THE INCREMENTAL 'DEGREE'

This is my first blog post after taking a sabbatical of close to one month. It seems like ages ago that I was here. It will also be the first blog post that I have my own copy righted graphic. I am excited! Today, my area of focus is simple. I am focusing on Manageable Change. My greatest Nemesis in my own advancement is nothing but seeking Grandeur. I find that there are times I have an idea to effect, yet in my self absorbed attitude of perfection, I do not make the idea a reality. I find myself bogged down in fine tuning, polishing and re-polishing. Sometimes, the whole Idea of fine tuning just eats the strength out of me and causes me give up all the same. The giving up does not occur over a period of time, the giving up takes place in split seconds. In those very important moments, my mind gets filled up with the perfectionism to such an extend that the whole 'project' seems so big and unachievable.

And so, in a matter of seconds, the world is robbed of ideas, of inspiration. However, that is a consoling way of looking at things. The more grotesque picture for me actually is that the world is not necessarily robbed of my idea. Ideas never go unattended to, someone else will run with it, albeit in a lackluster fashion of 'my original'. So, in this split seconds of over analysis and perfectionism, I AM ROBBED of making a positive contribution to the world...guess by who? MYSELF!!

Thank God there is a respite to this. I am sure that I am not the only one with an unimplemented idea that will end up lackluster in the shelves of the world. There are millions out there who have been inspired but never took charge of the inspiration due to over analysis. One thing I learnt a couple of days back as I was jogging is that 'INSPIRATION HAS AN EXPIRY DATE'. This means that if an inspiration is not acted upon as fast as possible, the umph and passion with which it came in starts waning out slowly by slowly. Personal Development Coaches call this state 'The Law of Diminishing Intent'.

My message today is about Degrees. OK...here we go again!! Few weeks back, I was on a radio show talking about Designing the Kind of life that you want. A listener texted in saying that he 'only has a Diploma', and therefore he cannot implement the Ideas that has come to him.There are many people out there claiming that they cannot do this and that.....because they do not have a degree. No that is the wrong way to look at it. The truth actually is....YOU DO NOT HAVE AN EXCUSE!!

Anyway, the Degree I am talking about here is not an academic one...it is the 'One Degree' Change. A concept that says that if you make one small minute manageable positive change to the direction of where you want to go, and maintain it over time, you will accomplish much more than you would if you over-analyzed situations and fell into the trap of perfectionism.

My challenge to us today is to pick that one thing up that we can immediately implement. Examples abound: Taking eight glasses of water a day, spending thirty minutes of focused time with a significant other, reading a good book, listening to something inspirational, setting your goals, planning your day every day before, reviewing your days, taking time every day to be grateful for what you have (instead of whining of what you do not have), calling your parents, honoring your appointments on time...taking a walk in the neighborhood...improving your speech delivery...and so on.

The trick here is to stick onto that one degree change like a stamp on an envelope. Over time, people will comment you on that very thing, yet for yourself you might not remember any hassle having that victory under your belt. This is the one degree change. We all can do this can't we? We all are interested in being significant aren't we? We all get bogged down with the enormity of perfectionism sometimes don't we? So why not employ the one degree change today? It is working for me wonders!