Determination and skill...!

The chances of success for determination are more compared to that of skill, when we consider these two as independent entities. Apparently, same gets reflected even when we combine these two.

Determination with skill can achieve anything. Determination without skill can achieve something. But skill without determination do not achieve much; if if it does, it cannot happen on a consistent basis.

Brand ambassador... Take Home #561

Customers are some of the best brand ambassadors.

Simple process... Take Home #560

The simple the process is the better the utilization will be.

Champion-like... Take Home #559

Playing it a champion-like is important but not necessary to win. However, playing it to the moment is important and must, to win the game, be it against a minnows or a titan!

Temperament... Take Home #558

Temperament is one of the greatest saviors!

Talent comes next in the list and temperament nails it, especially in crucial situations of head to head!

Approachability... Take Home #557

Approachability defines the attitude of a leader towards his people; attitude in terms of understanding the people to lead them better.

Rejection...Take Home #556

When what you say is wrong, there can be an argument. But when the way you say is wrong, there can be a straight forward rejection.

Argument leads somewhere; but rejection leads nowhere!

Leadership... Take Home #555

Leadership is about leading a team to bring up yet another leader from within it. 

Long distance relationships - Are they weak visibly or really?

They say that no distance can separate the hearts that are bonded together. And at the same time, long distance relationships are seen as the ones that can get the people separated anytime! Is it the distance that matters or is it the mindset of the people involved that actually matters?

Although not every relationship undergoes the test of distance, there are particularly some relationships that do undergo a lot of such. Globalization has affected a lot of aspects of human life and has not left the 'relationship' aspect either. With the increasing demand for independent thinking of women and parity notion, both men and women are opting difficult choices to build their own careers. Predominantly, the choices that the two people involved in a relationship make are the main drivers of the way the relationship progresses. Career path is the reason that largely drives people to make difficult choices to get to a point where they have to stay away from their loved ones. And that's fair enough too!

Now, staying back in the respective places, how the relationship could be maintained? That's of course a question, with a positive answer. The relationships can very well be maintained. Commitment, belief and communication are the important aspects of staying together, at heart if not physically. 

Be it the case with the long distance relationships or of the contemporary ones that we usually see in our neighbourhood, the commitment towards the partner is important. Believing in each other is yet another important virtue. There is no difference in maintaining these two; they can be greatly maintained irrespective of the physical distance between the people involved in a relationship. "Communication" is something that needs special attention in the case of long distance relationships. Of course, it's important in any but there ease of communicating is undeniably high in staying together. And in the long distance case, communicating can be very tricky. You don't see each other, you don't know the facial expressions, you don't know the emotions that the other person is going through etc are some of the facts that make the whole thing a bit more complicated than a normal relationship where people stay together or at least get to meet on regular basis. Mastering the communication is important in successfully maintaining the long distance relationships. It's important that people understand each other's way of communication too, apart from what's being communicated. Being honest in sharing the thoughts and the day to day life's stuff with each other can have huge impact, sometimes noticeably and most of the times unnoticeably. No doubt, commitment and belief play their part in understanding each other. And communicating with each other can have good amount of impact too. 

Well, communicating is not as difficult as it appears. Also not as easy as it appears either. Long distance relationships are not as weak as they are perceived to be. But at the same time, they demand something extra, I.e. in terms of the time, of the people involved, for each other. If people are understanding and matured enough, long distance can at times work actually better. Well, its not societally possible for a longer time though! Long distance relationships are not weak and they need not be, rather they shall not be, seen as weak prospects. At this date, I believe they are visibly weak, and that too in the minds of the people who perceive them as weak ones. 

Understanding... Take Home #554

Understanding each other is important to have a nurturing relationship. Communicating and listening to each other is the key aspect of improving the understanding. 

Fears and Limits!

Out of all that we read, only few strike a chord in our minds. One such line that struck me this season is this - "The fears that we do not face become our limits". Everyone has some or the other limitation. While limitation is not a mistake, staying back well within the limits without trying to go beyond the possibilities of ours is certainly a mistake. That's more like creating our own limits. The attempts that we fail to make, because of whatever the kind of fears we may have, remain as the limits that we see ourselves never being able to cross. 

