Beliefs power our actions, so make it a positive one!

That our beliefs are all powerful, empowering us to become superheroes or keep us maimed and chained to our weaknesses. Nowhere is it shown more graphically than in Danny Boyle’s “127 hours”. Another masterpiece in the genre of “Joy of life conquers all”.

In this true tale of an ordinary man,. Aron Ralston, an inconsequential guy with a love for canyoneering. While on one of his treks through “ Blue John”: in Utah, a careless slip traps his arm between a rock and the canyon wall. And in the struggle to save himself, capsulated in a 2 hour movie we see Aron’s transformation to an extraordinary one; we see the birth of supreme courage.

Trapped, he uses physical force, cuss words to free himself, believing that will leverage him out of his predicament. Guess what ? the rock didn’t know Aron’s language J

All human might to resist nature’s course, resist the consequences of our folly, are only prolonging the time we spend trapped. Is that what is going to move the rock? Can the rock hear?

James Franco’s depiction of the helpless and dehydrated Aron fills you with disgust and awe. For once he faces upto reality that nobody in the universe can hear him, therefore to wait for rescue is pointless; b’coz he had chosen not to tell anybody before leaving. It takes him 24 hours to begin to accept the reality. Once he has faced his mistake, he starts looking at what he has that will keep him alive. And that is his experience as a mountaineer and the paraphernalia in his bag at that time. What sustains him is what he already has, not the regrets about the swiss knife, the bottle of Gatorade which he carelessly left behind. Defeated, he goes from negative, fatalistic beliefs about the rock being his destiny, his choice, to positive self talk.

So many times we give meaning to lifeless objects, unrelated events, imbuing them with more than necessary meaning, skirting challenges and ending up nowhere.

It is the vision of joy in the form of a child, a life he wants to create is what gives him the courage to cut his own arm. That was the greatest moment in the film, with whatever knife he has, getting rid of the arm which was keeping him stuck between the rock and the hard place, preventing him from living.

While the movie says “every second counts” for me what counts is the learning to get rid of what is becoming a hindrance and the power of Positive Self Talk in reaching our full potential.

You have to do today to get what you want for tomorrow !

Into the mind of an Adult Learner

As a learner in the area of Performance Development, I am always on the lookout for products, methodologies, systems, reward schemes and ideas on sure fire ways of building Individual performance and hence corporate performance. Using ROI on Training as the end objective, we try various remedies, vendors and interventions, assuming that:
1.Individual A’s learning capacity is = his application capability, AND
2.Individual A’s learning capacity = Individual B’s learning capacity = Individual C’s learning capacity.

Of course we all know that it in real life such equations don’t hold.

I read Theory U of Otto Scharmer and Malcolm Knowles’ Principles of Adult Leadership to understand in-depth the mechanics of learning. I also carried out an experiment recently to understand some of the issues which can minimize the leaks in the equation given above . My observations are aired below. I welcome some of my readers to share theirs:


1.Besides commitment, it takes courage to start practising every day. I may fail umpteen times daily, yet I have to persist, daily. It also took courage to not cruise in safe waters, when I reach a particular level and continue to try an reach the next level. I had to go through the fire of failure to finally reach the pinnacle of achievement.
2.It requires a completely open mind, like a white board, to allow new knowledge / Skill/ Competency to become a habit. My old knowledge / known way of doing things were becoming a hindrance to learning.
3.The only person who prevented me from exploring my potential was I. And the only system / inspiration / motivator / scheme which worked was also myself…. My sense of accomplishment is what kept me moving from one level to the next.
4.My learning did not follow a set path, the way the coach had been trained to teach. For the learning to be successful, my autonomy required hands off coaching style, at times. Only an intuitive coach could give me the space and the independence to practise.
5.Though presence of a coach helped me to a large extent in taking risks while practising. The presence of the coach giving valuable feedback constantly and his supportive affirmations kept me going with my practise and thus perfecting my technique.

Perseverance pays to reach the pinnacle of what you can BE

Is weakness such a bad thing after all?

If Arjun learnt how to shoot a fish in the eye, if Jaspal Bindra learnt how to hit bulls eye, if Sachin learnt how to get to the line of the ball to get a boundary, if Ronaldo learnt how to dribble his way to scoring, if Vishwanathan Anand learnt how to outthink his opponents by sheer speed of his moves, if Roger Federer learnt using speed and reflexes to cover the court in totality, if Lance Armstrong built stamina, despite cancer, to cycle through the French Alps, if Mohammad Ali learnt how to sting like a bee and float like a butterfly in the boxing ring……..then there was also a time when all these icons did not. They did not know, or their bodies had not internalized how to hit bull’s eye or dribble or whatever was the skill. The source of their talent was uncharted territory.

