In his book, Emotional Intelligence", Daniel Goleman cites a research that was conducted in AT&T Bell Labs.  I am sure this is a very old experiment and would have been conducted a few decades ago and those that were the subject of this experiment are cooling their heels in Bahamas or some place else.
Anyway, the experimenters wanted to understand what made some people successful and others not, in their careers.  They picked a group of employees with the same caliber, educational background and work experience and followed their progress for a few years. Just to make it a workable experiment they chose people of extremely high academic accomplishments (read Doctorate) as their subjects.
After a couple of years of tracking their progress and behavior they found something interesting.  Naturally, some of the subjects were extremely successful in their careers and others were not.  We will call the successful ones the Dilberts and the others, Dullberts.
Interestingly, what the researches found was that anytime the Dilberts wanted a favor from their colleagues, they got it.  Simple.  Their requests for assistance were immediately honored, their phone calls were immediately returned and - they were liked. However, it was exactly the opposite in case of the Dullberts.  People avoided them, did not return their calls and dodged their requests.
It is evident from the above that one of the parameters that makes us successful, a BIG one at that, is our personal network.  How big and effective our personal network is greatly determines our success.  This concept can be expanded to our personal life too, but it is more relevant in our professional life.
So, how does one build a successful network?
There are obvious things one can do and I am not going to talk about those here.  I am particularly interested in talking about those behaviors that go deeper, that require a high degree of self awareness, that are based on one strong foundation - authenticity.   Of course, inauthentic conduct is a non-starter.  It won't be long before an inauthentic person is exposed.  So, let's just assume that it is a non-issue in our discussion.
I have created an assessment tool that helps one evaluate oneself on one's "Networking Ability".  Anyone can take the test and grade oneself.  I have also given a "Score Key" at the end that will tell you what to look for (in terms of personal development) based on your score.
There is only one requirement to take the test - listen to your heart and be honest in your responses.   Be attentive and make sure that your score reflects your actual behavior and not your "desired" behavior.
I developed this assessment tool during my certification as a Life Coach.  Have other assessment tools too.  An interesting one is an assessment tool to test one's "Learning Ability".  We use these assessment tools in Life Coaching to help us give a window into people's behavior traits that make them dysfunctional.  In case you take this test and think you will benefit from a Life Coaching intervention, and would like to explore more, I can help.
Now for the assessment.

NETWORKING ABILITY TEST

BUILDING STRONG WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Discover how good you are in connecting with people at work for a successful career growth

Successful Networking is a key requirement for achieving career growth in any organization. Networking refers to your ability to build successful relationships with a diverse set of key people in your organization. It refers to your ability to connect with subordinates, peers, boss(es), stakeholders, key leaders, key influencers, et. al.

Many factors define your ability to build successful working relationships. These range from obvious ones like reaching out consciously to key people in the organization to not-so-obvious ones like the feelings, blocks and trepidation that go with building such relationships.

The assessment tool below will help you gain insights into your ability and disposition towards successful networking.

Take the assessment below to know how effective you are in building successful relationships in your workplace. With this you will be able to understand areas you will need to develop to be successful in networking and in turn, in your career.

Please complete all items. (Select the appropriate Response cell and enter a value).
Rate each item on a scale of 1-5, where 1 = NEVER and 5 = ALWAYS.

