How I Sustain my Well-formed Outcome

Going through all the 13 criteria given in Sue Knight’s NLP at Work was an enjoyable experience. It helped me to arrive at an outcome that resonated with what I am and what I want. I realize now that the outcome derives its power from understanding all the criteria from the guts.

This morning as I was listening to Deepak Chopra’s guided meditation, I understood the relationship between Attention (outcome) and Intention (understanding of criteria). He says:

“True transformation is brought about by the two qualities inherent in consciousness – Attention or focus and Intention or a clear vision of a desired outcome. Attention energizes, Intention transforms. What we place our attention on expands in our life. And our intention for the object of our attention will orchestrate the forces of the universe to support our desired result. Harnessing this power of attention and intention can change your life to reflect exactly what you envision.”

My Outcome / Focus / Attention

I am joyous and feel a surge of gratitude as I step soulfully and confidently into my giant self as the Managing Director of Service Square. I feel my company vibrating with positive energy as I touch deliberately all aspects of my business with confidence, power, enthusiasm and poise. My enormous talents and insights fuse brilliantly, to fashion Service Square, brick by brick, as a bench marked and admired organization for its excellence, values and wealth creation. I am a loving exemplar to my associates who live their dreams, enjoying their work as they create never-ending ripples of happy experiences for customers.

I see myself embracing this outcome and the outcome embracing me, in a blissful twine, in oneness.

The Criteria understood at a soul level / Intention / Clear Vision

1.       Stated in the positive (what you do want rather than what you don’t)

This is an outcome I am fully in alignment with and growing into. This fits with all that I believe in and I know I am capable of. As I increasingly live a life of congruence, I see a bright horizon emerging with new behaviors and empowering beliefs. There is a determination and passion for excellence that is seeping into every activity of mine in business and life. I am happy to be in the cusp of creation, giving expression to my desires to cull out new realities and opportunities to stay on the centre stage of my life. I tell myself – this is my stage and my show and I give it everything I have. I love myself, I love my business and my world.

2.       Expressed in the present tense (imagining it as if you have it right now)

I see this outcome as it is emerging from the depth of my being with awareness. I also envision new, empowering neural paths being created as my outcome becomes part of my conscious and unconscious.  I visit my outcome every day at least once, and I hear the words reverberate within me and the emotions I feel now intensify every time I read my outcome aloud. Words become real and transform me.

3.       Expressed in all senses. You can describe what you are seeing, hearing, feeling physically, tasting, smelling and feeling emotionally.

I see myself, elegantly dressed, exuding quiet confidence and smiling often, as I invest time with various people in the organization, going through their step by step processes and efforts, in detail. The office is posh, cool and brightly lit, with posters that lift the spirits. My associates observe that my experience and talents put me in a position of strength to advice and they treat me with love and respect. They are also happy that they discover their strengths and talents as they take their own decisions in their areas of work, never losing sight of the goals and values of the organization. The associates learn, experiment and celebrate their successes together. I see every customer of Service Square amazed to experience excellence and happiness from every one of Service Square associates. The two smiles in the logo – of the associates and that of the customers are made real in every interaction with customers. I see myself taking decisions fast, fueling changes in a spirit of congruency with the company’s values.

My early morning runs are occasions when I engage in a conversation with myself about living the spirit of this outcome at all times. Drenched in sweat and breathing hard, I hear vividly as I tell myself – Babu, this outcome is the answer to your life’s longing and calling, so embrace it and hold it dear with all the power you have!

As I go about doing my work, I delight in the soft music playing in my cabin as it wafts into my ears. A sense of calmness and assuredness spread over me. I notice the same centred feeling also cascading through the office and they express themselves cheerfully and there is a spirit of genuine camaraderie. I listen to people very intently, with my body, in a loving way, so I understand issues with clarity, from their shoes. I stand my ground with poise and grace when that response is called for.

Despite my calmness, there is a sense of mission that is driving me. The mission is to create a beautiful business that is talked about for its excellence. In fact, my mission is to be excellent in everything I say and do. My business is one important means of exhibiting that goal. So, my business is an extension of my beliefs and thoughts. In marketing, customer service, operations, HR and financial spheres, there is always an undercurrent or pervasiveness of my being-ness in a very congruent, enabling way. Therefore, my behavior and the behavior of my associates in the company reflect that paradigm.

Prosperity in financial terms gets me a lot of recognition and successful people count on my advice. I am enjoying very consciously what money can do in my life and I treasure the beautiful things I have using the money I have earned. My relationship with money is one based on respect, so I am careful how I use it. I value myself and money enough, hence look for avenues to monetize my company’s huge efforts in sending rich content to our customers, week after week. I attract money rather than earn it, because of the quality of my thoughts. I share from my prosperity with people who would use it to empower themselves and others.

4.       It is self maintained (it is about your part of the system, not expressed in terms of others).

I am fully conscious and aware that I have control over myself to be the person I want to be. And, the best way to have any influence over others is by being myself, in the best way possible – without trying to change them from my map. I have experienced over and over again, when I feel congruent and happy within myself, the world becomes that way for me. More interestingly, the world responds to me with clarity and happiness too, when I am in that state. So, my feelings, thinking and doings from a space of centredness are cues I send to the world to relate to me on the same platform. I believe very strongly in the power of the one. I also believe in the power of oneness.

