Endurance cycling: Learning that helped me in my career

 

How cycling training helps me as a professional. 

By:Sashi.Prabhu
Endurance cycling is a self-competition sport.
Training for endurance Helps you in your career  as well.
Setting specific goals.
 well defined distance & time to complete. setting of a goal & working hard to achieve them within a time frame also help build careers as both are result oriented
Competitive spirit
Training for  rides helps as one can set time bound goal & compete against self. At the work place, put my team before me & support the team to achieve goals. The competitive animal  is always lurking in the dark & gets fresh lease of life when I am out training for rides.
Invest in the right equipment
road cycle  to suit endurance rides ensures the challenge when you have the right tools. By using the right productivity tools, investing in right capex gives great results as in cycling so in business.
Work hard when no one is looking
We must stick to training schedule usually in the morning. This is an important principle in career as well. Doing the right thing when no one is looking improve self-esteem.
Business is an endurance sport
Both endurance cycle & business require hours of efforts, passion & weeks of practice, training, planning, scheduling & execution. Both call for being focussed & persistent approach
Tracking results
Tracking performance on strava, cycle computer, candenence meter, heart rate monitor is to improve performance. Similarly, ERP, matrix & kip, p&l, balance sheet, cash flow statements help track business. The urge to use and analyse results is the same.
Mind Body Connection
Taking care of body improves mental health. Cycling helps keeps us centred calm & balanced. Balance& clarity are traits that works through major business problems.
Observe rest days after significant workouts.
Every ride plan has a rest recommendation Successful people rest on weekends. Taking time off gives fresh perspective on your challenges and goals, be it business environment or cycling.
Self-motivation.
It is common to hit the wall. Keeping Yourself motivated to is essential both in cycling as well as in Business.
Network with successful people.
You are the average of the 5 people you spend your time with. So,
 in cycling It is recommended to join  better Cyclist, pace with them. improve stamina & skill. Similarly in business Look up to people Who are better  & learn from them.
Pace yourself know ur limit.
Cycle smartly, If the goal is to finish within time, self-care is important . No pushing further & faster. Dress properly, hydrate & pace yourself. Same as a case in the business scenario. Grow the business slowly, steadily, Pace the business & do not try to push without having the appropriate controls
Strong team.
Success requires a strong team. Support system, Friends, family, volunteers are essential for cycling success. Similarly In business good strong team is essentials to deliver results
#mystory
#whatsyourstory
#sashtalks
zeauoxis. blogspot. com

Success & Failures

 

#success #failure

By:Sashi.Prabhu
Have been on a vacation since 6Jan 23 & my last stop is my (Late) Parent’s home SREE-NIWAS (built1987) @ Kaloor Ernakulam. Rummaging thro stuff, found  logs of interactions with Dad.
logs revealed themselves at a time when I have been reflecting about the way ahead.
Dad left his masters at BHU to go to Aden  (1952) to pay off family debt & raise money . I was born in 1965 & we were back in India by 1969 as refugees from war-stricken Aden.
my learning of my interactions with Dad from my logs.(1977-2017)
Dont forget ur Origins
I come from an orthodox GSB family, usually docile folks. Successfully fleeing from Aden with 2 suitcases & seeing my Dad start afresh & work his way the corp ladder kindled the seed of revolution & evolution in me early
Reading my success & failures and some logs of my journey from 1979 .Nostalgia
From Scrubbing decks at Vasco port for Rs 5/ hr.(1979-81), selling  comics(1981-83), peddling wares @ flea market(1983-86) to my first professional apprenticeship: nov 1986 at GAAL Honda, my hustle to make money in the earlier 3 ventures was successful until I got addicted to  pay cheque  I realized only too late.
Dad  guided me whenever we had  conversations on the journey ahead from 2000.
To be a child of war to where I have reached, have come a long way but both my daughter’s feel that I have underachieved.
Life Journey UPs & Downs
Success at times made me overconfident. Dad  advised me on how not to take success for granted & how it can never be a destination but a journey, still unfolds to me even after he has ceased to walk the planet. I  reread the lines where Dad tells me not to believe that one is not as good or bad as the last performance. But to believe inGod, act with humility& confidence
Looking at Success
Contain joy during success. Avoid excess pride & loss of humility. He kept reiterating not to be thrilled at  achievements (2000-17, he passed away in May 2017). He imbibed in me how to
appreciate the fact that many other could have to cut back on basic needs of life. Hence be considerate & humble in personal relationships. In professional relations too be considerate as long as they do not clash with  orgz values. I kept up to his advice till date.
Looking at Failure
Understand sadness of failure. Learn from it. Analyze failure. Look for lack of knowledge, not a well thought out idea, bad strategy,challenging task taken lightly or complacent behavior. He was harsh on complacent behavior whilst on the other he always said there is room  for improvement. For complacency he said ppl do not learn from failures & continue to fail . I must be aware.
February 2017 logs revealed dad’s advice on how moving from failure to another set of failures without loss of enthusiasm is success. His last advice to me in April 2017 at 84 yr of age was failure is not the opposite of success but a climb stone. Control your response it will all end well
#mystory
#whatsyourstory
#sashtalks
zeauoxis. blogspot. com

