UPDATE YOUR OPERATING SYSTEM (OS)

 Two weeks ago, a good friend of mine complained about some of his phone apps (WhatsApp, Zoom, etc) not working well. Either they were too slow or were freezing (stalling) while in use which was frustrating him. The phone had been working well until then.

I figured that perhaps the apps didn't install correctly and advised him to re-install them. But the same challenges persisted. I then thought that it could be the internet connectivity challenge, but he said he tried different service providers with no success. We then thought we need to take it to a phone repairer  for a "specialist" to check and fix the problem.

Last week, my friend came to me all smiles that he found the phone had been updated with the new OS (iOS 15.1) and since then all apps have been working well.

Before the app challenges, a message prompt had popped up on his phone requesting to update but at the time he was busy with the phone and ignored the message. This prompt message came up 2 more times but kept ignoring it because each time he was busy with the phone and couldn’t wait for it to be updating as it would mean not using it during that period.

This experience stroke a chord in my mind and made me question how we couldn't connect the failure of the apps to run effectively to the phone OS. For us, the problem was with the apps themselves. And the solution was changing the apps, internet connectivity or taking it to some “professional” to fix it for us.

In a similar way in life, we also have an OS upon which all our apps (plans, goals, strategies) run. This OS is our mindset which physically sits in the brain.

What do we do when we are not accomplishing our plans or goals?

There is something wrong with the goal, lets uninstall (change) and re-install (modify) it. Or maybe say the internet connectivity (external conditions) are not favourable and we need to try connecting with another service provider. Which may be like saying we need another job, position, location, relationship, book, or conference (repairer), etc. for our goals or plans to come to fruition.

In most cases, this may be true as a few “tweaks” in the plan may result in positive outcomes.

However, this experience has had me relook at things differently. Perhaps, the problem is not the app. And the solution lies in something that we might have overlooked upon which all human apps run, our “Mind Set” (MS). 

Unlike a phone or other electronic devices which sends us reminders to update them, we may not have such mechanisms for humans.

However, when we feel a lot of stress, burn out or struggle as we execute our plans, in a way it is like how the app slows down or “freezes” the phone. And whenever we find ourselves "freezing" on a regular basis, our body is in a way telling us that we need to update ourselves. But because we are too busy with life, we can't seem to get ourselves to do so because we just don't have the time for that.

Let us consider taking some time to update our MS. For a phone, updating it's OS involves shutting down, then rebooting while undergoing a slow sequence in which it fixes bugs or its weaknesses and adds new features to make it better. During its update, the phone is not usable or is at complete rest with no destructions in a sense.

Update of the MS involves a similar routine. We must find some time out of our busy schedules to detach from all external interruptions such as TV, people, phone, etc. To be in a quiet place as you look at your life and try and fix the bugs or issues which “unknowingly” might have been working to prevent you from achieving your own goals.

It is not easy to sit and scrutinize ourselves searching for our own bugs (weaknesses) as we also think of ways to add new features to improve ourselves. It may feel like we are "doing nothing" during this period. But remember, even for the phone, updating seems like a waste of our time but once process is completed leads to its improved performance.

It was interesting that at the end of the update, my friend did not complain that the update took so long and that he could have used that time to do something more productive with the phone. At the end of the day, what mattered was that the apps on the phone were running and he was very happy.

Perhaps, you do not need another goal, plan, change your job, location, position or attend another conference. All these are apps which if they are not on the current updated MS, will not be able to run effectively in your life.

As we come to the end of 2021 and start working our new year’s resolutions, this maybe a good time for a MS update.

With an updated MS, you will be in a better position to run your 2022 apps (resolutions) enabling you to accomplish your long standing goals.