Have you heard the story of that rather unique funeral held in an office in New York some years ago?
As employees of the firm came in to work one Monday morning, they were greeted by a solemn notice at the entrance: ‘The person responsible for inhibiting your growth died yesterday. The body has been placed in the cafeteria, and will be there till 2 p.m. today.’
It was saddening to know that a colleague had passed away but there was also curiosity in the air about the identity of the deceased. The employees trooped into the cafeteria to pay their last respects. A crowd of company staff had gathered inside. ‘Who is this chap who has been hindering our growth?’ they all seemed to be wondering as they walked up to the coffin to take a look. One by one, as each person took a look inside the coffin, there was shocked silence—and a look of disbelief.
Inside the coffin was a mirror. And below it was a placard that read: ‘There’s only one person who can set limits to your growth. And that’s YOU.’
When we find ourselves falling short of the success we think we deserve, we often blame our bosses, our employers, the industry or the current favourite—the recession! Everyone and everything, except ourselves. For things to change in your life, you don’t need to change your job, your company or your town. You only need to change yourself. Start now. Adopt a new philosophy for your life. Tell yourself the magic phrase: ‘If it is to be, it is up to me!’ It’s not often that you can get a set of ten two-letter words to form a whole sentence. This one is not just another sentence, it’s one that has the power to become a life-changing philosophy. ‘If it is to be, it is up to me!’ Just say it to yourself, believe in it, and see the difference.
The power to change our lives and chart our future lies within each of us. Resist the temptation to blame others for your plight. When you blame other people, you take away your inherent power to change, thereby weakening yourself. But by taking responsibility, you empower yourself to change your fortunes. And that single act—taking responsibility for yourself—is really what separates winners from also-rans.
Have you ever seen sailboats wander into the sea? They all take off from the same place, around the same time, and yet they reach different shores. Why is that? The winds are the same. The water currents too are the same for all the boats. Yet, they reach different destinations, because where the boat will reach is determined not by the direction of the wind, but by the set of sails it possesses.
Our lives are no different. So stop blaming the winds of your company policy or the currents of the economy. Stop worrying that you grew up in a non-English-speaking home. Take charge of your life. Change your mindset and get your thinking right. Set your sails properly. For things to get better, you need to get better. Need new skills? Invest in training yourself, don’t wait for your employer to do it. I find it puzzling that while young people splurge on trendy new clothes, fancy cell phones and monthly visits to the beauty salon, they want the company to spend money on training them, on making them better employees, smarter people. ‘Training myself is not my responsibility’ seems to be the general motto!
For things to change, you must change your beliefs and mindset. Do yourself a favour. Stick this ten-word mantra on your bathroom mirror: ‘If it is to be, it is up to me!’
There’s only one person who can set limits to your growth. And that’s YOU.