Put It All On The Line !

Our greatest strength is courage and our greatest weakness is fear. Both emanate from the mind ! However when a tough situation arises the courage part in us takes a back seat and it's the fear that "rises to the occassion",atleast that's how i like to put it, but no matter how I or anyone else puts it,it's true that fear shows it's prominence. The fear of losing bogs the best of people down. Questions like "what if this doesn't work" strike terror in our mind(s) and all we do is waste our time trying to find ways to tackle our pessimistic side. It's basic human tendency to think about the "worst case scenario" ,and all the talk about being optimistic goes out of the window . Also what draws us to focus more on our fears is the fact that we as humans give too much attention to the end result and in doing so we forget about the process.Harsha Bhogle in his speech/lecture at IIM-A talks wonderfully about the importance of focusing on the process than the end result. Still many a times our minds get clogged with questions like "what if i don't get through to my dream institute " , "what if i don't get my dream job or what if i don't get paid as much as i want ". Obviously these "what if " questions differ from person to person and each has his/her own set of stumbling blocks,if i may call them so. Now I am no Robin Sharma to talk about inspiration and all but I feel that the last few months have given me enough reasons to believe that I have found a way to tackle these stumbling blocks .

Take Risks! Yes though It may sound simple but it is very tricky. Imagine leaving your job six to eight months prior to you joining a post grad institute of your choice and that too when you know the odds are against you . Putting it all on the line just to give it a shot with no guarantee of success. Sitting idle at home can be tough, real tough,specially when others around you make a living. It is verry easy to feel the pressure and succumb to it. Thoughts of failing and the burden of expectations can take a toll on your mind and heart. However, when you know that you don't have a way out,going back isn't an option,the doors are shut,all you do is look forward and that it what sets the ball rolling. And there are hundreds of examples of people who have enjoyed success the moment they have put it all on the line. 

Surprisingly as i write this another set of "what if" questions cross my mind. "What if I hadn't left my job ?" , "What if I hadn't thought of a post grad?" Probably i would still be working in a night shift at the moment instead of writing this blog. But I dreamed and I risked and I gave courage more imporatance than fear and even if things would not have gone the way they have I would have still been proud of my decision and I am sure I would have been happy about the fact that I backed myself and was ready to face the consequences. 

To all those people who,I know,are thinking about doing a post grad or thinking about a new job but are not putting their foot down and are holding themselves back,I would like to say "let it go and take a risk". Let life surprise you and as they say "luck favours the brave",so be brave,be courageous,let courage take over the fear in you. Time to take the plunge ! 

Who Am I ??

Finally back to writing after a break , feels good. The sound of the keys on the keyboard as I manage to gather some speed while thinking about what's in store brings a smile on my face. Have an idea in mind but everything from here on is going to be impromptu. Let's start. 

People go through various stages in life.The good , The Bad and Of course The Ugly !!! This blog is for the bad and the ugly phase of life, but "The Good" is a silent mistress , its always there yet its presence is unknown...... There comes a stage in everyone's life when the world around seems to be crumbling . Nothing goes the way you wanted it to. No matter how hard you try all you get is sorrow and grief . People go into a shell and in order to get through this phase they try all sorts of things . The first thing that comes to mind is going to the astrologer asking them what's wrong , only to be told by him/her that some planet out there in universe is causing a problem. Most people believe in this and try different tactics as advised by the astrologer. They feel a sense of calmness as they think that things will be fine now. But life doesn't work on a planet which is some light years away from us. It works on our mindset and on how we look at things. It all depends on how we adapt to a tough situation ,tame it down and finally conquer it. All the great battles in this world have been fought on land,air,sea but have been won in the mind. Alright I realize that till now I haven't written anything which goes with my blog's title. But all this is like the pre-match analysis that is so common these days before a big game. Who Am I ?? This question should be on the priority list when you are feeling down and out,and you feel that the world around you is superior to you!!! The best part about this question is the fact that we don't have to phone a friend to get the answer or take an audience poll. The answer lies with us. All we need to do is go into flashback mode and recall all our achievements till date. People excel in various fields. Some are great sportsmen/sportswomen , some great students, some might have helped the underprivileged etc...The list is endless. Unfortunately though in times of despair people become pessimistic and start doubting their own abilities and then look for others to solve their problems. It has never worked that way and never will. All we need is a gentle reminder , a pep talk ,a voice from within ,with a clear message that reads : " Hey you are good enough ,get up and get going . " . So whenever in despair just ask yourself " Who Am I " , let the answers flow and face the world with a great sense of self belief. 

Note : You may stick a huge paper with Who Am I written in bold letters and all your achievements below it. The more you'll see those achievements the better you'll feel about yourself. 

BACKLOG !!!

Backlog is a word that I am quite used to hearing now because of the kind of work I do.We are 30-40-50 cases in backlog is what I hear at work everyday.Once I am back home I don't really dwelve upon what went by through the day but guess today is different.Don't know how till now I have missed this co-relation but I am glad that my mind just brought this up.

Now you would be wondering what is it that I am talking about.I am talking about Life!!!All these years growing up we go through various kinds of days,hours,moments,and strangely enough we all store them up somewhere in our brains.And we call them Memories.Memories play a vital role in how we progress as a person.They can be used to recall an awesome moment or a dreadful one.It all depends upon which situation we are in and what our thought process is.

Strangely enough we,with the help of these memories live most of our lives in BACKLOGS...We can't get over a set of memories that keep haunting us day by day month by month year by year.And not surprisingly there isn't a single person on this planet that doesn't have bad memories to haunt them along the way.These memories could be anything but the most common one's are : a lost job , a broken relationship , a disease ,a nightmare and so on and so forth.But it's not only the bad memories that hold us back,even the good ones keep us in a backlog.People don't move on with time,they get stuck to what they think was their prime.They would come upto you and say you know what at your age I had one helluva personality and they might be true but then with time they don't move on.It happens with every one,even I have been caught up in such a situation.It's not easy to get rid of these memories or backlogs but then in order to progress one needs to shed the load,get rid of the extra baggage and sail through.

