Hello,
My name's Ian Tucker.
Welcome.
In this short recording,
I'd like to share with you possibly the most important question.
That you and I can ask ourselves in this life.
It's based around the teachings of Socrates,
A Greek philosopher from about two and a half thousand years ago.
And Socrates had a lesson for us.
Just three words.
To know thyself.
To know thyself.
So I guess we've got it sorted.
I mean,
I know myself.
I guess you feel that you know yourself pretty well.
But do we?
You see,
Here's the catch.
We live in a world,
You and I,
That we're day and night to make us just like everybody else.
The advertising,
The promotions,
The social media,
The peer groups,
Fashion.
Everywhere you look.
We're asked to be just like the person next to us.
Carl Jung had an interesting concept.
He likened our lives,
My life,
Your life.
To a typical day.
Jung said that in the morning of our life,
It's about fitting in.
Being liked.
Maybe becoming successful,
Whatever that means.
Certainly attaining things,
Material possessions,
Wealth.
Buildings,
Cars,
All of that.
But Jung goes on to say that without exception,
All of us moving to the afternoon of our life.
And there's no typical age for this,
It can happen to different people at different times.
But Jung says that in the afternoon of our life.
.
.
What we thought was important in the morning.
Loses its grip.
The things,
The success,
The pressures.
And in the afternoon of our lives perhaps a different list.
Of what's important bubbles to the surface.
What's this life for?
What is the purpose and the meaning of my life?
And perhaps we can collate all of that.
Into one simple question.
Who am I?
At this point in my life.
At this point in your life as you connect with me on this recording.
What if you were to sit quietly and ask yourself that question with authenticity and a depth that really wants an answer?
Who am I?
At this point in my life.
I'm a mother,
I'm a father,
I'm a sister,
I'm a brother.
I'm a director,
I'm a doctor,
I'm a teacher.
I'm a friend.
We can be all of those things of course.
But what if those are taken away in some way?
What does that leave?
Who are you and I on a deeper level?
The good news is there's a beautifully simple way to start the process of answering the most important question we can ask.
Who am I?
And that's based around something called core values.
A very simple but profound exercise that can take you minutes or longer if you wish to spend longer with it.
Let me explain.
All of us have a group of core values,
Just a few words when we boil them down.
That really tell us who we are.
That really remind us of what we think is truly important in our life.
A core value is a belief.
Of how you should live your life,
How you want to live your life,
How you will be fulfilled if you move around these few words called core values.
So I'm going to introduce a very simple exercise to you.
I sometimes encourage people to draw a simple circle in the middle of a blank page.
Nothing more.
And to sit with that page,
That circle.
Now the premise is that that circle in the middle of the page is your true authentic self.
Everything you need for a fulfilling,
Authentic life of depth.
Purpose and meaning is in that circle.
But do you remember I said that we live in a life that wants to pull us all over the page?
And the further we move from that circle,
The more diluted you and I become.
We move further and further away from who we really are.
So this exercise encourages you just to pause.
Maybe to stop walking in the wrong direction and to turn and face the circle.
And ask the question.
Who am I?
Take a piece of paper.
And start to write down values that really connect with you,
That bubble to the surface when you give yourself time to do.
This exercise.
Now you will come up with maybe 7,
8,
10 core values,
It might be honesty,
It might be caring,
It might be humour,
It might be simplicity,
What really,
Really matters to you in this life?
Pause,
Ask yourself the question.
Now I'm going to encourage you to sit with the initial list and then to boil it down,
To reduce it so you're left with just four or five core values.
You're at the center of your page,
In the circle with these words.
And then to gently step forward.
Back into your life.
Making decisions on who you connect with,
Who you spend your time with,
What you spend your time doing or not doing.
Do they align to your core values or are you starting to dilute yourself and maybe living your life again against somebody else's core values,
Dancing to the beat of somebody else's drum?
And you deserve better than that.
So,
A quick summary Socrates offered us the chance to live a better and more fulfilling life with just three words to know thyself.
We pause.
We look at our core values.
And then we'd take gentle steps to introduce decisions and actions each day,
Quietly but purposefully,
That move us closer to the centre of the world.
Of the page.
When we align to our core values.
We live a life.
Of more fulfilment.
And you deserve that.
I'll see you again soon.
