“The better you know yourself, the less you will fear what’s happening in the world.”
In short: Gregg Braden is a speaker and author who explores the link between science, consciousness and human potential. In this Success Secrets clip, recorded for London Real in 2018, Brian Rose asks him what advice he would give a 20-year-old watching around the world, and he answers with three ideas: know yourself, try something new, and share your inspiration when it arrives.
Brian framed the question around young people who have grown up seeing a lot of hatred online and may not know how to deal with it. Gregg’s reply was that self-knowledge is the antidote: the more you understand yourself, the less the changes in the world need to frighten you.
He then described what he says the science shows about creating something new, why you should give an idea about 72 hours before judging it, and why finished work belongs in the world rather than in a drawer.
Key takeaways
- Know yourself first. Gregg told young people they are “more than you’ve ever imagined” and that their greatest power is found within.
- Do not be afraid to try something new. He called this a rare window of innovation, when ideas are more accessible and more accepted than ever.
- Give it 72 hours. Gregg said that when we reach for something new, neurons begin to connect, and that this takes around three days, so do not give up if it does not click at once.
- Act when inspired. In his view, inspiration is the moment the world is ready, so you should not put it off.
- Share what you create. He argued that work you keep back may be picked up by someone else, and he shared a story of a musician friend who heard his unreleased song on the radio.
- Creative work reminds us who we are. Gregg described a school of thought in which art, music and film are consciousness informing itself of what is possible.
Know yourself and do not fear the world
Asked what a 20-year-old should do about a world with a lot of hate, Gregg said the better you know yourself, the less you fear what is happening around you. He invited young people to take the time to explore themselves while the world changes, saying that is where their true master and greatest power are found.
He added: “You’re not what you’ve been told. You’re more than you’ve ever imagined.”
Try something new and be patient
Gregg described this as a time of innovation in which new ideas are more accessible and more accepted. He said that the science shows that reaching within to become more in the next moment than in the previous one is the biological trigger for neurons to begin connecting.
Those connections do not form instantly. He said it takes about 72 hours, so if something new does not click immediately, give your body the time to reflect what you are asking of it.
Share the inspiration when it arrives
For Gregg, being inspired is a signal. He told a story of a musician friend who judged his best piece of music as not ready and worked on it for a year, until he heard it on the radio, performed by someone else. His conclusion was that if you do not share what you create, someone else will tap into it and share it.
He also described a philosophy in which consciousness informs itself through our creations, so that music, art and film are a way of reminding us of our potential. His message to the 20-year-old: when you feel it, share it.
Who is Gregg Braden?
Gregg Braden is a speaker and author who draws on science to talk about consciousness, human potential and the way creativity and inspiration work. He appeared on London Real’s Success Secrets series in 2018, answering Brian Rose’s closing question about advice to a 20-year-old.
Frequently asked questions
He said to know yourself, because the better you know yourself the less you fear what is happening in the world, to try something new, and to share your inspiration when it comes.
He said that when you try to create something new, neurons begin to connect, but that this takes about three days, so you should not give up if it does not click immediately.
He believes inspiration is consciousness calling something forth, and that if you hold on to a creation, someone else may tap into the same idea and release it first.
Gregg said a friend kept refining a piece of music for a year because he felt it was not ready, then heard it played on the radio by someone else.
No. It is a short Success Secrets clip from London Real in which Gregg answers Brian Rose’s closing question about advice to a young person.
