Don't Survive - Thrive

The global economic upheaval has induced a massive change in not only the way business is done but also on the working climate of organizations. These dynamic times with enormous uncertainties and challenges like growing need for downsizing, poor quality and less commitment with outsourcing, emotional outbursts and tardiness or absences, call for superior way of working and results-oriented paradigm more than ever before.

To thrive in this era, it is quintessential for the individuals to commit to continuous improvement. The people who embrace change will influence and control the world around them. In order to adapt to accelerating pace of change and to ascend the ladder of success at a fast pace, the individuals must continually redefine and expand their competencies focusing on the following areas:

1) Self-mastery in all four dimensions – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual

2) Setting and achieving high standards of performance in their chosen field.

3) Building win-win relationships

4) Fostering a healthy work-life balance balancing key priorities

5) Leveraging collaboration

They must strive to improve their skills and ability to accelerate their competency learning process.  This means identifying their critical success parameters in their area of interest, developing a robust strategy, playing to their strengths, modelling best practices, refining and developing their performances, eliminating every interference and streamlining the "flow" state where they are at their best.

To shine in these challenging times, one must have the will to thrive, and not just survive. However most of the people have a wrong notion about ‘willpower’.  They perceive ‘will’ as a fixed entity, something that cannot be changed.  The notion that willpower is a fluid state, a practice, or skill that one could freely develop is completely new to most of us.

In research we conducted…, we confirmed that willpower can indeed be quite limited — but only if you believe it is. When people believe that willpower is fixed and limited, their willpower is easily depleted. But when people believe that willpower is self-renewing — that when you work hard, you’re energized to work more; that when you’ve resisted one temptation, you can better resist the next one — then people successfully exert more willpower. It turns out that willpower is in your head.”  - Greg Walton and Carol Dweck

Extensive research supports that meditation has shown marked differences in the area of the brain responsible for helping us maintain self-control and it is one of the powerful ways for brain activation.  Moreover, if we go into the depths of neurobiology behind behavior change, we understand how breathing, exercising, and thought patterns actually change the structure and functioning of the brain. So for those of us who want to shift our patterns, but believe that we lack enough willpower, the message is clear: mindful effort, practiced over time, will bring us the change that we desire.

Moreover absolute clarity about what you want is the starting point of all great accomplishment. Clarity precedes mastery and the more clearly you look for what you really want, the more powerfully you can generate the desired results in your life. What makes some people more successful than others is their ability to have clarity about their vision, values and mission. Such people have a strong sense of identity and are clear about their unique talents, goals, plans, and life strategies. With clarity, comes a sense of peace, as you realize who you are meant to be and what you are meant to do. Once you are clear about what you really want, you will find the inner strength to step up, and claim it.

Clarity doesn’t come to you, you have to go for it. In the absence of a clear direction of your life, you may have some achievements that you don’t feel much good about. By being clear in your intention, definition and decision, you are able to narrow your attention to the details and can quickly check your progress to remain on track.

And you must tap into the power of focus. There are so many things competing for your focus in life. If you don't make a conscious effort to decide what you will focus on, you are going to put your emotions, time, and energy in reaction to the demands of the moment. By focusing on the result or outcome you desire, you will come-up with a more effective action plan and will ensure that you are consistently moving towards it. Peak performance results from a laser-beam focus of your mental, emotional, physical and spiritual energies on a particular task at a time.

Let’s come out of our comfort zones and safety nets that never really provided protection or security! We can rise above life’s challenges and obstacles, and seek new ways to navigate through unchartered waters. It is time to be more receptive to the gifts and blessings from the universe by opening our hearts and releasing our limiting belief systems.

As we all deserve to experience an extraordinary quality of life, let’s pledge to constantly grow in the best possible ways so that we never again settle for anything less than we could be!