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

SUN

When Galileo first propounded that the SUN was the center of the universe, there were few takers for his theory and in fact he was chastened by the then pope for what was then perceived to be blasphemy. Fortunately for him, and the world at large, he had both the intelligence and the courage of conviction to stand by his theory. Now that we know that the SUN is the center of the universe we realize that it is the Strongest Universal Nucleus.

By studying the phenomena of the SUN and its properties we are captivated by 3 lessons that we can learn and put into practice in our lives.

To begin with it attracts attention through the power and energy it emits. If we as individuals can harness our own abilities and strengths we too can hold center stage and actually be influencers of the world around us. We need not be path breakers or inventors to be positive influencers. All we need to do is be focused, consistent and passionate about whatever we choose to do. Sooner than later our efforts will be recognized, we would find followers and change those around us to our way of thinking, action and results. What is important is having a passion to drive you and the commitment to keep going even if there are hiccups on the way.

Its limitless energy is freely given and anyone who can channelize it would benefit immensely. When a person is passionate and committed he/ she gives freely of his/her time, effort and even money.  The problem though is that if they do not channelize their largesse they would never really get a sense of complete satisfaction. Most of us are self centered when giving / sharing what we have. We give off what we don’t want so that we can reduce the clutter. We participate in social causes partly to satisfy our conscience, partly to be seen as being social and partly to exhibit our abilities for applause, recognition and self gratification. It is when we can commit ourselves as a discipline; take on commitments with no strings attached and be magnanimous enough to part with possessions without any remorse or expectations; that is when we bring sunshine to the world around us.

The sun keeps shining no matter what time of the day or what kind of weather. Can we emulate the sun in keeping up our good cheer and countenance no matter what the cost? Do we feel easily slighted, become restless at the slightest hint of trouble, carry grudges and sulk in frustration? Can we train ourselves to sport a beaming smile at all times, exude positive energy in abundance and be gung-ho even under the most adverse conditions? Life is full of up’s and down’s; the challenge is to accept the latter with equanimity and maximize the former with faith and confidence. Visualize yourself as the SUN that is at the center of your universe and then you will realize that you are the Strongest Universal Nucleus that binds the lives of all those around you.

Action Points:

1. To Energize your self – Try to do the Surya Namaskar  which is an yoga exercise that is both wholesome and effective. It is paying obeisance to the sun. You are invited to learn the exercise and practice it daily. Click on the following link for the same http://tinyurl.com/ajmdhh
2.  To get a feel of the power of channelizing energy -Take a magnifying glass and a small sheet of paper and focus the magnifying glass on the paper allowing the rays of the sun to penetrate through the glass on to the paper. Keep holding it till the heat from the sun starts to burn the paper.
3.  To keep shining and smiling - Read one joke or humorous article or see a cartoon daily. If possible share the same with family, friends, colleagues etc. In addition form the habit of trying to find at least 3 good things in anything that goes wrong. You will improve your positive thinking that way.

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

Powering your Spirit to ACT Now.

You are also invited to visit our DAILY inspirational and motivational blog http://www.actspot.wordpress.com/

SMILE

See My Instant Life Energizer and I immediately realize that my SMILE not only transforms me but impacts every one around me too. A smile can set anything right! Beginning with my mood, it brightens the environment around, charges the people interacting with me with positive energy and paradoxically makes life in general a lot lighter too.

A SMILE comes free, can be given free and you receive it manifold absolutely free. A smile is the antidote for worry, the visible sign of happiness and the hidden reservoir of warmth and cheer. Nothing breaks the ice faster between strangers, than a warm smile. It not only improves the face value but it even touches the heart. A smile can melt hardened hearts, give hope to the despondent, cement friendships, be the instant peacemaker and the omnipresent lingering image of a Loved one!

Action Points:

• Are you smiling in all your photographs- go check a few and ask yourself how come you were so happy at that moment. Many memories will come flooding back and you can again feel the smile on your face.
• Can you visualize the moments that felt heavenly when you got some smiles - it could have been  the smile from grand parents, parents or the smile from your favorite teacher in school or is it the smile from your spouse to be, when you both first met or the smile from your new born?
• Take up the challenge to smile daily at the most non descript people you meet – the cab driver, the lift man, the waiters in restaurants, ticket vendor behind the counter, the beggars on the street corner etc.

This post is courtesy www.actspot.com  

You are also invited to visit our daily inspirational and motivational blog http://www.actspot.wordpress.com /

FEAR

Self belief is a critical requirement for anyone who believes in Positive Thinking. Unfortunately, most of us tend to focus on our failures, and get paralyzed by the thought that if our actions do not produce the desired results, we have let ourselves and those who have confidence in us down. We therefore choose the easiest option inaction; in effect what we are doing is giving in to our FEAR’s.

