Empty Your Cup - Begin Your Journey
Posted on March 28, 2023 by Stacy Conte, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.
Emptying the cup is not about forgetting what you already know. It is about suppressing the ego and being accepting of new ideas.
The quote, “Empty your cup,” comes from a parable about a zen master that urged his student to fill his teacup until it over-flowed.
When it was over-flowed, he stated, “This is you. And that teapot is filled with the knowledge awaiting you. But you are already so full of your own opinions that nothing more can be added. How can I teach you anything else unless you first empty your cup?”
In this story, the tea represents knowledge. The tea that already exists in the cup is our ego. The fuller our cup, the bigger our ego.
If you have a full cup, it means you think you already know everything, and that prevents you from learning anything new. To empty the cup is to empty yourself of the ego. To learn is to open your eyes to the wonders of the world and everything it has to offer. The more you learn, the more you know. And yet, you can never know it all.
Emptying the cup is not about forgetting what you already know. It is about suppressing the ego and being accepting of new ideas.
This parable shows us how much of a role the ego plays in our social interactions. Even when we go to someone for advice, our self-perceptions and desires cannot help but show up. Often, we tune out others’ words, listening not with the intent to understand but thinking instead of how we are going to respond. Emptying the cup fosters your ability to grow.
When we begin our journey to plan our careers, we must Gain clarity regarding what we want or need next, personally and professionally. Ensure that our personal and professional goals are authentic. Live a life by design, not by default. Where you put your attention is what takes up your energy. We all need to have a healthy sense of entitlement. Trust that if we have desires, there is support. You need to focus on things that you intend to do and take action on them. Make a conscious choice to take responsibility for our part, make a change, and move forward.
