Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Message to Founders: Keep Calm To be a Successful Entrepreneur The only option we're left with is to increase our energy levels and that can make us victorious in whatever we do
By Sri Sri Ravi Shankar •
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The challenges that you face as an entrepreneur are not limited to just your work-related field, they are diverse - interpersonal, infrastructural, administrative and even emotional. To be able to deal with all these, one needs to be multi-faceted. All these aspects in you grow in you when you are established in yourself and are free from stress. Some level of stress at the workplace is normal & acceptable, perhaps even essential. It can keep you on your toes, help you face challenges, and you're able to meet your deadlines. However, just like too much salt can spoil the food, stress beyond normal levels can leave you feeling frustrated and powerless.
What is Stress?
Stress is when you have so much to do, very little time and don't have enough energy. Now to deal with it, either reduce your workload - that's impossible in a startup! Or increase your time - but a day has only 24 hours. The only option we're left with is to increase our energy levels.
1) Increase your energy levels
There are 4 ways you can increase your energy levels:
a) Proper food will help you. Not too much, not too little. Also, pay attention to keeping a balanced diet, freshly prepared food that is easily digestible.
b) The right amount of sleep. You need 6-8 hours of sleep. Not more, not less.
c) Breathing is a lesser known but very critical source of energy! Regular practice of breathing exercises like Pranayam is effective energy boosters. Breathing exercises help in improving perception, observation and expression, all vital for good management.
d) A few moments of meditative awareness. Meditation is conscious, deep relaxation. Just a few minutes of meditation regularly can relieve all types of stress. About 15-20 minutes of meditation, morning and evening, is good enough. Meditation also helps us get in touch with our inner space - the source of joy, peace, and love.
2) M&Ms!
Meals and Meditation. When teams have meals together or sit together and meditate, they find it so refreshing that they're able to carry on for the rest of the day with the same energy with which they came into the office. It also brings people closer and creates a healthier work environment.
3) Celebrate Diversity
Learn to accept diversity, and honour it. Everybody has their own strengths. Instead of having defined job descriptions and assigning people to them, see how their strengths and interests can be manoeuvred to the roles you have in mind.
4) Accept the opposites
Accept the pleasant and unpleasant moments of life. You need to accept that you will experience both of these in your life. This will help you maintain the equanimity of your mind.
5) Perfect Imperfections
Lastly, make room for imperfection. Accept a little bit of others' as well as your own imperfections. It allows you to be more patient. It's like the space in your house where you keep your dustbin. You need it there to keep the rest of your house clean.
The sign of success is overwhelming joy, confidence, compassion, generosity, and a smile that none can snatch away. Whatever happens in life, if you can keep these, then you have really found success.
