I came across this phrase recently and it stopped me in my tracks. This does not happen often, so I decided to explore it further.

The origin is uncertain but it is thought to be rooted in Zen Buddhism according to Simon Sinek in Leaders Eat Last.

It resonated but I wondered why.

And then it occurred to me. The depth and breadth of this phrase and its relevance and impact are potentially high.

In my Choose Your Future masterclass that ran last month, ‘essence’ was a core content in my curriculum. And I found the content needed more depth. Perhaps it was my instinct telling me to investigate this further.

Essence

Essence definition: the intrinsic nature or indispensable quality of something, especially something abstract, which determines its character.

There are various approaches to finding our essence. No one way is a perfect way and due to the complexity of each of us, one size certainly does not fit all. Multiple options are much better.

The aim is to get to the core of you.

The part of you that can be hard to verbalise because it is so innate. It’s not your blind spot but a default setting that has you doing the things you do the way you do it. Your anything.

We are all unique. Of course, this is true at the DNA level, but I am talking about the way we view and do things. Our stories, beliefs, culture all matter and contribute to our essence.

But if we dig deeper there is a part of us that separates or at least wants to separate from some of the ‘norms’ of our environment. An underlying sense that fuels us. Springing us into action or has us wait for the right moment.

This underlying sense is our essence.

And I define environment as your physical environment, circumstances and/or lived experience.

And that is what I want to tap into. I guess I am looking for the ‘core characteristics’ that enable who we are and how we do things.

Who we are despite our environment, not because of it

Me

I grew up in a traditional Asian family. I broke a few core cultural rules growing up and into adulthood. I defied standard protocols and did what was taboo in some instances. I questioned EVERYTHING from cultural practices to edicts.

Just because something was done a certain way in the past or ‘this is how it’s done’ does not sit well with me. And that is how I navigate anything.

In my family and immediate circle, I am known as the go-to person to get things done. To ensure a task is seen to completion or for some lateral thinking. The latter was pointed out to me. Not something I was aware of. An innate part of me.

Your essence shows through your and others behaviours (towards you):

1.  you are 100% committed to your actions

2. you uphold your values especially when the environment gets tough

3. you lead by example, you walk your talk

4. how and why your inner circle can relate to you

5. how you carry yourself

My essence in a phrase is “You have one chance at life, make it count”. I also have a bias towards wanting to fix things. I always look at a problem as ‘what am I doing about a solution’. And I always complete what I have started.

You

Finding your essence. Questions to ask yourself:

1. What is the phrase you would shout to the world that would convey your essence if you had a global megaphone?

2. How and why does your inner circle reach out to you?

3. If you have siblings, how are you different from them?

4. What have you changed about your environment that you could not tolerate anymore?

5. When the going gets tough, how do you commit 100% to your cause?

We are tribal warriors at heart. But our environment can make it easy for us to remain on autopilot making us disengaged from or desensitised to it.

Your environment is presently in flux and now is your moment to find what you can bring to your environment and not the other way around.

It’s time.

My mission is to help you identify your essence.

It is the main catalyst to your future self.

I am here to help.