Polish your GOLD, why clean Copper?

On how many occasions in the recent past, did you brood on what skills you did not have, and why you could not make it big? ‘Big’ – not by your own standards, but by the standards of what you perceive as ‘the world’!

This piece is to emphasize the fact that there can be nothing more suicidal to your personality and life; there is no bigger waste of time than just thinking of all the weaknesses in you, and wonder what has gone right or wrong in life’s journey!

Most of us are trained and taught to work on our weaknesses, day in and day out, and overcome them come what may!

Today, I would want to leave a contrarian thought in you – and I can assure you that it will work well for you

Ignore and belittle your inherent weaknesses, and spend all the time and resources in honing your inherent strengths… you will do a lot of good to you, your life, and work…

Many contemporary life & leadership lessons speak of the need to do what you are good at… Decisively identify your strengths and do something which is pretty close to your core competence. What else can be core competence other than you natural strengths? The strengths which sort of flow with you in life, and with which you don’t have to undergo the so called drudgery of ‘work’.

Visualize this – spend a few minutes and do this – You have a handful of a mix of shining gold coins, and some rusted old copper coins… Would it be good to just ignore the rusty dusty copper coins and just put all your time and energy into how well you can exploit and make good of the shining gold coins on hand…. Or would it be good to waste your time and energy on cleaning/making the rusty copper coins into Gold coins? You will be wasting that much time because whatever you do, the Copper can never ever turn to Gold….  On the other hand, you can make the best use of the Gold coins…hone and polish them, and take them to the market place and show your worth and mettle to the world

This, is the cardinal rule in managing time – put time to its best use here and now…. So, your time is not going to be best used by cleaning the rust and dust of the copper in you…… Just do not give any importance to the copper in you (weaknesses) and hone your gold (strengths) now and always…

We all have heard enough of why and how we should somehow work on converting our weaknesses into strengths. Believe me, if you have ever worked on any of your weaknesses for some considerable time, you will testify to the fact that it takes a lot of time…. with disproportionately small or miniscule result. Just look back in life and see how many weaknesses you have managed to convert into strengths and you will get what I mean here!

It is wishful thinking that we can completely overcome our weaknesses and even convert that into strengths. With that, we expend so much energy… almost make you feel that you are losing it and making you frustrated with yourself, and the the so called weakness in you. The only end result is that you have lost precious time and energy….

Precious resources that should have been used in focusing on the positives with us and getting to the point of perfection….

Your goal and intent must be – only focus more and more on the positives.. Make the best out of the inherent strengths you possess and shine your ware in the market-place of the world.

Many business leaders have opined that working on weaknesses is not a great personal growth strategy….More can be achieved by getting more time and focus into what you are good at….

Mediocre to Good is a journey of high improbability. Gold to Diamond, if you can see is a more successful endeavor.

So,  pick up three to five things you are good at and work hard and toil to make them great personal offerings!  See the difference it makes in your life…. And you will enjoy the journey of life more…..

Cardinal LIFE rule.... Family first

In all of our facets in life, the most ‘taken for granted’ side is our relationship with those in the family. A lot of times, the need for each one of us to ‘behave’ or ‘conduct’ ourselves in a professional or social situation is compelling – due to the position held, power perceived, and also the compelling need to be ‘correct’ in these facets of life.

All of us take for granted one crucial and most vital facet of life – the family and the relationships there… Our life, sure I am true is littered with instances, where we vent all our frustrations and feelings to those in the family – the loved spouse, the wonderful kid, and the most precious father and mother to whom we owe so much for being what we are in the social milieu.

Family, for today’s hi-flying pro, is the place to rationalize the most disgusting and condonable behavior, in the guise of being stressed at work… and also the lack of the ability to assert at the work place and draw lines with bosses, peers, subordinates, and make reasonable demands with all the professional stakeholders!

And as a result, one exhibits irrational, unacceptable, and downright disgusting behavior, with our own families… little do we realize that the bedrock of our happiness, wellbeing, prosperity.. is the Family….

It is essential for each one of us to realize this, and display the best of behavior, conduct; with all in our family – to the loving spouse, great kids, parents and everyone at home… it is only they who accept us unconditionally, day in and day out! Lets redeem this commitment to the most precious place in the world.. our home!!

