The ABC of Success

When you find yourself struggling to succeed, what do you most dwell on?

Competency?

Goals?

Circumstances?

Effort?

You may find yourself thinking or addressing any or many of the above, but still, you may find success elusive. The reason success may still be out of your reach could be because of the way you may be approaching success. You may not have prepared yourself for success and this is exactly when you need to pay attention to the basic building blocks of success.

If there's not much clarity about the process, then it will always be a struggle to reach your destination. At times, you need to go back to the basics and work towards getting them right. Success is built by focusing on the fundamentals of preparing well and being ready to be successful. 

Getting your ABC right will set you on the path to achieving sustained success. 

Here's how the ABC of Success looks like     

A for ATTITUDE - This is at the core of the effort you put in for being successful. The right mindset is what differentiates success from failure. When you approach things and situations with positive intent and with a focus on giving your best, results will always be favorable for you. If your attitude determines your altitude, then carry the one (attitude) that's progressive and empowering.

B for BELIEFS - So many times, success is withheld because of our disempowering beliefs, which render us confused and immobile. The perceptions and views we hold about things and situations may make or break our quest for success. Challenge the beliefs that are a hindrance to your success and this will open up many new avenues and opportunities to realize your dreams and accomplish your goals. Be open to accept new perspectives on things and this will help you move out of your comfort zone, and lead you to accomplish more.         

C for CHOICES - Your everyday choices keep defining the course of your life and career. Let the choices you make be defined by your need to keep progressing towards your goals. Not every choice may turn out to be the right one every time but the learnings therein could help us do the necessary course correction. Your choices should act as enablers, helping you stay focused on the destination in spite of all the detours.

If you want to get the ABC of SUCCESS right, then pay attention to 

• the ATTITUDE you Carry
• the BELIEFS you Hold, and 
• the CHOICES you Make

7 Mantras For An Awesome 2020 !

Another year has gone by leaving us with plenty of experiences and memories. Like every year, 2019 also had its share of good and not-so-good moments for us, some cherishable and some forgettable ones. The times we faltered and failed were also opportunities to learn from our mistakes and get wiser. Now, it's time to consolidate on the learnings from 2019 and apply them to make 2020 a better year. 

Here are Seven Simple Mantras to make 2020 an awesome year 

   

CREATE A VISION for your Life - We are strongly driven by the desire of accomplishment and

the more we achieve, the more motivated we get to go after big/ bigger dreams of our life. But the trick to accomplishing and achieving our goals lies in knowing and establishing the big picture first i.e. gaining clarity on what we want to achieve and how our current actions/ tasks will contribute to achieving what we want to. A clarity-induced action is more effective than a random one. For our actions and efforts to make an impact, we need to clear about what they are aimed towards. So, before you set any expectations from the new year, set clear expectation from your life first. Understand and know how you see yourself years ahead from now (maybe 5 years, 10 years, 15 years, and so on) ? how would you like to contribute to the society/ world ? how would you like to be perceived/ remembered ? Using vivid imagery (including all the senses to describe) could help us create a vision compelling enough to inspire us and motivate us to keep going strong for the entire year and beyond. Always remember that a well crafted Vision is the foundation of establishing appropriate goals.  Here's an excellent video to help create vision - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkrW3OgB9K0


ADOPT A POSITIVE OUTLOOK - There will always be times in our life when certain events or episodes would not work in our favour and we will feel as if life is slipping away. The moment we let these "unfavourable results" seize control over us is when we actually lose grip on our life. Life is always a mixed bag and the sooner we accept this reality the better prepared we will be to deal with the troubles and tribulations of life. Why should we fret about things that lie outside our scope of control ? Worrying about such things (events, situations) only distract us and render us unproductive as we tend to skip taking any action at all. Can we, instead, inculcate an outlook of possibility and optimism, so that we remain focused on doing what's in our control - taken progressive action even the chips are down !


