Tag: students

What travel type are you?

~ PA ~ Leave a comment

In an era where airplane tickets are as affordable as a buffet at five star property and with more and more people then ever before living by the maxim of “Soaking in Today”, it’s no wonder that after food, travel happens to be the biggest indulgence! This piece is about, trying to understand why people do what they do as they travel and how we can find our zen as travelers!

One primary reason, that the very thought of “travel” uplifts our soul and mind (in most of the cases) will be largely because of the hard wiring that exists within us through evolution of earlier being nomadic wanderers, hunters and food gatherers moving from one region unto the next with a view of surviving- it is these journeys eventually made us reach shores and lands of promise- along river basins, coasts, flat lands where opportunities flourished to provide longer sustenance and dependability so that civilizations can be born and foundations of modern day human societies could be laid!

Sure enough, as the wise people have always said, “Travel makes you wise”- The reason behind this statement was in a very compelling context of bygone times though! Those were the times when long voyages were only possible if they were funded by Kings or if you were a wealthy trader who had a liking to know what existed beyond and wanted to use that first movers advantage to get your hands on some eccentric stuff which could mean a great profit in the courts of the kingdom! Then there were again a few select dedicated travelers through the ages who were seeking the divine truth through pursuing theosophical teachings and soaking in what life means across cultures and belief systems around the yesteryear civilized world! Irrespective of what was the reason of travel then and who you were, the chances were that even if you were a sail boat oarsman in those times, you had an IQ and physical strength of even the most revered scholar or a Harvard MBA of today! This is one reason why you will find that the whole of documented history of the known world is a knowledge repository that has survived the ravages of time and upheavals – courtesy of these great people! You can call them scholars and geniuses who importantly knew-“When to travel,”Where to travel”, and “Why to travel”!

Our modern life has been a blessing and a curse in disguise, blessing because I can be sitting right on my chair, use a few applications that are available in the market and zoom onto my  favorite street  or beach front or a mountain range, literally any place around the world and see the views and soak into the virtual feeling of being there- right from the comfort of my home! Sure enough, nothing beats the actual and real feel and this is where the actual story begins!

When you travel around and observe the modern day travelers,what do you see? Who are they, or at least who do they seem to be? Well, I will make this simple for you, you have possibly seen these focused travelers– these are the people who travel to their relatives to return the compliments and accept every wedding invitation (as if the wedding will not happen if they didn’t make it!), then you have those time bound family vacation travelers who will hit the same airport or rail head, around the same time of the year- complain and compliment about what changed at the terminal and in the cabin or the railways carriage and visit the destination have alive- half dead (because in that one year- gross disregard to health will take its’ toll- with the dragging of all those heavy bags which just keeps on growing in weight every year- for no real sensible reason!). Next you have those corporate hot shots who are always moving around the terminals like they are on a MI6 mission to save the world and always drowned into themselves and struggling with their bags or the laptops that come along with them as extended parts of their physical being! So, now the million dollar thought- think about it- are they really travelling? in the real sense of the word? 

Certainly they are not, sure enough if you are on a office assignment, no one expects you to go shopping or sight-seeing- but how about even getting that 10 minute break to know where you have landed- what’s the culture of the place like- who are these people who reside here?- what is that drives them and what is that they enjoy and need the most? This missing human connect which is the million dollar essence of travel has all but gone away for a toss and whatever little chances are there to understand fellow humans, cultures and places that we visit has been taken away by those senseless and limitless self-indulging and self-obsessed selfies that you see standing out menacingly all over the digital landscape! Of course all hope is not lost, not everyone has lost the old and intellectual charm of traveling and when you get to see these wise souls at airports or at travel exchanges, you will feel uplifted by just seeing them and when you speak with them, the knowledge that flows and the story of the one day adventure that they had during the last hike or beach ride or rock climbing or walk in the old market place or the local dish that they had simply baffles you- because your may have traveled the sector many times; but these wise people travel once and they do it right!

So what’s the point here, well simple, travel in the essence of travel, whether you travel all by yourself or tag along a few friends, or your family along, let that travel be compelling, enriching and something that adds value to the lives and knowledge of those who are along with you and also to the people whom you meet and interact with through the course of your journey and when you make it to the destination and back! Let there be videos and snaps that tell as troy that soak about a narrative, a learning that you picked up rather then that mindless grin which you can anyways see while your brush you teeth everyday morning!

Like mindful living, mindful travel can do wonders, it can help you come up with the next big idea or it could help you overcome a life challenge- well who knows for that’s the real magic of travel when its done in the true essence of it! I normally don’t preach on what people should do or not do (they are the best judge to know what works for them or otherwise!), but one thing that I can share as an experience is that when you travel hands free with as minimal luggage as possible and have a vision and a camera that is always pointed away from you and into the journey and places and people around- you will end up capturing stories that can inspire and motivate and uplift you when you spend time and come back to them when you need them! 

I will leave you here, with your thoughts on travel and something to plan this weekend for a wonderful travel for some other weekend the future! Whatever you choose, a mountain range or a beach, a metro city or a quiet village- let there be a purpose, a plan and a learning that enriches you and everyone that you come across in the future by virtue of the travels that you undertake! Always remember if you have got  the 5 senses, make use of them and there is nothing that compares with travel when it comes to rejuvenating these 5 senses of being human in the true essence of it!

Ciao for now, Travel Safe and Travel wise! remember no pulling of bags and senseless grins on those spooky selfies!  

 

Minding your mind!

~ PA ~ Leave a comment

We all live in times where distractions, interruptions and chaos play around us all the time and it is in these daunting spaces we are supposed to carry out our daily lives- well when it’s you private time, you can still choose what to do and where to be and how much shit of the world you ate wanting to accommodate; but the irony of life as it happens to be is that a lot of this unsolicited shit and clutter hits us when we are majorly trying to navigate through our professional spaces- irrespective whether you are a corporate chained performer or a self-driven (motivated or unmotivated) survivor, this is a reality that we all face- day in and day out! This piece of trying to make some sense of the nonsense around us!

