Business, Balance & Beyond

Posted on March 6, 2018 by Azim Jamal

Many leaders have not quite realized that balance leads to more success, not less; that success without purpose and fulfillment is a failure and that life is not just about selfish success but about contribution!

From working with leaders across the world for the past three decades, I have discovered that most of them have primarily three challenges:

⁃ business is always a work in progress and never a finished product no matter how good the business becomes. So the work never stops!

⁃ finding harmony between their work, family, finances, health, spirituality and lifelong learning in the elusive 24/7 lifestyle.

⁃ the deep, deep desire to find purpose, meaning, and fulfillment in their work and life!

We therefore at Corporate Sufi Worldwide have made it our mission of inspiring and empowering leaders to achieve material success, blended with a deep sense of purpose, passion, and fulfillment. We call this the synergy of Business, Balance & Beyond, and it’s achieved by unleashing the power within that we all share.

Corporate Sufi?

Posted on January 16, 2018 by Azim Jamal

What is Corporate Sufi?

I use the word Sufi as a symbol for the esoteric side of all people. It goes beyond labels and focuses on the essence. On the outside people are different, on the inside not that different. Rumi the Sufi giant says, “We are all fellow travelers in the journey of life and we all face the same seasons of life.”

Why is this approach important in the corporate world? It gets rid of toxicity, egotism and turf wars – all of which are highly detrimental to the business

I use the word “Corporate” in Corporate Sufi to symbolize the drive to excel in business, profession or career.

Corporate Sufi thus reflects someone who is driven, focused and goal-oriented, yet
heart-centered, principle-centered and balanced – a person who aspires both material
and spiritual abundance.

I believe that success without happiness is a failure, that balance leads to more success, not less. It is about taking your life from success to significance.

Corporate Sufi Worldwide’s mission is to inspire and empower leaders at all levels to achieve material success, blended with a deep sense of purpose, passion, and happiness.
We call this the synergy of Business, Balance & Beyond.

”Corporate Sufi” Leader

Posted on December 16, 2017 by Azim Jamal

– Finding Your Purpose

Once you find your life mission, the one thing you need to do, then fuse it with all of your activities—personal and corporate. By so doing, you unleash our potential and find fulfillment on your journey.

– Embracing a Principle-Centered Approach

Listen and trust the voice of your conscience and work with integrity, principles, and respect.

You have a social conscience, and you ensure that your corporate work creates a better society all around. You do not engage in any activity that is detrimental to the overall well-being of society or the environment.

– Making a Difference

It is not just what you have that matters; rather, the value of your life is determined by who you are and what you give. You treat life as a precious gift and use this gift to give and to make a difference.

– Embracing Life-Long Learning

You learn from cradle to grave. You learn from all, including nature which offers immense wisdom. You know that, in order to succeed in life, competence is the key which comes from life-long learning.

– Having Faith in the Unknown

You do not fear the unknown. You are willing to take risks and to persevere in realizing your dreams.

– Persevering

You never give up. You persist until you succeed in achieving what you believe in.

Perseverance and patience go hand in hand.

– Being Effective Leaders

You are a role model inspiring your team through your example.

You eliminate insecurities by trusting and believing in the inherent abilities and gifts of team members.

You are results-oriented, not task-focused.

You empower your team—you do not overpower them.

– Having a Positive Attitude

You keep confident expectations. What you expect is what you invite into your life.

You are solution-oriented, not problem-focused.

You are non-judgmental, giving people the benefit of the doubt.

You do not worry about criticism. You believe in doing your best and leaving the rest.

– Balancing your Life

Real success is holistic and caters to your body, mind, and soul. You allocate your time wisely and do not compromise on a tight set of priorities, which brings you balance and synergy.

-Savouring the Path

You know that the destiny lies in the path. You love the challenges and hurdles because they enhance your strength and tenacity.

You regard each day as the most important day of your life. Thus, every day—every moment—is a gift that you cherish and savor. You go with the flow without taking your eye off your goals.

– Taming Our Ego

You strive for positive pride and shun egotism.