ADAPT TO THE UNCERTAINITIES -  How many times does it happen with us that we find ourselves unable to cope with the fast turn of events ? Definitely, that happens quite a lot  because it's not easy to survive and thrive in a world that's dynamic by nature and where we are expected to do things "on the fly", most of the times. To be prepared for every eventuality is just not possible in this VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) world, because most of the factors responsible for triggering any event, are outside our scope of control. However hard we may try to control the outcome, there will always be some additional factor(s) that will further impact/ alter the outcome. So, in a world characterised by the unpredictable nature of things, the best way to prepare ourselves to meet the challenges is to be flexible in our approach and always be prepared to accept the things as they turn out to be, without judging them. The moment we start anticipating and expecting too much is when rigidity creeps in our approach and we tend to mess things up and land up in precarious situation. So, let's always be ready by being flexible !


AFFIRM YOURSELF EVERY MORNING/ DAY - Positivity is a habit and we inculcate it through consistent practice. Every morning, when we set out to start our day, stating our positive intentions emphatically ensures that we make the best of the day. Affirming ourselves regularly and on daily basis helps us do away with doubt and fear in our thoughts and actions, and instills in us the confidence and courage to go ahead and execute our intentions. So, let's be emphatic enough to invite the right energy from the Universe, in our life, to support us in bringing goodness in ourselves and in everything around. So, let's state every positive thought/ resolution as emphatically and consistently as we can to make it become a reality.

CELEBRATE EVERY SMALL WIN - Haven't we all heard/ read the following quotes :

• "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step"
• "Success is a series of small wins"
• "A little progress each day adds up to big results"

Each of the above quotes holds validity in context of the times we live in, where we always aim high

and big, but tend to ignore or skip taking those small steps that lead us closer to our goals. In the absence of acknowledging the power of these small steps, each and every goal of ours become so overwhelming and a huge task to accomplish. We need to realise that "success cannot be hurried up" and is a process which takes its own sweet time to materialise. Even if we just take small, tiny but progressive and positive steps regularly, we would manage to accomplish all our goals and dreams. The best that these small wins do to us is that they help us build/ maintain the desired momentum to keep moving forward in life and instill in us the key virtues of Patience and Focus, that are so much desired to thrive in this information-overloaded world. Lets perceive "big picture" of our life in terms of small manageable goals, and lose any moment in celebrating and cherishing small successes.     

TAKE RISKS (TO MOVE OUT OF COMFORT ZONE) - Comfort and Convenience is never an indication of growth but that of stagnancy. The more comfortable we get with what we have and where we are, the more we prepare ourselves for a slow but sure death (not literally). To derive the maximum out of our life, we need to keep inventing and re-inventing ourselves and that happens when we keep growing and evolving regularly and continuously. Growth comes from venturing into the unknown and attempting new things. So, letting go of the "fear of unknown" is the starting point for moving out of our comfort zone and when that happens, we live a more fulfilling life because there's so much to experiment, explore and accomplish.  A constant self-reminder that  "a comfort zone is a beautiful place but nothing ever grows there" always keeps us on our toes to keep trying new and different things and make our life adventurous.   

SEEK INNER GUIDANCE/ WISDOM (CONNECT WITHIN) - There are times and moments in life when all our attempts to seek answers from outside fail because for certain problems, the answers lie within only. This is why being our biggest ally helps because this support system is the most reliable one, is always available to us and will never fail us. Falling back on others may not be a feasible option always, so it's better to be our own cheerleader. There's an Inner Guide within each one of us that has all the wisdom that may ever be needed to live an enriching life. At times, when we need hope, courage or clarity, the inner compass ensures that we stay on track. So, the more deep is our inner connection, the more clarity and confidence will be visible in all our actions. Let's put trust in our inner guru and it will never let us down because it knows what we want and what is best for us !

So, look no further than these simple 7 principles and set yourself on course to a rewarding journey in 2020  !  

Seek the "Bright Spot" in Life !

Image Source: www.larryraymonds.com

Do you remember the biggest turnaround of your life ? - That instance when you came out triumph even though the odds were stacked against you and everything was going amiss around you.

Ever wondered how you managed to turn it around in your favour ? What triggered the turnaround, that too at a time when you had lost all hope ?

You may reflect and come out with plenty of reasons but the most crucial would be how it all started - that mind shift which occurred that propelled you to look at the situation with a more positive intent and perspective. Amidst all the turbulence and tribulations, the moment you started seeking the "bright spot" is when the change started to happen for you. And this change is what resulted in turning your life around for better.

