my 10 pies (personal ingredients for excellence)

My 10 PIEs (Personal Ingredients for Excellence)

Prayer - Pray - There is immeasurable power in it. I begin my day with

a short prayer – "Lord, thank you for this life. My wisdom and

understanding are nothing compared to yours. Lead me in your light.

May your will be done and not mine”. He might not give you want you

want, but He will provide you with what you need

Optimism -Seems and sounds clichéd, right? It's not. And it doesn’t

come easy as well. People might have hurt you, or you might have had

a bad day at work or worse still, all your plans and aspirations might

have trashed in a split second. In such situations, how can one afford to

harbor positive thoughts? It helps to spend some time in introspection. I

have programmed my mind in such a way that when anything negative

strikes me, my mind automatically trashes such thoughts/memories in

the self-created DNE (Does Not Exist) basket. It’s a mechanism

through which I do away with anything negative or depressing – Be it

people, situations or thoughts. In a matter of seconds, I am back to

being a live wire and ready to inspire!

Planning - I think, I analyze and I strategize. Got a problem at hand? Sit

down and attack it like a chess game. Plan the moves - every step. I

need time to build my vocabulary, read stuff, plan my work-out regime,

connect with people, travel places, and learn about things happening

around. I plan for the day, for the week and if possible for the month or

even 6 months. Instead of keeping a time for each activity, I prefer to

jot down the tasks to be accomplished for the day. In that way I get

enough flexibility to switch between tasks according to my convenience.

I maintain a daily, weekly and monthly planner which gives me a clear

picture of where I am headed to and what things I need to accomplish in

a specified time frame.

Tenacity - On June 14, I ran my first mini marathon (8 Kms.) It was

absolutely exhausting, but I somehow managed to cross the finishing

line and was over the moon. Since then, every Saturday, I wake up at 5

A.M. and go running with my team. It isn't easy to jump off the bed on a

Saturday morning after having had a rigorous week at work. When

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everyone around is busy sleeping on a weekend, it might appear crazy

to hit the ground running, with a long-distance monstrous run. It isn’t a

necessity, but a deliberate attempt to test my resolve – the willfulness

to push myself and set new limits. Learn to embrace the pain and

discomfort that life throws at you. You will realize that you are capable

of much more endurance than you actually think.

Physical fitness – A very important ingredient of my excellence recipe.

It involves working-out at the gym, swimming and long-distance runs

during the weekends. Swimming strengthens the heart and is one of the

biggest calorie burners around. Running helps lower blood pressure,

keeps lungs’ strong and powerful and is a natural tranquilizer to

alleviate tension, depression, fatigue and confusion. Working-out helps

me stay in shape; develop strength, flexibility and self-confidence. It

gets me out of my house and can be a positive social experience.

Professionalism - The way you talk and the way you walk, speaks

volumes about your demeanor and personality. Strive to give your 100

% at work. I try to keep an open mind and learn from my colleagues and

seniors. Learn as much as possible about your craft and also give freely

what you know. It makes knowledge sharing joyful and mutually

beneficial. I love what I do and take pride in my work. Dress

appropriately as per the organization’s culture and wear a smile at all

times. I have seen that a smile can be really infectious and light up the

environment at the workplace. People tend to perceive you as more

approachable and genuine

Never-Say-Die - After running non-stop for 2.5 Kms, when my heart

pounds hard against my ribs, a voice echoes -- It's enough! But I tell

myself, “DON’T STOP - run a little more”. When the alarm rings at 3:00

AM in the morning and reminds me to start studying, my body craves

for 5 minutes of extra sleep, but then the heart wags an admonishing

finger at my brain saying, “Shut up and get up”. You feel like giving up

and that’s exactly when you must tell yourself – “This is the beginning -

it’s gonna be fun!

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Good companionship - I feel fortunate to have a handpicked circle of

close friends across continents with whom I connect on a regular basis.

Distances do not matter when hearts connect. People who are

compatible with your value and belief systems can push you to do great

things. A fun-filled conversation or a genuine casual chat with a loved

one is a wonderful refresher in the everyday monotonous lifestyle

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Motivation 24 x 7 – I derive my daily dose of motivation from the

people around me. The dhobi who works tirelessly in the scorching heat

without a fan or a proper shelter or even a stool to sit, inspires me. He

doesn't complain and when I greet him on the way to my office, he

reciprocates cheerfully. The 21 year old poor young lad in my housing

society struggles to nurse his ailing father, working day after day -

cleaning cars and delivering water cans to different houses to support

his family. During our occasional evening strolls, we discuss on a variety

of topics related to life, scriptures, family, and importance of education.

He listens with rapt attention and has now started learning to speak

English. The spark in his eyes, in the midst of a chaotic life inspires me.

At the end of the talk, when he says, “Thank you, brother - You give

me hope”, it’s a surreal feeling that nudges me to become more

compassionate and competent

Character - Finally, never compromise on your character and integrity.

These are the most valuable assets which will hold you in good stead at

all times. What defines you as a person? At the end of the day before

going to bed, while I look at myself in the mirror – I must find my head

firmly placed upon my shoulders feeling like a righteous man on a

mission.

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my 10 pies (personal ingredients for excellence)

Self Improvement