Pro-Active...

Long long ago... in a place far far away... was a kingdom ruled by King Chakramaditya.
The King had 2 ministers Dondu and Pandu. Dondu and Pandu had been in King's service for many years and also happened to be best childhood friends. But, it somehow happened that Dondu always got promoted before Pandu and obviously Pandu was never happy with that bit. He thought the King was partial towards Dondu.
This time, Pandu gathered enough courage to go and speak to King Chakramaditya and express his concerns.

Pandu: Your Majesty, With all due respect, I would like to know where I have fallen short in my service. Everytime, Dondu gets promoted before me eventhough we have done the same work for the same number of  years.
King Chakramaditya: You are right in asking that question and I'll answer it to your satisfaction. But first, I have a few traders from the neighbouring kingdom, one of them wants to meet me. Can you do the first review with him and see what he has got to trade.
Pandu: (immediately left to meet the trader, came back 2 minutes later) Your Majesty, this man is a silk trader and wants to sell us silks.
King Chakramaditya: Good. What price does he ask?
Pandu: (immediately left and came back in 2 minutes) Your Majesty, he asks for a 100 gold coins for a silk carpet and the prices are fixed.
King Chakramaditya: We are a large kingdom, will he give a better price if we order in large volumes? Will he be able to deliver?
Pandu: (rushed out one more time to return in a couple of minutes) Your Majesty, his prices are not negotiable.
King Chakramaditya: Just forget it. We do not want to trade with him.

Exactly at that moment, Dondu walked into the hall. The King told Dondu - "We have a few traders from other states. Can you meet one of them and do the first review?"

Dondu, bowed to the King and stepped out. He was gone for over 10 minutes. When he came back, he gave the following answer to the King.
Dondu: "Your Majesty, the person I met is a trader of precious jewels. He wants 25 Gold coins for each single jewel he sells to us. I saw a few of his samples and they are really valuable. I checked with the trader and he was very particular about fixed price. However, given the fact that we are a large kingdom and will order large quantities, he is willing to negotiate. If your majesty could approve, I can go ahead and initiate a transaction with him"

King Chakramaditya, smiled at Dondu and asked him to leave. He then turned to Pandu and asked, "Do you still want me to answer your question?"

Most of us come across this feeling every once in a while. Why is he getting promoted before me. I do everything that my boss asks me to do... then why???
That is probably the problem right there... You might be doing everything the boss tells. While someone else might be doing something even before the boss tells.

There are people who answer the questions and then there are those who answer questions before they are asked.
I had a similar experience long ago, (Now don't start guessing whether I was Dondu or Pandu). But I decided that I will work on myself and grow into the Dondu above.

The secret is quite simple - The boss always likes the team to whom he doesn't have to give instructions. A team which takes away his work so he can focus on bigger things. I know that I will eventually grow into being a Dondu and who knows someday I might become the King Chakramaditya.

The Test is coming!!!

I have always been very particular about punctuality, at times my passion for punctuality even borders fanaticism. Anybody who knows me well knows that if I agree to a time, I'll do everything under the sun to make it. But many people don't know one thing which is the amount of testing I face everytime I discuss this topic.
A couple of years ago, I was sharing my passion for punctuality with my students and I made it a very strong point. Guess what... the very next class started 7 minutes late. That's absolutely criminal going by my record. Of course, I promised that it would never happen again and that promise was kept.

A few months later, I was involved in another activity. I was working with a friend and we used to meet at odd hours to work together. At one instance my friend said - "Gulshan, you don't have to be so punctual, you make us feel guilty". Wanna guess?? - Next session, I reached late by a few minutes and was out of the activity.  This year, I'm again a part of that activity and have made it so far.

Infact, I was probably the most unpleasant groom in the history of mankind because in my own marriage, I went around chasing everyone to get ready on time and I was not very pleasant in doing so.

Everytime I speak of my strength, I speak of my conviction... Life decides to throw in a test for me. If I make it through, it means my conviction is true. If I don't, it just means that I need to work more on it.