Whether the going is smooth or rough, there are 2 key things about life that we always need to remember -

1. Life is unpredictable and will always keep springing surprises and
2. The basic nature of life is "forward".

Given the above understanding about life, the only way to deal with the vagaries of life and keep momentum intact in life is to always look for the "bright spot", even in the worst of the scenarios. Whether you call it "being optimistic" or something else, all that matters is not to get bogged down by unfavourable situations and go into a "freeze" mode, but to figure out something positive and worthwhile in every adversity and keep growing in life.

The phrase "Every cloud has a silver lining" is just so apt to explain seeking the "bright spot". There's always something good you can find in any situation, something that cheers you up and tells you that

• Life is not about any one event or incident but rather about entirety; the realisation that life is a composition of all the events and incidents that have occurred in your life till now 
• Life is not about the experience per se but about the learning it provides to help you become much wiser for future
• Life is not about failure but about the feedback that every failure provides so that the mistakes are not repeated

Seeking the "bright spot" becomes a challenge if you start observing things in the shorter context of what is happening. The best way to overcome this challenge is to start observing things in the larger context of how less worse (if things are dismally bad) or better you could make it because the "whole is greater than the sum of its parts". So, start finding that "bright spot" that could turn it around for you - maybe there's a learning you could derive, maybe there's a bigger damage you could prevent, maybe there's a change of course you can identify, maybe there's some other realisation that could dawn on you.

Once you have sought the "bright spot" then you can be rest assured that life will only be as bad as you would allow it to be because you would have then seized the control of your life also. So, never get impacted by the bad things that may occur in your life at times (and may get even worse) because you still hold the control for turning the tide in your favour.

Live life to the fullest and next time you find yourself in a tight spot, just seek the "bright spot" and bring about the desired turnaround in your life. You can always create your best possible life if you don't sweat about the small stuff and just focus on the beauty of making your life much more worthwhile !    

When Life Hits An Impasse !

source: www.goodtherapy.org

When our life is brought to a screeching halt and we are thrown in a tizzy, all we wonder is "What now?" . What had so far been a smooth cruise now appears to be a tricky and bumpy ride. Looking further ahead, we see our life engulfed in a cloud of confusion and chaos. This is when the reality hits us that our life has hit an impasse !

The "cul-de-sac" that stares at us in our face and leave us completely blank is in fact a manifestation of our ill-conceived goals and ill-directed actions. Now, when all our goals seem out of sight no clarity of direction, the only way forward is to do course correction.

Hitting a dead-end in life is not the end of the road for us. A little bit of self-probing and self-reflection could help us get our life back on track again. This is the right time to dig deep and identify what's holding us back.

The following could help us explore the root cause:

• Do i feel motivated (at this moment) to pursue the goal ?
• Am i pursuing my existing goals of my own free will ?
• Do i feel overwhelmed/ underwhelmed with my goal(s) ?
• Do i need to rework on my goals - maybe establish a different goal altogether or rework on the existing one ?
• Do i need to establish few mini-goals that will help me be motivated ?
• Are my action items in place ?
• Have i set my priorities right ?
• Have i built the necessary discipline in my daily routine for the tasks that needs to be executed? 
• Have i built a closure (timeline/ deadline) for the tasks identified by me? 
• Have i identified all the available options ?
• Do i have a mechanism in place for feedback ?

Pondering over the above questions could help us pin point where exactly the problem lies - whether in our goals, action items or time. Once the root cause is identified then its not difficult to do the necessary course correction and go beyond the impasse !

Activate the GPS of your Life now !

In this world where we constantly strive to reach somewhere all the time, can we imagine using our smartphones with the GPS (Global Positioning System) turned off ? Wouldn't that put us out of balance, out of focus and leave us in a state of commotion ?

The VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) world that we live in expects us to be always connected with everything around us so that we are in sync with the changing world, if we need to keep pace with the things. Our digital existence and ultra reliance on technology is made possible because of GPS acting as our guidance system and helping us to reach where we intend to. And if the GPS turned on, there is very little possibility of us losing our way or failing to reach our desired destination.

