You are not on a train that you cant change direction.

Sometimes, I meet people who live as if their life is a train journey.

It takes a lot to get them to move off once they are on a course of action.

They can’t change the direction, no matter how painful or unworthy their current journey is.

They may be in a job that they dislike and hate the most, but they will keep doing and will not bring any change.

They may be unhappy with their health- they want to lose weight or stay fit, but they will not do anything in that direction. Instead, they will live in the same status.

The place you live in affects every dimension of life. You want to get out of it but will not take any concrete steps towards it.

You have a delicate relationship and you know it’s you who can nurture and sustain this relationship. Still, you will wait for something to happen on its own. You will not take any initiative to save the relationship.

At some point in time in your life journey, you have to be clear and decide your own life priorities. You understand this fact well but allow things to happen at its own pace.

Based on your vocation, you can make a choice on the kind of organization that you work for. If you find yourself, misfit, you can still choose which suits you better.

Is there something that you don’t like about your life?

Remember, you’re not on a train that you can change direction.

You can very well change the direction.

It’s your choice.

The choice of how you value yourself can initiate a metamorphosis in your life.

You are in the fourth position..!!

You are in the fourth position…!

I used to feel sorry and used to think often how they must be feeling inside, being fourth in the Olympics.

Sitting in the stands watching those three winners, listening to their country’s national anthem, and missing out the medals.

They have almost made it. Just missed out, narrowly.

They would perhaps wonder, “Had I been trained a bit more, or have I been a luckier, maybe I would have been on the podium.”

This is one side of the story.

The other side of the story is like this.

If you think positively, coming fourth in the Olympics is a remarkable achievement, by all means.

Of course, there is some disappointment in the outcome, but there is no less pride in the accomplishment.

What about your Life-Olympic? Do you experience coming fourth?

Anyone who aspires to become something in life will occasionally miss out on something or fall short of feel inadequate.

And when that happens, it’s natural to focus on those who are ahead of you who have made it.

You watch them standing on the podium where you have imagined yourself.

Someone is receiving medal which you would have received, that’s what your heart argues.

Every one of us must have experienced the same at various stages of our life, maybe more than once, I am sure.

Stop comparing yourself with others, compare yourself with the version you were before a year ago, 5 years ago, a decade ago.

Don’t regret over not winning, feel proud for trying and giving your best.

Don’t look back on what happened with grief, look forward to what you will make it happen with a hope.

Learn from it. Build upon it. Conquer it. 

Own what once you thought was hard to achieve.

is the handshake finished?

Is the handshake finished?
Will there gonna be hugs, high-fives, or nothing?
Does anybody really feel their life will have less meaning if they don’t shake hands or give hugs or high-fives?
No, there will not be less meaning but 'something' missing will be felt and will be missed more and more often.

Don't expect that your coach will change your life.

Don't expect that your coach will change your life.
Your coach will not change your life.
Only you have the ability and only you can change.
Your coach is your guide.
Your coach is someone sitting beside you with maps and tour guides when you are driving.
Maybe he has better knowledge about the terrain you are driving in.
He does not tell you where to drive, that decision is still with you.
He is just making you aware of the turns and blocks you may encounter on your way to your destination.
Remember, the steering wheel and the entire control is in your hands, your coach is just guiding you.
Despite coach guidance, you can still make your ride either a smooth or bumpy ride.
A coach can not change your experience unless you want it to change.
Your coach is not a change-maker, your coach is a change-facilitator.

Surviving through our emotions

“Since I started writing blogs, it did not take me two weeks to write my next blog.

The coronavirus has made an impact on me. I have developed a kind of anxiety, although I decided not to, I failed.

I could not focus to write a single word.

A number of times, I decided to write but I could not move forward.

I could not focus to do my work from home. I stare blankly at my laptop. I could not decide where to begin with.

Everything felt doomed, hopeless, and catastrophic.

Although, the city where I live is not badly affected as compared to other areas still the anxiety has woven its waves around me resulting in the dramatic shift on my short term goals.

Writing posts and blogs every day was one of my goals, but I no longer write every day.

Organizing my mailbox was one of the tasks I have postponed until I have enough time to do so. I have time now, but no will to do so.

I have a couple of online courses unfinished, I have not enough push to go through them and complete.

I am going through a roller coaster ride of emotions.

Right now, for me being productive means surviving my emotions.

These days, I slumber for hours — without doing anything.

Every time I try to think of writing something, my panic button overpowers me.

I have dreamt of having a long vacation sort of when I could read some interesting books.

I have a big list of books which I would read one day when I have time. Now that I have time, I don’t read.

Because I feel from within these are not normal times.

