Positive Thinking: Talking Vs. Workable Solutions!

29.09.2008

I happened to hear Mr. Gopinath, a Wealth Management consultant and trainer at the Valedictory function of PRIME Academy, Chennai. He has a powerful voice and a rapid fire delivery style that keeps the audience fully engaged. The speech was a rousing one on positive thinking and need for commitment.

Here are some nuggets I could pick from his speech:

While most other species are capable of maintenance only, Human beings alone are meant to excel.

Tensing Norgay, the famous Sherpa mountaineer actually failed seven times in his attempt to conquer Mt. Everest. Finally, he did climb Mt. Everest and placed his feet on the summit. During the Press meet that followed this momentous achievement, he was asked how he felt when his feet touched the peak after the eighth successful attempt. He said, ‘I felt like I had captured Mt. Everest!’ Were these the words of an arrogant man? No! He went on to explain that while he, after the arduous climb felt that he had energy to climb another 100 feet, Mt. Everest could not grow bigger than the height he had then scaled!

(I’ve heard a similar tale about Sir Edmund Hilary. On his penultimate unsuccessful attempt, Sir Hilary is reported to have turned around on his way down, looked up at the looming mountain, clenched his fists and shouted, “I will conquer you one day, because as a mountain you cannot learn or grow but as a man I can!”)

Whatever the provenance of the tale, it is inspiring and teaches us the valuable lessons that failure is but a learning opportunity and not a reason to give up!

Mr. Gopinath, repeatedly made the point that our success is entirely in our hands. All of us have the energy to succeed in whatever we choose to do! This energy is waiting within us. But, it won’t come out unless there is a challenge. It wants us to take up a challenge or a task that is apparently beyond our current abilities, physical, intellectual or financial! When faced with a challenge, this energy will flow out and enable us to actualize our true and fullest potential! If we do not take up the challenge, the energy will go with us into the grave!

He identified two vital ingredients necessary for our growth and success! Desire and Belief!

Desire
Desire is the fire in our belly! The desire to go beyond our current circumstances! “Our life is bigger than the petty things we’ve chosen to do with it!”

He waxed emotional and announced that many people believe in mediocrity. He said people who are satisfied with food, bed and a roof over their heads were no better than dogs who too are satisfied with these! (Very Powerful!)

Human beings are distinguished by our willingness to starve when we are hungry and sacrifice sleep when we are tired while working towards our chosen goals!

We Have Not Come Into This World To Exist! We Have Come To Create History!!!!

We study History to inspire ourselves and to ensure that our names are printed in the History books of the future!!!

Belief
Belief acts on our body. Belief leads to efforts that produce results.

Examples of Dr. S Radhakrishnan and Dr. APJ Abdul Kalaam were given to inspire the audience. Gopinath mentioned that Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan began his life in a small gorala or village near Thirthani (then in AP) as a Vaaralu Abhayee, meaning a bouy who had to do small errands in various houses and eat at a different house on a different day! This was the man who went on to become the President of Independent India!

Some powerful quotes
If you rise before the sun, you will rise above the Sun!

God did not send us here as tourists; we have come here as rulers!
Our birth can be an insignificant event, but our death should be a part of history!

My views on the suggestions made by the speaker:
Although I was enthusiastically applauding the oratorical skills from the Dias where I was sitting, I could not help but think that while powerful speakers like Gopinath are able to hold audiences by using rhetoric like this, when it comes to translation into real life specific situations and problems these sentiments vanish like thin mist when faced with the sun’s rays. What is needed is a pragmatic and focused approach that is based on a clear vision!

Gopinath informed us that all of us have the Power of Belief. The power to shape our lives the way we want it to be!

I agree totally, but the point is that most of us do not know what we want from life! It is here that the Seven Habits are a powerful method for bringing focus to our life! Continuously understanding and sincerely practicing the Second Habit: Begin with the End in Mind is the key to sustained superior performance and growth. The Compass is more important than the Clock! It is not how fast you walk but whether you know where you are headed!

Gopinath also lauded the efficacy of Hardwork! He gave the example of a lazy young boy who toiled hard at the behest of a sanyasi only to obtain Alauddin’s Chirag (Lamp) so that he could be idle for life! At the end of the week the Swamji showed him the genie not in the lamp but in the mirror! We are all our own genies capable of providing our heat’s desire, if only we work hard!

I am all for Hard work! But every minute should be spent in value added activities not in “work” that is meaningless or routine! Many people ask “if I work hard will I become rich!” Yes and No! Mere hardwork will give you a livelihood and will keep you away from the debtor’s prison! But wealth maximization and accumulation are more about brains than brawn! Work smarter not harder!