Blessing?

In my training programs for teachers or trainers, leaders or managers; I start with a wish, ‘May you get audience like you!’ And then I add that my wish could be a blessing or curse depending on their attitude reflected in their actions towards the one communicating with them.

The loaded blessing implies that if they are positively responsive to what comes before them, the boon sought that they received a similarly positive response from the audience to their presentations. However if they were indifferent or negative in their response, the curse wished for a similar negative response from the audience to their presentation.

So often, so many of us decry the passive or regressive response of our listeners. However, it is pertinent to ask ourselves whether we are culprits to similar behaviour when we are on the other side. When we switch roles, we must choose to be what we expected the others to be when they were cast in the same role that we have now assumed.

If we want others to listen to us, we must be good listeners when it is our turn to do so. If we seek responsive participation, we too must be enthusiastically proactive in our role as participants. If we seek applause in the right places, we too must be generous in our appreciation when it is merited.

For the blessing to be a true boon, not curse, we must choose to be better at our behaviour which is worthy of the same high standards that we set for others. It is said so well that ‘lessons are meant to be learnt, not taught!’ We must imbibe the attitude of being to others what we want them to be to us!

Let’s BE BETTER at keeping the blessing not the curse
by being to others what we want them to be to us!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Goa, India.

Free Choice

‘Any customer can have a car painted any colour that he wants, so long as it is black.’ - Choice offered on the Ford Model T.

In the late 16th century, Thomas Hobson rented out horses to university students at Cambridge. The students picked up their favourite steeds, and hence a few of Hobson's horses were overworked. To remedy the situation, Hobson began a rotation system, giving the customer the choice of taking the mount nearest the stable door or none at all. This rule became known as ‘Hobson's choice’.

Although, the term is used to mean ‘no choice at all’, Hobson’s choice is not an illusion of choice. Also, it is not the same as Morton’s fork which is a choice between two unfavourable options. It is a free choice in which only one option is offered. A person may refuse to take that option. The choice is therefore between taking the option or not. It is about aligning with either of the two alternatives: take it or leave it!

So often, we find ourselves in a vise over a situation of free choice. We feel cornered as we think we have no choice. However, it is pertinent to note that every road offers the option to walk or not. If we consider the option of opting out, we are liberated from the situation of single choice. Many people have made a successful paradigm shift in their lives and careers because they chose to be better at understanding the second option in free choice.

To BE BETTER at tackling the free choice…
have the courage to take or leave the vise!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Goa, India.

Judgemental

Five men lost their way and were forced to spend the night in the dark woods. One of them heard a twig snap, and went over to see what it was that was walking by. He walked right into the side of an elephant. He put out his arms to either side, but all he could feel was the big body of the elephant. He said, ‘I think I have walked into a wall.’ A second man grabbed hold of the animal's trunk and shouted, ‘This isn't a wall. This is a snake!’

The third man touched the animal's tail. ‘This is not a wall or snake. You are both wrong. It is a rope.’ The fourth man decided that someone should really get to the bottom of things. So he crouched down on all fours and felt around the elephant's legs. ‘My dear friends," explained the fourth man, ‘This is no wall or snake or rope. What we have here is four tree trunks’

The fifth man was not so quick to jump to conclusions. He walked up to the front and felt the animal's two long tusks. ‘It seems to me that this object is made up of two swords,’ said the fifth man. Suddenly, there was a stroke of lightning in the sky and the elephant trumpeted a fearful cry. Now, the five men could see and hear the strange object that they had difficulty in identifying.

Surely, we find ourselves in similar predicaments where our minds are so prejudiced that quite often we jump to conclusions. We need to open our eyes, ears and our mind… both literally and in spirit. We need to unlearn our prejudices and ensure an open approach to fresh learning.

It is a human tendency to be ‘judgmental’… and it is this very tendency that obscures our vision, cloaks our listening and masks our learning. Before we speak or voice our ‘opinions’ we must ensure that we ‘understand’ all facets before we take a ‘stand’. Imagination is good, but if we are not to stray from reality, we must be better at ensuring that we are not judgemental!

