The Real Professional !

I recently came across a mail containing a thought taken from the book "The Professional" by Subroto Bagchi. The Story as given below has been taken from the mentioned book...

The idea of a professional is shown through a man whose life is dealing with dead bodies. Unclaimed dead bodies. This is not someone who is conventionally associated with the term ‘professional’. His name is Mahadeva. He came to Bangalore as a child when one day his mother simply walked out on her entire village and her own family in a huff. Mother and son lived on the streets; she worked to support him.

Until the day she became very unwell. She brought herself and her son to the government-run Victoria Hospital. There she was admitted in a state of delirium and her little son, Mahadeva, made the streets outside the hospital his home.
He found many playmates among the urchins there and soon that world engulfed him. It was the first time he had had anyone to play with. For little Mahadeva, it was his first experience of kinship and he lost himself completely in this new world. It was pure happenstance that one day someone told him his mother had died. Where had he been when that happened? Died? What was that? The hospital had been unable to wait for him and had disposed of the body. Now Mahadeva had nowhere to go. No family.
A few people in the hospital ward where his mother had been admitted raised some money to help him go back to his village. He refused. Instead, he grew up running errands in the hospital. The hanger-on who had helped with his mother’s admission process and made a living by running errands for patients asked him to move in with him. He was an old man who had no one either.Mahadeva grew up under his tutelage; the hospital became his universe. And then, one day, the cops asked him to bury an unclaimed dead body and paid him Rs 200 for the job. This was when Mahadeva entered his profession and eventually became the go-to guy for burying the city’s unclaimed corpses. Every time the police picked up a dead body that had no claimants, Mahadeva was summoned.

He had to do a turnkey job: Pull the stiff body from the morgue, hire a horse-drawn carriage, put the body in it and take it to a burial ground, dig the ground to bury the dead—all by himself, and for only Rs 200. After doing the job, he would hang INTEGRITY 5 around in the hospital to be summoned to dispose of the next unclaimed body. Mahadeva did his work with such dedication, focus, care and concern that soon he was very much in demand.His work grew and he bought his own horse-drawn carriage, and between his horse and himself he was the undertaker to the abandoned.

One day, the horse died. People who had watched Mahadeva all these years came together and bought him an auto-rickshaw. The white auto-rickshaw, his hearse, carries the picture of the horse in memory of the animal who helped him take thousands of people to be laid to rest. It became the logo of his business and appears on his business card today.

Mahadeva has buried more than 42,000 corpses in his lifetime and his dedication has earned him phenomenal public recognition. Local petrol pumps do not charge him when his hearse is topped up and the chief minister of Karnataka felicitated him for his selfless service to the abandoned citizens of Bangalore. Mahadeva is proud of his work and business, and today his son has joined him. Mahadeva: the high performer, and a true professional.

What are the two qualities that Mahadeva has which differentiate a professional from someone who is simply professionally qualified? One is the ability to work unsupervised and, two, the ability to certify the completion of one’s work. Whenever Mahadeva got a call to reach the morgue, day or night, hail or high water, he arrived. Most of the time, it was a gruesome experience dealing with a dead body; there was no telling what had been the cause of death or state of decomposition.
In his business, Mahadeva does not choose his clients. He accepts them in whatever size, shape or state they come. He treats them with respect and care, with due dignity, covering them with a white sheet and placing a garland around their necks before burying them. The day he buried the man who had taken him home after his mother died, he had cried. He was special and Mahadeva had bought a garland as a mark of his respect. That day, it occurred to him that he should be garlanding all the bodies he buried, not just his benefactor’s. Everyone deserves respect and no one should feel ‘unwanted’ in death, even if life had treated them that way.

The cops do not supervise Mahadeva. He is not an employee of the hospital; he is the outsourcing agency the hospital has engaged for the disposal of all unwanted cadavers. He does not have a boss who writes his appraisal, giving him constructive feedback for continuous improvement. In most work environments, people who produce anything of economic value usually need supervision. A person who needs supervision is no professional. He is an amateur, maybe even an apprentice. Whenever Mahadeva picks up a corpse, it goes straight to the burial ground—no place else. He completes the task with the immediacy it demands. And he certifies his own completion of the task: between the dead and the living, there is no one to question him.

