The Inner Light of Success
What does it mean to be truly successful?
Earlier this month, the Self-Realization Fellowship shared a deeply moving talk by Brother Achalananda on The True Meaning of Success. His message was simple, yet profound:
True success is not found in outer achievement, but in inner richness.
It reminded me of a powerful cartoon by Australian artist Michael Leunig. In it, a family sits in a dark, industrial wasteland. The scene is bleak, but the father begins to play music, and the child looks up with joy and admiration: “Gee Dad, you’re fantastic!”
Even in difficulty, your attention—the spotlight of your mind—can illuminate love, beauty, and meaning that is in us all. That’s what we practice every time we step onto a yoga mat, another chance to sit quietly with ourselves in mindful awareness, training the mind to recognise all the richness that resides within. You only need to let the light of your focused attention make it shine.
Spotlight. Floodlight. Juggler.
Dr. Amishi Jha on Training Your Attention
I’ve been listening to a podcast with Neuroscientist Dr. Amishi Jha whose research is helping high-stress people, mostly military personnel, who are not drawn to practices like yoga, find a helpful way to find peace by training their attention.
Learning how attention works, Dr Jha uses three metaphors:
- Spotlight – Direct, focused attention.
(Like focusing on the movement of your breath.) - Floodlight – A broad awareness of your surroundings.
(Feeling the space you are in, taking in the whole environment) - Juggler – The system that switches your focus between tasks and demands.
(Eating at your work desk, on the phone when you’re with other people, or driving!!)
But here’s the catch: attention is limited.
Multitasking—despite what we’re told—isn’t more efficient. It scatters your focus and depletes your mental energy. Dr. Jha’s research is confirming that just 12 minutes of mindfulness a day can help strengthen attention, improve clarity, and support emotional regulation.
Sound familiar? That’s exactly what Yoga offers. I know there are lots of misinterpretations around simple, old practices, so I rejoice when science helps those that need more proof gain the knowledge on how beneficial it is to turn inward, reset the nervous system, and reclaim our attention—one breath, one pose, one quiet moment at a time is your way to finding calm, your inner light of success, within your chaos.
Success doesn’t come from the outside
It’s in how we show up—how we share our presence, our kindness, the spotlight of your attention.
Last weekend, I spent an afternoon with a group of women at a local clothes swap. What began as a simple exchange of clothing quickly became a space for connection, joy, and presence. There was laughter, generosity, and a quiet celebration of each other, not to mention all the other benefits of sharing unwanted items..
It reminded me again: “Success is not in the spotlight we chase, but in the light we shine.”
Let’s continue to bring our spotlight to the things that truly nourish us: Breath. Movement. Joy. Community. And the quiet strength that comes from being fully present.
With light and presence,
Tanya
