We are in the middle of a modern Renaissance.
People of all backgrounds and fields are becoming more aware of what it truly means to be successful.
Of course, everyone has their own personal definition of “successful.” (What’s yours? Leave a comment.) From what I’ve seen, success generally means to be able to have the freedom to live a fulfilling life in the areas that one may deem the most important.
We can all agree that most humans want to reach a reasonable plane of happiness in health, wealth, career and relationships. Humans are more or less the same in this regard. We want to be Happy.
The qualification of a Renaissance is that it be a period of social, artistic, and cultural flourishing – in short, an Enlightenment (the word “Renaissance” means rebirth). There’s a seismic shift in the way ideas are presented and information is exchanged. There’s something uniquely special about this Modern Renaissance of the 2000’s (actually, one could argue it’s been going on since the 1960’s). Unlike past Renaissances, most notably The Renaissance of the 14th through the 17th centuries in Europe, the flourishing is not so much based around the direct creation and presentation of music, art, and scientific principles. Instead, what makes this one so special is that it is taking place in the midst of a new understanding of human psychology.
Try to stay with me here. In the Renaissance that started in Italy in the 14th century, there was a handful of individuals (Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo) who were the figureheads of this shift. They were geniuses who made great art and had ideas about what it means to be human.
Now, the participation is not restricted to a select elite of Michelangelos and Da Vincis. In fact, this Renaissance needs the active engagement of the Common Man in order to work. It needs you!
So how do we, just regular guys and gals, get on board with this new, modern Renaissance? Well, first, understand that we all want to be fulfilled in each of our most important areas. Then we can set about the actual process of getting there. But this can be more complicated than it sounds. This is where the psychology stuff comes in.
I feel very strongly that within each human being, there is a wellspring of resources that will allow us to get from where we are to where we want to be (provided we’re not already there). This wellspring has within it all of the tools, all of the guidance, all of the direction that we need. Our intuition comes from it. Our problem-solving comes from it. The more we get in touch with it, the more fulfilled, the more integrated, we will become – the more we will flourish.
See, the main thing here is that all of these areas – provided there’s more than one – hold the key to your inner Renaissance Man or Woman. They should all be looked at and maintained and cultivated. In order for this to happen, a unique balance must be achieved for the individual.
This Renaissance, therefore, is important for each and every one of us. One could say it’s a “Critical Renaissance.”
I’m no Da Vinci, but I’ve recently had some breakthroughs of my own. I look forward to sharing them with you, and to continuing this Insight Series next week!
