Why The Hell I Am What I Am

The year 1976. I was 14 years old and, apart from focusing on studies, I was incredibly involved in stage performance with a local Theater group. Frankly speaking, at that time, my dream was to become an actor.

      My mother was a Tiger Lady and she left no stone unturned to ensure that all her children studied hard and excelled in academics.

      After 12th Board Examination I got an interview invitation for admission in Regional Engineering College, Nagpur (Now known as NIT, Nagpur). I did good in science subjects called PCM at that time (Phy, Chem and Math), and was shortlisted.

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How Abhijit Successfully Handled Dirty Office Politics

During my 15 years of career with Corporate India in different organizations, I could never understand the game of politics in the office. Sometimes the frank opinion I had shared with a colleague about my boss was communicated to him in no time.

Today when I look back, I realize that who I used to trust most were the messengers. This breach of trust meant nothing to them as they were perhaps the members of an alliance in the organization. Their belief system was all about survival and prosperity in the organization, not by hardwork and performance but by crushing their self-respect happily.

The following story is based on the successful attempt by one of my colleagues, in one of the organizations I had worked for few years, with regard to his determination to avoid swimming in the murky water of office politics and focus on performance. Well, he did so well that top management gave him an out-of-turn promotion.

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How To Handle An Insecured Boss

Having spent 15 years in job with Corporate India, before becoming an entrepreneur, and few years with an extremely insecure and difficult boss to deal with, let me tell you that it demands a lot of courage and maturity to tolerate a continuous bombardment of both decent and indecent abuses and subtle insults directed from the opposite side.

This article is based on my own experiences, while working with one of the largest Indian corporations during early nineties. My boss was a science graduate and was insecured about a qualified engineer directly reporting to him. And also that of many others, who have been sharing with me their own sufferings.

Dealing with an insecured and difficult boss can be a challenging and draining experience. I know it, because I had lived that experience and frankly speaking when I remember those years now, I just tell myself: What the f**k was that?

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How Anand Built A Great Career

In the bustling city of Gurgaon, a young man named Anand was determined to make a name for himself in the world of marketing. With a passion for creativity and a drive for success, he set out on a journey to build a great career.

Anand started his career working as an intern at a small marketing firm, where he learned the ins and outs of the industry. 

He soaked up knowledge like a sponge, absorbing everything he could from his mentors and colleagues. Anand quickly realized that in order to excel in his career, he needed to be proactive and take on new challenges.

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Desire, Strategy And Smart Work: Success

Nothing works, nothing really works in your favor, unless you have an intense Desire to make it happen in life in a big way.

Even a sky rocketing desire would lead you nowhere, unless you have a solid Strategy in place to turn your dream into reality.

And finally, neither an intense desire nor a solid strategy would make you the member of an elite club of billionaires, if you fail to identify and act upon right opportunities: Smart-work!

Life, on different platforms, is always fair to all, in terms of offering game-changing opportunities for making it big in life.

However, most of us don't recognize those opportunities. Some of us, despite recognizing, fail to turn them into stupendous success. But a few never commit such mistakes and make it huge in life through a combination of DESIRE, STRATEGY and SMART-WORK.

Remember, you're a born warrior. It's only the worst circumstances that makes you look inferior in a given time. Since you can't change an unfavorable situation, why not transform yourself to a fighter who never believes in giving up until making it happen.

Accept, and live with no pains and complaints, every wound that life has inflicted upon you; look at every misery as a trophy that destiny has offered you; and remember that you have a point to prove to yourself.

All these words and sentences that I have written so far in this blog are not my assumptions, but truly reflect what I had experienced -- while making a successful turn around from deep within a financial grave not so long ago.

You must remember that 'something never comes from nothing.' So, if you're targeting extra-ordinary success, you must invest extra-ordinary efforts in for achieving the same. Are you ready to do it?

Image Credit: Joshua Miranda

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Do Not Misunderstand Lord Krishna

Karma kadro, phal na moth sacho, ka Matlab hota hein 500% Karma karo. Itna Karma karo, ke phal tumhari jholi mein aa gire. 

