Thought for the Day - Free Flow and Ego

Free flow is removing ego from the equation. The ego is what obstructs free flow, queers the pitch so to say. It comes in as a wisp of a thought, and what was brilliant flow, queers up. 

Normally it shows up as a desire to control - a discomfort with what is - a desire to fight the present and bring in our narrative. If we are aware, we can flow with what is, which brings in great flow again. 

In sports (or in life, because what's sport if not a microcosm of life as someone said or might have said), the formula for peak performance is this - Peak performance = Potential - Interference. Our ego is the interference. It is what brings in fear, insecurity and because of that we try to control instead of letting it evolve.

Let go. Stop trying to control.

Daksha School - Talk with Teachers on Goal Setting and Importance of Feedback

 While discussing the importance of learning the art of giving and receiving feedback as a tool for constant improvement with Anita, we decided to do a short intervention of both goal setting and the importance of feedback for the teachers. There were about 40 of them, many of whom had taught Anjali when she was a student of the school - Sarita, Rohini, Sirisha, Sangeeta, Kamakshi and so on. It was good to meet them. While introducing me Anita reminded me of the time when we sat on the terrace of their house and thought up names for the school - 20 years ago - just before she launched the school. We started with Dakshata and then shortened it to Daksha. And then Anjali studied in the same school as well. Time flies!

Talking to the teachers at Daksha

Anyway I gave the teachers an introduction to the golden circle - the Why, How and What - and said we would be doing some small segments of the entire workshop that I do. We decided to work on everybody's Why - their purpose which would give them greater commitment and motivation when they work. To do the best for students, bring the best out of them to build great leaders, build a wonderful society and world were some of the options thrown up as a purpose to their work which is otherwise very fulfilling. I wish I could have dwelt longer but I had little time so we moved on.

Feedback exercise

The next topic was goal setting and I told them about the importance of writing goals - that it gives clarity, something for our subconscious to aim for, something for us to prepare proactively for. I explained the concept of SMART goals and took a few examples while they all wrote down a 20 year list of goals on career, finance, relationships, material wealth and spiritual growth. the idea was to write down 10 year goals, 5 year goals, 1 year goals so they have a complete map ahead. I urged them to dream big and work for it and not go for small goals. The examples gave some clarity on how one must see a picture, a name, have a number or a visual. I told them to diligently do the work on the other time frames later.

We then moved on to discussing the importance of giving and taking feedback and how it helps the student and teacher to grow. Even teachers should have a system of feedback from students, peers and other stakeholders so they can be ranked and rated too. I told them to keep feedback focused on its purpose which is to make the person aware of the issue and work on improvement. I explained that it cannot be dumped as a one off but couched in the entire context of the effort that the person is putting in and then delivered so they receive it well - they know you are not criticising them but are coming from a place of understanding their journey and will work on it. I also suggested that they end their feedback by setting a high expectation which the student will try to achieve.

About when to praise and when to give negative feedback I suggested that they look at the person and their stage - if the person is not confident and doe snot know the process its best to give only positive reinforcement. Praise only progress and leave out the negatives. That way the person will try to repeat the positive behaviors and will improve. Once a person reaches a stage where they are confident and know the process, then, if they are erring or not giving their best, they can be given feedback to improve.

A lovely gift - Daksha elephant with a green message

I made them do a feedback exercise where everyone gave one person good feedback in terms of three nice things. The room was up and buzzing with a lot of energy. Good stuff.

Anita gave me chai and a lovely gift, a Daksha elephant (their logo) with a plant, and a box of brownies. We discussed topics such as Mindset which would help and thought we could plan them sometime later. Very satisfying. I asked for some feedback and will post the same when I get it.          

Short Workshop With Young Cricketers - Imperial Cricket Club

Imperial Cricket Club has had an impressive run in the last three years getting promotions from C division to B division and again from B division to A division. Ravi's teams are made of young, promising cricketers, mostly from modest backgrounds. From what I have heard it's a rare team culture where team comes first and players play as one and manufacture results consistently without the pressure of winning at all costs. Perfect team culture.

I offered to do a small workshop on preparation and mindset for cricketers when he said he was planning to felicitate his players for their good show. He asked if he could get players from other teams as well and we had about 40 cricketers attending. The more the merrier.

I have often heard from young cricketers and students only two words when asked how they plan to play higher grade cricket - hard work. Beyond those two words they have no clarity on what to prepare in, how to prepare etc. Most do not know the parameters for physical fitness, have no idea of their strengths and weakness and how to correct them, no clue on how to train their mind. So sharing a few ideas could help them a bit. After all we have all been there at one time.

