A Master Class From Life Itself

Lesson 15 – Pay BACK!

Just as you dive into the ocean of life and dig out bounties from the depths of the Universe, so should you be putting back into it – to whatever extent and with as much ability as you can. Make no mistake about it – it IS a two-way process.

Lesson 16 – Be inclusive in your approach with others

I first saw my parents live that kind of life; then years later I heard Oprah Winfrey say it on her show. And I DO believe that you do not need money and certainly not large trunks of it to do charity. It should come to you as easily as your need to breathe and eat. Philanthropy has to be a part of who you are.

Lesson 17 – Read. A lot.

In whatever profession you may be, you must read – extensively and widely. There is no better education than that.

Lesson 18 – Perfection is a practiced art

Whatever your craft – you must practice it every day. If you are a writer or wish to be one – you must write daily. I am enamoured by Stephen King’s passion – who wrote even on Xmas Day, Independence Day and his Birthday.

Lesson 19 – Don’t lead a dull life. Cultivate interests.

You must have a hobby – developing and maintaining a garden, taking photographs, travelling, singing, painting art, buying art, cooking, drinking wine whatever does it for you – you must have one or two or more.

Lesson 20 – Be dogged with your good ideas

People may call it pushiness, I call it perseverance. If you keep at your good ideas for long and strong, there will be a chunk of people who will see those things the way you do. The article that you think has mass appeal, the book idea that you believe is saleable, the job that you feel you are really best suited for, the strategy you have thoroughly thought out and are certain that it will reap the benefits – hold on to them, reinforce them amongst the significant publics and Voila! you will find support from the same quarters. Almost in the same breath, I hasten to add, be ready to dump a bad idea at the drop of a hat, without any thought or emotion that may ride with it.

Lesson 21 – Respect age. Of yourself and of others.

Age and the experience you gain with it are the best, lifelong teachers you could ask for. Be thankful for all of your life’s experiences – good or bad, trying or stimulating – they all leave important lessons behind.

Lesson 22 – Practice gratitude like religion

Be grateful for what you have. There are hundreds of others who are not as privileged be it with money, cushy life, family, unconditional love, sound mind, healthy body and a lot of other parameters that you may not even account for until you find them amiss.

Lesson 23 – Have faith

Have a daily dialogue with The One Above – in whatever shape and form you see Him or Her. Yes, you heard me right – it is a dialogue. You just need to be tuned enough to receive His or Her signals. Even an atheist or a non-believer has his or her special Rock that they must talk to.

Lesson 24 – Know that you are special and exclusive

There may be thousands of people writing on food, or travel or PR or whatever – then should you be adding your two cents too? Yes, without any doubt; because yours would be a unique take on the subject, shaped by your unique set of experiences. I have often told myself, I may be no Mark Twain, but then Mark Twain is not me either. A garden has many flowers, each as pretty as the other. Actually drawing comparisons is odious, totally avoidable and completely unnecessary.

Lesson 25 – Inch towards your goals every single day.

It IS possible to spend the whole day doing nothing of value, whiling away your time in inane, absolutely useless activities; but the huge sense of guilt thereafter is killing, brutally cruel and crushing. So, it is much better to accomplish your goal or at least a part of it every day. Do you recall “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” Do your bit. Each day.

Lesson 26 – Eat your mountain, bit by bit

Remember what all the Management Gurus have been telling us for long? They ARE telling us right. You must learn to divide a huge task into smaller, manageable portions and get cracking on those parts. In time you would be reaching the end of the big job itself.

Lesson 27 – Eat the unpalatable parts first

In the same vein as above, I have realized that I must tackle the most difficult job of the day first and then scale down to the simpler, easier, more fun tasks. This is Time Management and Productivity’s most effective trick. It helps me be more efficient and effective and gets me to accomplish more in the day.

Lesson 28 – Learn from everybody

Just about anybody can become your teacher for a moment, for the day or for a long period of time. Over the years, I have picked up valuable lessons from my caretaker, the Gardener, my young soul child, my old mother-in-law, the peacocks that come to eat their daily stock of grain in my garden, the rude neighbor and of course my two pet children. Specially the last two, as their intelligence, kindness of heart, clever ploys and playful antics do not cease to amaze me, ever.

Lesson 29 – Have a soul mate

With us celebrating a decade and eight years of marriage, I realize that it is important to have an extremely understanding, kind and thoughtful soulmate who respects you for who you are and what you bring to the union. In today’s world of chaos, confusion, comparisons, and conflict this is one of the most significant and sanity-maintaining aspects of my life.

Lesson 30 – Develop a sense of humour

With age and experience, I must keep learning to laugh a lot – at myself, at situations and generally in life.

Lesson 31 – Health is, indeed, wealth

Health is the most important asset that I can have. It can help me move mountains or compel me to stay withdrawn in the confines of my bed depending on which side of health I am standing on. Along with the physicality of it all, it is as important to have a beautiful, brilliant and sound mind.

Lesson 32 – Cultivate and harvest mentors

Finally, I have learned the importance of developing role models – not just the towering figures of our times but also common people in our circle going about their commonplace lives with all that grit, gratitude, dignity and diligence. It helps me not get bogged down and pick myself up fast if I crumble down at times.And to make yourself feel hugely good, try and be a mentor to others.

But what is significant is that each of these lessons will remain embedded in rhetoric if we do not learn from them. It is imperative for us to tie them in neatly in the tapestry of our thoughts and the fabric of our fortified actions.

Go on; create your own miracles!!!