What does your normal day look like? hectic, fast paced, slow, relaxing, chaotic, in-control…well you can go on with tons of adjectives to define how you feel, how your energy levels are and what your rhythm for the day is or will be- all in all it boils down to this- “Feeling – Thinking” axis within your brain and that’s where all the glory and misery of the world resides!

The human brain, by far the most complex piece of bio-engineering with a cocktail of chemicals that are all interlinked smartly just to ensure one thing- That you survive and don’t end up killing yourself doing stupid things! Our evolution has been gradual and so have our organs evolved to deal with ever increasing incremental complexities every few thousand odd years!. The magic word here is “incremental“. Consider a case in point, if you had a magic switch and took your tales iPhone and visited your ancestor say 4000 years ago or even say- 300 years ago- what do you think would happen?- well of course “nothing” because there would be no available reference cognition of what that weird thing is and what should be done with it! As you decide to return back to our present time, your old ancestor hands you a piece of bone which has rough edges and has a fine needle tip – so what do you make of it? Is it a needle or a knife? or is it an old chopstick? Well this is where your mind will be blanked out- because no matter how hard you try to understand- since you have not used the object- you too do not have a ready reference to utility and can just go on doing some second guessing unless your ancestor demonstrates! So what’s the point here? Well, very simple- Your brain will perform optimally only when it has clarity of context- and this clarity of context in whatever we choose to do is the essence of being mindful and learning how to deal with and reduce unwanted clutter that keeps on distracting you every now or then for good!

It is important to note that worthy distractions are not all that bad- your brain is a hardwired sensory organ that has one goal to keep you safe and kicking- sensing distractions by its natural way- the brain helps you avoid accidents and saves you from a lot of shit!- Each one of us has that memory when we slammed the brakes to save that idiot who just came in between! (and more often then not we are too surprised with our own speed to react to the emergency!). It is the stuff made up on unworthy and non-urgent distractions that leads to the fatigue and unwanted blurring of our abilities and these are more often to do with the settings of our workplace and our approach to that work and an intriguing interplay wherein others also contribute- either helping or harming us even more with each interaction!

The times of distraction that we live in about- that email- that whatsapp ping, that sms, that unwarranted call, all of these take away valuable seconds and play a focus dodge ball with your mind- result – you end up tiring it up more quickly and rapidly- as a result your brain starts to play its tricks- first it will ensure you slow down- make you crave for food (read sweets or carbs) make you eat more then what you should (fool you into this), once you have hogged- digestion takes precedence over thinking and your brain is more focused internally and your razor sharp focus is blunted rapidly- until a point either you goof up big time or are smart to pull up that coffee cup and dowse your brain tricks with a quick shot of caffeine right to where it hurts! This is pay-back time to trick your brain and trying to tell it- “Shut up dude- have this caffeine and let’s get the job done!”

People do not realise how damaging distractions can be and the kind of havoc they can create- consider few examples- crossing the road, driving while dabbling with you cell phone- result- fatal and dangerous, getting distracted by a call as you type a mail and send it without a re-check to your client! Just as you are typing away something really important- that odd ping from a social handle and there goes your focus for a long holiday- So how do we manage this? is this manageable in the first place?

Well the simple answer is yes and no! Yes, indeed this menace can be managed and the challenge well, you need to make a directed effort towards it! If you were to observe people who have excelled at sports of some type of artistic expression (dancing, painting, theater) , one common aspect that becomes really evident is their ability to drift between sessions of razor sharp focus and relaxing away or dreaming on! The trick is to strike a balance and ensure that the brain is utilized and relaxed in an optimum cycle to ensure that fatigue doesn’t set in, nor is the focus compromised! We need to adopt a similar stance while dealing with distractions at work- whether they are those pesky emails, calls, or unwarranted meetings- we need to strike a razor sharp focus when we have the “me time” at work and ensure that we are relaxed yet attentive as we create work through collaborations- This apparently is one reason that new age organisations always talk about relaxed rule books and casual settings (but do remember that never implies they are not serious about their numbers or profits) all they are saying is “our thinking gets rewarded by the setting- it tricks the brain into relaxation thereby ensuring the focus can be sustained and productivity enhanced even more!”

So, here you go, learn to balance your mind like a ballerina, being swift and still in the same stance! Learn to know when to pick that call, check that phone or that email and know when to shut down your gadgets and allow yourself to escape into the fictional wilderness created by your amazing brain!

I leave you here, with possibly a cup of your favorite drink, to plan how you want to create focus and space at the same time so that you can Mind your mind and a minded mind helps you mind the world eventually! Bye for now!

Add value to your Time!

~ PA ~ Leave a comment

Keeping all the worldly problems away, the singular aspect which is a great leveler – is undoubtedly- “Time”. Irrespective whether you are rich or poor, affluent or just plain surviving, travel in a private plane or use public transport, indulge in life to the fullest or not- Time is equal for all of us- it goes ticking by the seconds ever since we arrive and continues along; Time doesn’t race ahead when we are battling the tide neither does it slow down when we are enjoying the highs of life- it goes on with it’s own intrinsic rhythm all the time and always- this piece is around this fundamental aspect of life which seems to get overlooked in the fast pace that we all have embraced and at times intentionally like to overlook!

86,400 seconds each day (in a 24 hour period), that’s the opening balance that each one of us has got, grab your coffee and just think how did you spend this huge amount of time the other day! would have you spent it differently had you been given an incentive (an incentive to live a little longer – perhaps a day longer for each day well spend?!). Certainly these aspects are not as simple as they seem, however the fact remains that at the end of every 24 hour period- you have consumed 86,400 seconds and how that has helped you or harmed you for today or for the times ahead- largely depends on what you did with it! Your application of value, quality and creativity within those fleeting seconds puts you in path of a trajectory which takes you either in the direction of your intended effort or away from it- it all begins with you and the best part is you get to decide!

