10th February 2010
Can you afford it?
Prepare yourself for the world, as the athletes used to do for their exercise; oil your mind and your manners, to give them the necessary suppleness and flexibility; strength alone will not do.
In my time management programmes, participants keep asking a question: I am lazy, what should I do? I used to reply: Okay, continue to be lazy and consider what it will do for you! We need to understand one thing in life. Experience is the best teacher. We learn many things only by undergoing certain experiences. Unless and until we learn the hard way, it will not stay with us. We also need to understand that we have to be internally convinced to do anything and our mind should be convinced as to why we are doing it and what it will do for us. We cannot change any habit or trait. We cannot take on any new behaviour consistently just because we are momentarily influenced. We can change a behaviour for a day or two and not a habit.
Consider the following statements and check if you make such statements:
- I eat too much and I don't know what to?
- I sleep too much and I don't know what to do?
- I don't spend enough time with my family and children and I don't know what to do?
- I don't exercise and I don't know what to do?
- I don't earn enough to save and I don't know what to do?
- I don't attend marriages and functions in my family and friends' circle and I don't know what to do?
- I know I am over weight and I don't know what to do?
You can add to this list! Just by making this statement you are not going to solve the problem. You need to find a solution. Here is an idea: state the problem as frequently in a day as possible and add one more statement: can I afford it? For example: I am not able to cut down my sleep, can I afford it? I am not able to exercise at all, can I afford to do this for long? etc…
Just do this exercise for a few days consciously and see the change that takes place inside you!
N C Sridharan
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