One of the first things a mentor told me when I began my journey in entrepreneurship was that I needed to empty my cup. To help me understand, he told me the story of Master Suzuki, a wise old man who was a master of the Art of Zen.
When I started my business in Hong Kong in 1998, it was a time of great uncertainty in Asia. The Asian economic crisis was was well underway. Hong Kong’s exchange rate, linked to the US dollar, and the stock market, were threatened by speculation by international investors.
It wasn’t always like this. For much of human history, people lived sustainably, following the circular pattern of the seasons. In the Bronze Age, recycling as we know it today was first practiced as metalwork gave way to the use of stone in tool making.
What if there were a less complicated way to deal with stress and burnout? All you need is to invest one hour a day into a consistent practice I refer to as the Sphere of Silence (SoS). Setting aside this hour every day will help you master the remaining 23 hours of the day.