You think success happens with resources? read on..

Inertia or homeostasis is the first block in any process of change and requires significant effort to break. Once the process of change begins, it needs to be supported by committing time, effort and resources. There are ubiquitous examples where people commit resources, while the drive to stay committed on time and effort dies down sooner than we think, resulting in failure to execute.

Think of a weight loss effort, committing an expensive gym membership but failing to turn up regularly. Sports freaks (??) buying expensive equipment but hardly using them and many more examples like that may be cited. Therefore the culprit is attitude towards change. It is paradoxical to see individuals succeeding under paucity of resources, while massive failures happen despite committed resources. In reality, the magnitude, order, threshold, consistency and time required for the change effort are significantly important in building success. Resources are important but do not always solely drive the process of change. Individuals who strike gestalt with this reality are more likely to achieve greater success. Need to know more about initiating big changes, or seeking better results? Visit www.thegrowthevangelist.com or call  +91 9893222222.

Living the threat of professional extinction?

Professional careers are all about success and growth. Organizations as business entities expect profitability and utilization of talent individuals have. It is a mutually convenient relationship, of course, managed professionally or otherwise depending on the organizational values. Under limited resources, differentiation is the key and therefore Parato becomes relevant, disproportionately rewarding performers while others grow at an average. Employees hanging around and waiting to grow on seniority and exoerience become extremely vulnerable to professional extinction.

It is important for professionals to keep an eye on their growth, in terms of earning, learning and getting meaty assignments over time. On-going career stints with high effort low result, sub-optimal achievements on KRS’s, poor supervisor relationship and trust, barely inflationary or lower financial growth, growing stress across all spheres, and, detachment at workplace and lack of commitment and ownership are classic signs when executives need a quick bout of help. There is a need to re-calibrate direction, speed and goals one wants to achieve.

Facing similar dilemma around career, growth or work-life issues ? visit www.thegrowthevangelist.com or call +91 9893222222 for getting professional help.

Managing Stress Better

The most commonly discussed subject in todays times is Stress. Whether you're stressed, anxious, or overworked, it's a miserable feeling which dampens your productivity, affects the quality of your relationships, and hampers your ability to appreciate the here and now. Regardless of your current life circumstances, a handful of behaviors are proven to help.

 

Get up early.

Would an increase in productivity help your stress level? You'd be amazed at how much more you can get done at 4 a.m., when everyone else is still in bed. I've found this to be true: Whenever I have a mid-morning deadline which forces me to work before the sun rises, I'm free by noon to pursue activities that are good for me, such as exercising or having lunch with a friend. In fact, research shows early birds are more proactive, a character trait that lends itself to achievement. According to a study of 367 college students conducted by biologist Christoph Randler, early risers perform better on the job, attain greater career success, and reap higher wages than people who start their day later.

 

 

Exercise every day.

Countless studies prove the myriad health benefits of working out, including recent research that found strengthening your muscles releases enzymes that detoxify a substance called kynurenine, a byproduct of stress and inflammation. Hate pushing yourself physically? Trick yourself into doing it by multitasking. Ride a bike with a friend and cultivate a relationship while getting fit. Swim first thing at the gym, necessitating your morning shower. Do wall pushups in the minutes you wait for a conference call to start.

 

Check email infrequently.

Researchers at the University of British Columbia asked 124 people to either limit checking email to three times a day for one week or click into their inboxes as often as possible. They found that those who resisted the temptation to view their messages reported being less stressed than the group of overcheckers.

 

Forget wishful thinking and practice mental contrasting.

According to New York University professor Gabriele Oettingen, positive thinking isn't all it's cracked up to be. She says that while envisioning something you want to happen coming to fruition can make you feel better, it's actually counterproductive because you're less likely to make a concerted effort to make your wish come true. On the other hand, dwelling on your troubles and challenges isn't helpful either. Instead, she suggests a mental contrasting tool dubbed WOOP, for Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan. To do it, shut your eyes and imagine your wish coming true for a few minutes. Then, imagine the main obstacle standing in the way of your desired outcome. Finally, envision the action you would take if such a barrier were to present itself. "In a study of health care providers, we found that those who used WOOP were significantly more engaged with their work and less stressed than members of a control group,"

 

Consume more omega-3 fatty acids.

