A few months ago we had an amazing article (actually one of our top rated articles) by Professor Srikumar Rao. It was called Happiness Is Your Birthright, You Have To Reach Out And Claim It!
And how right he was! The response to Professor Rao's article and Personal Mastery course taught at some of the best business schools in the world including Columbia, Haas, The University of California at Berkeley and London Business School.
But how did a business school lecturer become a personal development guru with a massive following ? And what about him caught the attention of CNN, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Time Magazine?
Dr. Srikumar Rao is the founder of the course, Creativity and Personal Mastery, the only business school course that is so popular among students that it has a long wait list and an alumni association.
He is also the author of the international bestseller Are You Ready to Succeed: Unconventional Strategies for Achieving Personal Mastery in Business and Life.
I'll be conducting two interviews with Srikumar Rao.
And it won't be just me interviewing him. In fact, you're going to help me.
What's your most burning question for Srikumar Rao?
If you've been following them. This should be easy. If you're new to his work. Check out his website AreYouReadyToSucceed.com
Also, Dr. Rao gave an awesome talk to Google's headquarters last year. He covered of course the connection between your self-awareness and happiness as well as work life success:
Don't worry, I'll keep you posted on when the interview will be released.
But before then, don't forget to ask Dr. Rao you're #1 question on happiness and the workplace.
The Challenge For You:
- How happy you are in your work?
- How do you feel about your career and life path?
- Do you feel that you are following your passion and purpose?
- How can ideas from the personal development field be brought into the workplace?
- Does meditation, gratitude, positive thinking, visualization, intuition etc have a place in work life?
After you've posed those 5 questions to yourself, I want you to drop a comment and post this final question:
What's the #1 thing you want to see changed in your life when it comes to your passion, purpose and career?
Cheers,
Vishen
I am happy with the field of work I am in (Education) . What I can't deal with is insincerity in my colleagues, Politics, back stabbing, jealousy, unhealthy competition, injustice. How do I deal with this?
My number one thing I'd like to change with regards to passion, purpose and career is my renumeration.
Why is it that I have been told by many that I am a great healer, So, I went to chiropractic school became licensed started out with a great business and then since 2005 I have been struggling to pay my bills and the majority of my income comes from catering? For my personal - Why is it that before chiropractic school I could sit for 2 -3 hours for meditation and as soon as I started chiropractic school I haven't since beeen able to sit for meditation?
Very confused!!!!
The one thing i'd like to work on is communication. Is there anything that we can do to better understand each other? It seems that in this day and age everyone has a different form of communicating and it sometimes ends up in an angry confrontation or dire miscommunication.
[...] guys, my friend Vishen just posted this at FinerMinds and it’s going out to over quarter of a million [...]
The number one thing I want to see changed is the wanting to see things changed.
What I keep finding is that I have to constantly monitor my thinking. When i forget, I fall into fear again. It takes a lot of work to climb out of that black hole. Is there an easier way to do it other than recognizing it for what it is and honoring that I can do something even if I am afraid?
I appreciate the opportunity to ask.
I see so many things that I could improve on raising my kids, love relationships, work and taking care of myself. I tend to put other things way before me and I get what is left over. Usually that is not a lot. To balance my walk with God, life, work, kids, love, and have something left for me is a challenge. All these things seem to be immediate priorities. If I focus on one area, by the time I finish with that, I may not remember the other important things and I don't have the time to write a journal as I am trying to balance what is already on my plate. There is never enough time and kids grow up so fast. I have cut down on commitments to have more time but there still is not enough. So how do I find a balance of personal growth, maintain day to day life, put new ideas into practice, take care of job, home, work, kids, self, relationship with God, and find love?
I m doing ok. I took a look at what my trust is invested in as of now and everything lines up.
The #1 thing I want to see changed in my life when it comes to my passion, purpose and career is the existence of passion, purpose and career. There doesn't seem to be any right now. I've lost touch with my purpose and I only feel anger at my accidental, dead-end career.
