True happiness comes from the joy of deeds well done, the zest of creating things new. Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Colonel Sanders’s (Founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken) famous secret chicken recipe was rejected 1,009 times before a restaurant accepted it. Edison made thousands of unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb, before creating a design that worked.
History is replete with examples of people who persisted despite repeated failures to create something meaningful and valuable for the world.
While we attribute their success to their dogged determination and hard work, there is another essential ingredient, which binds all their efforts in an unerring symphony…zest.
Zest is the feeling that makes you stay awake at night or give it your all to complete the vision you see for yourself.
Hard work becomes a passion when it is accompanied by zest. Zest adds that essential ingredient of joie-de-vivre to everything it touches, increasing its buoyancy and vitality.
Our zest for life defines our quality of life. It affects how we see the world and how we see ourselves in it.
Here are 5 simple ways to “zestify” your work:
- Begin your day with a powerful bang –The first hour of the day sets the tone for the rest of the day. In my book, The Corporate Sufi, I suggested the practice of ‘hour of power’ first thing in the morning. Twenty minutes of meditation. Twenty minutes of exercise. Twenty minutes of reading something inspiring.Whatever the situation or your mood, this one hour will infuse a burst of zest in you that will give you a head start on every day.
- Prioritize your to-do list – Instead of prioritizing what is on your “to-do” list, prepare a list of your priorities using your goals as a starting point. If you schedule important work, it gets done. If you schedule it first thing in the morning, it gets done best. Give everything you have to these priorities and watch yourself progress with zest and commitment. When you have less on your plate, you invite integrity, energy, and harmony into your life. But this “less” is more because it is on your highest priority list.
- Take one new productive risk daily – Taking risks, or moving into new uncharted territory, forces us out of our comfort zone and helps us gain a fresh perspective, develop new ways of thinking, enhance our skills and rev up our energy – the hotbed of zest. Organizations worldwide are realizing the significance of encouraging employees to take more productive risks. For example, Google encourages their employees to spend 20% of their work hours on private, non-approved projects they are passionate about, while Living Social, an e-commerce company has a rule of thumb for employees; once a week, make a decision that scares you.
- Be the star of your production – You are the hero of your movie, your life. You are responsible for painting the canvas of your life. So ensure it is a masterpiece. Once you accept complete responsibility for yourself, this acceptance empowers and enlivens you to create the life you want. Whether it is dealing with an irate customer or completing a difficult project, make sure everything you do is a statement of who you are or who you aspire to be. Setbacks and obstacles then become springboards for renewed action and your attitude adds a buoyancy of spirit to everything you do. In her earlier days, Oprah Winfrey faced several daunting career setbacks including being fired from her job as a television reporter because she was deemed “unfit for TV.” However, she knew she brought a certain human quality to her work and she focused on relentlessly perfecting her unique skills to emerge as one of the most successful and loved talk show personalities.
- Simplify your life – Attention is a limited resource and the more inessential baggage you drag along, the more drained out and jaded you become. Hence, eliminate all unnecessary stuff including unused things, unproductive thoughts, negative or toxic people, or habits and activities that no longer serve you. Focus your energy on a few meaningful areas of your life that add value to you as a person and help you grow. These activities will fuel your zest for life and keep you motivated.
For more tips on living an inspired life, read our latest book, ‘What You Seek is Seeking You by Azim Jamal & Brian Tracy. More about the book @ https://blog.corporatesufi.com/books/what-you-seek-is-seeking-you/