Recently I was on a Zoom call with an executive from a manufacturing company.

‘’For years I have been following Carl Jung’’, ‘’I went to meditation retreats’’, ‘’I did a lot of work on myself’, ‘’I even did Ayahuasca (a plant-based medicine from Peru) for self-healing’’.

‘’But here I am still struggling and not feeling happy, I am frustrated even though I have done all this work on myself.’’

Throughout his wording, I could feel something, and I said ‘’what I am sensing is that you have a rational understanding of all these concepts, philosophies, and ideas, even with Ayahuasca but I feel what you lack is emotional integration.’’

I was bold and direct, but I felt it was necessary at that time.

Silence.

The pain inside him knew it was true. Reading all these books and getting more knowledge was actually a distraction from doing the ´´real´´ work. He was holding on to the pain because it´s safer to hold the pain inside than to release the suffering.

It´s our comfort zone.

The mind has a lot of knowledge, but the mind is often afraid to surrender to the heart. Which is what we call vulnerability. In business, we call a leader who has bridged that gap between his mind and heart an authentic leader.

Right now, I see too much understanding in life and leadership but too little integration.

‘’Follow your heart’’ we understand, but how many have integrated? What does it even mean?

‘’Do good for yourself and others’’ we understand, but how many have integrated?

The list goes on…

It´s time for more emotional understanding and to bridge the gap within ourselves, so we can be happy internally and successful externally.

In the end, the One who is able to integrate knowledge and tools directly into the heart will lead a happy and fulfilled life in the midst of daily pressures and changes.

It’s a daily battle, that always ends…

….in silence.

Raf Adams

Raf Adams

If today you feel a lack of mental, emotional, or spiritual balance, you can take this 2-minute questionnaire designed by Prof. Dr. Mike Thomson from CEIBS (China Europe International Business School) that will help you identify the Gap between your internal and external worlds. Take your free check-up here now.