Its rightly said that its not what you do, but how well you do that showcases your true character and devotion to work. Hope the post was an useful read

Be an example !

I recently came across a forward which related 2 incidents (real life stories). I would prefer you to go through it and arrive at its essence.


STORY NUMBER ONE

Many years ago, Al Capone virtually owned Chicago. Capone wasn't famous for anything heroic. He was notorious for enmeshing the windy city in everything from bootlegged booze and prostitution to murder.

Capone had a lawyer nicknamed 'Easy Eddie.' He was Capone's lawyer for a good reason. Eddie was very good! In fact, Eddie's skill at legal maneuvering kept Big Al out of jail for a long time.To show his appreciation, Capone paid him very well. Not only was the money big, but Eddie got special dividends, as well. For instance, he and his family occupied a fenced-in mansion with live-in help and all of the conveniences of the day. The estate was so large that it filled an entire Chicago City block.

Eddie lived the high life of the Chicago mob and gave little consideration to the atrocities that went on around him. Eddie did have one soft spot, however. He had a son that he loved dearly. Eddie saw to it that his young son had clothes, cars, and a good education. Nothing was withheld. Price was no object.

And, despite his involvement with organized crime, Eddie even tried to teach him right from wrong. Eddie wanted his son to be a better man than he was. Yet, with all his wealth and influence, there were two things he couldn't give his son; he couldn't pass on a good name or a good example.

One day, Easy Eddie reached a difficult decision. Easy Eddie wanted to rectify wrongs he had done. He decided he would go to the authorities and tell the truth about Al 'Sacrifice's Capone, clean up his tarnished name, and offer his son some semblance of integrity. To do this, he would have to testify against The Mob, and he knew that the cost would be great. So, he testified.Within the year, Easy Eddie's life ended in a blaze of gunfire on a lonely Chicago Street. But in his eyes, he had given his son the greatest gift he had to offer, at the greatest price he could ever pay. Police removed from his pockets a rosary, a crucifix, a religious medallion, and a poem clipped from a magazine.

STORY NUMBER TWO


World War II produced many heroes. One such man was Lieutenant Commander Butch O'Hare. He was a fighter pilot assigned to the aircraft carrier Lexington in the South Pacific.One day his entire squadron was sent on a mission. After he was airborne, he looked at his fuel gauge and realized that someone had forgotten to top off his fuel tank. He would not have enough fuel to complete his mission and get back to his ship. His flight leader told him to return to the carrier. Reluctantly, he dropped out of formation and headed back to the fleet..

As he was returning to the mother ship, he saw something that turned his blood cold; a squadron of Japanese aircraft was speeding its way toward the American fleet. The American fighters were gone on a sortie, and the fleet was all but defenseless. He couldn't reach his squadron and bring them back in time to save the fleet. Nor could he warn the fleet of the approaching danger. There was only one thing to do. He must somehow divert them from the fleet.

Laying aside all thoughts of personal safety, he dove into the formation of Japanese planes. Wing-mounted 50 calibers blazed as he charged in, attacking one surprised enemy plane and then another. Butch wove in and out of the now broken formation and fired at as many planes as possible until all his ammunition was finally spent. Undaunted, he continued the assault. He dove at the planes, trying to clip a wing or tail in hopes of damaging as many enemy planes as possible, rendering them unfit to fly. Finally, the exasperated Japanese squadron took off in another direction.

Deeply relieved, Butch O'Hare and his tattered fighter limped back to the carrier. Upon arrival, he reported in and related the event surrounding his return. The film from the gun-camera mounted on his plane told the tale. It showed the extent of Butch's daring attempt to protect his fleet. He had, in fact, destroyed five enemy aircraft.

This took place on February 20, 1942 , and for that action Butch became the Navy's first Ace of W.W.II, and the first Naval Aviator to win the Congressional Medal of Honor.A year later Butch was killed in aerial combat at the age of 29. His home town would not allow the memory of this WW II hero to fade, and today, O'Hare Airport in Chicago is named in tribute to the courage of this great man.

