As I was sitting in my office today and thinking about, what makes some people successful in whatever they are today, I was really struggling hard to find an answer. Is it education, creativity, vision, support, health, wealth, or hardwork – I was dazzled?? I couldn’t find an answer. Or How people recuperate during failures – or what do people do if they don’t have any of the above?
I started thinking through lot of instances that has made highly successful men to what they are today – successful and popular.
My present client manager(he is one Indian here who is so famous among the other American manager(s)), who is so much liked by everyone of us here, is very popular. We were in a meeting discussing on how to complete a new project within 6 weeks. After the meeting was over, my team lead(in a more real fighting mode) emailed him a list of factors as to why this project cannot be done in time and what are the inherent risks that prevent in doing so. My manager replied appreciating the lead for this well thought out concerns and his final verse goes something like this –
“ ….I appreciate your aggression in coming out with your issues. I’m so happy that you let me know for what you believed is true – it is this combined aggression and truthfulness in you, along with the effort of team, which I believe can make this project delivered in time with great success”
Whoa! I was flabbergast! How can one person gently refuse, at the same time not mind the fury of the other and still motivate people to get things done. And then it suddenly dawned to me that, any one of those mentioned above(education…hardwork) can and will help you in achieving success – but in order to sustain success and be phenomenally successful you need the die hard, ever gentle and never give-up “ATTITUDE”!
As Infosys chief mentor Mr. Narayanamoorthy was stepping down as the CEO of the company, he was questioned by one reporter
“So are you feeling sad, just like every other CEO, as you are stepping down today?”
He replied with a warm smile,
“Yes I’m! My daughter was born. I caressed her and she has grown as a lovely, beautiful and matured girl today. Its hard for every parent when their daughter gets married and moves away, but I’m happy that she is in the safe of hands of a young lad – this generation that has far more potential, confidence than what I had. We need to create opportunities for young people and trust them. That can only happen, if we leave and make room for others to grow more than what you can even think of”
Isn’t that great! Now that is what I call “Attitude” and that’s what differentiates great people from the normal ones!
If I represent each alphabet with a number, starting with ‘A’ as 1 and ‘Z’ as 26, and If I were to sum-up all the individual letters in the traits of life – here’s what I get
Love – 12+15+22+5= 54%
Education – 5+4+21+3+1+20+9+15+14 = 92%
Wealth – 23+5+1+12+20+8= 69%
Hardwork – 8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%
Attitude – 1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5= 100%
I always keep reminding myself – you may have a lovely garden, and wonderful mangoes, but if you need to “Sell your mangoes – First Wear a Smile!!!!”
|
At 7:05 AM, 
Twisted DNA
Hey very nice post! You obviously put a lot of thought into it.
"I couldn’t find an answer"
I don't think it's easy to find an answer why people are successful. I think each person who is successful has something unique, even a small thing. But on the other hand, thinking about successful people and being inspired by them, is a certain first step towards your own success!
Awesome post!!! I love it. You didn't skip but kept yourself in control and managed to get to the point.
If they are your words- good one!!
Smiles make wonders and its the basic communication before you talk to anyone including strangers.
Every person is different in what they decide. But as a team the spirit lives and they have to rejuvenate with kind words.
At 10:10 AM, Prasanna Parameswaran
Twisted Dna: Thanks for your comments! Yes I had to think sometime to write this! Thanks and do visit again!
Lalitha: Its true-attitude is the only thing that can make a great difference not only at your work place, but even in your life!
Priya: Thank you. I'm kind of flattered with your comments - yes the only words that are true in the post are those of the infy mentor Narayanamurthy - the manager story I made it for added flavour :)
At 10:16 AM, Movie Mazaa
oh the cliches...1 out of 20,000 asteroids that cross the earth's orbit has the possibility of striking the earth. I wish that ONE strikes the earth now. Why? well at least it wouldn't be as cliched! (now how about that for attitude?)
Let's see what else has better "success" rate,
crookedness - 3+18+17+17+11+3+4+14+5+19+19 = 130%
dishonesty - 4+9+19+8+15+14+5+19+20+25 = 138%
corruption - 3+15+18+18+21+16+20+9+15+14 = 149%
thievery - 20+8+9+10+5+22+5+18+25 = 122%
Should I list more words--if applied your explanation--that seem produce better results? nayy I'm sure you get the point. You want to say "oh you're such a pessimist"?...hmm let's see
pessimist - 16+5+19+19+9+13+9+19+20 = 129%
optimist - 15+16+20+9+13+9+19+20 = 121%
oh no, looks like pessimists have a better chance of being "successful" (whatever it means) than optimists.
It's an 'ok' post, but it got irritatingly cliched as I proceeded down (I know, you did'n't ask me to come and read it, so going by the "hey! I'm going to defend myself" logic I should shut up and get lost, I understand).
What's the point I'm trying to make? You have used words and contexts that are homogenized to fit a lifestyle that is celebrated as the best. It's the 'rosy luke warm sweater wearing smily face plastic doll' welcoming the customers in GAP. It seems to say something, but it doesn't, does it? But yeah the customers above...oops the fellow bloggers don't seem to care, they are happy with the smile, who cares if it's from a who or a what.
At 6:51 PM, Prasanna Parameswaran
Suresh: Thank you! I'm glad that you criticized the post. so you too agree that
//It's the 'rosy luke warm sweater wearing smily face plastic doll' welcoming the customers in GAP.
Thats the point. customers go not simply because the doll is great - that smile makes a difference. When a simple good morning and have a nice day courtesies make your day lively, dont you think a refined attitude can make a great deal of difference in your life. As a sailor in ocean of life, Im looking enthusiastically to reach the land of success, rather than looking at all the water around me and crib - "What the hell is this life?". And yes it may be the old stereotypical cliche that gets passed on over and over again - like your parent advocating you to brush your teeth and have a bath everyday - you dont need intelligence or individuality to advocate these thoughts - as long as it has a purpose. Thanks for your comments do visit again!
Reminded me of how to cross 100%
H-A-R-D-W-O-R-K
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%
and
K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%
But,
A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%
And,
B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T
2+21+12+12+19+8+9+20 = 103%
AND, look how far ass kissing will take you.
A-S-S-K-I-S-S-I-N-G
1+19+19+11+9+19+19+9+14+7 = 118%
At 6:50 AM, 
Well the article is really motivating stuff...
I did read the comments also...
well I read the comments on arithmetic also...
I would say it is silly...
ppl say "success comes before work only in dictionary"
you don’t say "Failure also comes before work in dictionary"..
it is paranoid way of looking at life...
after all writing is an art ...
certain things have to be enjoyed rather then justifying...
At 6:50 AM,
Well the article is really motivating stuff...
I did read the comments also...
well I read the comments on arithmetic also...
I would say it is silly...
ppl say "success comes before work only in dictionary"
you don’t say "Failure also comes before work in dictionary"..
it is paranoid way of looking at life...
after all writing is an art ...
certain things have to be enjoyed rather then justifying...