What Is Truly Important In Life?
For years, my greatest goal was to become a Buddhist monk and study Zen Buddhism in Japan under one of the most respected Zen masters in the world. After years of dedication, sacrifice, and preparation, I finally arrived at a Zen monastery in Japan. I believed I was about to discover the meaning of enlightenment and fulfill my life’s purpose. But just a few days into my training, something unexpected happened. During a deep Zen meditation session, I was confronted by a question that shook me to my core: “You’ve achieved your goal… now what?” What followed was a powerful realization about purpose, happiness, personal growth, spirituality, and the true value of knowledge. I discovered that success is not about collecting titles, degrees, or spiritual achievements. What matters most is how we use what we’ve learned to serve others and make a difference in the world.
Transcript
But what is truly important in life?
For those who dream of studying at the best universities in the world or learning from the greatest teachers,
I want to share an experience that completely transformed my life.
Many years ago,
My biggest dream was to become a Buddhist monk.
I wanted to live peacefully in a Zen monastery in Japan and learn directly from the greatest Zen master of the time.
I was determined to reach enlightenment.
So I worked for years to make that happen and to make that dream come true.
And finally.
I made it.
I arrived in Japan.
I entered the monastery and began training with the greatest master I had long envisioned.
And I remember on the third day during an intense Zen meditation that I had a wave of unexpected thoughts come to me.
I'm like,
You're here.
You did it.
You're in Japan.
You reach your goal.
You're with the greatest teacher.
So now what?
That moment I felt a deep urge to cry.
A profound sadness came over me and I don't know how long I sat there with that feeling.
All I know is that something inside of me was shattered.
I felt,
As we say in Mexico,
Like the rock had been pulled from underneath me.
And as if my life's purpose had suddenly banished.
I had no more purpose in life.
I really truly didn't know what was going to happen to me.
But following the zen way,
I didn't move.
I stayed perfectly still,
Letting the emotions flow through me.
Sat there.
Face to face with that discomfort and the void of not knowing what came next.
And then.
After hours of stillness,
A light came.
The very enlightenment I was seeking.
I realized something that changed my life forever.
Living in a monastery wasn't going to help anyone.
It doesn't matter how great your teachers are or how many degrees or titles you collect.
Truly matters is what you choose to do with that knowledge you gain.
That was the moment I knew my path wasn't to stay hidden away in a monastery.
I completed the training,
Of course,
That I had committed to.
And not long after,
I returned from Japan with a new purpose,
To share the teachings of Zen with the world.
Meet your Teacher
