Breakthrough

Newsletter

VOLUME XVI ISSUE NO.8 | AUGUST 2024

Breakthrough

"Productive insight; clear (often sudden) understanding of a complex situation." Free Dictionary

Pop the bubble of conditioned thinking and emerge into the creative realm of "no absolutes," continuous change, uncertainty and unlimited possibilities.

Then, there can be innovation, adaptation and optimal performance.

Performance and Open-minded Mindfulness

Open-minded: questioning everything, accepting diversity and uncertainty.

Mindful: consciously aware; concentrated.

Foundation for blending process, project, engagement and knowledge management into a cohesive approach to optimize performance.

Be Impeccable

By George Pitagorsky

Impeccability is a practical, achievable quality that enhances performance and wellness.

Impeccable

Merriam-Webster defines impeccable as "free from fault or blame: flawless", incapable of committing a serious or regrettable fault, offense, or omission.

Worthy Goals

Flawlessness is a worthy goal, but the wise recognize that there will be flaws. Leonard Cohen reminds us that "there is a crack, a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in."

The light wakes us up so we can learn. Seeing and accepting our flaws helps us approach flawlessness. We must acknowledge that we are not perfect.

Perhaps the greatest flaws are not learning from our mistakes and not forgiving ourselves or others for making errors. When we judge failure, we get in the way of learning and learning is critical.

Practical Impeccability

I prefer to think of impeccability as performing to the highest standards. Impeccability is a practical pursuit. It is the fuel for optimal performance.

In my recent book, The Peaceful Warrior's Path, "warriorship" refers to the application of courage, intention, and persistent skillful effort to overcome obstacles to optimal wellness and performance in daily life.

In that context, impeccability means knowing what to do, not do, say and not say, how to do or say it, and then doing it. It means being naturally mindful and focused, accepting things as they are, and letting go into Flow.

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Coaching – Wellness, Mindfulness, Self-Awareness, Performance

If you feel that you can be happier and more effective but something is in the way, consider coaching by George Pitagorsky.

Whether it is a session or two, or a longer or more structured program, George can help you break through the barriers and transform your life.

Schedule an appointment to explore whether a coaching relationship is right for you.

www.self-awareliving.com

Check out my book The Peaceful Warrior's Path: Optimal Wellness through Self-Aware Living

How to Do It

As peaceful warriors, to become impeccable we surrender to reality.

"Things are as they are—impermanent, uncertain, sometimes painful, out of your complete control. So why waste your energy and make yourself miserable? Let go of the need to change what cannot be changed or avoid the unavoidable.

...

"Perfection is an aspiration. Over-perfecting—perfectionism—stands in the way of accomplishment just as much as not aspiring. The paradox is to work toward perfection while accepting imperfection."[1]

That is the foundation for practical impeccability in action.

But surrendering to reality is not all it takes. It takes skillful action. Carlos Castaneda's teacher, Don Julian, defined impeccability as the best use of our energy[2]. It is using our energy optimally to achieve our goals.

For example, if we let our anger drive our behavior, we are wasting the energy of our anger and are likely to fail in whatever we do. If we let our errors or faults drive our attitude towards ourselves, we waste energy. If we fail to learn from our mistakes, we waste energy.

To be impeccable, accept things as they are, and let go into Flow to perform optimally in every situation.

The Foundation

Impeccability is founded on mindful awareness, emotional intelligence, and the intention to make the best use of our energy.

No matter what role we play, the quest for impeccability contributes to success. But we must be mindful that it is easy to become a "prisoner" of impeccability - to fall prey to perfectionism.

To be a prisoner of anything means to be driven to react without choice. Mindfully aware we apply emotional intelligence to promote responsiveness. Responsive, we make wise choices and act skillfully. We monitor the results of our actions and adjust. Free of attachment to outcomes, process, the path, becomes the goal. When the process is flawless, optimal outcomes emerge. When the process is flawed, we change it.

Don Juan taught that an ordinary person takes everything as either a blessing or a curse while a warrior takes everything as a challenge and addresses it impeccably.

What do you want to be, an ordinary person or an impeccable warrior?

Read The Peaceful Warrior’s Path: Optimal Wellness through Self-Aware Living

[1] Pitagorsky, George, The Peaceful Warrior's Path, p. 19-20

[2] Castenada, Carlos, The Power of Silence, pages 231-233

The Peaceful Warriors Path: Optimal Wellness through Self-Aware Living

Overcome stress. Perform at your best. Live in optimal wellness.

The Peaceful Warrior's Path is a practical guide for people of all ages, regardless of physical condition. It provides concepts, tools, techniques, and exercises that you can use every day, no matter where you are or what you are doing, to promote a sense of ease rather than angst. It is a motivational program for living resiliently, ready for anything, with health, happiness, and success, passionately involved and at peace with things as they are-and doing it ethically with kindness and compassion.

When it comes to becoming happier and more effective, what matters is your intention, how open-minded you are, and your willingness to work on yourself to change your mind and open your heart. With the right mindset, intention, and effort you might just experience enlightenment.

The Peaceful Warrior's Path weaves together self-awareness, mindfulness, meditation, stress management, and relaxation techniques, and emotional, spiritual, and social intelligence to sustain optimal wellness and enhance performance in whatever you do.

The Peaceful Warrior’s Path: Optimal Wellness through Self-Aware Living

How to be Happy Even When You Are Sad, Mad or Scared:

How to be happy...How to be Happy Even When You Are Sad, Mad or Scared is available on Amazon.com. It is a book for children of all ages (including those in adult bodies). Buy it for the children in your life so they can be better able to “feel and deal” - feel and accept their emotions and deal with them in a way that avoids being driven by them. You can order the book at https://www.amazon.com/How-Happy-Even-When-Scared/dp/1072233363

Performance and Open-minded Mindfulness

Open-minded: questioning everything, accepting diversity and uncertainty.

Mindful: consciously aware; concentrated.

Foundation for blending process, project, engagement and knowledge management into a cohesive approach to optimize performance.

Managing Expectations: A Mindful Approach to Achieving Success

By George Pitagorsky

Success is measured in how well and how regularly you meet expectations. But what exactly are expectations, and how do you effectively manage them when multiple priorities and personalities are involved?

Using the case study of a Project Manager coordinating an organizational transition, this Managing Expectations book explores how to apply a mindful, compassionate, and practical approach to satisfying expectations in any situation. George Pitagorsky describes how to make sure expectations are rational, mutually understood, and accepted by all those with a stake in the project. This process relies on blending a crisp analytical approach with the interpersonal skills needed to negotiate win-win understandings of what is supposed to be delivered, by when, for how much, by who, and under what conditions.

Read Mor e

Managing Conflict in Projects

By George Pitagorsky

Managing Conflict in Projects: Applying Mindfulness and Analysis for Optimal Results by George Pitagorsky charts a course for identifying and dealing with conflict in a project context.

Pitagorsky states up front that conflict management is not a cookbook solution to disagreement-a set of prescribed actions to be applied in all situations. His overall approach seeks to balance two aspects of conflict management: analysis based on a codified process and people-centered behavioral skills.

The book differentiates conflict resolution and conflict management. Management goes beyond resolution to include relationship building that may serve to avoid conflict or facilitate resolution if it occurs.

The Zen Approach to Project Management

By George Pitagorsky

Projects are often more complex and stressful than they need to be. Far too many of them fail to meet expectations. There are far too many conflicts. There are too few moments of joy and too much anxiety. But there is hope. It is possible to remove the unnecessary stress and complexity. This book is about how to do just that. It links the essential principles and techniques of managing projects to a "wisdom" approach for working with complex, people-based activities.

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