Positivity, yes have loads of it; follow it by action, ACTION!

There is a whole new age movement on this topic, which I too love and live by – being positive. To use another word, be optimistic in any situation – even be it the darkest moments of life – there is honestly nothing so; it’s all your perception! You can look at the bright side of things if you want to!

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” – Winston Churchill.

So, for each one of us out here savoring this great journey of life, it is important to stay positive, and look for the brighter side in every situation, every endeavor – it is said that if you have the positive outcome in mind, and do your best, then success or what is desired MUST and WILL come your way!

But, a little more than being optimistic and staying positive is needed for each of us.

And THAT is the most important element that will be a success or outcome determinant - that is ACTION.

ACTION, in even small measures every single day will move you to what you what to want to get!

“You've done it before and you can do it now. See the positive possibilities. Redirect the substantial energy of your frustration and turn it into positive, effective, unstoppable determination.” – Ralph Marston

So, it’s all fine to stay determined, and look for the positive, be an incorrigible optimist!

But that mindset has to be backed by ACTION, even if in little incremental measures, by the hour, by the day and by the week.

As you look for the brighter side in every adverse situation, make decisions as to what action will usher in the brightness, and change things for the better! By decisions, I mean the decision to act in one way or other.

A tough moment or a challenging situation will come upon you so hard, that the first thing that can happen is feeling ‘incapacitated’ – and if there is one thing that will be of great power to you is to ACT! Look for what you can do immediately, to shake the hell out of ‘your’ inertia – and take the first step, even if it smallest or minuscule right then and there!

Trust me – when you take small steps in ACTION like that – adding up to your incorrigibly positive mindset, the change you see will be a complete transformation – of the situation you are in, of the person that you are!

"Actions speak louder than words." - Daniel Schiess

Remember, a combination of action with a positive mindset is a sure shot change agent, for you, for LIFE!

Life's most powerful law.... ACTION!

Each one of us live in a clutter of advises, as to how we can get what we need and want in life. The desire to get from point A to point B is the fundamental and most natural law of nature... and it holds good irrespective of what one desires... be it a great job, a loving family, an award or prize, being an accomplished pro, or as simple as a good human being!

But, most of us just refuse to understand and acknowledge that to get to all this and more, the first and decisive step is to ACT!

ACTION and ACTION alone gets you to go from point A to point B! From desires to realities!! ACTION is the magic wand which is omnipotent! And it is this "Law of Action" in life we should imbibe in our minds as a magic rule... as one rule that will make all the difference in this great journey of life.

Life does not take excuses... It only rewards actions in any front... To illustrate, just constantly saying that we love our family, but not acting on it by either spending tones of quality time in their midst is of no avail. Such inaction will only lead to heart breaks!

Rather than speak volumes and mouth platitudes, we rather just get into ACTION mode by doing something with the family.. Spend a quite day loving and cuddling your spouse and kids, take them out somewhere, gift something to them! Be it anything - only ACTION and DOING is the right way, and not otherwise..

The same applies to anything in life... increasing your knowledge in any area, writing that book, getting that promotion at work, buying that car or dream house...

The first and powerful step to moving in the direction of getting all the above is to ACT... and it is for this reason, we keep coming across the words "ACTIONS speaks louder than words".

Even the biblical warning says faith without deeds is of no value.

The most powerful obstacle to achievements in life is procrastination... and simple ACTION HABITS can chase procrastination out of all our lives, forever.

The other time honored formula for accomplishing in life is BE, DO and HAVE... BE committed, DO what it takes, and HAVE what you want. In this formula, DO what it takes is the most critical part. There can be so much commitment to something, but sheer talk of being committed without the needed ACTION will never make you HAVE what you need! So DO what it takes in anything in LIFE....

Get the ACTION HABIT built inseparably into your mind, and for sure you will get to every single thing you would want to accomplish in LIFE.

Wake up every morning with one thing in mind.. ACTION, ACTION one something... and the only way to keep failure and loss out of your life is to get to the ACTION habit!

Only Action is rewarded in Life...! Everything else is an excuse... excuse for not ACTING!

So, ACT NOW... and WIN forever!