1	2	3	4	5
NEVER	RARELY	SOMETIMES	MOSTLY	ALWAYS

S. No.	Statement	Rating
1	I am comfortable with maintaining a conversation even with people I meet for the first time.
2	I seek opportunities to meet key people face to face, even when there is no fixed agenda.
3	I look for opportunities to extend help to others, even if it is in a small way.
4	I do not use my position in the company to coerce other people into agreeing with me.
5	I keep my emotions under check in my conversations at work.
6	I am fully aware of and effectively manage inflections in my voice when dealing with conflict in the workplace.
7	I make conscious effort to respect the individual I am dealing with irrespective of the person's position in the company hierarchy.
8	I make people comfortable when dealing with me.
9	I am adept at picking up the unspoken.
10	I can easily engage in small talk to build rapport with others.
11	I strive to understand people without judging them.
12	I strive to understand people at a personal level, beyond their job roles, at the same time respecting their personal space.
13	I tend to attract people that I can help in some way.
14	I am very effective in identifying and providing development opportunities to others.
15	I reach out to others voluntarily when I notice they are stuck.
16	I am authentic when dealing with others.
17	I use humor effectively at the work place, to build relationships and to break barriers.
18	I use my existing network in the organization with others effectively, to bring outcomes that benefit the company.
19	If I have to, I can disagree in a professional manner, irrespective of the designation of the person I am dealing with, without sounding disrespectful.
20	I make effort to understand the other person's concerns when dealing with conflict.
21	When working on resolving conflicts, I separate the issue from the person effectively.
22	I return 100% of the calls made or emails/messages sent to me, within 24 hours.
23	I do not let past conflicts affect my ability to work with someone.
24	I do not put others down.
25	I reach out to people across the cross section of the company to help them integrate well in the organization.
Total

In the next section you will see the scoring key.

Networking Ability Test

Score Key

Interpretations of your score
Total Score 81-125
This score indicates a high likelihood that you are networking at an optimal level now. You may be natural in connecting with people and building relationships. Use this understanding of your networking ability to review the level of your success you are achieving in your career. There is still a slight chance that you are not fully aware of all of your strengths or capabilities, not only in the area of networking but also in other areas of leadership – this could be particularly true if you think your level of success is not commensurate with your skills, abilities and contributions to the company. Since you are already well ahead in the curve when it comes to leadership, you could significantly benefit from working with a coach who can help you to build upon your current strengths and create opportunities for success. If you have been considering hiring a professional coach, now is an ideal time to do so. A coach will be fortunate to work with you since you are already such a great leadership personality.
Total Score 41-80
This score indicates a high likelihood that you are a good networking person. You may not be completely familiar with all nuances of networking at your workplace or know exactly how it works, however, you seem to have the natural characteristics that make someone able to build effective relationships at work. We recommend that you do more work to maximize your natural abilities to network through additional research, partnering with peers who you consider good at networking or through working with professional coaches. Many coaches give a free initial session, so you can take advantage of those and find out how coaching can help you further build your networking skills. Please note that assessment results are not100% accurate and can vary depending on your situation, so you may be more effective in networking than this summary describes.
Total Score 1-40
This score indicates a high likelihood that you are not building productive relationships at work. Your answers are not consistent with someone who is considered capable of building and sustaining meaningful relationships at work. This may be because you are not very familiar with the process of connecting with people and how it can benefit you or because you are not taking the effort to establish connection with others in the organization. It is possible that you are someone who is not naturally inclined to establishing rapport with people, though you may be very adept in doing so. Whatever it is that is stopping you from building effective networking in the organization, it is important that you understand the importance of networking and start working towards the same. Networking is a skill that can be easily developed, particularly with help and guidance from others. An effective Leadership coach can help you in this area in particular but also in becoming a strong leader, in general. Consider engaging a coach to develop your abilities in this area to help you achieve the success that you are so capable and deserving of.
Disclaimer: This assessment is not intended to provide a psychological or psychiatric diagnosis and your completion of the test does not indicate a professional counseling or coaching relationship with the creators or administrators of the test.

KNR

Certified Personal Transformation Coach

&

Certified Master Spirit Life Coach

The Soul That Is Bangalore

[Recently, I had written a small piece for Bangalore Times on the changing life style in Bangalore.  It is the first of a series of weekly columns, titled "Home Run", that Bangalore Times will publish on impressions about returning to India by people that have lived abroad.  Was fortunate to be able to write the first one!

Thank you Bangalore Times.

Due to space constraints we had to cut short my article.  Here below, I have posted the full version. Enjoy Maadi!]