Going from non-knowledge to knowledge, requires a desire, followed by concerted effort, focussing energy and resources on results, a good coach, patience and practise. Till such time that the body, the brain, limbs, joints, organs, muscles and other parts do not coordinate into one smooth, seamless action. That level of performance becomes the body’s new equilibrium.

So from weakness to strength is a continuum, where weakness is the absence and strength is the presence. A desire is what drives the individual will to learn and acquire new habits, skills and way of being. Fed by resources, a good coach, an environment to practise and feedback, is sufficient to deal with out-dated skills, habits, fear and complacency.

The fear of failure is more crippling than failure. We may fail 10 / 20 times in a lifetime, but failure prevents us from exercising our individual will 20 times per day. We spend recklessly on products to secure us against fear, while neglecting the cheapest one…… failing to encourage the individual will and sharing tips and insights to make learning a success.
What we can do is encourage the individual will, spot the spark now to convert weakness into strength, give that input now to let loose the discoverer, give a chance now to the risk taker, listen to the ideas of the fresher now.


Encourage your people to be the best of what they can “BE”

Teams - the breeding ground of Innovation

For me Life is about learning. When I go with this quest, each experience becomes a lesson, and makes my life richer. The conclusions I draw are within me, I only need an igniter to put them into application. Each insight gives me new material to experiment with and expands my consciousness.

Teams - the breeding ground of Innovation

I came across a very practical application of the importance of Team work in creating Innovation. I had read an article sometime back by Barry Fischer “Modern Innovations Takes Teams Not Weirdos”. ( Full article also attached) The author brought attention to the fact that even great inventors needed teams composed of individuals to bring their ideas to fruition.
I saw a practical application of this concept in the play” Broken Images”. The play is a slice from the life of an author, played by Shabana Azmi. A beautifully written play and even more brilliantly enacted. Shabana plays 2 roles, that of 2 sisters, one who is physically challenged, is now dead; and the other who is physically perfect but suffers from feelings of inadequacy brought on by lack of attention from her parents. The play is a live conversation between the two sisters; both played by Shabana herself and both visible on the stage. You may think it an impossible task. Well how did the director do it?
He did it by taping the part played by the dead, physically challenged sister and the tape played on a TV screen along with the live performance of the other sister. The 2 performances were so well synchronized, the back and forth conversation and movements so real. There were times when both the characters were drinking water at the same time, and it seemed a mirror image. My intention here is not review the play, but to marvel at the precision with which author’s idea is translated into the director’s vision into perfect execution on the stage by the sound, light, props team.
The marvel for me is also the clock work integration between the different entities. All these individuals with different, perhaps conflicting beliefs, education, personalities and yet get conjoined by a common vision and a desire. Innovation achieved is by excelling not in 1 track, i.e. just acting or technology or communication, but integrating them to achieve a perfect clockwork whole.

Be Open to Learning as it alters the mix of ideas allowing new insights and experiences to yield True innovation.

“Firing” your “Opus”

Continuing on possibilities, I looked at cases of master piece performances, to find out the missing ingredient, the one that takes good performance to excellent or excellent to record breaking. I picked up 2 movies, “Chariots of Fire” and “Mr. Holland’s Opus”, depicting the journey of 3 ordinary people and “how” they achieved greatness in different fields – Sports and Music.


“Firing” your “Opus”

Selfless Eric and the competitive Harold Abrahams in “The Chariots of Fire”, and Glenn Holland in “Mr. Holland’s Opus”. Different personalities, who achieve fame and honour in their unique ways.

Eric and Harold are students at Cambridge, both born with a talent for speed with a will to win ONLY. While Eric wants to win for God, Harold wants to win ….for individual pursuit. Eric believes “God made me for a purpose and he also made me fast. I’m going to run for His pleasure”. For him, running is a way to spread Faith, a message that…..power comes from within.

Harold on the other hand believes “… in the pursuit of Excellence… I carry the future with me………..I even forget what I am pursuing”

Both prepare relentlessly for the Paris Olympics in 1924. Their preparation reflects their different beliefs about how they can get the best out of themselves. For Eric, spreading the Faith while for Harold it means hiring a good coach, who can help him improve his technique and make him “the fastest”.

While not all of us are like Eric, born with a special gift where “his feet are an extension of his spirit”, we are more like Harold, who looks at defeat not as a personal failure, but as an opportunity “I run to win…. It’s not Eric or the losing……. It’s me…… after all that hard work…….. I can’t run any faster…….” He searches for answers with his coach, to get that 2 extra yards with the same speed and time. His talent is just sufficient to get him an entry, but it is his determination, correction, practise, for that 10 second performance, which brings him glory.