To BE BETTER at avoiding being judgmental…
Focus beyond perception to be developmental!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Goa, India.

Find Alternatives

‘For every ailment under the sun,

there is a remedy or there is none.
If there is one, find it…

 If there is none, never mind it!’

The above limerick reflected my attitudes and approaches in life as a teenager. It was sure-fire way to escape stress by just running away from the problem, if it could not be solved. This also indicated contentment with a singular solution to any problem. It would often mean getting stuck to mediocre static solutions.

However, years later, it is obvious that single answers often mask the appropriate alternatives. In the quest to come up with the solution, we do not get to the root of the problem. The first resolution ends up being the final one. Effectiveness is sacrificed at the altar of speed. With this new realisation, the last line of the verse of influence was unlearnt and revised as follows:

‘For every ailment under the sun,

there is a remedy or there is none.
If there is one, never mind it; 

if there is none, go ahead and find it

Truly innovative people are ones who search for better alternatives, never mind even if they already have a working answer to a problem! They refuse to be complacent and they constantly seek to be better at what they do.

Let’s BE BETTER at escaping complacency...

By finding alternatives that fuel efficiency!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Goa, India.

Giving

Once a woman, while wandering in the mountains, found a precious stone in a stream. Later she met a hungry traveller and when she opened her bag to share her food, he saw the precious stone. Instinctively, he asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveller left, rejoicing since he knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. 

However, a few days later, he came back to return the stone to the wise woman. ‘I've been thinking,’ he said. ‘I know how valuable this stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me this stone.’

Surely there is no greater personal wealth than the attitude of spontaneous giving. While we may share sometimes some of our resources or some of our money, very few can easily pass on what is most precious in our possession. Such unbridled giving needs a large heart that does not clutch on to valuables.

We need to be better at letting go of our self-absorbed and self-seeking attitude that prevents us from the act of passing our ideas, resources or opportunities. It is pertinent to note that the hallmark of leadership is in the ability to pass on opportunity to team members. To grow in life we must learn to give and share sans inhibitions.

However, it is not enough to generously give. Too often, we hope for a reciprocal reversal of giving by the one who has received from us. Such expectations fetter the decision to give. But when we give unconditionally, we liberate ourselves of the shackles of self-centred anticipation of receiving. And such an attitude is more valuable than any other riches!

Let’s BE BETTER at unconditional giving...

For true liberation lies in generous sharing!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Goa, India.

Potential within

Poet-saint Kabir wrote profound philosophy employing easily identifiable idioms and simple vocabulary. My favourite verse written by him (in Hindi) is…

‘Jo til mein hai tel, jo jagmag mein hai aag,
tera Sai hai tere andar, jaag sake tho jaag’

(like sesame seeds hold oil, like flint stones hold fire,
Your potential lies within, wake up to this fact)

Sesame seeds need to be crushed to be release the oil that lies within. Two stones when struck against each other create the spark that can kindle a fire. The capacity in both cases is inherent and suitable action creates the desired result. Kabir says that similarly every man’s potential lies within and it is important to accept that potential lies within.

However, unlike sesame seeds, humans do not need external pressure to unleash their inner potential nor do they need to be struck against (compared with) another person to kindle the spark. So often, we do things only because we are externally forced to do so by others or to measure up to be compared to another’s capacity.

We are owners of prospective possibilities to do great things. We need to awaken and look inwards. We need to see what we are and what we can be. Potential needs to be first discovered by the one who possess it. Too often, we put ourselves down, because we fail to remove our blinkers of self-doubt while looking inwards and within. To be better at performing we must first recognise those facets to our personalities that lie unexplored.

Awake to BE BETTER at true recognition...

To convert inherent potential into action!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Goa, India.