Recently, I had shared about alcohol and how much I'm against it. Within a few months, I find myself sitting in the company of grown ups in a social gathering with all of them having a glass in their hands... All these are people I highly respect.
What do I do? What can I do?
Do I go ahead an lecture them on the disadvantages of Alcohol? --- Obviously not... I'll be way beyond my line there.
Do I stand there and watch them destroy their bodies one sip at a time? --- Definitely not... that's a huge damage to my subconscious.
What do I do?
I just walk out of the room with faith in my heart that maybe one day Life will find a way to show them the light.
That's what I did.
Maybe you'll think I took the easy way out. Maybe you would have done something different... But that's what seemed right to me.

Right now, I'm throwing in another challenge to Life...
Till now, I had a conviction that I will not consume or pay for anyone else who consumes alcohol... Let's take this one step further...
"Right now, From now on... I have a conviction that I will not sit on the same table and in the same room where my friends, colleagues, or anyone whom I know and care for is using alcohol."
"You will not find me in the company of alcohol"
"So much as the smell of alcohol will not enter my system"

I know that the moment I wrote this, Life has already started conspiring a test for me and I'm ready for it.
Because my faith in my conviction is stronger than my faith in my God.
Whether it is punctuality... whether it is anti-alcoholism... whether it is my belief in word...
I have chosen my convictions and I'm ready for life to test me.

Everytime one has a Conviction... It will be tested... over and over...
Check your own history... everytime you believed in something, you were tested by life. And your success or failure in that test has defined your growth ever since...
If a conviction is not tested... it is not a conviction.

Are you strong enough to find yourself a conviction and stand by it no matter what happens???

Don't waste it...

Just got off watching the movie Iron Man. Its amazing how we can miss the most profound learnings even after life slaps them in our face more than half a dozen times. Well, atleast thats the number of times I've seen this movie.

In this movie, the hero (originally a weapons designer) is almost killed in an explosion and a scientist saves his life by building a contraption around his heart. The hero is held captive but helped by this scientist at every step. With the help of this scientist, the hero escapes in his invented robot suit but the scientist is killed.
Just before the scientist dies, here's what they spoke...
Hero: Thank you for saving my life.
Scientist: Don't waste it... Don't waste your life...

"DON'T WASTE IT... DON'T WASTE YOUR LIFE..."

I asked myself this question... If I were to be held accountable for every day of my life... Will I be able to answer for it???

There are thousands of people who did not get up today morning. I got up. He chose to give me a day of life which so many did not get. There must have been a reason for it... right?

There are so many who may not get up tomorrow morning. But I know I will, I know He has a plan for me.

He still feels that I'm worth investing a day of Life.

Right now as I asked myself - Today.... Have I been worth the Life that was given to me today?? Maybe not. I did not touch a life today.
So here I am, sharing my realisation at well past midnight... hoping that these 10 minutes invested from my Life will touch another Life and make a difference...

In the material world, we make huge achievements every day. You could have made a few millions today, but how much of it was invested in Life. What you and I achieved was achieved because 1 day worth of Life was invested in us. Did we invest back in Life???

All our achievements are needed for us to grow and we have to continue that... but where is our investment in Life? Our Life? The Lives of our loved ones? The Life of a stranger you bump into on the road?

Almost everyday I touch a life... by inspiring... by teaching... by loving... by guiding... by helping someone grow... someone... anyone... even a stranger. By doing so, I'm giving Life a reason to give me another day so that I can touch a few more lives.

The more I invest in Life... The more Life will invest in me...

I'll make every single day invested in me... worth investing...

Every day that I end... I'll ask myself... Was I worthy of the today given to me?

With Gratitude in my heart that I was given a day of Life...
With the knowledge that I have lived a day I was worthy of...
Signing off for the night...

Wishing you most and more...

Que sera sera...

Whatever will happen, will happen...