Gita has been misinterpreted by so many, bit by bit, gradually, over several thousand years. Did Arjuna fight the battle of Kuruskhetra without expecting to win it. Did Lord Krishna say that?

Many of us think that we have done our Karma. Phal nehi Mila to they misquote Lord Krishna by saying - we have done our Karma, but result nehi Aya to kya hua. Krishna ne hi to Bola hein, result ka moth socho.

If you have writen a book and expect that none will read it, is that true Karma? Phir likha hi kyon? The fact is: Put so much of effort in writing that book that it captures the imagination of others and compels them to read it.

And that happens when we leave no stone unturned with relentless actions and investing 500 percent of our efforts to make that book so interesting that people have no option but to read it.

That is what Lord Krishna told Arjuna without excessive elaboration and we common people become happy with ignoring the same while not reading between the lines.

Writing book, is an example. What I am trying to highlight: It applies to each and every domain of life with regard to whatever we are doing to climb to the summit of recognition.

Put in your best efforts. Not 100 percent, but more than 500 percent. Then notice, what Krishna had said truly makes sense.

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A Man of Action!

Few years ago, after getting down from Metro Rail at Chattarpur Station, New Delhi, I was looking for an auto-ricksaw.

I was standing on the pavement across the main road. With people moving like ants, there was no sign of an auto.

Suddenly, just a meter away from me, an auto-ricksaw came to a screeching halt and the driver waved at me.

I ran toward him, and as soon as I reached him he said in English, "Sir, get inside, else this policeman would challan me."

Perplexed, how an auto-driver was speaking fluent English, I first got inside and then asked him about his background.

To cut the story short - He, a Master in Political Science, retired from a Govt. Job, is now an auto-driver not out of compulsion.

Further discussion with him revealed, when, after retirement, he was unable to find out a job that would keep him busy for at least 8 hrs a day, he decided to buy an auto and drive it.

He was talking to me in chaste English. 

"Sir, I receive a good pension and both my sons are well settled. However, I can't sit idle through-out the day. Hence, I decided to take up this profession," he concluded. 

With my destination fast approaching, I decided to end the conversation.

However, even after 2 years of our chance encounter, I still remember him for his dedication to action.

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How I Am Applying Incremental Changes In My Life!

Reading this book - The Atomic Habits - and applying its wisdom in my life, I am developing so many good habits: Walking for 1 hour everyday, walking up early morning to name a few. 

I am truly thankful to James Clear for making me understand the importance of small and tiny changes on continuous basis for bringing about a huge change in every domain of life.

I had tried quitting alcohol several times in my life, including a recent attempt, but failed.

However, applying his principle of tiny improvements, I have reduced the quantity of consumption and eliminated the consequences of over-drinking.

Now, instead of 4/5 pegs, I consume 3 pegs. Next step is to reduce it to 2 pegs only, which, in fact, is good for health.

We can achieve anything in life, provided we apply the right tool and technique for the same.

Can we access internet without right tool, that is a device, and a technology/technique, that is internet browser?

NO.

The same applies to our life as well. We can not improve the quality of body, mind and soul, and finally the quality of living, without help from appropriate right facilatator of the same.

Can we break a stone by hand? No. But, we can do that with a hammer. Isn't it?

Can we break stone by hitting it once. No. We have to keep hitting it. Those every hit is a small attempt towards finally breaking it into many pieces. 

We may not notice the result of every hit on the surface of the stone, but every hit makes some tiny changes in the resistance of the rock and after many hits, one final hit breaks it into pieces.

That is the power of incorporating small efforts for achieving great improvements in life.

Yes, it is painful. It is agonizing. But, we don't conquer the summit of Everest without fighting against the fury of nature and unbearable pains while executing the process of climbing up.

Once you read The Atomic Habits and learn to apply its principles in your life, the way I am doing, I will suggest another book.

That book has taught me about the steps involved in achieving the impossible. I have already started applying the suggestions and getting good results.

So, for the time being, focus on digesting the wisdom offered by James Clear, apply to your life and prepare yourself for the next step - A Journey Toward Stupendous Success In Life.