Imagine a day- A normal corporate working day- commute to your work place- meetings (sensible and unwanted, unproductive) discussions, talks, office sanctioned bitching sessions (speaking, opining and thinking about people/ colleagues -who in turn won’t know that and who would really not care about it anyways!) Next, spending sometime doing what you are supposed to do- in a way that pleases you (that’s the reason why all those meetings and discussions and chit-chat arises from- because if each one of them in an office does things what they are supposed to be doing the way it should be done- there is absolutely nothing left to talk- discuss about!)- Think about it! Next you pick yourself- tired and famished for all the unproductive nonsense that you have engaged with through the day and head back for that late evening meet and greet with friends at the nearest pub- again an unproductive orchestrated bitching session – which now transcends into multiplicity of office scenarios (depending on number of people around the table)- again it goes on and on- with no resolution to improve anyone’s life by adopting anything to avoid anything that would have caused all those bitching issues and feeling happy for no real reason– you head home. You hit the house- have a customary chat and sign off (almost dead) only to wake up the next day and continue with more or less same shit! (only examples, people and context changes- content and outcome more or less remains same)

Sadly for all the evolutionary intelligence that physiology has gifted humans with- this kind of existence and way of living does a considerable disservice to ourselves and our intrinsic intelligence (whether we choose to use it or not!) This is the biggest underlying paradox of our times and the biggest challenge that we must overcome to lead ourselves to begin with- before we even think of creating value for others- we must first and foremost create value for ourselves through mindful existence and meaningful presence in all that we choose to do- through our thoughts and actions!

Bias- Societal confirmation bias– this is what leads us to believe that – we must bitch in offices- we must party and engage in unproductive nonsense and spend a considerable time of our lives- discussing, speaking and share n build opinions about people, places and almost everything around- when actually none of those opinions are going to make any difference to the person or the the topic of discussion! You would have experienced this- People suggesting how a soccer match should have been played in the 28th minute, what President Trump should say and do, Plastics are a real problem (discussing this while having your cold drink from a single use plastic bottle!), disusing about health- about going to gym (while downing your fifth beer glass or smoking your fourth cigarette!).

As human beings we naturally long “to belong” – belong to a group, a clan- that is something hard- wired in the earlier days of solution- this provided security and safety (as we roamed around the wild untamed lands), as societies became agrarian- discussions shifted with focus on “comparative observations and statements” whenever these were objectively driven and forward looking- innovations and improvement of quality of life was experienced (read great civilizations of the past). Whenever these happened with ulterior motives- it simply wiped out kingdoms and monarchies from the face of the earth (read sabotage/ political maneuvering – from greed- greed for power and self obsession!)

This same instinct, “To Belong” when used effectively in modern day office settings (the modern day wild wild west) can create wonderful achievements for the individual and the organisational ecosystem(read invitations, path breaking discoveries, the coveted Nobel prizes) all these come from this space- wherein the engagement is purpose and meaning driven– this is what I call – Organisation facilitated directed bitching to achieve something meaningful which is in line with the purpose of the organisation! You will always find individuals and organisations that are on a high- with purpose on mind are often the most fast paced, quietest and when they call for meetings- their meetings make real sense (short, crisp and defined)- because they plot their journey and ensure they keep up the pace and direction that they have planned- and it really doesn’t matter whether this meeting happens at their corporate HQ’s or at a beach resort (because meaning and focus of purpose so hardwired- it actually is like second skin- always worn- inside out!)

86,400 seconds is all that we have got for each day- how we choose to spend it decides – what our next move is and whether we are making our next lot of 24 hours easy on us or we are adding to our challenges! The ability and the necessity to value time and ensure we have a purpose driven approach to time doesn’t mean that we should stop enjoying life and we should get dead serious about every second- what it means is, we need to strike a fine balance between purpose that we choose and the recreation that we need ,once this has been established, trust me you have arrived! This realization of being able to classify everything around you – as either part of your purpose or part of recreation will empower you like nothing else- provide you with enough clarity and sense of direction- which in turn will know how you are investing your 86,400 seconds and spending them each day!

I will leave you with your remaining seconds for the day and urge you to begin thinking around- what is your purpose and what is your recreation- and how much time your are investing and how much you are spending!

Like every other virtue, it’s always good to use “time” wisely so that it amplifies and resonates with your purpose and ensures you also have enough recreation the way you want to! How many of the 86,400 seconds do you have for today and what are you planning to do with them? Invest or spend? whatever you decide- stay wise!

Human greed and climate change!

~ PA ~ Leave a comment

Well, not a very great title to start the week with; but this is something that I wanted to share and would like each one of you to share further and practice to do what is best possible by you! Climate change is a direct consequence of human greed! Someone said this earlier, “Our planet can fulfill all our needs but there is nothing that can ever fulfill human greed”! With almost 35-40% of human population staying within 50 miles of a coastline around the world and almost 75-80% of all major urban cities and mega-cities under severe infrastructural pressures; isn’t it time that we cared enough and thought about all this chaos around us (at times apparent and at times hidden) with a little more wit?

Scientific data can be quoted and one metric over the other, there can be arguments on the rate of rise of sea-levels world over, there will be claims and counter-claims to decide which of the many environmental problems is a larger emergency over the other, but what people and in fact all of us miss the bigger point is that- one fundamental aspect – reason for this mayhem has absolutely nothing to do with science at all to begin with- it has fundamentally everything to do with a very simple and ancient problem that is so intrinsically woven into our psyche- “Climate change is a problem cause by human greed”- nothing more, nothing less!

This topic, in itself, qualifies for a new best seller to be written, but I will try to share my thoughts as crisply as possible appreciating the limitations of a blog- wanting it to remain a blog!