My boss and I were debating about buying a bike as I was spending a lot of time on the road. I wanted an entry level 100 cc, light weight bike for myself. Easy to drive. My boss said - "Gulshan, for your height and body structure, a small light bike is wrong. It will be too short, light and could give you fatigue and backache." He suggested a 150 cc bike which was launched around that time.
I had never driven any geared bike leave alone driving a bike which itself weighs more than 150 kg. I was hard set that I will not agree for that bike.
One morning, my boss called me and said that I had to go and pick up the delivery of my new 150 cc, 150 kg, geared bike. (fyi... I had never even kick started a motorbike)
I told my boss... I don't even know how to ride it.
My boss said - "Don't worry, the guy there will teach you how to use the gear and clutch and you'll be fine."
Gulshan - "But..."
Boss - "No buts, just go... I trust you man... Whatever happens happens... we'll see... right now... just go"

With butterflies battling in my stomach, I went to collect the bike. After a 5 minute crash course on clutch and gears, I was on the way home. It took me 2 hours to cover a distance of 10 km but I made it home.
Today, 5 years later... 41000 km later... 3 accidents later... I am absolutely crazy about my bike and just love to ride it.

It's not about the bike, but this is more about the attitude which was inculcated in me.

Every audit, every new client, every marketing call, every new activity... the only thought I had was... Let's do it... whatever happens, will happen... we'll face it.

Even after so many years... that attitude is still a part of me...

Recently, we bought a new car. I had not driven a car for ages and I was not confident to take it out alone for the first time. I had called an on call driver to come and help me refresh my driving skills.
Somehow, the driver did not turn up in the morning.
I took the car out, Que Sera Sera and put the key into ignition.
2 days later I was driving to office and back on the most notorious roads of Bangalore.

When I changed my last job, I had decided to leave that specialisation because I was not enthusiastic about it anymore. The day I decided to quit, I did not have a job in hand. I knew I could have continued in the job till I find the next job, but I didn't do that. I knew that won't be fair.
Que Sera Sera and I was a free man to hunt my destiny... my friends still find it hard to believe that I left a well paying job without having fixed my next job. But I knew that I was confident about my skillsets...

Que Sera Sera... Whatever will happen, will happen...
I don't know the roots of this phrase, which language it comes from, where it comes from. But I know one thing. It has given me the greatest freedom in my life. I don't have to worry myself sick about what will happen. I have the courage to go ahead and execute my choices.

But, Beware... Be Careful...

Don't take this phrase as an excuse for lack of preparation.
I can't go for an exam without any preparation and say Que Sera Sera...
I can't go in a meeting without preparation and say Que Sera Sera...
I can't drive a vehicle without fuel and say Que Sera Sera...

Only when I have done all the possible preparation from my side and put in my efforts, I have the right to say Que Sera Sera.

One can't take the bike without understanding the basics of how it works and then try going at 80 kmph and say whatever will happen, will happen. Only Hospital will happen.

One can't jump in the pool without knowing how to swim and say Que Sera Sera...

Are you living your life thinking what will happen if I do this... if I do that... what if? what if? what if?

Que Sera Sera...

I wish I could show you...

It was my first major audit assignment. The client was in a pretty messy situation. The first day, my mentor came with me and helped me kick start the entire audit project. Once we had everything going, he left me on my own and kept mentoring me remotely.
Over the course of next one month, we worked very closely and the end result was that we had a very comprehensive audit checklist and an equally great audit reporting format. This audit report was better than the other reports done earlier and the last I know, it was still used till a few months ago, that's almost 9 years later. Of course, it has evolved a lot ever since.
But, that thrill of creating something new which will carry my mark for ever was amazing.
The feeling that something great was created through me gave me such a kick that I have got addicted to creating.
That one experience got me into a "Systems thinking". Infact, if I don't create something new every once in a while, I don't feel comfortable. Ever since that audit, wherever I have worked, my entire focus has been to work towards a "Person Proof System".
Any activity in which I'm involved, I first understand, do it once for myself, get the required results, and then try to get it into a systematic documented process so that tomorrow, anyone else should be able to execute the same thing without depending on me or asking my help.
"Person Proof System" means a process, system, work style which is independent of the person working in it. Even if a person is removed, the next person should be able to become a part of the system and execute what is needed.
Now... no matter how much I try to explain this experience, you won't understand what I'm talking about unless you have experienced it yourself.
No matter how much I try, I cannot show you what I have seen, unless you have seen it for yourself.