To begin with we discussed the values that built their champion team - honesty (playing the best XI with no preference to any player, team goals above individual goals (team spirit or playing as a team),  and certainly, hard work (resilience and hanging in there). We discussed why values are important - as principles we value, they guide our actions and choices. I also told them that though all of them may want to play for India, most may not make it. These values will at least help us become successful human beings. 

Everyone wants success and is seeking the success formula. Success comes to the best prepared. There is no luck as far as I am concerned. Your preparation reflects your preparation so if you are not delivering the results you want (500 runs or 50 wickets in the season) you have not prepared well. The successful formula then becomes Disciplined Effort. To get form point A to B and to show improvement every day, one must put in an organised and disciplined effort. I broke it down in the famous golden circle format - Why, How and What - so they could easily remember how to prepare. 

The Why is the purpose why we are playing - which is to help the team win (which is what gives us most joy and also helps promote our individual careers too). Next we looked at the HOW - Values and Processes. Processes include ways to gain expertise (deliberate practice), what to prepare on (physical (NCA parameters), skill (batting, bowling, fielding, strengths and weaknesses), mental (goal clarity, process orientation, resilience, learning mindset, effort, beliefs, owning their lives with no blame and excuse), what to work for (SMART goals for medium and short term). 

A cute memento 

We discussed how champions train the hardest. One has to work hard. If one is not getting the results one wants, one should look at one's process and figure where there is a shortfall. I also told them that as a selector I look for cricketers who have a good work ethic, who are match winners, team players, possess high skill in their category and bring good values to the team.

 

There were good questions from the cricketers. How to handle pressure, how to handle back to back failures, how to build mental strength and so on. After the session, there was a memento awarding session followed by lunch. Day well spent. 

 

Hyderabad by Walk - Naya Qila

Deccan Archives announced a Conflict and Coexistence walk at Naya Qila. I like the area near Golconda and decided to go even though it was at 4 pm a rather hot part of the day. From what i gathered the walk would cover the general history of happenings that ended rather badly with Muslims and Hindus conflicting with one another in the Hyderabad state before Independence.

Mulla Khayali Masjid

The conflict began sometime in the 1920s in the state of Hyderabad which was 84% Hindu and 14% Muslim when the Arya Samaj or Andhra Maha Sabha protested against conversions of Hindus into Islam.

The Nizam sent out signals that it was a secular state and well more players got added. The Andhra Maha Sabha to protect the interests of the Telugus, the Communists, the Arya Samaj, the Majlis, the state. Bahadur Yar Jung was the founder of the Majlis, Madapati Hanumantha Rao with the Andhra Maha Sabha. Later on Qasim Razvi from Latur came and took over the Majlis, formed his band of Razakars and things went from bad to worse. General idea. 

Baobab tree or Hathiyon ka Jhaad

As a walk we met near the Naya Qila Bagh. Couple of curious chaps came and took our pictures because their officer wanted to know. Some golfers played in the heat and looked at us curiously. Met Anirudh, Mukhthyar and a few others.

Heading back

We walked to the Baobab tree at the far end and got into the Masjid e Khayali, built by Mulla Khayali, a well known poet and calligrapher.

Naya Qila,  Golf Course, Qutb Shahi tombs in the background

Then we stepped down, checked out the Baobab tree which is supposed to have hid 40 fellows. Also called the Hathiyon ke jhaad. Apparently the tree was planted by people from Madagascar who popped these seeds here and there so we can hide in them in times of need. 

Laila Cannon

We walked back to the place where the Laila cannon lay, a massive cannon that Aurangzeb left behind. There is a Majnu cannon as well on the other side as well. The two remain separated eternally. 

Mustafa Khan Masjid or the Mosque of Djinns

And from there to the Mustafa Khan masjid, built by Mustafa Khan, the conqueror of Carnatic as they say. His grave is there but he is not buried here. Sibgat said it was also called the Masjid of Djinns as spirits were expected to come and take over the place after sunset and hang around till sunrise. 

It was good to catch up with young Anirudh who is a huge cricket fan with an amazing amount of information of cricket, current and past. Mukhtiyar was around too, pen and pad in hand, making copious notes. It was a biggish crowd. We headed out around 645.

Hyderabad by Walk - Salar Jung Museum

I have been meaning to visit Salar Jung Museum for a while now - a more leisurely exploration of the place with my new knowledge about the history of Hyderabad etc. So when Deccan Archives announced a heritage tour to look at some interesting aspects of the museum I went. 

