A MIND THAT EXCELS

 

A MIND THAT EXCELS

Do the words such as micro-management or detail-oriented ring a bell or strike a chord?

The febrile minds of stock individuals, those of seekers get cogitated to scale the summit, even spiritual Masters, 24x7 politicians, emblematic thespians, writers, troupers, achievers or unswerving and unwavering sportspersons go through a phase where their minds need to be invigorated.  

A passionate and zealous mind, perhaps to the annoyance of both his contemporaries and adversaries, gets to the rub and kernel in order to stay motivated to excel.  

Is this a quintessential trait of a motivated mind?

The celebrated and talismanic trouper Aamir Khan is known to be a perfectionist, experimenting while essaying canonical roles.

Sunita, a demure looking girl who hails from a bijou town of Bihar, who was raised in refractory and obstreperous conditions is determined to make it big. She trains herself and her mind.  

Undeterred, she burnt the midnight oil and toiled to break into the estimable Civil Services of the country. Her motivation was the fact that bureaucrats are revered like celestial beings, virtually immortalized in Bihar and neighboring Uttar Pradesh.

The mind of such individuals is suffused with positivity and has demolished all demonic thoughts.  

They are all blessed individuals, who are indoctrinated with high levels of motivation to achieve excellence in their chosen field. Such individuals are self-propelled and goal driven.

Incidentally the word motivation is derived from the Latin word “movere”. Essentially, it refers to movement of activity. The bedrock of motivation lies in what is termed by eminent psychoanalysts and psychologists as the motivation cycle.

The trigger is a necessity which translates itself into a drive; that driver translates into arousal of the thought process, which further results in goal-directed behavior. Consequently, the enthusiastic human mind dives into achievement and eventually culminates in the reduction of the arousal of the need.

Invariably, deficit or extreme desire conveys signals to the human mind. This flushed state leads to a condition of drive.

It is an arousal state in the mind, which results in tension and energizes the mind to engage in what is termed random activity in psychological parlance. Sequentially, this leads random activities to achieve the desired objective, target or goal. Once the target is accomplished the febrile and emotional mind is at peace and attains tranquility.

But this state of hush and repose is not a settled issue. Once again, the motivational cycle that operates continues in form of Need–Drive–Arousal–Goal Oriented Behavior–Achievement–Reduction of Arousal cycle.

Only a person who has attained equilibrium, equanimity and equipoise and has tasted the ambrosia of truth is quiet and at peace with himself and the surroundings.

It has been hypothesized by psychologists that our daily lives are governed by two kinds of motives. The first one is physiological, while the other is psychological.

Physiological motives focus on causes such as hormonal balances, neurotransmitters, and brain structures, such as the hypothalamus and the limbic system. These result in our daily requirements, like satiating our hunger, quenching human thirst and sexual motives.

Hunger is triggered by stimuli for hunger. The motivation to quench thirst arises from depletion of water from cells and reduction of blood volume. Humans and animals covet sex because of a release of hormones.

Today social media and technology have further fuelled the imagination of humans to explore that which was perhaps earlier cloaked under the garb of respectability.

The underlying factors which contribute towards psychological motivation includes the focus on psychological, social and environmental factors. An impenetrable and inviolable desire to be successful, recognized by society at large, the need for affiliation, requirement for unbridled power, sheer curiosity, exploring the unknown and self-actualization are other psychological triggers.

The motivational cycle certainly challenges the mind to achieve even that which seems impossible. However, an individual gets ensnared in the vortex of this motivational cycle, which places stress on the mind. Success feeds success; but over a period, success also begins to feed stress.

So, the question is, can human beings break free from the cauldron of the motivational cycle?

Sage Ashtavakra has extensively deliberated on the concept of the state of stillness of the human mind. The realization that all acts arise, suffer, change and pass away and in no manner should it disturb our mental equilibrium assuages a stressed mind. The path to salvation lies in being able to calm the mind through the practice of wakefulness or mindfulness.

Thus, nature has bestowed upon us the mechanism and springboard to motivate the mind to excel. However, we are often subsumed by avarice and greed as the results appear startling. But these are merely illusory, like the electricity produced by sensual pleasures.

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment,” said Buddha.