Moving on,taking care of myself for a change,without guilt,as I'm not sure of the new journey that I'd like to start would break a promise of marriage. It seems the idea is to look at life as a glass that's half full rather than half empty.
First; excuse me for my bad englisch!
I do what I want, painting and making beautiful objects.
All day. Every day.
It is my passion, it makes me verry happy.
The only problem is :
How to earn money with it.
I did not sell any panting this year.
Wytske.
http://www.wytskezwetsloot.kunstinzicht.nl.
The one thing I would like is for my passion, purpose and career to all be one.
My love life needs help. I need to find the true one..:( ...seems very elusive.
How can I stay focus through out the whole day ? And overcome my fears of success. And be financial free of debt.
Thank you, Shel
I think deep down inside, all of us have this question:
"How can we pursue our passion, and live a happy life with it?"
Thing is, we could be passionate about writing, painting, acting, film-directing, etc. But reality is tough. We don't always get the chance we look for.
As a result of pursuing our dreams, our life may be badly affected - chances are high that we may fail, too. Lack of money, resources and opportunities will limit our happiness. So what are we suppose to do in this regards?
Next -
Some people have it easy, they could find the work they like and dedicate time to it. Most people can't. And the reality is - if we don't take the toil of working, we'd fail in our responsibilities of feeding/clothing our family. In this case...
"What is your advice towards the individual who wants to pursue after his goals, to be happy, but can't because he/she absolutely had to keep their work?"
"Lastly, what's your advice to the man/woman who has changed a few jobs and still can't find the one he/she is happy with?"
Factors of unhappiness includes:
1.) People who are hard to deal with - you want to stay kind, compassionate & happy, but reality constantly takes it away. It requires that you equip a tough, resolute, advantageous & sometimes cruel personality to succeed.
2.) Companies which offer products & services which you don't think gives enough value to consumers for their money.
3.) You found out the line of work isn't giving you happiness at all.
Should he/she continue finding the right career, seeking for happiness (even continue being referred to as a 'job-hopper') - or stop thinking about career changes and toil through it in search of happiness gained with financial rewards?
I have had every dream I ever had taken away by someone or a group of people who felt threatened by me. Even my own daughter was abusive to me and got rewarded by Children and Youth for hating me and now lives with a wealthy foster family.
I graduated with honors ( 3.61) at 45 years old from Moravian College with a degree in Art Education, they refused to recommend me for PA certification and was told that I showed poor promise as a teacher when I was a founding board member of Lehigh Valley Charter School for the Performing Arts.
I have been diagnosed with shingles, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue and cannot work full time to take care of my finances.
I have been beat up by a 3 police officers because I was suicidal because my husband of weeks had just physically abused me.
I have no other recourse but to commit suicide and maybe that would change my life and I could get a new body and life....but I am fearful because I tried one time and was unconscious for 72 hours but lived through it.
I even failed at suicide. My family has done all kinds of hateful things from telling me they would give me money to go for Thanksgiving dinner but I wasn't welcomed at their home and this was when my daughter was 4 years old and I just returned from Colorado after 8 years and hadn't seen these people in years. I was put out of the family home and had to live in a homeless shelter after my father beat me up.
Every job I have someone tries to get me fired because I do too much and I "make them look bad."
All I ever wanted was to be loved and accepted.
not even my own child wants me.
I have become nothing and although I have believed for years that I had the power to change my life by trying harder, I know that I am a loser and have no hope for the future.
I can't even hve the courage to commit suicide but I am dead in this world. I feel tortured and abandoned by everyone..and I pray to die so not to hurt so bad anymore.
I have loved my self and thought I was someone who could make a difference in the world and every last person I have ever had contact with has tried to destroy me emotionally, physically or financially.
Again...tell me why?
It has now been almost a year that I have not been working. My job position was eliminated.
I have found my passion in Massage, I love helping. I just cannot find my way of making money out of it. I sometimes ask myself if this is truly what I am meant to be.
