FIRST

Our obsession with standing first in every aspect of life has often been both a boon and a bane. As a boon standing first is motivation to perform well, but it becomes a bane when the expectations are not correlated with the person’s ability to achieve the first place. However, this concept of standing first is based on the popular perception of what is considered to be standing first. In reality if we change our perception of what it means to stand first, each of us can achieve the distinction of standing first frequently.  To begin with one needs to view standing first as Foremost In Reaching Set Target.

Notice now that being first is possible when we can show improved performance for ourselves. This assumes that we have some objective in mind and we set about achieving that target in more optimal ways than we have ever done before. Assume for a moment that the best academic result you achieved was struggling to get a first class. Now if you target to get a distinction without really measuring the effort required, the probability of not achieving that is very high. However if the target set is to improve your score by 10% and then you set about diligently working towards it, any improvement over what you have achieved in the past would make you stand first as compared to your past achievement.

You can also view being first from the stand point of attempting anything new. Anything you do that you haven’t attempted before is a first for you. Here again you are only competing with yourself to overcome you apprehensions and fears about attempting something new. The first day of school, the first time you went on stage, the first time you participated in a race, the first time your drove a car all alone, the first time you attempted a dare the list goes on and on.  Then there is a first that brings in to play your character, your values and your ethics. The times you refused to pay a bribe, the times you refused to cheat in an exam, the times you stood up to tell the truth, the times you apologized for a mistake, the times you kept your temper in check, the times you pardoned some one who wronged you. Every single time you are able to resist giving in and taking the easy way out because it was against your conscience you achieved a first.

The thrill of overcoming the perceived risks, the exhilaration of achieving what you set out to do and the relief that you did what you set out to do are the collateral benefits that come out of you daring to be the Foremost In Reaching Set Target.

Action Points:

Identify 3 bad habits that you want to eliminate. How will you go about ensuring you manage to overcome it? So what is the first step that you are going to take and when ?

Name the most important value that you hold most dear to you. How often were you able to hold on to that value. Can  you recall an instance when you were gravely challenged to hold on to that value with succumbing to pressures from others?

What do you consider your first and foremost achievement in your life?

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SPEED

Be it cars, bikes or the internet access, SPEED is perhaps the focus of attention. The human race has innovatively made speed attractive by having races for varying distances be it as a track event or a Formula 1 race or a motor cross or the horse racing track.  So why are we obsessed with speed?  Perhaps the answer lies in our competitive nature and our primal instincts Sudden Power Ensures Excessive Drive

The law of the jungle demands that speed holds the key to catching a prey or eluding being the prey. An old African tale illustrates it best. Every morning in the Jungle the Lion wakes up and says today I have to run faster than the slowest deer or I will have to go hungry. At the same time every morning there is a deer that gets up and says I have to run faster than the fastest Lion or I would be dead. The moral of the story is that whether you are Lion or Deer, come morning and you have to get up and run. It is however the speed at which each one runs that determines if it meets its objective. We as human beings having evolved, perhaps continue to crave for this primal instinct of speed.

Our competitive nature demands that we humans find ways and means to assert our superiority. While hunting as a sport partly let us indulge in our cravings, as we evolved, we found the need to be engaged in less risky activities. Horse racing provided owners to assert their superiority and gave the common man a chance to also lay wagers and participate in the process of identifying the best. At the same time competitive racing between human beings then became an acceptable means to a loft end of displaying competitiveness.  With progress and mechanization, motorcycle and car racing provided the human race to imaginatively and creatively test the limits of speed as is evident in improving lap timings where Sudden Power Ensures Excessive Drive.

However SPEED also tends to pose tremendous danger especially in the hands of those who cannot control/ handle speed. The human race is plagued with the performance enhancing drug menace but equally dangerous is the SPEED power that is touted by almost all vehicle manufacturers. An oft quoted phrase warning against the dangers of speed puts matter in perspective succinctly and it reads ‘ Speed thrills but also kills’. So while SPEED means  Sudden Power Ensures Excessive Drive, you must be able to keep that drive in check.