Pick up any scientific literature and you will be surprised to know that all the bad guys (the pollutants- polluting agents- raw materials/finished products/chemical intermediaries) were at some or the other point in history hailed as the “new wonder”, “answer to energy crisis”, “agents to propel development for human society”; whether it was extensive coal mining earlier on, or the ability to tap into massive hydrocarbon reservoirs of oil and gas fields, rapid development in the field of polymer sciences or innovation of new polymer molecules etc (to enhance their utility and versatility); each and every step that science took in the last 150 years across its fields and sub-fields and inter disciplinarian areas was with a single motive and purpose to make life “easy” and “value driven” for humans! Then where do things begin to go wrong? How did these miracles of modern science (many Nobel awards were given in these or related fields of path breaking research) turn into demons and manifestations from hell, that now threaten to wipe out ecosystems and alter climate in an irreversible and damaging chain reaction? Well lets decipher and simplify the chaos!

Science by it’s very nature is an enabler and a simplifier- No matter which field of science you choose it has only one aim- to enable, improve and simplify complexities of human life and provide mankind with a quality of life which is incrementally better then what it has been before! Even to put it cynically, if science can’t provide you an elixir of eternal life, it can improve the quality of your death by making it quick and less painful! So if this is the noble high ground of science, why is it that we face today a challenge like never before by using the very substances which have originated in research labs few decades ago? Well the answer my friend lies in the fact that it was never a problem with what was innovated- rather with how the innovations were produced post scaling up productions and the deviation of the utility of what was innovated- deviation from the primary reason of scientific research that was conducted in the first place!

Pesticides, Fertilizers were hailed as answers to world’s food problems and a solution to increase yield in limited fertile land tracts around the world to feed the ever hungry people! A closer look into this space will provide you with a few facts- even though yield increased, application of fertilizers and pesticides was not done always as per laid down standards- result food contamination causing new health complications (and the next challenge for science!), simultaneously depletion of soil fertility which further puts pressure on crop growth- further increasing use of chemicals and the cycle just goes on and on- another tweak in this cycle was the new age genetically mutated crops which were supposed to grow fast, in soils and climates where they had no business growing and there by we end up altering food habits and consumption patterns (again which go on cause environmental and health complications– As nature gets compromised and tricked into something that it is not designed or equipped to deal with for that particular geographical area and climatic zone!) One final element to make note of – increasing food consumption- well with advancements in food technology and food processing simultaneously, even as millions go to bed without a single meal all through the day- we have plenty examples of people indulging in gluttony- consuming food for no real reason- just think about the last buffet where you had been or think about the juice that you left half-way or the plate that you did not complete- because you had seriously misjudged your hunger! Well, yes – no matter how insignificant or innocent this instance looks- this is by far one of the leading reasons that go on to contribute the adverse climates that we face- unplanned and unwanted consumption of food- eating when not hungry! Just imagine- if the predators in the wild forests had started to operate on similar lines a few thousands of years back, by now we would have been the meal of their choice because they would have ended up killing all the herbivores just for fun!

If you understood the above example, now try extrapolating this behaviour to every aspect of your life and all that you see around- “consumption – senseless consumption” is the key word which is nothing but repackaged “greed” in its new age form which is the fundamental problem. The ever increasing demand for clothes (read nylon and polymers- micro-plastics), shoes , vehicles, furniture, etc etc… you just think of it- every time you have bought something that you don’t need and already have just because you felt like- well you just drove another nail in your coffin by contributing to climate change!

Science has always solved problems and challenges that were impediments to the development, safety and security of mankind. What we have ended up doing is abusing its benevolence to suit our greed and this gross disregard has lead us to where we are now!

The fact also remains that, by being what it is- science can and does offer solutions and remedies to solve this crisis as well, however what needs to be learnt is that, science cannot and nothing for that matter can ever provide a solution to human greed!

So, let’s do what can we do in our own little ways, simple and effective things; eat and drink as much as is needed to nourish yourself, remember flaunting that burger for an Instagram pose, or holding that beer glass for earning your badge among a group- does no service to your health, unless you have been made to starve sufficiently to assimilate those calories that come along, not to forget the damage that you health faces by overdoing these seemingly cute little fallacies! Whether it is food, the clothes that you wear- get into a mode of mindful and sensible consumption, no one is asking you to be miserly or miss out that big wedding or that party- it is just about being smart in your selection of clothes, apparels and all the paraphernalia that goes with it (to make you socially acceptable- read conformity bias) so that you contribute to a sustainable way of living and make your presence on this planet that much little painful!

It is the incremental values of multiple such contributions done by individuals around the world that will be required to minimize and manage the negative impact of climate change (let alone stop it or reverse it).

I leave you with these thoughts and urge you to get some mind-space to ponder- how you would like to contribute to either mitigate or accelerate climate related challenges that we,as mankind collectively face!

Overcoming corporate slavery.

~ PA ~ 3 Comments

Irrespective of whether you agree to the aspect of “corporate slavery” or not doesn’t matter, because that argument is equal to not believing in the existence of the Sun because at night you can’t see it! This piece is about accepting the problems around,understanding how far reaching and deeply impacting the consequences are and what can we possibly do about it (as individuals- because according to capitalists theories they would want this to go on forever and ever!)

As students’ complete graduation or post-graduation; their aspirations are about getting a “good job”, decent salaries (to pay of liabilities accumulated by virtue of trying to get educated to that level) and race ahead to reach the top of the corporate pyramid to impact businesses, industries and policies- well there’s absolutely nothing wrong with any of these aspirations- perfectly legal and sane. The only challenge is in the deception of the term “good job” this deception almost always turns fatal and catches up with these young aspirants sometimes sooner then later. Global indicators (if you access some readily available data online from valid sources) indicate that the so called mid-life crisis (which I simply see as manifestation of the “good job” syndrome) is happening pretty earlier (around late 20s’ to early 30s’ unlike the earlier times (when it used to actually begin to hit around mid 30s’ to early 40s’)

Now to the million dollar question, “How do we negate or at the best manage this to at least have realistic mid-life crisis years which correspond to real mid-life years of a human being rather then reflecting mid-life for some other animal species! The root of the problem is in the belief and value systems that societies the world over have. The fundamental premise that the entire effort of studying and gaining wisdom (remember wisdom is different from knowledge- knowledge makes you intelligent, wisdom makes you wise- these are two entirely different things!). Essentially these need to compliment each other and an imbalance in these impacts our life quality on an ongoing basis as that reflects the decisions that we end up taking!

