TARGET

Success is largely measured by how a person has achieved his/ her goals and surpassed expectations. This necessarily means one must have a predetermined target which is nothing but an attempt To Aim at Realistic Goals Every Time. This means that one must spend time in visualising one’s expectations, translate that into a clear goal and simultaneously draw up an action plan to achieve one’s target in the shortest possible time.

Pinpointing the target is easier when one is participating in a shooting or archery competition since the target is clearly outlined and the bulls eye clearly visible. In daily life, the shape, size and value of the target are hazy and constantly undergoing a metamorphosis. We are also guilty of looking ahead with hope, moving ahead with trepidation and giving up in frustration simply because the goal was hazy, our efforts half hearted and our self belief fatigued.

The challenge in identifying targets is because

-       We are not specific about what we want. Using phrases like very happy, large house, cushy job, peace & contentment, peaceful life, happy retirement are merely adjectives masquerading as targets. Targets are the specifics that will lead to the fulfilment of these platitudes and phrases.

-        we either overestimate or underestimate our abilities as a result we go after easy targets that do not give us the required momentum for success or we go after unattainable targets that would lead to frustration and failure.

-       We give up too soon partly because we do not want to put in the efforts required, partly because we misjudge the progress made and largely because we divert our attention to more pleasurable alternatives.

 One thing is certain. Setting a target would enable one to focus better, measure progress, take corrective action and get motivated to try till one succeeds. Targets will also provide one the impetus to take setbacks in one’s stride, be grounded when sudden windfalls are got and persevere till the goal is attained. So nothing can stop one from attaining success if one is ready to To Aim at Realistic Goals Every Time.

Action Points:

• Draw out the sketch of your dream house.                                               
• If you won a lottery of Rs.100 lacs (One crore) what would you do with that money.
• If you had to save an additional 10 percent of your current income what expenses would you cut down on?
• How would you get one additional hour in the day for you to pursue your passion? What activities would you cut down on or delegate in order to get this additional one hour?

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HURDLES

The hurdles is a unique event where mans ingenuity to make the staid and boring activity of running more interesting was improvised upon by putting hurdles that participants have to overcome in order to win. However the hurdles event if seen differently actually mimics life; each day that we live largely is routine but when we seek out opportunities they are there in plenty but unfortunately there are apparently too many hurdles to overcome if one has to grab the opportunities. These HURDLES in real life can be seen as Having Unexpected Resistors Demanding Leaps to Ensure Success.

There are numerous lessons that one can learn from the hurdles event. To begin with one must anticipate the hurdles, one must prepare to cross them, one cannot side step them but have to leap over them and finally even if one stumbles at a hurdle it may not necessarily mar ones chances of success. As human beings though, these lessons from the track and field hurdling event is not easily appreciated and put into daily living. If we analyze each learning point we would realize that life’s challenges and hurdles can be managed with relative ease.

Anticipate the hurdles – There is no one in this wide world who can claim to be free of problems, challenges and tensions. It is therefore prudent to stop, pause and reflect on the possible challenges that one will have to encounter along life’s path. By anticipating, we won’t be taken by surprise, we will have some plans to meet the hurdles and more importantly our confidence won’t be dented.

Prepare to cross them – Just like one prepares for an exam without really knowing the questions that will actually come in the question paper, one can work on meeting some challenges that we can anticipate. E.g. if communication in English is a weakness because one has studied in the vernacular, then working on ones English language skills is imperative.

One cannot side step them but have to leap over them – There is an English saying ‘do not bury your head in the sand like and ostrich’ which implies that when confronted with unavoidable troubles do not try to ignore it or run away from it. Just as the hurdlers have to leap over the hurdles one has to confront challenges with daring and fortitude. Here another saying is equally relevant which states ‘ you cannot cross a chasm in two steps’; implying that at times one has to take a risk and make big decisions. E.g. Someone who is an employee could be passionate about a business venture but he / she has to leave behind the security of a fixed salary and possible take a huge income loss before establishing one’s business.

Even if one stumbles at a hurdle it may not necessarily mar ones chances of success.- Even the best hurdles in the world have a bad day in office occasionally, when they stumble over the hurdles. In life we are more prone to stumble off and on for the hurdles are not evenly placed nor the height evenly adjusted as in the track event. Each day brings new, different and intriguing challenges. Keeping motivated each day is perhaps the most commonly experienced challenge for most human beings. Being satisfied is another huge challenge. These are generic challenges but some specific challenges can be a huge hurdle to overcome. The good part of the hurdles is that life gives us many opportunities to fail and get up and retry.  The best part is that the biggest and most challenging hurdles merely require us to overcome our personal inhibitions. The superlative part of the hurdles we have to overcome is that we do not have to prove our ability to anyone but merely find our inner strength and  passion and align it with our goals to overcome them. These HURDLES in real life can then be experienced as Having overcome Unexpected Resistors Demanding Leaps to Ensure Success.

Action Points:

List out the one hurdle that is impeding your success in the following areas of your life

• Your personal life
• Your professional or student life
• Your social life
• Your self development
• Your thought process

Power Act - from http://www.actspot.com/ is focused on -

Powering your Spirit to ACT Now.

You are also invited to visit our inspirational and motivational blog

http://www.actspot.wordpress.com

ATTITUDE

Each of us is fortunate to experience a variety of thoughts every moment, some happy, a few sad, sometimes positive, occasionally negative but what really matters is how those thoughts influence your actions and in turn your life. Our response to our thoughts and the consequences thereafter impact how we shape our life and our future. Our ATTITUDE largely mirrors the response we are prone to take and is therefore seen as A Thought That Immediately Turns Useful in Directing Effort. When ones thoughts are predominantly about failure, the chances of failure are very high, simply because the thought triggers a response largely designed to fail. On the other hand if success and positivity take center stage in our thoughts, then our actions and responses are focused on succeeding and we then enjoy the fruits of success.