FEAR is nothing but False Evidence Appearing Real. Let us view it differently. In any race, there can be only one winner. Does it mean that the person with the best timing be the only one to run the race? Sounds stupid, since every one in the race has a fair chance of winning, as they carry the potential to win and have thus qualified to be in the final race. A failure to win one race doesn’t mean that we cannot win the next race. If we let our fears appear so real, then we would enter every race with the belief that we will not win and you can be sure it will be a self fulfilling prophecy. Of course we must not be fool hardy and enter races where we are physically, mentally and psychologically not competent for the race. Our life is not a competitive race with one another, just a qualitative race between our own today and tomorrow. Making our life more meaningful today, more pleasurable for everyone around and pushing our own boundaries of excellence is what makes life beautiful.

No one has succeeded without tasting failure; the bitter tastes of failure is like a bitter medicine that only serves to make you healthier in spirit, mightier in thought and more determined in action.

Action Points

• List out your goals and your fears that have stopped you from attempting those goals.
  
• List out your failures and the possible reasons for those failures.
  
• Outline those goals you realized despite initial setbacks and failures and ask yourself how or why you succeeded in achieving those goals.
  
  
  

                     Power Act - from www.actspot.com is focused on -

                               Powering your Spirit to ACT Now.

12- Interesting ACRONYMS - MY interpretations.

The next set of blogs will focus on Interesting ACRONYMS* that have intrigued me ! Many of them are inspirational and thought provoking, but often we read and appreciate the expansions but have difficulty in embracing it and using it to recharge our batteries. MY interpretations of these acronyms is an attempt to share with you my views on each and I hope it will give you added impetus to adopt, adapt and be motivated by it.

                    *acronyms - a word formed from the initial letters of other words eg U.N. (United Nations)

The focus is on acronyms, that have motivational / inspirational / positive expansions.One of the most common ones is Together Everyone Achieves More. However there are others like PUSH and FAITH which have very thought provoking expansions and the next few blogs will focus on many such ACRONYMS.

You are welcome to forward me, Acronyms that you have come across, which you find thought provoking or stimulating or those acronyms about which, you would like my views on. You can either post it as a comment on this blog or email me at contact@actspot.com I would also value your feedback and comments on this blog and your are encouraged to write in your comments. 

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

6 - Challenge your fears

In the fourth verse notice Longfellow's keen observation about the human mind when he writes :

Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.

The word Art has perhaps been used by Longfellow, to convey the multifaceted abilities of the human race. He echoes what goes through our minds every time we hear of death, that we as individuals have so much more to do, to achieve, to attain and we are fearful that if death pays us a visit, our hopes & dreams would remain unfulfilled.

We put on a brave face, sympathize with those who have lost a beloved one, console one another and yet beneath the bravado and dapper appearance,  our hearts beat faster echoing our innermost fears and our mind's turbulence. Sadly during this phase the only song that springs to mind are the mournful tunes and words of the funeral marches (songs sung at funerals) highlighting our obsession with our Existence.

On a more subtle note, Longfellow is perhaps urging us  not to be so obsessed with Life per se but is hinting that we need to utilize our life in pursuit of our passions, our dreams and our aspirations and to get over our morbid fears. 


Action Points:

• List out your dreams / passions.
• Outline how you propose to work on it / pursue it with greater interest.
• Do something that you dislike / fear /dread eg. if you have a fear of heights at least try to visit the top floor of a high rise building or you could make an effort to read for an hour every day for 2 weeks (lack of time or a dislike for reading being assumed here)

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

4- Be Alive, Be Real - Embrace LIFE

The second stanza of Longfellow's poem the Psalm of Life which reads as under, is an ode to LIFE :

Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
"Dust thou art, to dust returnest,"
Was not spoken of the soul.

The focus now shifts to Appreciating the LIFE given to us. He urges us to see life as a gift from someone who loves us immensely and therefore the need for us to value it dearly. While death is an inescapable reality, it is LIFE that is God's gift to the HUMAN Race.

Christians believe that man was made from dust and since they bury their dead the third stanza aptly brings out this fact. However in a most dramatic way Longfellow contrasts the irony of LIFE as understood in it's physical form, in the fourth stanza, where he emphasizes that the SOUL is immortal.

We need to ask ourselves the question 'Are we Dead Men/Women walking'? Are we Living Corpses ? or Are we ALIVE, REAL beings valuing the gift of LIFE and Embracing the wonders that LIFE offers us.

Action Points:

• List out the things /events in your life, for which you are grateful to God.
• Apart from prayer, how can you express your appreciation of the gift of LIFE to God?
• In what ways can you contribute to making LIFE wonderful for those less privileged than you?

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