The Tao of Influence. Karen McGregor

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СКАЧАТЬ messengers of a higher order of influence. Their influence, in fact, is not necessarily neatly packaged; it grows in depth and richness as it is embraced and experienced.

      So, my journey had begun; I wanted to explore the mystery of influence from all sides and angles. I attended talks with inspirational speakers and received training to become a speaker myself, eventually being guided to train messengers around the world to have more influence. I interviewed accomplished business owners about their influence and success, and then dove into entrepreneurship myself in the field of public speaking and sales training. I studied with spiritual mentors to understand influence from a different angle. Each experience and each conversation led me to observe influence from yet another perspective.

      My explorations expanded before me. Any time I started to think that I finally had a handle on what influence was, I would inevitably be guided to new conversations with people who shared with me what influenced them to make lasting changes, and how they influenced others. I witnessed my own impact on my public speaking clients in ways that I could not predict. While I observed, researched, and interviewed, I read everything I could about the finer subtleties of influence, and learned much more. Yet, there was one powerful text that I continued to come back to—a wisdom text that invited me to experience over and over again the nature of true influence: the Tao Te Ching.

      Influence and the Tao Te Ching

      The Tao Te Ching is a collection of eighty-one verses written over four thousand years ago by Lao Tzu, a Chinese prophet. He wrote it in response to a desert gatekeeper, Yin Hsi, who begged him to record the profound teachings he had been sharing. Many scholars consider the Tao Te Ching one of the wisest books ever written. When applied to influence, the principles of the Tao Te Ching shift the fabric of our thinking and behaviors to help create a vibrant world of growth and potential.

      Today, more than ever, we find ourselves in a crisis in which many of us are yearning for positive influencers. We are hoping for real, authentic, heart-driven people who can create lasting change on the planet. In less than two decades, we have watched the rise of technology contribute to excess noise, distractions, and a myriad of choices that keep most people unfocused and uncertain as to what to believe. At the same time, we’ve observed the fall of corrupt companies, institutions, and leaders. While we have lost faith and belief in them, we have not yet replaced them with positive alternatives. We feel a tangible void, and like nature, the vacuum eventually gets filled—one way or another. The question is: with what?

      This void puts us at a vulnerable point in history—we can choose to step into it and become a positive influence, or we can allow more and more apathy and darkness to fill it. There is currently a trend of celebrity influencers; while some of them are indeed creating positive change, those are not typically the ones that the masses are paying attention to over the long term. Huge numbers of people are following those who are loud, large, and spiritually bankrupt. They are voting them into public office. The consequences of doing so are now coming to light, but the masses feel they have nowhere else to turn.

      Yet, if enough of us turn inwards to our own capacity to create change—real, lasting, evolutionary change on the planet—we can fill the void, and create a new world rooted in love. The Tao Te Ching’s principles and philosophies support influential thinking and actions that are based in love. This book aims to help you ground the wisdom of the Tao into your everyday reality through practical, daily steps.

      As we begin our journey, it’s useful to look at the current situation of old-world influencers: the clear majority of whom came from educational, political, and religious environments consisting of traditional schools, churches, and government-led organizations. The majority of these influencers went on to work in those same establishments, where they generated a great deal of good, and upheld strong values. Yet, now we find these institutions crumbling at our feet, the Millennials and Generation Z having no wish to follow in their footsteps. The reason? The type of influence they stood for is not lasting. Young people are saying ”no” to patterns of behavior that, although they have become the accepted norm over a long period of time, rarely foster real and powerful change within ourselves and in our world.

      Three Stages of Influence

      Because most of us have witnessed both the positive and negative results of people’s influence over others, let’s first examine the development of influence, and how it shows up in our lives. In my research, I’ve learned that most people go through three stages of influence, and you may notice this progression in yourself. The first stage is self-centered, aligned with the old paradigm of influence, and all about attempting to get something we want. For example, we may have good intentions, such as providing for our young children, qualifying for a first mortgage, or getting that dream job, but the focus is entirely on “me,” and what I need and want for my life. Sometimes, manipulation, greed, control, or another fear-based behavior shows up. Consequently, results are minimal, and often don’t last beyond the individual’s goal.

      The second stage of influence happens when the influencer understands that the goal is a “win-win.” They want everyone involved in the decision or action to benefit. Influencers at this stage care deeply enough to ensure that everyone feels that their own desire and goal has been met.

      The third stage of influence is when the influencer is working toward a powerful outcome for all—for the planet, the community, and the evolution of humanity. This is the Tao at work—selfless contribution, where the leader’s invisible strength ignites great change. The Tao Te Ching reminds us that the sage “does not claim greatness over anything. He’s not even aware of his own greatness.” Influencers in this third stage are not concerned about getting something for themselves or about being seen or noticed. They no longer require that their personal needs get met; they’re focused on working toward change on the planet. As Satyen Raja, one of my spiritual mentors, shared with me, “The heart of influence is devotion to people’s evolution. That’s the source of it being the purest, and most powerful.”

      The Three Stages of Influence

      • Self-centeredness

      • Win-win Mentality

      • Selflessness

      The most powerful influencers don’t try to be influencers for egoic reasons. They are not struck by the praise or recognition of having an impact. Raw food advocate and superfoods expert David Wolfe, says, “I don’t like to be after influence for influence’s sake. Influence has to do with our ability to alter the direction that our world is heading. To me, that’s a spiritual directive.” David says he wants to see the world different than it is now, and as an activist, promotes far less use of chemicals, a vast decrease in artificial synthetic materials going into the environment or being disposed of in the environment, and huge changes in methods of farming and interacting with the earth. David’s message and action over the last two decades has transformed many people’s choices, and he continues to influence people worldwide to wake up to their personal and collective choices for themselves, and for the earth. He demonstrates the heart of influence: acting for the good of all, and for our planet.

      The Four Pillars

      While training people over the past decade to share their messages on stage and reach for their full potential, I came to identify four pillars of influence that determine whether lasting, sustainable change occurs. These pillars are: Power, Presence, Purpose, and Potential. Understanding these four pillars from a spiritual and personal perspective and integrating them into our lives allows the principles of the Tao to naturally become part of everyday life. Real and lasting positive change begins to happen. Movements ignite. People awaken. Miracles become the norm. That’s why I wrote this book.

      Life itself is all about navigating personal power, so the first pillar, Power, delves into your relationship with it. In every choice, in every thought, in every СКАЧАТЬ