The secrets to fulfillment. Escaping the mental health matrix.

“You know what your problem is? You think too much, weighing everything like a grocer.”?-?Zorba, The Greek

Escaping the mental health matrix starts by building a path to fulfillment. The main hurdles are the shifting tendencies of the mind. Building a shared vision of culture and success starts with being happy with who you really are and what you really love doing professionally. Sometimes the process can be messy. However, a corrective strategy enables you to connect the dots by taking ownership and responsibility for your Self.

Opportunities to kick-start your journey are always there. It is a question of correctly identifying your options, and where they are, then taking appropriate action. We find that an executive or career coach is invaluable to this process. Coaching offers you a professional support network with someone qualified to guide you to reach your goal. Success is achieved one step at a time, is measurable, and is attainable. The mindset to nurture is fearlessness, leadership, and hope.

A fundamental approach to resolving a mental health conundrum is to see your career transformation as a journey and not a destination. What you will also discover is that success in the workplace is never enough. Aim for a sane, holistic, and balanced life where compassion is your breath. Expand your horizons. Read books that nourish you and encourage you to grow. Explore the world (even if it is only from your armchair).

Why mental health is crucial to a meaningful career

The term "meaningful" should not be elusive. It should have context and parameters. In our view, we see this as a case of finding a genuine purpose. Without purpose, it is almost impossible to find fulfillment. Because many people tie their identities and purpose to work, they feel miserable when they are made redundant or forced to change a lifetime of habits. Some experts suggest that unemployment or working in a passionless job is one of the primary roots of anguish and serious mental illness. Everyone wants to feel what they do matters. However, obsession builds a false identity tied to a function, name, and form.

The mental health calculus

According to recent studies, the data indicates that only a minority of professionals find meaningful work and derive fulfillment. When pop culture obsesses with "ideal lives" portrayed on social media, living in material comfort, and surrounded by luxury brands, is it any wonder most people are disappointed with how they live?

The solution to this dilemma is to jettison this false narrative we hold concerning success and happiness. Choose to create another byline based on peace of mind and contentment with what we have and who we are in the present moment. By doing so you open the door to freedom with awareness. Awareness is concrete and actionable because it teaches us to use the manure of life situations to?fertilise?our understanding of the human experience.

Identifying a key approach: methodology

Sound mental health is forged through the methodology. Thoughts?appear and disappear in the mind like clouds in the sky. When these thoughts are left unchecked, the mind uses its power to disrupt what makes us content. Controlling our thoughts, however, brings resilience and determination making us more productive and creative in the workplace.

I should also add that fulfillment is a state of consciousness and not a result.?A disorganised mind is more commonplace than you think. Fulfillment requires that we embrace a state of being no matter what are our circumstances or environment. The key to fulfillment is a controlled and tame mind. The prescription recommended by the masters is to practice mindfulness. The sages of the Himalayas have been counseling this approach for millennia. Their?protocols?and methodologies have even been verified by modern science. Best of all, they?are easy to practice.

Look at this objectively. Fulfillment is not a golden chalice.?It is a state obtained by practice to deal with the two voices always chattering away in our heads. One voice is the voice of wisdom. It sits there, pure, unsullied, and authentic. It is patient because it knows that it can neither be created nor destroyed. When it manifests you are free from any desire.?It also has the power to stop you from acting irresponsibly against your better interests. However, for the most part, it sits quietly and observes our behaviour.

The other voice is similar to the disruptive kids we knew in high school. Let's call this voice, the ego. The ego has a personal story, name, and status, and constantly needs attention and instant gratification. This voice is flashy and loves drama. If it took to writing Shakespearean plays that would be fine, but writing is too passive an activity for it to contemplate. It prefers to get us into a pickle.

In the USA, the?National Institute on Aging recently addressed the issue of fulfillment. It claims that allowing your mind to be disorganised doesn’t just feel bad, it’s actually bad for you. We all know that a disorganised mind makes us anxious and impulsive. It thrives on stressful scenarios with glee. Less obvious are the health consequences, which can accrue such as alcohol addiction, weight gain, sleep deficiencies, and migraines. There is, however, a way out.

5 simple steps?to accelerate your performance

Step 1: Change your mindset

Step 2:?Control your emotions

Emotions are rooted in your DNA because they become biochemical reactions created by thought patterns. While it might be impossible to control all of your feelings, you do have the strength and the agility?to watch them as they manifest. By doing so, you also have the choice of whether to act on them or not. Many of us act impulsively because we do not observe, we just respond as the emotion grips our psyche. However, if you can position your mind to observe, you are on a path to freedom.

Step 3:?Sustain your focus

Focus is a question of concentration. It eliminates frustration because it makes us itemise our?to-do?list of activities. Once we are focused, we experience?the power of now.

Step 4:?Break your routines

Everyone needs breaks. Routines are monotonous and lead to mental fatigue. Make time to exercise. Once again, pundits show that the most productive work cycles tend to be around 52 minutes in length. Yes, this can vary. Follow this with a 15-17 minute pause and you will feel refreshed. Don’t be rigid on yourself; see your work as a pattern, which can be varied to overt boredom or mental fatigue.

Step 5:?Avoid mind games

The mind is a tricky customer. Sages compare it to a monkey, never content, and always looking for more fruit. Left unmanaged, it runs wild. Controlled in the proper meaning of the term, and you will find a sense of purpose and meaning in what you do. Mindfulness?is the key. All that is required from you is the desire to break with bad habits.?This is one of the best-kept secrets taught by the masters of the Himalayas. Now, it’s yours.

About the author

Andrew Scharf is an Award-Winning MBA Admissions Consultant ?? Executive & Career Coach recognised for helping top performers, and aspiring professionals be all they can be. His?mission is to inspire, empower, and connect people to change their world at Whitefield Consulting . Have a professional project you would like to discuss, send him a DM.