You let the subject disappear in the object by letting the self-disappear in the higher purpose of your work.

You accept your shortcomings. You do not have a need to become defensive or take things personally.

– Igniting Our Spirituality

You make spirituality the centerpiece of your life, including your corporate life, so that 24 hours of your day are grounded in spirituality.

You know the corporate soul—the real reason for the corporation’s existence.

– Understanding Life and Death

You realize that there is a beginning and an end to everything in life. Every beginning is an end of the old, and every end a beginning of the new.

When you die, you know that you do not take what you have but, rather, what you gave.

– Experiencing the Divine in Corporate Life

You know that all success happens by the Divine’s work. Hard work and struggle pay dividends, but without grace, you cannot go too far. You invite the Divine into your corporate life and make the Divine your partner in everything you do.

You become co-creators with the Divine by creating something beautiful in this world through your work.

You see divinity in all. You understand that everything and everybody is a signpost to the Oneness of creation.

These principles are universal and practical. They are founded on love and act as a bridge between your personal and corporate life. If these principles are implemented by you and other leaders in your team, your corporation would be a more happy, peaceful, and loving place where each person is given the space and the opportunity to flower to his or her potential and to contribute to society and to the world. Your corporate life will, thus, be materially rewarding, as well as spiritually enriching.

Prep for Success!

Posted on October 23, 2017 by Azim Jamal

Preparation is the foundation for success. This can take many forms.

One of the most powerful preparation is to set a clear vision for what you want to become. Then behave as if you have already achieved your vision. Walk, talk, breathe, sleep and act as if it is a done deal.

Regularly review your behavior and actions to ensure they are aligned to your vision. The more feelings you connect to your envisioned outcome, the faster you will attract it.

Finally, do not forget to enjoy the ride on the way to realizing your vision because happiness is not in the destination – it is in the journey!

Respect!

Posted on September 27, 2017 by Azim Jamal

Respecting others no matter who they are – rich, poor, strong, weak, man, woman, black, white – reflects more on who you are, then who they are.

Our natural instinct is to be judgemental of others with whom we engage – he is wasting my time; she has an ulterior motive; or why do they not just get to the point?

It does not mean we get into a long-winded discussion. We can keep things short; yet respectful. Giving respect to another human being, irrespective of who they are is a sign of respect for self!

Life is short!

Posted on June 27, 2017 by Azim Jamal

One sudden moment and your whole life can become topsy-turvy. My aunt passed away yesterday while having a cup of tea with my uncle (her husband) and after a day with family being completely healthy

We have heard of the proverb “There is many a slip between the cup and the lip.”

This came literally true as she could not finish her cup of tea! The good part was that she had spent her life serving the community in her own right and supporting my uncle in his amazing service. At the end of the day, we don’t take what we have, but what we gave. She gave a lot, especially of herself!

Happiness is not a destination, it is a journey. Life is short – live a life of service and enjoy the ride!

Our state of mind is our own choice

Posted on September 11, 2016 by Azim Jamal

Our pain and misery are our own creation. And so is our state of happiness and bliss. Outside situations merely present an outlet for our internal state of being. For example, whenever you squeeze a lemon, you get only lemon juice, never apple juice, irrespective of the kind of outside pressure.

And it is the same with us.

When our inner state is calm and balanced, we live in the present moment and act from our natural state of bliss. Our response is then mindful, balanced and positive.

Hence in any stressful situation, always look inwards before giving an outward response.

Are you calm and balanced that moment within? Is your response in tandem with who you are and who you want to be?

If yes, then go forthright and express it. But if there is even the slightest doubt, wait.

Give yourself some time to reclaim your true self. Then with this mindful awareness of self, contemplate over the situation and you will notice that the right response will arise within you.

Remember your response is completely your responsibility. No one else is responsible. And whatever response you choose will set into motion another chain of events. Hence always be mindful of your response.

Once you take complete responsibility for self, including your emotions, outside events lose their power to affect you. And once you reclaim this inner power, real change begins to happen around you and within you. That is when true empowerment begins.