Eric also wins, surprisingly. Unable to take part in the 100m heats because it is held on a Sunday, he takes part in the 400m and wins the gold, without practise, correction or analysis.

Mr. Glenn Holland on the other hand, was not even aware when his master piece was created. A composer, with dreams of writing his one piece of great music, one day, which will earn him a place among the greats. Unfortunately, life has different plans. Having to take up a music teacher’s job to make ends meet, as a “fall back option”, with zero commitment and interest, he redefines the meaning of “teaching”.

Change starts when he realizes how little an impact he is having on his students. Unable to digest the fact that the students do not “enjoy” playing music, he sets about getting each of them interested in music. Without any knowledge of motivational techniques, none in communication, he improvises different techniques to communicate with students in a way that they understand. One of his students, Lee who has been practising hard for 3 years, but still plays bad music, gives her an example, till she is able to get the connect, between, what she knows ( the notes ) and the source ( her love for music). With Russ, a wrestler, he lets him feel the vibration of the notes with his feet and on his helmet.

The goal of creating memorable music remains an unfulfilled wish. But what he does achieve is creating a love for music among innumerable students. Spreading what he loves doing, i.e. music, becomes his purpose and that is where he creates his masterpiece.

What I want to conclude it with, has been very aptly put by Colin Powell, the former Secretary of State during an address at the Colgate University in 2009. He calls it a “sense of purpose”. When imbued with this “sense of purpose” activities become achievements and the “means” emerge with clarity.

Be Purposeful to find the source of your “Opus”

Finding myAvatar

Welcome to my blog, filled with tips and lessons picked up from everyday situations, movies, experiences and of course books, your 15 minutes of learning as you go. No introductions, no structure, only essence.
Today I pick up insights from ‘AVATAR”, a movie transcending technology and special effects barriers, also transcending mental barriers. Therefore I find it a a strong concept filled with opportunities for developing and use in Training.

Read, share, distribute and respond!

Finding my true Avatar

Every person has some talent, unique quality, known or unknown to the person. When tapped, this is what drives innovative ideas and creativity at the work place. In “Avatar” Jake knew his. Finding ours is the key to unleashing passion and channelling it at the work place.

Avatar is a visualization of the individual’s transformation process. Jake Scully, Neyetri, Tsu’ Tey, Grace, Trudi, Norm are all characters who stand out because they stood up for their beliefs, managing to save the ecology and inhabitants of a “green” Pandora.

In the real world plans and expectations inspire action and results while Imagination creates possibilities, ignites desires and finding the true self.
The real world knowledge is limited..........by what exists and therefore self limiting. In the real world Jake Scully is handicapped and is part of the Abbatoir project only because of his genetic match to his brother. In the imaginary world, his passion drives him to become superhuman.

As material for developing potential, some of the points worth using are:

1. “Reality is an inconvenience” - As a go getter, Jake doesn’t need doctors to tell him what he CAN do, define his limits. Training has honed his instincts to such an extent, that in Pandora, his body decides what “it” can do.

2. “I was born to do ….. a stone cold aerial hunter” - Source of Jake’s strength is his strong heart which knows no fear, his mental attitude developed as a Marine, and ignorance of the dangers which lie ahead. This is what gains him entry into Pandora, take risks and finally lead the Na’vi into victory. He takes the initiative, becomes one like them and does what even the “aliens” could not do. Jake’s transformation / reincarnation comes from destroying the old self, the one with the handicap and adopting the self image of strength, talent and power.

3."Feel her heartbeat” - The critical lever in an Achiever’s performance …………Engaging people. To be accepted by the Na’vi, Jake has to develop Zahelu, the strong bond, with the ikran, the birds with the strong legs. These birds represent the team. As a leader, Jake ha to join himself with the ikran, and the bird takes him wherever he wants to go. Jake has to develop clarity on where he wanted to go, and the bird instinctively understood the destination. Jake’s clarity of his goal stands him in good stead, when Toruk, the divine bird accepts him as a rider and becomes his passport to gain the Na’vi’s Trust.

4. “I am a scientist, I don’t believe in fairy tales……………….I needed their help and they needed mine……. To do that, I have to take it to whole new level………….. it all boiled down to 1 bold move” - The road taken by an achiever, of discovery and risk taking. As humans our “cup is full”. If we want to discover, we have to empty our cup. Ignorance was critical in Jake’s journey, because it led to exploration and discovery. Whether as a scientist or a developer, or an engineer, any profession or background, these moments come in every person’s life, when decisions are not driven by our background or our training, but a vision of the possibilities.

If you find any point worth practising, let it roll................Believe in yourself !