The Salad Bar

Getting a Licence Does Not Make You a Driver!

2011-01-12T13:32:00.000+05:30

He is 58 years old, bespectacled with distinguished silver grey hair. He’s spent 25 years working for one of India’s most respected corporate houses. I have learnt a lot from him. But it is unlikely you would have ever heard of him. His name is Karunan. And he worked with me as my driver.

Sometimes, the biggest lessons in life come from very unlikely sources. And as Karunan spoke to me one morning about his life and times, I thought young people would benefit from listening to what he has to say. Since Karunan will probably never be invited to deliver a convocation speech or a commencement address at a college, I decided to share those lessons with you. Here goes:

1. Getting a driving licence does not make you a driver. “I was 18 when I got my licence. But it was only after several months of driving a car that I actually learnt to drive, and became a real driver.” Young people must remember that. A licence is only a permit – and not a stamp of authority. An MBA does not make you a manager. It is only after you spend several more years learning on the job that you truly qualify to call yourself a manager. Many young people confuse getting a degree as signifying the end of their learning. Wrong. It’s just the beginning. A degree or a diploma – the licence – simply marks you out as someone qualified to learn from real life experiences. It doesn’t make you an expert.

2. The real world is very different from a classroom. “I learnt to drive a car. But my first job required me to drive a little tempo. The steering wheel was different, and so were the gears. I thought I knew how to drive – but I couldn’t even get the tempo started.” The world outside the classroom is a very different place. That’s as true for engineers and MBAs and accountants as it is for drivers. Get ready to get surprised.

3. Slog. Get your hands dirty. “I spent nights working as a cleaner. That’s when I learnt all about the insides of an automobile. Knowing what’s under the bonnet has made me a better driver today.” Most of the brightest marketing professionals in the country will tell you that they learnt their biggest lessons in the days they spent slogging in small towns selling soaps or colas. There’s no other way. If you want to be successful, work hard, dirty your hands – and go beyond your specific role.

4. In the early years, what you learn is more important than what you earn. “In my first job, the pay was bad but the boss was good. He gave me opportunities to learn, to make mistakes. He trusted me. I banged his tempo quite a bit – and while the dents were quickly repaired and touched up, the lessons I learnt remain firmly etched in my mind.” In your first job – don’t worry about your pay packet or the size of the organization. Get a good boss. A good mentor. That’s priceless.

5. Don’t worry about which car you drive. Focus on being a good driver. “I always wanted to drive the best cars – but rather than complain about having to drive a tempo or a school van or the city transport bus, I focused on driving well. I told myself that if I do that, the good cars will come. And they did.” Now that’s a great lesson. It’s not about the company. It’s about you. Do the best with what you have, wherever you are. Karunan spent fifteen years struggling in odd jobs before landing a driver’s job in one of India’s largest companies. We could all benefit by staying focused on doing a great job – rather than worrying about the next job, or the next promotion. Do a good job. Success and happiness will follow. Inevitably.

Those then are five fabulous life lessons from an unlikely guru. Follow Karunan’s advice and I guarantee they’ll make a difference to your career. And to your life!

(This appeared in the January issue of Careers 360. For more, jump to http://careers360.com/news/5086--Prakash-Iyer-s-advice-Slog-Get-your-hands-dirty

Betting on Unripe Fruit!

2010-10-24T22:34:00.000+05:30

A friend I met last week was recalling his experiences from his first job and telling me about his boss. The friend had started off as a rookie reporter with Sportsworld – the magazine that Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi used to edit!

His boss was the assistant editor at Sportsworld: David McMahon. And he recalled with great enthusiasm the one trait that marked David out as someone rather special: his willingness to bet on youth! And here’s the story:

When the Indian cricket team travelled to the West Indies in 1983, every newspaper sent its senior-most reporter out to cover the tour. There was Rajan Bala from the Indian Express and Sunder Rajan from the Times, R Mohan from the Hindu and Ayaz Memon – all senior folks, recognized and respected. After all, this was a big tour. And who did David choose to send to cover the tour for Sportsworld? A young not-yet-out-of-his-teens lad called Mudar Patherya.

