Result orientation is a key professional and leadership attribute. Whether we play the role of a project manager, a practice head, a sales head or a cricket captain, we all need to accomplish certain goals within a certain time. Result orientation is a required attribute to achieve anything- be it in professional life or personal life. Without goals to strive for, we just drift in life.
 However, here is the paradox: Getting excessively fixated on the results &worrying about it every moment will reduce the probability of achieving the desired outcome! If we start feeling tense, anxious, stressed or frustrated, it affects our energy levels, which reduces our quality of work, which in turn reduces the chances of achieving our goals. It happened to me couple of years back:  I embarked on the goal of reducing my weight by few kilos.  After many frustrating months, the realization dawned on me: that my mind was excessively fixated on results (measuring weight every now and then and getting disappointed) so much so that it took away the energy and attention from taking the right actions (right eating, exercises). Once I reconfigured my mind to give attention to the right actions right eating, exercises – and started enjoying them, my weight reduction goal was achieved with ease.
 Here is my learning: Once we have decided the goals, the timelines and how the future should look like, we need to give our 100% to the present moment where actually the work happens. We do not have control of the future except in the way we choose to use our present moment, our present day.
 If you are leading a software development project, rolling out the project plan is an integral part of your role. After that, focus on the daily tasks which eventually make the project successful:  things likethe right design, quality of code, collaboration among team members etc.  You will steer your project towards the goal one day at a time, by giving 100% to the tasks for the given day.  If you are building a technology practice, focus on building the solution which solves a customer problem, focus on sharpening the message, focus on competency building, and focus on selling your solution.  You need to build your technology group one day at a time. If you are a sales person, build your prospect base, pipeline one day at a time.
 In Cricket, look at any of the great batsman. Whatever is the situation he hascome to bat, he still need to focus on one ball at a time, read the ball early and be a good striker of the ball. Excessively getting anxious about results is like playing the game all the time looking at the scoreboard.
 When you are taking one day at a time and giving 100%, you are enjoying your actions, you are being attentive and you are being Mindful of your goals. When you develop mindfulness, you are enabling Excellence. When you internalize these two values Mindfulness and Excellence you are enabling Happiness for yourself and others.
Dattatri is a former Happiest Mind and this content was created and published during his tenure.