When you tell me "Gulshan, if you don't eat chicken, you don't know what you are missing." I tell inside my heart... "My dear, you don't know what you are missing. You don't have any idea what if feels when you look at the chicken and turn away. You don't know what it feels like to be a vegetarian. You don't know what it feels like to know that your taste buds didn't cost a life"

When you tell me "Gulshan, if you don't smoke / drink, you don't know what you are missing." I feel in the depths of my heart "Darling, you don't know what you are missing. I wish I could show you how it feels to have clear lungs while jogging. To have a clear head on a saturday morning."

We went to a temple, and the kind of silence I experienced there was so amazing, it was so silent that I felt like some sound will burst out of my ears. It was a peace I had never experienced. Sad part is that you won't know it no matter how much I explain. It is something that has to be experienced.

That joy of creation, the closeness to Him, that head in the lap, those eyes, that toothless smile, those delicate finders, that experience of success, that silence, that peace... I can't help but remember the quote of my teacher - "Infinite beauty cannot be expressed in finite words...The most beautiful is to be experienced..."

Same steps... different results...

I was watching a movie last week... In this movie, a totally average girl suddenly comes to know that she's a princess of a country. For the first time in her life, she sat in a limousine. While sitting in the car, she was playing with the power window. For almost 5 minutes, she was pressing the up and down buttons and the window kept going up and down. Finally the driver said - "Miss, no matter how many times you press that button it will still go up and down the same way."
That statement hit me so hard that for the next 10 minutes, I was watching the movie but still not watching it.

I work in a software company and anybody who has worked with softwares will agree that there are times when the software will just not behave properly.
You try steps 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 and you don't get the results.
You try again steps 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 and you don't get the results.
Once again, you try steps 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 and you still don't get the results.
You get frustated and go for the coffee...
After a 45 minute long coffee break, you come back and once again try - steps - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5. Do you think you will get the results?
By following the same steps, even if you try another 300 times, you still won't get the results...
Chances are that you are either missing a step,
or you have added an extra step
or you have got the order mixed up...
or maybe the software has got a bug...
In any case, following the same steps over and over will not take you anywhere...

I tell her - Lets go out on a date.
She says - Not today. I'm not in the mood.
I say again - Lets go out on a date.
She says - Not today. I'm not in the mood.
I say once again - Lets go out on a date
She says - Not today. I'm not in the mood.

Isn't it Boring??? Do you think I'll get my date?

Won't it be much more interesting if I were to try a different dialogue everytime and she would give a different answer everytime. And maybe, eventually I will get my date...


At home, the kid doesn't listen to you, do you keep repeating the same thing in the same way?? Obviously not... you try convincing in a different way... don't you?

Why not implement it in every aspect of life???

Problem happens when we keep applying the same steps and still expect a different outcome... and then actually become miserable if we don't get the results...

Problem happens when we keep using the same recipe and keep expecting a new dish everytime... Will that ever happen?

Problem happens when we keep travelling the same road and still keep expecting to reach a new destination... Will that ever happen?

If you still haven't got the point, maybe I'll try it differently in a different post some day...

Teacher's Day...

Every day when we get up in the morning, we have an emotion. When you have the results coming out, you get up with that knot in your stomach. When you have that new car delivery to take, you get up all excited. When you have that project starting, you get up all energized. When you have that date with him / her, you get up... Oh wait... You wouldn't have slept all night anyways....
The point is that we all carry an emotion when we get up in the morning. This depends on what we are looking forward to on that day... And the day in turn becomes the result of that starting emotion.
Even I go through the same... A new emotion every day. With just one exception.
For years together, there is one day every year when I get up with only one emotion in my heart. That emotion is that of Gratitude.
A deep sense of gratitude comes over every year on 5th of September. This is the day the world celebrates as a Teacher's Day. Today was no different. I woke up, paid my gratitude to all the teachers who have contributed to my life. Spoke to some and thanked some in spirit.

