Effective Tool!

We have a tool which we can get access to it quite easily, but we don’t make use of it completely. It’s the irony of life, when things come through certain channels only we accept it. This tool is so much powerful that, even if thousands of scientists work for next hundred years to beat that, will never be able to succeed in that. So far we have explored only 3 to 4 percent of it. You can imagine how much is yet to be explored upon! By this time you might have got, what is this tool, i am talking about. Yes, your guess is right; whatever tool i am mentioning is at work for you!! you are able to guess it right, its your mind!!

Whatever we are today whether successful or not, good or bad, intelligent, witty or in any state. Our very own mind is primarily responsible for it.

Two classmates got a job at a Company. Both were put into same project. Both were given with similar modules for development. At work place, they don’t have any interruptions what so ever from anybody. One was able to complete it on time, whereas other was unable to complete it on time. What was the reason? When both had same kind of job, yet only one able to complete on time, it’s only because of their minds. What they had filled their mind with, made the difference.

Some call it attitude, some as mind set. Whatever it may be, finally what matters is whether are we able to complete whatever we had committed or not. We all work in same office hours at same office, yet productivity of each individual is different.

With what mind set we do work makes the difference. When I go with developer mind-set, when work is given i have to create or develop module as per the given requirements, though I will be able to develop as per the requirements, but I will not be able to enjoy the work, I will not be able to add value by bringing in what way it could have been made better. May be it is required to go with the mind set of what is that value addition, i can do to these requirements development, will make difference in thinking and execution.

If we go with attitude of fixing only 5 defects, we will fix only 5, if we have plan for 10, we might do much better. Same way as a tester, if I go with mind to set complete test cases execution, i will only be able to  complete test cases execution. I may not be able to add value by finding interesting defects.  If we go with the attitude of breaking the application, somehow we will definitely find a way to figure out a critical defect.

If we are not able to find a solution to a problem, think about finding the solution, have belief that somehow you will find solution to the problem. I will bet, somehow suddenly you will come with solution while brushing teeth or while taking bath or while having coffee-  that’s how our mind is. It is very intuitive and powerful. It’s all in our hands, how do we use it.

If we take an example from cricket, both Rahul Drawid and Sachin Tendulkar are legends in their own way. Both were equally strong and healthy. But there was huge difference in the way how Drawid approached his game of cricket from how Tendulkar approached. It’s not like  Drawid was not capable of hitting sixes, he was capable but he played the game based on how he has programmed his mind to work. 

Anil Kumble was much stronger individual physically and mentally compared to Javagal Srinath, but he was not a fast bowler! Its all in the mINd, what it opts for!

Had read on many newspapers that Vinod Kambli was more talented than Tendulkar. But Tendulkar was more successful than Kambli. It’s all because how Tendulkar programmed his mind with discipline and hard work to get the fruitful results. Same way we all think, program our minds to work. Every single day is result of the same.

In a group of people of same age, some people always think beyond what others think, unconsciously they make their mind to work in the way which is better than others.

We do have so many learning programs on soft skills, we might understand what is told, but what matters is how much do we apply! Technology built by man can be learnt easily but not this technology given by almighty. More we explore and apply in daily life, we will be more successful.

How do we start our day or our work with what mind-set makes BIG difference. If you want to make BIG difference at work, make this SMALL difference in your mind SET to be more successful.

Whether we think like CEO or not, it’s all in our mind! Be CEO of yourself!

When you believe in something, you are half way there!

If yuo can raed thsi corrctly then your mind is capable of exploring more of your capabilities!

Signing off,

aMAr

“Two people can see the same thing, disagree, and yet both be right. It's not logical; it's psychological.”

Always law of attraction is at work! Whatever we are thinking is in the queue to make it happen!

s-IND-u: yeS INDIA is proud of U....

I did not move an inch, I was just holding my hands just like how it was when last point was taken. I was looking at God’s photo and praying for every point. “Oh God! Please give strength to her to win the game”. Yes it was for Sindhu, just like me, many of us might have prayed for her. Before this I had never seen Sindhu’s game. When I read about her in the newspaper, respect for her automatically increased multi folded.

