Alignment

Do you see some hidden force stopping your growth? What if I give you a simple solution? This article is inspired by my experiences of mentoring over 300 young interns as leaders, over the last 12 years.

I am listing ten problems here. I'd like you to give yourself a score out of 10, for each of the problems. This would help you be more self-aware.

1- I lose interest while doing work. I have a project deadline and I feel like watching a movie.

2- I struggle to collaborate with some people. They annoy me and they just don't get what I say. I feel like they don't wish to speak with me.

3- I struggle to listen, I miss some important points while listening to technical or deep conversations.

4- I struggle to plan and execute when I deal with complex projects.

5- I find it difficult to understand Finances while working on my project. My lead ends up rejecting my ideas as impractical ones.

6- I lose confidence frequently and I thus feel lonely.

7- I crave more appreciation and recognition of my work.

8- My needs are never met, I always feel disappointed even after achieving something. I don't feel grateful.

9- I see a huge gap between my expectations of success and reality

10- I have a lot of anxiety related to the future

Would you want a silver bullet to solve these ten problems? Trust me, there is one. If study Maslow's hierarchy of needs, most humans search for basic needs- physiological, social, emotional, and self-esteem. However, artists go for level-5 needs-self actualization. The planet's greatest geniuses operate at the level of level-6 needs- transcendence. The legendary Silicon Valley CEO Andy Grove (Intel) explains the changing nature of needs in his book High Output Management. So how do we get to level 6?

Let us see the why before the how. Why do we feel lonely, jealous, and all these negative feelings? Isn't it because we have an idea of self? What if the idea of self fades away? Sounds too abstract, let us see two examples.

Case1: Need for appreciation

Do we feel underappreciated in the Indian society?

Level 4: I am not appreciated even though I worked hard (self-esteem need)

Level 5: I am grateful for the opportunity to do this work. John may appreciate me sometime in the future. It is okay if he doesn't, I would like to bring out the best version of myself (Self-Actualization need is bigger than self-esteem here)

Level 6: Raju is not appreciated by John. John may be absorbed in some problems. John's personal pain may be denying him the superpower of gratitude. (Transcendence means there is no self at all, there is only Raju or some random character, if there is no self, there is no damage. If I don't exist, how can I be hurt?

Case2: Am I good enough

Don't we all face some amount of self-doubt?

Level 4: Am I good enough for this job? Will I be able to do it? (Self-esteem need- we would like someone to tell us that we are good enough)

Level 5: I am probably at 60% of the required skill set, I would like to set up a roadmap for myself to get to 110% in the next six months. This project is an opportunity to punch above my weight and get there (Self-actualization needs are bigger than self-esteem needs here)

Level 6: The users need a product that is affordable and that delivers quality. This is a great opportunity to serve the people. We can figure out the best solution to light up smiles on the faces of people (Transcendence means there is no I, we just see the bigger picture)

Well, what about Level1,2,3? Let me show you that as well.

Level 1: I don't have the right food, I want a biryani. People with this level of need are stuck with food, clothing, and shelter. These are important, but there is a limit to these needs, or else we get confined here. (Physiological needs)

Level 2: Will I be removed from this job? Do I have a long-term career? What if don't make a good software developer? (Safety and Security needs)

Level 3: Do I really belong to this group? These people are way smarter than me. These people don't seem to like me (Social needs or sense of belonging)

So what is the best way to get to level 6? Well, is it easy to do it alone? Else, is it nice to work with an organization that is working for a cause? If you work for Nestle, which is working for nutrition, can you then get inspired to stop thinking of yourself and contribute to Nutrition? If you work for Apple, can you then think of putting powerful Technology in the hands of people?

World's greatest geniuses Steve Jobs, Mahatma Gandhi, and Richard Feynman, were driven by transcendence- to make a difference in this world. But how practical is this idea? Don't we end up being selfish again, just five minutes after reading this article?

1- The more you think of yourself, the more you hurt yourself

2- If you find a cause and find a viable way to contribute, you get career growth

3- Career growth implies a better salary and management skills which help you meet your needs wisely

4- If you do not find that connection to a cause, your career stops somewhere.

Let me give you a simple explanation of this. You see a sincere student in your class Chintu, who studies very hard for exams. You feel like being Chintu, you keep trying hard. You never get what you want, you get disappointed. You keep trying to be Chintu. Your teacher tries to explain the concept in a simple way. You don't listen, your mind is focused on how to cross Chintu's marks. The only way to do great work is to love what you do and see a greater cause there. If you are plagued by inner mental evils, how can you get there?

Some causes you can work on

1- Education: Teaching everyone to think, to be good global citizens

2- Healthcare: A higher quality of life, through affordable healthcare

3- Food and Nutrition: Ensuring that everyone gets the right food that they like.

4- Environment: Saving this planet for future generations

5- Mental Health: Keeping people happy, helping people deal with emotions

6- Hygiene: Making the world cleaner, thus making people healthier

7- Justice: Making everyone feel equal, get equal opportunities

8- Addictions: Saving people from alcohol, cigarettes, drugs

9- Safety: Protecting people from evil, terrorism and crimes

10- Discrimination: Making everyone feel respected

I am sure this idea is not easy to implement. Do leave your doubts in the comments, let us have a conversation, and let us find alignment to a cause. Once you get there, you'll not go there alone, you'll pull more people to the top. You'll have an article like this. It is wonderful at the top, at level 6, would you like to come here? Only 5-10% of the readers go the extra mile and leave their questions. Life begins at the edge of the comfort zone. So go ahead and leave your questions in the comments!