Did you ever realize that stillpower instead of willpower can help you be most successful at whatever you want to accomplish or achieve? That’s right... by trying too hard, you end up doing less than you set out to do. Garret Kramer’s view in Stillpower: Excellence With Ease in Sports and Life is contrary to our culture of always doing and being busy—which is so refreshing.
Kramer believes that our state of consciousness rules how we will perform in real situations, whether it is in sports or in life. If we operate from a high level of consciousness, we will be able to achieve what we want without trying too hard. However, if we operate from a low level of consciousness, we will always be frustrated, stressed out, and unable to accomplish what we set out to achieve.
We operate from a low level of consciousness or mental functioning when how we feel about ourselves is determined by things that are outside of our own values. In other words, when we rely on what other people say and do for our success, we become frustrated and disillusioned. However, when we operate from a high level of consciousness, nothing outside of us is necessary to make us feel better about ourselves. We use our own inner values to function and gain personal fulfillment. Kramer believes that no external mental tools can help us attain long-term success or happiness.
Yet, most of us tend to operate from the external paradigm of performance. We want people to accept us from the outside. Then we seem to be content for a while. But for how long? If we’re honest with ourselves, we know first-hand that happiness that is derived in this way from external sources is very short-lived. And, more importantly, why would we put so much credence on external things for our personal contentment in the first place? Isn’t this a sure recipe for being constantly frustrated?
Women and men who live at this highest level of consciousness excel in many fields and they are content in their personal lives. Life is no longer a competition. It is a matter of being the best we can be from the inside out. Doesn’t that sound like the best life possible?
I loved Stillpower from beginning to end. It will become my resource for better living and attaining excellence in different aspects of my life for many years to come. I hope it will be yours as well.
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