Why is it that some men and women gain so much status, wealth, and “power” in a single lifetime, whereas most barely attain either mediocrity or less. The reasoning came to one day while driving North on I-95. I had been having deep thoughts about creating challenges for myself throughout my spiritual work, so that I would not have to wait for nature to bring challenges to me. I was listening to the radio to an interesting program that spoke about many different world leaders, hero’s and people generally performing great deeds, as well as their fallacy’s, and sometimes disastrous errors that effect entire nations. I thought about the process I had begun to embark on, taking responsibility for the challenges that are presented to me, and experienced a realization. What did it take to attain such a high position, to be renown around the world as one man or woman among 6 billion? I believe the answer can be summed up in a term I call: Limit Breaking.
Limit Breaking. The term I use comes from, not surprisingly, a video game. Limit breaking is a term used in a game called Final Fantasy, where a character has built up enough momentum, or gotten psyched up enough to the point where he can perform an incredible deed beyond his normal limitations. Essentially, to attain this state the character is constantly pushing himself to the extent of his abilities while training or competing until he is able to “break” his limits.
Hence, the great people of our world can be considered limit breakers. They are those who constantly strive to better themselves in any specific or general aspect. Some people choose to break their spiritual limits, some their financial, others their physical, and some their mental limitations. Examples can be seen through great teachers like the Dalai Lama, financial kings like Donald Trump, any professional athlete such as Shaquille O’Neil, and great minds such as Albert Einstein.
Failure for a limit breaker can be disastrous. A president, who pushes his policies, influence, and military might, can cause intense repercussions for his people and the rest of the world. A professional athlete can attempt to go beyond his physical limitations without being prepared properly, and break a bone, sprain a muscle, or injure himself beyond any modern medical treatment. A High ranking CEO, can press too many buttons, and spend too much in a small, yet unwise investment opportunity and come crashing down the corporate ladder, with the possibility of facing legal repercussions. A spiritual guru can become lost in his work, spiraling into an inner world of cynicism, depravity and ego. What both limit breakers and average citizens have in common is the emotional feeling and personal life repercussions which failure brings. What they do not have in common, is the positive action that is taken to overcome the failure, as well as the widespread recognition and influence it may cause.
Failing is part of Limit breaking. It establishes the line which is to be crossed. When a day to day worker reaches this line the common results are frustration, depression, anger, and fear that can cause a person to lash our or slip into a catatonic state. Do presidents run away and cry in their room when they made a decision that cost hundreds, if not thousands, of lives? They express their grief, but can maintain their composure and focus through their own resistance to act. We have much to learn from these world leaders. We spend most of our time criticizing them for their “incompetent” decisions as if we know what a “competent” decision would be in their position. How can we sit in our couches and point at a person’s mistakes when we haven’t had the courage to create enough challenges in our lives to make our own? Where is our foundation in experience beyond the television? The limit we need to learn to break is that of our own habits. Bring the challenges of day to day life into our own control. Take responsibility for them, learn from them, and keep training until experience breaks the limit and flows us into the next level.
