Sometimes you have to liberate the leader by drowning the victim.
I have always believed that life is no less a voyage, like the journey of a ship.
Just as a ship is considered seaworthy only after it weathers through the monstrous waves and touch-bases the shore successfully, similarly, an individual is ‘Seaworthy’ only when they are flexible to changes in life.
Brooding over changing weather of life evokes a victim’s consciousness. It burdens your mind. It makes life goals difficult to attain, just like the ballast that weighs too much and eventually sinks the ship.
In my journey so far, I have had the opportunity to meet and read many successful voyagers and thinkers. One among them is 13th century Persian Poet Rumi, who wrote, “If you are irritated by every rub, how will your mirror be polished?”
Tale from the Trenches: Victimhood vs. Leadership
Henry and Isaac worked in the upper echelons of the tech industry in the late 1990s. They began in the early days of the Internet, went through the dot-com boom, and made a big bang in the world economy. Henry and Isaac were childhood prodigies, so it came as no surprise to anyone when they reached the pinnacle of their career early, earned handsome salaries, and were the blue-eyed boys to their CEOs.
Henry and Isaac had a strong sense of purpose and inherent passion – and pursued a higher calling to revolutionize the world through technology.
Thus, they began their entrepreneurial venture. Aimed to transform data storage by making it intelligent and superior. They were ready to set the wheels in motion. But, to their surprise, the wheels became mired in muck. It was the onset of the millennium 2000, and the world entered the early Y2K recession.
The goal was set. Build a business plan, establish a core team of passionate engineers, and then raise funds to give directional strength to the company. The journey started with several rounds of meetings with Venture Capitalists, but results were hard to come by for first-time entrepreneurs.
Every day, they would share their ideas with VCs to convince them to give funds, but their dreams were turned down at the end of each day.
Henry started losing his confidence. Every rejection by a VC became a mirage of disbelief in his idea. He was falling prey to circumstances – becoming a victim. They had everything at stake.
Isaac was calm amidst this storm. He practiced meditation daily, which helped him unravel his tension and focus on his goals. He believed in the power of positivity and always cheered Henry. Every day in the office, Henry drew inspiration from Isaac, and together, they were able to pass the storm’s eye successfully.
Finally, a VC believed in their passion and agreed to fund their company, after which things began falling into place. Today, they run a successful company, creating an impact every day for a better tomorrow.
This may seem like the story of two different individuals, but what if I tell you that each one of us has a part of Henry and a part of Isaac in us? All of us have struggles that are no less a storm, and every time we give in, we become Henry, succumbing to victimhood. But there are a few of us who choose to stay sturdy, patient, and unbreakable, just like the diamond.
These people are the Isaacs who realize that they need to build them- ‘SELVES.’
4 essential points to help you conquer Victimhood:
1. Liberate the Leader by Avoid blame game
In any adverse situation, it is natural to blame others. I know it is probably one of the easiest ways, but it only makes the matter worse, just as when Steve Jobs was blamed and shown the door from Apple, it boomeranged the company.
So, instead of blaming, you can flip the state of your mind and dedicate your time to finding the solution. It will save not only you but others too. Do remember that the key is in resolving the issues rather than being right.
Try and establish a non-biased view. For that, you must ensure collective responsibilities are taken to observe any situation impartially. The idea is to be compassionate and not self-protective to create a win-win situation.
2. Liberate the Leader by Embracing Change
Can you imagine a world without cars, laptops, and electricity?
Say thanks to the natural desire within us that keeps looking for a change today that made us a race of superhumans.
If only people like Karl Benz (many say was the one who first conceptualized cars), Adam Osborne (the inventor of Osborne 1, the first commercially successful portable microcomputer), and the famous Benjamin Franklin (to whom the discovery of electricity is often connected) had not thought of change; we would have been deprived of these luxuries.
I think, most of the time, the fear of failure emanates from a lack of self-confidence, and the insecurities born out of the lack push us to resist change. Consider the case of Blackberry and Nokia, brands that once ruled the market, are nowhere in the picture today because they resisted accepting new technologies like iPhone and Android.
These examples show us the path to leverage change. It reveals fresh insights. Change taps into unforeseen possibilities that help you grow and others too.
3. The World Does Spin, but NOT Around You
My whole point was to put across the message that instead of pride and self-centeredness, if we humans work towards a common cause, it will help bring significant change.
Extend your ego to come up with something meaningful. Do not get burdened with your own purpose. You do not need to be a Steve Jobs or a Bill Gates to create a real impact; rather work with the people around you. Listen to them; help flip their mind from objection to inspiration. This will help in building a collaborative environment.
Every problem comes with a solution; that is how nature works. Imagine how it would be if there were only days and light and no nights and darkness. You would be sleep-deprived.
4. Remember the Purpose
Your purpose should strengthen you. A good leader is always driven by a sense of purpose – with a value system aligned to creating an impact and moving people’s lives.
Individuals like Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi are good examples of leaders with a sense of strong purpose. They sacrificed their lives for their purpose, and that was to create a better tomorrow.
We are living in their ‘Better Tomorrow.’ Imagine how regressive the world would have been if not for leaders like them.
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Every Point I Shared is a Sequence that Naturally Occurs.
There is no better way to do that than ‘MEDITATION.’
It opens a doorway to uncovering your true self and refining your perception of the world. You invariably start seeing ‘good’ in everything. It leads you to true humility. You get carved into a natural leader, driven by a sense of purpose.
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