FIT to ‘FEAT’ (Accomplishment)

Mental fitness- its role in helping you accomplish professional goals. Many years ago, I recall having met a few sportsmen.

One of them was a world class archer.

I vividly remember him explaining as to how being physically strong and knowing the specific skills was not enough to become the best archer or any kind of sportsperson in the world.

He specifically emphasised on the fact that in addition to physical fitness and skills, what was also extremely important was a strong and a positive frame of mind.

“The way we think decides the way we act, and hence if we are not determined, devoted and driven towards our goal the chances of winning the competition will reduce to almost a ‘zero’” these were his exact words.

Against the backdrop of this conversation, the question that arises is does this philosophy about having a strong and fit mind apply in professional life as well.

The answer to this question is a decisive YES.

Just as a sportsman aims to win a match or a race, a professional too has or must have the aim of achieving his or her professional goals and objectives.

It could be a sales manager who aims to over- achieve his sales target for the month, or a production supervisor who has set certain production targets for the quarter and is determined to achieve them successfully, or it could be the managing director who wants his or her organisation to become the best amongst its other competitors.

All professionals have short-term, medium term and long-term targets.

It is therefore very important that they not only develop professional competencies, physical strength but also mental fitness.

Just like the sportsmen who strengthen themselves physically as well as mentally, professional executives like us too can and must do certain things or activities to enhance our mental fitness and positive frame of mind.

Let us look at some of the wonderfully effective ways to make our mind positive, proactive and super-fit.

Start reading self-improvement books

If you can, please immediately go and order a book online or visit a book store and get hold of a book.

“How can a book help me to make my mind positive and fit?” such a question may arise within your mind.

The answer though is simple.

When you read something that is positive and inspiring as well as useful, the mind automatically starts becoming positive.

Reading about self improvement is an excellent way towards creating a positive influence and impact on your mind which will thereby lead to productive actions and hence enable you to accomplish your goals successfully.

Please remember that reading books need not be only about selfimprovement.

You could also read books that are autobiographies or biographies of successful people from different fields of life as such books will also play a role in making your mind highly motivated and positive.

Deep breathing

The more the work-pressure, the more is the stress that gets accumulated in the mind and this stress itself can act as an obstruction or barrier to your passion to perform at your highest level.

Stress has caused considerable damage to the mental fitness of many a professionals across different corporates, and in different countries of the world.

Can we reduce the stress or the anxiety.

Oh yes, for sure we can and one of the ways is through the regular practice of disciplined deep breathing or ‘DDB’.

All that we must do is inhale as deep as possible through the nose, then hold that breath for not more than five seconds and finally exhale slow and steadily through the nose.

Repeating this cycle at least five times a day, preferably in the morning (before breakfast) or in the evening (before dinner) can help a lot in reducing mental stress to a great extent.

At this point, I would like to assert that prevention is always better than cure.

Hence please start practicing the DDB from today itself and feel the positive difference in the way you will think and act.

Solving puzzles or riddle

Mental fitness is not only about destressing your mind.

It is about making it fit, sharp, active and alert as well and therefore one of the effective ways to achieve this is by solving puzzles and riddles.

You will be surprised to know that those people who have developed their attitude to solve mental puzzles on a regular basis have found themselves far more mentally sharp and ‘fit’.

Basically, solving puzzles or riddles pushes the mind to think more effectively.

It is about giving the mind the practice to think swiftly and with alacrity.

Where can you get these puzzles or riddles?

The best place is the internet.

You can google and search for them. I can assure you there will be a lot many for you who will enjoy solving the riddles and puzzles towards eventually making your mind sharp and fit.

I remember my dad used to give me Math sums to solve even after my exams, and tell me that it was to help my mind become supple, sharp and fit.

I believe it did work for me I am sure it will work for you as well,no harm in trying.

Please remember that reading books need not be only about self-improvement”

Mayur Kalbag Indian corporate leadership coach

Conversations with wise and experienced people

When there is stress and the mind feels unfit, a wonderful thing we can do is try and engage in conversations with specifically those people who are wise, positively mature and more experienced in life.

Through such conversations or interactions you will be able to extract a lot of positive energy and motivation which itself will become the facilitators for a very fit and healthy mind.