3 Ideas from me …
Every day, you become wiser if only you choose to become one. The most powerful teacher is life itself. But often, we become like ostriches, burying our heads in the ground of our own opinions and judgments and blinded by our false ego.
In this series of articles, I write the ideas that changed my life significantly. Mostly these ideas I picked up from my own life, and sometimes I got the realization by observing someone else’s life.
Idea 1
We all are creators, and we all have immense power of creation. Our most significant power is our ability to create ourselves the way we want. We either react to a situation or respond at every moment of ours.
I have been through medical situations, failures, disappointments, etc. Today when I look back at those situations, I don’t regret or want to change them. They all have shaped me to become a better version of myself.
When you are deprived or denied of something, don’t give up. Create what you desire. Create those opportunities in the job, create your body and spirit to excel in any challenge, create those perfect relationships that don’t exist. Remember, you are both the creation and the creator. Take responsibility for your life.
Idea 2
Life throws situations at you. Not all of them are pleasant. You can’t control the situations. But you can control how you respond to them.
I have got a slipped disc problem. I didn’t take much care of it. The situation has aggravated, and now the pain has dislocated to another part of my body, especially on my knees. Because of this, I cannot do many things which I was able to do otherwise. Like I can’t climb down the stairs, I can’t run as fast as I could, I can’t ride my favorite Royal Enfield motorcycle.
But this condition has allowed me to do other things I haven’t been doing for a while, like reading and writing. I appreciate my body more than before. I am more grateful for all I can do with good health than in the past.
Idea 3
James Clear, the author of the book Atomic Habits, has rightly said:
Look for situations where the energy is already flowing downhill. Invest in relationships where there is already mutual respect. Work on projects that play to your strengths.
And then, once the potential of the situation is already working for you, add fuel to the fire. Pour yourself into the craft. Act as if you have to outwork everyone else — even though the wind is at your back.
In 2016, I took up a sales role at IBM. Even though IBM was a very well-known brand, one particular service line of IBM was tough to sell only because IBM was a late entrant in that service line, and competitors were 10X better than IBM with 100 times better features. Selling was tough. I got in a more challenging situation because the territory I handled was the most difficult and underperforming. The clients in that territory were extremely price-sensitive and cranky when it used to come to the poor performance of the service line.
I was hopeful that I would achieve some success with my grit, tenacity, and determination. But it was not the case. I failed. Things didn’t work out.
I learned the hard way that you shouldn’t grind uphill all the time. It’s not worth it. You can’t avoid the situation where you will have to work against the wind, but the sooner you get rid of it, the better it is, and you shouldn’t ever get yourself in this situation too often.
Same thing we do in our relationships. Some relationships are meant to fall. Some people aren’t made for relationships. Don’t grind yourself in such instances. Give it a meaningful closure and walk away. The same energy could be used elsewhere, where there is some respect and mutual trust.
Summary
The three ideas I want to leave you with are:
- Create what doesn’t exist. Don’t complain or be a victim. You have the power to create only if you take full responsibility for your life.
- You can’t control the situation, but you can always control your response. Raise your consciousness and overcome your compulsions
- Sprint down the hill, not grind uphill. Just because you have the courage, determination, and necessary enthusiasm doesn’t mean you will throw away yourself to move the mountain. Sometimes, hanging your shoes and walking away is the best thing you can do for yourself.