Shedding those backlogs is more important than shedding those extra kilos that you might have put on by having a cheeze burst pizza.And just like every night, when we at work manage to get rid of the backlogs and have a laugh about the funny incidents of the day , you too can shed those backlogs from your life and have a laugh about it for the rest of your lives. :)

RESPECT..!!!

Probably the most valued word of all time which can't be bought even today..This seven letter word has defined and re-defined the way we live our lives.And when it comes to India the weightage of this word grows on increasing inch by inch minute by minute and second by second.

Even before we learn to understand the true meaning of Respect,we are taught to respect our elders.Then in school we are taught to respect our teachers,fellow classmates,the peon etc etc..The list is endless to say the least.So growing up we get into the habit of respecting our elders,teachers,colleagues and so on.But then hell we have not yet fully understood the meaning of respect,because the way things are taught to us are partially correct and according to that partial education received we do not understand the real meaning of this immensely important word.

Unfortunately over the years there have been numerous instances which highlight the fact that due to way in which this word is portrayed people have succumbed to injustice and have kept themselves under the shackles.Instances of elder people taking advantage of just their age and exploiting small innocent children is something that comes first to the mind.The child doesn't say a word,why?because he/she has been taught that we need to respect our elders.The weight of pointing a finger at an elder person in the family is more than the suffering one has to go through because of that same person.

But its not just the small ones who suffer.In the corporate world a lot of young budding people have to shut up just so that they can act in a way that pleases their bosses.That is not respect,that's fear,fear of getting kicked out of the organization,fear of losing a job and with that a lot of other things.

And we as people play a major role in other men/women misusing this word because we are still trying to conquer our fears,we still respect people because of their age and position and not because of what they are in person.No one has the right to be respected just because of the fact that their parents could not control their desires which resulted into they being born early.Time for us to understand the true meaning of respect and giving it to those who truly deserve it.

Respect cannot be bought,it can only be Earned!!!

H.O.S.T.E.L

This one is on a special request...But it probably captures one of the most interesting and important part of my life..Its about the life spent in a Hostel.

Its a strange feeling walking up the hostel stairs for the first time,your heart is in mixed state,it is looking forward to a new life but its also being held back by the burden of leaving the secured walls of your own home.Its emotionally challenging as well because you are moving away from the ones whom you probably love the most.But then after some initial days of struggle you actually manage to get to know people around you,people who are in a similar position as you are,sometimes worse but still there's a strange kind of bonding that emanates from the fact that you are not the only one who is going through the same dilemma.

As time rolls on you get to know a bit more about your companions,you get to know some good parts ,some bad parts and some ugly ones as well.And when those initial few days of missing home and bonding gets over ,you come to know the actual people around you.You realize that the ones who seemed good are not so good and the ones whom you thought were bad are not so bad.Life teaches you a lesson,a lesson about people,best described by the quote "Never judge a book by its cover".It teaches you not to judge people by how they look or dress but by what they think.

By the end of a year you almost know whom you wanna be for the rest of your time,you form a group,small or large,but you know the people who at some point or the other share the same interests as you do.It's like finding a home away from home.You have a new family,a bunch of guys who go bonkers over a nice girl passing by,who love their cricket,who are passionate about bikes and who hate exams !! Its with these people that you spend the best and the worst stages of your life.And with time you grow along with them,not just in age but in thoughts as well.

I have always believed that anyone who is about to enter college should spend those years in a hostel,with a bunch of crazy , ugly boys who one day or the other are going to mature into fine human beings.It teaches you a lot ,but the most important one is that it teaches you to evolve as a human being.

Living Unbound: FrIeNdShIp !!!

Living Unbound: FrIeNdShIp !!!: Friendship!!! One word that has more hidden meanings than any other word in the English dictionary.Its a relation that a human being chos...

FrIeNdShIp !!!

Friendship!!! One word that has more hidden meanings than any other word in the English dictionary.Its a relation that a human being choses for his/her ownself,one that is not bound by blood,caste,religion or race.Sometimes it doesn't even require two human beings,pets play the part of the other half.Its a bond which also goes through a lot of stages,specially if the friendship starts from an early stage in life.

I have always been one of the few lucky one's who has got some of the best friends one could ever get.School and college would not have been as much fun as they were if not for those crazy and unique characters that I became friends with.From those crazy cricket matches to bike rides to birthday parties to just chatting on the phone,these people have given life a new meaning.But over the years some friendships have gone the wrong way as well.Misunderstandings,mistakes,hasty decisions have all added up to probably see the end of many a friendships .Its also about thinking and thoughts and circumstances.Times change,thoughts change and in most cases people think that the other person has changed.Yes people do change but then it is unfair to compare them to what they were earlier because things around them are not the same anymore.Years of friendship can end in days.But then that is where life is unpredictable.Losing a friend is painfull.Its not a good feeling to digest either and when you are probably the reason why people moved away from you then its even more painfull.

Having said that its important to realize the fact that some people come to your life only for a specific period of time,they give you memories for a lifetime,but they may not always be there till the end.Its important to remember the good things they tought you rather than thinking about how it ended.Everyone in life teaches us something,its all about what and how we take it.Not everyone is going to walk by you till the end,people do come and go ,one day or the other,one way or the other,its always about those days when you had a laugh with them,the days when you hugged them,spoke your heart out to them and thanked them for being the best.Each and everyone is special at one point of time in life,its important to recognize that and respect them for what they were and what they are even if they are no longer a part of your life.