Mudar went on to do a great job – and his youthful exuberance, his natural curiosity and the desire to ‘live up to David’s trust’ ensured that Sportsworld had some of the finest coverage of the tour. In fact one Sunday morning – an off day with no cricketing action on the tour, Mudar happened to hear that Viv Richards – the big man – was going to be playing beach cricket with some kids in Antigua. And while the rest of the senior folks were either relaxing in the hotel or out sight-seeing, Mudar drove out to the beach, saw a bare-chested Richards having a blast with the kids on the beach and quickly clicked a picture of Viv Richards – with his amateur camera. The picture made it to the front pages of the Anand Bazar Patrika newspapers, and Mudar had another exclusive story to his credit. And David’s faith in the youngster had been vindicated.

Mudar went on to become one of our finest cricket writers, and now runs a successful financial communication services company with his wife in Kolkata. And I am sure he will admit to the role that ‘early break' – that vote of confidence from David - played in his eventual success.

And Mudar wasn’t alone. When it was time for Wimbledon, David – himself a terrific tennis writer – chose to pick another rookie: Rohit Brijnath. Rohit apparently did not even have a passport when he got told that he’d be covering Wimbledon! Rohit went on to become one of the finest sports writers India has produced.

Most good leaders have a knack of spotting great talent. But it’s the exceptional leaders who bet on that young talent – ahead of it’s time. A big assignment, a special project – or an out-of-turn promotion – and suddenly that young talent becomes a hot success. Many many successful people owe their meteoric rise not just to their talent – but also to that leader who was willing to bet on them. And when a leader does that, the whole team benefits. Notice how the story of David’s greatness was being narrated to me by not by Mudar or Rohit – but someone else who was on that team!

The bet may not always come good. And when it goes wrong, the leader and the young prodigy often pay a heavy price. And here’s the irony: If the leader plays safe – he doesn’t really attract any criticism for not giving the youngster a chance. Which is why it take a special kind of leader – and a courageous one at that - to take that bet. And then the fearlessness of youth takes over. The enthusiasm – and the desire to prove the leader right – usually pave the way for the youngster’s success.

The day after I heard David McMahon’s story, India was fighting to win a test match in Bangalore. The big hope – Sehwag was out cheaply. And when all of KSCA roared to welcome Dravid, out came the debutant Cheteshwar Pujara. And my mind went back to David and Mudar and Rohit. Pujara had failed in the first innings – and yet was now was being trusted by his captain to play a defining innings. And he did.

Had he failed, it would have been easy to say that Dhoni erred. After all, the youngster had failed in the first innings. Why put him under pressure? Why change the batting order? Why… and the questions would have been many. Hindsight is usually pure genius.

Which is why you need to doff your hat to Dhoni. And David. And others like them. It takes courage to bet on a youngster.

So think back then, When it was your turn to take a punt on the kid, did you play safe, or did you bet on the youngster?

And hey, remember the guy who bet on you? Clearly, the corporate world needs more Dhonis and Davids.

The Elevator Not Taken!

2010-06-27T11:43:00.004+05:30

It happens to me almost every day. The dilemma of choice. And I wonder if you have a similar tale to tell too.

As I park my car in the basement and wait for the elevator to take me to my office on the sixth floor - I am confronted by choice. There are two elevators that I could possibly choose from. One is a 'slow' option: it stops on every floor. And the other is the 'express' option: It stops only at the even number floors - and of course at the basement. Which elevator should we take? The express one? Or whichever comes first? And as I wait with other folks for an elevator - it's fascinating to watch the dilemma play out every morning.

