The Chauffer:
(The Power of You)
Tomorrow is always a tomorrow. It may never come! And if it does, it will be yet another day… a day devoid of any achievements or a day filled with splendour of another bright opportunity. For some it is just a dark day or a traumatic shock or a routine day.. For the die hard, it is but the threshold of another dawn – a dawn that will bring hope – a dawn that will bring opportunities – a dawn that does not signify merely that FITTEST will survive, but the fittest WILL survive. A dawn that bespeaks of never before possibilities.
We are always at the footsteps away from this dawn – The challenges of the future in this fast moving era witnessing developments at a speed never seen before. But are we ready for this dawn or tomorrow? Are we willing to measure up. If tomorrow does not come as tomorrow… for sure it will end up as an unproductive yesterday, a day that was not realized not because it was not worth it; but perhaps more because we were not ready for it.
We have to prepare ourselves to fight these challenges and conquer, we have to discover ourselves and awaken the giant within. It is rightly said “You can’t build future for you, you have to build you for the future”.
It is you and only you who has to work hard and create that identity by awakening the giant which is lying with in you. Its only dictionary where success comes before work.
Remember,
- No one on earth can make you feel inferior without your permission
- Don’t be afraid of failures
- Keep Smiling
- Accept yourself
The Co passengers:
(Being with others)
Creating identity alone will not be helping you. Identity creates that acceptance which is very essential for any one to accomplish desires. Acceptance by the people around you is equally important as you always need people to go ahead. A helping and understanding person is always gives you that added extra power which you need.
Remember ,
It is your ATTITUDE and not your APTITUDE that determines your ALTITUDE
One must always develop positive mental attitude which helps in strengthening you relationships. It is your reaction and not the situation which determines the outcome. A time has come to manage people positively by being a bridge builder and remember that people around you are not puppets. You need to utilize your hand and hearts and not the strings to win them.
But an important note of caution, learn to create safe distance with people around you and always remember its said at the end of every tunnel there is a light but be sure its not of a coming vehicle.
The Diversion ahead:
(The Challenge for Change)
The dizzying rate of change has baffled the people world over. What used to be does no longer exist. What was “in” yesterday is “out“ today. Gone are the days when life used to be easy and comfortable. Business used to run on its own on lower volumes and healthy margins. Monopoly has disappeared and quality has emerged as major thrust area not only in terms of the product quality but also in terms of an overall experience of a customer. There is a paradigm shift in the way we used to do business. Lifestyles have changed, priorities are different, and we have entered into the global life. The world has become smaller, thanks to the high power communication, and information explosion. We are now into the knowledge era.
This change in world scenario has posed serious threats to the rigid inadaptable and inflexible people the world over. But on the other hand new vistas of opportunities shave opened up for people who are ready to adapt the change. It is in this context that we need to reconsider the way we perform and function. Are we aware about the new challenges ahead of us? Are we preparing ourselves adequately to encash new opportunities? Have we articulated the vision of our future? Have we equipped ourselves with the right attitude, knowledge and skills? Are we focusing for the future?
To answer these and many such questions, the first thing that we need to set is our personal vision.
The Zebra Crossing:
(Vision, Values & Mission)
Vision is your source of energy! Your dream…your future state of being…something that you desire, the states of being that you want to make happen! It requires your focused attention, dedication and commitment. If you lack commitment to your vision, you will not realize it. It must be very specific and clear. It is like a definition that means exactly what it says. No room for ambiguity at all. Your vision statement must contain your final reality that you want to achieve. It sets your direction in which you need to travel. It sets your direction in which you need to travel. It has nothing to do with your current resources, circumstances, weaknesses or assets. All those can certainly be acquired if you believe in your vision. You must believe in it, it is YOUR vision. You must have utmost faith in it. US President John F Kennedy had a vision! He had a vision that America will be the first nation to reach the moon. He believed that it was possible to do so while the world thought that it was his fancy. But he made it happen in less than a decade! Gandhi had a vision of free India through non-violence. Nelson Mandella had a vision of free South Africa! All of them survived the brutal test of time but emerged as achievers! Craft your vision. That is the first step towards focusing for your future!