My outcome reflects these deeply held beliefs of mine. Everything I have written here is what I hold myself personally responsible for, consciously and unconsciously as I move towards my goals.

In the end, I am the captain of my ship. I am the Managing Director of Service Square. I alone am responsible for making my outcome real and true.

5.       It is a win / win: it is a win for the significant others in your life as well as for you.

I win because I unravel my potential to create the life and business of my dreams. As I transform the business, it is transforming me. I chase my passions and am a confident person. The financial stability of Service Square benefits the people working here. They are able to live their dreams. For customers, my company represents high value and creation of positive experiences. My daughter and family members are extremely proud of me and happy to see me very successful.

6.       It is an end result not just a step en route

My outcome gives me the power I seek to impact and transform my world.

7.       It has a higher purpose (it is ultimately about making a difference in the world for others and is beyond self).

My life makes a difference. My business takes me to that goal. I have the unique opportunity to impact the lives of the associates working in my company. I also spread ideas of excellence among customers. I am certain that they catch some of the excellence we exhibit in our work.

As I am successful and share my learning with the world through my blogs, the world too gets to tap into the resources they have within them. So, my story shines a light in the lives of thousands of people and I feel very privileged. People call me to share what I know and I do so with gratitude.

Jonathan Livingston Seagull continues to inspire me and his search for excellence and perfect speed is also my journey.

My outcome in business is in the context of the higher purpose.

8.       It fits with who you are. If you are an explorer at heart, there’s no point having a goal about safety and security

I create. I am an adventurer. And I am a leader who unearths the talents in people. Excellence is a way of life for me, as a person. I also have enormous energy and drive. So, I have it within me to move in the direction of my outcome. When I set my mind on achieving something I feel confident about the powers that lie within me to get there. Like I have picked up the skill and stamina to run long distances, so too, I pick up the courage to stretch towards my outcome believing in myself.

9.       It satisfies the pay off that you get from your present state (if you get attention from being the way that you are and you like that, check that your outcome satisfies this need for attention in a healthy way).

There are activities such as writing and blogging that are pleasurable and have served me thus far. Now, I still write and blog, but after office hours. There are other activities such as watching TV or checking emails etc., which give me some comfort but which have stood in the way of accomplishing my goals. There is a time for everything. I realize to create the best outcomes I long for, I give up or curtail activities which give me immediate gratification, while keeping me away from the life of my dreams. I create new empowering habits one by one. I learn to liberate myself through discipline.

10.   You are prepared to pay the price to achieve it and this is demonstrated by your answers to the following question.

I move into unfamiliar territories. My emphasis is on doing the big, important things. Yet, I build the capacity to delve into details to observe excellence in the small things. I go to the market to meet customers. I visit the works done by our associates. I invest time with accounts people. I return home in the evening only after completing the jobs I have set for myself. I keep my eyes on the ball all the time. I do research to discover regarding best practices. I meet new people and make friends. As I do these, I evolve into a great being with capacity for achieving every outcome before me.

I learn everyday about my business and life by reading extensively so that I have better tools and understanding to direct my business and life.

11.   You are committed to taking the specific next step.

Yes, I am committed to taking the next big step. It may seem behavioral in appearance, but the actions I am talking about are attempts at dealing with obstacles that lie at the root, in the unconscious. I suspect that procrastination and tendency for instant gratification are compensation mechanisms for fighting loneliness and void. I realize too, that the more I give in to loneliness through instant gratification and self indulgence, the more I sink into emptiness and a sense of drift.

So, I have a strict code of accountability planning my life and work, building brick by brick. I know doing that would seem monotonous and repetitive, but this is the only way. I give up the small things that dominated my life and embrace the big things that call for discipline and focus to achieve my outcome. I am comfortable in my skin and realize, validation seeking leaves me increasingly insecure. I actively seek the company of people of substance and relate to them, making my presence felt in a genuine way.

12.   You are willing to act and do so.

I am willing and eager to act in order to be on the way to achieving my outcome. This outcome means a lot to me. As I accomplish this I realize how defining these moments are in my life. What I have written here serves as my anchor and so I return to them every day to sustain my journey towards my outcome. I tell myself every day – these ‘words as I speak or write them make a path on which I walk.’

I also review my progress by writing about my journey in my blog. I relish the triumphant feeling as I describe the achievements in my journey towards my outcome. I am kind to myself for momentary digressions from my path, knowing they are only digressions.

And this is important, there is no gap between my decisions and implementations. This I say to myself countless number of times.

13.   You hold the belief throughout that whatever happens is feedback – there is no drawing back, only learning.

I am burning the bridges with my past which served me in many ways, once. My outcome becomes the casualty if I hold on to unhelpful thoughts and behaviours any longer. So, I let go of ways that do not serve me any longer. My outcome means everything to me and that is the beacon that guides all my actions. With time, it becomes easier to stick to new behavior patterns that enable my outcome. Whatever happens, there is no going back, I see myself living and immersed in my outcome – very gracefully. I learn from any occasional setback and they are opportunities for new solutions.

This outcome is twined with me, in a blissful embrace, in oneness.