Listed: From City Stress to Meaningful Success with David Green

Consultant, Author and Meditation Teacher David Green reflects on how meditation became his anchor and rescue remedy during a high powered and demanding career in finance - and how it has sustained him for more than 30 years.

From the intensity of the City of London to the calm of daily meditation, David's journey has been anything but ordinary. After founding and scaling a company to £100 million in turnover before selling it, he walked away from a life of pressure and burnout to embrace a more balanced, meaningful path. Here, he shares his story in his own words. 

David Green is Listed.

 

 

Early Work Ethic.

I grew up in London, one of seven children, in a family where hard work was everything. My dad was a publisher, and from an early age he encouraged us to contribute. By the time I was eight, I was stuffing envelopes, checking manuscripts for mistakes and learning how to type. Then, as I grew older, every school holiday brought a different job, from delivering newspapers to selling menswear and second hand jewellery. 

I was brought up with the mantra, “You can have whatever you want if you work hard” and I believed it 110%.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t taught how to relieve stress or avoid burnout. Luckily later in life, when I was at the edge of the precipice, the magic pill of meditation came along - just in time. 

 

Life Lessons.

I was sent to boarding school at a very young age, and I had to learn to survive in a harsh environment. But the pluses outweighed the minuses. It gave me confidence and taught me to stand up for myself. And I loved sport.

Homelife wasn’t always easy. My mum struggled with her mental health, and it’s only recently that I discovered she was hidden from the Nazis in the Second World War from the tender age of two. This explained a lot and fills me with love and compassion for her, even though she has passed away and we had little contact after my parents divorced.

 

Building a Career.

Recently, a friend rather embarrassingly reminded me that, at 16 years old I told her I would retire at 30! I guess there’s nothing wrong with a few sparks of ambition as long as confidence doesn’t become arrogance. I’ve always accepted that we can’t be number one at everything. In fact, I admire people who are better than me at something and I always ask myself inside, what can I learn from them?

University never appealed to me. I was ready to rock ‘n’ roll and follow my dreams. By the time I was 18, I was ready to work and make something of my life. I went straight to work in the City. I was keen to learn.

My career unfolded in unexpected ways. After early roles in merchant banking, I struck up a conversation with a stranger on a flight home from Portugal. He later offered me a job as a bond trader, which was the hardest job to get at that time. Random or exactly as the universe planned? Who knows, but I’m sure everything happens for a reason.

By 23, I had set up my own finance house specialising in lending to the legal profession. Within 15 years the company had become the market leader in its field. By the time  the business was sold, in my early forties, annual turnover had reached £100 million. I just about got out in one piece.

 

 

The Burnout Years.

Success in the world, as many of us know, often comes with a hefty price. In my case, relentless pressure, personal sacrifice, relationship problems, unhealthy lifestyle and habits. We’ve all been there: running around like headless chickens, lurching from one crisis to another, yet somehow delivering a service with a smile.

Weekdays merged into weekends. My dogged pursuit of excellence was all about keeping clients loyal and happy. I took the responsibility for my staff and clients seriously, and worked all hours to keep the business, even through recessions and with interest rates at 15%.

Looking back with honesty,  I see that I had lost all sense of balance, of living and being. I was holding onto the back of a runaway train. By my early thirties, the signs of burnout were hard to ignore. There’s no doubt, meditation saved me. Without meditation to relieve the stress, I’d have been six feet under.

 

A Shift in Lifestyle.

Alongside meditation, I began to make radical changes to my lifestyle. I gave up alcohol for a month and I never drank again. It just happened naturally. I stopped eating meat - the night after a birthday filet steak! And then I went from vegetarian to vegan in the space of months. My colleagues, family and friends thought something was wrong with me! Again, it happened naturally. I have no explanation. When the desire left it never returned.

The work ethic and discipline that instilled in me drive and determination was no longer healthy or sustainable. Where others might have turned to alcohol, gambling or other escapes, I went on retreats,  trekked through deserts and mountains for charity - and kept up my Arsenal season ticket. But most importantly, I could lean on loyal friends when needed. 

I can’t deny though, after a stressful day the Twiglets came out occasionally! Ok, often!

 

Discovering Meditation.

By my mid thirties, meditation had already become central to my life. First introduced to the practice by a friend who had travelled in India, I was sceptical at first but soon felt an undeniable shift. I visited different yogis and spiritual teachers, deepening my experiences and giving me a sense of peace I hadn’t expected.

Experience and results always trump beliefs, doubt and cynicism and from then on, daily meditation became non-negotiable. I can honestly say I’ve meditated every day for 30 years. 

Once I had a bad back injury. I was lying on the floor. I just couldn’t get up. The cat was running around me. All I could do was laugh in the pain and meditate!

 

 

The Influence of Gurus.

My journey deepened when I encountered the teachings of Kriya Yoga. I read the famous book An Autobiography of a Yogi, lauded by Steve Jobs, George Harrison, and Elvis Presley. After meditating for three years I met a 91-year-old Indian guru called Baba in Miami. I felt this unconditional love pouring at me. It’s hard to describe - it was like he truly knew me and really accepted me. At the time I was a dogmatic businessman. I didn’t believe anything outside the box, making the experience even more surreal.

The spiritual lessons that followed were simple yet profound. All based on common sense. For example: Slow and steady wins the race. Take it slow. Look four steps ahead. Take one step slowly. And this powerful reminder: Do we remember what we should forget or forget what we should remember?

As my practice deepened, I decided to go far from home into seclusion and silence. To know myself and face myself alone. No TV, no family or friends, no social media, no news, no talking, no internet. This silence challenge lasted 300 days. It became the most transformative experience of my life, showing me just how far meditation, mindfulness and deep contemplation can take us. 

When dark days came, I had to face the noise inside, alone. I learnt how to ride the wave of thoughts. To be the witness and know that every negative thought passes eventually. I kept a diary. Meditating on average four to eight hours each day. Walking daily. Crazy vivid dreams. Less sleep. Energised by more meditation. Towards the end I found myself questioning whether certain words in my head existed! I spoke on Day 301.

 

Finding Meaningful Success.

I’m lucky because I have no regrets in life. Life is messy but rewarding if we pay attention and develop ourselves. How we are today is the result of our past. Looking back, I can see how the work ethic, the striving, the pressure, eventually gave way to a different kind of success. Making lifestyle choices that truly serve me. 

Meditation helped me navigate burnout and gave me a sense of balance that I’d never known before. For me, happiness isn’t about shortcuts or quick wins. It’s about learning to celebrate every small success and accepting failure as bumps in the road - deferred success.

 

The Big Secret of How.

My experiences have led me to write my second book, The BIG Secret of HOW to Find Happy Meaningful Success. In the book, I share the lessons I’ve learned: how to slow down, to connect inside, to pause, reflect and JUST BE. Calmness, contentment and purpose - beyond the constant pursuit of more and more - is the path to meaningful success. The book takes you to contemplation and motivation corners, challenging you to take a ‘selfie of truth.’ To check in with total honesty, to see what’s serving you well and what isn’t.

I believe that meaningful success is really possible if we want it enough. Anchor yourself in the flow of the moment. The ‘aha’ moment is surely coming!