Free your human creative genius

Reason number one why the UNESCO considers a construction to be part of the world heritage is that it represents a masterpiece of human creative genius. Why are they just built in the past and not today? Why is disengagement rampant today? Why do we have a financial crisis? Because we don't pay attention! We act without any intention. We go to the office to warm the seat and countdown the minutes to Friday. We sit in boring meetings and we make them even more meaningless by discussing means without any clarity or agreement on the ends. Why do we have that meeting? Why do we have that project? Why do we need that business trip? Even that customer? Is that a proof of human creative genius?

During the middle ages in Europe, people spent their entire lives devoted to build cathedrals. It was a communitarian endeavor with the full commitment of each one of the participants. At that time the concept of the "disengaged employee" was unexistent. They did not carry stones or painted glass or shaped wood. They were building a Cathedral! There is an immense difference between isolated activities without purpose and concentrated purposeful action. The big difference is the combination of attention and intention.

Nowadays we miss them both: attention and intention. Many times we "think" that being free of attention and intention means relaxing. We sit in front of the TV set and zap channels for hours. What are we doing? Relaxing? Wasting our human creative genius potential! That is what we are doing!

When we pay attention with an intention, wonders happen with the added bonus of tremendous joy. When "simple" tasks are given meaning and purpose, they are transformed. When you clean the kitchen with the intention of building a good family life, a memorable childhood for your children, you are no longer cleaning the kitchen. You are carrying culture forward, you are building a family: you are changing the world. When you challenge one of your subordinates to perform closer to his capability, you are not being unkind or bossy. You are stimulating human growth: you are changing the world.

Attention without intention doesn't work. Intention without attention doesn't work. They need each other. Without a vision your efforts would be fruitless. You need an intention! On the other hand, remember that hell is paved with good intentions. Having good ideas is not enough. You need to take action, even more perfect action: action with attention and intention. That way you will liberate your inner human creative genius and get the great bonus of joy and satisfaction.

When we connect action to our reason of existence, when we connect action with our childhood dream, when we take action looking for something greater than ourselves; we no longer simply do, we create. Creating is a divine act. No matter what your believe system is, creation is something that connects us with something more powerful than ourselves, that connect us with each other, that connect us with who we really are.

Liberate your human creative genius!