Be Nervous

Over an amazing run of 24 years, Sachin Tendulkar was able to sustain success in the game of cricket. The reasons are many: focussed dedication, consistent discipline, well grounded humility, strong emotional support from his family... but it is pertinent to consider one more factor, spelled out by the little master himself: nervousness never left him.

Even after grabbing most world records for batting, Tendulkar was always edgy every time he walked up to bat. He has shared often about being anxious by saying, ‘I believe feeling nervous enables one to give his best. You can get nervous only when you care about something and I care about cricket!’

We tend to believe that those who are nervous are not prepared or are not confident enough. But we find even confident, well-prepared persons to be nervous. On the other hand, there are ones who are care-free even when ill-prepared. This is so because things don’t matter to them. When they will be working on things which really matter to them, they will be found nervous.

Nervousness is the indication of concern and care. Like Tendulkar was always nervous about playing well for his country, seasoned actors feel the shivers before their performance. Senior scientists are uneasy when the space satellite they developed is to be launched. Flourishing businessmen lose their sleep before the launch of a new product or service.

It is wrong to look down upon nervous people (including ourselves) and judge them (or us) just by it. It is part of our emotions to be nervous. While it is good to be confident, it would be better to be nervous such that we never turn complacent or lose exciting emotions. When we start off on something new, it is natural to be nervous. The query is whether we can hold on it, like Tendulkar did to the very end of his glorious career.

Tendulkar never let go of nervousness born out of care...

Let’s emulate him to BE BETTER with everything we dare!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Goa, India.

Sing often

Last weekend, the Samraat Club Panaji organised its annual fellowship event – Deep Sandhya – the festival of lights being celebrated by the families of the members of the club. Glamour photographer and make-up artist, Sanjeev Salvi was orchestrated the entertainment using Karoake - a system of pre-recorded music accompaniment to songs whose words appear on a video screen.

Sanjeev was comfortable due to his competency to sing to the pre-recorded music. But the rest of us had inhibitions. We were not very comfortable syncing the words with the music that played. But as the evening progressed, the singing seemed liberated. Those who were scratchy during their first attempt seemed at ease while belting out a second song.

Very few children, who sing well in their childhood, retain their skill to sing, when they grow older. They stop singing for various reasons. Some lose the belief. Some lose the interest to develop the skill. Some sing in their minds. Some do not sing at all.

Many wrongly believe that singing is talent, when eventually it is a well honed skill that gets better by doing it again. Eventually it is to be seen whether all of us who discovered the potential of singing can develop it further by doing it often... After all, to be better at anything, we have to do it again and again!

There is an artist, a singer, a dancer, a story teller in all of us. But often our potential is unfairly condemned under our own expectation of its worthiness before an audience. It is foolish to compare ourselves with professionals. More importantly, the best of singers do not get better by comparing themselves with the singing greats. Rather they get inspired by their icons to keep singing.

to BE BETTER at the ability to sing…
doing it often is the right thing!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Goa, India.

Beyond Sympathy

In 1993, just before Diwali, the Latur earthquake uprooted lives, families and homes. Many felt pity and sympathy for the affected people. Some joined the emotional response of donating money and material. But the most valuable lesson came from the families who chose to scale down Diwali celebrations to the bare minimum… as they would have if tragedy were to strike their own home. The money was instead spent for relief work.

Our ability to connect with another’s predicament can vary from insensitive indifference to sensitive sympathy. While sympathy is good, empathy is better! It is beyond sympathy. Pity is ‘feeling sorry’ for someone in trouble and in need of help. Sympathy is feeling compassion or concern for another, the wish to see them better off or happier. We may instinctively 'catch' the emotions that others are showing without necessarily recognizing this is happening.

Andre Gide queried aptly, ‘Are you then unable to recognize unless it has the same sound as yours?’ Empathy is about recognizing the ‘sound’ of another’s experience even if it is unlike any of ours. It is about putting oneself into the psychological frame of reference of another, so that the other person’s feelings, thinking and actions are understood.