There is emphasis on having a Positive Attitude because our thoughts are then directed towards all possibilities that will ensure we overcome any obstacle that impedes chances of success or happiness. In sports, many an upset victory by the underdog reflects the practical aspects of a positive attitude. There is also much truth about the effects of a Positive Attitude in the lines of H.W. Longfellow, in his poem The Ladder of Saint Augustine when he writes:

 

The heights by great men reached and kept
Were not attained by sudden flight,
But they, while their companions slept,
Were toiling upward in the night.

Unless those who toiled had a positive attitude, they would not have expended their energies in the fond hope of achieving success.

It is imperative that one train the mind to have the right attitude. This is made possible by associating with those who display the right attitude, preferably those who are always happy, confident, exuberant, extrovert and not too emotional. Obviously this means that we need to be cautious when interacting with those who are compulsive critics, those who are often sarcastic, those who avoid responsibility and those who keep whining about life in general. Equally important is our self perception about ourselves. Appreciate the strengths one is blessed with; work on overcoming our shortcomings, begin to be more proactive and decisive, exercise more self control and restrain be it on our own temper or bad habits and be grateful for all the blessings that one has been showered with.

Does this mean a Negative Attitude is completely undesirable? At times a negative attitude is a reflection of the harsh reality as is evident to the person experiencing it. It then acts as a self preservation mechanism and our actions are then directed with such an end in mind. Retreating in war when the odds are completely stacked against us can be viewed as a negative attitude but then tactically and strategically it may make better sense to preserve numbers for a better offensive latter. In boxing, ‘throwing in the towel’ is an honorable way to allow the loser to escape unnecessary punishment and hurt because of false bravado or foolhardiness. A negative attitude must be the exception rather than the norm for it to have value and appreciation.

To improve one’s attitude it is essential that we inculcate the following:

• Seek out positives in anything and everything that happens.
• Learn to be pragmatic without turning to be a defeatist.
• Reign in emotions so that decisions are not biased, impulsive or made out of compulsion.
• Be creative, innovative and unconventional in order to harness your thoughts to see possibilities in apparently hopeless and irreconcilable matters.
• Remember that ATTITUDE is not about Daring but Living, not about Avoiding but Attempting and definitely not about Winning or Losing but Trying whole heartedly.
• Finally never forget that ATTITUDE  is all about utilizing  A Thought That Immediately Turns Useful in Directing Effort.

Action Points:

How will you react in the following situations?

• You have not studied throughout the year. Suddenly one month before the exam you attempt to cram and burn the midnight oil to study. By the time the exam day arrives you are not at all confident about appearing for the exam. You then ________________________
• You are traveling in a long distance train.  At around midnight you hear a commotion and wake up to see a couple of ruffians harassing a lady commuter who is screaming for help. You would then____________________
• You go to a friend’s newly opened restaurant for a meal. He is delighted to see you and warmly welcomes you and instructs his staff to give you the best treatment. Unfortunately in their enthusiasm to serve you the waiter spills some hot soup over you. To compound the misery the specialty of the day turns out to be a very poor dish. On the way out your friend eagerly inquires with you about the food and service. How will you respond to him? ____________________________

Find something Positive in the following situation:

1. Despite studying hard and doing well in the exam, when the results come you are declared failed.
2. You have won the lottery for a million rupees but you have misplaced the ticket and cannot find it before the deadline for submission.
3. Your overseas vacation with the family is all well planned but unfortunately the day before leaving a family member who is also part of the trip takes seriously ill and is admitted to ICU and you are forced to cancel the trip incurring heavy losses on the tickets and hotel booking that are not refunded.
4. You have won a contest in which you are to have a dinner with your favorite actor/ sportsperson. You eagerly go for the vent all excited and upbeat but are rudely shocked to know that the personality has had an emergency and cannot attend the event.

Power Act - from http://www.actspot.com/ is focused on -

Powering your Spirit to ACT Now.

You are also invited to visit our inspirational and motivational blog

http://www.actspot.wordpress.com

ACT

ACT does not refer to the ability to emote and perform on stage or before the camera, but is an acronym for an even more powerful expression - Action Conquers Terror. There is very paradoxical English phrase' Paralyzed by Fear' which is the exact opposite of ACT. One of the most common fears is Public Speaking and the only way to overcome it is to get in front of an audience and speak. All the rules of public speaking will not help you, just as the theoretical knowledge of the laws of physics wont teach you swimming unless you are in the water. Similarly, if we need to conquer our fears, we need to make an effort to sharpen our abilities to overcome that fear and then plunge into it with confidence and enthusiasm. Confidence will ensure that your heart is in it and enthusiasm will give you the positive energy to succeed.
Never forget that there is a first time for anything we do in life . Success is not guaranteed all the time; yet we tentatively step into the swimming pool for the first time and boldly walk the isle at our wedding - the key in both cases is our urge to experience the pleasures that come with the ACT.

There is only one word of caution - don't confuse movement with action - a rocking chair is moving alright, but it isn't taking you anywhere !!!

Action Points

• List out your fears or some of those passionate things you always wanted to do. e.g. going on a giant wheel, taking an elephant ride, eating with chopsticks etc.
• Make an action plan to ensure that you will create an opportunity to actually attempt to enjoy these pursuits.

              Power Act - from www.actspot.com is focused on -
                        Powering your Spirit to ACT Now.