The fact remains that education; has a lot to do with helping build understanding about the world around you. When education is used as a tool to fetch you a job, crack an exam to get a job or get a “certification” to establish societal legitimacy about your grey matter- things start to go wrong! Flip the pages of history, you will find that among the many reasons why companies collapsed, political parties withered away, businesses houses went bankrupt- these simply happened because you had “qualified” and “highly paid” people managing and leading teams which at times had “wise” people (whom they did not listen to, well in time- to avoid the melt down) or had “idiots” who accelerated the demise of these corporations! This,my friend is the ugly face and impact of “corporate slavery- the modern day replacement of slaves working fields or plantations- now working out of glass walled air conditioned prisons”

Corporate slavery starts innocently; things like utopian value and mission statements of organisations , a few weird statements could mean or sound like these -“we never loose”, “we never delay”, “We are champions” or even better, “we have no competition”, “the competition is me”. These look as innocent and senseless as they are but when you have dumb wits who are told to act on them and they go about acting with limited number of people to deliver and have targets (which are not targets but manifestations of greed- yes one of those cardinal sins) that’s how the slavery starts. Greed (corporate greed) is deceptive, all the comforts tend to blind the mind and make people do what they do- the result- a meaningless job profile ( no personal development to tell to yourself or your kids) and preparing ground for the mid-life criss even before you have lived a quarter of your life time on the planet!

A simple test to know whether you are actually a victim or engaged in “corporate slavery”- Try and see if you get a “yes” for the following questions (and yes don’t connect your designation, career growth and money that you make when you try to answer):

  1. Has your experience enriched you as a person and developed and shaped your personality positively
  2. From your experience have you been able to suggest and create (original ideas) ideas that could add value that lasts after you leave the place or the earth (which ever happens first)
  3. Has your experience been different with each day rather then being predictable routine that resonates with months/ seasons’/ business cycles’
  4. Do you have a story to tell yourself or others that your life has been fulfilling

Well, if you answered “yes” great, you are one of the few lucky ones’ who has possibly escaped “corporate slavery” and has been contributing to ensure others are also free of those dreaded shackles- In that case you would be that corporate icon with whom everyone wants to work with!

So what do you do if you are not sure and are possibly stuck with this- well the good news is- it’s never too;ate to course correct as long as you are alive, the bad news- it takes effort- directed effort to get into this space of being a rebel and saying no to slavery like the good old days!

Unlike the real world problems- corporate slavery is very easy to predict and a good start would be by being able to apply your mind to the job profile (that has been shared with you)- If it’s a well articulated one, you know what exactly is expected and you can very well come to a conclusion whether you are signing up for a job or a term as a corporate slave! This is the point where you negotiate to your advantage (knowing what your aspirations from life are (about which you need to have clarity) or simply walk away and don’t engage any further. In other scenarios wherein you are already working and overnight some maniac has been handed over the reins to marshal the company, well this is where you, “practice the pause”, take a moment, stay away- gauge the benefits against the foreseeable problems and take a call. In life you must walk away- no matter what the initial pain or uncertainty- in the long run- it will pay off- but for this to happen you need to have a string internal beacon which is able to keep you honed on to the per-determined aspirations of your life at all times! Lastly, wherein organisations do not have a job profile and any formal structure- well you need to use your wisdom and navigate to know “How much is Enough” and you need to be aware when to say “Enough is Enough” and walk away!

Slavery of the mind or any kind, by it’s very intrinsic meaning of the word is about being bound to something to someone. Human beings are not hard wired to being bound- we have been wanderers, travelers and warriors and that’s something that we aspire for deep within- no, not all of us can be in the defense forces, or cabin crews or hippies; but what we can do and what each one of us can do is to set our aspirations and value systems to a notch that let’s us navigate with a considerable degree of freedom in what we choose to do and practice for passion or for monetary gains– N matter what it is and this notch will always blink red and let you know when your space is being invaded- the you have a choice to course correct- either by limiting your space, defending and fighting for it or simply walking away!

Leaving you with thoughts, for a wonderful weekend ahead, remember -A free mind and a energized soul can enjoy weekends through the week even as you work- as long as you are not enslaved! It’s not about passion it is about space to grow, express and wisdom to apply and share!

Grab that coffee and liberate yourself! Will catch up soon with another piece, keep writing in to me at parimal.aluri@simplifylives.com and suggest what else you would like me to pen about and yes, we are available for tailor-made meaningful training’s and workshops to empower individuals and organisations as always!

And the future belongs to…

~ PA ~ Leave a comment

No this is not a prophetical piece; but rather based on observations, readings, conversations and engagement with people whose opinions matter (and are taken into account for good or bad reasons) and go into shaping the fate of over 95% of humankind!

Irrespective of who you are , how rich or poor you are, where you are and what your likes and dislikes are, what kind of biases and challenges that you face, irrespective of everything and almost any statistical data point that you can think of or will ever be presented with- one thing and the only thing that will ensure you have a future (a future of your choice) will only and only depend on the factor of skill and competence that you imbibe intrinsically and apply it to your advantage!

So is this really this simple? Well, yes it is. Don’t get fooled by the chaos of multiple inputs and triggers that you are being bombarded day in and day out- whether it is an evaluation of a career choice that you are considering, the next move, or something as simple as what you want to cook tonight for dinner or where your next vacation should be- all of these and answers to any questions that you will ever have will always loop back to a singular granularity of “Who you are” and “What is that U want to do with what U have”. Extend this principle a little further, ” What U do, with what U have,the way U do it, to get what U want; will only be possible by what U have and Who U are”. No book, no motivational speaker will ever tell you this (for obvious reasons), it is not only about your aspirations, rather it is about the quality of your aspirations and this quality driven aspirational thinking only comes from your unique way of thinking- it comes from your strong Individuality about who U are – Always!

