CLARITY

 

Clarity is not a personality trait that some have and others do not. Nobody is born with clarity. It can be achieved, with discipline, hard work, and purpose. Clarity is achieved by generating and sorting ideas, writing them down, asking questions, researching, and trying new things. The goal is to be able to say anytime: I know who I am, I know what I want, I know how to get there, and I have a clear plan to achieve all I want. It is as simple as that; not an easy exercise, though. For that, you have to be able to ask yourself the right questions. The quality of your results will depend on the quality of your questions. Clarity comes only when you think straightforward and clean, are aware of what is really important to you, and let go of all the rest. Get clear about what matters by getting rid of those that do not.

And now, the fun part - some exercises that will show you ways to achieve clarity.

Make a decision. 

Decisions are a great tool to achieve clarity and to sharpen an overwhelmed mind. The Latin word for decision ("decidere") literally means “to cut off.” Making a decision is about “cutting off” choices. You choose one thing and move on. But do not be mistaken! An integral part of the decision-making process is knowing how to live with the consequences of that decision. In other words, even if you wanted to, you could not change your mind if the results do not please you. If the elements of the equation stay constant, you will have to stick to your decision, and live with the outcome! Decisions help in getting ahead and making progress. Start small. For example, decide you will not eat chicken anymore, only fish; or you will not wake up at 6:30am, but at 6:20am; or you will have your last caffeinated drink of the day no later than 4:00pm. Does it seem so hard, does it? But it will instil a kind of discipline that will allow you to make better decisions in the future, in all areas of your life. The mind is a tricky thing - if you could forego those 10 minutes of extra sleep in the morning, why would you not be able to go those extra 10 minutes in the gym? If you could give up chicken, why could you not give up sugar? If you could contain your caffeine intake, it means you could contain your toxic best friends’ intrusion into your life. Everything is interconnected, all can be rewired and rewritten. Think about that, the next time you make a decision.

A famous author, Yuval Noah Harari believes in the power of clarity. His work stands out because of his ability to see things clearly and objectively. He achieves clarity through two-hour meditation sessions and an annual 60-day silent retreat. For us, mortals, this may be hard to achieve, but start with a 5- to 10-minute-long meditation session, and try to increase over time. With consistency and discipline, you will get to 30-minute sessions, and then, in no time, you will probably be able to join the same silent retreat as our beloved Harari.

Bill Gates thinks that it was his clarity of thought and execution that has made him a success. Since 1994 he has established for himself the so called “Think Week”, where he takes time off, cuts off everything else, and thinks about the “big picture”. This is his tool for clarity and for thinking out of the box.

The following steps will help you get clarity:-

• You remove distractions – everything you deem unimportant or unnecessary.
• You focus on identifying what matters – you prioritize.
• You ask the necessary quality questions. If necessary, you learn about the topic to eliminate insecurities.
• You write down all answers.
• You cut down whatever is not essential.
• You put it in a frame, with clear figures, dates and a plan to follow.

You know, all this is not rocket science. Nevertheless, exercising your way to clarity will bring a lot of benefits in your life. You will feel more confident about yourself, about your future, and you will express your thoughts and wishes in a more articulate way. Try it! If you ever felt you lacked a sense of direction, you will, at the very least, regain the feeling that you are in control of what matters most to you.

You believe there are many other ways to achieve clarity. But none are magic. What will be magic, in the end, will be the result you get after you go through the works. 

As usual, we remind you to take your Memo Plus Gold daily. It will help to keep your alert and mentally sharp. For more information or to order for Memo Plus Gold, please visit : https://oze.my.