“If you always do what you’ve always done you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”

Have you read the koan called A Cup Of Tea? It goes like this:

Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen.

Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor’s cup full and then kept on pouring.

The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. “It is overfull. No more will go in!”

“Like this cup,” Nan-in said, “you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?”

Practically, if you want different results you need to think about something in a different way.

Do things differently.

Step out of your comfort zone.

No almosts.

Try something new.

Take a risk, perhaps one you’ve never taken before.

This is key to growing and developing as a person.

It may seem daunting at first…try it on small things like driving a different route to work, wearing a colour you’ve never worn before and trying a dish you’ve in the past sworn never to try.

Different results need the cup to be empty of preconceived ideas, judgement and notions about what you know.