Action Points:

Check out the Olympic record and World Record timings and names of winners male and female in each of these categories. 100 meters, 200 meters, 4000 meters, 800 meters, 1500 meters, 5,000 meters, 10,000 meters and the marathon.

Find out the fastest animal and bird on the earth.

Find out who has recorded the fastest tennis serve in the world.

Who has bowled the fastest ball bowled in cricket and what was the speed recorded.

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Powering your Spirit to ACT Now.

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TIME

As I write this post on the year end 31^st Dec 2013, I cannot but remind myself that this is such a unique moment; for with every passing second I will bid good bye to 2013 and usher in 2014 with fresh hopes and dreams. What is more  significant is the realization that while the event will repeat itself every year on 31^st Dec. this moment when I writing this post will never mean the same ever. For this is my TIME as I write and your TIME as you read it and for you and me This Instant Moment is Everything .

The ideal way to ensure you utilize your time well is to ensure you plan well. Perhaps this is reinforced by the fact that we ritually make New Year Resolutions. If you haven’t done that yet, resolve to make the list as soon as you finish reading this post. When you make your New Year Resolutions it would help if you grouped it in meaningful ways. E.g. Personal Goals, Professional Goals, Financial Goals, Academic Goals, Self Improvement goals etc. To make your plan work well and help you achieve your goal list out at least 3 action plans and put a time frame to each action plan. 

It is assumed that you would write down all the plans listed above. It is equally essential that you  ensure that your plans are often seen by you. This means you need to display it in a place where you see it and are reminded of it regularly. Additionally it would help you to share some of your significant plans with family and friends who hopefully will prod you, nag you, remind you, push you and pester you about your progress on the goals. Sure enough you will find yourself spending your TIME very productively chasing those plans. Don’t forget to also review your plans and revise it if needed for almost all plans need tweaking and adjustment before they fructify into achievements.

On the other hand one need not get obsessed with TIME or else one would never enjoy a good time. Partying and relaxation is as important as achieving your goals. Taking TIME out to recharge and rejuvenate is an essential part of spending TIME for your self. Similarly ensure frequent time out for family, friends, socializing for as a social animal, these are significant moments that will ensure a healthy personal, family and social life. 

At various times each of us will feel guilty of either squandering time or being slaves to time. It is possible that there is some truth in this feeling of guilt for none us can ever be clock work in real life. What is important is not to let the guilt overwhelm us but on making the realization take steps to remedy the situation. This is possible only if one ensures that his/ her time allocation for whatever planned has ample time cushions. We get stressed when we fail to allocate time cushions for life is always full of surprises and we can never be sure of what lies in store. 

There are times when each of us have also gone through the agony of finding time weighing heavily on us especially when sick or immobilized or when one has lost his/ her job or retired. That is the time for one to be creative in utilizing your time. Think positively, find alternatives, rework your plans, don’t forget that 24 hours is all yours; use it well. Results may not be apparent or immediate, but patience is a value that is best taught by TIME.

Whatever be our take on TIME, no time is wasted except when we willfully become complacent, lethargic and indifferent to the value of TIME. After all we are all blessed with TIME as long as we are alive and that should also remind us that This Instant Moment is Everything 

So in closing let me quote Longfellow

Let us, then, be up and doing,

With a heart for any fate ;

Still achieving, still pursuing,

Learn to labor and to wait.

May EACH one of you blessed with ample TIME for growth, happiness and contentment!

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

Powering your Spirit to ACT Now.

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WORK

When we hear the word WORK the immediate thought that comes to mind for most people is that it is an insipid, terrible way of going about living. If these thoughts overpower us daily, our daily life will be hellish one. Rich or poor, king or pauper work is destined on mankind and we cannot escape that reality. Some may argue that the filthy rich need not work but look around and you will notice that they are working harder than most. The utterly poor including beggars also have to go about doing their work so as to earn, live make their life more comfortable and pleasant. Since work is inevitable, how about looking at life in a more acceptable way and see it as a Way Of Rewarding Knowledge?