However, empathy should not be an occasional emotion… unravelled only in times of great tragedy. We cuddle contradictions if we practise empathy as a response to ecological calamities while ignoring the fact that they are a result of man-made decisions that trigger the disaster. Hence, we must be better at hearing the ‘sound’ before the ‘noise’ happens. Real empathy is about consistency in our actions to be responsible and responsive human beings.

To BE BETTER at the response of empathy…
Let’s move beyond situational sympathy!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Goa, India.

Hurdle

For many years, a farmer had to plough around a large rock in his field. He would curse the rock, every time he damaged his plough on it. Though he tried to be better at avoiding the rock, he ended up breaking yet another plough. Remembering all the trouble the hurdle had caused him through the years, he finally decided to do something about it. 

When he put the crowbar under the rock, he was surprised to discover that it was only about six inches thick and that he could break it up easily with a sledgehammer. As he was carting the pieces away he also carried the smile of realisation of how easy it would have been to get rid of that hurdle sooner… if he had only tried!

We know of how the stream defeats the rock with its persistence… how the drop hollows the rock with constant falling... how the stone cutter with determined chiselling gives shape to huge rocks. But, perseverance would never happen if one did not choose to try. And the reality is that most hurdles in our route may not be as big or as tough as we imagine them to be. But we would only know when we try! 

Most of the time, the hurdles in our path seem larger just because we dread the bigger obstacles. But, those who are seized by the passion, to overcome every obstacle, find that not all rocks in their course are overwhelming. Somebody who shirks from preliminary effort would find the simplest of tasks to seem overpowering. It is said well that ‘never give up until you try’…

The hurdle in our way may not be what it appears
Let’s BE BETTER at overcoming premature failure fears…

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Goa, India.

Resourcefulness

Before the interview, the candidates were shown a salient audio visual about the organisation’s vision, mission and systems. Next came the announcement, ‘Ladies and Gentlemen, the interview shall commence after a 30 minute recess. Till then, please have some soup.’ Everyone began to queue up at the serving table. Even those, who did not want the soup, chose not to be part of a slight.

The atmosphere was one of discipline… no pushes and shoves… smiles flashed around… everyone knew they were being watched and hence the best behaviour was out on display. Bowls were lifted with grace… prompt ‘thank-you’ uttered as the waiter poured the soup… Each moved ahead gracefully towards the awaiting additives… chilly sauce, vinegar, pepper, salt, etc.

The assessment was complete! Everyone who added without tasting and checking out whether the soup actually required add-ons were in hot soup as far as the interview was concerned 

Interviews are conducted to assess competencies and attitude. And in recent times, innovative situations are created to assess the reflexes and responses to find out who is better than the rest. The above case is an excellent example of testing attitude and approach to available resources. In the quest to assess who is better, the ones who fall aside are the ones who use resources without considering whether they are needed.

So often, so many of us use resources in an irresponsible and indiscriminate manner. We use resources less from the perspective of an assessed need and more from the mechanical habit of going through motions without thinking. To BE BETTER than the rest, we must ensure that our behaviour is based on situational thinking instead of perfunctory behaviour. Resourcefulness is a trait born out of conscious responsiveness that arises when the mechanical inclination is overcome.

Unlearn mechanical habits that land us in a mess...

To BE BETTER involve in responsive resourcefulness!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Goa, India.

SELF CENTEREDNESS

A young boy, while travelling in a bus, was horrified to find that the money in his pocket was missing. When the conductor came to collect his ticket fare, the lad burst into tears. The kind-hearted bus conductor consoled him, ‘Do not worry… I shall pay for your fare of eight rupees.’ However, on receiving the ticket, the boy cribbed, ‘what about my change? I lost a fifty rupee note!’

The glossary of antonyms lists ingratitude as the reverse of gratitude. It is described as ‘forgetfulness of or poor return for kindness received’. However, the above story reveals a worse fault than forgetfulness. It confirms that the opposite of gratitude is our own selfish attitude of expectations and demands on others around us.

