How to Meditate like Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs is admired worldwide. His ambition and raw talent made him one of the most successful people in the world. From creating the Mac computer and building the Apple empire only to be thrown out and then revolutionizing the world of phones with the iPhone, we could all take a page out of his book

But, according to his latest biography, it was not just brains and ambition alone that got him to the top. Meditation was key to his success as well.

Gleaned from Inc., here are the six steps to a mindful Zen meditation that is very similar to the one that Jobs practiced daily.

Sit straight in a comfortable position on a smooth surface like a pillow or bed. Cross your legs and take deep consecutive breaths.

Close your eyes and listen to yourself, allow yourself to think without restraining your thoughts, allow your subconscious to submerge with whatever energy it holds within. Trouble at work, money problems, very little time ... whatever your thoughts are, let them float into your conscious mind, acknowledging that these thoughts come from your monkey mind. Do this for five minutes everyday for a week.

After a week of exposure to your monkey mind you are now to shift your attention to your "ox mind." This is the part of the brain that thinks slowly and silently. The ox mind just observes, listens and senses. You can hear your ox mind stumble upon a breathtaking view or experience a silencing of all the voices in your head. The ox mind allows you to fully feel the moment.

Once you acknowledge your ox mind, order it to quiet your monkey mind down. Don't get frustrated if your monkey mind is constantly re-emerging; remember monkeys can't be contained much but with time, they do get tired.

As your monkey mind"calms down, focus on shifting your attention to your ox mind. Time will feel different, each breath will begin to seem longer, as you open your eyes you will feel the blood rush through your body making you conscious of your physical being. You will begin to feel your eyes, your hands, your muscles. Everything around you will be perceived through your new senses.

When you lose track of time – as you get better at meditating – it is a sign to increase the time spent on each session gradually. As you increase the time you spend meditating, you will find that your ox mind is prevailing more. All the noises and negative thoughts that come from the monkey mind are silenced.

Success is not just about working hard, it is also about inspiration. By allowing yourself to cleanse your mind from all negative thoughts, you are giving youself much more room for inspiration.