The rewards of work are manifold. To begin with, work enables us to keep busy. If we did not have any work, we would in serious trouble since an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. Work rewards us with learning. While it is true that we often do the job based on what we have learnt, the reality is that what we learn on the job is far more critical in terms of being efficient and productive. It also enables us to realize our true potential and perhaps even helps us discover shades of out personality that we never knew existed. The most important reward of work is that it leads to monetary gains be it salary or profit. Far too often we focus on the monetary rewards without applying our mind to the quantum of effort or quality of work we do. Perhaps this often leads us to hate our work. By and large each one is rewarded by work in a relatively fair manner.

The key to doing good work is in leveraging the knowledge one has to the fullest. This could mean that at times we have to upgrade our knowledge, seek out opportunities at work to find niches in which we can pitch out expertise and the truly rewarded are those who make work a passion of their own liking. Knowledge is never static and so while academics can provide crucial inputs to get us going being able to proactively improve and enhance value in the work done is what brings large rewards.

The problem for many is how to love our work. My suggestions are as under:

• First accept that work is a reality that we cannot escape.
• Next try and find a work that is closest to your interest, passion, knowledge and ability.
• If you are unable to find such a work that matches all the above or worse still has no correlation to any of the above, then be grateful you have some work that keeps you out of trouble and in fact rewards you for the effort.
• Dispassionately look at your work and find as many reasons as possible to be appreciative / thankful for the work you do. E.g. A heart surgeon has greater respect in society than a pathologist who conducts autopsies. Yet there must be some motivation for people to choose to be a pathologist
• DO also remember that, it is human nature to be craving for more and the rewards of work rarely satisfy most people. So while you must seek to be rewarded more for the better work you do, do not forget that better work means more effort.

Perhaps now, you have a better appreciation that WORK is a actually a wonderful Way Of Rewarding Knowledge!

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

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http://www.actspot.wordpress.com

PLAN

To achieve anything it is essential that one has a clear plan. Without a plan we may still get lucky and achieve some success, but sustained success and achievement is impossible without a clear plan and that means we need ensure that  Possibilities Listed & Actions Noted. A plan is a guide to a destination. A good plan therefore essentially means that one has to think hard, visualize possibilities and alternatives, crystallize a clear goal and outline intermediate steps to attain the goal. The plan also ensures that our focus is on the goal, we are aware of slip ups and deviations and we can then consciously take corrective action. 

We must be aware that most times we do not plan because it takes effort, the possibilities seem daunting and we fear making the commitment. However, what we fail to appreciate are the benefits that accrue from having a well laid out plan. To begin with there is clarity. We know the destination and we can chalk out the route map. Proper plans build in milestones so as to ensure we are on the right road and that we are keeping pace with the time allotted without overshooting the budgets. The best plans also have sufficient time and fiscal cushions inbuilt so that exigencies can be taken care of. Plans ensure that we commit the right resources at the right time in the right measure to ensure the right results. 

Plans also ensure savings in money and time. Early bird pricing is a simple example of how those who plan and commit themselves can benefit monetarily by making early bird payments. With a finely tuned plan, one can juggle priorities and even find the time for personal pursuits be it a hobby or recreational activity. With proper plans put in place, one can also go for more sophisticated savings implementation like Just In Time production and zero defect production. Smooth operations, minimizing crisis, managing crisis if any, collapsing execution time frames are some additional benefits of good plans. 

On a day to day basis even drawing up a list of jobs to be done is a plan albeit a crude one. Maintaining a diary and scheduling appointments and assignments enhance the quality of personal plans. Self discipline is an essential condition for chalking out and implementing plans. Take the case of specialist doctors who have their rounds of different hospitals and clinics well laid out. Without self discipline they would never be able to stick to their plans, manage emergencies and yet lead a balanced personal life. While every plan revolves around Possibilities Listed & Actions Noted the real value of a good plan lies in the manner we take action to ensure we utilize the full potential of our plan.

Action Points:

1. Start planning and jotting down your New Year Resolutions. Remember it is never too early to plan.
2. What are your financial goals? How do you plan to achieve them? Do you have a target for savings for the coming year? How will you invest the savings?
3. Do you have a personal growth (physical / mental / societal / spiritual etc.) plan?
4. Can you recollect 2 plans which fetched you rich rewards? How did you go about planning and what were the rewards?

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