Joe Desena on the Spartan Up Podcast @SpartanUpPod interviewed a Monk, Dandapani @DandapaniLLC. He had some great tips on how to achieve your goals.
Happiness is not a goal
Dandapani talks about how you must know where you going or you won’t get there. He says that happiness is a byproduct of achieving your goals. I agree that happiness is not a goal that one can achieve by external means. If you try it will only lead to frustration. Don’t believe me? Check out Shawn Achor’s TED Talk. You will always push happiness over the cognitive horizon.
Do an energy audit
You need to learn how to manage your energy. The first step is to figure out where, or more likely who, is sucking the energy out of you. Dandapani goes on to say that the people in our life consume a huge amount of our energy. People also give us energy. The trick is to figure out who takes without giving. Those are the people you want to separate from.
I don’t know if you have figured this out or not but a job search requires a HUGE amount of energy. You need to identify what Dandapani calls energy vampires. These are often times not only people but what about your favorite TV show? Or how about music, books, blogs or heaven forbid… social media! You need to be intentional where you spend your energy.
Preparation is key
Dandapani talks about how his Guru said that preparation is the key. Of course his Guru was talking about meditation but this is also true in your job search. If you do not prepare before applying for a position then you will not have a targeted resume. If you do not prepare for the company to call you, they can catch you off guard and it might not go well. If you do not prepare for the interview, you won’t have good answers or questions. You MUST prepare. If you prepare then the WORK of the job search is EASY. As Joe Desena says, “if you are not prepared then you are just reacting.”
Focus
If you want to do something well, you need to focus. Multitasking is a farce. Multitasking just means you are doing several things poorly at the same time. This goes back to where you are spending your energy. When you are in your job search, focus on that. That will free you up to have time OFF from your job search, which is very important.
This is especially true when it comes to interpersonal skills. When you are talking with someone you need to FOCUS on them. Turn off your endorphin device (aka your phone) when networking or interviewing. How many times has someone introduced themselves and immediately after you do not remember their name? It is like they said in Karate Kid… “Your focus needs more focus.”
Visualization
Dandapani has affirmations and mantras that he uses ever day to shape his subconscious. You need to use positive action phrases. The words “want” or “like” do not belong here. Think of Yoda or the Karate Kid. There is no “try” or “want”. Use words like “will.” “I WILL find an HR position that I will love.”
If you want to be successful you need to surround yourself with like-minded people. First, don’t forget to define success! You must feel what it will be like when you achieve your goal. Use the energy of your emotions. Ever had an awesome interview? Remember what that feels like? THAT is what you want to harness.
Be sure you know what the end will look like. In your job search it could the offer you receive, the first day at work, the first paycheck, etc… That can be and SHOULD be motivating stuff! AWESOME!
If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work.
Hanh Nhat Thich, Being Peace