Maximise Potential

Success is tantalizing and the word evokes a lot of positive images. As long as your success does not depend on tearing other people down you can be happy when you are moving towards your definition of success. I have identified 11 D’s of success. Here they are. Desire:  This is the first word we should remember when it comes to success. Success truly requires a vision of something better than what is there today. What is it that you want so badly that you will do the necessary sacrifice to achieve? Desire is the starting point of all success. Desire has to be personal and it cannot be what someone else wants for you. Discipline: Jim Rohn said discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment. Basically successful people do the things that others don’t like to do even though they may not like to do it. For example successful people always do the things that are difficult. They take care of themselves well. All this requires sacrifice which is a key word when it comes...

Leadership has been endlessly dissected and there are so many books on leadership every year. That maybe because it is one topic that never can be exhausted. I reread Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill in which he defines 11 important factors of leadership. I found them to be absolutely on target. Here they are with my take on each. Unwavering Courage Leaders are respected when they take charge and are able to make tough decisions. They have high self-confidence and never give up. Courage is truly the leader’s edge. Self-control This can also be another way of setting an example. Leaders are role models for the followers. Unless you master yourself you cannot lead others. The first victory is truly to conquer self. A keen sense of justice A true leader is not biased. They are independent of petty problems. They are always on the look out to help their followers. Irrespective of personal reasons they always make decisions which are just in the long run. Definiteness of Deci...

The future is truly hard to predict and we have seen so many experts predictions go awry. This is where Kevin Kelly steps in. His latest book Inevitable is a wonderful read and offers some insight into the future. He has identified 12 inevitable forces that will shape the future. Here they are. Becoming Everything is being upgraded incessantly. Every single week we receive upgrades on every technology app we have. So the features keep changing over time in other words they are becoming. The main thesis is the most important products or technologies of the future haven’t been invented yet. Cognifying This chapter was all about artificial intelligence and it is going to play a major role in the future going forward. For example Google bought DeepMind and it can play video games on its own. Machine learning is the future and we don’t know yet which industries or jobs will be impacted. The three breakthroughs related to AI are cheap parallel computation, big data, and better algori...

All champions are born but a lot of them are made through sheer persistence and hard work. We almost always associate champions with sports and that can be still a metaphor for life. Life is like a sport as we all face defeat, victory, setbacks and elation. There are certain traits champions have whether it is in business, sports or politics. Here is my analysis of the 9 traits that set the champions apart from the rest. They know their outcome:  If you don’t know where you are going then any road will get you there. Unless you have defined the outcome you want in your life it is very difficult to get any momentum. All champions have clearly defined what success looks like to them. It may be a financial goal, physical goal or learning goal. Whatever it maybe they have taken the time to identify what they really want their end game to look like. They stay hungry: I often wonder how does a champion like Federer keep coming back even after achieving everything he has ever wanted...

Management is both an art and science. It has specific actions that need to be taken and the results will be predictable. There is a lot of hot air around leadership and I totally agree that leadership is very important. However management is absolutely imperative to achieve the vision set by the leader. If we have a leader who can manage and a manager who can lead then we would have an ideal mix of traits to ensure the success of the organization. Sometimes management is also defined as getting the work done through others. I read the book  Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull (President of PIXAR ANIMATION and DISNEY ANIMATION) a couple of years back and it is one of my favorite business books. He says  "The way I see it, my job as a manager is to create a fertile environment, keep it healthy, and watch for things that undermine it. I believe the best managers acknowledge and make room for what they do not know - not just because humility is a virtue but because until ...

Reading is one of my favorite hobbies and it offers a great opportunity to relax and learn at the same time. I have shared below the 8 books I enjoyed reading recently. The Leader’s Bookshelf by James Stavridis and R. Manning Ancell –  This was an awesome read on leadership. The book consists of 50 reviews of leadership books across all genres and also summarized the leadership lessons from each of those. Some of the things I learned are all top leaders are great at delegating, they also take complete responsibility for everything that goes wrong, they never rest on their laurels, they have an inspiring vision, they include people who disagree with them in their teams and they are avid readers. It is a wonderful book and covers the whole gamut of leadership. Peak Performance by Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness   –  This is a brilliant practical take on what it takes to become a peak performer. It is well researched and has awesome examples....

Roger Federer beat Marin Cilic in straight sets to win his eighth Wimbledon. This is nothing short of sensational especially considering that Federer maybe at the twilight of his career. He also skipped French Open this year because we all know that clay is his least favorite surface but it is the way he ensured he was at his best for this tournament that stands as a testament to his strategic thinking. Even when he lost to Wawrinka in French Open once he said  "I'm already thinking what I'm going to do over the next few days, because Wimbledon is going to be a big goal for the season.” I believe that is the Champion Mindset. Let’s face it all of us will lose or encounter failure but what separates the champions from the rest is the way they ultimately respond to the negative event. If like Federer we keep looking to the future with possibilities, then we can overcome any failure and this is the key to develop the mindset of a champion. On the topic of m...

We have seen planes keeping moving in the runway and seeing other planes take off. They are waiting for their signal to take off. I feel the analogy here is applicable to our lives. We are all in the runway of life and we see others taking off in their lives. The moment we decide to take off in our lives is where we take firm control of our lives and direct it to the way we want it to happen. As Tony Robbins said "In your moment of decision is where your destiny is shaped." That quote has stayed with me and it is a powerful quote. Just think about it anything in your life is due to your decisions. One of the decisions you need to make to get the most out of life is to take off in your life. Really take off from the depth of your soul and the results will be there for all to see. I have expanded the word take off to really drive home the point. Believe in your Talent -  We all have reservoirs of potential to be unleashed and to recognize our unlimited potential is the fir...

Considering the advent of social media you are a brand now and you can manage it well. The same goes for your leadership brand as well. I recently read a book called Reinvention by Shane Cragun and Kate Sweetman. It is a wonderful book and they talk about eight steps to create your leadership brand. A lot of it is commonsense and we might already know them. Here they are with my interpretation of it. Describe the ultimate legacy you want to leave – This is ultimately answering the biggest life question of all which is “What do I want to be remembered for when I am not there.” I would also suggest define what you want people to say about you when you are not there. Create a one page definition of the ultimate vision for your life. I also suggest that you probably want to hear some of this when you are alive. Identify your greatest passion – What really makes you excited. What gets you going so much that you wake up so early or stay up so late and you cannot wait for...