What are you running after…..

Hima Das, the current 400 m race Asian Games champion, in an interview said that “I am not running after gold medals, I am running after time. And once I get that, gold medals will run after me”. There are so many important lessons which can be drawn by everyone from this simple looking statement. Some of the lessons I have drawn are given in succeeding paras.

Time is always good

Time matters….

Time is an important factor, not just in a race but in life as such. If you have time in your control and use it well, as per your set priority, then no one/ nothing can stop you from achieving your aim. Most of us falter in the utilisation of time and fail to reach our goals. Time is the only constant in our lives, all of us get the same 24 hours in a day to pursue our goals, some stay focused and follow a strict regimen till they reach the desired end state, whereas most lose the track midway and give up. Whatever be your chosen field of work in life, time will remain important factor on utilisation of which will depend your success.

Outperform the competition….

Hima very rightly says, she is not running after medals, rankings. Most of us go wrong in this and aim to get the first rank in the bargain missing out on doing better. A 12 second, 100 m race finish may assure an athlete a God medal within the state or the country but will certainly be of no good in an international arena whereas an under 9 second finish will keep you in competition anywhere. Same holds true for students, marketeers, manufacturers whomsoever you can think of. As a student if you only think of getting the first rank in the class, chances of your constantly getting 100 % marks in all subjects are less, whereas a student who constantly gets 100 % marks will always be ranked first. The aim should be to outperform the competition, irrespective of the stage. The aim of the doctor should be to permanently cure the problem not just provide temporary relief from the symptoms.

100%

Clarity of Aim….

Her aim is very clear, to clock the best time in the world in her race as long as she continues to do that she will be the best and medals will keep coming her way. Most of us go wrong in selection of our aim. As long as a student continue to get 100 % marks his/ her first position will not be under threat. I know its not easy to score 100 % marks every time that too in every subject but a setting a high benchmark will certainly help to stay above the competition. Set a clear aim in life; you want to be first or you want to get the best result?

benchmark

Comfort Zone….

If you have set your aim as ‘Running after the time’, that is making the best use of time than you will never allow yourself to stay in a comfort zone. You will have to continuously outperform yourself to be in the ‘Run’. You have to repeatedly outdo your best. You cannot allow yourself to bask in the glory of the past.

outperform

“Your best may not be always good enough to beat the Rest….aim to beat the competition irrespective of the stage”

What differentiates successful people from the not so successful?

Success is what we all seek in whatever we do in our life. All of us seemingly put in our best but still very few actually achieve what they set out to. It’s the habits, hobbies/ interests one pursues which actually make the difference in life. A close look at the lives of the successful people will reveal that they all had these five/ six qualities which made them stand out in life.

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Every child has different learning abilities….

My 17-year-old daughter is in the final year of school. This, as per most of us, is supposedly the most crucial year of education and on the result of this exam will depend the future of the child. This is the stage, when most parents, elders, teachers will be breathing down the child’s neck reminding him/ her the importance of doing well (getting more than 90 % marks). Forcing the child to give up their hobbies or love of games in favour of books. Child is expected to spend as much time with books as possible.

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Are you ‘Original’ or are you a ‘Copy’?

In every class in a school there are intelligent and not so intelligent students or one can classify them as hardworking and not so hardworking or may be the worldly- wise types who know when and where to put in the hard work.

There is a vast majority which religiously does the homework daily and then there are other two types; one who just copy the homework of the hardworking types and then there are the more intelligent types who also copy the answers of the hardworking types but are sharp enough to change the way it is presented, making it look like original work. Well I have no intention of re-igniting the age- old debate as to who among the three types is actually intelligent. I am here to debate as to who among them is ‘original’.

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Ask…Do not just assume….

I remember, quite a few years back, I was on a trek with a group comprising of few colleagues and a senior of ours. I and the senior colleague were the only two, in that group who had a general idea of the area we were in (at least I thought so). It was early evening and we had to hit our destination before sunset. At a particular junction the senior who was leading the group took a wrong track leading top a ridge line which was actually leading away from our destination. I had an idea that he was going wrong but did not ask thinking since he was senior and had been in that area earlier, knew better.

Advisors

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Do not be in a hurry to overtake….

Many of us are very impatient on road, overtaking at will in a hurry to reach the destination. Moment we see a vehicle overtaking ours, the blood boils and the foot automatically presses the accelerator to give a befitting response (or should I say reaction!!).

essence of speed

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