So, the next time you find yourself at O'Hare International, give some thought to visiting Butch's memorial displaying his statue and his Medal of Honor. It's located between Terminals 1 and 2.

SO, WHAT DO THESE TWO STORIES HAVE TO DO WITH EACH OTHER?


Butch O'Hare was 'Easy Eddie's' son.

Talking Captions and Topic Captions

A lot many captions coming up, isnt ??? Well that is one of the things we were taught in our communication class. At first glance,it doesnt seem very different from each other, but to an observative eye, it reveals a lot more. The daily application of these are evident in the newspaper's where each article essence is captured in the subject title. For instance,the title "Economic Survey 2008-2009" would be an Topic Caption since it just tells the reader that the article is about the Economic survey 2008-2009, but stops at that. It doesnt go on to tell in more detail about the Economic Survey etc.

Compare it with a title "Air India’s bailout: is there light at the end of the tunnel?". From the caption itself, one could infer that Air India had got into financial trouble and that it had approached a regulatory body for bailing it out of trouble. And the article maybe describes if there is any end to the problem faced by the Air India.. One single topic gives us so much information that its almost like its talking to us. I know thats an exaggeration yet in the second case, the article topic is similar to someone talking and telling about itself. more like self-explanatory. in contrast, the other topic was more static and just introduced the topic.

Now that you have spent much time in reading this,what significance does this hold to you. here comes the most important part. The knowledge of what we write and its ability to express itself, can help us be more self aware while writing. This is most useful while writing resumes, wherein instead of Topic sentences if one could use Talking sentences it would reveal a lot more about oneself. And believe me, this is a major factor in resume writing. Now that you have become conscious of this fact like me,you could be more resourceful with your words usage while making your resumes or writing articles.

The Revival

I was tempted to include 'Phoenix' in topic name of this article. something like "The revival of Phoenix" or "Back from the inertness". And it would have been apt too. For a simple reason,that i have been estranged from the blogging world for more than 1 and half months.Not a single day goes by wherein i tell myself that i will blog today. and as if the world had plotted against me, i would invariably be held up by some work and eventually i end up not doing what i intended to do. Anyhow, there is something which i had learnt after coming to IIML and that is the fact that I need to improve my time management capabilities. Well, one always keeps learning something and iam learning the nuances of it.

The last 2 months here @ IIML have been quite memorable. There have been enjoyable moments, stressful moments,sleepless moments,hellish moments as well. The routine,the schedule and your life becomes such that one becomes quite impervious to the happenings of the outside world. The only connect with the outside world is through the globally connecting World Wide Web ! Everyday brings with it one learning or the other and the faster you learn them, the quicker you can grow. I have loads to share with you all, the culture ,the extra curriculars,the acads, the funny things etc. Hopefully my new resolution about blogging a little more frequently would hold stead. Lets see what all things i would be sharing with you. 1st 30 days after coming to IIML, Start of 1st term, Frenzy within the campus, Haunting 1st Mid terms etc.

Just penned this post to break the jinx of the in activeness which has been holding me back for such a long time. Not much content in it for now. Anyhow, for my dear friends who have been checking if iam still penning post, i thank you for your interest in following my blog. I would strive to compensate for the lost moments :)

Would like to sign off with a nice quote i had come across few days back.

"Opportunities multiply as they are seized"

Here's wishing good health and mind to all.


Peace :)

"Perfect Show with Paul Channic"- A Tai Chi Master

We have many challenges and obstacles in our life. Sometimes in the mad rush of life we get so addicted to our daily routine that we more often than not don’t stop over to enjoy the little pleasures that life gives us. The guest of this edition of Perfect Show is a person who has been helping people realise their inner potential and live life by utilising the harmonious energy around us. Let me welcome Mr.Paul Channic, a full time T’ai Chi instructor with more than 20 years of experience in T’ai Chi practice. He maintains a close personal relationship with internationally renowned T’ai Chi Master Waysun Liao, attending intensive seminars and practicing with other masters.He has taught T’ai Chi workshops in America and England for many organizations, including Chase Bank, Enchanted Journey and Core Yoga Studio. Over to the Show.


