THE GAME CHANGERS

 

THE GAME CHANGERS

Aeons ago lived a Master in Japan, sitting silently on the banks of a river watching the water flow by. His serene demeanor reflected contentment and jollity.

 

The enlightened monk, who was a super eminent person of a Temple of Knowledge, had taken the seat by the river after a vigorous session of Zazen breathing and meditation.

 

A tutee went up to the Master and enquired, “What are you doing, Master?”

 

The monk merely replied, “I am waiting for the entire river to flow by and then I will cross it.”

 

The novitiate remarked said, “Holiness, you will never be able to cross the river like that, while waiting for the whole water to flow. This will never happen. The flow can never end and the body of water will just keep passing by.”

 

The Master replied, “This is precisely the point which I wanted to hear from you.  My pupils perpetually mention that once the responsibilities of life are fulfilled, the moment they finish a particular task, they will enjoy life.”

 

He continued, “Such individuals are never in the present. Much less do they understand that the present moment is inevitable. This is the quintessential truth. Only game changers practice this quality with alacrity.” The monk continued, “Just as the water in the river will never drain out, so also will responsibilities in life never cease. So why do we defer happiness?”

 

Gazing at the greenhorn pupil, the Master said, “Thus, it would be prudent to have fun, roam around, meet everyone, share and care, give and serve. Find a way to cross the water while it is flowing.”

 

Game Changers: Self- actualizing individuals

By and large game changers are individuals who are blessed with the traits to be self-actualizing individuals. They are endowed with clear perception of reality, they accept self, others and society with poise. Often there is a spring and childlike spontaneity in their persona and simplicity and naturalness are an integral part of their personality. Undeniably such individuals harbour a cause. They strongly believe in independence, apart from cultivating deep social interests, they are tolerant by nature and are both creative and original thinkers.

Perhaps, it wouldn’t be wrong to use the terms game changers and self-actualizers synonymously.    

Delineating a few traits

1) Self-actualizers perceive their universe and those of others in an unbiased manner. They are non-judgmental by nature.

2) These achievers undertake a SWOT analysis and do not undergo pangs of guilt about their failings, rather they leverage on strengths and opportunities.

3) Such individuals are nimble minded and childlike in their disposition. They seldom shroud their feelings and emotions. The universe has bestowed them with humongous idealism, self-assertiveness and unconventional behavioral streak. Without ruffling too many feathers, they are unconventional in approach and identify out-of-the-box solutions. A trade mark quality of such people is their self-effacing nature without displaying insecurity.

4) A missionary zeal which borders on messianic, envelops their mindset and thus self-actualizers devote their energies working passionately for a cause to enhance their skill sets. Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore pursued his passion to wield the brush at the age of 67. So, age is no barrier to foray into the hitherto unchartered.

5) These incredible people can remain in isolation without any detrimental or harmful effects. Self-actualizers are self-dependent and autonomous by nature.  They do not crave for the crutches of social support. On the surface a person may appear to be aloof or surly but in reality, that is not their intent.

6) Self-actualizers grow with nature and environment. A picturesque sunset, a majestic rainbow across the skyline, a breathtaking sunrise from the womb of the sea, early morning birds chirping away to catch an early worm, a sudden lightning across the sky, all fascinate them and resonate in the alcoves of their minds. It is this wonderment which provides them with an Aha! moment.

“Wonderment dawns when the mind encounters something it perceives as vast. It brings a feeling of expansion. When we are in awe, we see things differently and our powers of observation become sharp. The feeling of awe expands our sense of time and we become alive and engaged in the present regardless of the past and future,” says Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

7) Invariably self-actualizers embrace moments of intense ecstasy, not unlike deep religious or spiritual experiences. This can occur with virtually any activity. Abraham Maslow, the talismanic American psychologist refers to their peak experiences being akin to ecstasy.

The common thread that ties all these traits together is the ability to live in the present moment, unburdened by past experiences and not weighed down by expectations of the future.

As the Master said, “Find a way to cross the water while it is flowing.”

That could well be the first step to become a game-changer.