How Do You Navigate Through The Habit Change Abyss

Over the years I have worked on becoming a complete teetotaler,losing weight, waking up early and much more by changing my habits. This was done more importantly by learning from my failures. I have seen more failures than successes when trying to replace an empowering habit with an dis empowering one. I've found failures to be just as important as successes when trying to learn how to improve, especially when it comes to changing habits. It’s not an easy task and I’m sure each one of us has tried to quit something or tried to do something positive and failed. The key, of course, is to not just give up after failure but to reset your resolve, analyze what went wrong and plan to overcome those obstacles the next time. If you are feeling helpless with how you can change your habits, given below are my learning’s on the same -

Biting more than you can chew: We have all done this and taken on more than one habit at a time. We try to master all departments, be it waking up early, eating healthy, having a positive outlook in life etc… I have done this and failed more than a couple of times. Not because my resolve was weak but there was something which did not connect at the sub conscious level when you are working on too many changes. Focus on one or two habit changes at a time and give it your undivided attention.

Write down your habit change goals: As I have always said before, there is magic in when we write down our goals. I have seen on more than a couple of times the universe conspiring against all odds to help us achieve our goals. Recent research has time and again proved that people with written specific goals are more likely to achieve the goals. If you are working on eating healthy, waking up early or any habit you need to change, the first thing is to put it in writing and take a look at it every day. This will reinforce it on to your sub conscious mind. I will cover this in detail in my next post on goal setting which I am working on.

Do not be half committed: Have you done something in life  half-heartily and seen the consequences. It is the same way with habit change. It will not work if you jump into it half heartily  Instead give it everything you have got and remember that by not changing this habit you are living a far less quality of life. This means committing big time and telling the world about it. If you are on Facebook then post it on your wall, inform your family ,friends and co workers if required. The more people know about it, the better it is for you, because you are giving it a committed effort and at the end of the day that is what matters.

Build a support structure: There will be times when you falter, almost invariably. Who will you turn to when you need encouragement? If you don’t have a good answer to this, you need to think through it. If you are lucky to have a good support structure then its fine otherwise hire a Life Coach who will work with you towards your habit change. The idea here is to have a support structure when you do go through rough patches in your journey. You do not want to falter mid way.

Think through your motivation: What some people call discipline I call motivation. when someone wants to change a habit then he/she needs to be motivated to do it. The bigger purpose needs to be identified which will act as a catalyst. The more reasons for you to be motivated to change the habit then better it is for you and your success. Identify your motivation and always remind yourself of it when facing rough weather.

Anticipate the brick wall: Every habit change is a path littered with obstacles. Unfortunately, when we hit some of these, we often quit. we might try again but when we hit the same obstacles again, we give up. A smarter option will be to do some homework beforehand and anticipate the brick wall in your way. Always expect the obstacles ahead. It will do you a world of good by just being ready to face it. When I was working towards quitting smoking, I knew where my biggest urge would be coming from and avoided it completely. If the purpose of the habit change is embedded within, you will figure out ways to avoid the brick walls.

Be Accountable: Most of the time we do things better if we are accountable to something or somebody.What surprises me, is to see people stay away for a month or two from smoking and drinking  during religious times just because they are accountable. Most of my clients have seen tremendous transformation during the coaching sessions. The one reason they say is that they are accountable now and hence more committed.It is probably one of the  reason why Coaching is so effective for personnel transformation.

Know your triggers: This is an important key to changing habits. Every habit has at least one trigger — an event that immediately precedes the habit. Some habits have more than one trigger. When I used to smoke, the period immediately after lunch was when the urge to smoke was the strongest. I realized this and worked on the trigger by ensuring that i fixed my meetings immediately after lunch. This was to ensure that I had hardly any time to go out for a smoke especially when people would be waiting for the meeting to commence.

