Horizon

Speaking at an event of JCI Alumni Club at Goa, Ashrafali Nizari spoke about the horizon. He pointed out that the horizon gets wider as we go higher. His message was to stretch out and rise up to see newer horizons.

 

The horizon is the line at which the earth's surface and the sky appear to meet. It is also used to refer to the limit of a person's knowledge, experience or interest. Hence, our perspective is wider as we rise up in any team.

 

The word originates from Greek as ‘horizōn (kuklos)’ which meant ‘limiting (circle)’. The visible horizon represents the edge of what is known or manifest. But when go up in life, we tend to see things in wider outlook.

 

Even though we see it way off in the distance, the horizon is not the boundary. It’s not the limit. It’s just as far as we can see in the moment. But the possibilities are always greater as our horizon turns wider.

 

Where we are now is not the limit. Even if it feels that way right now. When horizon is based on a limited self-definition, with concepts that are false, then our horizon is artificially adopted. We must move on to the real horizon.

 

When we come to the completion of a project or a vision of ourself, we must choose to expand into a new direction. We must opt to tap innate abilities within that we have not yet realised. New horizons bring along new frontiers.

 

Stretch out to rise to newer heights

A wider horizon will come to sight!

 

- Pravin K. Sabnis

 

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GUERILLA TACTICS

The legendary Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was an exemplary leader with high values, lofty vision, earthy humility and endearing responsiveness. One of many leadership lessons are his strategies for battle and governance. 

 

He maintained a small but effective standing army. Aware of the limitations of his army, he knew that conventional warfare methods were inadequate to confront the big, well-trained cavalry of the Mughals, which was equipped with field artillery. He chose and mastered guerrilla tactics.

 

His guerrilla tactics perplexed and defeated the enemy. He knew that the most vulnerable point of the large, slow-moving armies of the time was supply. He utilised knowledge of the local terrain and the superior mobility of his light cavalry to cut off supplies to the enemy. 

 

He refused to confront the enemy in pitched battles. Instead, he lured the enemies into difficult hills and jungles of his own choosing, catching them at a disadvantage and routing them. He used several methods to undermine his enemies, as required by circumstances, such as sudden raids, sweeps and ambushes, and psychological warfare.

 

Looking at the limited resource he faced, he chose effective utilisation of people and natural resource including warfare material and weapons. His method has been trigger for military related and governance related topics of research, besides competitive strategies in business as well.

 

Learn the lessons from Chhatrapati Shivaji’s life 

Guerrilla tactics can overcome every tough strife!

 

- Pravin K. Sabnis

 

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Impartial

'Kabira khada bazaar mein, mange sabki khair

Naa kehu se dosti, Naa kehu se bair'

(Standing in the public square, Kabir wishes all well

No friendships with anyone nor any enmity as well)

 

Sant Kabir's doha (couplet) urges an impartial approach in public space. While we may have friends or enemies in personal space, in public we have to rise above petty positions.

 

So often, so many of us are consumed by an arrogance of power that emerges from the public position we hold. We allow the dust of our personal prejudices to affect the need to be fair and just. We end up being non partial.

 

It is said that 'with great power comes great responsibility'. The ability to have the right response, never mind the stimulus, is responsibility. The person before us is the stimulus but our response should not be affected by who the person is but what is the right thing to do.

 

Avoid rigid perception to be fair and just

Impartial is the way to be, sans any dust!

 

- Pravin K. Sabnis

 

 

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Mistakes Allowed

Goa based, Ethernet Foundation organised its first edition of VAA! – Vivekananda Angel Awards on 2 February, birth anniversary (as per Hindu calendar) of Swami Vivekananda. The inaugural award was conferred upon Rudolf Schwartz, Goa’s guardian angel from Germany.

 

77 year old, Rudolf facilitated skill development of underserved students through his initiative:Indian Students Educational Aid Foundation which now runs 3 technical training schools, an Open School, a Nursing Bureau besides providing scholarships to over 3000 students for higher education.

 

He was 44 when he set off on his mission. He paid from his pocket for multiple trips to Goa to follow up with the local team. He convinced over 500 active sponsors from Germany. His consistent efforts bore fruit because he and his team believed that ‘it is allowed to make mistakes’. 

 

Many of us believe that errors are unforgivable blunders, fostering a culture of fear and stagnation. Mistakes are learning experiences. We must shift focus from the mistake itself to the decision-making process that led to it. We must understand that not all decisions will yield the desired outcome. 

 

Decision-making is primarily an act aimed at an uncertain future, making all decisions prone to potential error. If the thinking was sound but the outcome unfavourable, it is still regarded as a valuable decision in the quest for progress. Hence Rudolf says, ‘it is allowed to make mistakes’.

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Efforts are important, Outcomes may break

Remember, it is allowed to make mistakes!

- Pravin K. Sabnis