THE POWER OF NOW!

Once two friends Dev & Ram were passing through a forest. On their way they were attacked by wild bulls. Seeing the bulls, both were frightened. Dev began thinking about what will happen to his sons and the loan amount he had to take from his friend. Whereas Ram focused on the present. He could see a tree. He ran towards it and quickly climbed it. Apparently he was saved but Dev got run over by the bulls.

The only thing that matters is the present moment. Our past is nothing but memories similarly our future is just a thought, it has yet to happen.

As we see in the story, Ram lived in the present moment. He saw the branched tree and took appropriate action to save his life. His focus was on NOW therefore he was powerful. Dev on the other hand wasn’t happy about the present situation so he allowed his mind to travel to the past and future. He lost focus, therefore became powerless in the present situation. He compared the present moment with his pleasant moments of the past and future. He let his ego dominate the present. When we think about past and future, we actually drain ourselves of our energy and time and thus feel weak in the present moment. Then we also fall in the ego trap of how the present should have been, thus losing emotional stability.

It is clear that we need to train our mind. Our mind is the culprit. Our mind easily dwells on the past or worries about the future. We need to be the master of our own thoughts. For, if you are driving a car, you cannot look into the rear mirror most of the time!

Line in the present. Stop thinking of what happened yesterday or what will happen tomorrow. Concentrate on what is happening; you will be able to see what is wrong with it! Once you start accepting and living it you will start getting solutions to the present.

Focus makes you powerful. It not only lets you achieve but also you start enjoying it..

FAILURE & SUCCESS

Once I noticed a young boy playing in the garden. I was amused at what I saw. At first when he fell down, he looked around to see if anyone was watching him. When he saw that there was no one, he immediately sprang up and continued to play. Later when he fell again he saw that his mother was looking at him in pity, he began crying.

This boy reminded me of Edison. Edison never gave up and he did not bother about failures. As children we all have fallen many times while learning to walk or cycle. Then we spring back with enthusiasm to continue what we are doing. However over the years our conditioning reduces the enthusiasm it takes to achieve our goals. As adults we begin to take our falls and cuts very seriously. We don’t like when people point our mistakes and don’t like to be reminded of our failures.

In fact we get to learn many lessons from our failures. Failures teach us to be gusty and persistent. History is witness to the fact that all successful people have failed their way to success. Education alone is not sufficient. One needs to have entrepreneurial qualities. Failure, taken in the right perspective teaches us just that. Combining Ethics with education and enterprise ensures that success is not short lived. Failure should be followed by reflection on its causes; working on them takes you on your road to SUCCESS!

How to Develop a Positive Attitude

Tips for Goal Setting - Brian Tracy

How can you achieve what you want in life? First by knowing what you want. Follow the tips mentioned in this video....

FORMULA FOR SUCCESS

Once I was addressing an audience of about a thousand people. Before I began my talk I offered them a bar of chocolate and invited all those who wanted it to come on stage. But I was astonished to see only about 500 hands go up. Out of them only 3 people started moving towards me. The first person had already reached the steps of the stage. Seeing this, the second person gave up but the third person continued to run. This proved that though less than 50% were inspired only about 1% got motivated and less than that optimistic.

Isn’t it surprising? As children we are born with the power to be decisive. We are gifted with inspiration and motivation. As adults these traits should be more developed and intense but on the contrary, they all reduce! Sadly, today most people are part of a rat race and overtime they become bigger and bigger rats in their pursuit of bigger homes, cars, wealth and popularity. God created all of us to be happy and successful. In fact he has planted all these traits required for happy and successful life in all of us. Take the example of a seed. Do you know that the entire tree is planned in it! Probably, the comparisons, competitions and our conditioning while growing up are responsible for taking us towards hatred and negativity in life.

We all know that when man didn’t use his tail, he lost it. Similarly a road that is not walked upon, grows grass. Therefore we must use the package of traits that we are gifted with or else we may lose them. We need to identify the seed in us and start watering it.

People today spend a lot of their time in achieving all that is outside if them. Luxurious homes, expensive cars, branded clothes etc to flaunt to the world that is outside of them, yet, they do not have time to nourish and nurture their true values. People are running after valuables which even when in plenty cannot bring happiness. Our values are our true valuables. If we don’t use our values we may begin to lose them; Because USELESS – IF USED LESS!

MONEY VS SATISFACTION

The eternal dilemma between money and job satisfaction continues to vex individuals even today. Piyush Bhatia explores the two sides of the debate and narrows in on a common ground

Few are lucky to find a dream job that is enjoyable and also pays well. Most of us are forced to pick between two greatly divergent interests—money and job satisfaction.
    

At some point in their career, most job seekers are forced to prioritise one over the other. This choice is not an easy one. The big bucks are tempting, but at the risk of being stuck in an uninteresting job. The greatly polarised needs of security and satisfaction are difficult to balance. Countless surveys have been done on the topic, but human psyche is not as predictable.

MONEY MATTERS

Call it pragmatic or just plain practical—but money matters. “The basic requirement of a job is that it should secure you financially. The income should pay the bills and put food on the table. I really doubt anyone can be happy with a satisfying job but an empty bank balance,” opines financial analyst Bhisham Gupta of Zen Solutions.

Money makes the world go round. “Job satisfaction is personal happiness. It cannot be shared. Be it medical bills, education or daily provisions, the family needs money. An individual should secure his or her family first,” adds Gupta. Those at the start of their career mirror similar views. The need to gain independence from their parents and families is great. In the quest for self sufficiency, money becomes a key concern.
 