Quitting at the first sign of failure: If you do falter and come face to face with failure do not fret. There is always an other day. Be as consistent as possible from then on out until the habit is ingrained. If you quit, you've let the failure beat you. But if you reset your resolve and learn from your failure, the failure then becomes a positive thing that helps you to succeed. As I've said before, I always see failures as a stepping stone to success.

Changing my clients habits is the most challenging job especially when they realize that they are living a compromised life due to their habits. Nothing is more fulfilling to a Coach/mentor when someone crosses the abyss and looks back with fulfillment. I hope these words of mine have made you realize that if there is a habit change you are pondering on for a long time then there is someone who has walked the path like you. Do share your thoughts on my Face Fan book page or on my mail Coach@satishrao.in 

Lean And Fit Is The In Thing

When this question is asked to people, I am sure that more than 80 percent want to become lean and fit, including me. Working on this health goal is not Rocket science but it requires some careful adjustments in our lifestyle and workout habits. Most of us think that hitting the gym will make us big and strong like the bodybuilders. Just throw this idea out of the window. To become like them, it needs incredible discipline and a herculean effort which most of us are not inclined to. So let’s focus on the one thing which most of us want to achieve and that is being Lean and Fit.

In my journey towards fit & lean, I have worked on many permutations and combinations to the present state I am in. I have not yet reached my ultimate goal but feel that i am on the right path. let’s begin with the most important components of this journey

Work on a calorie deficit: It’s no secret that one will begin to lose weight once you burn more calories than what you consume. The idea is to work on ensuring that you consume far less calories than you expend and do your regular workouts. Now there is no one rule which might fit everybody. You might have to do some research on the net and see what is the exact calorie intake required for your height and weight. Consume about 20 percent less than that to ensure that you are on the right path. Most of us tend to eat far more calories than required especially during festivals. Therefore work on this one area if you want to look fit and lean for the New Year party. It’s a good 8 weeks ahead and realistically you can knock off about 6-8 Kgs if you begin in earnest from now.

Increase your cardio workouts: In my experience just by lifting you will not lose weight especially  in the stubborn areas. Sooner than later you might want to include some sessions of cardiovascular exercise be it running, swimming or even brisk walking. What it does here is that by mixing your workouts you tend to confuse the body. As of now, I go on a high intensity short duration run 2-3 times a week which ensures that you lose body weight 24-36 hours post the workout. You can use whatever strategy works for you but this one method is proven to be successful.

Focus on body Fat not weight: I see people every now and then stepping on the weighing machine and making faces. Well it is a fact that the weighing machine does not lie. For most of us the more accurate method of being lean is a reduction in body fat and not necessarily weight. Do not get me wrong. You will eventually lose weight but first it is the body fat which starts to disappear. The only simple cost effective way which helps in measuring the body fat loss is the simple tailor’s measurement tape. Measure the area around which you want to reduce at least once in two weeks. This will give you a accurate cue of your journey. So ditch the weighing scale and measure yourself with a tape. There are scientific ways of measuring body fat but it is cumbersome and expensive. I always Focus on simple and inexpensive ways of reaching one’s goal.

Lift heavy: Lifting heavy is sure to burn more calories. Do not worry Girls. You will not put on muscle growth and look like those WWF models. You need some incredible amount of testosterone in your body for that .Well coming back to the crux, lifting heavy with less repetition and lesser gaps in between sets will make sure that you hit the fat burning mode to the maximum. If you can mix some heavy lifting with a decent cardio exercise then you are sure to begin your journey towards being fit and lean by the end of the year.

Ensure that you have a balanced protein, Carbs and fat intake: Usually the thumb rule is 50/40/10 and this is the ratio of calories from Carbs/Protein and fat. Do remember that fat is an important component for our body.It has to be a good source of fat namely egg,meat,olive oil, milk and not the trans fat which is basically found in deep fried stuff. Protein intake is usually 1 gm per KG of body weight. Say you are a person who is between 60-65 Kg then focus on consuming 50-60 gms of protein in a day and not more than that. With respect to Carbs stick to whole grains and complex Carbs which will give you energy to sustain through the day. I know this may sound like Latin to many but believe me once you get a hang of this then this will be like second nature to you.

