Brace Yourself For CHANGE !

The mere thought or mention of the word CHANGE instils in us a feeling of discomfort, if not anything more. Remember the times when CHANGE caught us unaware and landed us in a "No- Man's Land" where all we did was to rue the moment when we resisted the first step towards a better
future and life. The many missed opportunities and chances stand as a testimony to our reluctance or inability to change.

We grow up hearing that "Change is inevitable" but still we do not brace ourselves for it. The sooner we realise that the only thing constant is Change and there's no escape from it, the better equipped we will be to welcome the Change when it arrives in our life!

Bracing ourselves for any sort of Change is all about implementing the following "4W Model" where each "W" deals with an essential aspect of Change.

Let's understand what each "W" stands for

• WHY - To embrace any new situation, scenario or circumstance, we first need to be convinced about it. This "W" is all about establishing and becoming aware of the need to change. This awareness then sets the right context for us to take future actions which are well aligned. We become ready to adapt to change the moment we realise its benefits in terms of our growth and evolution.  

• WHAT - After establishing "Why", this "W (What)" is about getting specific in terms of what transformation or transition needs to happen to bring about the desired best/ better state in us. Being specific helps in gaining better clarity and the details help us identify clear and precise steps for initiating and achieving the change. Identifying whether a change in skill, knowledge or attitude is required help us complete the "What" component of change.

• WHERE -Closely linked to "What", this "W (Where)" is about identifying the area(s) of our life where Change needs to be brought in. A case in point is our constant struggle to achieve work-life balance. Our quest for holistic wellness depends a lot on our ability to select the area (Home, Office, Health, Relationships, Spirituality, etc.)  that needs to be prioritised for action.  One of the key reason for Work-Life imbalance is our failure to pinpoint the area (Home, Office, Health, Relationships, Spiritual, etc.) that needs to be prioritised and focused upon. Once the "Where" is identified, then taking specific actions become easier and smoother.

• WHEN -To ensure that we do not "miss the bus"  to a better life, it's important to put a timeframe to our actions towards adapting the change. Defining a time limit based on appropriate parameters help ensure that we not only stay relevant but are also ready to move to the next stage of change, as and when it arrives. As with everything else, a closure is essential to let the change happen seamlessly.

   So, embrace Change without any Fear and Success will always be Near! 

Discover Your Operating Zone ?

Remember playing a juggler? The times when “busyness” becomes second nature to us and we assume we can manage multiple things together. This “fool’s paradise” is very short-lived and brings us the realization that “Work More- Achieve More” mantra is misleading and applying it only results in “Worked Many – Achieved None”. The ramification of this “juggling act” that we perform at times, impacts our overall productivity and our efficiency takes a hit.

During these times of utter distraction, achieving “flow” i.e. , state of being fully immersed in the task,  does seem quite daunting. The mere realization that “we are most productive when we work in our most resourceful state” could help us establish the context based on the right premise and makes this task achievable. The first step towards achieving this improbable but not impossible task of “flow” is to understand our “Operating Zone”. 

The "Creative Zone" is the most resourceful state and should be the "desired state" for anyone wanting to be more productive in life.  This zone puts us in a "flow" mode and we tend to generate lots of ideas and innovation.

The "Neutral Zone" is the transitionary stage where the realisation to move out of the status quo happens and mental preparation for the Creative zone happens.

The "Comfort Zone" is where no "need" occurs other than to be where we are.

 So, to move ahead and build forward momentum, it's essential to identify our "operating zone" and then take appropriate action for our growth. 

The 4 Cardinal "Cs" of Life !

A successful life is built upon layers of goals achieved by us. If we aim to accomplish all our goals in life then we need to ensure forward momentum in life. Every step we take should be progressive, thereby ensuring our growth. Challenges and Opportunities would never cease to crop up in our journey to success so we need to be well prepared to confront these challenges, address them appropriately and take advantage of these opportunities. One of the simple, easy and effective way to sustain our forward momentum in and progress in life is to harness the power of 4 Cs. The 4 Cs are simple elements which when adopted and mastered would not only put us in better control of our life but also propel us towards achieving greater heights in life. All that stands between us and success is a better understanding of these 4 Cs and their application in our lives. 

Let's explore these 4 essential building blocks of better life

The 4 Cs are - Choice, Change, Consequences and Correction. They are well connected and act as feeder to each other. Their convergence point is a point of guaranteed unlimited success. Let's understand what each of the 4 C stand for: 

• Choice - When opportunity strikes, it's time to decide and choose. The power of choice is always within our control and our choice decides whether we move closer to our goal or away from it. What we choose is what we become.