I am envious and feel jealous of people whose productivity has not wavered, who are still able to remain positive and able to inspire others too.

Now, every single activity requires more effort from me. It’s unlike what I was and what I am.

Anxiety clamps my heart.

Every activity now feels like pushing myself uphill, something too difficult, too hard, and laborious.”

This is the story of ‘one of’ us and it resembles with quite a ‘few of’ us.

Anxiety, panic, distress, worry, fear, insecurity, depression, anguish, hopelessness- these emotions run our lives — if we let them.

Survive these difficult times with as much grace as you can.

Accept the unusual developments.

Accept the dramatic shift in your productivity. It’s ok. It’s fine.

Accept, these are not normal times.

Resist the instinct to get bogged down into a terrifying ball. Instead, look around, gather positivity, and see what you can do for others.

You will regain your productivity back once you accept these new normal. You will be okay, feeling less blue.

I know, it is not easy, it’s not going to happen soon, there is no magic, it’s not a straight line, it’s not logical, it’s not linear but it’s real and it’s going to happen. We don’t know when but, it will happen for sure.

Don’t lose your heart and don’t lose the REAL YOU within you.  Don’t neglect your emotions, feel them but don’t live with them for too long because it’s hard to train ourselves not to feel anything!!

When failure is a known outcome.

I was very much impressed with Brene Brown, who has shed great light on the feelings of shame and vulnerability. She wrote ‘if we choose to live a life of courage and vulnerability, we will fail. Not we may fail. We will fail.'

To me, this perspective is quite empowering.

I derive immense energy to fight back, to try and fail and try again until I overcome my failure.

It’s very interesting to understand that when we accept failure as a known outcome, as a certainty in a life we are presently living, we will learn to work with it and not around it.

Success and growth arise from curiosity and curiosity allow us to take risks; despite knowing the potential for failure.

We can unfold our greatest potential if and only when, we grant ourselves the freedom to fail.

It’s not necessary that every journey should end in amazing success. And if it happens, that's perfectly OK. Maybe then we will be better positioned to take on next great adventure knowing well, we are capable of dare to try.

Try and fail and try once again to rise above failure.

Don't just stare, try to open the door.

Don’t just stare, try to open the door.

When you are in front of the opportunity door, don’t just stare and wait for it to open.

Go for it and knock. Not just once twice, thrice, yet one more time…. knock.

If not open, look for the doorbell and ring the doorbell.

If not open, try the doorknob. Shake it, rotate it. Try to open the door.

Try it again. Try it harder.

If not open, bang on the door with your fists. Shake it strongly.

Try to force it open.

See if you can get through the lock.

If no-one responds from behind the door or you can’t open the door, don’t waste time, move on to the next door.

And even if not this, move on to the next.

And if every door in the corridor you can’t open, move on to the next corridor.

Staring at a door won’t help anyway!

If you keep knocking, pushing, fisting and trying, eventually you will able to open the door.

One day you will look back and acknowledge!

One day, you will look back and acknowledge!

You’ll be glad that you did not give up during the hard times although the number of times you felt like giving up.

You’ll be glad that you did mistakes a couple of times but you never stopped learning from your mistakes.

You’ll be glad that tough times made you worried but you laughed more than you worried.

You’ll be glad that you remained disciplined and focused when others were choosing an easy option.

You’ll be glad that you stayed connected to others during your good times and bad times.

You’ll be glad that you took risks and made it possible which seemed impossible before.

You’ll be glad that you remain focused on long-term implications of your actions, than the short-term gains.

You’ll be glad that you could achieve a lot and wonder how well you could lead your life.

And you’ll give hugs to your loved one, and say, “We did it because we were there for each other!”

Of course, it’s worth looking back and acknowledging.

You always matter.

You always matter!

Not because you have a charming personality, and even if you don’t.

Not because you work for a big corporate, and even if you don’t.

Not because you have a job title as CEO, and even if you don’t.

Not because you have a pretty handsome salary, and even if you don’t.

Not because you’re a successful and high achiever, and even if you’re not.

Not because you have high-profile connections, and even if you’re not.

Not because you’re remarkably influencer for others, and even if you’re not.

Not because you portray always confidence, and even if you’re not.

Not because you speak humbly and politely, and even if you’re not.

Not because you help others willingly, and even if you’re not.

Not because you are liked by everyone, and even if you’re not.

You always matter.

When you do your best work, it matters.

When you choose not to, it still matters.

We value your skills, appreciate your hang-ups and are cheering and applauding you for everything you do.

No matter how you feel about yourself or what others have felt about you in the past…

You always matter! You still matter!

If you can’t do what you like then like what you do, at least.

One of my all-time favorite quotes is, “Find a job that you love and you’ll never work another day in your life.”