I am nothing special. I am one of those multitude of people that returned to India after a fairly long stint in the US. After spending close to eight years in Salt Lake City, Utah, my family returned to Bengaluru in the year 2000. Life in the US had its own charm, particularly since the city had a small Indian population.

The small community of Indians itself created possibilities. Possibilities that emerged due to the tenuous connection we could establish with things Indian.

Families came together with relative ease, gathering over weekends, organizing cultural events, staging plays, forming music bands, having Dosa parties, doing things that in general threw inhibitions to the wind, bringing us together in a strange way, on one end of the spectrum, to immersing ourselves in the grandeur of the capitalism that was part of every aspect of the American life, on the other.

Long weekends were eagerly awaited, for the long drives they offered to distant places, for the opportunity to visit novel destinations and for the gay abandon with which we could inhale the “freedom” of a country known for its respect for the individual.

But like anything else in life, this too had to pass! There came a time when we had to return to India for various reasons, one among them being the craving to connect back with our roots. For reasons obvious, we decided to get back to Bengaluru. MNCs were starting up, the bubble had still not broken, opportunities were abound, and most of our extended families were here. It was a natural choice.

Ten years hence, when I look back at what we expected it to be and what it turned out to be, the only word that comes to my mind is “metamorphosis”. Life in this city has changed in such unimaginable ways that I won't be surprised if “Bengaluru” is added to the list of synonyms for “change” in the near future.

Somewhere in the middle of the cacophony of our daily life that is made up of harrowing commutes, smelly air and constant conversations that seem to have taken over the calm of the city, lies an inexplicable charm, characteristic only of this city.

If one were to pause and reflect on the phenomenon that is Bengaluru, one would find a fascinating transformation, in many ways surpassing normal expectations. How Bengaluru has changed in the last few decades would probably top the charts in social conversations, and rightly so, since it probably is the only city in India that has gone through not only rapid but also multifaceted change. Just talking about it has the potential to carry a whole evening through.

At the same time, one must note here that change is definitely nothing private to Bengaluru. Change is common to every city of the world, big or small. But what makes it unique for Bengaluru is the speed with which it has changed.

See, there is relative change and absolute change. On both counts, I think Bengaluru stands out – for the speed with which it has transformed. This, in spite of my strong belief based on my living abroad, that fundamentally people are same all around the world. They have similar aspirations, qualms, beliefs and emotions everywhere. But then there is something in the DNA of this city that has made its people adapt at the speed of light and still maintain their bonhomie.

But sadly, unlike the way cities in other countries change, change in Bengaluru seems to have been accompanied by a brash callousness to environment. One wonders, what's it in our collective consciousness that makes us take things for granted!

Still, if we were to have a balanced view, we must not ignore the many positives that have been part of the transformation of our city from Bangalore to Bengaluru.

It would be an interesting exercise to dive deep and take a look at things that have changed about this city.

From changes of the “in your face” kind to those of a subtle nature, the list could be a never ending one. Here's a top 10 list of some very interesting and significant ones.

10. Fragrance, the signature of Bengaluru.

When I first set foot in Bengaluru about 25 years ago, one thing that stood out and is still vivid in memory, is the fragrance of the Sampiges and Malliges that used to pervade the streets of Bengaluru. Coupled with the nip in the early morning air it created a mystic aura about the city. Where gone are those days?

9. Summer, only in a calendar.

I think it was in the Seventies, when I used to visit this city for summer vacation, in my boyhood days. Finding warm sunshine was such a rarity that we used to rush to a sunny spot in the street, like a stream down a gradient. Now it almost feels like we only have two seasons in Bengaluru – Summer and December.

8. Fabric of our youngsters

Unlike now, those were days when children used to actually assemble on the streets to play gilli-danda, gully cricket and the likes. While children getting tied down in front of a TV or a gaming console is not peculiar to this city, I think the global exposure of our people has made it more pronounced a change for us.