Though she lost in the finals, considering the kind of facilities we have in INDIA, she has achieved beyond the expectations. Here attitude in the game was simply marvelous. Fighting spirit of her was amazing. In all the three sets beginning she was behind by 7 to 8 points, but she did come back with Great Spirit. Till last point she never gave up. If I compare both the finalists, Marina was little better in her smashes and that got her gold. Otherwise Sindhu played equally well. There were very few unforced errors. Kind of aggression Sindhu showed, many of us really felt goose bumps.

Commitment from her and her family is fantastic. Her father has taken 8 months leave to support his daughter’s preparation for Olympics! Sindhu has not touched mobile phone for 3 months and has not eaten favorite ice cream and sweet curd for 3 months!! I was speechless, when her coach Gopichand had tears of joy for his student’s accomplishment. He mentioned, since 3 months, I have not given her mobile phone, today I am giving back mobile phone to her. Imagine she is just 21 years and without mobile phone for 3 months!  When we are in a situation where we can’t live without whatsup, gmail, youtube, facebook, twitter etc even for a minute, that’s great sacrifice, considering her age and amount of influence she will have from her friends, family & media. She used to travel 60 KMs daily at 4AM for the practice!!! When we find it so difficult to get up at 6AM and goto office of 10-15KM to reach at 8.30AM to work in AC cabins!

That’s the beauty of passion with great inner and external expectations!! Except that Olympic gold nothing else seem important to her & her family. When we have such goal in mind, whatever problems we face doesn’t seem important. Thank God, she reached final and we got to know about all her sacrifices and efforts. Otherwise media wouldn’t have revealed all these. Always they are behind winning horses only.

Not just media, everyone is like that only. Except friends, most of the people come to you only when YOU ARE A WINNING HORSE!! That’s the greatest truth of life. And also YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE against ALL ODDS only when YOU HAVE CLEAR SET GOAL. Since few days, I have been thinking on one thing, with what sense of feeling I would like to retire at the age of 60!! I am not getting any clarity on what is that I want to be by then. At office work, we keep having clear set goals and we keep achieving in spite of all hurdles, because of external expectations set on us.

What is that you want to be known as at 60?

7 Colorful Years!!!!!!!

This was written in May month during our anniversary on 3rd May. But because of my nature of giving excuses to self, it took this long to complete it by publishing. Yeah may be too many MUST have expectations in life were there (see started giving excuse J ). We always tend to miss our DESIRES, as they become optional. This is one clear example, until and unless what we like to do is becoming MUST TO DO, we don’t do.
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"Ok see you, will come early" said as usual while stepping out from home, saw the flower, which had blossomed for the first time in our plant. Plucked and gave it to my half-shirt (better half) Archana to keep it on God.
She replied "what is this you are giving on this day?"
Till her reply, I didn't realize what I have done. I gave her red flower but it was not rose, it was Hibiscus!  I should have given red rose instead of Hibiscus!!. Hmm….nothing wrong in her expectation.  As it happens to be our wedding anniversary that day-3rd May!

   Yes, it is been 7 years of togetherness. Like how 7 different colors come together to form beautiful rainbow, these 7 years of bonding has brought, has shown all the colors of life. Sometime pleasant color, sometimes unpleasant color has displayed on life's monitor. No matter what, togetherness has made life colorful.
        In marriage, the seven steps process- i.e Saptapadhi,  where we make promises to each to other, were all questioned and challenged to the core in these 7 years.
   These steps were not easy in the journey of life, multiple U-turns used to bring us back, yet bouncing back to move forward. Since the time of marriage, actually life is in fast forward mode only because of better half.
   If I look back, so many good things happened over a period of 7 years, if I tell in software language i.e after upgraded to family version of self!
If I pick top-7 good things:
   Started making some savings.
   Started to dress well.
   Put on weight.
   Fulfilled all wishes of better half (as per my knowledgeJ).
   Blessed with an angel.
   Trying to give best possible education and environment to daughter.
   Visited so many holy places to get rid of past karma!

