Powerful words start with P

Just thought of putting down the words that define and shape one’s career and discovered so many words starting with ‘P’. Classified the words into few categories, and tried to sequence them within each category. Though some words may fit in more than one category, have tried to put in that category that requires it the most.

• Academics: Planning, Promptness, Practice, Pass

• Career: Priority, Potential, Peer, Pressure, Performance, Promotion

• Characteristics: Plain, Pleasing, Pleasant, Polite, Principle

• Economics: Principal, Protection, Proportionate

• Innovation: Passion, Persistence, Peculiar, Perseverance, Product, Precision, Pioneer

• Philosophy: Problem, Progress, Philosophy, Period

• Politics: Politics, Proximity, Popular, Power, Prime, President

The Secret Success Sutra and Mantra

First the Disclaimer: This is an abstract model that I believe, defines success. Success can mean many things to many people, but I go with the view that Success is something that creates a positive impact on the humanity and meant for the long-term. It is not momentary and definitely not a short-cut. This formula must work 95% of the time, and the remaining 5% have to be resigned to fate, or ill luck or there may be something better waiting to happen.  Here the Sutra means Formula and Mantra refers to the activity done repetitively (as pronouncing a sound during meditation). 

With enough preludes, let me start it.

Passion, is the base or the pivot point or the binding force that stitches many things and gives a new meaning to what you do. Passion is the most critical element and I had already dealt with it in several of my previous posts – starting with similiarities among great achievers and then bringing out differences between Emotions and Passion and about the minute differences between Passion Vs Feelings.

To explain with a different perspective, people who may have in-born talent or a skill that they can master like a fish to water, will generally have difficult time in managing themselves, and without a passion that binds their talents and skills, they will not be able to shine and generally lose their focus. In the same vein Passion has the power to equalize even a novice or a person without any of the required skills or in-born talent and a person who has those skills.

Now let’s get into the the Success formula, which has been depicted through the below figure. Passion is the seed for Success. With passion, you practice, persist and then perfect a skill or a job to be a master. A key ingredient or a catalyst in all these activities is Patience. Patience is critical to understand and learn; and requires a lot of self-motivation. Practice and Patience are required for Persistence, and to attain Perfection, you need Practice, Persistence and the key binding element of Patience.  

If you have Patience and Persistence it is easy to develop a passion and if you practice it to perfection, success will be in your way.  Other parameters like your attitude will help you a lot, but only Practice and Persistence can take you to the path of success.  If you are already possessed by passion, then you will automatically have Patience, and with enough of practice and persistence, you can master it to Perfection! – indicated as the convergence point at top of the image.  

You may be wondering that I had missed out on Planning and Preparation. But they can only serve as tools to push oneself and help in sharpening the focus. However, without passion, planning and preparation will simply be monotonous activities, and unfortunately they are overemphasized and drilled into our minds. The most common example is that of the competitive examinations, where everyone is urged to plan and prepare, but largely without a passion for the subject, or we find the passion being misplaced – to emerge as the topper.  This may lead to success in the exams, but that will be a success without a soul in it.  

Now, you may be wondering why the outer circle or eclipse? It’s to indicate we keep running around or moving around circles, or in elliptical orbits doing things routinely. To go to the next level, either we need to revolve around at very high speed, or we need an external force that will displace us to a new orbit. Generally, we find ourselves comfortable and settled in a orbit, over a time period, which will lead to complacency, but we need to keep pushing ourselves till we go near Perfection. 

Why I am a fan of Sachin Tendulkar

Now, India has won the ICC world cup, fans and followers of Cricket from 1984 can heave a huge sigh of relief! Finally India has got the dream cup in their hands. As one of the followers of the game, who had been following it for more than two and half decades, it gives lot of happiness and a great relief for passionately following and cheering for such a long time.

Though I was born in 1978, I did not knew about Cricket in 1983, and so missed the moments of victory, glory or pride. I started watching and learning Cricket in January 1986. I even remember the first match that I saw in Television. It was between India and Australia (happening somewhere in Australia), and India lost the match by 4 wickets.

Sketch of Sachin Tendulkar by Narwadeshwar Sharma

During those times, I used to hope that India win every match! It was a time, when India had great players (like Sunil Gavaskar, Mohinder Amarnath, Kapil Dev, Ravi Shastri etc…) but somehow was failing to win matches against top teams like Australia, England, West Indies, and Pakistan (Yes pakistan was a very strong team at that time!). Though India did win matches against the minnows like Srilanka (yes, they were considered as juniors in Cricket at that time!), Zimbabwe, New Zealand and some other odd teams like UAE (Yes, they existed!), somehow, the fans like me were not very happy with India losing against the big boys of Cricket!

In those times, even against strong teams, the Indian team would typically start well (thanks to Srikanth, Sidhu), but finally end up as bad losers, pushing the viewer to despair mode. To put the point clear, scoring at a runrate of more than 5.5 became an impossible task for the Indian cricket team (Kapil Dev was nearing the end of his career). It was during those times, that the Sharjah cup was very popular, where India used to meet Pakistan. And against Pakistan, India failed miserably, many a times.

It was during that period Sachin Tendulkar, a young boy of 19 years, (whom I could easily relate to, as he was just 5 years older than me), entered the scene. He gave hope and hope, to the viewers that India can win such matches. It was this hope that made me (and probably millions of such other people) an instant fan of him. He gave the required amunition for India to fight and though we lost matches against better teams, losing by putting up a fight was much better than losing without it.

This started to develop as a trend, and as years passed by, he got promoted himself to the opening position, which he did not give up till today, and in that position, he shook even the strongest of teams, and there was a point in time, when Tendulkar carried the entire team on his shoulders – which meant, that if he goes without significant contribution, then the game is lost for India. Tendulkar did really well against strong teams like Australia, South Africa etc…, which differentiated him from others.

Ofcourse there were periods when Tendulkar performed badly, but his hunger for runs and continued passion and focus on the game, with some support he received, saw him as an indispensable member of the team. He also quickly realized that Captaincy is not for him, and his decision to focus on his game, eventually won him accolades that he is getting now.

MS Dhoni too entered the scene in almost a similar fashion, proving that he can win matches. His hard-hitting coupled with his leadership abilities did make India a strong team, in all the cups or tournaments it contested. This was this hope, that made many a millions, a fan of him. In some sense, he can be related to Kapil Dev, who was admired by many during his times, for many of his qualities.

Update – November 2013: As Sachin Tendulkar retires from all forms of cricket, it’s been really emotional to all who admire him, especially those who belong to his generation and who watched him play from the beginning of his career. He acknowledges this by saying “Each generation gets this opportunity to take care of this sport“. Accepting that Change being the only constant in the concept of time, this was expected, and probably was anticipated after India won the world cup in 2011. Here’s the link to his farewell speech.

His message urging to play the game in the right spirit and right values will for sure be the quote of future.  His passionate commitment had made him a great achiever  – the one who spent 24 years in between 22 yards! which his detractors could not understand or relate to, despite all physical injuries. Well, for now his detractors can go and look for somebody else!

As said earlier, when he entered the Indian Cricket team, he gave ‘hope’ that India can win matches against the best teams, and now he leaves a team, that has been doing it! Needless to say, all of the current players and many of the future players have been and will be influenced and inspired by this true legend.