What is one success tip shared by Bill Gates, Ray Dalio, Oprah and more?
Drumroll please …
….
Meditation.
Meditation is a free, easy-to-access activity that can pay off big!
So even if you’re sceptical, why not try it out to see if it can make a difference, towards more productivity, calm & success.
This article was written by a Financial Horse Contributor.
1. Exercise for your Brain
In 2018, Bill Gates wrote in a blog post about how meditation has changed his life.
In his 20s, he stopped listening to music and watching TV to increase more focus in his life, but that only lasted about 5 years.
These days, he practices meditation as a way to train his mind.
“I now see that meditation is simply exercise for the mind, similar to the way we exercise our muscles when we play sports. It’s about taking a few minutes out of my day, learning how to pay attention to the thoughts in my head, and gaining a little bit of distance from them.” – Bill Gates
2. Inspiration from the Beatles?
Interestingly, Ray Dalio got inspired to meditate from the Beatles, when he was in his college days!
Ray Dalio calls meditation life-changing and has been meditating for more than 40 years.
“It works because it brings you into your sub-conscious mind and gives one an equanimity – a calm centredness & creativity. You have a mantra (a word that doesn’t have meaning e.g. Om), and by repeating it in your mind, you leave your thoughts behind.
If you leave it behind enough, you leave it behind and enter your subconscious, and this is where a lot of creativity comes, as well as equanimity.
There are many things that come at you. It gives you the ability to go above those things, and how does the world and reality work, and how do I put it in perspective and navigate that well.” – Ray Dalio
Ray Dalio meditates twice a day, morning and evening before dinner, usually for about 20 minutes.
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3. Reduce anxiety
In 2018, Virgin Airlines launched the world’s first meditation flight in partnership with the Smiling Mind App.
Richard Branson says he’s fairly new to meditation, but his son Sam practices it regularly and he is a huge believer in the benefits of looking after your mind as well as your body.
According to Dr Addie Wootten, the CEO of Smiling Mind who partnered with Virgin, “As little as a couple of minutes of meditation can improve our overall sense of calm and well-being during a flight”.
If you have phobias or anxiety, why not try meditating?
Spending even a few minutes in meditation can restore your calm and inner peace.
4. Science behind Meditation
Researchers have found that mindfulness-based meditation can help depressed patients.
Other research suggests that practicing meditation may reduce blood pressure, symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety and depression, and insomnia.
So what is mindfulness? According to Mindful.org, mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.
While mindfulness is something we all naturally possess, it’s more readily available to us when we practice on a daily basis.
In mindfulness meditation, you learn how to pay attention to the breath as it goes in and out, and notice when the mind wanders from this task. This practice of returning to the breath builds the muscles of attention and mindfulness.
5. How to Meditate
To get started, Bill Gates recommends Andy Puddicombe’s book, The Headspace Guide to Meditation and Mindfulness. Andy is the founder of the Headspace app.
There’s no fixed way to go about it, but one simple way is to sit down and pay attention to your breath. According to Mindful.org,
1) Take a seat
Find place to sit that feels calm and quiet to you.
2) Set a time limit
If you’re just beginning, it can help to choose a short time, such as five or 10 minutes.
3) Notice your body
You can sit in a chair with your feet on the floor, you can sit loosely cross-legged, you can kneel—all are fine. Just make sure you are stable and in a position you can stay in for a while.
4) Feel your breath
Follow the sensation of your breath as it goes in and as it goes out.
5) Notice when your mind has wandered
Inevitably, your attention will leave the breath and wander to other places. When you get around to noticing that your mind has wandered—in a few seconds, a minute, five minutes—simply return your attention to the breath.
6) Be kind to your wandering mind
Don’t judge yourself or obsess over the content of the thoughts you find yourself lost in. Just come back.
7) Close with kindness
When you’re ready, gently lift your gaze (if your eyes are closed, open them). Take a moment and notice any sounds in the environment. Notice how your body feels right now. Notice your thoughts and emotions.
You can meditate any place, any time of day, and for any length of time.
Here’s someone who tried meditating every day. She recommends guided meditations for beginners. Either using an App or free guided meditations that span different topics and focuses.
Oprah and Deepak Chopra also offer a free 21-day Meditation, check it out here!
You can also check out Andy’s Ted Talk below:
And catch Headspace’s Guide to Meditation on Netflix!