But how about our life ? Do we always reach where we intend to ? Do we always find our way when we get lost ? The fact is that, life always presents us with moments that may make us feel overwhelmed, lost, confused or completely clueless about ourselves. A cloud of obscurity engulfs our goals and destination and we just wander through life aimlessly, without a definite purpose. It is during these moments only that we need to take stock of things and not let life pass by us with just a whimper.

Wouldn't it help immensely to have a GPS for Life that could start from where we are and then guide us to where we intend to go ! Further, what should this particular GPS (of our Life) comprise of to help us move beyond the crossroads that we find ourselves staring at many a times in our life. The expectation from this GPS is simple - to lead us into light where we have a clarity of purpose, direction and action. A timely activation of this GPS could then provide the control back in our hands. So, building a GPS that acts as a guidance system for our life need to possess the following three key elements

• G for GOALS - Moving ahead in life is all about gaining clarity of destination and direction and well established goals play a pivotal role in brining this clarity. Goals aligned with our passion breeds purpose in our existence and builds in us the needed inspiration and motivation to achieve our goals.

• P for PROBLEMS - Anticipating problems that we may encounter on path to our goals helps us adopt a proactive approach. It prompts us to do a self-analysis in terms of the resources we currently possess and also those we may require in future to be able to solve the problems that may act as barriers enroute our goals. These resources refer to the appropriate skills and competencies relevant to the context.

• S for SOLUTIONS - This component is all about displaying a positive and progressive mindset. When the going is tough or when we feel overwhelmed with the goal/ situation, all we need to do is to keep going. Focusing on solutions will keep us motivated to take small steps which will take us closer to our goals. 
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So, wherever you find yourself at this point in time, just activate the GPS (Goals-Problems-Solutions) of life and reach where you always yearned to !

The "Success Equation"

When we think of Success, the most common questions that crop up in our mind are

What does Success look like ?

Does Success come easy ?

How do we achieve and sustain success ?

The answers to the above questions lie nowhere else but in our approach - whether we pursue success as "madness" or  put a "method" to this "madness". The  moment we have a system/ method, success becomes a habit.  

Engaged in the mindless pursuit of "more", we always tend to live life in the fastlane, with no idea

about whether we are headed in the right direction or not. We completely lose sight of the real determinants of success and meander through life, thereby widening the gap between achievement and accomplishment. Ignoring the basic tenets we take shortcuts to succeed and sooner or later find ourselves at crossroads, all beaten, confused, tired and exhausted. This is exactly when we wish there was a system to success. A deep self-reflection and we can arrive at a "Success Equation", an equation which boasts of some very basic elements which if implemented sincerely could put us on course to success in all our endeavours.

The system/ method to life-long success is captured well by the following equation

To be able to make this equation a part of our daily routine, let's understand each element of the equation

• Aspiration: This element is all about understanding our desires - what we want and where we want to see ourself in life. The ideal or the desired state is what describes this element. Our aspirations get manifested in the form of our dreams which leads to set goals for our life. This builds in us the intent to aim for something in life. If the aspirations align with our purpose and passion, then success will never ditch us.

• Inspiration: This element is about identifying the trigger in our life - the ideal(s) which we want to emulate and be like. It's like the ignition that sets the fire within us. Inspiration is what we need to make a start on our journey to success. This is what gets our adrenalin to rush and gives us the first push towards our dreams and desires.

• Motivation: This element is the perceived reward that keeps our interest alive in pursuance of our aspirations and goals. If inspiration is what gets us started then motivation is what keeps us moving. The motivation gets manifested in the form of mini targets or small success that we envisage or experience along the way. The motivation is what gives us traction and keeps pushing us continuously in the direction of our aspirations. 

• Action: Perhaps the most important element without which the other three elements seem irrelevant. This element corresponds to the effort we put in to bring to fruition our intent. If the other three elements are all about Planning then this is all about Execution. This element builds in the requisite discipline to enable us to turn dreams into reality. 

So, let's look no further for the recipe of success because the Success Equation has all the relevant ingredients to make it happen for us !

   

What's on Your Canvas for 2018?

