HOW TO MAKE YOUR NEW YEAR RESOLUTION WORK?

This picture collage is not a health commercial.

But I'll use my wellness journey to share how you can transform any aspect of your life.

Most of us grow "out of shape" very gradually. The process is so much gradual, we don't realize it!

For example, someone who was a good student in school/college, gets into a job, works hard, grows in her/his career to a point of "satisfaction".

This "point of satisfaction" can be salary, lifestyle, company brand name or designation.

We accept this as the Reality. We find people who accept us at this level. We convince ourselves that this is our life. We move into our comfort zone!

The more time we spend in our comfort zone, the more we are closed to feedback. We start justifying that this is the best way to live life!

You might find obese people justify saying, "happy people are fat". Similarly, you will find people in their comfort zone saying things like, "hardwork never killed someone, but why take a chance". These sentences are just silly excuses!

People making New Year resolutions from their comfort zones, usually drop it mid way! These are the people who fitness gyms love, because they pay for the membership which they never use!

The first step in our journey towards living a better life is to realize that life can be better!

Unfortunately, we need a "trigger" to realize that we are stuck in our comfort zone.

REALITY+TRIGGER=REALISATION

Most people get these triggers by chance. Life throws a situation at them which acts as the trigger.

For example, most people ignore their health when they are young. Later they get diagnosed for Diabetes or suffer severe backpain. That becomes their trigger and they start looking for solutions.

Similarly, most people wait for triggers in their life. I was one of them.

When i was doing very well (that is how we convince ourselves when we are in our comfort zone) in my career, the first major recession hit the Indian IT industry. I lost my job and went thro a bad financial set back. That was a trigger for me, to make me realize that my job was not all that secure.

This point of realisation is when we start making resolutions/decisions. This is a great starting point, but not enough!

The reason why most of these decisions are not enough, is because we usually make decisions which are within our comfort zone!

Most people take up an extra bit of walking as part of their lifestyle or reduce the amount of sugar in their coffee, assuming that this small change will give them the desired results.

In my case, after I lost my job working for a large MNC and growing on a fast track career, I made a decision to work for an Indian organisation, hoping that they don't fire people. I joined the Tata group, knowing that my job will be more secure. This was a decision which was well within my comfort zone.

The reality is that such changes usually postpone the next trigger. They don't help you avoid them!

So, what will bring the desired results after you make these decisions?

The bridge between your point of realisation to your desired result is called "Action".

REALISATION+ACTION=RESULT

Your desired results can be achieve by Planned Action.

The reason I've mentioned "Planned Action" is because, most of us are willing to work hard. We jump at the first solution that comes our way and start pounding at it.

Let me explain this with an example. Let me say, I want to travel from Bangalore to Delhi. I look around, and find a bicycle. I start pedalling towards Delhi! I am pedalling hard! Will the cycle take me to Delhi? Maybe yes...if i am able to manage all the situations that come along the way, if i am strong enough, if i have the same motivation as when i started my journey, if the bicycle does not breakdown, if i am able to find enough resources (food, shelter, etc) along the way....if...if....IF!

This is how most of us start our life journey. We chose the science stream. We chose Engineering. We chose a technology job. We are working hard. We are doing everything that is possible. We hope that our "bicycle" (in some cases it is a motorbike...a 'better looking job') will take us to our destination. Will it take to our destination? Maybe yes...if...if...IF!

Most people understand the limitation of the bicycle and chose a place change their destination from Delhi to a closer place... maybe, Devanahalli (almost sounds like Delhi, has almost all the letters in Delhi...almost...)!

An easier way would have been to question if there are vehicles that are better than a bicycle that will take me to Delhi. Unless you ask this question, you may never realise that there are aeroplanes.

What if there is an "aeroplane" outside your current career line?

We might not be able to always raise this question at the start of our journey. But, we SHOULD raise this question when we are at our point of realisation.

What if life does not throw us situations that force us to think?

How to know if we are in our comfort zone?

Will you still get to explore your full potential?

Can you really be among the most successful people in your city or our country?

What made the biggest difference in my life, is when I found the right mentor.

It was my mentor who helped me realize that i was playing within my comfort zone. He helped me realize that my job is only a stop gap arrangement till the next big recession. He helped me realize that i have tremendous potential and that i can be more successful than i ever thought i can be. He gave me the confidence that i can be a successful entrepreneur. He planted the dream in my mind that i can be financially free. He gave me hope that i can fulfil my dream of supporting the education for 200 orphaned children.

How BIG is your dream?

Are you working hard?

Are you riding the vehicle which will take you to your desired destination?

Don't hesitate to reach out to the right person and ask him or her to mentor you. If you believe that i can add any value in your learning and growth journey, don't hesitate to contact me. (My fees is quite high: I charge you with your commitment to learn and grow!)

Or, if you want to know how i became healthier and living a fuller life, feel free to ask me that as well :)

Planning your Work is important. But it is more important to Work your Plan.

Wish you a happy, healthy and successful new year!

#CommonSenseEntrepreneur