Create a System of your own - Reject Autopilot Mode

We are all so overwhelmed by the current situation during this pandemic that most of the times emotions and stress drive our day. With these challenging times, our routines have gone for a toss. Working from home has actually changed the perspective with which we used to see through the day. During the initial days, when the Lockdown was very severe, procuring ration for the house was the most important agenda. But over a period of last 2-3 months, most of us have accepted this as new normal. When things are not planned during the day and we see the day through on its own, it’s basically an auto-pilot mode on which we are running. This needs to be changed and stopped if we want to create some value for ourselves and for others.

This calls for a creation of a system which can help us steer through the day more productively. I faced this challenge mainly on 4 fronts: as a father, as a husband, as a Government employee and as a Boss to my immediate staff. Then I sat sown one day to reflect upon what I was doing, what were my plans for the coming months and how do I intend to achieve them. I realized the importance of solitude. It’s so vital to be on your own at times doing the stuff that you like, planning your calendar and carving your niche day by day.

I have started using the TODOIST app which is keeping me on my toes every day in and out. It has driven me to do the meticulous planning. And accordingly, I have created a system of my own which works for me. Today, being a Sunday, June 14, 2020, is my Review Day and a planning day for the upcoming week. This is really helping me populate my calendar for the coming week so that I am not lost during the week searching for the stuff I need to do as now I already know what are my high priority jobs which needs to be accomplished beforehand. Populating your calendar is such an important concept. Jot down the important areas of your life where you want to work. The starting point can be your major goals. Then they can further be divided into smaller bit by bit achievable goals which can be spread out over the weekdays setting different levels of priorities. This is a discipline I really feel we all as professionals or students need to inculcate. This ensures that we are not driving our life in an autopilot mode and accepting what comes as it is. Personal Discipline is a muscle. The more you stretch it, the stronger it grows.

Further, I have realized the importance of using FEEDLY app. This brings to you the feeds of the websites that you have subscribed to. You need not visit those pages. Whenever a new article is published, you get intimated and updated accordingly. This is such a great productivity tool.

I have my major feeds in Feedly, for instance, Fitness, Parenting, Editorials, Photography, Candlesticks, Relationships, Transfer Pricing, Productivity etc. What I do is I spread these feeds over the coming week and dedicate one hour during a day for that particular feed. For e.g., Monday is my day to read the Editorial feed. Here, I read all the major articles of the newspapers I have subscribed to and grab the ideas from therein.

Also important is to use the EVERNOTE app along with it. Its primarily a note making app. So, while reading, if I come across something interesting grabbing my attention, I don’t waste time clipping it to the relevant notebook in Evernote. Likewise, Tuesdays dedicated for Parenting, Wednesdays dedicated for Stock Market Candlestick charts etc.

Recently, I have also drawn a list of online tutorials which I need to study. This is such an important area which many of us may not delve into. This may include productivity masterclass, Creative writing, photography tutorials, MS Excel ninja, Transfer Pricing Webinars etc. You can cover up the areas wherein you are interested in.

This creation of a system will help us lead a more meaningful, productive and energy driven life. It’s all a game of will power. World class will power is not an inborn strength, but a skill developed through relentless practice.

Cheers!

Talk at Advani Law College

I’m so grateful and thankful to Dr Santhi Dasari for inviting me as a guest of honour in the annual elocution competition in the college today. It feels so good to interact with the students at this age you know the prime age when it’s time to take decision for the life when it’s time to decide upon the careers what exactly they are going to do in their life usually what happens at this age of 25 to 30 people are not very sure what exactly what they going to do in the rest 30 years of their life. 

Reiterating my point here which I discussed in the talk about the technique of AIR. This means associating the things with the next object and imagining it in the most ridiculous manner. Association imagination ridiculous Being the key terms. I just thought I’ll discuss this concept with the students who had come over for the elocution competition you know it’s so important for children to be confident in the art of public speaking at times what happens is when ever you come on to the stage you mind turns blank and then you realise the importance of remembering the points and that’s where the technique of AIR comes in handy. Beat elocution competition over the PowerPoint presentations which we generally give coming onto the stage and facing the audience it becomes all the more imperative that we remember the points that need to discuss as we do not want to lead our discussion in a haphazard manner. The AIR technique helps us to remember the points exactly in the same sequence so that we have a fruitful discussion in a sequin shall manner the way we want to and which will enthrall the audience. 

Then I love talking about the clarity in life as at this age of 25 to 30 years people do not realise that the decisions that they will take during this span of the life time will affect and impact their lives after 30 years of their life. My professor of sociology in New Delhi used to tell us that people who slog their ass during first 30 years of their life live like a king during the next 30 years of your life and those who don’t the lesser it is said the better. It is a general tendency among people to live the life of mediocrity people are very shy to come out of their comfort zone they don’t want to do things going out of their own way whenever they feel discomfort they step back and don’t take an extra effort to excel in life these kind of people comprises the 95% lot in society. I really feel that people should take an extra effort in their life to come out with a different kind of magic in their life by toiling hard day in and day out and achieving excellence in their trade in their sphere of work. It is easy for us to toe the line of others but we tend to forget that everybody is running their own race what the other person is achieving in their life it’s not necessary that we should achieve the same as we may be in a different zone altogether. Coming out with excellent results in your life can happen only with your daily rituals what kind of daily habits you have inculcated what all new habits you are ready to inculcate are you ready to take the plunge are you ready to  go for an extra mile are you ready to track your progress are you ready to master the new skills are you ready to read are you ready to surround yourself with noble thoughts are you ready to become a master of your trade are you ready to go for killing are you ready to put in a dedicated hard work for hours and hours together without distraction. ?? 