7. Green to Gray.

This might be the most obvious one to the extent of being branded a cliché. But this is probably the biggest and most prominent change that this city has gone through – urban development, not just horizontally but also vertically. It almost feels like Beijing, when one drives on our Outer Ring Road, and I am not just talking about the smog!

6. Modern Governance.

Thanks to the efforts of civic bodies like Janagraha, BATF, etc., significant changes have happened in modernization of governance in the city. Bangalore One, BBMP Online are only a few examples of how technology has been adopted in governance. While there is a long way to go, the right first steps have been taken.

5. Traffic that is a miracle.

My boss from the US used to say that people in Bengaluru are Kami Kaze. I couldn't agree with her more. I don't understand what is with us, but we truly drive like our life is in others' hands - what with making right turns from the right side of the road; driving as if our helmets are blinders; staking our right on the wrong side of the road just by turning our high beam on; and generally flouting every law of the land. Forget caring for others, don't we at least have to care for ourselves?

4. Affordability, the mother of all virtues

Like Deepak Chopra says, material abundance makes the journey to success a pleasant one. One of the greatest changes I see in Bangalore is the increase in affordability of our people, leading to a healthy and vibrant economy. Recession? What's that?

3. Civic Sense

Not so pleasant to talk about is the change in civic sense in our city. But, unfortunately, that is reality. It would be actually a relief if only our citizens were more responsible, more civic and more loving of the fellow citizens. Maybe we should start with our neighbors and not bicker about the coconut trees on the other side of the compound.

2. Cosmo Cuisine

Not sure if one will find the peaceful coexistence of the quaint eat outs of Basavangudi and the Macs, KFCs and Pizza Huts in any other city. Fortunate are those whose taste buds are alive and well.

1. Ubiquitous Ashrams

Maybe it is the 2012 effect, but I think the unbelievable number of Ashrams in and around Bangalore is a step in the right direction. It is a known fact that Bangalore is the city with the most number of Ashrams in India. Get set, you meditating types.

Related to all of the above and actually as a result of the above, the other big change that is common in Bengaluru is the ever increasing influx of people from other cities, either by design or by default.

In conclusion, I take comfort in the fact that, in spite of the wide gamut of changes that this city has been through, it has retained the nerve of its fabric, entwined in the sociable nature of its people – the quaintly peaceful type - the quintessence of the “Adjust Maadi” culture of our friendly Bengaluravaru and its salubrious climate – the misty mornings and “Palm Beach” like evenings.

Enjoy Maadi!

What's all this noise about, you say? - An Intro to "Momentous Life".

When I started this blog, I only had a very general idea on what I was going to write about, but, no story board, not even an outline, to help keep my writing and hence this blog, regular and alive.  Looking back, starting this blog seems like destiny, perhaps a timely setup, to help me revive and keep at my writing.  As experiences unfolded in my life in the last few years, and my learnings grew, a distinct urge has been growing in me, almost gnawing at me - to revive my writing, which I have put off for a long time.  The last two months, when I have not been blogging, have been a cooling period of sorts, helping me to assimilate my thoughts, things that I wanted to share and in a way organize them, so they won't bore my readers, at the very least, me!   Though all my early writing has been in Tamizh, I believe writing in English would give me a larger reach and hopefully would be useful and maybe even transform some of my readers. 

Ergo, I am back!

As an aside, I do intend to continue writing in Tamizh too, but those would be mostly short stories.  Firstly, I intend to start by posting some of my stories written in the past (almost 25 years back), on my Tamizh blog, "அது, இது, எல்லாம்", (http://hondhu.wordpress.com). If you know Tamizh and are interested, please do visit. 

While the true motivation behind this blog is to feed my writing interests, I am confident it won't stop at that.  At least as a side effect, I am hoping that this blog will be of use to you and , some day maybe, even transform you, depending on the stage of your journey you are in, in your life! 

