Attracting Abundance

The Law

Two Doors to Success

Happiness - XVIII


Small Wins

In the previous post, I had mentioned that the small setbacks are as powerful, if not more, as the small wins. How do we manage a situation where minor setbacks recur and put use down thus causing energy drains which then feeds further set backs. The solution is this is how we look at a setback. Do we look at setback like at a set back as a learning point or as "I always fail" issue? This is a mindset issue which brings me to the common denominator for happiness and success - resilience. We will look at this subsequently. I have learnt to look at a setback very objectively which enables me to dissect it. This helps greatly. This approach has not matured overnight but has taken time and determination.

The power of small wins gains momentous proportions when these gains come in an area of work which is very meaningful to you. So the common wisdom is "do what you love to do". Again this is easy said than done. How many of us have the opportunity to follow a course which is close to our heart? How many of us can take the risk of dumping the current assignment and strive towards getting engaged and succeeding in an assignment which is close to our heart? The uncertainty of the fundamental needs like a home, food and clothes is a big drag. Where lies the solution then? I have learnt to see this differently. I have learnt to give my best in whatever I am doing now, even if it is not I would like to do. I have learnt to see my current reality as an opportunity to create conditions which will finally enable me to get engaged in work I love to do. I have learnt to see the current reality as my support system to get me in to what love to do. This is all about perception. 

I have defined what is meaningful to me in my current assignment. I have defined what I would like to achieve in my current assignment. I have broken down my goal in to baby steps. Any gain that I make takes me forward. Any setback that I have makes me think differently. I make all efforts to claw back to the path to progress - the path of small wins. It pleases me no end that with this approach I am about five years ahead of my goal and had to recast my goal to higher levels. I have fallen in love with my current assignment.

I was fortunate to have a coach, without his knowing that I considered him as my coach, who manged to do things smoothly, more often than not, on time and was supported by a very efficient team. I subsequently understood that he had created conditions for his team to become a learning and efficient team. I emulated his methods. It was not a cut and paste route but a understand - re-engineer to my situation - implement route. The methodology - in principle - consisted of four pillars.

I understood that occasional set backs are guaranteed, No body wins 100% of the time. I learnt to dissect my set backs and move forward. I did not allow a set back to paralyze me. This also taught me never to play the blame game in the face of a setback.

I set up a network of friends, peers and a few family members who could provide me with inputs in the areas that I was short and to whom I could provide inputs where they were short. In essence this means that I formed a group of collaborators who brought something to the table and took away something from the table. This is the essence of any support group.

We set a behavioral norm within our group that whenever any member of the group comes across a piece of information which may be of importance to one or more member of the group the same will be communicated to all members of the group without delay. With the advent of electronic media this had become easy.

I have learnt to trust. Suspecting the motives of others is a big problem. It is a drain on energy and a a steep barrier to creating a meaningful relationship with others. You will not have a close support group unless there is an element of complete trust in others. It may so happen that you may get zapped once in a while. The solution to this is not to trust. The solution is to correct the composition of the group. Remember that getting zapped once in a while is part of life - trust or no trust. Use the power of trust.

The status of your being drives performance. In turn your performance improves the status of your being. It is a loop.

Namaste

Prabir