PERSONAL GLASS CEILING When climbing up the corporate ladder there are certain biases like gender, age,

racial etc. which limit us as we move up. We rise only up to the pre-set level, after which we are stalled, unable to progress beyond. These unseen attitudes, biases and prejudices affect organizations significantly. We experience unfairness at work. Others likes and dislikes affect us. Often competence does not count for promotions. We find it difficult to fulfill our ambitions, even when we are sincere and capable. There is external limitation imposed by others in the organization. How about our own internal limitations? These limitations are not set by others but by ourselves. I am not good at Maths; I can never keep accounts; House hold management is not my cup of tea; Cooking is something impossible for me. These are limitations we draw ourselves. There may be reasons for drawing boundaries. But the question is whether we are actually stopped by them. Can we not go beyond? As children we draw comparisons and conclude I am not good enough like him/her. Many conclusions remain with us for life! As adults, given enough time and resources we are capable of doing most things that we want to. We can solve most problems without get stalled. A lot of things are possible if only we believe. Is it possible to swallow fire, walk on glass, walk on hot coals bare feet? Can we lift the weight of a person effortlessly? Would you have believed in the possibility of mobile phones 50 years ago? People walking on the street converse with others walking on some other street in a different continent! This seemed impossible once upon a time, until somebody came and proved it possible. These limitations were set by ourselves: Our personal glass ceiling. Are we comfortable living with these limitations? OR Do we want to break through this glass ceiling and go beyond? These are the questions we have to ask ourselves. Where do we stand? Do we prove that our dreams are impossible to achieve OR are do we make them possible? Some people ask me for help with their problems, even when they have already decided that nothing can be done. They come to me just to confirm their beliefs. What should I tell them? As an optimist. I ask them persons some basic questions. Have you explored all the possibilities?, Why?, Why not?, Who told you this?, Where did you learn this? At least it sets them thinking.

Why should we go beyond the ceiling? Why not be satisfied with status quo? After all we are told that a bird in hand is better than two in the bush. I ask you Suppose you break through the glass ceiling, and achieve more than you believed possible, how would you feel about yourself? Would you feel good or would it not make any difference? If you feel good about the breakthrough, then it is definitely worth exploring. Many a time we give reasons: it is too difficult, it is not worth it, too much effort, too much investment so not worth it, etc. How much it is worth? Are they genuine reasons or mere excuses? Giving excuses is dishonesty. Statements like I am not good at math, I can not learn it are dishonest statements. It only means that I had difficulty in learning math. Some of us are slow learners. If we have learnt that 2+2=4, then it does not matter whether we learnt it at age two five. The learning stays with with us. Dealing with difficult people, balancing accounts, taking care of our own home, dealing with our kids, in laws etc, require little bit of encouragement and effort to master. We convince ourselves that it is not worth the effort. The solution here is to encouragement. Associate with people who have already dealt with this before, and exchange notes with them. Dont leave the matter to expert to handle. Learn from them. Experts too they took the time and interest to learn. They did not became experts overnight. Pursuing a PhD, one enjoys learning and spend time exploring, and becomes an expert in time. Willingness to take the trouble, learn and experiment is essential. When we say it is not for us, it means that we have not understood the subject, hence we are at sea. Understanding requires study with plenty of patience and objectivity. It requires courage. Only when we love our self adequately will the courage to solve our problem come. When there is love, we find that working for the solutions is worth the effort. In today's world there is no lack of resource, even if we plan on going to Moon. The resources may take some time, some organization, and some luck. Most of the things we wish to achieve are possible if we begin taking the steps. There will certainly be obstacles. Obstacles are part of the adventure. When we say things are impossible, we are cheating ourselves by limiting our possibilities. A better life is possible and it is also worthwhile. We deserve to reach it. There will be obstacles. Life is an adventure. Areas of difficulty are our growth areas. Improving relationships, losing weight, are some growth areas we generally target. Growth areas entail endless possibilities. Sky is the limit. The question is whether we have sufficient time, resources, and interest to realize the desired goals.

We can not force a person into anything against his interest. We need not look back and say that these pursuits did not interest me in the past and so I am not motivated now. The future is not a mere extension of the past. The Future is different. When we extrapolate the same past into the future, we experience Transition. If we wish to have different future, we need Transformation. The choice is ours! Do we want transition or transformation? In transition we remain stuck within the glass ceiling. In transformation we break through the glass ceiling. In sports when the 4 min barrier in 1KM run is broken by Roger Bannister, within a few months sixteen more people broke the same barrier. How did it happen? People realized that it was possible. With this reinforced belief, nothing could stop them. What stop us is not people or obstacles. We are stopped by our own beliefs. We need to go beyond such beliefs. Everything else are mere details and details do not stop us. What stops us is the belief that something is impossible. This is in essence, our personal glass ceiling.