How to overcome the limits?

There is a way to identify the limits, Fear, is the factor that makes us know our limits. Facing the fears makes us know the limits that we can actually cross or extend to! That's yet another and the possibly the best way to experience the limitlessness and eventually the limits are overcome. 

Choice is ours... Take Home #553

Life is simple for those who keep it simple and complex for those who believe it is complex. The choice is ours. 

India lose and Gayle does it again... #WT20-2016 Post #2

When our favorite strong team losses, we often end up cursing their over confidence. It's not necessarily true always that teams lose because of over confidence. There can be number of other factors which result into defeat, especially in big tournaments. In the recent case of Indian men Cricket team's loss to New Zealand in the opening match of the T20 world cup Super 10 league, there have been a lot of posts on social networking about the "over confident" Indian team. I differ in opinion here.

I'm neither a cricket expert nor a psychiatrist. But  as a player in general, I do understand that there exists a kind of nervousness before every match we play. Something gets to us from within, And as the match goes on, it settles down and lets us play our game. Under any circumstances if the start is on a bit unfavorable note, the nervousness can turn into pressure which can do anything, which can drag anyone to defeat. This is keeping it very general. 

In the very case of Indian team, I guess the first couple of quick wickets have done it all. Ideally, losing two wickets is nothing for a team with the swashbuckling batting line up like India, but these guys lost the game in their minds already. Instead of going for the big shots, they must have tried to slow down the pace of the game, first of all. Once the partnership stabilizes for three to four overs, they could have gone against the bowlers. But on the contrary, the batsmen tried to play poor shots in order to probably take the pressure off! The target was not as huge as what West Indies chased in style against England on day-2, still it appeared high because they were already named the favorites to win the cup! Another important aspect is the home crowd, which can get any great player closer to the reality of nervousness. Collectively, Indian team members failed to execute the plans on that occasion. That's how at least I see it as. I do not think, its anything to do with the over confidence, at least after that warm up match defeat! 

Well, there can be many opinions but the truth is only one, which in this case is the loss. Nonetheless, by looking at the team composition, they must reach to the semi finals. Time will tell! 

Chris Gayle has once again proved that he is the most vulnerable player of the Caribbean cricket at this point of time. Absolutely entertaining and fearless! That's  a wonderful knock by him under pressure. England now will have tough time in the next matches. 

Pakistan has crossed the Bangla-Jinx. They must be preparing themselves for the first win against India in the world cup. Hope this Indian side maintains the record and legacy by winning against Pakistan. Srilanka through with the steady 83 by Dilshan. The inexperienced bowling side is and will be their weakness in this tournament.

Today's tie between Australia and New Zealand, the repeat of the one day world cup finals-2015, will be interesting. Hope we get to see guts and runs! The tribute given to late Martin Crowe before the 1st super 10 match was a thoughtful one indeed. New Zealand must be looking to dedicate to him a win against Australia. Looking forward for the match tonight. 

Its world cup time, yet again! #WT20-2016 Post #1

It's been long since I wrote about a cricket tournament, although here and there I mentioned about a couple of matches. World cup of T20 cricket is one tournament that stuck me this season. Not that I've become crazy once again about cricket. But the fact, that I might not be able to write about a few players ever again after this tournament, makes me put down my thoughts. So, its world cup time, yet again!

There was a time when world cup used to bring a lot of offers along with especially in television market. That trend has now receded and some or the other offer do exist throughout the year as Indians have started watching a few things other than cricket. Relatively, its a quiet start to this year's world Twenty-20. Probably, the so called anti-national issue debates have taken over the media coverage. Well, cricket does not take anytime to be back in news, in India especially. 

Indian team is looking good this time round. They must make it to semi finals. And apart from them, my ever favorite South African team is a composed one too! Ab De villiers is to be looked for in the Safari team. Hoping to see the Safaris through this time, but they have good competition waiting in the likes of India and Australia. Australian cricketers, the one day world cup champions, know how to win in the Indian conditions, so, they will give their hundred percent. Watson is their man, as per me. His innumerable IPL experiences on all Indian pitches must aid the team to devise and  execute the strategies. New Zealand, the one day world cup semifinalists, are unpredictable. The conditions are different in India to the down under but not new though. 

