CORPORATE SUFI: Focus on natural gifts to use your talent fully
What you need to know:
- The late Dr Stephen Covey wrote an excellent book entitled, “First things First”, where he spoke about the importance of effectiveness, instead of just efficiency. What you are doing is more important than how fast you are going. The compass is more important than the clock. If you are going the wrong direction, speed will only get you lost faster!
Knowing what your first things are in life, and what priorities to place on completing them, is not as easy as it sounds.
The late Dr Stephen Covey wrote an excellent book entitled, “First things First”, where he spoke about the importance of effectiveness, instead of just efficiency. What you are doing is more important than how fast you are going. The compass is more important than the clock. If you are going the wrong direction, speed will only get you lost faster!
Focusing on just one area of our life (for example work) is not sufficient to bring about happiness and fulfillment. A holistic lifestyle, encompassing care for your work, family, health, finances, lifelong learning and spirituality is imperative. They all play a part in creating a much needed balance.
In a world where many demands can come at you from many directions, deciding what to do first can be complicated.
What is the first thing first for you at work?
What is the first thing first for you with family?
What is the first thing first with your health matters?
What is the first thing first with your finances?
What is the first thing first with your lifelong learning?
What is your first thing first with your spirituality?
The responses to the above questions are not straight forward. Also, after you answer them, the next question naturally arises --which of the first things from the six areas
mentioned above will you in fact do first?
First thing this morning at 4 am, I meditated for an hour; followed by a brisk hour walk. I found that time to be extremely valuable as I felt at peace during my meditation, despite thoughts coming and going. Also, my early morning brisk walk increased my energy level, and as a result, I was able to complete far more work in a relatively short time. Furthermore throughout the day, I felt far more positive with everyone I encountered - family, friends, and clients!
Balance is an important part of first things first. Balanced living encompasses our health, family, finances, spirituality, lifelong learning and work.
It is also important to focus on your natural gifts so that you optimize your personal talent. You have one gift that sets you apart from everyone else. It is your birth-day gift - the gift you were born with. Most people either don’t know they have a gift or those who may know they have a gift, don’t know what the gift is or how to find it. Those few who do know their gift and how to find it, lack the discipline to realize it. Then, there are those who have the discipline to find their gift, however, they lack the focus to optimize it’s use in their lives.
It is nothing short of a tragedy when people go through their whole life either never having opened that miraculous gift buried inside or never optimizing the gift once they find it!
Dr Covey describes in his book referred to earlier that principles including focus on goals larger than self, as well as using your personal talent brings more happiness than just time management.
When you figure out what the ‘first thing first’ is for you and execute accordingly, magic happens
Azim Jamal, Corporate Sufi - Inspiring leaders to achieve material success blended with a deep sense of purpose, passion & fulfillment! Visit: www.corporatesufi.com