The PERFECT Show.



Guest – Paul Channic – PC
Host – Prashant Sree – PS

PS: Master Paul,on behalf of the Perfect Show readers,I welcome you to the Perfect Show.
PC: Thanks Prashant. Its my pleasure to be in the Show.


PS: The primary Perfect question. What are you passionate about in Life?
PC: It seems that I am most passionate about becoming dispassionate. Perhaps another way to express this thought is that I'm most passionate about developing equanimity. Passion is an interesting concept as there is a fine line between passion and obsession. I have found that if I follow where I am naturally led or simply do what feels right to do that there is more than enough energy present to accomplish what’s needed or wanted.


PS: That was a new learning. What have you learnt in your life (other than academics), which you would like to share with others?
PC: As I progress down the road of life, it becomes more evident to me that I do not have as much control over my life as I would like think. Consequently, I can take more and more internal pressure off myself to think I have to "do" something in any given situation. If you think back over your own life, how much control did you have in developing into a fetus from an embryo. How much control, effort or direction did you give to your life to develop into a 9 month old from 6 month old. How much control did you put into how your education started or what became your native language. The point I wish to make is that all this happened under some natural order, intelligence or power that brought us along with it. So, at what point was it we thought we could say “Thank you very much for creating me and getting me this far, but I’ll take over from here.” This, of course, is not a conscious choice, but we tend to live our lives as if we are in control. Control is really an illusion and the more one can recognize that the smoother life can become as we can then flow with it rather than fight it.

PS: I agree that many of the people’s problem is in worrying about things over which they have little control. If you are given a wish to change one thing in world, what would you change?
PC: Our approach to and view of the current economic system. Somewhere along the way we seem to have lost sight of the fact that money was created as a medium of exchange for a product or service. Instead, at least in America, it seems the objective is now to amass as much as possible without regard to the methods used or to consume and spend, spend, spend. This has led to people to spend money lavishly without any regard to possible future effects. The other side of the coin is that there are so many people living from paycheck to paycheck in our country because they consume and consume and have never learned to save. A big reason for this is because they’ve been brainwashed by the people busy amassing the money. Our world is in a very, very serious economic crisis right now and my belief is that comes from each of us losing sight of what money is really for and having the proper relationship with it. I would like people to have an attitude which holds values higher more than money.

PS: Very true Paul. Who would be Favorite Fable/Favorite Mythological Hero and why?
PC: I’ve always been partial to Winnie the Pooh or ‘Pooh Bear’ as he’s fondly called. When A. A. Milne created this character he gave a great gift to the world. Pooh’s attitude is one of simplicity and delight of life that we could all benefit from striving to emulate. As an aside, there is a very good introductory book about Taoism, a Chinese philosophy that forms the basis of T’ai Chi, that used Pooh as the main character. It is titled “The Tao of Pooh” and authored by Benjamin Hoff. I would suggest it if any reader has interest in this subject. It’s companion volume “The Te of Piglet” is also worthwhile.


PS: That’s an unique choice. What would you like to evangelize in your life?
PC: Well, going back to my answer of the first question, I think nothing. Anything that can be evangelized can be misused. Many people have been tortured, killed or had their lives ruined throughout history by people who thought they were evangelizing a good cause. My personal goal would be to express and share what I’ve learned or what is in my heart in the moment as a gentle statement; always recognizing that a personal viewpoint, although perhaps sincerely and deeply held in the present, is always subject to change.


PS: Very wise thought. What is your charm, which you feel attracts people to you.
PC: You would probably be best served asking them! However, my guess is that whenever I meet someone, whether a new T’ai Chi student or a clerk in a store, my intention is always twofold. The first is to be fully present with them and recognize them as a person. In other words I try to allow space for a true human connection to occur. Secondly, I try as best as possible to be as honest as I can with them. By that I mean not only to share the truth as I see it but also to be personally congruent. And perhaps another trait I’ve developed through the years is that I don’t take myself too seriously anymore. I’ve learned to laugh at myself.