The other sub-continental teams, Pakistan, Srilanka, are struggling with the pre or after-retirement vows. Senior players of Srilankan team retired later to the last world cup. The team composition now is undesirably new. They have a great challenge ahead. Pakistan has some senior players still playing in but except Shahid Afridi, there is none to really rely upon. Afridi too is now in the whirlpool of controversies right before the beginning of the tournament. All that he did was to speak a few good words about the warm welcome he and his teams received on their arrival in India. In fact, that was a very much expected row from Javed Miandad. But since Afridi is not a new bee to all this, he must overcome and live up to the expectations, I guess. 

Bangladesh is a giant killer. They are looking pretty good to go against the giants yet again. The other teams of their group must handle them consciously. I was not following cricket lately much, hence not sure about the West Indies and England teams. Will have to see through the tournament.

All in all, its a close contest as always like any other T20 game. Anyone can win the cup provided some of the best teams lose it on their own! I'm looking forward for an entertaining and less surprising world cup. 

As per my expectations, this might be the last world cup for the following: Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Ashish Nehra, James Watson, Ross Taylor, Lasit Malinga and few others. Hope they perform their best to avoid carrying any regrets. 

Best wishes to all the teams! 

Participation and performance... Take Home #552

A win does not always mean a success and a loss does not necessarily mean a defeat. Participation and performance are important.

Bigger picture... Take Home 551

Understanding the bigger picture lets you get a wider and a holistic perspective. The wider the perspective is the lesser the conflicts happen, even though debates happen quite a bit.

The weakest strength... Take Home #550

The weakest strength can become the weakness anytime. Beware.

Intelligent Drops... Take Home #549

Not Big 'Shots' but the intelligent 'Drops' win more!

Keep aspiring... Take Home #548

Even though you do not deserve, the position that you get satisfied with is the position you will be in!! Keep aspiring for more. Win more.

Guidance... Take Home #547

With guidance, people succeed. Without guidance, people PIONEER. Either is alright, later being the best nonetheless!

Stop and start... Take Home #546

Nothing and no one is ever liked by everyone! Stop expecting and stat accepting.

How can we stop being judgmental?

Thanks Paresh, for posing this question! 

First and foremost, we cannot, per say, stop people from being judgmental unless we know them and we explain why not to be judgmental and how not to be. Even if we succeed once in convincing people not to be so, that can remain to be the one time or the only time unless people decide from within not to be judgmental.

Now, how to stop being judgmental?

Being judgmental comes from a basic fact that we are not open for different perspectives, rather different facts that we do not know while looking at a particular thing. Widening the perspectives  is one thing that can be of great help which makes us to be open to accept the fact that 'what we are seeing or perceiving might be something out of much, and there can exist something else too'. Also, it allows us to think that 'the other person might be coming from a different perspective altogether'. The moment our thinking allows us to look for above said, for sure we take time before being deciding upon anything; and this time gap is sufficient to stop us from being judgmental, I guess.  The moment we are consciously looking for another perspective is the moment we not being judgmental. It helps a lot actually, to an individual and to society, if all of us can practice not to be judgmental. 

Hoping and willing... Take Home #545

Hoping and willing are the two essential things one must consciously nurture to deliver anything.

Speak out!

When we are facing a problem, we often end up thinking that we are the only victims of such a problem. But when we speak out about the problem with people around, of course who are closed to us, we start realizing that we are not the only victims of such a problem and that there are many who have similar experiences! Knowing that there are many victims is one thing, but the most important thing is, when we speak out with multiple people, out of all that we get to hear, there might exist the 'solution' that we are desperately looking for!

Finding the solution could be the best thing to happen to us while facing any problem. Speak out as much as you can and as many to as you believe to be your closest. There is no point in keeping problems to self, unless otherwise too personal!