January 8, 2019

Fear, Adventure, Performance, Prep, Joy...

Fear, Adventure, Performance, Prep, Joy.. all these have such a huge role in learning and growth. Recently, I had a chance to go to Delhi after a long long time. Transition from Herbertput to Delhi is like sudden beaming up from Jhumari Talayya to New York central square - for me at least. So I was a little nervous. That nice kind of feeling: You are frightened but you also are itching to go ahead! That kind of feeling.. many of you must have felt it when you raised your hand in the class for the first time. The trick is move into this feeling- instead of running away from it. You can even begin to savor (enjoy) this kind of inner tension.

OK, back to Delhi. Kundan who works in Delhi Metro had gifted me a smart card sometime back. Yes, the two things I was dreading that day, were- riding metro and calling an Ola cab! Yes, yes, I know these are the signs of old age when you set your ambitions that low..

Any way, I phoned Kundan. He assured me that that smart card is still valid. He sent me a metro map. I walked from Ginger Hotel to nearby New Delhi station metro. There was a huge crowd. I took an auto to Rajiv Chowk and entered the quiet metro station there. My card worked like a charm. I boarded a metro for Noida. Few minutes later I was calm and thoroughly enjoying my experience like Cindrella in the palace..

Then, I got off at the last Noida station, called an ola cab on my phone and began scanning the crowded traffic like Agent Bourne, expecting machine gun fire from any of the moving cars swishing around him.. After couple of phone calls, we connected and I boarded the cab. As I entered, my name was announced and I was welcomed.. !

In a nutshell, everything went well and my little sense of anxiety began to be replaced by a warm glow of "Oh, I have done it- and done it right!". I had done all this in the past too. But then, I forgot these skills due to non-use over years. Learning and relearning is dependent on couple of things: How do we interact with initial emotional discomfort and how we anchor the entire learning process into positive emotions- sense of joy, achievement etc. The last makes for deep memory.

Finally, if we have a little sense of adventure, it helps- like jumping in a pool or venturing out in the rain without umbrella. This sense of adventure can be cultivated.. This is what TISA NCs are all about: a big adventure! Those who land up there, even accidentally, discover that they always were very social deep inside. Communication is just one small part of being social. When you are social, you automatically become good communicator.

So, look at the big picture. Dont get lost in the details. And get ready for the next Kumbh (NC)...
May 2019 bring you lots of adventure and travel!

1 comment:

ABHISHEK said...

My boarding school at "Tilaiya Dam"(its a place)was surrounded by villages.It was 20 km away from Jhumri tilaiya(the actual place!!!)..Jhumri Tilaiya was so small that one could walk from one end to the other easily.. Yet, for us students , it was like visiting a big city .. When I visited Delhi for the first time, it felt like two steps above my level.. Thanks for sharing Sir.. It reminded me of the lesson that "FEAR IS GOOD", and refreshed my memories of Jhumri Tilaiya :)...