Through out my life I had tried many a times to walk for an hour everyday. But I failed to continue with same. 

After reading Atomic Habits, I started with the concepts of incremental improvements - I walked for 10 minutes a few days. Then added 10 more minutes for next few days.....till I reach 1 hour. 

What appeared an impossible task has become so easy, as I could successfully made it a habit by repititions.

Even now, I don't walk an hour at a stretch. I do it in 3 instalments of 20 minutes.

However, very soon I would do it in one shot.

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Time To Think And Act!

Do you really know, what you want to do in life? If you know, are you doing it? If not, why not?

Whatever may be your age, you must do what you want to do. You must start working on the same. 

Right now!

The reason is very simple: You don't want to regret over not doing what you wanted to do in life on your deathbed.

Do some introspection and find out first what you want to do in your life.

If you already know it, go and do it. If not, go and find out.

Humans lives are predominantly governed by the feelings of Pain and Pleasure.

Are you getting pleasure out of what you're doing. If yes, you are on the right track.

If you are getting pain out of what you're doing, you are on the wrong track.

You would never get pain out of of what you really want to do in life.

Don't give silly excuses of certain  compulsions or unavoidable circumstances for not doing what you love to do.

That's the limitation of your existing belief system. Replace it with a new belief system, and change landscape of your life.

Time to think and act!!!

Image Credit: Madhurima Kar

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Do You Know All 21st Century Humans Are Salesperson?

Adam Grant, the author of best-selling book "Give And Take," interviewing Daniel Pink.

Now you may go through how Daniel Pink summarizes his best selling book "To Sell Is Human" in a story telling format.

"Once upon a time, only some people were in sales.

Every day, they sold stuff, we did stuff, and everyone was happy.

One day, everything changed: All of us ended up in sales—and sales changed from a world of caveat emptor to caveat venditor.

Because of that, we had to learn the new ABCs—attunement, buoyancy, and clarity.

Because of that, we had to learn some new skills—to pitch, to improvise, and to serve.

Until finally, we realized that selling isn’t some grim accommodation to a brutal marketplace culture. It’s part of who we are—and therefore something we can do better by being more human."

The book, as analyzed by Niklas Goeke, is as follows:

"Selling is part of your life, no matter what you do, and what a successful salesperson looks like in the 21st century, with practical ideas to help you convince others in a more honest, natural and sustainable way.

Here are 3 lessons from the book:

1. Almost half of your time at work is spent in non-sales selling, which is really just trying to move others.

2. Honesty and service are taking over sales, because the internet has closed the information gap.

3. Use 'Yes, and…' when talking to customers to make sure they stay positive and engaged."

So all of us in 21st Century are more or less Salesperson, irrespective of the nature of career we are pursuing.

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Can You Accept Criticism With Positive Mindset?

Normally we feel uncomfortable, while being criticized. In fact, we are unable to tolerate anyone criticizing us.

We never try to find out, whether there were genuine reasons for someone finding faults in our act and behavior.

Sometime they might be right and sometime wrong. However, we always consider criticism as an instrument to threaten our existence.

Surprisingly, there was a person who used to ask for criticism from others in order to find out his faults, take corrective action on them and improve the same.

His name is E.H. Little and he was working as Salesman for Soap Bars manufactured by Colgate.

When he had been consistently failing in his job, what he did is a lesson for most of us.

He went back to those people who had refused to buy soaps from him and asked them point blank - what was wrong in his approach, when he was trying to convince them.

He continued doing so, taking feedback and improving on his techniques and eventually became the president of the Colgate-Palmolive-Peet Soap Company—one of the world’s largest makers of soap.

In life, people will appreciate us and criticize as well. We must enjoy appreciation, but accept criticism as an opportunity to improve upon our weaknesses.

Let's develop a Positive Mindset and ask for unbiased, helpful and constructive criticism.

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Can You Take Massive Action For Success In Life!

Life is all about intention and action. If both of them are positive and synchronized, none can prevent you from achieving success in life - whatever is the definition of success for you, depending upon your current life situation.

