Certainly, there is an infinite number of ways for each of us to lead our lives. “Zen Therapy” written by David Brazier in 1995, not a new book. But it inspired me thoroughly. The book and its author influenced me more than I realized. I didn’t fully understand this influence until 2024, almost 30 years after publication. I had picked up a used copy and begun reading it. Then I rediscovered that I had a hard copy of the used soft cover. I had skimmed it some 10 or 20 years earlier.
It is my heartfelt hope that this book – Glimpse – is a helpful book. It contains chapters on topics related to “peak performance,” “flow,” “getting on a roll,” “self-actualizing,” and “being my best.” The content of Glimpse is actually a snapshot. It includes a video clip. I might refer to this as my mindscape at the time of writing it.
This journey or evolving interest, started for me during my teenage years. The only attention I received from my dad was when I played pool with him. At first, this cherished time didn’t last very long. I improved my game and became more competitive. As a result, he became more interested in playing longer with me. So I practiced and improved in order to secure more time with him.
A great deal of “Glimpse” is dedicated to HOW. The book also covers the processes I learned about generating “winning outcomes.” Meditation, I found, helped me to calm my mind. As my awareness evolved about my relationship with my dad, I grew more antagonistic, resentment, and downright disdain toward him.
“Striving for excellence” has now become one of my core values. It evolved naturally as I became a young man. It helped me to lower my anxiety, replacing these with feelings of focus and concentration. I also became aware of my ability to use generalization to my advantage. Later, I applied the habit of practicing my pool game to higher education. It blended very well with regular meditation. Meditation helped me sharpen my focus on various other more useful skills. I became involved in running and working out, skills that strengthened my body. I became healthier and strengthened my self-confident.
I began to experience a skill of being “single-minded.” I found myself acing my college exams and landing a spot on the dean’s honor roll. At the time, I didn’t fully realize it. However, becoming calm and single-minded, with a goal to excel, seemed to coalesce into a new skill. I became “highly absorbed” and “intensely focused.”
Each refined association I made turned me toward the potential to be highly effective at will.