But is vision alone enough? No, it must be backed by values. It forms the foundation for your vision. Values are Beliefs about what is more important to any individual in life. Here are some examples of values.
- Ability
- Courage
- Credibility
- Dependability
- Fidelity
- Honesty
- Industry
- Integrity
- Justice
- Modesty
- Patience
- Politeness
- Responsibility
- Simplicity
- Temperament
- Truthfulness
“Don’t part company with your values. They are anchors in a storm.”
Vision and values crystallize the mission. Mission is the purpose of life!
Where you want to reach, is your vision! But how will you reach there if you don’t know where you are! And, to do just that, one needs to do a SWOT analysis!
The Slope up – The Slope Down:
(SWOT Analysis)
SWOT means Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. For any individual to grow he must do his SWOT analysis first. It tells you where you are. And, to know where you are is as important as to know where you want to be. So, find out what are your strengths and weaknesses. These must be realized in terms of your attitude, skills, knowledge and behavior. Mind you, every aspect of your being must be checked and rechecked. Remember, your strengths and weaknesses are internal to you. While opportunities as well as threats are external to you. Another important aspect is that what you perceive as your weakness can actually be your strength and what you perceive as your strength can actually be your weakness. Threats, which are external, can also be viewed as opportunities, as it is possible to convert them into opportunities. For example, tough competition can make you think hard and can make you change your way of thinking and working, which can lead you to new opportunities with better potential for rewards and much better results! Therefore, it is a must for every individual to do honest and sincere SWOT before proceeding further.
The Road Map:
(Goals)
Now that you know where you are and have the clarity as to what your personal vision is, give a very deep thinking to your vision. What steps do you need to take? What are those small accomplishments you achieve that will take you nearer to your vision? Your vision is a distant dream, which you cannot achieve in one step. You need to break it up into smaller, short term, medium term and long-term goals. Just as we take one bite at a time while eating our food, we must take one step at a time to achieve our goals. Focus hard, focus well and get centered onto each of the goals. Make a timetable and a plan of action for each of your goals. That POA is your strategy to achieve your goal. Take care that you do not run through life so fast that you forget not only where you have been, but also where you are going. Remember that Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way.
Goals must be SMART.
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Time Bound.
Goals must be balanced in every aspects of life.
- Family
- Financial
- Career/Business
- Physical
- Mental
- Social
- Spiritual
If they are not balanced, you may be able to achieve a particular goal in a particular field but life will have no meaning, purpose or joy in rest of the fields. Please ensure that your goals are such that you get a major sense of accomplishment when you achieve them. Goals should be big enough to inspire you to go for them. It is well said that “Aim at Stars. Even if you fall short, you will land on Moon”. It is not where you start but where you finish is important.
“It’s a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it.” said Somerset Moghum.
The Timer:
(Throttle Control)
Time is an essence of life. You have to learn to fill time and not kill time. Decide your priorities in life and work around them to achieve what you have desired. Plan you life and act out a plan as its rightly said if you fail to plan you plan to fail. Never procrastinate and respect the time. Time never waits for anyone and goes away very fast. If you learnt to utilize every moment of time, you will be reaching where you want to reach much quicker.
Believe in today.
“Yesterday has gone forever, Tomorrow may not arrive,
Today is yesterday’s tomorrow within your reach,, What are you doing with it?” ….Robert Schuller
The Police Man:
(The Leader in you)
The leader has to perform many roles.
Sculptor Sculptors bring things to fruition by getting things done, and getting them done now! They try to have an immediate impact on things, injecting a sense of urgency, and aiming to achieve clear goals and tangible results. They achieve their goals by making use of their experience, and utilising tools or processes which they have proven can be relied upon. They are very action-oriented, and often spur others into action as well.
Curator Curators bring clarity to the inner world of information, ideas and understanding. They listen, ask questions and absorb information, so that in their mind’s eye they can achieve as clear a picture or understanding as is possible. They focus on ideas that are based on clear, sound thinking. They expand their knowledge and collection of experiences, and also look to the future by envisaging clear goals and clear pathways to achievement of those goals.