It's a classic combination of internal and external environment of life: Intention is a thought and action is the manifestation of that thought.

You can't just think and get whatever you want to achieve in life. You have to act on the same through an effective process. You have undertake a massive action.

One may have multiple goals in life at the same time, in different domains: Physical, Financial, Career, Spiritual etc. They may appear different, but are interconnected on the platform of Intention and Action.

Both Goal and Journey are equally important. You must first know, where do you want to go; then select the right transportation, and negotiate the most suitable road with best of your driving skills.

The most coined phrase that 'Life is a journey and Enjoy it' - is misleading in my opinion. I think, Life is a journey toward specific goals. Enjoy the journey, while being focused on the Goals. We can't ignore either.

What are your Goals in life and what actions you are unleashing? 

Image Credit: Madhurima Kar

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10 Books I Have Recently Read!

Average person reads 1.5 books/year. Top CEOs read 50+ books a year.😇

Want to be a top CEO?

Then, start reading books!📚

To start with, read a book for an hour everyday. If you can eat and sleep everyday, why not read daily?

Let me suggest a few books for a short reading:

1. As A Man Thinketh
2. The Four Agreements
3. Who Moved My Cheese
4. What I Know For Sure
5. IKIGAI

If you have sufficient time for an exhaustive reading, let me suggest the following books:

1. The Goal
2. The Choice
3. Can't Hurt Me
4. Start With Why
5. So Good They Can't Ignore You

You may Google the tiles to find out details and download the books of your choice - free of cost - from www.pdfdrive.com.

For a pleasant reading experience, download the free app MoonReader+ from app store.

I have read all of them and learned so many life lessons from the same in the domain of Leadership, Relationship, Personal Development, Career Management, Thought Management, Happiness and Spirituality etc.

Following are the 10 advantages of reading books:

01. Mental Stimulation
02. Stress Reduction
03. Knowledge
04. Vocabulary Expansion
05. Memory Improvement
06. Stronger Analytical Thinking Skills
07. Improved Focus and Concentration
08. Better Writing Skills
09. Tranquility
10. Free Entertainment

#success

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Never Fail To Hit Back, Be Your Trueself.

Wherever you are, doing whatever you like or not, never ever forget - life can snatch away everything from you, but not your learnings; life can bring you down to your knees, but not your determination to bounce back; life can design a plan to destroy you forever, but not your actions of  hitting back.

Hit back, with ruthlessness; hit back, with no mercy; hit back, with all weapons at your disposal; hit back, when you have nothing to support you; hit back, when hitting back sounds funny; hit back, when nothing works for you; hit back, when hitting back itself makes no sense.

If you have lived and living a straight-line struggle of life, thank God for the torture; if you have lived and living a sinusoidal struggle of life, thank God for the blessings!

I appreciate those social media posts with no substance, that go viral; I appreciate those people, who make such updates infuential; I appreciate their lack of knowledge, with sincerity and honesty. 

After all, it's India; where, knowledge is a curse and ignorance is dignity in diversity!

Anything simple, attracts; anything complex, repels; everything with genuineness, flourishes.

Be that, what you actually are - people are not fools to judge you wrong.

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If You Want Success, Go Get It! Wake Up The Beast Inside!

If you want success, go get it! If you want recognition, work your ass off to achieve it. Remember, no body will hand you over anything. You have to do it yourself. 

Don't throw excuses for not being able to do it. Don't blame situation for your failure. Don't hold others responsible for your messed up life.

Wake up! Stop lying to yourself! And the only way to do so is to embrace the truth. The truth is, You have the knowledge and skills to make it happen in life in a big way. 

You can't achieve anything stupendous in life without accepting a huge challenge. You can't taste success in life without taking huge risk. Anything huge on one side of the coin "Life" has a twin on the other side.

Awaken the sleeping giant within, fight it out with all that strength and determination you have and go get it. Yes, you can make it. Yes, you can realize your dream. Yes, you can reach the summit of success. 

Wake Up The Beast Inside!

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Books You Must Read For More Success, Happiness And Peace!