PS: Laughing at oneself is one of the best qualities to have. Your Thumb Rule for Life?
PC: I’ve got two. Rule number one is, “Show up fully clothed.” Rule number two is, “Do what’s in front of your nose.”

The first one reminds me of what was mentioned earlier about not having as much control as we think we have. Many times in life we have to deal with unpleasant situations that we don’t know how to handle or are afraid of what the outcome may be. This rule says that the most important thing is to deal, attend to the situation, even if you are scared to death.

Rule number two suggests that we don’t have to look elsewhere for happiness. Many times in life we think the ‘grass is greener’ elsewhere. The more we can attend to the here and now, what is present right in front of our noses, the better chance we give for happiness to unfold in our lives. There is no need to look elsewhere. Another way to express this idea that I use sometimes is ‘Bloom where you’re planted’.

The secret of success is to be in harmony with existence, to be always calm to let each wave of life wash us a little farther up the shore.
- Cyril Connolly

PS: Interesting principles. Iam sure it would do people a lot of good. Who have been your Role Models in Life and the reasons for the same.
PC: When I first got into the business world in my teens I had the good fortune to meet and work for an insurance executive named Jerome Urbik. Mr. Urbik, ‘Jerry’, is a man of great integrity, has exemplary business sense and ability and possesses a true compassion for people, their suffering and our shared human condition. A combination of traits that is quite rare in our world today. Before he got into the insurance field he attended seminary and was preparing to be ordained as a priest. Not feeling he could serve that calling in the manner he felt it should, he went into the business world. Nonetheless, he carried the principles of his Catholic faith with him and never ceased applying them in his sphere of influence. I have had one more significant mentor that shall be addressed in the following question.

PS:Can you tell us something about Tai Chi and your association with it. What got you interested in pursuing Tai Chi as your career?
PC: As usual, as it seems to be with many of the important events of my life, I got involved with T’ai Chi quite by accident or, shall we say, coincidental circumstances. In the late 80’s I became intrigued by the Enneagram Personality Theory. Research into that led me to a group called the Arica School. I found a local chapter, liked and respected the people involved, and did some study with them. They had some T’ai Chi classes as part of their offerings. I had never heard of T’ai Chi before but I read a book or two, found the concepts and ideas of the Art to be quite appealing, and began learning with them.

Well, after a few months of study I (again, either by accident or coincidental circumstance) just happened to catch on our local public television station a documentary by Bill Moyers entitled ‘Healing and the Mind’. They were airing the first chapter of the series and it was called ‘The Mystery of Chi’. It was filmed entirely in China and dealt with Traditional Chinese Medicine and alternative healing philosophies. Anyway, on this show they had three separate vignettes with T’ai Chi Masters. What I saw them demonstrating was quite remarkable. They were using ‘Chi’, or life energy to move people around with seemingly no effort. In watching this I said to myself, “Paul, this T’ai Chi that they are showing is such a higher level than what you’ve been exposed to that it is obviously either one big con job or else something so dramatic is going on here that if you are going to continue your T’ai Chi studies you must do so with someone who can demonstrate these things as well.”

Again, by accident or coincidental circumstance, within the next two weeks I happened to be traveling on a train into downtown Chicago. As we were traveling, and somewhat lost in a reverie of thought, I nonetheless caught sight of a sign on building within view of the tracks that simply said “T’ai Chi”, with a phone number underneath. I wrote down the number, called the next day and, most serendipitously, the owner of the establishment himself, Master Waysun Liao, answered the phone. We had a most pleasant phone conversation and we set up a time for a personal meeting.

He welcomed me most warmly during that first visit and proceeded to explain to me the real essence of T’ai Chi. Towards the end of our visit I asked him if it would be rude or impolite to perhaps ask for a demonstration. He said, “No, no, I will show you”. And he certainly did. Rather than go into the details of what happened suffice it to say not only did he demonstrate what I had seen on that documentary, but a whole lot more. I knew in an instant that I had met my teacher.