We always try to seek inspirations from outside, that too from top achievers in the industry. But we forget to see inspiring people around us inside family and friend’s circle. I am just trying to come out of that and observing people around me to learn from them. I have to thank my friends, some of them really made a difference to me as a person without knowing it!  One of my best friends in life is my better half, from whom 7 learnings I can think of from her are:

1.       Discipline:

Whatever she thinks of doing does it, does it in much disciplined way. Nobody can beat her. Once she decides to do anything, consider it as done. That’s it, nobody can stop her from getting it done.

2.       Cleanliness:

If house is not up to the mark and if it is required to be cleaned, which would take whole day. Without any food, she does that non-stop. If it is not clean, she just stops and takes up cleaning on high priority! (Other world stops there for her!)

3.       Smartness:

She is so smart, it is really unbelievable. Before marriage she has never cooked, just being below the cot(always used to sleep and spend time below cot it seems, got to know from her family members), observed all the things how her mother used to do and now she just does the same, in fact better without any difficulty, just like she has been doing since so many years. Un-believable are her observing skill and smartness.

4.       Logical thinking:

If she starts talking on certain things or incidents, she talks like a lawyer with all supportive points, just like law points. You just can’t say NO to her. She doesn’t talk much with every one, if she does, you can’t beat her in talking and you will be convinced with whatever she is telling. May be in last incarnation, she was a lawyer!

5.       Meticulous Planning:

If we have to go anywhere, kind of planning she does while packing things, nothing can be questioned. Not just packing, each and every aspect related to the visit, plans so well, I don’t have to worry on anything. My job is only to take them in car like a driver!

6.       Culture:

Respect she gives to elders is simply amazing, no matter what, whether they are relatives or not. The way she takes care of elders is much appreciated. There are so many instances, friend’s mother or mother in laws have expressed that, “our daughter/daughter in law need to learn from you! Will send them to your house, seeing you they might learn!”

7.       Completeness:

Whichever work she takes up, without completing it, she doesn’t rest. There are so many instances, she had gone extra mile to complete the task she had taken up for herself. Such as doing wall painting with different designs, paintings done in daughter Impana’s room. Setting up kitchen in a day where we had so many things! She has given me surprises multiple times like when I go back home, showing the wall paintings one after the other!

I thank her on this occasion for bringing colorful rainbow in my life. Last but not the least, if she were to work in our industry, definitely she would have been top performer always!

Park IT park!!!

Though it was weekend, got up early as usual. As better half was doing some Pooja, I had to take care of my daughter(otherwise I will have nice Pooja :). So could not go for our cricket practice for the office tournament. As bat was with me, thought will go and give. Went to ground along with my daughter, was happy to see all our colleagues practicing hard. Wanted to play for some time, but daughter didn’t allow. So I thought, atleast let me take her to nearest park, to make her happy. When we reached there, so many people were there with kids.  Surprising fact is all the kids had come with their fathers and all of them looked like IT professionals! Looks like all parks in Bengaluru becomes IT parks because of IT fathers!

Nowadays I am trying to make small changes within myself for better life. When I was with my daughter in the park, multiple times I was tempted to use mobile, but I had taken firm decision to be with her giving my 100%. Thanks to one of my mentors, who had told me once that, whenever he has to spend time with family, he will give 100%, he don’t even carry mobile also. Since then it had stuck in my mind. Nowadays I am trying to implement that.

Each and every thing she was enjoying over there. Always she lives in present. We can learn so much from kids, isn't it? Happiness kids have with small gestures of ours is unmatchable. Felt so happy being there properly giving my 100% of attention. We will not know what we are missing, until we get it. In the same place, I could see some fathers, in the name of freedom had left their kids free and were reading news papers,watching mobile & watching exercises done by other fathers! I could see, some kids had to shout so many times “Daddy…Daddy” to get their attention!

I think for most of IT professionals being restless has become a habit! Myself was a victim of this, because of involvement in too many things, I am not able to sit on one thing for longer duration! My mind was not willing to sit for long to write this blog, I had to force myself so much. Luckily for my help internet connection went off for some time. Because of that, I was able to disconnect a little bit and write this!

In this digital world, we are all connected and distance doesn’t matter even a bit. But we are getting disconnected from self & families. We are so much busy in outside connections that we forget inner connection and intra connections with families.

Disconnect to connect better with self  & families…

Can we park IT for some time in park?

@maR