And I wonder if it's only in my mind - but it seems to me that the 'slow' elevator option almost always presents itself first. We get into it, rather reluctantly - longingly eyeing the panel of the elusive express elevator. And as it stops on the first floor, you can hear a collective sigh of disappointment. People turn their wrists to look at that watch - "Argh! late again!". People look at each other with a shared sense of dismay. One face seems to say "Why did this lift have to stop on every floor?" And all the faces seem to be saying "We should have taken the other lift!" If elevators had a mood indicator - this one would clearly be showing "irritated".

Makes me think. Our experience with elevators is probably true of our lives too. We see two paths ahead of us - and are never sure which one to choose. And we make a choice - and then worry about the road not taken.

And often our choice is dictated not by what we know is the better option - but by what presents itself first. A bird in hand - seems like several in the bush. We are not willing to wait. So we take the elevator that comes first. Or the first job we get offered. Waiting seems such a waste of time.

So what's the way out? Should we just decide what's best - the express elevator for instance - and then not get tempted when life's slow elevator comes up first? Easier said than done?

Maybe we should all just learn to relax a bit and not get too stressed by every choice we need to make. Both the elevators eventually get to the sixth floor, to our destination - and maybe that's what should really matter. No one's gonna look at us and say "ha, ha, he took the slow elevator!" And by not getting too caught up in the choice of the elevator, we might learn to enjoy the ride, just a bit more. And maybe, just maybe, that might help wipe out the frown on our face and replace it with a smile. Now what's that worth!

And in life - as in the elevator - it might help us to let go of our fascination with this misplaced sense of urgency. Getting there faster - nay, first - doesn't need to become an over-riding tenet of our lives. Think about it. Wherever you go, you see people agitated about getting ahead. Look at the queues in the supermarket, and you'll see this young couple splitting and waiting in two separate queues - just in case Murphy is right again. Why give up the pleasure of each other's company for five minutes - just to possibly check out 30 seconds faster? It happens early morning in the airport - as busy executives jostle like school kids - just to get past security first. Worth the stress?

As I mentioned to my wife the other evening about my daily elevator dilemma - she didn't even look up from the book she was reading. She just said: "Why don't you take the stairs? That would be really good for you!"

Give Yourself The 40% Advantage

2010-02-26T13:20:00.002+05:30

Have you seen the new HDFC Bank ATM ad? It's neat. And I think there’s a nice message hidden in there somewhere, for all of us!

It’s the ad where a young man parks his car near the Bank’s ATM, and is being watched by this suspicious looking rouge. The evil guy makes a signal to his team – to move in for the kill. Turns out he’s actually a guy whose job it is to tow vehicles that are parked in ‘no parking’ areas. And just as they reach under the car to hook the vehicle, they hear the car honk. The driver is back from the ATM in a flash. The Message: HDFC Bank ATM’s help you withdraw cash – 40% faster!

It’s a nice ad, and anyone who has withdrawn cash from an ATM (or parked his car in a no parking area for just 2 minutes!) will find it easy to relate to. And I like it because it’s built on a nifty little consumer insight, easily converted into a benefit.

What HDFC Bank does is actually very simple. The system remembers the amount you “usually” withdraw, and the account number, and the preferred language and stores it as “My favourite”. And when you click on “My favourite”… you get your cash, in a flash – and off you go. The number of screens you need to work through comes down from 9 to 5. And hence the 40% faster advantage!

So while all Bank ATMs remember your name when you put in your card, HDFC Bank goes a step further. It remembers the amount of cash you usually withdraw, and your preferred language. And that thoughtful little extra makes for a 40% faster service. Simple. But effective!
And I think we could all learn from the Bank and get a 40% advantage in our relationships with other people too. Here’s how.

Next time you meet someone, don’t just stop at getting to know his or her name. Go a step further. Find out just a bit more. Show interest in the other person – and you’ll soon get to hear about her daughter’s school, her favourite movie, their last holiday to an exotic island, the missing driver’s licence, or his favourite football team. Pay attention, and you’ll get to hear several interesting, unique and memorable stories. Stories that will help you connect far better the next time you meet.