Numerous studies have linked chronic stress with inflammation, which can be damaging to the body. The good news: Eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids--such as fish, flaxseed, and chia seeds--can reduce inflammation. There's a very strong connection between what you eat and your mood.

 

Live in the present.

A matter of focusing on the present moment rather than reliving the past or worrying about the future, this practice has been shown to reduce stress and improve performance. While proponents often suggest simply concentrating on your breathing as a good way to do it, research conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has found that actually counting your breaths is a good way to measure mindfulness. In a study of more than 400 people, participants were asked to count nine breaths in sequence by tapping one computer key per breath and a different key for the final breath in each sequence, an activity that necessitates awareness of the breath. The researchers found a correlation between positive mood and accurate breath counting.

 

Hug someone.

A recent Carnegie Mellon University study found that the perceived social support afforded by frequent hugging protects people from the effects of stress-induced susceptibility to infection.

 

Make friends.

Research shows that people who feel lonely can feel chronically threatened and are at an increased risk of death. Good news, though: studies have also been conducted on the most effective ways to make friends as an adult. Whether it's taking some kind of class or regularly hanging out in the same place at the same time, if people become accustomed to seeing your face, they're more likely to like you. Authenticity works as well, so be real about your feelings. Research conducted at Stony Brook University has found that gradually increasing the depth of questions and answers between strangers can birth friendships in less than an hour. For example, start out with an innocuous question like asking someone the last time they did something and build up to a more significant query, such as how they would handle a difficult situation.

 

Unplug and detach.

British researchers have found an association between rising stress levels and the practice of constantly checking a smartphone. While at first it can feel stressful to disconnect from your devices and walk away from your computer, take it from someone who has on occasion spent days in the wilderness without access to the internet or a cellular connection: I've never felt more at peace than after a few days head up, under the sky, paying earnest attention to the people around me.

 

Get more sleep.

People under stress often struggle with this one, but it's important to check your sleep hygiene. In addition to abstaining from chemicals such as alcohol and caffeine, don't watch TV or read any kind of LED screen before bedtime. Researchers from Harvard Medical School have found that blue light, the wavelength emitted by smart phones, tablets, and devices such as an LED e-book, disrupt the body's internal clock, which can make it harder for a person to fall asleep.

 

Undergoing bouts of work- life stress?... and struggling to cope up and balance? Visit www.thegrowthevangelist.com 

10 Belief Triggers that Sabotage Your Success

Extremely motivating talk from M.Goldsmith, that I watched recently talks about lack of forward movement.

Some of our inner beliefs can trigger failure before it happens. They sabotage change by cancelling its possibility! Discover how to recognize these sabotaging beliefs and learn what you can do about them.

I’m sure you’ve met him, or her. That person who says he’ll finish the project tomorrow, but tomorrow never comes. Or the person who promises to call as soon as she gets home, but you never hear from her. People who do not keep their commitments to return calls or close loop as committed.

We know lots of people like this. If we’re a hard case, we cut them out of our lives. If we’re a “softie”, we make excuses, and try to let it go. Either way, these people, who make promises to change one day and excuses not to the next, exist.

And, we may have even done this ourselves! I know I have. For those of us who admit to it, we know our genius becomes more acute when it’s our turn to change how we behave. That’s when we fall back on a set of beliefs that trigger denial, resistance, and ultimately self-delusion. These beliefs are more wicked than excuses. An excuse is the handy explanation we offer when we disappoint other people. It is acute and convenient, often made up on the spot. Basically an excuse is so abused it’s a wonder anyone believes them.

What do we call the excuses we privately harbor when we disappoint ourselves? Mere “excuse” is somehow inadequate to describe these inner beliefs that represent how we interpret our world. An excuse explains why we fell short of expectations after the fact. Our inner beliefs trigger failure before it happens. They sabotage change by cancelling its possibility. We employ these beliefs as articles of faith to justify our inaction and then wish away the result. I call them belief triggers and we think them all day long. Here’s a not-extensive list, but it should get you started on where I’m going with this.

