You Have Nothing to Prove 

Good friends send profound messages to us when we need them most. So, it was when Paul Westhead (the Assistant Coach of the LA LAKERS at the time) delivered this line to his boss (and Head Coach), Jack Mckinney; a day before McKinney’s tragic bicycle accident.  

The Lakers had just won a critical, early season NBA game in “Showtime” fashion. The two unproven and unheralded coaches reportedly each popped open a Coors in their cramped office and Westhead asked the hard-edged and dour Mckinney how it all felt. 

“Is it all you expected it to be? Can you embrace this and smile Jack?”

Mckinney leaned back in his desk chair and, indeed, smiled from ear to ear, and didn't need to say a word. 

After all, Westhead went on, “there's more to the cliff than the edge”. Sometimes you have to take a step back to enjoy the view”. 

Truer words were never spoken. 

Sadly, Jack Mckinney suffered his near fatal crash a few days later and never coached again.

We are schooled and mentored and conditioned to believe the harder we work the more rewards we reap. Maybe it’s time to consider the reverse.

We are all a work in progress. You are not your programming!

The program we have been influenced to embrace, and many accept, contains false and fearful narratives that limit our choices. 

In my case, the broadcast within my mind plays a bunch of depressing childhood reruns.

I choose to hit pause. 

We can all choose to tune in to a more intuitive, more vital calling. 

My experience reveals the less I try to prove anything to anyone, the more at peace I am with myself. 

The more at peace I am internally, the more centered I am, the more power I have to create what it is I truly want to be. 

The less I try, the more powerful I am. 

You have nothing to prove to anyone.

Allow that thought and then that FEELING to resonate within you. Let it soak in. Let it emerge as- I'm ok. I'm really Ok just the way I am. 

Accept yourself and listen for the original energy within you to rise up. Surrender to all the noise outside of you as… just noise.  Your innate nature will guide the way.

Find your personal power.

Then do. Feel the freedom in that power and know it's who you really are and are meant to be. And don't stop until you need to rest.

Your rest will be full.

My Purpose? / Your Purpose? 

There's a lot of banter these days about finding your why. What's your purpose? 

The less you try to define it, the more you may recognize it. Just know it – this why /purpose – is not tangible. Nor is it a goal to hit that when attained will stay with you as an eternal feeling of exultation. Material prosperity is all relative.

Less conditional wealth is within you.

Maybe our purpose is simply to be joyful so that others will be too.

Our purpose is to share. Our purpose is to give. Our purpose is to serve. Our purpose is to love.

It's not complicated. Until we let others’ ideas and thoughts and opinions rule our peace. 

Know that you know what's best for you. 

Don't let your ego or your overly active (monkey) mind overwhelm your courage to be you. Life's abundance will follow…

As Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s Islamic master taught him- your name means Servant of God. Not God. Kareem was trying too hard until that message from his dear friend registered. 

Upon praying on that feeling and allowing his power to emerge, and waking up to his joy, Kareem and the Lakers went on to unparalleled success.

You have nothing to prove. Start there. Dwell in that luxury. That God-given luxury is peace of mind at its zenith. 

Power to the peaceful.

Step back and enjoy the view!