Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. …
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. – Nelson Mandela, Presidential speech

The Mystery of Personal Magnetism

I’ve always been fascinated by why some people—who aren’t particularly gifted in terms of education, intelligence, physical appearance, or wealth—manage to exert an extraordinary influence on those they meet, while others, who are objectively much more “gifted,” achieve nothing.
Some, for no apparent reason, earn higher salaries, get better grades on exams, are successful with the opposite sex, and, in general, find people willing to follow them.
This gift, which we can call personal magnetism, sex appeal, charm, vitality, or influence, is summed up by the word “charisma.”

“Charisma” is one of those words—like beauty, power, or likability—that we all recognize but find difficult to define.

It derives from Charis, one of the three Graces of Greek mythology, and refers to the divine gifts or attributes that each of us possesses within ourselves. In this sense, the word charisma was first used by St. Paul in his First Letter to the Corinthians, and refers to the gifts of the Spirit granted to those who were to be responsible for spreading the Good News.
Incidentally, it shares the exact same etymological root as “enthusiasm”—“en-theos”—meaning to set free the God within us.

Enthusiasm and the Divine Spark

It is clear that we cannot address here topics that touch upon our deepest beliefs; and certainly the phrase “to set free the God within us” will mean different things to each reader. But regardless of our beliefs, we are all aware that we could do, achieve, express, and create so much more if only we had the courage to confront false beliefs, the limits we impose on ourselves, and external conditioning…

Driving with the Handbrake On

What we need to understand is that our mind is composed of many compartments, each with its own function and objective, and that these objectives can often conflict with one another.
Forcing behavior in a particular direction when these compartments are not aligned means fighting against oneself: this behavior is equivalent to trying to lift a weight while simultaneously contracting the antagonist muscle, or driving a car with the handbrake on.
Undoubtedly, one of the two forces will prevail, but the performance will inevitably be poor, and the waste of energy enormous.

From a muscular standpoint, maximum physical efficiency is achieved not so much by contracting the active muscle more, but by the ability to relax the antagonist muscles.
When this happens—that is, when movement is not hindered by parasitic tension—efficiency is maximized and energy utilization is optimal.
Psychologically, this efficiency is achieved when the parts of us pursuing a goal are not hindered by various types of blocks and by internal goals that conflict with the main objective.
The key to everything is focus on the result and the alignment of all our parts with it.

Alignment: The Physics of True Charisma

A perfectly aligned person exudes a particular energy, which is called charisma.

In any case, what really matters is self-knowledge. Undoubtedly, some seemingly inexplicable behaviors have deep roots; but delving into the recesses of one’s psyche can become a dangerous game and, above all, a futile exercise that is an end in itself.

The alignment of one’s energies stems essentially from the acceptance of one’s true self, the discovery of one’s uniqueness, and the courage to express it.
Of course, we are the product of genetics and upbringing, and our upbringing may have instilled habits that no longer serve our purposes today.
Without upbringing, we would not be who we are, but upbringing is nothing more than a process aimed at discovering and utilizing one’s potential—that is, something that already exists and is just waiting to be unleashed.
So, the only way to fully express one’s charisma is through the discovery, acceptance, and expression of what makes us who we are—which is exactly the opposite of the constant self-criticism to which we subject ourselves.

I will return to this concept often, because nothing saddens me more than untapped talent, undeveloped potential, and abilities blocked by pessimism and fear.

The Pure Potential Exercise

So, for today’s exercise, I ask you to try making a list; not the usual list of what you’d like or should do, but one of what you COULD do.

Try an experiment, without feeling any obligation to actually do what you write; I just want you to realize how each of you has a fantastic array of choices and possibilities at your disposal.
Let your imagination run free, and write… and you may realize that what you’ve written is only an infinitesimal part of what you could truly do, if only you decided to act in that direction…
Let’s not stifle our creativity this time with plans, analysis, and criticism, and let’s allow ourselves, just for once, to connect with the field of pure potential that lies before us.

There you have it: the first real step toward charisma is to begin sensing this field. And to recognize—yes, that’s the key—the divine spark that shines within us, just waiting to be set free.

Best regards,

by Bruno