The above two paragraphs- read them over and over as many times as you want to – for here lies the secret to the future – future that impacts each one of us. The future of mankind will only be records of people who were able to make the difference by doing things differently- read “uniquely”- doing both the routine- already established mundane things in a new way and the new breed of innovators and scientists who will devise ingenuous ways of doing something new in a very unique manner- which will go on to impact each one of us to alter the way we live about our lives.

The reason why this is important, well in the race to carve out a niche and come up with something new- every day, month and year the race will test the limits of human imagination and science application to help wired ideas come to life!

The future will belong to those who are able to decipher the times using unique ways through their intrinsic personalities (Who they are and What they have to offer!) The future will largely resemble the bygone great age of renaissance that Europe and America had witnessed, albeit it will be with a twist of the new age tools and methods that will accelerate frontiers of art and science like never before.

If you are anywhere a kid now, or a young professional (still with your intellect intact) this possibly is the best time to be around- to soak in important nuggets of crucial information and data that’s floating around the information universe and see which of these elements can provide you with necessary tools to unleash the next big enabler for your generation and for subsequent generations– This you will be able to do only if you know intrinsically what is that you have to offer and how you want to go about it! That sense of purpose of creating something that is owned by you and created by you has to be fierce enough to withstand competing ideas and also leans enough for easy adoption and scalability!

The future will not belong to diligent workers, smart workers or people who charm the board rooms or say “yes” and “no” with assertion or respite, nothing of all this will matter anymore in the next ten years from now. The only things that matter will be what value can you create and what is the value that you bring to the table– This will be a function of who you are and on a very larger way a function of being educated (good schooling and higher education with emphasis on research- no matter what field you choose to be in). This alone my friends will be the secret to enjoy control and impact control in the societies of the future, your individual contributions that will only flow if you are empowered enough to believe in Who you are, What you have to offer and possibly know How you want to go about it (of course there is space to build on this last aspect as you go figuring out pathways in your life), but having said this, the future belongs only and only to those Who are Individuals with A Purpose- A purpose that rises from within and which aims to collaborate and create value for the larger good”

I leave you with your thoughts here, and hope you get some time to plot your journey and know where exactly you stand. Perhaps this is the moment to re-calibrate and re-draw your plans for the time ahead!

Will be back soon with another article that helps us take our fascinating journey further!

When Talent Deficit becomes a curse!

~ PA ~ Leave a comment

Well the last time we discussed about leadership, but the fact remains that to lead “someone or something” it needs to have intrinsic talent within itself to begin with! This article takes a look at a few shades and manifestations of talent deficit and how it impacts all of us- in one way or the other- whether we realise it or not!

I firmly believe in the principle of something what I call as “Where’s your river?” If you closely analyse about “human intelligence dysfunction” it has a lot to do with the crucial touch points during the formative years of one’s life (the place of birth, how many cities changed, in case of a country like India- what kind of regional nuances have been picked up and have been let go off etc.). Everything that everyone becomes is nothing more but a function of distillation of the experiences that one has been able to hold on to during their formative years– if you argue that you are still forming- well- no issues- keep going- you are a masterpiece in the works! ( Well I guess each one of us- that may be the reason why we are unique!) Now coming back to the fundamental aspect of all this- “The River”- well needless to say- every society will draw it’s best and worst from the very foundations that it stands upon!

Once you have observed enough and understood this simple engaging truth- you will begin to relate to all types of dysfunctions that you see around with greater ease, pace and more importantly learn to make peace with what the world (your world) offers you and you are left with only one choice- to do whatever best you can do- with what you have- improvise upon what you have- or keep sulking and cursing your fate for the time that you exist- it’s all about the choices that you are ready to make- whether to look up into the dark skies and seek stars for navigation or search for pits and dirt in the bright daylight that shines around you as you keep apace with the cycle of clarity and ambiguity as you seek to move ahead!

Now think about a school where teachers’ are complaining about brat students’- change the lens and see the parents’ complaining about dumb teachers’, dive a bit deeper and see the disconnect increase further as you reach college and universities- wherein the growing disconnect manifests into dangerous things- below average research, below average development of research values, below average future for able minds and stunted future for a society as research is stifled and truncated briskly- all of this because of the intrinsic challenges that arise from being part of a system that is constantly depleted of its ability to rejuvenate or innovate!

As these dysfunctions transcend into more serious areas of the society- jobs in firms, power positions in government, politics- nothing but chaos is unleashed and the depletion and complete destruction of the fragile fabric that enables a society to be proactive and intuition driven is simply ripped away!

Talent deficit is an end-product of a very complex societal dysfunction (some of which we touched in the paras above- albeit in a slightly different way) and the effects are far reaching- that is how regions, states, nations get labelled in the circles of business and politics- largely defined by the crispness or the blatant absence of meaningful minds that know when to solve an issue and when to avoid it and when to ignore it!

The greatest myth that people tend to pursue with talent development (based on it’s perceived absence or presence) is that it can be developed beyond the limits of the immediate societal contexts (socio- eco-political). Talent at any level- whether that’s a kindergarten kid that you are evaluating or a CEO level hire- is always a function of the society that it is coming from- values, beliefs, attitudes, aspirations, opportunities and all that goes into creating that individualistic identity. No one ever fished out a whale out of a bucket of water and no one ever landed on the moon by wishful thinking- that is the essence and underlying fundamental problem of not experiencing talent enough as we would want to.

The ways and means to resolve this and solve this- well that would be an apt topic for another write up- but until then spend some time and do reflect to see how you have experienced talent deficit around you- are you also one with it or are you the one who has suffered because of it!

Finally, before I leave you a little unsettled to figure out your thoughts- if you still are wondering what this write up was all about- try trusting your doctor or engineer who does not want to show you their academic credentials- and then think about someone like that to run or ruin nation!

Will be back soon with another piece- and possibly with some solutions to manage your nightmarish talent deficit!