Eat more fruits and vegetables: This is the single biggest diet change you can make that will make the biggest difference in getting you leaner. Two reasons: one is that they are high in fibre and vitamins, which most people are lacking in their diet. Two is that they are high in volume without being high in fat or calories. You can eat lots of fruits and veggies but have very few calories. My post work out meal is always a fruit rich in carbs.

Drink lots of water: Ensure that you keep yourself hydrated and usually the thumb rule is about 2-3 lts of water for an average person. Remember that we are already most of the time in a controlled environment and do not feel thirsty. However your body does need a regular intake of water. Another thing I have noticed is that most of the time you are actually not hungry but thirsty i.e. if you are eating your regular meals on time. The next time you feel unusually hungry just drink a big glass of water. For those working out just stick on to regular water and do not add any sugary mixture to it which will add to the calories. Last  but not the least try to carry a sipper with you. Do not reuse the bottled water which is extremely unhealthy and carcinogenic.

Rest is as important as exercise: Many people who focus on all the other areas, compromise with adequate rest and that is a big mistake. Focusing on good rest is critical and that is where most of us burn more calories. This is more true when we work out in the evening times. Stick to the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep and cut back on your time in front of the idiot box or the internet. I always believe that being fit is like a tripod. One leg is the food intake; other one is the exercise and the last one is the adequate rest. For a healthy you, one needs to ensure all the three are balanced and not compromised upon. If one of the legs get unbalanced then the whole thing just collapses. This is something which anyone of us cannot afford especially when health issues are working out to be extremely expensive on our pockets.

I hope this article does spur some of you to take up the challenge to be lean and fit by the end of the year. I would love to hear from some of you in terms of the challenges you are facing in your journey towards being lean and fit. Do connect with me on my Face book Fan page or mail me on coach@satishrao.in

How To Work On Your Personal Goals

One of the biggest issues that most people face when they put their mind to pursuing their personal goals is lack of time and focus. This was exactly what was discussed by me with one of my clients last week during a Coaching call.

Have you at some point in your life tried working on a personal goal which you are sure will impact your life positively but postponed it in favour of more pressing matters at work and home? Well you are not alone, at least in this department. I have done this more number of times than I can count in the last decade.

If you are sitting on a personal goal then the best thing you can do start today and not wait for the elusive tomorrow which invariably never comes. Making time for a personal goal is something most of you would love to do even though you are hard pressed for time. The last thing you would want to do after a hard day at work or home is to just sit in front of the T.V and vegetate. How does one make time to work on your personal goal especially in times where ME time is a premium? There are some ways I have learnt over the years to pursue your personal goals some of which are -

Make sure you really want it: As they say inclination is not good enough but the hunger to do something is what is required. It is one thing to say that you want to wake up early or spend more time with family etc… But it has to be something that you really want. Ask yourself why you want to achieve this goal and how much you want it. Figure out your motivations. That’s important to do early on or you won’t make time for it.

Make it your top priority: We all have more pressing things in our lives which we tend to focus on but unless this personal goal which you are trying to work on does not occupy the top 2-3 list in your priority list then things will not roll. Unless there is a clear priority list in front of us you will not make time for this. There’s only 24 hours in a day for all of us. At some point you  got to prioritize and if you make your goal your top priority then you’ll  make the time for it.

Keep things simple: I am a big believer in making things simpler because simplicity is uncomplicated and it is easier to navigate our way through when things are simpler. It’s important that we don’t make our personal goal too complicated. You don’t want to have a huge list of things to do in order to accomplish your goal. You’ll be overwhelmed. Instead, focus on a smaller sub-goal that will lead you to your bigger goal. If you have a goal to be more proactive, for example, then work on the small sub goals around it which will help you be more proactive. What I have learnt in this journey of life through Confucius words is “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated”.

