Stress
management is on everyone's mind today, and scientists are
starting to
verify the advantages of the
regular practice of stress reducing techniques, such as
meditation. Meditation releases stress, providing
physical, mental and emotional benefits which can help entrepreneurs
not
only feel
better, but feel better about themselves as well, increasing
their creativity,
intelligence, organization and relationships. All of which
can lead to a bigger bottom
line.
Admit
it...business can be stressful. If those six calls you
received this
morning from others who were stressed out
didn’t get you down, the client complaint you’re
about to receive this
afternoon might do it. Add to that
your financial pressures and personal responsibilities, and it can
be difficult for entrepreneurs to adhere to Kipling’s quote, “If
you can keep your
wits about you while
all others are losing theirs…The world will be yours.”
The Goal
Of
Meditation
Forget
sitting cross legged in a cave and fasting for weeks on end.
Meditation has gone mainstream. (See Time Magazine Cover Story,
August 4,
2003.) 15-20 minutes twice a day and you
feel like you just got eight hours of uninterrupted sleep.
Feeling blissful is not the end result, however,
but rather a by-product of the many psycho physiological (mind-body)
changes
which take place while engaged in the practice.
The real goal is to release the stresses and strain from the
physiology,
so when you come back into activity you are more dynamic and focused,
and therefore, more productive.
Any
system starts to break down when exposed to prolonged periods of stress
without sufficient relief. In many cases, this shows up in
physical decay, mental sluggishness and
emotional
aberrations. We start relying on
caffeine and drugs to get through the day and go to sleep at night.
We make poor judgments regarding our business, personal and
clients' challenges. And we can notice an increase
in negative emotions such as irritability or depression.
The
Mind-Body
Connection
Ever
had one of those days where everything goes right? You know,
clients may still be calling you 100 times a day, but it
doesn’t seem to bother you? This is called being in The
Zone. Meditation not only relaxes you, but elivens
you as well. It enables you to naturally
stay in
the zone more often, for longer periods of time. You start to side step
the arrows
that are coming at you all day long. You
look better and feel better, and your produce more, more
effortlessly.
Here’s why:
For
every thought and feeling we experience, there is a corresponding
physical component.Scientists can now
measure
the biochemical changes in the body and the feelings associated with
them.When you’re relaxed, happy,
working in The Zone,
you literally produce “feel good chemicals",such as natural pain killers, called endorphins.The body also automatically balances its
natural energizers, such as norepinephrine, with the biochemical
serotonin,
which creates a sense of calmness and well being.In
addition, the body also manufactures arginine
vasopressin,
which the
medical profession now knows is
associated with
mental alertness. In other words, when you meditate your mind and
body come back to a calm, but alert state.
Similarly,
we could stop and take a snapshot of the body’s biochemical
structure when you
feel stressed out and tired, perhaps feeling irritable.In this case, we would likely find too much
adrenaline from your reaction to the fight or flight response.We might also see a decrease in the
electrical conductivity of your skin, as measured by your galvanic skin
response (GSR).And of course, your
muscles
may tighten up, leading to a headache or pain in another part of the
body.
Meditation
allows the mind to naturally
settle down
to progressively deeper levels of
rest…and the body follows.Breath
rates are routinely measured at eight
times deeper during meditation than that of the deepest sleep, even
though you
are fully alert and aware of your surroundings. At this deep
level of rest,
the body’s own healing mechanisms have a chance to kick in,
repairing damaged
cells and rejuvenating the system.This
is why, whenever you’re sick, the doctor always tells you
to get
plenty of rest.It’s like medicine
for the body.
The
result it that you have more energy, let’s say at three in the
afternoon, with
which
to finish those projects or call those clients that normally
would be put
off until another day.You also
find
that clients are more attracted to your renewed energy and sense of
enthusiasm. While no one can prove it
scientifically, everyone understands the principal
that the healthier we are, the more money we
can make from the increase in both
the
quantity and quality of our activity.
Increasing
Your
Ability
Psychologists
and neurologists tell us that most people probably use only between
10-15% of
their brain’s
capacity. I would suggest that this
means most of us are operating at about 10-15% effectiveness or
productivity. The
challenge of
earning more money is not one of methodology, but of capability. Your income can only grow to the
extent that you do.
