Yoga for Business People: Mind-Body Connection

A rising number of business people are finding the mind-body connection.

Yoga, meditation, and other Eastern-born exercises are finding a growing audience among harried business people craving inner calm. Classes are offered at health clubs, company fitness centers, corporate retreats and spas.

Ideas that once were left-of-center are finding greater acceptance with the public support. Mind-body executive fitness is a hot topic right now.

Lynn Doody, owner of Zen Fitness wellness programs in Chicago, notes that, whereas in the past most of her clients pursued traditional cardiovascular and weight-training exercise, most now incorporate mind-body applications into the regimen.

There's just a general awareness, and non-conventional health care is a little more available.

No need to convince Mark Frantz. The 40-year-old vice-president at Merrill Lynch & Co. had learned in 15 years of trading commodities to manage stress and anxiety. He ran a few times a week, worked out at the gym, and worked at reducing stress in other conventional ways.

But he still ground his teeth at night, massages were temporary Band-Aids, and even while running he'd tense his muscles. He wanted more. He sought ''a different quality of life.''

What he found was yoga and meditation. At home, on an airplane, or for 10 minutes behind closed doors at work, Mr. Frantz can shut out distractions with deep breathing, yoga poses, imagery and other relaxation techniques.

He still runs, but '(yoga and meditation) forces you to focus on what's going on in the moment and to be aware of what your body is telling you. It relaxes you, brings your heart rate and your blood pressure down.

Business Success: The Action Connection

“Be patient and calm - for no one can catch fish in anger.” - Herbert Hoover

Becoming a successful entrepreneur may rely more on perseverance than skill. The development of a business plan needs to allow room for initial failure and financial difficulties.

Many entrepreneurs go without a paycheck for a significant period of time as they work to establish a business for the future.

"Energy and persistence conquer all things." - Benjamin Franklin

As an entrepreneur you have the opportunity to work at solving problems by creating solutions in a manner that conveys both enthusiasm and concern for the customer.

The primary reason many start up businesses fail is the business owner gave up too soon. It could be these individuals worked into a grove that caused them to lose an edge in the development and growth of their business or they failed to keep learning.

Entrepreneurs must blend a mix of marketing with innovation marinated in concentrated perseverance. A healthy appetite must always be brought to the table and you must always believe that the recipe is a good one.

“People of mediocre ability sometimes achieve outstanding success because they don't know when to quit. Most men succeed because they are determined to.” - George Allen

Many successful entrepreneurs can pinpoint a time when they believe sheer luck propelled them from a hungry, yet inexperienced, entrepreneur to a successful businessperson. The need for perseverance should not be minimized. You can go into a business venture with significant startup capital and still fail if you don’t possess the drive or desire to make the business work.

“A man of sense is never discouraged by difficulties; he redoubles his industry and his diligence, he perseveres, and infallibly prevails at last.” - Lord Chesterfield

One of the chief questions you should ask yourself is whether you have the ability to hold on in the toughest of times. If the answer is no, you might not be ready to immerse yourself in entrepreneurialism. If the answer is yes you may have one of the hardest, most enjoyable roads ahead as you work to carve reality from a dream.

“Success seems to be connected with action. Successful men keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit.” - Conrad Hilton

When moving forward with a business, make sure to keep moving forward. You will make mistakes, but it is what you learn from them that motivates you to a better course of action. Remember, nothing spells defeat like indecision.