Effective Leadership- Creating more empowered leaders

~ PA ~ Leave a comment

At a time when the world seems to be all over the place even as it spins around in space; the singular fundamental fact that has been overlooked across levels and across all nooks and corners of the societal fabric remains that we are undergoing a major deficit on “Effective Leadership” and this is one of the many fundamental flaws which is eventually taking its toll on individuals and societies!

No matter which part of the world you live or what your belief’s are (I mean, the faith you choose, don’t choose, whether you believe in humanity or not- irrespective of anything at all) your suffering will be directly proportional to the lack of effective leadership in the society immediately around you!

Can you recall or relate to the facts like – co-workers around you seem to be dumber by the day, casual approach is the new cool and people endlessly wait for instructions without even batting an eye-lid (just because that is what has been told to them!) Well these are all forms of micro-manifestations of lack of “effective leadership”. When leadership fails to deliver what it must and what is can- the symptoms are all around you and you alone will suffer (the leaders are always at a point and space beyond being impacted by this out-of-the-world-dumb acts (even though the very reason for their manifestation is the lack of sensible and directed leadership skills!). This was something bothering around your immediate work place and immediate area of comfort. There is another dimension to this which is more damaging and more dangerous then being funny!

When dumb people occupy critical and important positions (whether be it in private jobs or government assignments (read people who are meant to understand and suggest policy changes that impact not only your nation but also possibly play a role impacting the world- depending on how big or small the nuisance value of your nation is!) the situation goes from being funny and dumb to outright dangerous and also can lead to meltdown of nations and societies with grave consequences! You may ask- but what has this to do with “leadership failure”, well, it has everything to do with it! The very fact that dumb people go on to occupy important positions that impact lives of millions directly or indirectly is an evidence of myopic leadership which went on to choose something that should have kept aside for the larger good of the society and nation!

Ineffective leadership not only has the potential to harm the “Today” of a society or a nation but certainly has the potency to damage the societal fabric for the coming times ahead- this impact is directly proportional to the extent of damage done (across how may areas of the society and how deep this impact has been across the socio-economic class of the society!) So what is the solution or answer to reduce this , if not altogether eliminate this!

Well the solution is to ensure we have a Leadership that thrives on creating more leaders rather then myopic “yes men”. Unless Leadership is directed to harness human potential for succeeding generations with a view to keep up sustained growth and a vision that reflects and adapts to changing dynamics of the society in sync with the aspirations of the majority- anything and everything attempted to do for a society will end up being a wasted effort!

Effective Leadership- can be practiced and encouraged at all levels– whether it is allowing your kid to make choices and then relating the reasons for the choice made or it could be giving a youngster the first go-ahead for the first para-jump based on his/her assessment of his/her abilities and once they qualify the criterion wherein the damages are not completely fatal- then from thereon it is just successive steps for creating leaders! Within the confines of office spaces it is about – taking a step back and allow your team to lead and demonstrate what they can– so you know very well that- when you are long gone and wasted to time- you were indeed able to contribute to an organisation to create and system and process which goes on to harness the value of human potential and “effective leadership” is the fine tool which stays hidden among the many other interventions that go on to build long lasting organisations!

No matter who you are and what you do- there is always an opportunity to demonstrate “effective leadership” and trust me- all of that investment will come back to you in a way or the other and ensure the challenges of your life are simplified when you need them. Just ask a maths teacher, how he feels when he finds out that his student is a CEO of a financial corporation- (knowing very well he always earned a C in Maths and Economics! ) and his life’s saving were locked away in that bank!- Hope you got the picture!

Do a favor to yourself and others around you, start with what you can while you can and create spaces and opportunities for yourself and everyone around to practice and cherish “Effective Leadership” that alone is a tool to reduce dumbness around the world- Dumbness that seems funny and which can be outright catastrophic!

Leaving you with these thoughts, as you rush through your week- stay wise, stay safe and do what you can to reduce dumbness!

The story of dissent.

~ PA ~ Leave a comment

What better time then now, to discuss this! Dissent- the very essence of democratic societies the world over- wherein each individual has the the given right to lawfully express his/her opinion without fear and without any unwarranted angst being directed towards them for having expressed what they have! Well of course if you do not live in a democratic society, this may not make sense at all- because even the thought of dissent in those clamped down absurd places is enough to put you into existential crisis and in grave danger.

To begin with, why does dissent happen- why do people go against an idea- reasons could be many- some right- some not so right. But when the majority (who can influence, direct or dictate) the way of living of a society go ahead with something important (irrespective whether it is a wise decision or not) not inclusion of all constituents of the society is the first step where the seeds for dissent get sown! Irrespective of what the constituents of a society are- from the point of view of their economic status or religious beliefs, non-inclusion never helped anyone and all societies that have played across this line have eventually found that out sooner or later either through easy ways or difficult times!

The next thing that shapes dissent post non-inclusion is the method of communication adopted to drive the idea- the way it is done- seems so innocent at the first impression- but this aspect when not dealt appropriately can look a great idea absolutely stupid and a very dangerous step look divine! Governments/Rulers across the world have known this for long and have used it to their calculated advantage or unforeseen disadvantage with equal measure to stir up societies and nations to go with an idea that the rulers of the day thought was wise- when the society they governed thought otherwise!

The earlier two paragraphs have told you how dissent stems- irrespective what the idea is- now is the real thing- there are and always will be different manifestations of dissent as a direct response to the idea- the more an idea deviates from core foundation values of a human society- liberty and equal opportunity irrespective of economic and religious disposition- the more direct and stronger will be the reaction! It is an these junctions which I term as “Inflection Points” that the fate of nations and societies gets decided.

As long as there is hope form the core pillars of the society (whether they be media, judiciary, thinkers, luminaries from creative fields) these protests and dissents are able to largely confirm to the universal principles of lawful and peaceful dissent and protest. More interestingly, the more apolitical these protests are , the more powerful they seem to get- they simply do not allow the shades of grey- that come in with political affiliations to snatch away the focus from the core areas of concern to some other political point (which is a very likely event and that is what the state would like to see happen- deflection and implosion of the dissent on it’s own!)