We are so appropriated by our own self-centeredness that we fail to realise our self-absorbed thanklessness is making us insensitive to the value of gratitude. When we let our demands dominate our relationships, the result is ruinous. So often, we give up on relationships because we are unhappy with the time or the attention we receive.

Relationships centred on expectations suck our emotional strength and drain our personal resources. Sometimes even the strongest commitment can’t counterbalance the depletion that our friends or loved ones may feel if we treat them like this. In fact, insensitivity will diminish the relationship

Let’s learn to be thankful for what we receive in terms of helping hands, without insisting that the help be proportionate to our need. Let’s never measure the love and kindness that we get. We must look at what we receive, and not be seized by how much we receive. Self-centeredness needs to be eliminated for the true attitude of gratitude!

Insensitivity will strain and ruin the relationship…
BE BETTER at giving self-centeredness the skip!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Reflection

Every time when we look at ourselves in the mirror, what do we see as a reflection? Surely we see what we choose to see. If we see a glowing or a glum image it just reflects our dominant emotion at that time. It also reflects possibilities of positive transformations in our thoughts.

Surely what matters is not what is reflected but how we reflect on it! For instance, a bald person may go beyond acceptance of the situation to a confidence level that transforms it into a style statement. On the other hand, we notice the pathetic distress of those who cannot face a declining hairline. 

We need to reflect on ‘what is’ rather than ‘what is not’. It is all about reflecting on the outside reality with inner strength. And inner strength comes when we take ownership of our lives, of what we are and of what we have. But first, we must reflect by unlearning negative perceptions of what is good and what is bad. 

Transformations best happen inside out. Worries and fears disappear when we reflect on every situation with positive introspection. We need to be better at reflecting beyond the surface to connect to the beauty of the inner self. It is pertinent to note that when we change our outlook to our own predicament; we see the outer world too, in positive light. Positive thought (reflection) can overcome every mirrored perception (reflection).

Every mirrored perception needs thought reflection...
Let’s BE BETTER at boosting positive introspection!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Mentoring

Last week, 34 budding entrepreneurs were connected to mentors in a two-day residential workshop conducted by GEMS. Born of the vision of Rajkumar Kamat, GEMS is Goa Entrepreneur Mentoring Service Trust that seeks to share the experience of business achievers with the ones who are starting off. The mentors will provide expertise to less experienced individuals to help them advance their dreams, enhance their learning and build their networks.

Mentoring programs are increasingly popular in various organisations where newcomers are paired with experienced people, who act as friends and guides. However the GEMS initiative is commendable as the mentors are mentoring those who can be their future competitors. So does mentoring make sense when not within an organisation? Is it foolish to empower one’s competition?

We need to remember that the qualities of an effective mentor include risk taking, trustworthiness, a depth of knowledge and above all being emotionally strong. Mentoring obviously can come only from a position of courage, confidence and competence. It requires the ability to envision the worthy dream to pass on the baton of experience and thus be able to leave a legacy.

Mentoring needs us to move beyond illusionary insecurities. And it is the right attitude that makes the mentor moves to higher levels as he mentors his mentees. Indeed while it is great to be efficient in achieving, we will be better at creating an impactful legacy when we involve in mentoring. Having the courage to share through mentoring is the true test of every achiever.

True confidence does not stop at self-centred achieving

Let’s BE BETTER at having the courage to do mentoring!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Goa, India.

Use or Lose

The annual awards ceremony of the Trainers’ Association of Goa was held yesterday. The TRAINER ICON award was given to Atul Shah who has made a difference through his dynamic style of infectious inspiration, deep insights and creative innovations. Nevertheless, all those, whose lives he has touched, will tell you that his greatest competency is his flair for eloquent oratory.

While speaking on the occasion, Atul shared how his father literally pushed him into becoming an expert at elocution during his school days. However, in college, the skill was hardly used and Atul would dread to see the sight of a mike or a lectern. He said that it was a case of the famous saying ‘if you don’t use it, you lose it’. Atul had to resume the journey again to reclaim his skill!

