​I’ve  had this sense that something wanted to come out of me for a while now. And, yet, there have been so many distractions lately. So when the Universe woke me up this morning out of a dead sleep at 4:10 and I instantly had the thought I should go write; I instantly jumped out of bed. I am not a jump-right-out-of-bed kind of guy, though. So I suspect something larger than myself is trying to be born.

I have been blown away recently by The Surrender Experiment by Michael A. Singer. His story is one example of extraordinary event after another happening to him. He surrounded his life with amazing people as a result of simply listening to the Universe and ignoring the voice inside his head. He started with simple meditation then realized the harmful affect the voice inside his head had on him. So, he became addicted to meditating and drowning out that voice as much as possible. Instead, he agreed to surrender to the natural flow of life and anything the Universe presented to him. Even though the voice inside his head may be screaming all kinds of objections, if life presented him with an opportunity, he surrendered and said yes. What an amazing way to live!

If we truly grasped our greatness and could wholly grasp that we are not in control, we would be so much further ahead. If only we could grasp that the same power that hangs each star and planet in its perfect place is residing inside us, too. This is the same greatness that poured out of Gandhi, Jesus, the Buddha, Mahammad Ali, and Lao Tzu. We can tap into this power of the universe any minute of any day. Yet we dismiss it because we don’t believe the greatness that other people have is in us too.

Some of us have had glimpses of this greatness but our lives are so busy that the still small voice gets drowned out by everything we assume is more important. When a voice inside Ali told him he was the greatest of all time, where did he get the audacity to believe it? That same power has tapped me on the shoulder and called me to write. Who am I to say no?

We assume our greatness is supposed to look a certain way, or sell a certain amount, or wind up in the hands of Oprah. But what if all our greatness is asking of us is to show up and surrender? What if greatness is less about power and control; and more about acceptance and surrender? What if greatness simply means being fully present in every moment? What if greatness is waking at 4:10 and listening to the deepest part of my being?

We have been conditioned to be distracted. The world will throw anything and everything our way to get us to take the bait. If the outside world can sidetrack us with enough stimuli, then our greatness will never come to fruition. Greatness comes as a faint whisper in the present moment that we can only hear when we’re not sidetracked by the world. The world throws everything but the kitchen sink at us to grab our attention; and just in case that’s not enough, we have what seems like a computer virus planted in our brain to wreak havoc from the inside as well.

You would think greatness would be all up in our face demanding we listen like a drill sergeant at boot camp. Instead, greatness is like that rare flower that blooms through the tiniest of cracks in the middle of a paved parking lot.

Greatness is not defiance or disobedience—yet it can be.

Greatness is not brute strength and force—yet it could be.

Greatness is not a demanding bully that barks orders at fretful followers. Greatness does not rule with fear. Instead, greatness is knowing deep in your bones that peace be still even while the storm is throwing your ship around like a ragdoll.

Greatness is shutting off the TV, turning off your phone, quieting your mind, and going inside yourself past the psyche that never shuts up.

Greatness is like water. It simply flows wherever it’s supposed to. Water can be calm and peaceful, or it can be violent and destructive. Water surrenders to whatever the moment is asking of it. Water is the perfect example of going with the flow.

What if we listened to the still small voice of our greatness? What if we dared to believe we were destined for more than just paying the bills?

We all have greatness in us. We all have the ability to change the world for the better. We all can tap into the same power that unceasingly burns at the core of the sun.

Greatness is surrender.

Surrender to life.

Listen.

Focus.

Be aware.

Quiet your mind.

Get to know the you that is the one who observes your life unfolding—the you that is behind your thoughts. The you at the core of your being.

Take away all the noise. Ignore every distraction. Disregard every temptation to get pulled into drama. Calm the monkey mind that jumps from topic to topic desperately trying to steal your attention.

Greatness is in you! Greatness is in me. It’s there for the taking but it’s a no-gimmicks, no-marketing, no-frills, no-bullshit, no-authority, no-religion, no-sales pitch or three-easy-steps kind of approach. Greatness is this moment. It’s only now! The power is there, greatness is there. It’s right behind the noise and distractions.

Greatness wakes you from a deep sleep at 4:10 and whispers “Come spend some time with me. Let’s see what we can create together.”

Greatness is consistently showing up moment after moment. Greatness is awareness. Greatness is paying attention. Greatness is surrendering to the mysterious flow of life—wherever that takes me. 

Peace my friends! 

~Travis