I am becoming a big fan of the idea of clarity. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised: I spent most of my life confused about things, struggling with ideas that didn’t make sense, as if trying to get the perennial square peg to fit into the perennial round hole. Life can be so amazing and wonderful, and this seems to be directly related to how clear one’s thinking is (as opposed to how confused/doubting/misled it is).
Over the weekend, I was at my brother’s wedding in Oakland, CA, and I had a great moment of clarity. I was at dinner with my wife and family and friends on Friday night, the day before the wedding, and I was simply having a great time. I thought to myself, “Wow, this is so fun, meeting all these people and hanging out! I like this, I want more of this!”
I had been thinking a lot about the idea of clarity, so on the drive home, I realized that these thoughts must be in that range. I was clear about how fun it was to be connecting with others in that positive environment. The social butterfly in me was happily set loose. I paused and really took a few moments examining this. I knew that I was onto something.
In Law of Attraction circles, they say what you focus on expands (I wrote about the Law of Attraction a few days ago). If that’s the case, I’m delighted. Even this blog post is a great way to milk that feeling for all it’s worth, and help it grow.
Clarity is those feelings and thoughts that are right on the mark. When you become aware of them, you think, “Yes! This is it!” It’s like your entire being (mind, body, and soul) are in agreement. It could be anything: a book you are reading, a conversation you are having, a walk you are taking in the woods, a movie you are directing, a song you are writing, a job you are doing. Clarity is that alignment where you are know you are in the right place at the right time, being the right person you want to be.
People who become great leaders or accomplish other great things (for example, artists who write symphonies, books, plays, or movies we all know about) come from great clarity in their actions. They have a certain charisma, we say, but what it really is comes from a secure place of knowing. Their action is definite and final, because they know where they are going and they know they are going to get there. That is clarity (and a whole lot of other good things, like confidence, focus, faith, and purpose).
Sometimes, it can seem illusive to find that magical sweet spot where things become clear. I spent a long time in search of it, so every time I find it I know its value.
Now I think of myself as sort of a clarity sleuth: on the scent, ready to solve the case. I know that if I just pay attention, keep my ears and eyes and nerve centers on the look out, I can puzzle together from all these moments of clarity the answers to the questions I’ve been asking for so long.
Because I know that it’s elementary, my dear Mr. Watson.