Excellent quote to read, but it doesn’t happen in reality quite often.

I love playing the piano, but I could not become a Pianist.

I love writing but I could not become an Author.

I love traveling and I love to visit different places and write about them but I could not become a travel blogger.

I love to be a leader and lead a team of young aspirants and take the business to new heights, I could not succeed in making a small start-up yet.

You may be passionate about painting, but it probably will never able to help to pay your bills.

Similarly, you may be fond of cooking, you cook lovely dishes, no doubt in it, but lack the ability to ever become a professional chef.

Doing what you love may not be possible always, but what is stopping you from loving what you do.

Change your mindset and the world around you will change.

You can still find a job where you love:

·       The colleagues you work with.

·       The technology you work with.

·       The opportunity to develop new skills.

·       Making true friends at the workplace

·       The ambiance of your workplace you are working in.

·       The flexibility your job can offer.

·       The opportunity you get to interact with new customers and know them personally.

·       The salary that you are being paid.

On average you spend 48 ~50 hours of your week time for your work hence the amount of time you spend at work is not worth remaining miserable, frustrated, dissatisfied and unmotivated. 

Try to find something in your present job that you feel thrilled, charged up and excited about. Derive enthusiasm from these factors to remain motivated.

There’s an old song that says, “If you can’t be with the one you love, love the one you’re with.”

It can be adapted to our work-front as “If you can’t do the job you love, love the job you do.”

Find out what is good about your job and start liking it, start loving it. Change your approach and things will start changing soon for you.

Work from home

In recent situations, when every company is promoting work from home, in whatever capacity people can, companies must accept, to a certain extent, that mistakes will be made.

IT sectors are well versed with Work From Home or work remotely concept however there are other industry sectors who are gearing up, trying to learn and get tuned to this concept, which they have heard before but never experienced.

For other industry sectors, it's not easy to start, a lot of logistic issues need to be resolved.

People who are used to work with Desktops in the office have to be provided with portable machines, as all might not have.

People who are used to mobile data, work from home would call for high-speed stable internet.

These industries would not have well established in-house IT department.
Everything will be put on a learning curve.

There will be lots of IT bugs some can be resolved some would still remain.

There will be procedural errors where people have not yet collaborated with each other working from homes.

There will be a mutual misunderstanding of people’s roles and responsibilities as some companies are still gearing up with this concept.

There will be a dysfunction due to the difficulty people will experience when they have to change their normal habits, get out of their comfort zone and adopt a new way of thinking and working.

It's a Transformational phase for employees and their industries. Both have to get adapted to each other.

Any kind of impatience and intolerance would spoil the game!

At least give it a go!

At least give it a go!

Your idea of writing a book and making it a best seller one is exciting.

Your startup concept you were thinking about for the last couple of years which would make a million dollars.

Maybe you won’t be able to transform this budding enterprise to churn out enough money to self-sustain.

Everything you try will not work, some of the things will fail altogether, but the possibility of failure is not a good enough reason not to make an attempt.

And if you are going to give it a go, give it everything you have got.

All of us have the potential to do something truly remarkable with our lives that can change the world around us.

Sure, it doesn’t work like that always, but at least give yourself a chance.

You have never baked an apple pie, but you are willing to give it a go.


You have never been on a rollercoaster and you don’t really like heights but people say it’s fun, you will give it a go.

It is essentially out of your comfort zone and also gives you a reason to feel apprehension about it, but you will still give it a go.

It’s implied in your mind that it might work or it might not work out. Either way, it will be fine for you then why not give it a go?


Why not give it a go? You may find it easier than you thought.

You are right in either way!

You are right in either way!

If you think, you can do or you can’t do, you are right in either way.

If you feel, you are lucky or you are not lucky enough, you are right in either way.

If you believe, you are capable of bringing change or you are not, you are right in either way.

If you think, there are plenty of opportunities out there for you to choose from or if you don’t see any opportunity for you, you are right in either way.

If you think that you are destined to make a positive difference in other’s life or you think you are resigned to our fate, you are right in either way.

If you believe you are capable of handling tough situations or you believe you can’t handle it, you are right in either way.

It’s just not getting aligned with being right.

It is important to know with what right you are getting aligned.

There are two Lions- which one are You?

There are two Lions- which one are you?

The story goes like this.

There were two lions-living in two different places. One Lion was living in the jungle and another one was in a famous zoo.

A Lion living in the jungle, wakes up in the morning, not knowing what he is going to eat. He needs to go hunting and has to struggle to find something to eat. Someday, he finds soon and someday he toiled in vain until he finds something just to feed his hunger.

