I once heard a speaker at a conference do an entire presentation about the time they “took their eye off the ball” and the impact this neglect had on their primary goal of building their new business.  Being a fairly focused person, I couldn’t quite relate to their message at the time but the penny dropped some years later when I did something similar!  Writing a book needn’t have precluded other important aspects of my life. 

The message here – regardless of what other ventures and or exciting people and projects come along your way, is do not give up your original dream, project or intention in pursuit of the other.   Continue to nurture your dream, goals and intentions.  Like planting seeds in your garden – provide the best growth conditions you can – water it regularly, feed it the right nutrients and generally keep an eye on its ongoing requirements.

It can be a challenge to keep our commitment to our dreams, passion and goals while also maintaining other important aspects of our life.  Our time and energy is limited on planet earth so why not grab it with zeal and give it your best shot.  Research on happiness indicates that our sense of satisfaction comes through engaging in what is meaningful for us.  Once you have identified these –stay on track and remind yourself when you take your eye off the ball for longer than desirable!

Jasbindar Singh is  business psychologist who loves helping her clients achieve their goals and lead  fulfilling lives.

The end of the year is a natural marker for us to reflect and take stock of not just the year that was but also to look ahead with some hope, anticipation and planning. Engaging in reflective practice is one of the fundamentals in advancing our deepening wisdom and self knowledge which Socrates and Vedic teachers have been masters in.

Here are three questions you may wish to ponder for both your personal and professional life. (more…)

Whether you are in a job that you enjoy or are feeling a bit stale or stuck in, adopting some of the following career management strategies will help you gain momentum:

Your future is created by what you do today, not tomorrow. Robert Kiyosaki

1) Take a pro-active stance in being your own career manager.  If you are waiting for someone else to spot your talents and capabilities, you could be waiting forever. Become your own career manager and take action.

2) Do a realistic talent audit.  Identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Get feedback from those close to you at work and home about your strengths and weaknesses.  A 360-degree feedback exercise can be very helpful here. Building on your strengths,  especially ones you enjoy,  is vital but take in  areas for development as well. If 5 out of 6 people are stating that you need to pay attention to your listening skills, they can’t all be wrong and this clearly points to the need for developmental action on your part.

3) Have your own vision and goals of what you want out of this job.  Have a few goals that will happen as part of the job rather than having to do something extra. For example, “ I want to increase my network of people who may be good mentors for me in the future. I will do this by …..(action) …..developing and maintaining good relations with my manager, workmates and customers.” (more…)

It’s the time of the year when we are reviewing our lives including the work we do. If you are feeling unfulfilled and wanting to live a life of greater meaning, the following eleven questions will help.

If you are a coach working with clients, these SQ ( spiritually intelligent) questions will help elicit deeper answers from your coachees. 

As Deepak Chopra says, “Everyone has a purpose in life…. a unique gift or special talent to give others. And when we blend this unique talent with service to others, we experience the ecstasy and exultation of our own spirit, which is the ultimate goal of all goals.” (more…)

Christmas holiday is a great time for rest, renewal and reflection. The year-end underlines a natural point for a stock take – how things shaped up and what we are up to in our lives.  With the advent of the New Year and the promise of new beginnings, pausing to take time for reflection and thoughtful intent for the New Year is most natural. 

The seers have repeatedly pronounced – an un-reflected is an unlived life!  This year, I would like to encourage a strengths based approach to your reflections. 

And why not record your answers to the following questions in your journal?  Not only will this give you a sense of achievement and consequent good feelings but it will also provide you with directional clarity for the coming year.

You could ask these questions in relation to your team, business, leadership and personal life as well.

(more…)