1. I am the same ‘me’
The person who promised to change yesterday is not the same person who has to execute that change today. We make promises to ourselves and others today that we cannot keep tomorrow. This is a most illusory belief – because it triggers over-confidence in our ability to execute our plan.

2. If I change I am ‘inauthentic’
We refuse to adapt our behavior to new situations because “it isn’t me.” This belief triggers stubbornness.

3. I won’t get tired
When we intend to work long hours, we’re not exhausted. But after we work several hours we become tired and are eager to throw in the towel. It’s the same with changing our ways – we grow tired with the effort it takes to change. This triggers depletion.

4. I understand the requirements
People who read my writing often tell me, “It’s common sense. I didn’t read anything here that I don’t already know.” True, but there’s a difference between understanding and doing. Just because people understand what to do doesn’t ensure that they will actually do it. This belief triggers confusion.

5. It has to be perfect
Even when we appreciate that nothing is permanent, we still believe in the idea of perfection – that there is a perfect weight, a perfect job, a perfect state of mind if only we strive harder to achieve it. This triggers hopelessness -- so we give up.

6. It’s not fair
We have an unshakeable belief in the essential fairness of life – that if we do what is asked of us, we will be rewarded for it. When that faith is shaken and we see that life is not fair, we feel cheated. Our dashed expectations trigger resentment. We convince ourselves that the game is rigged against us and refuse to play again. In other words, we stop trying.

7. I can do it on my own
We believe that we are solely responsible for our own happiness and success, that positive change starts and ends within us and is neither shaped nor determined by the people around us. We abuse self-sufficiency, ignoring the value of a supportive environment, taking foolish pride in doing it all ourselves. We trigger our isolation.

8. Nothing will interrupt my focus
We don’t plan for the low-probability events because, by definition, any one of them is unlikely to occur. But in the aggregate, low probability events affect us all the time. Who plans on a flat tire, or accident, or stalled traffic because of an overturned semi on their way to work? This belief triggers unrealistic expectations.

9. ‘At least I’m better than…’
In a down moment after failure or loss, we tell ourselves, “At least I’m better than _______.” We award ourselves a free pass because we’re not the worst in the world. This is our excuse to take it easy, lowering the bar on our motivation and discipline. We’ve triggered a false sense of immunity.

10. I am exempt on this ‘special day’
Today is the Super Bowl, or my birthday, or our anniversary, or my day off. We excuse our momentary lapse as an outlier event, a blip in the long arc of committed change we are making. This belief triggers a self-indulgent inconsistency – which is fatal for change.

Overconfidence. Stubbornness. Depletion. Confusion. Hopelessness. Resentment. Isolation. Unrealistic expectations. Immunity. Inconsistency. That’s a lot of heavy baggage to carry on our journey of change.

These are just some of the rationalizations that keep us from becoming the person we want to be. Now that you’ve read them, I bet they’re nothing you’ve not heard before! Keep watch in your daily life for them, keep track of how often you use one of these trigger beliefs, see if you can come up with others. This is a great exercise, because as you know awareness is the first step towards change! Reasons why it is strongly recommended that people win over the self sabotaging beliefs before dysfunctional behaviors.

Struggling to move forward? visit www.thegrowthevangelist.com to explore more.

Are you struck by social media depression?

Social media has drastically changed the way we live and socialize. Relationships that are possible beyond boundaries of proximity or knowledge about each other, relationships that are non committal and that run on the premise of ‘showing up’. Friends, family and even strangers who share your interests are never far away when you have the convenience afforded by a social networks. People still feel depressed, lonely or unhappy when they have such a seemingly useful tool at their discretion? It may be worthwhile to ask yourself if you are the one who suffers from social media syndrome.

However, although there is no scientific proof of a direct correlation between social media and depression in healthy individuals, social media does have a potential to negatively impact self-esteem, mental-health and emotional well-being as some newer studies suggest.