We all love it when the person you meet is able to recall a small incident or a peculiar trait. It brings a smile on the face. It breaks barriers, makes you feel closer. And the other person immediately becomes a nicer person. You hand him the 40% advantage!

And as the following story shows, great leaders learn to do that well.

Indra Nooyi the CEO of PepsiCo was on a visit to India several years ago. And in my first meeting with her, she noticed I had a plaster on my left arm. I explained that I had broken my hand while playing the annual cricket match between Pepsi and KPMG. We joked about fitness levels and talked about India’s passion with the game of cricket, before getting on with the business at hand.

We met six months later in Purchase, Pepsico’s headquarters near New York. (I have always thought it ironic that one of the best Sales organizations in the world is headquartered in a place called Purchase!). And Indra’s opening remark? “Good to see you again Prakash. And I am glad you haven’t been jumping around a cricket field and breaking your bones!” Hard to explain why, but that opening line has stayed with me ever since – and everytime I think of Indra, that seemingly innocuous line comes back to me!

Next time you meet someone new, go beyond the name. Show interest. Listen in. And find that little nugget of information that can give you a huge edge in future.

Trust me. It makes a difference. As the HDFC Bank guys are telling us, a 40% difference!

A Tale of Two Seas

2010-01-06T15:38:00.004+05:30

Sitting in the Geography class in school, I remember how fascinated I was when we were being taught all about the Dead Sea.

As you probably recall, the Dead Sea is really a Lake, not a sea (and as my Geography teacher pointed out, if you understood that, it would guarantee 4 marks in the term paper!)

It’s so high in salt content that the human body can float easily. You can almost lie down and read a book! The salt in the Dead Sea is as high as 35% - almost 10 times the normal ocean water. And all that saltiness has meant that there is no life at all in the Dead Sea. No fish. No vegetation. No sea animals. Nothing lives in the Dead sea.

And hence the name: Dead Sea.

While the Dead Sea has remained etched in my memory, I don’t seem to recall learning about the Sea of Galilee in my school Geography lesson. So when I heard about the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea – and the tale of the two seas - I was intrigued.

Turns out that the Sea of Galilee is just north of the Dead Sea. Both the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea receive their water from river Jordan. And yet, they are very, very different.

Unlike the Dead Sea, the Sea of Galilee is pretty, resplendent with rich, colourful marine life. There are lots of plants. And lots of fish too. In fact, the sea of Galilee is home to over twenty different types of fishes.

Same region, same source of water, and yet while one sea is full of life, the other is dead. How come?

Here’s apparently why. The River Jordan flows into the Sea of Galilee and then flows out. The water simply passes through the Sea of Galilee – in and then out - and that keeps the Sea healthy and vibrant, teeming with marine life.

But the Dead Sea is so far below the mean sea level, that it has no outlet. The
water flows in from the river Jordan, but does not flow out. There are no outlet streams. It is estimated that over 7 million tons of water evaporate from the Dead Sea every day. Leaving it salty. Too full of minerals. And unfit for any marine life.

The Dead Sea takes water from the River Jordan, and holds it. It does not give. Result? No life at all.

Think about it.

And as we start a new year – nay, a new decade, maybe useful to learn a lesson or two from the tale of the two Seas.

Life is not just about getting. It’s about giving. We all need to be a bit like the Sea of Galilee.

We are fortunate to get wealth, knowledge, love and respect. But if we don’t learn to give, we could all end up like the Dead Sea. The love and the respect, the wealth and the knowledge could all evaporate. Like the water in the Dead Sea.

If we get the Dead Sea mentality of merely taking in more – more water, more money, more everything – the results can be disastrous. Good idea to make sure that in the sea of your own life, you have outlets. Many outlets. For love and wealth - and everything else that you get in your life. Make sure you don’t just get, you give too.

