Within weeks of selfcentered’s launch, I quickly discovered
how lost I actually was. Plans that I had formulated didn’t
work. Strategies that I had mapped out were ineffective.
Directions that I gave weren’t heard.

Was it the plan? Was it the strategy? Was it me?

The answer was a huge painful YES; and little by little, my
faith in the mission dwindled as I invested more and more of
my own money only to see none of it return.

I attempted to raise capital, and failed. I attempted to
collaborate with partners, and failed. I attempted to fill seats at
events, and failed. It didn’t seem to matter what I did, the net
return was a loss – emotionally and financially.

But something inside of me kept propelling me forward. In
fact, this is when my faith in meditation grew leaps and bounds.
Time and time again, I was slapped down only to muster up the
strength to try again. I continued to reflect back on what didn’t
work and make adjustments. I continued to think outside the
box and come up with creative solutions. I continued to do
everything I possibly could to inspire meditation while building
a healthy business. Most importantly, I put my rather large ego
aside and started to lead with my heart.

Little by little, things started flowing. People enrolled in our
events. The media began to publish really positive articles
(Martha Stewart selected us to be the “Next Big Idea”). We
created a number of really amazing video’s. One person at a
time, the tribe was growing. We were still loosing money but
at least it felt like we were gaining momentum.

Realizing that I really didn’t know sh*t, I started to ask a lot
more questions. I spoke to mentors, successful entrepreneurs,
professional speakers, famous authors, and most importantly,
people like you. I read books, attended way too many seminars,
and hired coaches. As I got out of my own way, it became clear
that many of the things I had done in the early stages of
selfcentered weren’t what people wanted but rather what I felt
they needed. Realizing this has been one of the most profound
life and businesses lessons to date.

Just when I thought that I had everything all figured out, I had
back-to-back experiences that turned my world upside down.
First, I went on a 10-day meditation retreat where in my deep
silence, I saw all of the reasons for why selfcentered wasn’t
actualizing its potential (ie: ego, attachment, greed, fatigue,
etc…all the usual suspects). Then I went to a business seminar
that showed me a step-by-step strategy for how to bring
meditation to college campuses across the country. Like two
swift kicks in the ass, I was back to zero….again.

This my friend, brings us to now. To get the energy of
selfcentered in a pure place, we launched the Pay it Forward
Experiment and I’m thrilled to announce that our next Out of
Your Mind Immersion on January 23-25 is just about full. In
the meantime, I’m preparing to launch a college tour like the
world has never seen to take meditation to students across
the country (we're aiming to visit 100 campuses next year!).
I also just finished my first book that will be launching early
next year (more info will be coming soon).

So with everything that has taken place over the last twelve
months, here are my 2008 words of wisdom:

Take the leap and follow your dreams. It will not always be easy
but I can guarantee you that it will always be real. Fear is the only
thing in your way, and that’s hardly a reason to stop. Everything is
possible and nothing means anything. Lead with your heart and
listen with your mind. Be discerning and don’t waste your energy;
there will always be more opportunities. Love strong and don’t hold
back. Be authentic always. Dance like nobody’s watching. Meditate
daily and create space to do nothing. Injoy the ride.

In essence, this can all be summed up in one beautiful phrase:

Get selfcentered! haha....I love that.

As I reflect back on the last period of my life, there is only one thing
that I know for sure: it's that I am completely insane and so are you.
Thank god I’m not alone.

( Please share your comments. I always read them! )

Much love for a prosperous, love-filled, out of your mind 2009,

Much love,

Max Simon
Founder, Tribe Leader
www.getselfcentered.com

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