The museum

Old relic

Old fire engine

I reached there early, waited for them to come and somehow conjured missing out on the whole group for quite a while and managed to miss out a whole section of the experience. Anyway, i caught up on the part where we examined Miniature Paintings, Manuscripts and a bit about the Weapons.

Asaf Jah 1 - The first Nizam

Shah Jahan shooting deer - he cannot miss from there

The Miniature Paintings were perhaps influenced by artists from the Deccan Sultanates who were inspired by Persian, Arabic and Middle Eastern cultures and artists from Vijayanagara after its fall in 1565. The paintings have characteristics of the temples of the Vijayanagara period. 

Death of Shahjahan with Princess Jahanara - Taj Mahal in the background

Abdullah Qutb Shah - 7th Qutb Shah Sultan

Tana Shah - the last Qutb Shah Sultan  

These paintings have backgrounds with mango trees, parrots, squirrel, palm trees etc which indicate the Deccan area. Paintings of Asaf Jah 1, Shah Jehan, Patamanjari Ragini paintings from the 17th century, Krishna and Radha, Ragamala paintings.

Minister Madanna who served Abdullah Qutb Shah 

Madanna brother of Akkanna

Scene from the Gita

How did Laila fall for Majnu?

Sibgat explained about the clothes, the halo behind the head of the king to signify that he is the ruler, the general scenery, how only people of standing had their paintings made. There were paintings of Asah Jah 1, Shah Jahan, Akkanna, Madanna and others.

Manuscripts

From there we proceeded to the manuscripts section which according to the information provided there had a copy of the Holy Quran written by Yaqut-al-Mutassim (1298 AD) a famous calligrapher of the Abbasid era. 

The Gita

The Mahabharata 

Apparently the decorations were enriched with colours of various kinds. Calligraphy was made into an art form as there were restrictions on producing figural art. Text was shaped into the form of minarets, arches, scripts etc. Most of it was on parchment, textiles, palm leaf, paper, glass, wood, stone and the inscription was in Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Telugu, Sanskrit. I saw some copies of Bhagavad Gita and the Mahabharata in these scripts.

Quran in different shapes and styles 

Ghalib's manuscript

Apparently the Arabic script is known as Kufic. Other scripts that followed are Jazm, Takshil, Harakat and then Nashk, Thulth, Muhaqqaq, Tauqi, Riqa, Rihan, Taleeq, Nastaliq, Shikasta, Shafia, Bahar (from India), Gulzar, Mahi, Thugra, Zulf-e-Uroor and Makas.

Weapons

We popped into the weapons section and checked out a fruit knife used by Noor Jehan and an archer's thumb ring of Shah Jahan.

Top left - Noorjahan's fruit knife

 

Then we saw the clock do its 12 O clock and went down to see the veiled Rebecca of which Sibgat said there were only three copies and only this one had a blemish with a black mark someplace. 

Veiled Rebecca

Masjid-e-Salarjung

The rooms were hot with no air conditioning and only some fans working. The lighting was not good enough nor was the information provided with each item on display. Clearly I need a longer visit to the museum at my own pace which I will do some other day.            

The Paradoxes of Our Lives - True Happiness Lies Somewhere Tilted Towards 'What Is' than 'What Could Have Been'

Our lives are caught up in the gap between 'what Is' and 'what could have been'. And therein lies all sadness, regret, trauma etc. Unhappiness.

When the balance tilts completely towards 'what could have been' we're surely headed for unhappiness. It's complete denial from reality while wishing something else. 

When the balance tilts completely towards 'what is' we are rather resigned to our state. But what it does is make us live in the present which is good. But it has the danger of not wanting more - knocks out all ambition.

A balance between the two would be great. The tilt should be towards 'what is' because it keeps us grounded. And from there, with roots in the ground, one can aspire to 'What Could Have Been''. Gratitude for 'what is' makes fertile ground for 'what could have been'. Makes even better things happen than what we can imagine. 

Thought for the Day - Why We Allow Only Some to Hurt Us

It's interesting. But we allow only some people to hurt us. Most others we don't care but there are a few people in our lives who we give the power to (most times with no real reason).

With these people who we give the power to - we feel they have understood us (or perhaps we would like to believe that they understand us). And in our desire to be understood and to understand them, we open ourselves up, show our most vulnerable selves and voila- even a whiff of air that goes the other way hurts.

Why we do that is perhaps our desire to have someone understand us to the level of vulnerability we have opened up to. But that's not their problem - it's ours. We cannot trade our vulnerability to their understanding. 

What's the solution? I guess it's to understand ourselves first and not expect the world to understand us. By that I mean that we choose not to get hurt but still be open and vulnerable. 

It's a fine balance - needs practice. A lot of practice. And understanding of our self.