Align With Your Greatness

#LeadandLift | Episode 145 | Dharma Shakti

What if unlocking your highest potential had less to do with becoming someone new and more to do with remembering who you already are?

In this powerful episode of Lead & Lift, I sat down with Dharma Shakti, often called the Tony Robbins of yoga, to explore what it truly means to live in alignment with your greatness. Blending ancient yogic wisdom with modern high-performance principles, Dharma reminds us of a truth many high-achieving leaders forget:

You are not broken. You are becoming. 

This conversation is an invitation to pause, reflect, and realign, especially if success looks good on paper but feels empty on the inside.

Greatness Is Not Created—It Is Remembered

Dharma’s journey began in a place many leaders can relate to: insecurity, external expectations, and a world that defined her before she had the chance to define herself.

Through yoga philosophy, Eastern wisdom, and mentorship, she discovered that greatness isn’t something we earn through titles or productivity.  It’s something we reconnect with when we strip away labels, conditioning, and old stories.

“I learned who I was beyond the labels, the titles, and the wounds.” – Dharma Shakti 

This distinction matters deeply for leaders. When identity is tied only to roles and performance, burnout is inevitable. Alignment begins when we remember who we are beneath what we do.

When the World Tells You Who to Be

From childhood, many of us are handed expectations:

• Who we should become
• What success should look like
• Which path is considered safe or respectable

Dharma shared how growing up without encouragement to explore her authentic self led her to seek answers elsewhere and how yoga philosophy became a framework for self-awareness, not just physical practice.

“We tell people to be themselves but we don’t teach them how to discover who they are.” 

This is why so many adults reach mid-career feeling disconnected, unfulfilled, or quietly asking: Is this all there is?

Mentorship: The Accelerator of Alignment

One of the strongest themes in this episode was the role of mentorship.  Yes, self-discovery is personal but it doesn’t have to be lonely.

Mentors don’t tell you who to be. They:

• Help you ask better questions
• Show you where the blind spots are
• Walk beside you as you navigate uncertainty

“You can do it alone but it’s a completely different journey with the right mentorship.” 

This mirrors what we see in leadership and high performance: growth accelerates when guided.

Listening to the Quiet Voice Within

One of Dharma’s most powerful stories was the moment she listened, truly listened to herself.

Sitting in a college classroom, she realized with absolute clarity: I don’t belong here.   She didn’t have a full plan. She didn’t know the destination.  She simply stood up, grabbed her skateboard, and left.

“I didn’t know where I was meant to be. I just knew it wasn’t there.” 

That single act of courage changed the trajectory of her life.

Leadership insight: Alignment doesn’t require certainty, it requires honesty.

Feeling Stuck? Look for Incongruence

One of the clearest indicators that you’ve drifted from your authentic self is this feeling:

• You feel bad about yourself, but you can’t quite explain why
• You feel disconnected, restless, or heavy

Dharma explains this through the idea of congruence, alignment between what you value and how you live.

“When we are out of alignment with our values, the mind reminds us over and over again.” 

If you value health but neglect your body… If you value growth but avoid reflection… If you value integrity but break promises to yourself…

Your inner discomfort is information, not failure.

The Power of Self-Awareness (And Why Yoga Matters)

Dharma beautifully described the mind as the “annoying neighbor upstairs.” You can’t evict it, but you can learn to live with it wisely.  Yoga, meditation, and mindfulness are not about flexibility or performance. They are about awareness.

“You cannot change what you are not aware of.” 

Yoga helps separate:

• The thoughts you have
• From the observer of those thoughts

This is where leaders reclaim power, by choosing which thoughts get energy and which do not.

Redefining Greatness (This Will Set You Free)

One of the most grounding moments of the episode was Dharma’s redefinition of greatness.  Greatness is not always loud, visible, or celebrated.

“Your greatness doesn’t have to look grandiose. Sometimes it’s how you love, support, listen, or nurture.” 

You are a seed.

Like a tomato seed or an acorn, everything you need is already within you but growth requires the right environment.  And greatness expresses itself differently for everyone.

How to Begin Aligning With Your Greatness (Today)

Here are a few simple but powerful starting points:

1. Practice Intentional Self-Reflection

Ask yourself:

• What do I value?
• What makes me feel whole?
• What brings me joy?

Journal on these questions consistently, not once.

2. Notice Your Inner Dialogue

Pay attention to recurring thoughts. Write them down. Challenge what doesn’t serve you.

“If a friend spoke to you the way your mind does, would you keep them around?” 

3. Take One Courageous Step

You don’t need the full roadmap. You just need the next honest step.

“When you show up on purpose, your purpose will find you.” – Wayne Dyer 

Final Reflection: Alignment Is a Practice

This conversation with Dharma Shakti is a reminder that leadership isn’t just about influence outward, it’s about alignment inward.  When you lead yourself with awareness, intention, and authenticity… You naturally lift everyone around you.

Links mentioned in this episode: 

• Dharma Shakti Facebook
• Dharma Shakti Instagram
• Dharma Shakti LinkedIn
• Dharma Shakti Website
• Dharma Shakti YouTube

Links mentioned in this episode: 

• Chabidaye Facebook
• Chabidaye Instagram
• Chabidaye LinkedIn
• Chabidaye Website