Being an avid reader of books since childhood, I keep looking for good books all the time. Just a while ago, while doing so, I bumped into the following video with 7 recommendations. I have already read some of these books, and planning to read the remaining as soon as possible. In this video, the narrator rightly said:

"It has been said that the person you will be in five years, depends on the books you read and the people you surround yourself with today...."

Why not take out some time on daily basis to go through some of them at least.

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True Story Of A Tortured Soul!

 

He was a hugely successful professional, who had built up a company from scratch and was running it efficiently for several years. Everything was picture perfect. With good growth generating huge profit, he was enjoying life like never before.

Then, suddenly, business started shrinking and, over a period of one year, he lost everything that he had earned and invested till that time. It happened, when the great recession of 2008 swallowed uncountable small businesses all over the world.

Cash flow came to a grinding halt, obviously destroying the business set up that he had established with so much love and care, and, finally, one fine morning, he found himself in a debt trap amounting to several millions Rupess with no source of income.

Desperate, about to give up, Sandip got in touch with me to help him find out what went wrong and also to explore if there is a possibility of getting out of that mess.

Subsequently, I had a few joint introspection sessions with him, going over the details of what had happened, analyzing why it happened and, finally, trying to find out the root cause of his unexpected destruction of professional life.

My findings were as mentioned below:

1. Riding the wave of success, he developed a thought process that he was invincible and success would continue kissing his feet, in this line of business, forever.

2. To expand further, he, instead of focusing on his core area of operations, shifted his attention to an unknown territory and burnt his fingers over a period of time.

3. Instead of balancing out between the existing field of operation and the new terrain of business, he neglected the former while pursuing the latter.

4. In his existing business, he happened to be heavily dependent on a few clients and never bothered to add more.

5. At the same time he was going through a major crisis in his personal life, distracting his attention needed to run business successfully.

All these above factors, added up, created an ideal platform for total collapse and landed him in a situation he could never think of.

While working out a rescue package for him, some of the suggestions that came to my mind were:

1. Look at success on daily basis and never lose momentum of growth for a minute even.

2. Expand your business, but mostly in one's core area of competence.

3. While handling a few different types of assignments, one must balance the time that's required to be invested in each.

4. Never keep all the eggs in one basket. Clients diversity is one of the most important factors that decides the fate of any business. Never be too dependent on a single client.

5. Develop sufficient mental strength to withstand the impact of relationship fall-out. Do your best to make things work out, but if that doesn't produce the desired results -either just move on, or compromise with no regret.

Although he didn't admit to me, but I could make out that the root cause of his downfall: Losing momentum, perhaps lied in his personal problems. So, at last, I told him to accept the reality of life and change his own thought processes to get aligned with what's unlikely to change.

I told him that there is no point in repenting over what had happened -- it makes no sense in wasting your time looking for a solution that doesn't exist. The most practical approach is to accept, live, and put in your best efforts for making a turn around out of whatever you already have in your life.

My concluding suggestion to him was: Sooner you realize, better it is, that, life doesn't give everything to everyone. Wise people accept this fact and live that reality, without wasting their mental energy on blaming others for their sufferings.
 
Almost on the verge of committing suicide when he had met me first, a year and half ago, today I find him cheerful and full of hopes for making the best out of whatever life has given him.

And yes, in professional life also, despite buried from the neck down in huge debts, he is completely focused on turning it around and with a determination that I haven't seen in him earlier. I'm sure, very soon he will make it happen again.

P.S: It's a decade old story. These days, I am not in touch with Sandip. 

Photo by Spencer Selover from Pexels

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You Are An Eagle, Not A Chicken: Come On, Fly!

I am sure, you have heard the story of a chicken farmer, who found an eagle’s egg and put it with the eggs of his chickens. Soon the egg hatched. 

The young eagle grew up with all the other chickens, and  did exactly whatever they did. He thought, he was a chicken. 

Since the chickens could fly for a short distance, the eagle too learnt to fly a short distance only. He never thought anything beyond that. 

One day he saw a bird flying high in the sky. The eagle was very impressed and asked the hens around: “Who is that?” 