Unlike money, which is tangible and finite, satisfaction is a rather ambiguous ideal. “It is foolhardy to chase an ephemeral dream. Job satisfaction is not a constant concept. Hard cash is an assured, while pursuing happiness is usually just a pipe dream,” says Koyal Guha, who picked a cushy finance job with a foreign bank over a free spirited script writing job.
 

Those prioritising money tend to separate their profession from their passion. “I work to earn money and engage in hobbies for personal satisfaction. The line between the two should remain distinct,” believes Guha.

SATISFACTION SPEAKS

“Most people who take up a job for money do not last. We have observed that they slack off, lose interest and become a liability in the team. Those who work for love of their job are noticeably more dynamic and interested. So our company makes it a point to find recruits who are not joining only for the money,” shares Jeremiah D’Sa, HR manager in a multinational bank. Research analyst Karan Taurani, who works with Pioneer Investment Corp says, “Job satisfaction is a greater priority than money. It directly affects efficiency, motivation and involvement in the job. Money is simply a subset of the same.”

Twenty-nine year old Simran Ahluwalia holds an engineering and MBA qualification. Yet, she is chasing her dreams as a theatre artist. “I spent two years stuck in a job I disliked, for sheer monetary reasons. Ultimately, money can’t hold you to a job. The need for job satisfaction is very great.” Today, she may not be earning the big bucks but is loving her work.

THE COMMON GROUND

“It is not difficult to find a common ground between money and satisfaction. You just need to know where to look. Do your job to the best of your ability. Enjoy it and the money will follow,” shares Shezaan Daya, who works with a reputed chartered accountancy firm.

Psychologist Poonam Mulchandani agrees. “I have seen several cases of patients suffering from stress and anxiety due to inability to prioritise one over another. I always encourage patients to pick personal satisfaction. In cases where the individual is unable to leave a job due to monetary reasons, I encourage him/her to engage in a hobby. Or perhaps find an aspect of their work that complements their personal interest and build on this. However, in most cases, it is lack of confidence that encourages people to pick financial security over satisfaction,” she reveals.
 

Whether it’s about satiating your soul or lining your pockets, the challenge is to unite these divergent priorities and build on this common ground.

ATTITUDE AT WORK

As they say, ‘it’s all in your mind’. Thus, having the right attitude can help you scale the success ladder.

Broadly speaking, there are four kinds of employees:
(1) The over enthusiastic ones, who think they can bring about a revolution overnight.
(2) Those who look at the corporate structure as a doomed entity with no redemption whatsoever.
(3) The ‘I-don’t-care’ kinds and finally.
(4) Those who perceive every situation objectively and are constructive in their actions.

Unfortunately, no matter how efficient you are, if you don’t have the right approach towards the job, the results will be evident. Each employee has his/her stance about several aspects of their career and job in particular. Thus, the key to success begins with the realisation that everything is a matter of attitude, and thus, having the right attitude can work wonders for your career.

THE RIGHT ATTITUDE

“Adopting an extreme approach all the time is unacceptable,”states Supriya Parikh, who works as an In House counsellor with a leading KPO, “Irrespective of whether your bend is positive or negative, it’s important to strike the balance. For example, some people make tall claims of what they can do, but their achievement is null. On the other hand, there are others who accept every situation the way it is. If you look at it objectively, neither of the two is actually productive.”

Employees with the right kind of attitude can help take the company to the next level. “However, by ‘right attitude’ we do not imply ‘positivity’ alone. It’s fair on the part of the employee to feel let down or unhappy about a particular instance or situation. But venting that anger or disappointment in the most appropriate manner, or more importantly, in a ‘productive’ manner is what matters.”

MENTOR MATTER

The attitude of an employee is one of the key attributes that is evaluated during the recruitment process. “When it comes to recruitment, the attitude of an employee and his/her belief in oneself has as much to do as his/her core abilities and skill sets,” explains HR executive Kanchan Shah, “For example, very often we have candidates who think they are in control of technically every situation. Their confidence levels appear to be at its peak. Self confidence is important, but over confidence can be a disaster as such candidates are difficult to mould. They come with a mindset and stick to it.”

Elaborating on this, Parikh, feels, “The learning curve is limited in such cases, and ego clashes are quite common, thus stimulating negativity among the team members.” So how do you strike the balance?

Start Positive: To begin with, start with a positive attitude towards your job and your colleagues/supervisor. Be open to ideas, and ready to expect as well as accept change in its varied forms.

Opinion matters: It’s best to form your own opinion/s about people/situations rather than following the herd mentality; but before you do so remember to assess the situation objectively.

Be constructive: As Kalpesh Thakkar, who works as a Manager, HR (Initiatives for employee welfare) with a BPO, explains, “Constructive feedback is always a boon. Therefore for any problems you may be facing, it’s best to approach the concerned people and get it sorted rather than cribbing over it. Unlike popular belief, the job of the HR team is not just to support the requirements of the management. Happy employees are an asset to the company, and therefore, one of their key roles of HR is to ensure that employees are satisfied and their grievances are addressed appropriately.”

Resist negativity: No matter how much you want to shun it, you cannot escape negativity. It’s all around you. Therefore, it’s important to resist it for your own benefit. For example, when you hear something negative from a colleague or friend, understand that you may be getting only one aspect of the whole situation. The other side of the bread could also be buttered. Therefore, be your own judge.

Break free: Humour and enthusiasm are two key elements that can always keep energy levels high. Try to find humour even in hostile situations. It’s not all that difficult; there is humour in every situation. However, whether you identify it or not defines the kind of person you are. Sometimes you may have to dig deeper, but it’s worth the effort for it keeps you going.