Gravity
Life presents us things we can control, influence, or cannot change - like “Gravity.” Instead of complaining about what we cannot change, ask: “What can I do better?” Focus on what is within your control or influence; there is no point wasting energy on what you cannot change.
Usually there are three kinds of situations: 1. Within our control 2. Within our influence 3. Beyond our control or influence Most of the time our victim stories revolve around things that are beyond our control and influence. These victim stories are extremely popular as they generate sympathy and absolve us from our responsibility. Someone else or something else is responsible for it and not me. Let's call the situations beyond our control and influence as Gravity. Try jumping from 2nd floor and see if gravity has disappeared. We know the result. It will not change. Imagine discussing, complaining about petrol price hike the entire week and expecting nearest petrol station dropping rates for us😊😊. Still we end up wasting so much energy discussing the same. My favorite statements few years back - Boss paagal hai – Itna subah koi meeting rakhtaa hai kya? Time kidhar hai guru! Weather is horrible today! Humidity bahut high hai! I worked until late night! Whenever I am trying to be regular, travelling is taking a toll! Company change kar loonga! Too much partying now a days and I cannot avoid meeting clients! Must drop my kid to school! Somehow not able to wake up in the morning! Need to give time to my family! My entire schedule went for a toss because………..…! No brainer that these victim stories built around gravity situations are in powerless zone, however, there’s a brilliant news out of these. Good news out of victim stories? – Confusing! Isn’t it? Here’s the good news. The moment someone worked around gravity, he invented an airplane. The moment someone confronted the recent petrol price hike and worked around it, he saved more money by making a car pool. The good news is that every victim story has an accountable part that we conveniently ignore. What I could have done better or what I can do better under gravity situation is extremely powerful. Discussing and waiting for gravity to change is a waste of time. It took me 25 years to figure out that I have more time for workout when I travel & also realized that the upper body workout can be done if I have problem with my ankle. The only things that I could change were either within my control or influence and I repeat - every time I had a victim story in last few years, I could also find an accountable one around it. Result – A strike rate of 95% on planned workouts since last 10 years. Next time a victim story built around gravity situation comes to the mind, it’s good to remember that the accountable part is surely somewhere around.