Stay focused: One of the most difficult things when it comes to achieving goals is maintaining our focus on that goal. It’s easy to become obsessed with something else and when we lose focus, we suddenly stop making time for the goal. Instead find visual cues to maintain that focus. Why visual? Well in my experience I have seen that Goals in a Visual form are always more impactful. Some of the things that you can do is to put up posters, desktop wallpapers or even visual reminders on your Smartphone or tablet. Inform people who care for you about your personal goal and in this way you are accountable and more focused.

Make time for this: Once the above steps are in place then you need to work towards making time for this Goal. This is a critical cog in the wheel and you have to figure out sometime during the day or night when you are the most agile and active. For some it might be early in the morning or for others it might be later in the evening. Whatever time you are making time ensure that you are not disturbed and distracted. Usually 20-30 minutes is what the idle time is for working on any particular goal. For some it might be more or less depending on the Goal itself and your schedule.

Make it your most important appointments: The block of time which you have made should be taken as seriously as the time you make for a doctor’s appointment or a conference call. I spend couple of hours in the evening for myself either working out or swimming. I will not allow anything to disrupt this schedule. For me other than an appointment with a client this is the second most important appointment for the day.

Become more serious on the goal: If you are not serious about your personal goal then no one would be. Make it known to the world that you are passionate about it and write out your goal. Be very specific about what will be the outcome. I have told this before. Written goals have a way of transforming wishes into wants; cant’s into cans; dreams into plans; and plans into reality. Don’t just think it — ink it!

Make it a part of you: This is important to keep the goal going for a long period of time. If it’s a goal you can complete in a week, you don’t need to do this step. The most worthwhile goals are ones that take time to accomplish and for those, you’ll need to make it part of your daily routine. Some goals will need to be daily — say, regular exercise, positive mindset, become more disciplined etc… . Find a time in your daily routine where you will always do this activity. Don’t let yourself lose focus. Put it immediately after something that’s already firmly ingrained in your routine — say showering or brushing your teeth or arriving at work — so that you won’t forget to do it. For other personal goals a weekly schedule will be better — say making a weekly savings deposit or a debt payment or a weekend run — put this on your schedule and have a reminder sent to you so that you don’t forget it.

Working on personal goals is something which is very much within your control. You might be in a bad Job,relationship or even a bad marriage but by not working on your personal goals you are not helping yourself. You are only worsening the situation you are already in. The least you can do to yourself is to take control of the sails and work immediately on your personal goals. I do hope some of you would have realized the importance of your personal goals during these stressful times. I would love to hear from some of you on my Face book Fan page. If you do find this article useful do share it amongst others who might also be benefited.

How Do You Build Greater Self Control

I was a part of a meeting last week where some of the people present lost their self control and exposed the ugly side of their character. I wondered as to why people lose their self – control even when holding responsible positions in the society. I began thinking on how we can work towards building our self control muscle which i think is like any other muscle in the body. If You can focus on the shortcomings and do the required exercises,I do not see any reason as to why one cannot improve. Some of the exercises one can work on to develop their self control are -

Analyze your life: Sometime analyzing your life comprehensively rather than floating around like driftwood makes a world of difference. Look into the most important areas of your life be it your profession, relationships, health, finances etc which are extremely important to your life. See which area is suffering the most and do the required course correction. The reason is, if you are dissatisfied in any area of your life then it is bound to accumulate and explode at an inappropriate time. The best option is to enjoy the journey and take regular breaks which will have a positive impact on your life.

Analyze the area where you are lacking control: If you are losing self control, be it at work or at your house then realize that it will have a huge impact on you and your relationship with the people around you. Read books or articles about the area you are having difficulty with. Becoming informed makes it much easier to make the right decision when you’re tempted to overdo something. For example if you want to lose weight, taking the time to read about nutrition and healthy dieting will naturally motivate you and make eating right a much more enjoyable activity. In terms of gaining self control, knowledge really is power!