• Change - The process of change is always uncomfortable initially but the mere resolve to be ready for change/ transformation is the deciding factor. Our willingness or unwillingness to change (after weighing all pros and cons) determines whether stay put in our comfort zone and be a mediocre achiever or we move into our creative zone and live our best possible life

• Consequences - Every choice that we make in our life has a flip side to it. Being wary of the unfavorable conditions and having a plan to deal with them put us in better control of those situations and our life.

• Correction - Every step/ action towards our goal may highlight certain gaps that need to be plugged in to continue our forward movement. Our ability to gain insight into what holds us back and then doing the needful to mend it is what ensures our steady progress towards success.  

In a nutshell, the 4Cs mantra is 

"Choose to Change, anticipate the Consequences, be prepared to do the necessary Correction and then Carry on Creating an awesome life"

GOALS ensure GROWTH#AtoZChallenge

G is for GOALS

Our Success and growth in life is measured by our accomplishments which are represented by our goals. The forward momentum in life is an outcome of our action towards our goals. GOALS are like the checkpoints in our life which tell us whether we are moving in the direction of our identified purpose. GOALS hold importance in our lives as they act as the roadmaps for us . They are like the destination points in our lives. The absence of GOALS could be related to a rocking chair, which keeps moving but not achieving anything.     

Why GOALS are important ?

• They define purpose in our lives
• They give direction to our efforts
• They help us move forward
• They turn us into achievers
• They help us maintain work-life balance by helping us focus on all spheres of life
• They provide us confidence, raise our self-esteem, turn us into a go-getter.
• They make us dream big (and achieve it too !)

How to achieve GOALS ?

• Set realistic and achievable goals well aligned with our passion and purpose
• Ensure that goals are holistic in nature encompassing all major spheres of our life
• Break goals into short, medium and long-term to make them more achievable and manageable
• Get rid of distractions/ deterrents and build focus towards the goals
• Set Goals that are challenging (but achievable) and within our available resources
• Make a transition from goal-setting to goal-getting as mere planning would not ensure achievement/ completion of the tasks.
• Inculcate the habit of writing down goals. This would activate the RAS (Reticular Activating System) which would ensure that our brain start focusing on the goals.
• Internalising our goals through Creative Imagery. Imagining ourself as having already achieved the goal(s) through all our senses make it appear real to our subconscious which helps in taking positive actions.
• Reinforcing self with positive affirmations whenever we achieve a mini-goal will keep us focused on taking necessary actions for accomplishing major/ BIG goals.

So GET SET and GO for your GOALS !

CHOICE CREATES CHANGE#AtoZChallenge

C is for CHOICE

Many a time many of us attribute our failure to destiny, luck or fate without realising that these are nothing more than red herring and the real reason for our failure lies very much within our ambit. Each one of us have the power to design our best possible life and this power comes in the form of CHOICE which refers to the ability to CHOOSE. The power of CHOICE is a key determinant of our success in life. Growth or Redundancy; Forward or Backward; Positive or Negative; Success or Failure is all a matter of CHOICES we make. During every moment of our life we have the option to CHOOSE – either to make our life or break our life ! Nothing can demonstrate this power of CHOICE better than the story of Viktor Frankl, the Austrian neurologist/ psychiatrist who founded Logotherapy after surviving 3 years as a captive in Nazi concentration camp. More about Viktor Frankl here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viktor_Frankl 

Why CHOICE is important ?

• The power to CHOOSE is very empowering and enabling
• CHOICE gives us control over our life
• CHOICE presents us with an opportunity to change our life and create out best life
• CHOICE provides freedom to choose our own path
• CHOICE prepares us to be a decision-maker in life

How better CHOICES can be made ?

• The realisation that we are the makers of our destiny will propel us to make positive and progressive choices
• Setting goals (short-term/ medium-term/ long-term) will ensure that we make better choices that push us closer to our ultimate goal(s) in life
• At times certain choices may not act in our favour but treating them as feedback would lead us to make better choices next time
• Not getting overwhelmed with the circumstances/ situations and focusing purely on our response will lead to better choice.

Whether you want to CREATE your best life or CHANGE for better, utilise the power of CHOICE.

Summing it up with a link to this short video on you tube. Hope you like it !  

  

Video link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4XmrSkFnKI