Note: This article is by Erin Falconer, who shares 3 lessons she learned from practicing yoga.
This means that people from various walks of life, social strata, ages, and religions engage in yoga for relaxation, detoxification, physical strength and flexibility, and spiritual development.
At first, yoga is a daunting practice that involves rituals, strange postures, and a unique spiritual atmosphere. That's what I thought initially, and I was concerned that I was about to embark on a journey of self-discovery on my own. However, I later discovered that I was learning about various aspects of life, including the professional aspect.
3 Lessons I Have Learned From Practicing Yoga
1. Accepting Fear Is Essential To Overcome It
I was extremely nervous when I attended my first yoga class and wasn't doing the exercises correctly. Additionally, my movements weren't in sync with the rest of the group, but that didn't matter.
Yoga is called a "practice" because it offers an opportunity for personal improvement and development, much like in the business world, where each day presents a new chance for success or failure. I felt self-assured on the first day, being athletic and agile, but panic struck when the instructor calmly asked us to perform a "headstand" posture. He directed us to stand facing the wall, place our heads and hands on the ground, and support our legs against the wall.
I was overwhelmed with fear and anxiety at that moment, and I was not comfortable at all. However, I refused to back down and attempted to perform the posture. I felt a rush of blood to my head and face and struggled to breathe properly. I raised my legs against the wall, and I felt like I had hurt my spine and became extremely frightened. I quickly descended and hit the ground with force. However, looking around, I realized that all the practitioners had successfully executed the posture. I felt embarrassed and forgot about my spine.
After that, I committed to my yoga class and confronted my fears of the unknown. I believed in my ability to perform the posture and attempted it repeatedly, not getting discouraged when I failed and fell. As a result, my efforts paid off, and I could stand on my head without relying on a wall, regardless of my location.
I had a similar experience when everyone thought I had lost my mind after launching my website, Half.com. Then, the idea struck me to name a small town "Halfway" in Oregon after my website. Everyone mocked me, and fear and doubt took hold of me, and I began to feel that I wouldn't succeed in renaming the town.
However, I didn't back down, and I renamed the town, placing my website's name, Half.com, on the geographical map after paying a reasonable sum. I also donated several computers to the elementary school. After six months, eBay acquired the website for a substantial amount.
Most of the time, beginners in yoga often don't favor the headstand posture. However, I embraced the fear of falling and the prospect of temporary physical discomfort. As a result, I overcame this fear.
It is natural for practitioners to feel fear during the performance of yoga postures. They may fear falling and injuring themselves or failing to execute the movements in front of the rest of the group. However, overcoming this fear enables ordinary individuals to overcome extremely challenging obstacles in the business world.
The experience of British entrepreneur Richard Branson is a prime example of this. It enabled him to build a multi-billion-dollar company from the confines of his basement. Similarly, American businessman Howard Schultz established the famous Starbucks coffee chain when he overcame his fears. Accepting fear and challenges can help you overcome them and achieve remarkable accomplishments.
2. Moving from one state to another is what makes success or failure
One of the yoga postures requires you to stand on one foot with your spine parallel to the ground, your back supported by a wall, and one of your arms raised upward. You are vulnerable to falling at any moment. The posture itself may not be difficult, but the challenge lies in transitioning from your previous position to it. This transition can either hurt you or empower you.
This concept applies to both professional and personal life. Executing actions may not be difficult in themselves, but transitioning from one state to another can be a potential path to failure. Transitioning from one state to another often requires careful planning and meticulous execution with intense focus.
Planning is often the easiest stage when an individual maintains focus during the process. The critical phase is when transitioning from planning to execution because this is where the person is most vulnerable to failure. Errors can be made, and one can deviate from the ultimate goal if their concentration wavers during this stage.
Concentration was one of the three fundamental principles adopted by the American businessman Steve Jobs in the marketing strategy for Apple, in addition to visualization and identifying the audience's emotional needs.
If you don't focus intensely when transitioning between yoga poses, you can strain yourself or fall to the ground. It's also essential not to distract your attention or let your thoughts wander during this process to avoid harm. The same principle holds true in business: without strong concentration, you risk both exhaustion and failure.
We focused on the product and technology for two years when we transitioned from purchasing media through the Internet to marketing referral models. We concentrated our efforts and worked diligently with our first client, and at that time, our website consisted of just one page.
After two years of continuous focus, we successfully provided our first client with a sum estimated in the millions of dollars. Subsequently, we created a comprehensive website and offered our services to the world, having proven our capabilities, and we had a profitable product.
When American businessman Larry Page asked his counterpart Steve Jobs for advice, the latter advised him to "focus and never get distracted." When you undergo a significant change or transformation in your life, it's crucial to develop a well-thought-out plan and execute it meticulously while prioritizing the important aspects. Distracting your attention can lead to failure in your project.
3. The Spiritual Aspect Requires Training
I have learned that success in practicing yoga and managing a business project requires optimism and a positive attitude. Yoga practitioners use the word "Namaste" as a form of greeting and to show respect to the teacher, which literally means, "The light in me honors the light in you." This phrase is filled with energy and vitality, irrespective of the religious or philosophical beliefs of the practitioners.
Like other forms of energy, this one can be harnessed for both noble and harmful purposes. The positive energy you bring to your workplace, during meetings, and in your phone conversations is noticeable and evident through your body language, smile, gratitude, and other cues, such as holding the door open and offering a warm greeting. For example, responding with an even more genuine smile can make a significant impact.
There is no complexity in these social interactions because the amount of energy, vitality, and joy within you is reflected in the people around you.
Therefore, you must train yourself to preserve this energy and vitality. For example, one of our clients had an employee who behaved illogically. She frequently rejected and changed decisions rapidly and often displayed irritability and mood swings. I tried to avoid her most of the time, but I was forced to meet with her on one occasion.
At that moment, I decided to maintain my positivity and smile throughout the meeting. We began discussing personal matters, and I told her that one of my children had special needs. It turned out that one of her children also had special needs. The tension and conflict between us subsided after discovering these commonalities, and we started conversing as if we were friends.
Through yoga, this improvement in our relationship was achieved. The positive energy and joy we gain through yoga practice are a constant presence, radiating onto the people we interact with in meetings, calls, and family gatherings at home. Life can certainly be tough at times without us even knowing the reason. In such circumstances, it's essential to smile. Cultivating this spiritual energy and maintaining a smile both require practice and dedication.
In Conclusion
Yoga is a lifestyle, and its principles can be applied in personal and professional life. Every day in our lives carries an opportunity for learning and success. However, to achieve success, wisdom dictates, "We must begin with ourselves to create the change we want to see in the world."
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