The Older I get....

For those of you who are not familiar with Alan Jackson’s song "The Older I get”, please look it up on you tube. It’s an amazing timeless classic and the song is the genesis of this blog. The Older I get, the better clarity I have on several issues that we face in a day to day corporate environment . Here’s my take on some of them, in a random order:

1.    Manage energy, not time: it is a no brainer that in a normal working day, most people start off fresh and with the passage of time, energy and enthusiasm levels wane. Certainly they are not the same throughout the day. Productivity and task completion is directly proportional to the energy level. In other words if you are fresh and ready to go, chances of attacking demanding tasks and completing them successfully are much greater than when you are tired. Fairly simple and straightforward but many of us are not wired for this.

2.    The Happiness equation: I read a brilliant article some time ago where the author defined Happiness by a simple mathematical equation, Happiness = Reality – Expectation. Underlying point here is to peg our expectations realistically. If reality is better than the expectation, you are happy. On the contrary, if expectations are high, unrealistic and nowhere close to reality, people will be unhappy.

3.    Staying in your lane: Do what you are supposed to do, be clear why you are doing it and how you will do it. You are not expected to solve everyone’s problems in this world. At times, having no solution to a problem is OK and is a perfectly normal state to be in. Resist cutting lanes unindicated or stepping on someone else’s toes to get the job done.

4.    Get rid of the “perfection” goal: Perfection gets you nowhere and just enhances pressure. Nobody is perfect. Don’t aspire for it. If you do, you end up shy of taking risks. No risks possibly means no gains, no glory either.

5.      Positive thinking: It is not your calling to change the world and that too single handedly. However you can change your thinking and channel your thoughts to be positive. This positive thinking boosts your confidence and extends your reach. Epictetus the great philosopher said - “People are not disturbed by things but the view they take of them”.

6.      Be grateful: for everything. Do not take anything or anyone for granted. Screw ups happen and things could be worse. Gratitude is the antidote to pain. Unfortunately the value of what we have is only realized when these things are taken away from us. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Life isn’t fair, but it is still good.

7.    Joy in simple things: Small simple things leave us contented and on a high. Week end get togethers over beer with my (boarding) school mates, watching the English Premier League live football game with my son, sharing a good laugh on WhatsApp etc are some examples.

8.    Having that difficult conversation: the conversation that we resist is the one that we most need to have. Do not distort facts. Listen deeply first. Then say whatever you want but with respect. Watch the tone as it more often not than gets us into hot water.

The above is by no means exhaustive but just a jot down of what was top of my mind.

Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional.