if we can understand what it is truly saying. What I take from it is that I already have everything I need inside me. I have the answers, I have the inspiration, I have the courage, I have the potential, and I have the capacity, so all I need to do is let the life I live bear witness to it. You may be asking, what the &$#@ is he talking about? I will let Michelangelo, another famous artist, answer that question.
After many years of sculpting the magnificent Statue of David, Michelangelo was asked how he did it. He answered, “I saw the angel in the marble, and I carved until I set him free”. How do these artists just get it? They have been able to remove logic from creation. This I believe to be one of the greatest keys to success, joy, and happiness in life. It is about feelings, not formulae. It’s about intuition, not intelligence. It’s about faith, not facts. It’s about trust, not theory.
No matter what you may be aspiring to, whether it be better health, stronger relationships, greater impact, career growth, financial stability, or something else, you just need to know, you already have all the answers and capability. All you need to do is start moving intuitively, divinely, and passionately and let the results you get in life bear witness to the potential you have been born with. The bottom-line is that you are good enough, just as you are.
In my fabulous podcast this week with Mark & Monica Sandercock, called, The power of a hug, I was so inspired about the relationship they have built through many challenges and the impact they are now having on many lives. It was not logic but love that allowed Monica to hug Mark after he revealed a very disturbing secret. It was that hug that bore witness to the beautiful relationship which then blossomed.
As I read back through this blog, I find it hard to believe that I wrote it. How does a footballer write this kind of stuff. The answer is simple. As I was inspired by Monet, my fingers on the keyboard bore witness to it. The stereotypes that we all have had thrust upon us by society, conditioning, and generations are no match for what is inside every single person. When we take our eyes off everyone else and put them on God and the universe, and just be lead, we can then move into the creation of a life that bears witness to the amazing person you were born to be.