Low or no support on online linkages

Feeling stressed out or tired, it’s only natural. Feeling anxious and depressed can happen due to; problems at work, self-image issues, fatigue, relationship problems, arguments with friends and family, low self-esteem, etc. and “just talk to someone about it” actually works, with friends or family members you are close with and whose opinions you trust.

Noticing people posting a supportive comment on your status and commenting on pictures from a party, portrays futility of their expressed involvement with your issues, and there is a good chance that you may be left feeling worse than before. In such cases it’s best to leave the computer and get a cup of coffee with someone you trust, write down your feelings on a piece of paper or let off steam through exercise.

Developing envy with other people and fear you are missing out in life

Even when people do not have a reason to suffer, logging on to social media and immersing yourself in pictures of excited people drinking, laughing, making fools of themselves or chilling on a beach can be nerve wrecking at times.

Feelings of disappointment and envy wash over they realized these people were all having fun with others while they were alone. People move from feeling slightly bored, yet reasonably contented, to feeling lonely and pensive.

Effect on relationships

Social media allows you access to a lot of private information about a person. Some can’t handle what essentially equates to socially acceptable voyeurism very well..

Benchmarking your self-worth on the number of friends, interactions and likes

People experience noticeable irritation because they had no notifications after being away from the computer for a whole day. Think of it, are you just the sum of all your friends, believing social status depends on the number of comments, likes and other interactions between you and your virtual friends.

Vulnerability to Cyber threats

Sarcastic and rude comments as a negative part of opening yourself up to a huge number of people, only a few of which are actually close to you, but sometimes things escalate far past the point of someone being rude or inconsiderate. Cyber bullying is extremely dangerous, and there are many criminal incidents to demonstrate this.

If you are one of the millions of casual social media users whose mood isn’t significantly affected by online social life then good for you, but if you see any of the signs that social media may be causing you to feel lonely, sad, depressed, angry, jealous, envious or anxious, then you should consider giving it a break and working on some of the underlying problems, even if that means seeking professional help. ( www.thegrowthevangelist.com )

Why is happiness elusive?

‘Success is getting what you want, happiness is wanting what you get’ – W.P. Kinsella

Henry David Thoreau once expressed , “Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder…”.

 

While resolving the idea of happiness being an elusive entity, we view it in a negative connotation or context. With the accelerated pain present around us nowadays, many of us are inclined to consider happiness as being insubstantial. It would be pertinent to think “How can happiness prevail when there is sorrow in the world?”. While religion and philosophy have tried unsuccessfully to settle this dilemma for centuries. I can only humbly propagate, that despite all the suffering in the world, happiness is still an attainable goal. How is what you may think?

 

It is common to see the phenomenon across socio economic strata where happiness prevails when people’s basic needs are met. Contrary to the upper strata where daily life is chaotic with high rates of stress and anxiety as a consequence of a demanding lifestyle. Success and happiness are the two terms that get grossly misunderstood by most while people chase former and treat it as driver of the latter. The core may lie in discovering ‘what do you want?’

 

Since our minds are continually preoccupied by the environmental chaos, it makes it harder to even recognize what is happiness for us. Pursuing happiness may rest in letting go of needless distractions. Toxic thoughts, dysfunctional behaviours, disempowering emotions, destructive relationships, events, commitments, etc.. creating tranquillity for happiness to thrive. Our awareness needs to be channelized into worthwhile experiences which afford us joy and happiness instead.

 

While exploring awareness to our suffering and those of others, we lose sight of happiness as an achievable objective. Happiness cannot be a transitory experience when we direct our focu towards it. People suppose happiness will miraculously transform their life once it is attained. Hence they trek far and wide in search of happiness, only to discover that it is contained within. The view that happiness is elusive originates from our inability to hold our concentration on it long enough. If we believe happiness is an unattainable goal, we reject it as an idea, thus keeping it elusive. The truth is, it is possible to be happy, but the answers emanate within one self.

 

Seeking to explore what is success and happiness for you?, and the goals you may want to pursue?, visit www.thegrowthevangelist.com , write to thegrowthevangelist@gmail.com or call +91 9893222222