Since that day, T’ai Chi has always been a part of my life. The relationship with Master Liao still continues as one of Master/Student but it has evolved into a friendship as well. He serves a a guide for me, more by who he is and what he does, than by anything he might of written. Speaking of which, he has published three books, all available on Amazon. The one I’d recommend for beginners is “Chi, How to Feel Your Life Energy”.

Tai Chi is more that physical movements. It is best termed ‘moving meditation’ in which mind, body and life energy or ‘Chi’ are all integrated and nurtured. It is a mental, physical and spiritual discipline for people of all ages. It’s principles, such as ‘no conflict’, ‘harmony’, ‘not too much or not too little’ and ‘relax’ can serve us well in all aspects of life.

It has been almost 5 years now that I’ve been teaching T’ai Chi full time here on the South Side of Chicago and attempting to pass on, as well as continue to grow in, those principles. I have been blessed by the people who have come into my life who also want to receive what T’ai Chi has to offer. One of the things I like most about T’ai Chi is that it is something that one can actually improve at as one gets older. I look forward to sharing the benefits T’ai chi with anyone who is interested for the rest of my days on this earth.

PS: That’s such a noble thought. You have had situations in which it has guided you in your life. To what extent do you think going with the flow can be adopted in real life. Does completely surrendering oneself to higher power for guidance is justifiable ?
PC: What I’m suggesting is that it is always advisable to remember that there is a higher power, energy, life force (call it what you will) that is really providing the power or energy for what is happening. It is when we lose sight of this that we can begin to get into trouble. Once we acknowledge and accept this then it is much easier to use that power, work with it, so that we can get where we wish to go a little easier, without as much effort or struggle, as we might have before.

It is a little bit like having a sailboat. You can have wonderful new sail, all the latest GPS navigation gear, and a desire to make a trip somewhere. Without wind, however, things are a little difficult. The wind is the source of power for that sailboat. The wise captain is aware of that and uses that wind power for his own advantage. Some very skilled sailors can even make progress traveling into the wind.

So, the idea is not to give up, surrender to a higher power and do nothing, But rather to acknowledge that power and work with it to get where it is you wish to go.

PS: You have mentioned that practising Tai Chi will make life easier for us. Could you please quote some instances in which Tai Chi can be applied and its subsequent benefit.
PC: On more than one occasion I’ve had students mention that they were getting ready for some medical test, such as an MRI or in the Dentist’s chair awaiting some not so pleasant procedure. Through practicing some Tai Chi breathing techniques they have found that the procedure has gone much more quickly and painlessly than anticipated.

I’ve also had several students report that after several months of Tai Chi studies their Doctor lowered their blood pressure medication because it wasn’t needed to the extent it was.

Whether or not life is easy or hard for us is always a subjective experience, though, and not really quantifiable by scientific means. I’ve had many people mention to me that they just feel better, calmer, in situations that before would have caused internal turmoil. This ranges from things like attending certain family gatherings, dealing with obnoxious people or getting stopped for a traffic ticket.


PS: It is clear that you pursue learning all along your life. Could you share on a personal basis how to keep the flame of learning burning and not allow the darkness of complacency and over-confidence set in our life ?
PC: We have a phrase in Tai Chi called ‘Beginner’s Mind’. In Beginner’s Mind there exist many possibilities and avenues for growth. The ‘expert’s mind’ tends to be more rigid and narrow. We strive to stay in Beginners Mind.

If I continue to associate and practice with my teacher and others in my field more advanced than me, this increases my humility and gives me greater chance of staying in Beginner’s Mind.

If I continue to work with newcomers and see their frustrations in trying to learn than this helps me remember and feel gratitude for the gifts that I have and helps me stay in Beginner’s Mind.

If I continue to realize that any opinion I hold or anything I attempt to teach is just one particular perspective among many that could be valid than I become a little less self-righteous and it helps me stay in Beginner’s Mind.

When I realize that Life will continue to go on really quite well without me, and I’m really not as important as I’d like to think I am, that helps me stay in Beginner’s Mind.

