The great leader and orator, Winston Churchill once said, “never let a good crisis go to waste.” What Churchill knew is that with every hardship, comes opportunity.
So ask yourself- how can you make the most of your situation- right here, right now?
“Right Now” is actually the Van Halen song that ushered me onto the stage at our Annual Sales Kick Off event at the start of 2020. At that time, no one knew how formidable and challenging the year ahead would be for all of us. We’ve all had to struggle through this crisis in our own way. And lately, I’ve been reflective and focused on how best to turn this crisis inside out, and upside down — and doing it all with gratitude.
For me personally, this may be the one time in my life when the normal distractions of travel and day-to-day life have been minimized. I have found room in the quiet to appreciate the little things. For many of us, this crisis has given us the chance to work from home, stretching us outside of our comfort zones. But also, helping us to discover what we’re capable of and how resilient we are as a Sprinklr family. For some of us, we have gained uninterrupted time to focus on projects or spend time with family and loved ones. There are so many ways in which this crisis has “given” instead of taken.
Before we can focus on the silver lining of the situation we’re in, it’s helpful to acknowledge what we’re experiencing. These are historically tough times. I love this quote from Brene Brown where she uses a three-day training workshop as an analogy to the pandemic. “We’re in ‘day two’… we can’t turn around, we have to go forward, but we can’t see where we’re going.” It’s an uneasy feeling to navigate your next steps while fumbling in darkness. But this is where the beauty lies. And, we’re already here. So let’s make the best of it.
This unknown is a golden opportunity to self reflect and explore what you really want. Many of us don’t stop to ask ourselves this question and I encourage you to sit down and ask yourself what truly brings you joy.
What do you want from your relationships or from your career?
What makes you feel appreciated and valued?
Which activities do you find fun and uplifting?
Imagine yourself a year from now. Think about what brings you joy and happiness. What would you like to have accomplished during this time? Is your goal to reach out to a good friend every day, read 100 books, learn a new language, or play an instrument? The possibilities are endless. Now, more than ever, we have an opportunity to become the best version of our authentic selves.
The one thing I am doing every day is reaching out via phone or text. I keep a running list of people who come to mind – whether it’s someone I talk to often or someone I haven’t talked to in a while. If I miss a day, I reach out to two people. We all love it when someone connects with us, especially if they are a special part of our lives. Taking a moment to show that you care can make someone smile – and make their day, their week, or their whole month! I’m even more intentional than ever about staying connected with the people I love in the world.
My hope is that we can all look back at this time and see beyond the hardship. It’s a time of unprecedented personal growth, resilience, and gratitude. Maybe one day, you will be able to look back at the COVID-19 pandemic as a time in which you accomplished something you always wanted to. And maybe even some things you didn’t know you wanted to do!
We recently hosted one of the world’s best motivational speakers, Eric Thomas. One of my favorite things he said was, “every day, we ‘get to’ (not ‘have to’) wake up.” I am focusing on making the most of every moment I spend with my loved ones, my Sprinklr family, and with the world. As the Van Halen song goes: “Right here. Right now. Let’s catch that magic moment. It means every…thing!”