Become a super productivity NINJA in your life and then see the reaction of others around you !! You will shine like a star. 

Best wishes!

Set Goals in Life

What are your goals ? What do u want to achieve ? What do you want to be ? In life. At work. In relationships. Whatever it be, write it down. Now. Just write it down. Not later..not tomorrow - now !!

And commit urself to action. Commit urself to doing what it takes to achieve ur goals. Take action. Make sure that everything you do is takin u closer to your goals.

And finally, take a step today. However small it may be, but take that first step today. If you want to lose weight, walk that 45 min walk - today..!! You will see the difference. As the Nike guys would say, JUST DO IT.

If Tomorrow Never Comes

There are two things that can happen when we plan to do something tomorrow. Either tomorrow gets postponed and never comes, or we ourselves may not be there tomorrow..!! In either case, the work remains undone.

Friends, the worst regret we have in life is not for the worng things we did, but for the right things we did not do.

The thought i am trying to convey by saying 'tomorrow never comes' is not only about 'giving' but also about a hundred and one things, which we go on postponing. For example, it may be reading a book, phoning a friend, calling on a sick relative, visiting our aged parents, learning something new, taking a vacation, playing with our children, or sitting by the sea shore watching the waves, admiring a sunrise, gazing at the stars and even sometimes doing nothing. Let us live like a samurai as if each day is our last one.

VVS and Leadership

The Indian Cricket Champ - VVS - says,,


"TOUGH SITUATIONS GET MY COMPETITIVE JUICES FLOWING".


He is an epitome of Leadership. He has come to India's rescue whenever the team has faced a tricky situation. In normal situations, anybody can come up and lead. Providing leadership when the chips are down shows the real mettle of a person. If you want to be something in your life, be VVS of Test Cricket, be Shahrukh of Bollywood, be Hamilton of F1, be Pele of Soccer, be Roger of Tennis, be the BEST in your respective sphere..


You should be known as the one making a difference, as someone not being a part of crowd.


Cheers !!

My Guru

Over the past few months, i have been reading a lot of Robin Sharma's wisdom. He has had a huge impact over me. You won't believe, i have started sleeping for 6 hours now, instead of 9 !! Seriously, this dude rocks. He will speak such words, which will create a sort of current inside your body. One day at the Lucknow Railway Station, i just happened to buy one of Robin's books - "The Monk who sold his Ferrari". After reading that book, my vision has got more concrete. Since then, i haven't stopped reading. I have already finished reading 4 of his titles. The names of the books you can find on the right hand side of this page.

Now, a brief about ROBIN SHARMA :

He is the globally celebrated author of 10 bestselling books on Leadership and Personal Development. His work has been published in over 50 countries and in nearly 70 languages, making him one of the most widely read authors in the world.Robin is the founder of Sharma Leadership International Inc. , a global consultancy that helps people in organizations Lead Without a Title.

Here are few of his words of wisdom :

• You can curse the darkness, or you can light a candle and show up as a leader. Life is all about how you exercise the choices available to you.
• The way you do the little things says a lot about the way you will do the big things.
• Sometimes discouragement sets in . Happens to all of us. We try hard, stay true to our dreams and pursue our ideals. Yet nothing happens. Or so it seems. But every choice matters. And every step counts. Life runs according to its own agenda , not our's. Be patient. Trust. Be like the stonecutter, steadily chipping away, day after day. Eventually, a single blow will crack the stone and reveal the diamond. An enthusiastic, dedicated person who is ridiculously good at what they do just cannot be denied. Seriously.
• Have the discipline to do whatever it takes to make the idea a reality. Because nothing happens until you move.
• The lust for comfort murders the passion of the soul.
• Remember, the critics have always laughed at the visions of bold thinkers and remarkable visionaries. Ignore them.
• We all want to be appreciated by our peers and revered by the tribe. But leadership is about a lot more than trying to look good in the eyes of others. Its about being BIW (Best in the World) at what you do. Its about leaving people better than you found them. And its about not worrying who gets the credit for a job well done.

Robin may be speaking about very little things in our day to day life, but these are the things which matter the most.

The best idea of Robin which i like the most is that of : Under promising and Over Delivering. I think i need not explain it. This is the underlying principle in people to people skills. Dale Carnegie has also spoken on those lines.

Then, he further illustrates the concept of a Leader Without Title. I find it very striking. A Leader never vies for recognition. A person who speaks out his mind in front of a gathering is a leader. A person who helps a blind man to cross the road is a leader. A person who offers his/her seat to the elderly inside the Delhi metro is a leader. I salute them. Because they are the real champs of our day to day lives. Everyone of us can be a leader , a Leader Without Title.

I just wanted to share these thoughts of mine.

They are special to me.

They talk about my guru : ROBIN SHARMA

If you want to know more about him , please visit Robin Sharma's Website.

Keep checking this column for more of his Wisdom.