That's right, I intend to write about 'Life' - Its surprises, Its lessons, Its vagaries, Its spontaneity and everything else that makes It Momentous.  The ideas I want to share in the series of posts on this blog, are things that, I believe, will help us lead life with an effortless ease and enjoy every moment.
Hence the name for my blog, "Momentous Life". 

At the outset, though my previous posts tend to be here and there, frivolous, taking an issue with something, or not explicitly calling out the theme of leading a momentous life, you will see that there is a thin veil of connection in all those posts, to some fundamental life strategy, something that alludes to a basic principle in life.

For example, In "Say Wah! to Sehwag", I have highlighted the beauty of not complicating things; in "Why I think I will see Avatar, again!", I have alluded to the need for people to pay heed to messages of love, peace & harmony; and so on.

However, these were more serendipitous than charted, more by default, than by design, as I usually say!

Past events and the twists & turns, in my immediate family life have been a great learning experience.  These personal experiences, combined with teachings that come as a free supplement to them, have really convinced me that life is truly worth writing about.   I have found these teachings, principles, strategies, whatever one may call them, practical and useful, painless and fruitful in making every moment pleasurable. 
I intend to write about those.

Of course, I have no qualification to assume the position of a coach.  I am, by no means an authority on life.  But, I think I have picked pieces of wisdom from the world - from many of the transformational people I have met, (will write about some of them too some time), transformational material I have read and transformational ideas I have come across - that are worth sharing.  Combined with my penchant for writing, I am confident it won't be wasted time, either for me or for you!

In addition, I feel a moral obligation to share my learnings, give back what I took from life, to anyone that cares and finds my words useful.

Why should you care?

You needn't.

But if you did, I sincerely wish that you will find these ideas not only interesting but also exciting, to the extent that you see a change in your life.  I am not writing for recognition, praise or even acknowledgement.  I just am writing,  I just am!

If you have met me, you will know that I am transparent, brutally honest and thoroughly open to feedback.  Surely, I don't expect this to be a one way communication, a monologue.  I am hoping that you will share your views and wisdom in return, even if you don't agree with me, especially if you don't agree with me.

I will start sharing one idea per blog, starting from my next post. 

Hopefully the above summarises the purpose of this blog and evinces interest enough to bring you back! 

Before I sign off, I would like to leave you with the following, which I think truly captures the essence of 'living momentously':

The first rule is simply this:
live this life
and do whatever is done
in a spirit of Thanksgiving.
Abandon attempts to achieve security,
they are futile;
give up the search for wealth,
it is demeaning;
quit the search for salvation,
it is selfish;
and come to the comfortable rest
in the certainty that those who participate in this life
with an attitude of Thanksgiving
will receive its full promise.

                                                                                                                                                                John M Quinton II

Always we Begin Again

Live happily ever after!

Why I think I will see Avatar, again!

Happened to see Avatar in 3D yesterday.  Something about the movie makes me think I will be watching this movie again.  Not to mention that I missed about the first fifteen minutes of the movie.  Of course, that's not the only reason why I think I will see this movie again. 

Some things that obviously impressed me, (like anyone, I suppose).
1. The research labs with 3D computing environment.  Real life user interfaces where one could move objects between devices by just picking them by hand and placing them on the target device.  Monitors with embedded objects. 
That poses a question, though.
If movie makers can visualize these, and technology can create these effects in movies, why are these technologies not available in real life?  I don't think technology itself is the issue.  It's us, the scientists, the researches, the technologists, the corporates who block 'real' advancement in technology.  For example, are we ready for true interoperability?  More than all that, are our corporates truly interested in collaborating to bring the best of advancements?  I think not.  If they were, why have so many standards.  Isn't that an irony?
Free software, where art thou?
2. The Na'vis and their lifestyle.  It is no secret that more and more peoples of the world are proclaiming the most conducive way to live is to live in communities.  The whole theme moved me, in an unexplainable way.
3. The novelty in creating diverse life forms and their connection. 

And many more visual treats that this movie serves.  Just watching it in 3D was an experience of a life time. 

