By Shazad
The way the average car moves is by having an engine that burns some kind of fuel combined with a transmission which applies the power generated by the engine to the 4 wheels. Modern day transmissions have many gears ranging from 5-8 speeds in total. At lower speed, the car is in lower gear but to get to higher speeds, the transmission needs to shift into higher gears.
People are like cars in that we are sometimes going fast and sometimes at medium speed or just getting started in lower gear. This is as it should be. We need to be cycling through our gears in life rather than being stuck in the lower gears or always roaring down the road of life in high gear. Different people will have a different number of gears so no one is going to ‘drive’ the same way in life. One thing that we all have in common is that we all have a slow, medium and fast mode which means we can and should be ‘shifting’ up and down. Like a car, we need to take a rest from cruising at high speeds. Likewise, we need to regularly go into higher gears to cruise the highway to avoid burning out the transmission in stop and go traffic of daily life.
No one can stay in low gear in life and enjoy the experience. We all like to go into high gear and experience a rush or excitement but we can’t live in that mode either. We have to be shifting through the various speeds available in each of us to truly experience all of life. Applying too little power or too much power all the time is not good for people or cars. When you use all your ‘gears’ on a regular basis, you experience the best ride of your life. Buckle Up and drive safely!
Action Steps:
Once a week, slow things down and cut out todo’s or events in your calendar. Just pay attention to your environment and breathing throughout the day.
Take 2 Weeks to unplug and travel each year. Delegate your responsibilities before you leave home and just enjoy the time away from daily routines of life.
Be prepared to work a few longer hour days each month to push yourself into higher gear of productivity and completion.
Practice 10 minutes of mindfulness at the end of workday. This can be on Train/Bus as you travel home. Try to mentally ‘park’ your work thoughts and get ready for home life so you can successfully make the transition when you step into your home.
Wake up extra early a few days a week and exercise for 30 minutes before you start you day. Get everyone moving and start visualizing how successful your day will be.