Calculus for success: How to get the mindset you need to exercise leadership. Empowerment beyond the hype.

If you do not obtain your Self, then what is the point of being." - Ramana Maharshi.

The Chinese aphorism "May you live in interesting times" has given our current social, political, and business landscapes quite a mouthful. Conspiracy theories abound and living with uncertainty is the new normal. Add the fact of remote work and the shift in office social routines and we find everyone is gasping for breath.

Both seasoned managers and young professionals are experiencing burnout at alarming rates. More people than you think are suffering from mental health issues in the workplace. Given that pressure builds in the corporate world for more effective practices and higher benchmarks to achieve, managers report bullying colleagues has become more commonplace.

Studies indicate that few managers have built the necessary psychological chops to understand the current climate. Among communication skills, listening to others should rank high. Employees need to feel valued and appreciated, but they never will unless you tell them. The result is that most companies are desperately seeking effective communicators who know how to drive team morale, provide constructive feedback, and successfully delegate tasks. Furthermore, record numbers of professionals are quitting their jobs. When asked why they respond "We will no longer work for a company that doesn't provide a safe space of balance and peace of mind".

As a coach, I have seen how life experiences shape a person's philosophy on coping, overcoming fears, achieving emotional and mental resilience, and gaining physical strength. It is not a magic bullet, but it does point out that high performers cultivate certain habits, which help them recalibrate their calculus for success. Life can be a hard taskmaster. Everyone needs resilience to succeed, but you also need an actionable plan to live with extraordinary courage, balance, and joy.

4 keys to embracing your fears

One of the things coaching can do for you is to provide a safe space for self-analysis and a pragmatic game plan to encourage and provide emotional support to bring positive change into your personal and professional life.

A whole new world reveals itself to you by doing so because your fears only exist in your mind. They are not real. Facing your challenges one step at a time allows you to invalidate some of your internal insecurities while making you feel like you have value to give. In addition, it answers seminal questions such as "Am I appreciated? Where do I belong?" and perhaps most importantly, "Who am I?"

For inspiration, let's turn to Arunachala Mountain's great personal development coach, Ramana Maharshi. His coaching guarantees to bring you sound mental and physical health, wealth, happiness, awareness, and authenticity. It is based on understanding your true motivation. Furthermore, he would say that the moment we start to define our position in life, no matter what it might be, we confine ourselves to a series of structural limitations, preconceived conceptions, and outward projections. Until we can answer "Who am I" in a state of calm dispassion, we will never cultivate the self-discipline to act with courage and elevate our lives. All we need to do is take the first step, act courageously, and stay mindful.

How to better tackle the drama of human life

Drama is part of human life. You cannot escape or insulate yourself. However, you can equip yourself to handle your challenges better. The key to self-mastery is to let go of your misunderstanding of who you think you are compared with who you really are. The moment has come to "wake up and roar". Although this is an ancient path, it is forever fresh and timeless. You don't need to become a renunciate. You can find the answer to the questions that nag right in your own home. The Buddha gently suggested that everyone has the power to reshape their persona. It just takes fortitude and determination. Let's get started.

Exercise 1: Cultivate the garden of your mind. You wouldn't allow weeds to grow in your garden. So why do you allow negative thoughts to saturate your mind? You may not be able to change the world with one bold stroke, but you do have the power to check negative thoughts as they enter your consciousness. Start by recalibrating your emotional intelligence. Emotions are like fleeting clouds in the sky. They will disappear if you do not attach significance to them.

Exercise 2: Drop fear from your playlist. Fear is corrosive and destructive. Replace these thoughts with something positive. Anyone can do this. Otherwise, you will make yourself ill. People create barriers out of fear. If we are honest, we pursue this path because we lack a proper understanding of ourselves. If we only understood the greatness within the human heart, we would no longer feel ordinary, false, or weak. Embody compassion within and see your worldview change. Forgive yourself, and the rest is easy.

Scientists have proven that the entire universe consists of nothing but conscious energy. Because this is so, we are all part of the same universal family, with the same aspirations despite our superficial cultural and social differences. In reality, we are not different from one another. If we strike fear and negativity from our hearts, the world would be a dramatically different place.

Exercise 3: Explore Becoming. Creation takes place in two stages. First, the idea is formulated in mind. Then with concerted action, it has the power to manifest as reality. How is this possible? Within the human heart dwells a shimmering effulgence whose brilliance surpasses even the sun. Buddhists refer to this energy center as "the void". Masters call this space our "inner consciousness" and state that it is this energy beyond name and form that animates the world. They also stipulate that unless we realise this by direct experience, we are condemned to live someone else's life.

Each one of us has the power to become anything we want by exercising our will. The Maitri Upanishad states that "One's thought is one's world. What a person thinks is what they become - That is the eternal mystery."

Exercise 4: Make Resolutions. Every year we make resolutions with the hope for a more fruitful future. The problem is that we don't live in the future. We only live now in the present moment. Most people's minds oscillate between dragging up what has happened to them in the past or projecting themselves into an ideal what-if "future" that never arrives. I suggest that you wipe your slate clean and take charge. Plato would counsel us to "Leave the shadows and step out into the light".

This principle takes on more meaning when it is applied to career growth and professional enhancement. Although we live in the present moment, there is nothing wrong with building a roadmap to change your current situation. In an era of intense uncertainty, please note there is also a risk factor.  However, risk is like a muscle. The more risk you take, the better equipped you will be to make things happen. As your confidence increases, you will tap the commitment to fulfill your objectives. Many people have taken this path. Know you are not alone. When you embark on this journey, helplessness will flee, and you will be in charge of your destiny. Your destiny is not written. Search your feelings. You have the power to instigate positive change.

Bringing it back home. Instituting change in your career or personal life is best done one step at a time. In conclusion, let me share with you the words of one of the wisest people I value who lives on the outskirts of Bangalore. Her words hold profound clarity:

"I feel clean

I feel free

I feel ready to live each day with zest.

I am delighted by the adventure of each moment."

See what you can do when you conduct your experiments with truth.

About the author

Andrew Scharf is an award-winning MBA Admissions Consultant and Executive Coach 🌱 Aspiring professionals and top performers have widely recognised his work. 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.