On the other hand, the other Lion caged in a famous zoo wake up in the morning and wait for a zookeeper to feed the food. This Lion was comfortable. He always seems to be relaxed and not worried.

The story ends here as such, but the learning starts from here.

The story reminds us that Lions are the most powerful among other animals and they are meant to be kings.

The one who lives in Jungle had to take the risk, had to struggle and earn his food. On the other hand, the one who is caged in a zoo gets his food easily doesn’t have to struggle or have to do any efforts. He lives in his comfort zone.

Both are Lions.

The only one is King.

The same is true for humans too.

If you have to succeed and reach to greater heights you need to be in a high-risk environment where you need to struggle, nothing comes easy. You are way out of your comfort zone.

Don’t settle for a life of comfort like the caged Lion.

We were meant to take risks, have the courage to plunge, be bold, hunt big, and achieve great things in your life.

You decide which Lion you want to be?

Do you practice a story telling?

Whether you want to touch a nerve, reach a new audience, or boost your sales, influence and create a larger impact, storytelling is the most powerful tool in your arsenal.

As humans, we are familiar with stories right from our childhood. We love a good story, and when it resonates with us, it can drive us to take action when nothing else can.

Think about it. Which would you rather read, an interesting story, or a sales pitch?

Which you are more likely to remember even after weeks, a compelling story you have heard, or a features and benefits comparison presented by a salesperson?

And which are you more likely to buy, a story you can relate with, a story you can see yourself in, or a product that does x, y, and z?

Let’s not go too far. Put yourself into your client’s position.

If you think back on your most recent purchases, chances are more that you’ll find a story that resonated with you, and that drove your decision to purchase.

You must have heard it time and again, people buy from those whom they know, they like, and they trust. And among these three, part of getting to know you are listening to your stories, getting engaged with your stories and feel related with.

Your potential clients want to know many more things about you, how you came into the business, what drives you to make your decisions, what are the challenges you have faced and what lessons you learned along the way.

Don’t make a mistake to make a jump start your stories to be directly related to business. It doesn’t work that way. Absolutely not.

What you need is to drive home a point about relationship building gradually, gripping and get dissolved into your story so that every person finds himself in your story, to be in and feel the same what you feel. That’s where you strike a connection with your audience or your clients.

We are doing absolutely fine.

The current pandemic is of greater magnitude and the whole world is going through a bigger traumatic situation. No one actually knows, what is the cure, what is the remedy to come out safe and alive. Millions of doctors and paramedics along with thousands of scientists are working day and night to save lives of the entire humankind.

Hence, in my opinion, no living person qualifies enough to advise on how we should deal with this pandemic.

It's an unknown, uncharted terrain that we all are trying to navigate through & learning our own ways to deal with the unprecedented impacts.

We are putting our faith before our wisdom.

We are putting God in the center of all activities.

Let us be calm, composed and emotionally balanced.

Let's not try to make a race out of this pandemic. Don’t plan to race and reach somewhere.

Let's not try to force-fit ourselves into societal benchmarks that are created by people like us.

Let's not beat ourselves in comparison with others and being looked inferior.

Let's be mindful of the fact that we all are unique individuals & hence we have unique ways of responding to this collective traumatic experience.

Let's be anchored in Gratitude.

Let's grow in Compassion.

Let's figure out and derive our own Happiness.

Let's emerge wiser, by our own standards, for ourselves, for our family, for our friends, for our society, for our country & for the entire humanity.

We need to bear in mind that we are going through a collective traumatic experience.

Not everyone has the privilege to turn pandemic into something fun or productive.

Staying healthy is equally important and if you are doing that you are productive by all means.

Don’t be overwhelmed if we are not learning any new skill, it’s perfectly alright, we are doing absolutely fine!

Don't just learn, go out and do it.

Don’t just learn, go out and do it!

It’s nice to read motivational books by great motivational authors.

Listening to amazing speakers and getting impacted by their speeches is always a positive experience.

Watching TED talks or storytelling workshop certainly add new dimensions to our thinking.

Reading an inspirational post on LinkedIn certainly touches our heart and we feel we are being moved.

But, take a pause and think for a while, are you being informed or transformed?

No doubt, it’s nice to learn new things, read inspirational books, listening to motivational speakers.

But the actual idea is to grow.

To take information that you can apply to your life, you can self-reflect.

Be inspired so that you can take action towards becoming a better YOU.

Keep changing, be dynamic, never stop evolving.

The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it.

I can’t say whether things will get better if you change, but things need to change if they have to get better.

Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist the change.

Caterpillars don’t learn ‘how to’ become butterflies, they ‘turn into’ butterflies.

Successful people don’t just learn about what they need to do, they go out and do it.