“Oh, that’s an eagle, the king of the birds,” the hens told him. “He belongs to the sky. We belong to the ground.” So the eagle lived and died as a chicken.

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How To Stop Worrying: Practical Solution By A Great Thinker!

"Those who do not know how to fight worry, die young." By Dr. Alexis Carrel

With so much happening in and around us, these days, which are beyond our control, it is quite natural to get worried at times. More than six months of complete isolation at home due to Covid19 pandemic has virtually shattered the confidence of so many.

Well, life is now coming back to a kind of normalcy, but the threat is not over yet. The devastating impact of the pandemic has brought economy and business to a grinding halt, leading to massive job cuts across most of the segments. 

For survival, people are left with no option but do any kind of job. The other day, I read about two school teachers running cycle repair shops. And recently I noticed a post on LinkedIn, that 2 pilots of an Australian Airline, after losing their jobs, have taken up the assignment of bus driver.

People are doing whatever they can to remain afloat, and that comes with an element of worry. It is practically impossible to avoid worrying. Even during normal regular life, we have so much to worry about. 

However, simply worrying does not take us to any solution. For that, we have to initiate some methodical steps. What I am taking about is a result oriented approach to handle worry in such a way that it does not cause us any emotional damage. Too much worry is the root cause of not only mental diseases, but physical ailment also.

Few Days ago, I had been reading a great book: "How to stop worrying and start living," by Dale Carnegie. I had read it long ago. However, it faded away from my memory. I am sure most of you must have read it at some point. 

I don't know how much you remember from that book.. However, in just an hour of reading, I came across couple of amazing solutions provided by the author. In fact, I tried them out myself, and let me tell you the results are astonishing. 

It has not completely stopped me from worrying, but certainly it has reduced the same to a great extent. I am sure, during this time of so much stress and strain, we need to implement these practices for reducing our worries to whatever extent possible.

Let me share with you a case study of how to solve worry problem from his book in his own words:

"When I was a young man,” Mr. Carrier said, “I worked for the Buffalo Forge Company in Buffalo, New York. I was handed the assignment of installing a gas-cleaning device in a plant of the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company at Crystal City, Missouri—a plant costing millions of dollars. The purpose of this installation was to remove the impurities from the gas so it could be burned without injuring the engines. This method of cleaning gas was new. It had been tried only once before—and under different conditions."

"In my work at Crystal City, Missouri, unforeseen difficulties arose. It worked after a fashion—but not well enough to meet the guarantee we had made. I was stunned by my failure. It was almost as if someone had struck me a blow on the head. My stomach, my insides, began to twist and turn. For a while I was so worried I couldn’t sleep. Finally, common sense reminded me that worry wasn’t getting me anywhere; so I figured out a way to handle my problem without worrying. It worked superbly. I have been using this same anti-worry technique for more than thirty years. It is simple. Anyone can use it."

It consists of three steps: 

Step I. I analyzed the situation fearlessly and honestly and figured out what was the worst that could possibly happen as a result of this failure. No one was going to jail me or shoot me. That was certain. True, there was also a chance that I would lose my position; and there was also a chance that my employers would have to remove the machinery and lose the twenty thousand dollars we had invested."

Step II. After figuring out what was the worst that could possibly happen, I reconciled myself to accepting it, if necessary. I said to myself: This failure will be a blow to my record, and it might possibly mean the loss of my job; but if it does, I can always get another position. Conditions could be much worse; and as far as my employers are concerned—well, they realize that we are experimenting with a new method of cleaning gas, and if this experience costs them twenty thousand dollars, they can stand it. They can charge it up to research, for it is an experiment. After discovering the worst that could possibly happen and reconciling myself to accepting it, if necessary, an extremely important thing happened: I immediately relaxed and felt a sense of peace that I hadn’t experienced in days. 

Step III. From that time on, I calmly devoted my time and energy to trying to improve upon the worst which I had already accepted mentally. “I now tried to figure out ways and means by which I might reduce the loss of twenty thousand dollars that we faced. I made several tests and finally figured out that if we spent another five thousand for additional equipment, our problem would be solved. We did this, and instead of the firm losing twenty thousand, we made fifteen thousand. 