PS: That was very useful Paul. I assume we have come to the end of the Show. The learning which you have shared with me have been quite unique and profound. It has been a great pleasure to have you in the Show. I thank you once again for being a part of the Show and I wish you all the best in all your future ventures. 
PC: Thanks Prashant. It was wonderful to know you and be a part of the Show. I wish you all success and the best in your life. God Bless.

Note If anyone would wish to contact Paul or learn more of T’ai Chi he runs a small blog at http://www.chantaichi.wordpress.com .

Beginners Mind Vs Experts Mind:

Nature has its own way of making us learn things. Iam not sure how many of you believe in coincidences but every incident which seems coincidental has a purpose behind it. How many times have people come and said something to you which has sparked an idea or which clears the doubt which you would have had in mind. That was the very reason why i had started up with the Perfect Show. Now the motivation behind this post is due to the conversation which i had with our next guest in the Perfect Show. The content which he shared with me is too incredible and inspirational.I will be posting the interview with him soon but i wanted to share one thing which he had said. Here it is.

There is a fundamental difference between the humans and the animals. Humans tend to keep evolving but assimilating knowledge and in the process keep developing.One of the important characteristics is to keep learning which helps a man know more about himself and as well live his life to the maximum potential. To a question about how to ensure that we keep learning and not become complacent, his reply was having a Beginners mind and try not to have the experts mind. Here is what he said:

"In Beginner’s Mind there exist many possibilities and avenues for growth. The ‘expert’s mind’ tends to be more rigid and narrow. We strive to stay in Beginners Mind.

If I continue to associate and practice with my teacher and others in my field more advanced than me, this increases my humility and gives me greater chance of staying in Beginner’s Mind.

If I continue to work with newcomers and see their frustrations in trying to learn than this helps me remember and feel gratitude for the gifts that I have and helps me stay in Beginner’s Mind.

If I continue to realize that any opinion I hold or anything I attempt to teach is just one particular perspective among many that could be valid than I become a little less self-righteous and it helps me stay in Beginner’s Mind.

When I realize that Life will continue to go on really quite well without me, and I’m really not as important as I’d like to think I am, that helps me stay in Beginner’s Mind."

I would let you contemplate the meaning behind this and its relative potential in elevating the standard of life.

Keep Moving !

All Road leads to Lucknow

I would like to share a good news with you all. I will be joining IIM Lucknow to pursue my MBA this year. I would like to thank few people who were my pillars of support and induced doses of motivation when required.

First and foremost,i would like to thank my IMS friends Srinath,Avinash,Abhimanyu and Suvesh. It was great time with you buddies and the times we spend together discussing and chit chatting in IMS classes will always be special . I wish you a very best future and hope to see you all soon !

Iam also thankful to few of my seniors namely Sundar Rajan,Vasanth and Lewin. They were helpful in boosting my morale by suggesting that cracking CAT was only a matter of hard work and persistence. Iam grateful to you for the encouragement.

Iam thankful to my online friends namely Zeph,Nirmala Palaniappan and Sormita and Sriram.The conversations which i had with you all helped me to look things in new ways and to continuously strive for the best. I thank you sincerely for it.I would also like to thank Mr.Murli Nagasundaram,a senior alumnus of my college who has an extra ordinary quality of correlating things and understand the nuances behind things. He is a charismtic person and interacting with him for some time will leave you pumped up with vigor and enthusiasm. He helped me understand that being yourself is the best thing one can do for oneself. Thank You Sir.

I also grateful to the core members of RECAL-Bangalore chapter namely Rajan Narayanan,Mahesh,Ganapathy,Ajay. The regular Indira Nagar club meets to plan for the RECAL events was not only fun but too also helped me know few nuances behind the management aspects. I would definitely miss the regular meets ;) Not to forget my roomies Laxman and Prabu who also supported me in a lot of ways during my preparation. Miss you buddies !

Last but not least my sincere thanks to all my well wishers who have been with me all along. Thank You for it. The next 2 years @ IIML will be exciting.Iam penning this post from Delhi National Airport waiting for my flight to Lucknow. More post on the days @ IIML. Stay connected till then !