When thinking about spirituality, the last thing that crosses our mind is a human in a business suit.
Nevertheless, business is one of the best ways to develop our spirituality. Our character develops most in the trenches, not while meditating isolated on a mountain.
I love disconnecting from the bustling world around and taking time for myself in silence. We have all tasted this pause from normal life during the time quarantined.
We might have wanted to be completely alone at times or fantasized of having the ideal partner or location, perhaps the Maldives. Let me dream…
But the truth is that our values are tested when we interacted with other humans. There is no better way to learn about yourself and what you stand for than building a business that serves others.
We are social animals and yearn for interpersonal interactions and being useful to society. This is where businesses become a powerful tool for your spirituality. I have learned a lot about myself from starting successful and non-successful businesses. Building companies has taught me both my strengths and my shortcomings and has brought me closer to my spirituality.
If you are looking for self-development and continuous personal growth, then the best way to do so is solving an existing problem for yourself and others. Build a business around your solution and constantly be of service.
The Business of Spirituality
Traditionally, we view spiritual practices as religious. It seems as if the spiritual path is meant for those who let go of materialistic values and see beyond them. You may have heard that material value is not the important part, and the ego drives the material. And this is how many people who pursue spiritual paths end up without money. However, religion moves $1.2 trillion dollars just in the USA. This shocking amount is like Google and Apple combined. Here is where the dissonance starts and how a trillion-dollar industry convinces its followers that leaving wealth is the way to illumination. This concept is wrong, though. It’s through material wealth that businesses and people can grow. We have seen this idea in play the other way around as well: business leaders go on their own spiritual paths and leave it all behind. They donate everything and move to a mountain in Tibet or participate in an Ayahuasca session in Costa Rica. Several spiritual teachers preach leaving your belongings behind and releasing your ego. But their businesses earn money with these types of teachings. The New Age industry is a billion-dollar industry. I’m illustrating the polarization of two worlds that can’t function alone. We must balance them.
Starting a Business Can Set You Free
I discussed what’s beyond financial freedom in Resonance after seeing this framework. For this, the fulfilling purpose in life after reaching financial freedom is philanthropy. After achieving the famous financial freedom, the next step is to support the world around you. And here is where the misconception originates.
If we carry a mindset of donating and doing good in the world before reaching financial freedom for ourselves is like not wearing our own mask before helping others with theirs. But, if we are only doing good after reaching a certain monetary threshold, let’s say becoming a millionaire; Then by the time we get to that goal, we will have another higher goal, [becoming a multimillionaire] and it will never be enough. Just like it’s outdated to think we will live our lives assuming we will have fun only when we retire, and then most of our lives pass by without crossing anything off our bucket list.
Financial freedom doesn’t mean being a millionaire, billionaire, or owning a private island, it could even mean for you not owning a house. Financial freedom is when you have your basic expenses met in addition to a discretionary fund for entertainment, investment, and travel. Being financially free is not difficult to achieve. And it might require less money than you think.
To learn more how to reach freedom, schedule a one-on-one with Spiritual Entrepreneur, Daniel Yepez