The predicament, of losing a competency because we have stopped using it, is commonplace. Skills, we are proficient in at a younger age, seem difficult to take on, when we are older. So often, so many of us give up using the skills we have acquired in our learning phase. After a gap when we try our hand at the same skill, we find ourselves at sea.

Actually, we do not really lose the skill; we lose the confidence to use the skill. And this is the most importance lesson. Confidence comes from getting better and getting better will come from consistency. Not just oratory, to be better at sports, arts or any other skill, it is important to not stray away for long from its use. It is steadfastness in the use of that skill that ensures its sustenance.

Many of us give up on things because we are busy with other priorities. But, if we consider that we have invested considerable time and effort to reach to a level of confidence in using the skill, it is surely foolish to lose such a treasure. We must find the time to do all the things we could do earlier. We must reclaim our original capacities by just using every opportunity to use them!

To BE BETTER at retaining it

Just be consistent in using it!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Goa, India.

Recce

Look around and you will see that effective persons are the ones who are better prepared to walk the path they choose to step on. Singers, orators, performers would want to see the podium on which they would perform. Traders, entrepreneurs, sales persons involve in what they call a trial run. They use different words but what they are doing is a ‘recce’

 ‘Recce’ is a word frequently used by those in trekking and mountaineering. Every time we plan a new trail, some of us undertake a ‘recce’ – an exploratory excursion to confirm the best possible route. We identify spots to visit as well as do an estimate for time budgeting. Invariably a well done ‘recce’ ensures a successful trek with a larger group of participants.

The term derived from ‘reconnaissance’ refers to an exploration conducted to get information. Also known as scouting, it is a military idiom for a preliminary survey to gain facts. However, a ‘recce’ is more than a survey and analysis. It is about pre-experiencing the proposed plan to be better in responding to the challenges of the situation.

So often we plan to do embark on certain paths or projects. Quite often we do not start for lack of knowledge and experience. Whether it is a mission or an initiative or an endeavour, the path becomes familiar when we embark on a ‘recce’. Larger dreams are better realised by exploring the ‘recce’ experience that helps us understand the situation. Hence we are better prepared to tackle traps and plan strategies to optimise use of resources, including time.

To BE BETTER prepared use the right tactic

To know the path, a recce will do the trick!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Goa, India

Fab Four

The farmer ploughs the land to reap a golden grain…

The cowherd is not rewarded with milk, without any pain…

The blacksmith shapes the iron with tools that shine…
The potter shapes the clay with a picture in his mind…

The above lines are from a poem penned by yours truly inspired by the song ‘ye taara’ from the Hindi film ‘Swades’. They have been used to effectively convey the concepts of vision and mission. The analogies are of learning through the simple approaches of four traditional professions.

The farmer, involved in sustainable activity, is greater than the hunter who preys with greed and ends up depleting the resource. Before sowing the farmer ploughs the land to get it ready for sowing. The cowherd too feeds and nurtures the cow, before he can get its milk. Surely, we to need to involve in pre-project work to set the stage for the real activity.

The blacksmith ensures that his tools are just right. The potter envisions his creation even before he creates it. Both the craftsmen teach us the art of visioning and having the right tools. Those who can visualise their dream before it is realised are better placed to achieve it. Those who gather the right tools are going to empowered to execute the desirable actions.

Everyone wants a rich harvest. We reap what we sow! But we must learn to be better at sowing by doing the essentials before sowing. These essentials are of getting the ground ready, putting efforts in the incubation period, acquiring the right tools and envisioning the dream. Over the years, the fabulous four of the farmer, the cowherd, the blacksmith and the potter have just taught us so.

The law of the harvest is to reap more than you sown

Let’s be better at doing what the fab-four have shown!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Goa, India.

True Image

It doesn't make sense to call ourselves ugly, because we don't really see ourselves… We don't watch ourselves sleeping in bed, curled up silent with our chests rising & falling with our own rhythm…. We don't see ourselves reading a book, eyes fluttering and glowing…. We don't see ourselves looking at someone with love and care in our heart...