Open the taps. And you’ll open the floodgates to happiness.

Make that a habit. To share. To give.

And experience life. Experience the magic!

If you think you can, you can!

2009-12-22T11:02:00.000+05:30

Have you heard of Roger Bannister? He was the first athlete to run the mile in less than four minutes. And in doing so, he not only broke the four-minute barrier, but also taught all of us a valuable lesson.

Back in the 1950’s, it was considered impossible for anyone to run the mile in less than four minutes. The world record – 4 minutes 1.4 seconds - was held by Sweden’s Ginder Haegg. He did that in 1945, and the record stood for several years. Athletes, experts and the world at large were convinced that it was impossible to run a mile in less than four minutes. In fact, some even argued that the human body was biologically incapable of running the mile in less than four minutes!

And then, on 6th May, 1954, Roger Bannister did the impossible. He finished the race in 3 minutes, 59.4 seconds. The four minute barrier was broken!

His rival – Charles Landy – had thrice run the mile in less than 4 minutes 2 seconds without breaching the 4 minute mark. After one such run, Landy had said the four minute barrier was “like a wall”. But guess what? Just 56 days after Roger Bannister’s feat, Landy broke his own mental wall, and ran the mile in 3 minutes 57.9 seconds. And that’s not all. By 1957, sixteen athletes around the world ran the mile in under four minutes. The four minute barrier was well and truly shattered!

So what really happened? Did coaches get smarter and teach the athletes new techniques? Did running shoes get more sophisticated? Did bodies suddenly get stronger? No. The four minute barrier it turned out was not a physiological one, but just a mental thing. As Roger Bannister explained later, to him it seemed illogical that you could run a mile in 4 minutes and a bit, but not break 4 minutes. His mind refused to accept that barrier. And that made all the difference. Once that belief – that mental barrier – got broken by Bannister, everyone else too believed it could be done! And once the belief changed, the rest was easy.

We are all like that. We all have our beliefs about what we can achieve - and what we can't. It’s important to understand that our achievements in life are limited not by what we can do, but by what we think we can do. More than ability, it’s our attitude that makes the difference. As Henry Ford said “If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can’t, you are right.”

You will probably find your mind constantly grappling with two competing thoughts: “I can’t!” and “I can!” How do you ensure the “I can’s” win? How can we break our mental barrier of “I can’t”? Simple, as the following story shows.

There was a man in Alaska who had a black dog and a white dog, and his dog-fights attracted large crowds. Every week people would bet on which dog would win. Sometimes the black dog would win, and sometimes the white one. One lady noticed that no matter which dog won each week, the owner always bet on the right dog, and won each week. Several years later, when the man retired the two dogs, the lady went up to him and asked him the secret.

“Simple,” said the man. “I always bet on the dog I had been feeding all week.”

So whether “I can’t” wins in your mind or “I can”, depends on which thought you are feeding!

Feed the “I Can” dog in your mind. What you feed, grows! Focus on your strengths, and they will grow. Or keep thinking of your weaknesses and your fears. And they’ll grow too.

Unfortunately, you won’t always find a Roger Bannister to break your mental barrier. You need to do it yourself. Once you do that, and start feeding the “I can” thought, you will achieve more than you ever thought was possible!

(This was first published in Careers 360. For more, check out www.careers360.com)

The Magic of Goal-Setting!

2009-08-31T14:56:00.000+05:30

Imagine a game of football with a slight twist. It’s Manchester United versus Chelsea. There’s Giggs and Rooney, Lampard and Drogba. But there are no goal posts. What would happen?

The players would dribble and pass - but not know what to do after that. They wouldn’t know which direction to kick the ball. The defenders would have nothing to defend. And while Ronaldo would probably still swerve that free kick, he would have no target to hit. Soon, the players would probably lose the motivation to sweat it out and strive harder. There would be no winners, no result, no game.