It's amazing that more and more of these 'fantasy' movies are touching on the ancient views of life, rooted in ancient civilizations of the world.  I wonder if the creators of movies like this, perhaps, have a deeper desire to communicate deeper truths to us.   Isn't there a message?  A message of love, peace and harmony - which I am sure is the need of the hour.

But, are we listening?

What are we celebrating the movie truly for?
Ne'er will know! 

Technorati Tags: Avatar, 3D, the real meaning, love and peace

Freedom Schools, whatdya think?

Schooling is an interesting concept.  What do parents really want out of their children's schooling? 

Would our children be in the flow in their professions?  Would they be able to pursue their passions?  Would they be loving, caring individuals?  Are today's schools and schooling systems geared up to create happy, fulfilled individuals who would engage in professions that maximize their potential? 

I am really interested in knowing the views of parents, current and potential, on the education system that prevails in today's world, that focuses on producing great achievers.  But is that all there is to education?

If you would like to share your views, kindly take the survey at  

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FJWQJY8.

It should take less than ten minutes.

Thanks and wish you a great new year!

How do you pick the "nuts"?

Recently, I was talking to a close friend of mine, who asked me the following question.  If you were interviewing a candidate for an executive position, what are the attributes you would look for and what questions would you ask the candidate?

Was an interesting question. Also, it has been a while since I interviewed candidates for senior positions. :-(
Obviously I was trying to remember things we had put together in the past in Sun Microsystems, (which I think is one of the companies with a great HR function; more on that in a later post), to help us select the best candidates. However, most of those were for either selecting individual contributors (the core of Sun), first level managers (managers of people), or second level managers (managers of managers). It stopped there.
But, of course, Sun has excellent information on the attributes of a leader, at an executive level, but no interview guide, that I could access. 

So, I started thinking about what I would ask a potential "director or higher" candidate, someone who would be entrusted with running a business or an operation, if I were to select one. I came up with a few, but I am sure there are more that would be relevant.  I think these questions are generic enough to be applied in any industry, barring a few about technology focus etc. 

I am not an expert in human resources, but hopefully these are meaningful questions. Would like to hear from others (particularly the MBAs or the MBA types) on what they would ask? 

Business Results 

• What are your top priorities in your business? [(e.g., happy teams, retention, 0 bugs, meeting commitments, containing opex, etc). These are important to you!] 
• How will you run your organization? 
• What are the success factors of your business? [Your business must be effective in these to be considered a success. May not be the same as "priorities" above. These are the things you will cover in your operations review to your bosses to say your business is successful.]

Technology 

• To what level do you think you should know your technology (the product line you are driving)?
• How will you address any shortfall in your knowledge of the technology you are leading?

Generating and Driving A Vision

• What is the role of vision in running a business? 
• Are you a visionary and why do you think so?
• How will you drive your vision?

Driving Innovation

• What innovations have you delivered?
• How will you build and grow an innovation culture?
• What are the factors that make an innovation culture flourish in a company?

Conflict Management and Resolution

• Name a few conflict situations you have been in?
• What are the various means you adopted to manage and resolve conflicts; which of those worked best? 

Resources and Plans

• What do you need, to be successful in your job?
• What are your plans for the next five years?

Family

• Questions to identify family circumstances that will impact the candidate's stickiness in the company.
  

Wonder if there are researched and qualified literature on this!
[Those of you who were looking for tips on selecting choice nuts for consumption with a frothy, cold concoction, sorry to have disappointed you].

Come on India, INDglish kum !