Acquiring specific business skills,
such as knowing
how your clients think, learning more great sales and marketing
techniques, and
having access to better time management tools, will only go so far if
your
ability to implement them is limited by your own brain power.As I coach, I often hear, “I know what I
should be doing, but there are all these obstacles.How
do I gain the ability to implement?”
The
key is to unlock that other 85% of your brain, and meditation helps.
Meditation
relieves the physical stresses that are currently using up valuable
mental and
emotional resources, freeing up your mind and nervous system for more
productive activities. It’s like food for the brain.You make better decisions, seeing
possibilities of solutions to problems where none seemed to previously
exist.You feel more relaxed and genuinely
confident
in your dealings with people, and others can tell the difference.
In
effect, you access more of the previously untapped 85% of your brain.With practice over time, your mind and body
get used to operating from that expanded level of consciousness
(awareness),
enabling you
to create better results, including better clients, more income
and more job and personal satisfaction.
Does
It Work In The
Real World?
Many studies
document the benefits of meditation in the
workplace.Some go back furtherthan you
might expect.For example, at the start
of 1988, Nationwide Mutual Funds offered meditation to its entire sales
staff
of 350 people.After one year, 55% had
taken part.Before year end,sales
in the company as a whole had increased 250% over the previous year,
with meditators accounting for the bulk of the increase.
Participants
also reported decreased insomnia, increased energy and motivation,
along with
improved relationships, both personal and professional.
Meditators said they subjectively felt an
increase in their ability to communicate, with a greater sensitivity to
the
needs of others,both at home
with their family,
and at work with
clients and
co-workers.
In business today, distinguishing
yourself as trustworthy remains one of the main
challenges. If meditation really can
produce the side benefits of increased awareness and
sensitivity,leading to
improved relationships, it might just be a key factor in creating more
credibility.
In
other words, entrepreneurs who meditate don’t just act
more trustworthy, they actually become more
trustworthy, genuinely placing their clients’ interests first,
while simultaneously earning more money. It’s a
win-win situation for everyone.
Meditation is
distinguished from
Concentration (forced focusing on an object, such as a candle),
Contemplation
(verbally asking
yourself how to get more clients), Visualization (seeing the outcome of
lots of
clients ahead of time), or Affirmation (repeatedly stating that you will get more clients, or that you already have more clients). These
can all be useful techniques in
certain
circumstances, they’re
just not meditation.
It’s best
to practice your meditation twice a day, for 15-20 minutes each
session. It takes a few minutes for the
mind to
settle down, so
less time per session won’t be nearly as effective. By meditating in the morning, you
calibrate your mind and body, tuning it up and getting it ready for
your day’s
activities.Less stress comes in
throughout the day. You stay more
centered in The Zone.Do another session
in the early evening, preferably before dinner.Food
tends to crank up the body’s metabolism while
digesting, and it’s
usually difficult to settle the mind down when the body is fueling its
fire.Instead of having a drink before
dinner when you
come home after work, try meditating.Think
of it as “Happy Hour.”
You
can meditate anytime, anywhere (except
during activities such as driving, where you need your full
attention on what you’re doing). Noise
is not an obstacle. Many businesspeople
do their meditation on airplanes or trains while commuting.
Summary:
Science
is now starting to verify what people who meditate have subjectively
reported
for years; That regular meditation increases creativity, intelligence,
organizing power, health,
personal relationships and yes, even business.Try
it, you’ll like it.What
have
you got to lose, except a little bit of stress?
To Learn
More About Mantra Based Meditation Contact Our Office.
For Groups Of Six Or More, We'll Come To You To
Teach Meditation
Anywhere In The U.S. At A Very Affordable Group Rate
Max Bolka is a 28-year veteran
of the
financial services industry who developed a nationwide financial
planning and investment
clientele. Today he "Builds Enlightened
Entrepreneurs" of all kinds by increasing their level of
professionalism as well as profits. He has also practiced
advanced
meditation techniques for 30 years and teaches others how to use
meditation to
help achieve both business and personal success.
For more information on his speaking,
writing or coaching services,
or to sign up
for his free monthly tips in all areas of practice management,
visit www.maxbolka.com email
info@maxbolka.com
or call (800) 472-3288.
