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Nyaradzo  Mavindidze : Motivation for Success

Since the beginning of the year we have been talking about saying yes and it seems like an easy feat but it’s not. The big question is how do you say yes in these times of uncertainty and change? From uncertainty in the economy, workplace, education, politics, business, climate and relationships, it’s everywhere . . . The electricity generation woes at the Kariba Dam, the rand rate plummeting, from Ebola in Africa to Zika in South America, the July 17 Supreme Court Labour Ruling, Serena losing the Australian Open Final, Nadal losing in the 1st round and of course the sudden rise of Donald Trump.

On a daily basis we have to deal with;

Uncertainty – We don’t know what’s going on.

Unpredictability – We don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow.

Complexity – It’s all so interconnected and complicated.

Speed – Everything is moving so fast, it’s hard to keep up.

We are a generation that loves to know what to expect and we struggle to deal with uncertainty and change.

If you don’t believe me just ask the executives at Google. They have made their fortune by making information and knowledge searchable and accessible to people because we love to know. “Google how do I get to…”, “Google what is the weather for tomorrow?” And Steve Jobs left us with Siri (though she never gets my accent).

As a culture, we are becoming less and less comfortable with the unknown territory that comes with change.

Despite all the chaos surrounding us it is still definitely possible to SAY YES even though the world is a towering stack of might and most days start and end with uncertainty.

So how do you say yes

in the midst of it all

Embrace the chaos!

Accept that life is uncertain, unpredictable, complicated and fast. Accept the impermanence and imperfections. Stop trying to bring your narrative of order and perfection to life which has none.

There is no perfect job, no perfect person, perfect relationship nor perfect life. There are jobs, people, relationships and life. Stop fighting change. Let go of your ego.

Accept it all as it is . . . good, bad, great, short, up and down, awful, crazy and every way in between.

It is what it is. Life has always been in chaos . . . and gets more complex so let’s get used to it. Accept that you cannot control life – you can only control yourself . . . your own actions and your own thoughts. Not anyone else’s. Just your own. You have a choice; to think differently. To take action. To move. To use your own hands. To create. To innovate. To do. To live.

Say yes to the right thoughts

When things don’t go as planned and we’re not sure how they’ll end, we tend to create doomsday scenarios. The uncertainty of a lost job becomes “I’ll never work again.”

We see only the loss side of the equation, a phenomenon called the negativity bias. Our brains are wired to go there automatically, but we can rewire this impulse.

Realise that there is rarely disruption without opportunity. Look for possibilities that arise from uncertainty and act on them.

Ask yourself, “Where is the potential here? What doors have opened that once were closed? How can I turn this predicament into something extraordinary? ”

Cognitive restructuring is a powerful way to saying yes in the midst of change and uncertainty.

Don’t accept blindly the automatic negative thoughts that come to us so easily, instead develop the skill of challenging those thoughts.

For instance, if the thought “woe is unto me am undone, I’ve lost my job” arises, replace it with this more realistic thought: “I wonder what lies on the other side, maybe it’s time for a career change. “If the thought “I can’t handle change . . . ” arises, replace it with: “I don’t particularly care for change, but I can bear it.”

Say yes to the

serenity prayer

As you Say Yes in the midst of it all take a cue from the Serenity Prayer. Create a list of what you can control and pursue those activities. Also, create a list of what you can’t control “and visualise handing it over to your higher power.”

Say yes to taking

calculated risks

When you go all in and expose your hand, you often feel anxious and worried about the outcome.

Revealing all of your cards leaves you feeling exposed and powerless. Learning the skill of being able to assess your opponent, gage their hand and see if they will match your bet is important when assessing how the game will unfold. Not all risks require throwing yourself off a cliff and hoping that you learn how to fly.

Say yes to relaxation

During a rocky and uncertain time, people need to have something concrete to look forward to. Take that long-awaited trip.

Go to a spa or a sports match with your friends. Instead of fretting about what may be ahead, do something that makes you happy and is just for you.

You don’t want to look back, 15 years later and remember how you sat around worrying.

Move forward. Say yes. You are still in charge of you. Throw yourself into a specific cause. Get out of the house. Travel. Taking a trip changes your whole perspective. Take chances. Love. Live. Do.

Life is up, down, good, great and every way in between . . . and it is short! In a chaotic environment, the walls around us are malleable offering great opportunities for success and happiness for anyone who jumps in and can adapt.

You and I have just as good a shot as anyone at success in life because the playing field has been levelled. Anything can happen and everything is possible.

A life path worth living is never straight and is full of hurdles that you overcome while learning and meeting some great people who bring real joy into your life.

Get off the fence and say yes in the midst of uncertainty and change.