I wish my path would be revealed.
how do i find my true love for a man in my life
I have a small carpet business, which is in dire straits since the last 12 years or so. At this point I am absolutely drained financially. I have debts which runs in tens of thousands in my local currency. I am months behind in my house rental and car installments payments. On top of that my son married a girl my wife doesn't approve of. Even though I do not have any problems with that but my wife just refuses to accept the daughter-in-law and our or rather my two year old grandson. Now she has stopped me from seeing them too, by asking me to make a choice between them or her. We only see our son, but not his little family. Tension !tension! tension ! that is all I have in my life.
Thank you for the opportunity.
What are some ways to "remember" in order to prevent sliding back into the fog?
I totally believe in the power of positive thinking.I have read this The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale it was life changing experience for me.
how can I get connected to my 'inner self','spirit','subconscious'? It seems to be locked out for me.
I used to have a lot of passion about my life and what I wanted out of it. But now at 47, I cant even find anything I want to do. I used to take pictures and enjoy nature, I enjoyed being around my children but now they are grown. I still love being around them and my grandchildren, but I lack the drive to even want to be happy. I would love to change but the more I try the more unhappy I become. Nothing seems satisfying. I work, I am experiencing a lot more headaches but I have no drive to get up and do anything about it.
Please help me see what my future is holding for me.
As can be seen from my blog, I want my research to get noticed & implemented all over.
My tenent is not vacating my house & also I am not able to get paid for its sale as per contractual agreement done earlier. HOW CAN IT BE ACHIEVED?
My career & place of posting is not as per my aspirations. How can it be done?
When and how will Dr. Rao reply to my problem
I have never been happy in my career it has always been a means of making money never my passion. My home life is not what I expected from my spouse either, no romance and I feel disrespected as times. I am aware that what I think is what comes into my life but I have not found a way to release the negative thoughts long enough for all the positivee to come through. It's a roller coaster life.
These are transformational times and there is a lot of negativity
to clear. If there is violence in the world then there is violence in me. Love your enemy may mean love your problems if they are your enemy. Repeat repeat repeat I love you I love you to the chair to the cashier to the road to the Jerk that cuts you off in traffic, and to problems I love you I love you I love you works miracles and you cannot think it too much. We are all in this together and love really is the answer even if you don't feel it just try to say and think to yourself more.We are willing to try all kinds of things but I love you is free and as close as your next thought.
First: Thanks so very much to have had the opportunity to listen to Dr. Rao.
I am living with pain for several years and get myself not feel it, sometimes for 1 to several hours a day.
Because of this (I can't work outside of my home) I began to make my own website to make a living. http://www.privatedimension.at
Now my problem: The hours of one day are never enough to get everything done, which I want and should do.
Time is said to only excist in our imagination, so it should be possible to think enouph time to get everything done........ but I was not yet successful with this!
I'm qualified and capable, yet unable to find a suitable job since long.
Sheida,
I sympathise. I am in a similar situation and it's difficult. Try
imagining these people or what they have done dissolving, literally dissolving. It works for me anyway and takes their importance away.
I left a comment 3 weeks ago, but have not got a reply from Dr. Rao. Still wondering how and when will he reply to my problem..........
Akhlaq Beg
This is a comments section. You haven't actually contacted Dr Rao.
I did read your comments. I suggest you sell up your carpet business. You keep doing the same line of work over and over again feeling horrible and expect something different. If I recall correctly, was it 12 years you were in the same failing business? What does it take you to see the light my friend?
.... and tell your wife to put her pride aside.
I suggest you find the man in you (grow some balls my friend) and tell your wife that she is being silly to neglect a baby human being (your grandson) because she does not like her daughter in law. How stupid of her and how stupid of you to accept her dumb rules. Who cares if she disagrees with the choice your son made for a wife. She should focus on her life and stay out of their business (thank God I have a wonderful mother in law)
Tell her if she continues on this track, she will lose her son, her grandson, possibly a lovely daughter in law and then her husband (you).
If she gives you an ultimatum, give her one back. If she makes you pick between your flesh and blood and her then she will have to go without you. Anyone that makes you sacrifice the joys of a grandchild doesn't deserve you. Let her know, you wont tolerate it!!!
After this, start focusing on what you love and do it!!!