Every good teacher is trained to start class by stating the objective. Goals keep people focused and provide a reason to learn. This post is an objective statement and the agenda to how we are going to get from where we are now to where we want to be. The road ahead? That’s the work. The concepts are basic, we have heard them all before. Applying the concepts to our lived experience is the challenging part.
SWBAT: Evaluate your life to define your purpose and formulate success in the workplace
Think, Believe, [ACT] And You Will Achieve (Step 3: ACTION)
Fervently holding onto a positive thought will not make things happen. To manifest success, align your thoughts with your feelings to drive you to relentless action towards your goal. When your thoughts and feeling don’t align (e.g. thinking you should be able to do something, but feeling you can’t) you subconsciously sabotage your actions. With dogged belief, obstacles and failures become redirection and a necessary step towards success. Some struggle because they have focused on building business acumen, but have overlooked the importance of emotion in implementation. Others focus on the emotional aspect of innovation without the acumen to translate concepts into action. You need the right actions, in the right order, at the right time.
Our Brains Are Designed to Keep Us Alive NOT to Make Us Happy (Step 2: Mindset)
The body is a machine that requires fuel to function. The brain is a control center charged with keeping that machine operational. Emotions are a warning system that aides the machine in navigating the environment. While happiness may be our goal, it is not a priority to our biological processes. If it were up to biology, we would try nothing new, because there is danger in the unknown. Fears and other negatively labeled emotions play an important role in keeping us safe and balanced, but out of place they hold us back. Influenced by emotions, our thoughts shape our perception and experience of the world and in turn our actions- in an endless feedback loop that originates from within. If we let nature take its course and live to avoid danger, the world becomes a battleground with endless possible hazards. Approach with positivity and suddenly you are navigating opportunities (while stepping over hazards). Taken to extreme though, toxic-positivity ignores the importance of negative feelings and thoughts instead of processing and tuning our powerful biological warning system.
Happiness is the New Rich (Step 1: Purpose)
The single longest relationship you will have in your life is with yourself. Your world literally begins and ends with you, yet many people treat themselves terribly, have low self-awareness, and don’t understand their purpose. The term success, when applied to the workplace, is often associated with money. While money provides security and a means, happiness tends to be the hidden pursuit. Some believe that once they achieve certain milestones then they’ll be happy, but the nature of life is that we always aspire to more. Happiness lays is in the pursuit of a purpose and gratitude in the present. In the pursuit of an individual and a shared purpose, we find meaning in our lives and selflove - the appreciation for our individual contribution to something greater than our finite selves. Everyone’s life purposes are unique to themselves. Purpose can’t be given or copied. During this great pursuit, gratitude makes happiness immediately achievable. Authentic appreciation for your lived experience, gratitude, every day is challenging and goes back to creating a positive feedback loop. But the first step is defining your purpose.
In the 12 Units of Metatalk’s open-source, self-paced Ultimate Workplace Wellness Course, we focus on mindset and action to formulate success in the workplace. I hope this read has been worthwhile and that you join us.
Remember: Mental health is an important part of overall wellness. Mental illness is very common and can be caused by a number of factors, including: biology, traumatic life events, and health conditions like heart disease or cancer. Mental illness costs America 193.2 billion in lost earnings per year (CDC, 2018). If you, or someone you work with is dealing with mental health issues: seek help, be available to receive or provide support, learn and share facts about mental wellness. If you are in crisis and/or experiencing thoughts of self-harm or suicide please contract your doctor or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255