Another year (2017) going by and another one(2018) knocking at our doors. The deja vu is all so familiar and again it's time for another set of resolutions.The same ritual of setting goals and then striving to actualize it will continue unless something done differently. The onset of new year also brings about a resurgence of ambitions and expectations that matter to us and our lives.

In the midst of all this, the million dollar questions that crosses our mind so many times are

• Can we make this year any better?
• Can we make this year count more in our life? 
• Can we manage more luck, success, happiness and prosperity in the new year?

Standing still between the past (2017) and future (2018) and aiming to make our lives more worthwhile, our quest to make our impending "present" the best begins. Our search for answers and  solutions continues. A quick reflect back on our Canvas for last year could help give us an insight into the missing pieces. Those missed out or incomplete caricatures, landscapes, sketches and the missing colors speak a lot about what we need to do better this time around. A simple solution by way of mending the missing elements in the canvas will not only render the canvas complete but also  add great meaning to our life in 2018 and beyond.

Make the Canvas (of our life) ready for 2018 is just about

• Identifying the pieces that are missing in our life in terms of our mission, vision, goals, or action items. Incorporating these pieces will not only complete the picture but make it holistic too.

• Bringing to conclusion all those incomplete tasks that stand on the verge of losing relevance and importance if not catered to Now. Those goals and resolutions which just need an action plan and that first step to make it happen.

• Adding more zing to those half-hearted tasks which are as good as any incomplete because of the lack of proper pursuance. Adding passion and purpose in our efforts will liven us and make our life an experience to cherish.     

Let's paint our best life on the canvas and splash it with all the beautiful colors of positivity and optimism to welcome more success, happiness and abundance forever in our lives. 

So, get going and create you masterpiece Now !

A Successful Journey Needs A Destination !

To establish the right context, it makes sense to start with few important questions :

• Is it important to know where you are headed, be it about any journey we undertake?
• Is it crucial to begin the day with clarity about the tasks to be accomplished that day?
• Is it important to live our life with a clearly defined set of expectations?

For sure, the answer will be a resounding "YES" though we do not always comply with it. A simple case in point is the way we live our life, more as a ritual rather than a mission; also those times when we mindlessly go through life's chores without any thinking about why we are doing them ?

And if asked why we are doing them, the immediate reaction is- "So what ?, how does it matter how i traverse the path as long as i am going somewhere?"

Little do we realise that this "somewhere" itself is the biggest problem. Quoting Lewis Carroll - "If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there". This illustrates that "somewhere" may not turn out to be our "desired land". If all we want from ourselves is to be in a state of "motion" then it will only lead to "commotion". 

Why is Destination important ?

The most important reason that we need a destination is because our dreams is at stake. Every journey in our life is an unfulfilled dream till we reach where we desire to. Imagine the plight of those who embark on an expedition to Himalayas or Antartica or any other place without identifying where they need to stop ! 

At a personal level, think about the times when we step out of our home, we know exactly where we need to head. Likewise, every other journey that we embark upon needs a finish point too. Every Start needs a Stop and unless destination is identified it's only going to result in an abrupt stop. We can't expect ourselves to be "moving" without any movement, forward, backward or sideways. 

Don't we all yearn for few important things in life ? Don't we all yearn for a life well-lived ? Don't we all engage in a quest for success and happiness in life ? Then why not define what we seek and make the road easier to travel for ourselves!  

Summing up the need for identifying Destination - It gives direction and meaning to our lives. It also makes us more efficient and productive.

How to identify/ define Destination in Life ? 

If Destination is so critical for out life then it becomes imperative to identify it. Few ways we could do so is

• Imbibe the habit of putting a closure to every task that we undertake 
• Give the destination the shape of a well-defined goal
• Link the established goals with relevant areas of our life
• Visualize the dream state we want to achieve to enable us establish the appropriate destination
• Be clear about the distinction between an intermediate goal and the main goal
• Don't get overwhelmed with the journey itself as it needs to end at some point       

So, the choice is ours - whether we want to live an incomplete life laden with unfulfilled dreams and desires or we want a meaningful life laden with accomplishments and happiness!

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. 

RAS - The Genie Inside Us !

Is there a way to turn all our dreams into reality?

