How is it possible that we live life at ninety miles an hour but never seem to get to where we want to be? Why do we have more material goods, more access to information, more ways to interact than ever before, yet still feel unfulfilled? Why are we better off than any society in history yet often feel tapped out, unmotivated, overworked, and unsatisfied?
Each of those questions has the same answer: We are not practicing awareness.
That statement seems pretty simple on the surface, but to practice awareness, you have to stop: stop running from one activity to the next; stop comparing yourself to everyone else; stop trying to be who others think you should be. When you stop all of these things, you give yourself space to quiet your mind, reflect on your experiences, and get to know yourself better. And when you know yourself better, you can identify what you want out of life and pursue it, which leads to a more fulfilled life.
The journey to fulfillment begins with an awareness of who you are. Traveling a road of personal growth, you will become aware of what makes you tick—what gives you energy when you think about a certain topic, subject, or pursuit—and what drains every last drop of energy. You may not always like what you discover, but you will be inspired by it. The point is to become aware of who you are and who you’re becoming. The journey of self-awareness is powerful because increased awareness brings increased understanding, and increased understanding empowers you to make changes in your life that last.
In this episode, Valeria Teles interviews Robert Commodari about awareness which is one of the many messages in his book: Better Than You Think: Developing Awareness for a More Fulfilling Life.
Rob comes from a family of seven siblings growing up in a two-bedroom 1 bath 745 sq ft house in Northeast Baltimore City. He is the son of an Italian immigrant and a red-haired German. Money was hard to come by while growing up. Rob started working at age 11 delivering newspapers and paid his own tuition through high school and college. He played baseball in College while attending Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Fl. After graduating from FAU, Rob took a job as a stockbroker in North Palm Beach, Fl. Arriving early one for work, in July of 1990, he noticed a book sitting on his mentor’s desk, The Greatest Salesman in the World, by Og Mandino which he asked to borrow that evening. Rob finished reading the book that evening and hasn’t looked back since. It was after reading The Greatest Salesman in the World and Part II of Og’s bestseller that Rob had the inspiration to write and speak. Rob began goal writing in the winter of 1992 but had never set a goal to write a book or speak until 2001. It was spring of 2001 that he gave his first inspirational speech to a crowd of approximately 650 people. He was then encouraged to join Toastmasters, an international speaking organization to hone his skills as a speaker. It was in 2005 when he wrote a goal to write a book. Rob knew he wanted the book to be centered on the theme of awareness but didn’t feel worthy enough of being an author. He struggled for years and wrote sparingly before he finally committed to finishing the writing of his book in January of 2017. A serial entrepreneur, Rob has been involved in several businesses. He had his own newspaper business from 1994 through Dec 31st of 2003. Rob was partners in a cigar business in the mid 90’s. He has flipped a few houses of the years and has spoken to several organizations over that time as well. He has spoken to organizations such as: Wells Fargo, Sherwin Williams, Wachovia, M & T Bank, BB& T Bank, The Baltimore Sun, and others. Rob has spoken to students at schools and inmates in prison several times. When Rob speaks he is moved by the spirit to connect with others and to inspire others to realize their dreams.
