Simplify!! We have a choice to make….

Do we bluff? You would have seen professional photographers hanging around the bride during the wedding with big wide heavy F/1.2 aperture lens which at its widest aperture is unusable outdoors with a bride who is moving most of the time. But this big pompous expensive heavy lens adds to the billing rates…. To me this is akin to name dropping. “If you can’t dazzle with brilliance, baffle with bullshit” or bluff.

My Bluffs Since 1980s. I did the similar bluffs so often, for 4 decades, like using very articulate words. In 1983, I stumbled upon a Random House dictionary of difficult one thousand words. In my Business Cases or emails to make them look scholarly and articulate that I am no ordinary soul, I will pick up words or shove them in from this anthology. These were effective, flew supersonic & landed well all the time.

The Funnel of Life (Venturi Tube). Having gone through the tight converging venturi tube as we study it in aerodynamics, or a simple funnel in our daily lives, we are duly compressed, hassled, bruised, but having come out of it on the other end, we feel elated. The mind tends to reflect and asks some very awkward questions when the rush of life is over. As I look out of the window, that I do very often, these events of the past, like images float before my eyes.

Mind, Mirror & The Truth. About our mind, it’s our most affectionate & brutal friend. Our mind is our mirror. And mirror, you know, even if you reward it with 24 carat gold frame, the mirror never lies.

Hindsight is 20/20. Now I have time to play back these videos in my memories of when I was in 30s, 40s, 50s, and even early 60s. I find these, let’s say amusing!!! Translate this word amusing in every which way. Feel free!!!

Many thoughtful moments come. At this time today noon, there are these souls hovering in my head. 

Pat Tillman 2004, a professional USA football player, reneges multi million dollars’ endorsements, exchanges his football shoes with army boots, inspired by his younger brother in US Army, joins US Army, goes to Afghanistan, is killed in a "friendly fire" & sadly the error is acknowledged to the nation years later. How did Pat Tillman at his prime, gave up everything, self-abnegation, cut all the strings, simplified & walked off to a new destination?

Vikram Batra-1999. Capt Vikram Batra, closer at home, he sits in my heart since I hung my combat aircraft overalls in 1998 after 25 years in the Navy, and started my life in civvies streets in 1999 with Tata Consultancy Services. At moment of the reckoning, Capt Batra on the night of the final assault on Tiger Hill, he himself & all in his team members wrote final goodbyes to their spouses, mothers, sisters, (these letters are available in public domain) not out of fear but embracing the reality ahead, head on. Capt Vikram Batra simplified the impossible mission by quoting a simple Pepsi advert, “Dil Mange More” दिल मांगे मोर i.e. "My heart wants more!" (challenges, obstacles, enemy bunkers to bust). Where did I park this role model for 20 years serving TCS since 1999?

Final Goodbye Letters. Many wrote these. Below is the copy of the letter Capt Vijayant Thapar wrote to his parents, before the final assault. He shares his goodbye to his girl friend and instructions for the underprivileged kid he is supporting. There is no worry, fear, regret, clarity & calm of a saint when just 25 years young.

Cyclone in My Head. Few streaks of the thoughts are: -

·      What prevented me to keep my script simple?

·      Is it possible to unstring ourselves in the thick of our battles, responsibilities?

·      Is it even possible to go frugal, simplify, when our heart urges for more?

·      Could I have been politer & more nurturing with my reportees, spent more time sharing insights?

·      Could I have taken my early-teen kids in the year 2000, more often to movies like Stuart Little & Toy Story all sequels?

And many more questions like these……

·      Why I am jotting these thoughts and sharing with you? My endeavor is to share, trigger, push an idea.

·      Can we start reflecting and questioning ourselves as early as possible?

·      Let’s not assign this as a hobby for the sunset years. Please hear me.

·      Can we use the power of reflections all along?

Will you share your thoughts please…? Do share!!

Anil Bakshi, Mumbai,

an accidental Executive Coach & Mentor, PCC (ICF)