There's no mirror in our way when we are laughing and smiling and pure happiness is leaking out of us…. We would know exactly how bright and beautiful we are if we saw ourselves in the moments where we are truly our authentic self...

The above message was posted by Geeta Shanker, my facebook friend. How true! We are denied seeing our own inherent beauty that is obvious to others who discover it in our responses and behaviour. The charm of our personality lies in our little actions and expressions.

Of course, those who see us, in our inherent beauty, can hold the positive mirror to us. But so often, so many of us would refuse to accept the true image of our selves. We tend to deflect positive appreciation and on the other hand we easily succumb to negative feedback, even if it is off the mark.

Our true image is when we are free of inhibitions... when the child within is set free... when we laugh without covering our face... when we walk without worry... when we shed the masks of false pretence... when we are simple and sincere... And when we choose to be better at noticing our truly attractive traits, we will notice our true image of yet another beautiful human being!

‘Every being is beautiful’ insists many a sage...

Let’s be better at appreciating our true image!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Goa, India.

Faith

A tightrope walker could perform his feat with his assistant sitting on his shoulder. An impressed audience would give him a thunderous applause. Before doing it again he would ask them whether they believed that he could do it again. The crowd would respond with, ‘Yes, we believe that you can!’ Then, he would ask, ‘Now, who wants to volunteer to get on my shoulder?’

The crowd would turn silent.

 It was obvious that the crowd had the ‘belief’ in the acrobat’s capability. They had seen him do it again and again. But they did not have enough ‘faith’ to rely on his ability. Hence the reluctance to act as per their own stated belief. It is pertinent to note that faith is not a logical conclusion of belief, at all times. If the belief is superficial, the faith will be shaky.

Consider a deeply religious person who says he believes that God does not play dice with human lives and the same person falls prey to dread of astrology and other superstitions. Consider a self-proclaimed patriot who circumvents the law of his country. Or consider a scientist who prostrates before a God-man despite knowing that the latter’s miracles have easy explanations.

Education and experience create a set of principles in us which we consider to be our beliefs. It is easy to state our beliefs without having any real faith. Faith is reflected only if it is seen in our actions. The test is easy… if we can be better at convertinge our own stated belief into consistent action, then it can be certified as true faith. Otherwise, that belief is just a blank expression.

What we describe as belief is just an expression

Faith requires us to be better at aligned action!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Goa, India.

Eyes Capture

Nowadays at various events, we see a common sight of many enthusiasts, standing in an awkward pose, back bent backwards and forefinger on the trigger... all set to capture the ongoing scene on cameras of different types. Never mind that the professional photographer is blocked out of view by these over excited, trigger happy camera-men.

Earlier the camera was meant for the ones who could afford it or the ones who could use it. Now it is easily affordable as well as usable. It comes as an add-on with other tools like mobile phones. It has empowered the needs of photo documentation. Journalism and even activism has found its uses to capture, chronicle and transfer visual information.

However the fundamental focus of the camera’s real potential is lost on its many converts. More often not, the furious frenzy of such enthusiasts, displays that they are only interested in clicking the shot rather than experiencing the activity. They rush from shot to shot, observing nothing. For some, the motive is to upload the photograph on Web 2.0 before someone else does.

It is akin to W H Davies’ poetic lament, ‘no time to wait till her mouth can... enrich the smile her eyes began’! We need tolerance for time so that our eyes can notice the minute detail as well as the larger vision. The camera is a highly useful invention, but it remains secondary to the human eye and its capacity to observe beyond the scene... a necessary trait for every photographer.

It would be better for us to use our eyes before we use the camera. The personal experience and the understanding that comes from it help empower the photographer’s penchant for perfecting the skill... like so many passionate photographers so well display! Alfred Eisenstaedt said it so well that ‘The important thing is not the camera but the eye!’

BE BETTER at using eyes to capture the activity...

Instead of a hasty clicks for needless posterity!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Goa, India.