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Set a measure for yourself, be a real winner
Ever noticed how much time we spend living up to the expectations of others? Ever thought about the things we do and the misery we put up with to win approval and acceptance from society and friends? And yet at the end of the day we are left feeling frustrated and disappointed because we were not able to meet everybody’s expectations. You may be doing well in your studies or your work, you may have achieved a measure of success in the eyes of society, but the questio
n is, are you living up to your own expectations?
Living up to your own expectations is much more rewarding and satisfying. By setting out to measure yourself against your own personal best rather than the standards set by others, you not only set realistic goals, but you also avoid unnecessary disappointment and heartbreak.
Real, lasting motivation has to spring from an inner source, and naturally, you experience great pride and well deserved satisfaction when you reach your personal best.
Here’s what you need to know about how you can reach and live up to your personal best.
Set realistic goals
In order to achieve success, you need to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve. Goal setting is a specific and important step in the process. In world of competing and conflicting priorities, goals help you understand and focus on what is most important to you.
You will never know what your personal best is unless you keep setting goals that stretch your limits and help you improve steadily from good to great to your personal best.
Do not let emotions get in the way
While an intense, emotional high can occasionally produce a sudden burst of motivation and energy, more often than not, all manner of emotions tend to distract and interfere with the efficient working of the mind and body.
A stressed out, anxious or an even overly excited person will not be able to perform at his personal best, irrespective of the circumstances. Be aware of the emotional triggers that tend to set you off, and learn to train your mind to be calm.
Believe in yourself
Many of us have the habit of running to others for a quick fix and a ready solution for our problems. But in doing that, you are depriving your mind of the chance to believe in its own capabilities. If you do require a helping hand, you will surely find one at the end of your sleeve! Everyone views life through a different lens, and the only one with an up close, 360 degree perspective of what matters the most to you, is you. So trust your judgment. You may go wrong sometimes, but remember, a lesson learnt the hard way is a lesson well learnt.
Acknowledge your achievements
Count your blessings and your achievements. Do it every night. Be your own rater and give yourself credit for every little point you score on your personal scorecard. Maintain a journal to jot down your achievements, no matter how small they are, for they may fade away from memory in time. And when you are down and out, pop out the journal and relive those moments again. They may bring a smile to your lips or a tear to your eye, and cheer you on to your next challenge.
Your personal best is constantly changing
The best part about aiming for our personal best is that it keeps evolving just like we do. Unlike the ‘trying to keep up with the Joneses’ sort of goals, our personal best changes with the realities of the circumstances we are in, it accommodates our priorities, our set backs and the mistakes we make, reminding us that as long as we are still trying, our personal best may still be ahead of us.
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BINDU SRIDHAR
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