Reactivating the Sri Lankan ‘nothing is impossible’ gene

By Cheranka Mendis

A world-class country made up of world-class people, Sri Lankans must start using the ‘nothing is impossible’ gene which is ingrained in to their souls from birth to take the country forward while realising the true potential of their individual selves.

Dr. Naomal Balasuriya – Pix by Daminda Harsha Perera

A naval doctor prior to taking up duties to inspire and motivate the world – all seven billion people – which is to him his true calling and dream, Dr. Naomal Balasuriya recently listed out characteristics that must be honed to have a world class mindset.

Speaking to an audience which represented 143 companies at a motivational training session organised by Success Factory, Dr. Balasuriya noted the importance of dreaming big and pursuing once ambitions.

“One must keep things simple and do the basics right – be it in their professional, family or personal life. One must initially find the essentials and the critical success factors and then act on it in world class manner.”

 1. Desire to be world-class

The first characteristic to build a world-class mindset is the ‘desire’ to be world-class, he said. “You must have the passion to be your very best – the burning desire to become the best in the industry; or perhaps the most sought after in the world and to be respected by all.”

Balasuriya stated that along with the desire to be number one, one must also have the desire to be the best as an individual. “We have miles to go to become world-class. You might not be able to achieve it in this lifetime; but work towards it nevertheless.”

Believing in self, having humility, and accepting faults are key in becoming a success story in the future.

 Learning from the best

Drawing examples from Nokia, a company from Finland with its tentacles in many diverse sectors of business who later focused on its core competency, the mobile phones which helped them gain status as the largest vendor of mobile phones, Balasuriya observed that if you have the desire to be world-class, you must then gather the correct ingredients. However, having forgotten to adapt to the needs of their customers and move with the times, Nokia has now fallen off its high pedestal.

“Even a world-class company can make mistakes,” he warned. “You must remember this and always listen to others when you reach the top.”

On the other hand, cases such as that of Coca-Cola have encouraging stories where its former CEO Roberto Goizueta managed to transform the business completely with a simple vision ‘I want the world to buy a coke’ and working towards it to realising it. Today, the company has come far and has stood its ground through competition. Statistics show that in 2012, the company selling 10,500 Coca-Cola cans per second as opposed to the nine bottles sold per day in 1886.

On a more individual level, he recognised Muhammad Ali who went in to the ring with a belief in himself that even his opponents knew and feared – that he was the greatest. Among Ali’s most famous sayings is the quote: “If you even dream of beating me, you’d better wake up and apologise.” Later on in his career he is said to have acknowledged: “I am the greatest; I said that even before I knew I was the greatest.”

Balasuriya noted the important of understanding where you want to go and putting value in yourself for your worth. “In your professional life, go and share with your stakeholders your vision. When this feat is complete, you have already achieved half of your milestone.”

 Do what you do ‘bokkenma’

To be successful, one must have six essential illnesses, Balasuriya said. “You must have the una (fever), amma, rudawa, gaaya, kekkuma (ache), and kesilla (itch),” he asserted.

“If you do something you must do it from your whole heart – bokkenma. If not leave it for the person who can give it its best and has a burning desire to do so.”

 2. Have a world-class vision

To achieve a world-class status individually or as a corporate one must have a long term dream/plan. The dream must then be acted upon.

“My first official act after eight and half years of studying was to strike. During the strike a large number of babies died. I realised that I have drifted away from my core competency,” he said. “I did not like that. It did not have much Emotional Intelligence (EI) or Spiritual Intelligence (SI) in it. I wanted to identify what I did best and then work towards it.” Years later his decision to become a motivational speaker stemmed from this thought. “I want to change the minds of all people, all seven billion of them one day. I have started by attempting to change the 21 million in this country.”

Balasuriya said: “I identified my core competency. Every country, organisation, and family must identify what it could do best. If it means you have to give up one thing to achieve a world-class dream, don’t feel shy, don’t back down.”

A vision, he said, is a dream put into action. It is also something that gives/ adds meaning to a person’s life. Visions must also go hand in hand with the value system. While the vision gives a long term direction, value gives the righteousness to carry it forward. When the values are not taken into account, sooner or later, the individual or the company will perish. Nothing is impossible once you condition your mind, he said. “People must weep for you when you die, not light crackers.”

 3. Nothing is impossible attitude

Cultivating an ‘I can’ attitude is as important as having big dreams and long term plans. “Stimulate and condition the right side of your brain which will boost revolutionary and innovative thinking over the more logical and focused left side of the brain,” he said. The person’s attitude must be that nothing can stop him/her from achieving his/her goals despite other people’s judgment or challenges. “Enjoy your life. Do not care about what others say. Be happy doing the right thing and always know that nothing is impossible.”

One must decide which category they fall into – the ‘opportunity is no where’ category or ‘opportunity is now here’ category – it is how you read it that matters; i.e. how you chose to act. “We have it in us, this nothing is impossible attitude. Why not bring it out more often?”

 Fault of our parents

Balasuriya also observed that parents are partly to be blamed for the rather backward ‘I can’t’ attitude of children. Especially in Sri Lanka children are pampered to a degree that they rather chose to be a wallflower than shine in the frontline.

“We are the reason that Sri Lanka does not have a Nobel Prize winner. We have mollycoddled and spoilt our children and as a result they are used to the ‘I can’t,’ ‘I shouldn’t’ attitude.”

 Regaining Sri Lanka’s glory days

For Sri Lanka to go back to its glory days when Singapore envisioned being like Sri Lanka (“because Sri Lanka was world-class then”), the country must adapt to a ‘nothing is impossible’ attitude.

“We were the first country in Asia to have mobile phones,” he said, “We were also the first country in Asia to have a private jet. We did not export our mothers as housemaids to earn foreign revenue but bought people from other countries to work for us.” “We are people who have the nothing is impossible gene. You need to reactivate it,” Balasuriya observed. He remarked that the country is placed high in areas such as garments, tiles, tea, and war strategy in the international arena. “Every Sri Lankan living here and abroad, both living and yet-to-be-born have this ‘nothing is impossible gene. We must reactivate it.”

 Are you comfortable inviting the Lord for dinner?

Nothing is impossible must go hand in hand with ethics, as well as legal conditions. If it is legal it must then be morally and spiritually correct. It is only then can we coin the attempt as a ‘true success.’

Balasuriya noted that the motto for a person looking to achieve success should be to become someone great, somewhere, someday but not ‘somehow.’ “Success should not come at any cost. How comfortable will you be if the Lord of your faith walks into your home or office?”

 Takeaways for life

Balasuriya listed five takeaways for life which would benefit individuals as well as corporations. Dreaming big without inhibition and a world-class attitude are the two primary points in his tick-off list. “You must think world-class, feel world-class, and act world-class,” he said.

The passion to chase dreams, never giving up, achieving ‘true success’ which bows down to ethics and morality are also on the list. “When you achieve all this you will be happy. You will enjoy life. It is then that you can enjoy true peace of mind.”