Coach Coaches try to create harmony in the world around them, by building rapport with people, creating a positive team atmosphere, looking after people’s welfare, motivating people and/or providing a service to the satisfaction of others. They value people’s contributions, seek to develop the role that others play, and invest a lot of effort in building positive relationships. They try to overcome differences of opinion and find ways in which the team can agree.
Conductor Conductors introduce organisation and a logical structure into the way things are done. They organise and systematise the world around them, establishing appropriate plans, identifying and implementing the correct procedures, and then endeavouring to make sure they are followed. They try to ensure that roles and responsibilities are properly defined and that appropriate resources or skills are available to undertake the work assigned.
Crusader Crusaders give importance to particular thoughts, ideas, or beliefs. They are value driven, and in a team discussion they often bring a sense of priority that is derived from their strong convictions. They seize upon and emphasise ideas or thoughts that have the greatest import, bringing them to the fore and stressing their significance. They assess the inherent value or importance of new ideas, focusing on those about which they feel most strongly.
Explorer Explorers promote exploration of new and better ways of doing things, to uncover hidden potential in people, things or situations. They break new ground, and are often looking one step beyond the current situation to pursue unexplored avenues. Explorers often challenge the status quo and experiment with the introduction of change, to see if the situation can be improved or new potential uncovered.
Innovator Innovators use their imagination to create new and different ideas and perspectives. They observe the world around them, and then consider what they have observed from a number of different perspectives. Innovators often produce radical solutions to problems, develop long term vision and dream up new ideas and insights – demonstrating an apparent understanding of what cannot be clearly known
Scientist Scientists provide explanation of how and why things happen. They bring structure and organisation into the inner world of ideas and understanding. They analyse things, formulating hypotheses and explanations of how they function, and gather evidence to assess how true those explanations are. They produce mental models that replicate how a particular aspect of the world works, and they try to understand the full complexity of any situation.
‘Fail to honour people, they fail to honour you , But of a good leader, Who talks little, When his work is done, his aim fulfilled, They all will say, We did it ourselves’
The Expressway:
(Branding)
The Express
While you are on your journey to achieve goals you must keep creating your brand in the process. You must be unique and different. Your expertise in skills and your knowledge must be of high caliber. Self-confidence and conviction will always take you forward. Develop your own style and art of communication which is one of the most essential tools to create brand. This skill should include art of conversation, art of listening and body language. It will help you understand others and will also help others to understand you help well. Relationship management is another aspect that you must focus on. Remember, relationships are like emotional bank accounts, the more you deposit, and more you withdraw. Most of the time we feel overdrawn but in fact we are generally under deposited. Be enthusiastic and light hearted. Smile as much as you can. Laugh heartily. Turn your promises into commitments and be dependable. Empathize always. Be away from superstitions.
Branding is creating your own niche. It is about positioning yourself. Once you identify your key focus areas and your core competence, your branding will start shaping up. You cannot be master of all. Identify your niche and log on. Create the brand in you.
As you keep accomplishing your goals you will have deeper sense of satisfaction. Enjoy your victories but, take care, don’t shift your focus from your vision. Your vision is the final frontier, your destination success.
Remember the acronym POWER.
Passion
Opportunity
Willingness
Energy
Result
Passion for vision, creating opportunities, developing willingness and energy will lead you to achieving results. What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us and you are the only one who can use your ability. It is an awesome responsibility.
Remember,
A great thinker is a beginning of great visionary.
A great visionary is a beginning of a great leader.
A great leader is a beginning of great achiever,
Who can fly smoothly towards future and symbolizes that
You have made a giant leap and awakened the giant within.
Be a possibility thinker. See possibility in every impossible. It gives you that stimulus which is required to start.
see may be in every no, See yes in every may be
See I have done it before in every yes
And
See I will do it better this time in every I have done it before.
You should never be afraid to dream as out of such fragile things miracles happen. Walt Disney has said “If you can dream it, you can do it”.
Never forget,
“Losers let it happen & Winners make it happen.”
Be a winner by creating that winning edge.
Surgically Ruthless 