Develop manners: Manners are a means to create a socially acceptable method of interacting with others by respecting their needs and our own. It is difficult to be rude to someone with good manners and people are not very forgiving of someone who does that. Hence your self-control can be boosted by relying on using good manners. Even using simple words like Please & Thank you will go a long way in developing good manners.

Practice everything in moderation: Instead of seeking instant gratification, enjoying all things in life in moderation is essential. This means forgoing the entire chocolate cake in preference for a simple slice. It means doing the activities that fit into the time you have rather than multi-tasking.

Refuse to resort to cursing and raging: Self control is about calmly and slowly identifying the cause of your distress and addressing it with realistic reactions. Cursing and raging get you nowhere other than earning you a reputation as a hothead who can’t be trusted or worse as someone who is potentially violent. Find calm and constructive outlets to deal with your concerns.

Think before you speak or act: Do not react in the heat of the moment. This requires consideration and deliberation. Practice this in order to perfect it so as to enable you to respond reasonably quickly to situations in a level-headed manner without resorting to immediate gut reaction behavior. Always think, think, and think.

Take up sports or activities that teach you inner focus: Consider activities as running, weight lifting, yoga, meditation, etc. as forms of self-centering and learning to rely upon your inner strength. These are excellent means for developing self-control and have helped me immensely over the years in a long way.

Meditation: This is something which comes to my mind foremost not because I start my day with this but for the amazing results one can achieve in hardly any time. The return on investment is extremely high with this one habit which just about anybody can do for 10-15 minutes in a day. Meditation is something that has been used by countless number of people across the globe and it is all about discipline. The point of it is to discipline your mind to such a state where it is conditioned in a positive way. During mediation you’re meant to be getting into a state of self awareness while keeping your mind blank. You’re not meant to anchor yourself to specific thoughts. This is very difficult to do if you’re not doing it right and it requires a lot of self discipline as well as concentration. It helps develop a positive energy from within.

Ensure you do rest for 7-8 hours: Don’t forget to sleep well. Good Sleep will give you better mental health. it will give greater energy  to exercise control whilst tackling the opportunities and happenings of the next day. Sometime sleeping over a problem does help to a large extent.

Watch what you eat: Recent research has time and again proved that most of the vegetarians are happier .It is due to the high level of antioxidants in greens which to a large extent act as a natural damage control mechanism. I am not advocating a complete vegetarian diet but do include 3-4 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables in a day.

Even though developing self control is something which does takes time, the points discussed are proven strategies which have worked for me as well as many of my clients across the Globe.

I do hope this has made some of you realize how important it is to have control on yourself .If you do want to reach out to me do mail me on my mail id coach@satishrao.in or on my Face book Fan Page.

How Do You Make Your Workouts More Effective?

One of the biggest reasons which puts off most people from working out is the false notion that they need to spend hours in the gym or the outdoors to become fitter. On the contrary it is not true and is not practical either. The majority of my clients are full time working professions who do not have enough time for themselves. The last thing in their mind would be to spend hours in the gym to become healthier. Well, let me tell you that it is possible to spend 30-45 minutes a couple of times a week and ensure that you work towards being healthier. In fact the biggest challenge for me is to fit in the most efficient and customized workout schedule for my clients.

Some of the things which I feel most of you can do is to remove the thinking that one needs to invest hours together in the gym or an outdoor facility to burn those extra calories. Some of the things which you can do to increase your health quotient are -

Limit your exercise to 30-45 minutes: Though the tendency of most people is to spend a couple of hours in the gym, our body produces lactic acid within 45-60 minutes of working out and after that whatever is done is usually to impress others. The important factor is to ensure that you know what you are planning to do before you step into the gym. I know in detail as to which exercise I will be doing for the day by just planning ahead. It’s better to work out at a higher intensity for a shorter period of time.

High-intensity workouts:If you’re just starting out with an exercise program, it’s best to take it slow. If you’re running or cycling, for example, build up your endurance for at least a month before you get into anything more intense. That means going at a rate where you can easily talk without being out of breath. Once you have built up that base of endurance step up the intensity to amplify the effectiveness of the workout.