I probably would never have been able to do this if I had kept on worrying, because one of the worst features about worrying is that it destroys our ability to concentrate. When we worry, our minds jump here and there and everywhere, and we lose all power of decision. However, when we force ourselves to face the worst and accept it mentally, we then eliminate all these vague imaginings imaginings and put ourselves in a position in which we are able to concentrate on our problem.

Practically speaking, we can't get rid of our worries completely. It is not possible. So the best approach is to tackle them as much as we can with the above mentioned tools. That is exactly what is the need of the hour now. 

I am sure, very soon we will come out this crisis situation and life would become normal again. Even then, we still will have our share of worries and must not get frustrated by the pull of the same. Rather, we should go through the above mentioned steps for solving our worries as much as possible.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

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True Story: How To Fight The Battle Of Life!

"Abhijit, we must complete the order in another 15 days, else.." Said my boss with a gloomy face. It was 12 O'clock in the night and we were walking down the shop floor, inspiring supervisors and workers to put in their best efforts for producing as many finished goods as possible.

To complete a prestigious order that my boss was talking about, we had to achieve more than 150 percent productivity. And that was a near-impossible task by any standard, as, 27 years ago, when this scene was unfolding, automation was in its infancy state in India compared to what it is today.
 

I being in-charge of both production and quality of more than half of the factory and also the account manager for that client, boss was completely banking on me.

Before leaving the factory I told him, "Sir, we will do it, I promise!" He gave me a tiring smile and moved away to the parking lot.

Next morning, the first thing I did was to assemble my team members for a briefing. When all of them gathered around me, I explained the situation - which they already knew - and said, "guys, give me the next 15 days of your life for achieving this impossible task. I promise, you will cherish this memory throughout your life!'

They listened with rapt attention, their face turning bright, radiating the sign of determination that was gradually building up within. None of them uttered a single word, but their body language revealed everything. I could sense that they were fully charged and committed to make it happen.

For the next 15 days we worked round the clock, hardly sleeping for an hour or two everyday and, finally, completed the order at 11 PM -- just an hour before the expiry of the dead-line.

Immediately after that, I personally thanked my team members, one by one, asking them to take a day off to make up for lack of sleep and spend some quality time with their family members. Last but not the least, in consultation with my boss, I announced the date of celebration also.

It took me a few more hours - along with some of my team members - to complete the paperwork . At around 5 o'clock in the morning I could get the Release Note ready and went to the guest house, woke the client's representative up and got his approval half-an-hour later.

Then I called up my boss, who had left for home once the last bundle was packed, and congratulated him. He returned the same with a choked voice, thanking me profusely for achieving this near impossible task.

Finally, with the sun rising, I left for my home. With great difficulty I could barely manage to have breakfast and straightway hit the bed. I woke up the next morning, I mean after more than 20 hours.

All that happened when I was just six months into the company. But recognizing my efforts, management promoted me to the next grade during the next appraisal and I became the youngest manager.

Well, more than twenty-five  percent of my team members were also promoted and the rest received a huge incentive for that financial year.

It was an amazing experience of experiencing the truth that nothing is impossible in this world if you decide to achieve it through dedication and smart-work. It's that fighting attitude, that can even make an unfavorable destiny change its stand and start dancing in tune with your instructions. Those, who do it, are called the Warriors.

I believe that all humans are born Warriors. Most of us fail to recognize our capabilities, but a few do understand it and fail to fail. What marks the difference between success and failure is, a true warrior never leaves the battlefield without winning the fight. Simply because, he never believes in giving up even while facing an impossible task.

That's why, Theodore Roosevelt had said:

"In the battle of life, it is not the critic who counts; nor the one who points out how the strong person stumbled, or where the doer of a deed could have done better.

The credit belongs to the person who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; who does actually strive to do deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotion, spends oneself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at worst, if he or she fails, at least fails while daring greatly.

Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those timid spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat."

So look within, wake up the sleeping giant, and bravely face all the challenges that life throws at you; I'm sure, you will win the battle.

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