A friend of mine overheard me speaking to my teacher... He said "I also wanted to wish, but I've lost the number."  I didn't say anything to that friend, but I definitely know that I spent over 2 hours to recall a number I had myself forgotten. And I know I would have gone to any extent and called anyone to find that Teacher's number.
A lot has been spoken about teachers. I think that the only true tribute to my teachers would be if I can live to my full potential... Achieve the best... Be the best... And still stay humble and be able to dedicate all my success to my teachers.

With lot of gratitude I dedicate this sharing to all the teachers who have walked into my life. This sharing is my tribute to all the teachers in my life with a promise that I will be that student you will be proud of. I will make your time spent on me worth it. I will make my teachers proud.

Do you have the courage to make that promise?

Did you wish your teachers a Happy Teacher's Day today?

That food on your plate...

Sometime back, we went to an expensive restaurant. For a change, the portions served were larger than we expected and after we had eaten our fills, there was still food ordered but not served. It was enough for one person.

We thought why to waste the food, so we packed it as a take away, maybe we would have eaten it at night.

As we walked out of the restaurant, at a short distance, there was a poor lady with a new born baby in her hands and asking for money. Without missing a beat, my friend walked over and gave the packed food to the lady.

This was the same food which we could have easily left at the restaurant and would have gone in the trash. But, somehow a poor lady was destined to have it, so we packed it and somehow my friend got that thought to give it to her.

That day, I realised, that for every single morsel of food that I take up on my plate and don't eat, there is someone who has not eaten it. For every morsel of food I throw, I have taken away someone else's share of food. And I don't have any right to take away another's food.

When I was a kid, we used to have a game. Whoever finishes all the food in the plate gets 10 rupees reward. The condition was that the plates have to be cleaned up. Even if you had even a single grain of rice in your plate, you would be disqualified. I have collected my 10 rupees every single time.

The other day, I went to meet my friend at his office and I reached his office quite early and the cleaning was still going on. I saw atleast 3 XXL sized garbage bags being carried out by the cleaners and all were filled with the food which was thrown away the previous day. If you assume each garbage bag weighs just 10 kgs and one normal person eats one kg of food; Just imagine how many empty stomachs stayed empty because someone decided to pile up his plate, eat just a quarter of it and throw away the rest. You know why? because the food was pathetic.

Idiots... Fools... Stupid people... if the food is pathetic, why do you have to pile it up on your plate and then throw it? Why can't you take a small portion first, taste it and then take it more??? Or is your bottom so heavy that you can't lift it off the chair?

I'm not talking about your office or my office only, I'm talking about your office, about your friend's office, your dad's office, your neighbour's office and your wife's office and every single office in your neighbourhood... Try going to any of these buildings early in the morning if there are 200 people in your office, there is wasted food enough atleast 30 people. If there are 300 people, there is average throwing away of food for atleast 45 people and so on.

I'm not asking you to go on a social service drive and spread awareness to the whole world.

I'm only humbly... requesting you... begging you to please please please take only what you will eat on your plate...

If you are offered something to eat, take only what you will eat or just refuse to take it. What sense does it make to take the food on plate and instantly throw it away... without even tasting it once.

I have experienced hunger... I have experienced what it is to go without eating for a full day... I really hope you never go through it, but atleast you could help others to come out of it...

My blood literally boils when I see people throw away what someone else could have eaten...

Gulshan... its easy to say... but lets be practical.

My dear, I'm the most practical guy you could ever find. I have never shared a single thing which I'm not implementing myself. You can never find a single grain of rice on my plate when I finish eating. Infact, all my friends know that I'm the finisher... whenever there's food left, I'll finish it off to make sure it doesn't go wasted.

If it ever happens that I have to throw away food for whatever reason, I would go out, buy a meal and give it to another needy. I will never be responsible for stealing another person's share of food.

I never use negative language in my sharings, if I have used it today, it only shows how much and how strongly I feel about it...

Think about it... please!!!!