That we are a country of people capable of speaking English, is something I am very proud of. 
In my work, I have interacted with people of various non-native English nationalities - Czech, Chinese, French, German, Singaporeans, Japanese, to name a few - or maybe that is the complete list :-).  Anyway, that is not the point.  
While almost all of these individuals from different countries that I have met, speak impeccable English, one cannot say the same about majority of the rest of their country, I guess.  But that is not true with India.  One can go to almost any part of India (urban, to some extent) and strike a conversation in English.
It is not a secret that this talent of our people has been a primary reason for the economic, industrial and technological growth we have seen in India and by India in the rest of the world.  Personally, I know from my professional circles and interactions that this is a trait that is not only appreciated, but even respected.  
One thing that strikes me is the fact that most of the time work place conversations happen in English, in India.  Come to think of it, I think the reason for that, is that, there is no one single language we could talk in, in a group of working Indians, especially in cities like Bangalore.  To me that is a great plus!
Before I tell you where I am going with this, I want to make sure that you don't mistake me.  I am as proud and passionate about Indian languages as I am about English.  Given a chance I will want to be proficient (not just know) in as many Indian languages as possible.  I approach any Indian language with eagerness, broad mindedness and awe! 
It is a gift that we were born in this country.  It pains me when we see politicising of our languages, vernacular levers used to instigate people and divisiveness advocated in the name of language.  Simply stupid ways for personal gains!
Now, while we are good English speakers, I don't think we, as a country, are GREAT English speakers.  [I know there are great linguists in India, I am not talking about them - I am talking about the common man, the "mango" man, आम जनता]. :-) 
How do we change from being "good" English speakers to "great" English speakers?  I think if we can start a campaign or spread awareness about some common, simple mistakes we do, we can change.  Maybe we should pass around these common errors and "right answers" through our social networks?
I am open to suggestions.  I am keen on starting this, if you are interested, let me know, with a comment on this post, a tweet, a facebook entry or any means you can.
Hope this is a cause you believe in!
BTW, I have listed what I believe is the No. 1 fumble I encounter.  

•  ... one of my ... [singular noun]

e.g: He is one of my best friend.
Correct: friends
One other: 

• None of ... [plural noun/pronoun] [plural verb]

e.g: None of us eat vegetarian.
Correct: eats

Feel free to add yours.

Liku thatu and muchu moru!  

Have fun!

How to lead a simple life? OR "Say Wah to Sehwag"

Life is simple - don't complicate it.
What better way to learn this than to listen to him, the simpleton of modern cricket, "say wah" Sehwag: "I see ball, I hit ball".  That simple!!
I think anyone that cannot admire Sehwag's simplicity is by nature complicated.   It is usually very interesting to listen to them because they are the smart ones, very logical and sensible, but serious.  I am regularly surrounded by these smart people.

"Look at the technique", they say.

"Look at longevity", they say.

"Look at averages", they say.

"So what",  he says.  When he is there, just he is there.  And the ball he hits. 
Simple, my dear Batson!
He is so simple that milestones don't matter to him, that large scores don't matter to him, that his position in the team doesn't matter to him, but he attracts all of that like a magnet.
All that matters to him is living by the moment. 
That to me is deep, simple, but deep.  Let's cherish him, he is a dream come true.
Agreed, technique is good to watch, milestones are great to track and longevity is great to admire, but they are complicated.
Simplicity is fun, so be simple, relish him!

7 Must Read Books for a Fuller Life

All of us grow!

And we must.  I am not talking of growing as we commonly know - in age,  in status, in personal achievements and in wealth.   These are important, but do not make one complete.  These are fundamental, necessary and perhaps the first step for true personal development.

How we each grow is unique, and rightly so, is also called the process of  individuation.  Sometimes, many times, while our primary aid in the process of individuation is our life experience,  many great thinkers have shared perspectives, that complement the process beautifully.  

Here is a list of seven such books that inspired me.  Hope they leave you inspired too.
1. Who will Cry When you Die? - Robin Sharma

2. Tuesdays with Morrie - Mitch Albom

3. Seven Spiritual Laws of Success - Deepak Chopra

4. When Life Changes or You Wish it Would - Carol Adrienne

5. Synchro Destiny - Deepak Chopra

 

6. The Science of getting Rich -Wallace D. Wattles 

7. Passion Test - Janet and Chris Atwood