Now the question what happens- beyond this- well friends- to be honest- no one wants things to go beyond the holy “Point of Inflection” for every time that a society or a nation has traversed ahead, it has jeopardized the very fabric of the society under consideration and put it under grave threats both intrinsic and external. That’s a place where none of us must venture or even dream of to be in! Societies where youth are a major force to be reckoned with- are fragile and sensitive- they are “baby adults”- who want to be heard to- explained to and listened to- when they have something to contribute for the larger good of the society.

It’s about time that the world awakens and makes way and mends it’s business in the larger interest of the society, nation and world order in general. People in power can and will always cloak a problem to suit their objectives- there is nothing right and wrong in this- this is politics. But it gets dangerous once it starts to rip off the fabric of societies and begins to take away unique identities that represent these societies and nations by their coercive and arrogant approaches. So what do we do?

The answer to this is being honest- being honest on all sides of a square table (I have mentioned a square table for a reason- because circular tables do not yield anything in these set ups and in fact end up making matters worse!). Societies need to make peace with learnings to tread along a path that is just under the point of inflection- but keep asserting lawfully as allowed to make their voice heard- there will be eventuality be respite-sooner or later and history is replete with multiple examples wherein the deadly cocktail of power and ego has finished off political personalities, parties and ideologies right from their very foundation, as they say Time is the greatest master of us all, as along as we allow Time to take it’s time!

A dissent that’s true is like coal burning underground stays alive for ages- until the objective is achieved- only if it assures the larger good of the society. Oppression like a sledge hammer keeps hitting as long as it is given an external political environment- the day pillars of democracy stand up for what is right for the society- the sledge hammer of oppression will cease to operate!

Until next time- keep speaking- wisely, softly and firmly and stay lawful whichever side of an idea you are, no matter what the provocation! Someone said this, “An Idea whose time has arrived cannot be stopped”, likewise ” A society that is awake can never be destroyed- Stay alive, keep speaking and stay lawful”.

Signing off, until next time- stay safe, stay calm and keep your voice- soft and firm!

To change the system,be the system!

~ PA ~ Leave a comment

It always is a challenge as a writer, when you want to weigh carefully and share your thoughts/experiences for a new year- but viewing it from another angle- it is perhaps just another routine flip of a calendar and a change of date! So here we go again with some usual wit and humor – even as we go about destroying and rebuilding our only planet! 7 days into the new year, the first blog of 2020, well here we go!

No matter where you want to land on our planet right now, there is strife and chaos all around- much of this has been the result of the ever present web of greed- greed for power, greed for money, greed for opulence and finally the never ending greed for controlling societies! It is in times like these that it becomes all the more necessary to stand up individually and collectively in what you believe in and stand up for all that will serve the very essence of human foundation- love-empathy- compassion and care-unselfish care for fellow humans- never forget it is the only planet we have and if we decide to abuse it and get reckless with it- we do so at our own peril!

Taking cue from recent global developments- around the world- whether that be the political assassination carried out by the US of an Iranian General, the ongoing protests in India(with support flowing in across the universities and colleges from the world) or the seemingly unimaginable and unmanageable wildfires in Australia (still burning as I write this article) or the ongoing global plight of refugees and climate change (which the UN has been speaking about across multiple forums and with a strong coercive tone to ensure that as group of nations we act with greater care and empathy); All of these have a common thread- a thread that reads- that- All of these are issues are a result of a fast failing system which has faltered it’s way for long and lead astray a society and the global community from the real issues and real challenges which need to be addressed. So the next question- fine we have issues and we have problems so what can we do about them? Can we really do something in the first place? Well there is good news and bad news for these questions- The good news first- we can certainly manage a few things well and ensure they are dusted away for good and the bad news is- that no matter what you do- Mother Earth has a plan for herself and if you are sadly in her way- well you are toast!

A simple and effective manner to manage and deal with man-made and greed related issues and challenges is to practice and imbibe the maxim- “Be the system to change the system” easier said then done- but friends that’s the only way around- especially when you are up against a machinery that has gone wrong like a runaway train and seems to smash into everything that was ever created and existed! But seriously how do you go about this- one may say- to get into a system and then effect a change may take long and by then the problems would have mutated to something new altogether– well yes- that can be partly true- but there is a way around this too-“Extraordinary situations call for Extraordinary solutions”– yes and these steps are the very essence that ensure changes that occur are swift and impacting in equal measure or more then the perceived and experienced chaos that is being played around the society in the context of the time and place!

To change a system, you need to first- infiltrate the system at what I call as key points, next in a timed orchestra turn the levers so that system stops, reverses and works twice as fast in the opposite direction to correct what must be and to service the larger cause of human well being! There would be different ways how this could be achieved- a few of them could be with friends along from within and few could be a total takeover from the outside- but whatever route one chooses, unless there is a compelling and larger visible cause that demonstrates clear differences and benefits to the society – no story of change will ever be complete or effective!

When it comes to the different set of challenges as posed by our planet- read climate change- there are two sets of clear distinction- the question to ask is, “Whether an event that is unfolding would have occurred irrespective of human presence?”, now depending on what the answer to this question is- you really know whether this is an induced challenge or it’s just one of those aspects of being in the wrong place at a wrong time- read earthquakes and Tsunamis. As long as this distinction is clear solutions to address the challenges will be coming and they will arrive well in time to manage and mitigate most of the threats whether they are from human activities impacting nature or whether that the planet running away with a mind of it’s own!

Once you answer this, you have ways and paths to choose the next steps to bring about the change that you cherish as a society- To move ahead -towards something that is more amicable and more calming- because it is only in the organised and settled societies/groups that creativity flourishes.The entire essence of human existence through the ages has been the expression of human intelligence through creative pursuits- choose any subject you wish to – but this is the underlying foundation- the very essence of human existence!

Well, I will leave you with these thoughts for now- “Change is always evolving and always around”- It’s time to sit back and reflect upon the change that you want to bring around within yourself and the society around.Possibly delve into how you are going to go about it!

See you soon with another freshly baked idea!