Are You Looking for Success In All The Wrong Places?
Making a business thrive is 80% psychology and 20% strategy. That’s one thing I’ve learned from a program I recently completed. It’s called Mind Hack, developed by David Bayer. And I’d encourage you to learn a little more about it yourself. It could do you and your business a lot of good.
Plenty of “positive thinking” gurus earn their living dispensing advice to crowds who pay dearly to hear them. But Bayer offers some very sound thinking on how you can empower yourself to make every aspect of your life, including your business, work better.
Thinking About Power In a New Way
For most of us, the word “power” describes the ability to force one’s will upon others. That doesn’t always work in business, as often those who flaunt that kind of power in their companies succeed only in uniting others against them, helping fuel their quick demise.
Bayer talks about power in an entirely different way. He reasons that we each possess within us all the power we need to achieve dramatic goals and enjoy wonderful lives. We simply need to learn and practice the ability to stay focused on the things we really care about. To me, he is recommending focusing on the BIG picture. Getting caught up in minutiae can take valuable time and attention away from important issues.
I haven’t completed the program yet, but so far three things jump out at me. All of them involve power, but none of them suggest wielding it like the distinguished jungle gentleman at the top of this post.
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Identify Your Passion
Surprisingly, many people never think about it that deeply. They’ll tell you they love football or a popular TV show. And they may claim happiness with their jobs. But that’s not passion.
Bayer suggests your passion is much stronger. It’s the feeling you were put on this earth to accomplish something unique. Find out what that is, and go pursue it. Don’t let anxiety or uncertainty scare you away from trying. Often the right path doesn’t become clear until you’ve committed to the journey. Allies may come out of the proverbial woodwork to help you make it happen.
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Focus Power on Things That Matter
You’ve heard “don’t sweat the small stuff” a thousand times. But most of us, especially if we manage a business, spend far too much time on issues that don’t contribute much to our big-picture dreams. You can’t climb trees if you are stuck in the weeds.
In the office, this might mean you finally stop micromanaging and trust the people you hired for a job to actually do it. But it applies to all aspects of your life. We too often allow mindless concerns and preoccupations to “distract us from ourselves.”
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Know Who You Are, and Act Like It
Bayer incorporates principles from science, technology, world religions, philosophy and many more disciplines into his programs. But all are focused on helping you develop a strong sense of self, and finally clarifying what things matter to you. Once you know that, it is easier to make decisions that move you in the right direction, rather than slow you up.
It’s all well and good to be a “Renaissance” person. But don’t let that be an excuse for not coming to grips with where you want to go—and going nowhere as a result. I’ve always loved the expression “if you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there.” When you do know, you can focus the ample power you possess on making it happen.
The Real Strength of the Lion
So, that picture at the top of this post isn’t really about brute force or being the loudest one in the room. It says other very powerful things.
Think, instead, of the focus that lion is able to display. Whether he is guarding his mate, catching a nap, or looking for lunch, he knows who he is, and what he wants. And he doesn’t let any outside “noise” get in the way. Even if there’s a new trending topic on Twitter, or “Dancing With the Stars” is on. I wish more power for all of you!