Compound exercises: Instead of isolating your muscles with exercises such as the bicep curl, you can maximize the time you spend on a workout by doing exercises that work out multiple muscle groups at once. With just a few exercises you can get a full-body workout. Another benefit is that your muscles are working together as they do in the real world rather than in isolation. Some great compound exercises include squats, dead lifts, good mornings, lunges, push-ups,  bench presses, military presses, rows, pull-ups and dips to name a few.

Mix it up: Don’t stick to the same workout routine for too long or your body will adjust to the stress level and you won’t be satisfied with the results. For strength training, change your routine every few weeks. For cardio it’s best to cross train rather than to do the same thing everyday. For example, i do not do the same exercise on two consecutive days be it lifting or a cardio session.

Good form:For strength training especially, form is very important. If you’re strength training, start with lighter weights so that you can work on your form. It’s good to have an experienced spotter or trainer who knows the significance of good form to help you for the first month or so. Never sacrifice form for heavier weight. For any other form of exercise you need to plan accordingly.

Food Intake: This is the key as the saying goes “ABS are created in the kitchen and not in the Gym” Do remember that good eating habits are the key, especially ensuring that our energy comes from a good source of Carbs (40-50%), Proteins (30-40%) and Good fats (10-20%).By ensuring that you have small healthy meals every 3-4 hours you will spike your metabolism and ensure that it is always on a fat burn mode.

Water: Be sure to hydrate throughout the day. It takes a couple of hours for your body to absorb the water that you drink. Make it a habit to drink water regularly throughout the day. Remember at most times we are actually thirsty and not hungry. Therefore drink a big glass of water in-between those meals.

Rest: This is the most important factor and to be truthful this requires a separate Blog article dedicated to optimum rest. I have noticed that off late people compromise on their sleep time and that is a critical error. By ensuring that one rests for at least 7-8 hours every night you are doing yourself a big favor because the body is rebuilding during this time. Most of the repair work with our body and mind is done at this time. What I mean is that you ensure that there is no compromise in this area. This is the key to your overall well-being.

Be active through the day: Even if you are working out or have some kind of physical activity in your weekly schedule it is a no gainer unless you are active through the day. If you are like most of us and confined to a desk job then ensure that you walk around for a couple of minutes every hour. If possible stand and work for at least couple of hours. I now stand and work for 2-3 hours every day. I know it sounds difficult but recent research has proved that sitting for too long at work or worse in front of the T.V ensures that you put on weight rapidly. It could also make way for lifestyle related diseases to creep in.

So to sum it up the idle workout schedule would be to spend 3-4 hours a week doing some kind of physical activity, be well hydrated and ensure you keep a hawk’s eye on your food intake. A Smarter option would be to maintain a journal to keep track of whatever is going inside your mouth. This is a very effective strategy. Last but not the least is to ensure that you do rest for 7-8 hours. I am sure that with the kind of lifestyle most of you are leading this may sound like Greek and Latin but once you make up your mind and envision the image of a healthier you, then these changes will just be a walk through the park.

However the points I have mentioned are only through my own experience and an accumulation of knowledge through intense reading. I am not an expert but was at one point of time just a person like you searching for answers and pondering about how to become healthier. If any one of you is planning to turn over a new leaf then get a proper medical consultation before making the necessary changes deemed fit.

I hope that the above will motivate some of you to change over and and work towards being more healthy. If you want to reach out to me or feel someone amongst your friends or family might be benefited by working on their health then do not shy away from sending me a mail on coach@satishrao.in . You can even leave a message on my Face book Fan Page.