Sounds silly, right?

Perhaps, but that’s just the way many of us lead our lives. We have no clear goals. Having written down goals can be the first and most significant step you can take towards achieving success in life.

The story goes that a group of psychologists did a study in 1953 on the graduating class at the Harvard Business School. They asked the students if they had written down goals for themselves. Only 3% of the class had written down goals.

Twenty years later, they tracked down that batch of students to see how they were doing. And here’s what they found. The net worth of the 3% of the class that had written down goals was more than the net worth of rest of the batch. That is the power of having written down goals! Goals give purpose to life. As the saying goes, if you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.

Here then is a five step plan to help you set goals and get you started on your journey to success:

Step 1: Decide what you want. Set balanced goals. Make sure you cover all areas of your life – your career, relationships, wealth, health, and your interests.

Step 2: Make sure your goals are SMART (Specific-Measurable-Actionable-Realistic-Time bound). So if you want to lose weight, don’t just say “I want to weigh less”. (That’s a wish, not a goal.) Say I will shed 5 kilos and weigh 60 kg by July 31st. That’s SMART.

Step 3: Write them down. Just the act of putting your goals down on paper, will increase your commitment to achieving those goals. A goal that’s only in your mind is no goal at all.

Step 4: Commit to doing whatever it takes. One American billionaire had a simple two-step formula for success: Determine what exactly you want. And be willing to pay the price. Many of us have goals (losing weight, for instance) but are unwilling to pay the price (say no to that cheesecake!). And remember, when it comes to achieving your goals, you cannot pay through your credit card. You must pay in advance. Often, you will hear someone say ‘Once I get promoted, I will stay late and work harder’. No, that won’t do. If you want to get promoted, start by putting in the extra effort. You cannot reap first and sow later.

Step 5: Take action. What does it take to achieve those goals? That old Chinese proverb still holds true. ‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.’ Take that first step, today.

There was a devout man, who prayed to God that he should win the jackpot. He prayed regularly, but someone else always seemed to win the weekly lottery. He prayed harder, urging the Gods to reward his devotion. But the Gods did not seem to be listening.

Disappointed and angered at his lack of success, he looked heavenwards and yelled “How come I am not winning the lottery? I’ve been praying regularly. That’s unfair!” Suddenly there was lightning and thunder. And then a voice from above said “For God’s sake, will you please go buy a lottery ticket first?”

Make a beginning. Today. Don’t go to bed tonight until you have written down your goals. And then take that first step. Do one thing – any one thing – that will take you closer to your goals.
Remember, to win the lottery, you’ve got to buy that ticket first!

(This appeared in the May issue of Careers 360. Check out www.careers360.in. Better still, buy a copy!)

“If it is to be it is up to me!”

2009-06-16T21:36:00.001+05:30

Have you heard of the rather unique funeral they had in an office in New York some years ago?

As all the employees of that firm trooped in to work on a Monday morning, they were greeted by a rather solemn-looking notice at the entrance. On it was written the following: “The person who was responsible for inhibiting you growth died yesterday. The body has been placed in the cafeteria, till 2 pm today.”

Sad to see a colleague pass away – and intrigued as to who that person might be - the employees trooped into the cafeteria to pay their last respects. There was a crowd inside. ‘Who is this chap who has been hindering our growth?’ they wondered as they walked up to the coffin to look at the person inside. One by one, as each person took a look inside the coffin, there was shocked silence. Almost disbelief.

Inside the coffin was a mirror. And below it was a placard on which was written: “There’s only one person who can set limits to your growth. And that’s YOU.”

That’s a message we would all do well to remember. When we find ourselves falling short of the successes we think we deserve, we often blame our bosses, our employers, the industry, or the current favourite – the economy. Everyone and everything in fact, except ourselves. For things to change in your life, you don’t need to change your job or your company or your town. You only need to change yourself.

