“Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they’re supposed to help you discover who you are.”
~Bernice Johnson Reagon
Most of us have watched the movie called Padmavati. In it, we see the fictional character of Alauddin Khilji come to life, a brutal ruler, bloodthirsty for power. Speculations do point out that the king was portrayed in the wrong light! However, I’m here to talk about the state of mind that the character of Alauddin Khilji developed over his tenure as a leader, but of course, based on the movie.
Khilji is led to become obsessed with Queen Padmavati of Chittorgarh, which compels him to think, dream, and only wish for her.
Raghav Chetan: “But she has a few conditions. The Queen will bring eight hundred maids along.”
Alauddin Khilji: “Agreed”
Raghav Chetan: “They will stay at the women’s chamber where no man can go.”
Alauddin Khilji: “Agreed”
Raghav Chetan (laughs): “The Palanquins won’t leave Chittor until Raghav Chetan’s severed head is delivered.”
Alauddin Khilji: “Agreed”
His obsession drove him to wage a brutal war against the kingdom of Chittorgarh, resulting in devastating consequences for both sides. Ultimately, his single-minded fixation on Padmavati undermined his leadership, as he neglected other crucial aspects of governance and diplomacy.
“Obsession is the single most wasteful human activity because, with an obsession, you keep coming back and back and back to the same question and never get an answer.”
~Norman Mailer
In the pursuit of Padmavati, Khilji’s judgment became clouded, leading him to make impulsive and reckless decisions. His obsession became a weakness, exploited by those who sought to manipulate him. Ultimately, this obsession and the ensuing actions fueled by it contributed to his downfall, both personally and as a leader.
Was this the result of how he let his desires and thoughts take charge of him?
The Quicksand of the Mind called Thoughts
Our mind is like a stage where the actors are our thoughts, from negative to positive, sad, joyful, neutral, practical, and logical. Now picture this stage aka the mind as designed to accommodate only one thought at a time. But many more thoughts are competing to get the spotlight.
As a result, chaos builds within us. We’re not sure which one to prioritize and which one to discard or put off until the time is right.
Another downside to letting our thoughts overpower us is that it is possible that any single thought can turn into an obsession. And in all of this, we are reducing our status as a leader, our dignity, and our self-esteem. It could be a thought of regret, negativity, or of anything that begins to hold us back in our leadership journey.
The mind turns into a quicksand of thoughts where a leader gets maliciously sucked into his or her own dilemma. Therefore, a way has to be figured out to turn this quicksand of thoughts into a higher level. A stage where a leader can take a Quick Stand in any situation without hesitation or a sense of being overpowered by the wrong thoughts.
The Redeeming Power of SiQ
How does one get redeemed from this self-inflicted catastrophe? We do this by maintaining our dignity which is about dissolving our Deficiencies, Discrimination, and Destitution.
Your SiQ or Spiritual Quotient is your biggest ally. Increasing your SiQ can help you segment your thoughts and take charge rather than letting them overpower you. In this way, you are letting go of what creates a sense of deficiency within you. You are no longer discriminating against yourself or leading yourself toward destitution.
Your best way to measure your success in managing your status as a leader is through maintaining the FIT score.
· F – FREQUENCY – You must increase your FREQUENCY of taking charge of your thoughts whenever you feel overwhelmed by your mind’s chaos.
· I – INTENSITY – You enhance the INTENSITY of prioritizing the right thoughts as a leader.
· T – TENACITY – And finally, you must increase your TENACITY to hold onto your authority as a leader over your thoughts.
“The mind is everything. What you think, you become.”
~Buddha
Indeed, the mind is everything, and as long as you let your thoughts flow naturally, you are in charge.
Why do we ever let our thoughts overpower us? It could be due to fear of something that may happen or not happen. But life cannot be lived in fear throughout, so we must learn as leaders and grow as legends through the adversities we face. Therefore, groom the mind to deal with the various challenges that will come your way. It is as the famous poet, Winifred Emma May once said:
Forget the times of trouble, but not the truths they taught. Forget the days of sorrow, but not the strength they brought. Forget the storms you battled through beneath a heavy load – but not the light that led you safely down the unknown road.