Possibly yes, but only when we

• get hold of a magic wand and "ABRACADABRA" our way to success

                                             OR

• call to our service Aladdin's Genie

The possibility of us finding a magic wand or Alladin’s lamp is next to impossible but lo, there exist a genie inside each one of us which when invoked has the power to transform all our dreams into reality and put us on path to goal accomplishment.        

This genie is very much an integral part of our physical self, our identity and is known as RAS (Reticular Activating System). Remember the coincidences that appear in our life and leave us in wonderment when what we seek appears all around us (whether it’s a new car we have been longing for or  a new holiday destination we have been exploring or anything else that is being sought by us). For a moment, it appears as if some supernatural power is at play but in real all that’s happening around us is a manifestation of the genie called RAS. Rather than rubbing of the lamp, this genie (RAS) just needs to be fed with our goals, things we intend to achieve in life.

RAS (Reticular Activating System) is a network of neurons located in the brain stem. It connects with other parts of the brain and to the spinal cord. In addition to being responsible for sleep, wakefulness and breathing, RAS is also responsible for many other functions like eating, elimination of boy waste and bringing things to our attention. Every moment, our brain is  bombarded with million of bits of information but only few thousand gets processed by it and what should get processed is determined by RAS.   

RAS  acts as a point of confluence where all our thoughts, feelings, beliefs, value and external influences meet. Based on what is fed by us in our conscious mind (in the form of goals), RAS filters the incoming sensory inputs (except smell which goes directly into brain’s emotional area) and sends to the subconscious mind only the information that aligns with our goals and focus. This is how coincidences occur with us as our subconscious start seeking in the environment what we have established as intent in our conscious mind.

So, to invoke the genie inside us so that it fulfills all our dreams, all we need to do is to establish goals effectively by writing them down. It’s only when the genie(RAS) sees the real intent in our goals that it starts weaving it’s magic in our life ! 

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"

START ensures SUCCESS#AtoZChallenge

S is for START

We are always seeking success in our endeavours and one of the tangible ways to measure success is the number of goals we achieve in our life.  Most of the time success eludes us because of the wide gap that exists between our aspirations and achievements. We set many goals but lot of them remain unachieved and one of the key reason for the same is our inability to take the first step towards the goal i.e. make a START. The importance of START could well be understood from the following 2 age-old quotes –

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step – Lao Tzu” and “Beginning is half done” 

We may plan as much but must complement it by taking first step towards it. Goal-Setting is useless in the absence of Goal-Getting

Why START is important ?

·         The beginning is always critical as it shows our passion and intent towards our goal

·         Moves us out of inertia mode and puts us in motion which is so important to push us out of our “comfort zone” and keep us moving towards our goals

·         Builds momentum in our thoughts and actions and keeps traction intact

·         Keeps us stress free and relaxed

·         Helps us avoid getting overwhelmed with the number of tasks to execute/ goals to achieve

·         Builds self-confidence as every little success counts and encourages us for the next

How to ensure an effective START ?

·         Identify goals that we relate to and feel passionate about achieving

·         Start small, one step at a time. It’s all about being in motion

·         Equip our self with the resources required to START and then take action

·         While setting goals, we should ensure that we create a POA (Plan of Action) detailing steps needed to achieve the goals

·         “Think Macro, Act Micro”  should be our motto which will ensure that even when we make a START, say with a small, little step we are still clear about the big picture that we are working towards  

·         Not worry much about getting the perfect START. It’s about the first step and along the way we will get opportunities to do correction.

Always remember that START is the first step towards FINISH and the best time to START is right NOW !

REBOOT life to REINVENT#AtoZChallenge

R is for REBOOT

Setbacks and Failures are as much a part of our life as Success and Advancement. An indication of a successful life is not considered in terms of how many times have we succeeded or failed but in terms of how many times have we come up trumps in spite of barriers and hang-ups, some predictable and some unforeseen. Many a times in our life we get stuck at some point and lose vision of way forward. This happen due to various reasons, some of which are  1. choosing a wrong goal, 2. taking inappropriate actions, 3. Living in our comfort zone , 4. Unconducive environment/ eco-system to operate.  But irrespective of the reason, we get impacted at mental, physical and emotional level making us susceptible to failure and regression. The haze and lack of clarity demands a REBOOT of our life to sort things out, seek clarity and move forward. The way, a computer needs a reboot when it stops responding or gets stuck, likewise our life also needs a REBOOT to help us troubleshoot  life and put us back in a state of readiness to face life's challenges.