Starting today, adopt a new philosophy for your life. Take charge. Of your own life. Tell yourself: “If it is to be it is up to me!” It is not often that you can get a set of ten two-letter words to form one whole sentence. A sentence which has the power to become a life-changing philosophy for you, for me and for all of us: “If it is to be, it is up to me!” Just say it to yourself, believe in it, and see the difference.

When you are not doing well at sales, missing your targets, what do you do? Blame it on the boss! Or the lousy territory you have. Or Competition. Or the current top-of-the-charts: the recession! Now when you blame it on any of these factors, you will find yourself helpless in solving the problem. You wait… for the boss to change. Or the territory, or the competition or the economy. None of which is in your hands, really.

Resist the temptation to blame some one else for it. When you do that, you shift the power to change away from yourself, onto someone else. You weaken yourself. But if you were to take the onus on yourself, you would ask yourself “What can I do to sell more?” Make more calls? Improve the sales presentation? Work an extra hour every day? Ask for references from customers? By taking charge, you empower yourself to change your fortunes. And that one act – taking charge of your destiny – is really the difference between winners and losers.

Have you ever seen sailing boats wander into the sea? They all take off from one place, the same jetty, around the same time, and yet reach different shores. Why is that? The winds are the same. The currents are the same too for all the boats. Yet they reach different destinations. Because where the boat will reach is determined not by the direction of the wind, but by the set of the sail.

So to reach your goals, its important to set your sails properly. Get your philosophy right. And don’t wait for someone else to do it for you. Need new skills? Invest in training yourself – and don’t wait for your employer to do it. I find it somewhat puzzling that while young people spend money on their clothes, and new cell phones and the monthly visit to the beauty salon, they want the company to spend on training them, on making them better employees, smarter people.

Take control of your life. Starting today. And on the mirror in your bathroom, stick the ten word message to yourself: “If it is to be, it is up to me!”

(This piece first appeared in the April issue of Careers360. Check out www.careers360.in Better still, pick up a copy from the news stand! )

The Second Best Time to Do Anything!

2009-05-04T21:58:00.001+05:30

Do you find yourself looking back and wishing you had done things differently?

Do you wish you had cultivated the reading habit as a child so you'd be a better-read person today? Do you wish you had played a sport and stayed with it beyond college, so you would be a fitter person today? Do you wish you had gone easy on sweets and on food so you wouldn't be an obese diabetic today? Do you wish you had told your parents and your spouse and your kids how much you loved them?

Or are you the kind of person who constantly sees things changing in the future? I will give up sweets - after Diwali. Or, once we finish the Annual Business Plans, I will spend more time with the family. Or once I have that magic number in my bank account, I will quit and do what I have always wanted to.

Well, in either case, it might be good to remember the wisdom contained in an old Chinese proverb: "The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now!"

The second best time is indeed now. The best time might appear to be yesterday - or tomorrow - but now is a terrific second-best - and it's up to us to make the most of now!

Business gurus and spiritual leaders have all talked about the power of now. The power of living in the present - versus the futility of living in a past that's gone - or dreaming of an imaginary future!

Often, our excuse for not taking action is either that the best time has passed - or is still to come. And our quest for the 'right time' helps mask our lethargy, and fuels our tendency to procrastinate.

Success comes to those who live in the present, who seize the moment. What's gone is gone - so no point living in regret. And the future? Well, as the saying goes, tomorrow never comes.

So whatever it is that you wish to do, do it today. Now. Make use of the second best time. Remember, it's never too late to become what you might have been.

Want to learn a new skill? Start today. Want to lose weight? Start that 45 minute daily walk - today! Want to have better relationships? Reach out and hug your loved ones - today. Whatever it is you want, make a beginning. Today.

Today is the tomorrow you thought of yesterday. Today is the yesterday you will look back longingly at - tomorrow. This might sound somewhat philosophical, but it's for real! When you start living in the present, that's when you unleash the power that's inside you.

