Human Capital: Overcoming the Challenge

By John Scott

Human Capital is the collective resources of an individual and the degree of capacity to bring them to bear for the highest good.

Insight Thirty-Four: Overcoming the challenge.

Summary: It's been tough, but there is a way through.

While I was swimming across Lake Ontario years ago, at times, I felt alone, particularly in the trough of a wave and cold, like I had one experience and everyone else on the crew was having another. But at a high level, we were all part of one event.

This past year each of us has had our own experience dealing with the consequences of COVID 19. But at a high level, we were all part of one event, albeit the most severe global event of our generation. Many people got sick, and lots died. A multiple of the number of deaths has suffered at the loss of their loved ones. Many people have lost their jobs. Massive disruption in so many little and big ways.

While all that is true, there are some other truths. Like heightened global cooperation, stunning technology to stay in touch and keep life and business moving as best we can. Many families spent more time together. We hope that was a good thing. In my case, it was a blessing. Vaccines are developed and rolling out, and the market has held up.

I've heard many stories of people taking better care of themselves and considering more deeply things that matter and for which they are grateful. And there have been countless acts of compassion and kindness to others. One of which stands out to me is the image of a lone musician playing a moving piece of classical music on a hospital's rooftop to acknowledge the health care workers there. A violinist plays to health care workers.

There was sadness in December for the restrictions on how people around the world may have traditionally connected. More people were alone. It's healthy to acknowledge our feelings of sadness. Sitting in despair too long, however, will not make us happy or grateful or change things.

Hope helps and is part of resilience, at which we are pretty great. Scientists say 99% of all species that have ever existed are extinct. We are exceptionally good at surviving and thriving. Embedded in each of us is the capacity for thrivingness: some days (or years), it might not feel like it, but we all have that in common.

We also do kindness and compassion well, which support mutual thriving. Here are two books if you are interested in humanity's capacity for success through our innate goodness. I have read and highly recommend the first, and the second I plan to read Humankind: A Hopeful History and The Compassionate Achiever.

Hope unfurls aspirational "sails." Aspirations lead to intentions and then to goals. Aspirations are like being called to a higher level. It feels good to expand ourselves by setting goals and achieving them. Goal attainment is in our wiring. Growth is a natural state.

One of my goals is to offer you through the next four Insights personal and science-based strategies to create goals and attain them.

Starter thoughts.

Think big and act in small ways:

Someone once asked me how I could have swum 52km across Lake Ontario. My answer was that I didn't stop. Getting to the top of a "mountain" one step at a time is the reality of it.

There is capacity behind aspiration:

It doesn't make sense that we can envision a destiny and not have it within us to get there. Our world is full of completed dreams if we choose to see them. Some might ask for help from the universe of the place they see to be a source. You are the source. Some might ask for a little abundance as if there is only so much to go around. You are the supply.

"I knew that I had sub-four minutes inside me, somewhere." Roger Banister

Weight but not heavy:

Meaning and purpose are motivators. When you are in deep and struggling with a goal, it's constructive to know your "why?" A good "why" has weight or power, real meaning, empowerment, creates flow, and isn't a heavy burden.

Action:

I suggest you carve out 3 20 minutes journal sessions and ask yourself this question: "What is it that I want to create in my life? Allow yourself to be fully deserving of the answers.

And if you are down and struggling, consider this saying, "Fate whispers to the warrior, "You cannot withstand the storm." The warrior whispers back, "I am the storm."

May this New Year exceed your highest aspirations.

John