-
Dr.
Wayne Dyer
It is indeed true that the world around us is what we have
created for ourselves. There are different
ways to look at every situation, thing and person. The way we look at it also
depends a lot on our feelings and emotions. It is the intention in the mind
that manifests the situation.
There are broadly, two ways to look at a situation, positive and
negative. Positive is an opportunity and negative is a threat. A situation is
as big as the way we look at it. When we look at a situation as if it is a disaster,
it will become a disaster. If we look at the same situation as an opportunity,
yes, a great opportunity is created.
Let’s look at this from a personal and professional point
of view……
Personal:
We are what we believe we are, and the world around us manifests
the way we start looking at it. If we have a complaining attitude, then we have
many things to complain about, our road conditions, traffic, people around us,
etc. It is human that we try to find a reason, to blame someone or something
for our failure; rather than learning from it and finding opportunities. It is
also a tendency to build perceptions about everything and everyone we meet, and
the first impression means a lot to us. Once we have built the first impression
it’s very hard to change the perception about that person or thing.
Talking about the world around us, mostly what we hear is the
bad news (thanks to the news channels)! We get to hear about the way the world is
at war, people are killing each other, or hatred among different communities,
etc. We always tend to get influenced by these facts very fast and start
building perceptions. The world, in reality, is a very beautiful place!
Begin looking at everything around you through a positive
lens and see the difference, it will transform your life. When we want to start
something new, we have good intentions but, we also indulge in a negative
thought, “what if it fails?”. And if we start with this thought, more often
than not, we end up facing some hurdle or the other. To state an example, many
people wish to start a business of their own, but the fear of failure keeps
them away. The first thought itself is negative “fear of failure”! How can one
be successful if the start itself is negative?
Then how do we really build a positive perspective in our
life? Here are a few thoughts:
- Whenever you meet someone for the first time, focus only on
the good qualities of that person. Do not create an impression of the person in
the first interaction.
- When you start to office, visualise yourself enjoying the
journey, traffic jams helping you to listen to that favourite song or music you
love. This can even be done at the beginning of the day by visualising the complete
day.
- Stay away from the news about hatred, killing, etc.
Instead, spend time on some peaceful music or things you would like to learn.
Go out make some friends, spend quality time with them. The world out there is
a beautiful place with lovely people, go out and meet them.
- Always keep in mind that “whatever happens, happens for
good”. Make sure you look at everything through a positive lens.
Professional:
Let me start with a small story about Steve Jobs. Most of us
know the infamous exit of Steve from Apple. If Steve had looked at that as a
failure, he would not have been as famous as he is today. He made sure that he
looked at it as an opportunity, not a failure. He learned his lessons, started
a new company, sold it to Apple to get back to Apple as an advisor and ended up
being a CEO. He transformed Apple on his comeback and placed it on the top of
the list. This is known as, sensing an opportunity in every failure, to make it
big.
If you have lost your job, it is difficult. But it could be
because you are due for a better job or maybe you are ready to start something
on your own. It is to move you away from your comfort zone, to get the best out
of you. Do not look at this as an end to everything or as a failure. There are
ample opportunities around, it’s just the way we look at the situation. Every
person has their strengths, they just need to work on it. We can even end up
make a living out of it.
At the office, there are a lot of things we are worried about,
visibility, recognition, competition, etc. If you feel people are trying to put
you down, that means you are direct competition for them. Do not get bullied,
just take it positively and stay focused on your work. You will emerge as a
winner. Do not get into gossips at the office, this is the most powerful negative
feeling and will build a negative image about you.
In business, if your revenue is going down, maybe it’s time
to try a different approach or diversify your business and try something new.
If you are planning to start a business, do not have fear. Instead, fill
yourself with confidence. Visualise your business grow big and place yourself
in the right frame of mind.
Failure is the stepping stone to Success:
As the saying goes “If all you have is a hammer, everything
looks like a nail.” It’s up to us to
look at the glass as half full or half empty. Let’s build a habit of looking at
things with the right mindset. For some, success comes faster than others! So
do not give up, just wait for your turn. To know the world better, travel
places, meet the lovely people out there and you will get to know for yourself.
Research says, you are shaped by the people around you and especially by the 5 closest to you. It's important the kind of friends you have, the right company makes you
prosper in life. If you are in a bad company, either change your company or change
the company.
Starting today, look at everything that happens in your life
with a different perception. Say, “it happens for a reason” and look at it through
a positive frame of mind. There are forces in the universe to help you. These
forces will unite when you need them. There is an invisible force out there to
grant all our wishes, irrespective of it being positive or negative. What is
your next thought?