Two weeks ago, a good friend of mine complained about
some of his phone apps (WhatsApp, Zoom, etc) not working well. Either they were
too slow or were freezing (stalling) while in use which was frustrating him. The phone had been working well until then.
I figured that perhaps the apps didn’t install correctly
and advised him to re-install them. But the same challenges persisted. I then
thought that it could be the internet connectivity challenge, but he said he
tried different service providers with no success. We then thought we need to
take it to a phone repairer for a “specialist” to check and fix the problem.
Last week, my friend came to me all smiles that he found
the phone had been updated with the new OS (iOS 15.1) and since then all apps
have been working well.
Before the app challenges, a message prompt had popped up
on his phone requesting to update but at the time he was busy with the phone
and ignored the message. This prompt message came up 2 more times but kept
ignoring it because each time he was busy with the phone and couldn’t wait for
it to be updating as it would mean not using it during that period.
This experience stroke a chord in my mind and made me question
how we couldn’t connect the failure of the apps to run effectively to the phone
OS. For us, the problem was with the apps themselves. And the solution was changing
the apps, internet connectivity or taking it to some “professional” to fix it
for us.
In a similar way in life, we also have an OS upon which
all our apps (plans, goals, strategies) run. This OS is our mindset which
physically sits in the brain.
What do we do when we are not accomplishing our plans or
goals?
There is something wrong with the goal, lets uninstall
(change) and re-install (modify) it. Or maybe say the internet
connectivity (external conditions) are not favourable and we need to try
connecting with another service provider. Which may be like saying we need another job, position, location,
relationship, book, or conference (repairer), etc. for our goals or plans to
come to fruition.
In most cases, this may be true as a few “tweaks” in the
plan may result in positive outcomes.
However, this experience has had me relook at things
differently. Perhaps, the problem is not the app. And the solution lies in
something that we might have overlooked upon which all human apps run, our “Mind
Set” (MS).
Unlike a phone or other electronic devices which sends us reminders to update them, we may not
have such mechanisms for humans.
However, when we feel a lot of stress, burn out or
struggle as we execute our plans, in a way it is like how the app slows down or
“freezes” the phone. And whenever we find ourselves “freezing” on a
regular basis, our body is in a way telling us that we need to update
ourselves. But because we are too busy with life, we can’t seem to get
ourselves to do so because we just don’t have the time for that.
Let us consider taking some time to update our MS. For a
phone, updating it’s OS involves shutting down, then rebooting while undergoing
a slow sequence in which it fixes bugs or its weaknesses and adds new features
to make it better. During its update, the phone is not usable or is at complete
rest with no destructions in a sense.
Update of the MS involves a similar routine. We must find
some time out of our busy schedules to detach from all external interruptions
such as TV, people, phone, etc. To be in a quiet place as you look at your life
and try and fix the bugs or issues which “unknowingly” might have been working
to prevent you from achieving your own goals.
It is not easy to sit and scrutinize ourselves searching
for our own bugs (weaknesses) as we also think of ways to add new features to
improve ourselves. It may feel like we are “doing nothing” during
this period. But remember, even for the phone, updating seems like a waste of our time but once process is completed leads to its improved performance.
It was interesting that at the end of the update, my
friend did not complain that the update took so long and that he could have
used that time to do something more productive with the phone. At the end of
the day, what mattered was that the apps on the phone were running and he was
very happy.
Perhaps, you do not need another goal, plan, change your job,
location, position or attend another conference. All these are apps which if
they are not on the current updated MS, will not be able to run effectively in
your life.
As we come to the end of 2021 and start working our new year’s
resolutions, this maybe a good time for a MS update.
With an updated MS, you will be in a better position to
run your 2022 apps (resolutions) enabling you to accomplish your long standing goals.
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