Why REBOOT is necessary ?

·         First and foremost, because all of us want to progress in life and be an accomplisher

·         Provides an opportunity to do a SWOT for our self and identify the gaps holding us back from moving forward in life

·         When procrastination and avoidance sets in our attitude/ approach indicating a look into the reasons for the same

·         At times we may go off-track of lose clarity about our goals and actions

·         Acts as a checkpoint to take stock of our purpose, goals and actions in life

·         Acts as a calming point when we get overwhelmed with goals, tasks and situations in life

·         At times we stop enjoying doing our tasks indicating that our passion has died and we no longer feel excited about things we are attempting  

How to REBOOT ?

·         Perform a Need Analysis on self to establish the need for REBOOT and then do a SWOT to identify the gap area(s) in terms of skill, attitude or action

·         If we don’t feel passionate and excited about the current goals, rework and establish goals in alignment with our values. Once new goals are established, start taking small steps towards them

·         In case we feel stuck but still feel excited and passionate about our current goals then we need to identify and list down what is holding us – is it fear, anxiety, failure, some situation or certain people ? Once identified,  focus on what is within our scope of control and can be changed by us

·         Build regular checkpoints towards the goals we are attempting to achieve. This will help take corrective action in time and do a REBOOT right when it is needed

·         Identify activity that would help us in a creative state of mind to review our life in an unbiased and non-judgemental way. It could be Mindfulness, Meditation, Journaling and maybe even Self-Coaching.     

·         Maintain good self-belief and high self-esteem to enable us to improve our self.

·         Take a break / sabbatical and do what we love to and feel happy about. This would put us in a creative state and help us REBOOT   

So, REBOOT life, REWORK on self and RE-INVENT life ! 

QUEST for QUIETUDE#AtoZChallenge

Q is for QUIETUDE

Living in this advanced world filled with cacophony of noises from all the technological, information, social and human advancement, what does one desire most ? - It’s the Quest for QUIETUDE. Our monkey mind is an outcome of the chaos and commotion that surrounds us. In our bid to keep pace with the world, we have started living our life in the fast lane resulting in just “going with the motions”. The need is to slow down in our race to live and establish the connect among out body, mind and soul. All that we need to do is build up QUIETUDE in our life. The calmness, stillness and peace that QUIETUDE brings to our life helps us make a transition from “Commotion to Motion”. All that we need to do is connect with our inner self and live in a harmonious manner.

Why QUIETUDE is important ?

·         Helps us take stock of life as it gives us “self-time” and opportunity to analyse our self.  The reality check Quietude provides helps us rework our goals (if need be)

·         QUIETUDE holds relevance in a world which is exploring Minimalist living. Quietude builds in us the much needed traits like patience and acceptance which helps us do away with unwanted in our life.

·         Provides us control over our life and we become better decision maker

·         It is good for our health, whether physical, mental or emotional.  

·         Makes us more serene and a better listener which helps us deal effectively with tough situations as we develop multiple perspective of the situation/ person

·         QUIETUDE is healing in nature as it breeds positivity resulting in release of positive chemicals inside our body

·         Help improve inter-personal relationships

How to build QUIETUDE ?

·         Observe a “gadget free” time where there are no distractions and we are all by our self

·         Build in “Me Time” in your daily schedule. This time is time for relaxation and reflection

·         Declutter life and the best way to do that is to identify the difference between need and want.

·         Be your own benchmark. In today’s fast paced world, it’s easy to be a part of the rat race but deciding to be a better version of our self will help us compete only with our self.

·         Seek Progression instead of Perfection

·         Be selective in what and when you choose to respond to and not fall in the trap of being a slave to technology

·         Build in your routine various activities that help us be more calm and peaceful. Activities like Running, Journaling, Nature Walk, Reading, Yoga and Meditation will help greatly.

Build Quietude and create harmony in your life !