Beating Tamas
March 2024
Beating Tamas
Get your act together and vault out of inertia to build the life of your dreams says Shivi Verma
Have you ever wondered why achievement of any sort is lauded and looked highly upon by society? Successful people are admired and respected, and they get to enjoy the best that life has to offer such as money, fame, privileges and comfort.
The reason is that most of them were able to conquer inertia ie tamas, a guna that lays siege on most of us.
We often feel that successful people are born with special abilities not possessed by ordinary folks. However, the truth is that they are as ordinary as any of us. The only difference is that they chose to confront reality and did not give in to excuses when it came to realising their dreams. They did not leave any stone unturned to reach their goal.
The pleasure that is there in lying on the bed, sleeping, making castles in the air or listening to music while doing nothing is so shackling that anyone who can break out of these habits is considered a winner. But these habits don’t come alone. The nature of life is that if you don’t grow upwards, life pulls you downwards. There is no stable surface available. Tamas may feel good but is also accompanied by overthinking, confusion, lack of self-belief, criticism of self and others, and helplessness and sadness.
More than hard work it is the discipline and consistency with which you move towards your goals that make you successful. The desire to push the envelope, go without food or sleep, if necessary, put in the extra effort, and acquire new skills or habits make all the difference.
Do you wish to beat tamas and be a high achiever? Then take the following steps:
Exercise: It pays to remember that tamas is a state of mind which often gets impacted by the state the body is in or the condition of the weather. For example, if you feel unwell or sleepy you will not feel motivated to work. Extreme heat or cold too make a person unwilling to step out and put in the required effort. Therefore, maintaining good physical and mental health is important to stay out of inertia. Exercise, whether it's yoga, pilates or aerobics makes one feel energised and feel at the top of their game. It even has the power to affect your mental health positively.
Never lose sight of your goal. Believe in your dreams and that it is possible to realise them. Make a vision board. List all that you wish to achieve and be ready to face and overcome hurdles that will come your way.
Follow a leadership coach. With multiple forces of nature, mood swings, negative self-talk and setbacks acting on you, it becomes easy to give up. Read books by famous coaches and if possible follow one of them online or offline to keep yourself inspired. Motivation always helps no matter what people say. It becomes easy to stick to a rigorous routine with someone mentoring you.
Learn manifestation techniques. It is advisable to take the Universe along too in your efforts to achieve your dreams. Learn these techniques, apply them and see how quickly you can achieve success.
Control your screen time: Watching reels can be addictive, and addiction is tamasic by nature. Tell yourself that it is better to be successful than to watch other successful people. The reel makers have worked hard to think and create content which is being watched by millions. So be a creator, not just a consumer.
Remember, the hardest part is getting started, but once you do, there will be no looking back.
Editor of Life Positive, Shivi Verma is a devotee who found all her answers in loving God passionately.