I’ve mentioned this barnstorming Anthony De Mello book before:

“Stop Fixing Yourself: Wake Up, All is Well”

Most people rave about De Mello’s book Awareness. But Stop Fixing Yourself was the book that really got under my skin. 

The book shines a light on how intelligent, motivated and well-meaning folk spend decades trying to fix and improve what was never broken in the first place.

But to get the most juice from this plump and juicy grapefruit of a book, you need a willingness to question stuff you might never have questioned before.

Take this parable from the book as an example:

***

A group of tourists are in a bus that is passing through beautiful country, past lakes and mountains and green fields and rivers. But the window shades in the bus are pulled down. The passengers don't have the slightest idea about what lies outside the windows of the bus. The time of their journey is spent squabbling over who will have the seat of honor in the bus, who will be applauded, and who will be well considered. 

And so they remain until the journey's end.

***

This is a bus I know all too well myself.

In my late 20s and early 30s, I spent most of my waking hours dashing from meeting to meeting, working on big transactions, trying to impress the head honchos and collecting accolades like I collect books. 

But I’d missed the beauty of the Alps just outside the window.

What De Mello doesn't say, however, is that you don't need to redesign the public transport system to enjoy the scenery.

You don’t even need to get off the bus! 

You can raise the blinds, take in the view and still play whatever corporate game you want to play.

It took a two-year sabbatical and a long, hard look at myself before I finally reached up and raised the blinds.

So yes, I'm still on the bus. 

In fact, I'm in exactly the same seat. 

But the view is completely different.

If you like the sound of staying ambitious in your career without the nagging sense that something beautiful is passing you by, here’s the next stop on your journey:

https://waitinglist.followingfulfilment.com

To fulfilment,

Tom