Day 28: Reviewing the priorities
I am already into the Sunday, end of fourth week since I started this. I have achieved bits and pieces, but I am not sure how much of that is due to staying home for a relatively long period and what is due to deliberate action. One thing I surely know is that some of my problems persist: a messy daily schedule, always coping up with deadlines at the last moment and a gap between intent and action. After all, these are the things that my 100 day project was to solve - I wanted to become a more effective individual/ professional at the end of this period.
Undeniably, there are certain things beyond my control. For example, my visa - I know everything is in order and it will come through, but this long wait isn't any good. I noticed my faculties go into a waiting mode when I am made to wait, which slows down my work and everything else. Besides, this uncertainty about when it will come through is also not good - I have a number of travel assignments and need to get started on them ASAP. I know I am on the fourth week - I am told that this will be done within '10 weeks' - so I am plausibly looking at Mid-August here. This isn't any good, as we have events planned in Calcutta, Manila and Hyderabad much before that - and I am suffering from the resulting anxiety.
Also, there is this bit about Indian government - the government faces a trust vote on 22nd July - which somehow affects my life. India needs strong governance at this time, and such incidents don't make it any easier for the country to face the global economic meltdown, which has possibly started. Apart from clear signs of recession in US and British economies, there is another big bank closure in the States. I have also been reading in the Businessweek that the recent retail sales data - which indicated a jump both in US and the UK - may not reflect the ture picture. This is because the statistics include Internet sales data, and does not differentiate between domestic and overseas sales. This distorts the whole picture, because atbthe time of weak dollar and spreading internet, there is a huge amount of e-purchases made by consumers worldwide. So, in effect, the statistics isn't very reliable, and we are possibly already into the recession but we don't know that yet. The governance problems in India at this hour can lead to Foreign Investment meltdown - and note that a huge chunk of foreign investment in India is actually Foreign Institutional Investment, which is easier to get out of - and this makes me think about a currency risk, which will impact our current business model seriously. This actually means additional work for me. I am trying to come out of my emotional, detached mode and the thinking of 'selling my way out of the problem' as I have realized that I have many problems which need collaboration at different levels if that has to be solved. This means I engage others, even when they are not interested, through a continuous process. This means, as a necessary first step, more engagement from me, and necessarily accepting a different schedule than 8 to 6 work that I currently keep.
All of this literally point to a complete realignment of how I spend my time. This will involve a big risk gamble - completely focusing myself on the task of English Training business despite disappointments, and possibly moving to Armagh without regard to the problems it will create for me personally. My spirits were lifted this morning with a rare upbeat assessment of opportunities in the Northen Ireland in Businessweek and as a sort of a plan emerged in my mind. It is literally going back to basics, focusing on my circle of influence and getting started without delay on what I have to do. Hopefully, this will help me to find the way - I shall surely give it a try.
Undeniably, there are certain things beyond my control. For example, my visa - I know everything is in order and it will come through, but this long wait isn't any good. I noticed my faculties go into a waiting mode when I am made to wait, which slows down my work and everything else. Besides, this uncertainty about when it will come through is also not good - I have a number of travel assignments and need to get started on them ASAP. I know I am on the fourth week - I am told that this will be done within '10 weeks' - so I am plausibly looking at Mid-August here. This isn't any good, as we have events planned in Calcutta, Manila and Hyderabad much before that - and I am suffering from the resulting anxiety.
Also, there is this bit about Indian government - the government faces a trust vote on 22nd July - which somehow affects my life. India needs strong governance at this time, and such incidents don't make it any easier for the country to face the global economic meltdown, which has possibly started. Apart from clear signs of recession in US and British economies, there is another big bank closure in the States. I have also been reading in the Businessweek that the recent retail sales data - which indicated a jump both in US and the UK - may not reflect the ture picture. This is because the statistics include Internet sales data, and does not differentiate between domestic and overseas sales. This distorts the whole picture, because atbthe time of weak dollar and spreading internet, there is a huge amount of e-purchases made by consumers worldwide. So, in effect, the statistics isn't very reliable, and we are possibly already into the recession but we don't know that yet. The governance problems in India at this hour can lead to Foreign Investment meltdown - and note that a huge chunk of foreign investment in India is actually Foreign Institutional Investment, which is easier to get out of - and this makes me think about a currency risk, which will impact our current business model seriously. This actually means additional work for me. I am trying to come out of my emotional, detached mode and the thinking of 'selling my way out of the problem' as I have realized that I have many problems which need collaboration at different levels if that has to be solved. This means I engage others, even when they are not interested, through a continuous process. This means, as a necessary first step, more engagement from me, and necessarily accepting a different schedule than 8 to 6 work that I currently keep.
All of this literally point to a complete realignment of how I spend my time. This will involve a big risk gamble - completely focusing myself on the task of English Training business despite disappointments, and possibly moving to Armagh without regard to the problems it will create for me personally. My spirits were lifted this morning with a rare upbeat assessment of opportunities in the Northen Ireland in Businessweek and as a sort of a plan emerged in my mind. It is literally going back to basics, focusing on my circle of influence and getting started without delay on what I have to do. Hopefully, this will help me to find the way - I shall surely give it a try.
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