How To Remain Calm Through Crisis And Learn From Them

Sunday is one day when I do not touch my Laptop and when my instincts told me to log in on a Sunday morning I could not ignore it for too long. What was to follow was a first time experience for me. It was huge crisis at hand when i realized that my website was hacked. It was obvious on doubled checking that my whole website had disappeared and trash put in its place. The sequence of events that occurred for the next couple of hours was a learning experience that could take me a long way in handling a crisis which tries to knock you down. I always tend to see a silver lining in the darkest of clouds. Some of the things i learnt and can be done by just about anybody when a crisis hits you are -

Remain Calm: It’s essential & critical to stay calm during a crisis. Of course, the very nature of a crisis makes this difficult to do. However it is important to stay calm and not panic. When you panic it’s hard to think clearly about what’s happened and what you need to do. On the other hand remaining calm allows you to consider your options before you make decisions, even if decisions need to be made quickly. The moment I realized that my website had been hacked, I took a deep breath and calmed my mind to think more rationally.I tend to think better when I am calm. The most amazing ideas and solutions have crossed my mind when I am at the calmest.

Stay positive:This is sometimes the toughest thing to do in a crisis. You have to keep believing there really is a light at the end of tunnel and you will get there. Think about what’s helped you in the past to deal with tough situations and use whatever works to keep you hopeful. For example I could have looked at this incident in a negative manner by harboring negative thoughts and hatred to the person who had hacked my website. However I stayed away from this and focused on the most important task which is to bring my website back in action in the shortest possible time.

Be persistent: Surviving a crisis means you need to keep moving forward. Be willing to tackle each obstacle in your way, one at a time. The idea is to crawl if you can’t walk and walk if you can’t run. Whatever you do, keep moving forward and do not give up. Though you can’t see it, by just focusing on the task at hand increases the chance that are you are making progress.

Be flexible: You may encounter unexpected roadblocks as you move through your crisis. If this happens, and it is likely, remember to pause for a minute and be creative. Get comfortable with the new circumstances and decide what you need to do next. Flexibility keeps you on your toes so that you are always ready to move around any roadblocks that get in your way. By being flexible, you can absorb the shocks better. This will also give you more room to maneuver

Use what’s available: It’s important to use anything and everything that might help you. Look around and consider what’s available to you and how you can use it. Examples are supportive people, places in your community offering help or maybe advice from others who survived a similar crisis. If you take the time to use existing resources you can get out of your crisis faster. I always believe that instead of reinventing the wheel you can just hit the ground running by reaching out to people who have already walked the path. For me talking to a few people who are knowledgeable in this aspect proved to be a great help. Expand your horizon. Seeing what is on the farthest part of your vision helps in seeing through the immediate obstacles.

Be patient: A crisis can feel like you’re walking through an area filled with land mines. While the tendency is to run, this makes you more likely to step on a mine. However by moving slowly and carefully you can dodge them. Keep your focus on where you’re going and be patient as this increases your odds that you will make it through. I can’t help but remember how much of my patience was tested when navigating many slippery stretches on the high altitude region of the Himalayas. Being slow, focused and patient was the biggest learning for me from the mountains. I advocate the same even today and live by it.

Learn from it: Yes there is always a lesson to be learnt from the greatest of crisis. I learnt a couple of valuable lessons from this incident which will no doubt help me in the long run. When one is open to the idea of learning in any given  situation then every crisis can be looked as a learning module. That is exactly what I have done over the years. Most of the crisis I have gone through on hindsight have made me a better person in the journey of life.

Very few of us go through life without encountering a crisis. Whether your crisis is big or small, you have a choice about how you can handle it. While panic is a choice, the better option is to take a deep breath and remember that with some of the learning’s above you can navigate and manage your crisis more effectively. Once the crisis is over you’ll be back on solid ground. For me my hacked website put me off track for a couple of hours. I did have to realign my personal commitments but at the end of the day when I do look back, the crisis has made me a better person and hopefully put me in a better position to handle a bigger crisis.

I do hope this article has helped you to look at your own crisis through a different perspective.For people who are going through any crisis be it in any area of your life, do remember that you can come unscathed if you have a long term vision in mind. If any of you or your friends are going through a crisis which you feel is insurmountable then do not shy away from reaching me on my mail coach@satishrao.in or connect with me through my Face book Fan Page.