Lack Of Character

Find out a whole new meaning of character and how to get it in this mini podcast from John Morgan.

Grasshopper Notes are the writings from America's Best Known Hypnotherapist John Morgan. His podcasts contain his most responded to essays and blog posts from the past two decades. 

Find the written versions of these podcasts on John's website: https://grasshoppernotes.com​​ 

"The Grasshopper" the part of you that whispers pearls of wisdom that  seem to pop into your mind from out of the blue. John's essays and blog posts are his interpretations of these "Nips of Nectar." Others have labeled his writings as timeless wisdom. 

Most of the John's writings revolve around self improvement and self help. They address topics like:

• Mindfulness
• Peace of mind
• Creativity
• How to stay in the present moment
• Spirituality
• Behavior improvement

And stories that transform you to a wider sense of awareness that presents more options. And isn't that what we all want, more options? 

John uploads these podcasts on a regular basis. So check back often to hear these podcasts heard around the world. Who wants to be the next person to change? 

Make sure to order a copy of John's new book: WISDOM OF THE GRASSHOPPER – 21 Days to Creativity. These mini-meditations take you inside where all your creative resources live. And you'll come out not only refreshed but recommitted to creating your future. 

It's only $16.95 and available at BLURB.COM at the link below. https://www.blurb.com/b/10239673-wisd...

Also, download John's FREE book INTER RUPTION: The Magic Key To Lasting Change. It's available at John's website  https://GrasshopperNotes.com

Transcript

Lack Of Character

Years ago, I was musing about a talented young man who hadn’t enjoyed much success. I wondered, what prevented him from catching fire? Then The Grasshopper chimed in with this: “Lack of character.”

It got me curious what he meant by “character” because the phrase felt right and rang true.

I had to find out what “character” meant to me. I immediately thought of what philosopher Alan Watts said when giving a lecture on ancient Taoism. He said the Chinese character “li” represents the non-symmetrical essence of something – for example, the markings in jade, the grain in wood, the fiber in muscle, the flow of water.

That was it. This young fellow lacked authenticity. He didn’t display the natural markings of jade. They were airbrushed away when you experienced him. His character was obscured by layers of veneer. Sadly, you never got to meet the real him because his cardboard cutout was interacting with the world.

There's was always discomfort registered at some level when I was in his company. Also, I'd never want to be in a foxhole with someone who doesn’t display character, because they would say all the appropriate things with none of the actions to back them up. 

You may label that as cowardice. To my ears, that’s a harsh characterization so let’s explore what may be the real issue. The coward can never act courageously because they think their bravery comes from the imaginary movie role they play versus from their authenticity which they're afraid to put on display. The real fear is not being enough, so they add layers and layers to their natural essence to protect themself.

My guess is they think their natural self doesn’t measure up to the cultural image they've crafted. That’s why it's kept hidden. The regretful news is this marquee image of oneself reeks with superficiality and just about everyone recognizes it. 

The only people they connect with are the people with the same character issues – mainly superficial in nature. There aren’t any deep connections because they only have façade interacting with façade.

Their talent is also affected by this artificial coating. When we do whatever it is that we do, we put energy into our work. If that energy is the low grade variety that comes from shallowness, our work will never catch fire. The results of this work may have all the earmarks of success but for some reason not many are buying in. The work lacks character.

If you seem to have all the requisite skills, but continually make no headway, you need more than a break. You need a breakthrough. You’ve got to crack the hardened, painted plastic that you are calling you and reveal your natural grain. 

When you get down to the bare wood, your natural beauty will be recognized by all – except the superficial. They'll leave you for the next cultural grand opening.

All the best,

John