As the Nike guys have been urging an entire generation, 'Just do it'. Right now!

And sure enough, twenty years from today, you'll be glad you planted that tree!

A Book Can Change Your Life!

2007-09-09T10:37:00.000+05:30

If you love reading books, I am sure you'll relate to the truth in that statement. One book can indeed change your life.

And in my case, it just did.

It's a little book called "Blog Wild!" by Andy Wibbels. And it's about How Everyone can go blogging. It's a simple easy read, and you should know it' s powerful when you consider that I finished it in one sitting last night... and got started on my own blog this morning! (And if you want to know more do check out Andy's professional blog (http://www.andywibbels.com/) and his personal blog (http://www.andymatic.com/).

I bought the book at the sale at the Crossword Book store in Mumbai; one of a fabulous chain of stores in India that is bringing back the joy of reading. An ideal Sunday afternoon for me is spending a couple of hours with my wife and kids, strolling inside the Crossword store in Kemp's Corner. We get in and are soon lost in the wonderful world of books... Savvy doing a taste check on the cookery books... Tuts looking for the bestsellers in fiction (and wishing Sriram was still around with his "Sriram recommends" collection... And Abs looking for one more unauthorised version of the never-ending ever-changing David Beckham story. And I take the right turn (Aha!) towards books on management and business and self-development and leadership. Ah Crossword! It also helps that on the upper level of the store is Moshe's - serving up pasta and chocolate desserts to die for. I have often wondered if Moshe's is what really draws the family to the store. And I am sure there's a marketing lesson tucked away there!

So here I am then with a blog that will talk about everything that I have fancied. There will be lots on people of course. And children. And reading and leading. Cricket stories and the lessons they have for all of us in business and in life. Plus of course large helpings of Self -Development (co-starring Brian Tracy, Jim Rohn, Zig Ziglar and Tony 100mph Robbins!)

Above all, it will be a part of my fascination with helping people realize their full potential. And becoming the people they were capable of becoming. Maximizing potential. And becoming happy successful people.

"Winning teams" - the title of this blog confirms that I am passionate about winning. And helping others win too. Remember, the old line about "You never win a silver... you only lose a gold"?

And remember Vince Lombardi's famous words - "Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing".

I am also wildly passionate about building teams. Winning teams. What does that take? What leadership skills come to play? And how do a bunch of average people suddenly get galvanised into a team of world-beaters? What makes for a "Chak De India" moment?

Along the way I will try and introduce to you some of the several wonderful people I am previleged to meet. People who impact my life, perhaps without ever realizing it.

People like Jim Casella, who incidentally is the inspiration behind my starting my own blog. (Jim started his own blog not-so-long-ago http://www.caseinteractivemedia.com/ ... and if you are reading this, thanks Jim! You make a difference!)

Jim is a doyen of the b2b publishing business and was vice chairman of Reed Business. He was instrumental in launching the Reed business in India - in a joint venture with our company (the JV is called Reed Infomedia). And I now have the previlege of having Jim on the board of Directors of Infomedia - and his counsel is much valued and hugely appreciated. Jim is currently an entrepreneur-in-residence with Austin Ventures, looking at opportunities in b2b publishing - in print and online. And Jim has taught me all I know about wines - and also introduced me to some of the finest wines from around the world!

And finally, just one last thought. I am a great believer in the power of taking action. The power of taking that first step that could launch the journey of a thousand miles. Many of us know a lot - but don't always translate it into action. We all know that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Yet, how many of us actually eat that apple? And after twenty years of burgers and junk food, it's often too late to play catch up and say bring me those 7300 apples...

So I am pleased about the fact that I read Andy's book. And here I am with my own blog.

And I'd ask you to think of one thing - any one thing - that you've always wanted to do... you know it's good for you... but you have just not got started.

Take that one task... and do something about it. Now. Take that first step. Right now.

As the Nike folks have been entreating us for several years now...

Just do it. Today!