#success #failure
Have been on a vacation since 6Jan 23 & my last stop is my (Late) Parent’s home SREE-NIWAS (built1987) @ Kaloor Ernakulam. Rummaging thro stuff, found  logs of interactions with Dad.
logs revealed themselves at a time when I have been reflecting about the way ahead.
Dad left his masters at BHU to go to Aden  (1952) to pay off family debt & raise money . I was born in 1965 & we were back in India by 1969 as refugees from war-stricken Aden.
my learning of my interactions with Dad from my logs.(1977-2017)
Dont forget ur Origins
I come from an orthodox GSB family, usually docile folks. Successfully fleeing from Aden with 2 suitcases & seeing my Dad start afresh & work his way the corp ladder kindled the seed of revolution & evolution in me early
Reading my success & failures and some logs of my journey from 1979 .Nostalgia
From Scrubbing decks at Vasco port for Rs 5/ hr.(1979-81), selling  comics(1981-83), peddling wares @ flea market(1983-86) to my first professional apprenticeship: nov 1986 at GAAL Honda, my hustle to make money in the earlier 3 ventures was successful until I got addicted to  pay cheque  I realized only too late.
Dad  guided me whenever we had  conversations on the journey ahead from 2000.
To be a child of war to where I have reached, have come a long way but both my daughter’s feel that I have underachieved.
Life Journey UPs & Downs
Success at times made me overconfident. Dad  advised me on how not to take success for granted & how it can never be a destination but a journey, still unfolds to me even after he has ceased to walk the planet. I  reread the lines where Dad tells me not to believe that one is not as good or bad as the last performance. But to believe inGod, act with humility& confidence
Looking at Success
Contain joy during success. Avoid excess pride & loss of humility. He kept reiterating not to be thrilled at  achievements (2000-17, he passed away in May 2017). He imbibed in me how to
appreciate the fact that many other could have to cut back on basic needs of life. Hence be considerate & humble in personal relationships. In professional relations too be considerate as long as they do not clash with  orgz values. I kept up to his advice till date.
Looking at Failure
Understand sadness of failure. Learn from it. Analyze failure. Look for lack of knowledge, not a well thought out idea, bad strategy,challenging task taken lightly or complacent behavior. He was harsh on complacent behavior whilst on the other he always said there is room  for improvement. For complacency he said ppl do not learn from failures & continue to fail . I must be aware.
February 2017 logs revealed dad’s advice on how moving from failure to another set of failures without loss of enthusiasm is success. His last advice to me in April 2017 at 84 yr of age was failure is not the opposite of success but a climb stone. Control your response it will all end well
#mystory
#whatsyourstory
#sashtalks
zeauoxis. blogspot. com

Morning Musings

 

Thoughts.... last morn of the vacation

:By Sashi Prabhu

Morning is an important time of day, because how you spend your morning can often tell you what kind of day you are going to have." "Every morning is a beautiful morning." "I like my coffee black and my mornings bright." "When I wake up every morning, I thank God for the new day."
The euphoria about a bright day ahead amidst rustic settings, with the morning dew dripping from the palms, a pair of babblers running around on the dried leaves, magpies pecking away on the sandy soil. The sun rising &the rays  enveloping the trees with  golden warmth.... just sitting on the roots of the pomello tree and taking in the ambience is just a simple yet enriching experience
Just another day . . but some old fashioned things like fresh air and sun rays are hard to beat....
my thoughts before I leave these lovely surroundings to head back to Thane...
I did it right..a break from routine was what I needed. Yesterday is gone... Tomorrow is yet to dawn I have today to to keep feeding my memories to keep the wonderful feeling of being alive afresh.
So many things hurry as hell... that's ok...
I look forward to plan for tomorrow.. to make it  better than before...
I am fully content & ready to churn up my magic in my daily routine
#experience #content #coffee #like
#mystory
#whatsyourstory
#sashtalks
zeauoxis.blogspot.com

Travel brodens the mind- Malampuzha Life Learnings

Malampuzha Life Learnings -By Sashi Prabhu

Sometimes learnings come when you least expect them to unfold before you.

Day 8

I set out this morning armed with my camera and lens to spend time amongst prestine wilderness at the malampuzha Reservoir catchment area @ palakad district of Kerala in South India, some what deeper in the nature where few trod the beaten path.

As I clicked my photographs I got talking to the locals, tribals, tourists like my wife &me.

Chatting with the tribals much older than me,experienced in life's lessons and who took pride in going about their life with the motive being one with nature got me thinking.

The way they stopped by and enquired about our language, our reason to be here, if we wanted any help Or can they guide us...made me feel so full of gratitude that I got this opportunity to meet & interact with these humble beings.

Learning 1:simplicity in their approach with a smile on their face as if nothing really matters except the present moment was a huge learning

Learning 2:So many important things in life are not material in nature like smile, happiness, trust, respect, helping nature. You cannot buy them you can earn them. by being yourself.

Learning 3:Never stop learning if there needs to be improvement because life never stops teaching.

The biggest learning was when I sat down to look at my pics at a small tea stall by the side of the mangrooves and I stuck a conversation with the man who ran it.

We spoke on topics like covid, wild animals coming to drink water, intensity of rains, the bridge that will reduce distance by 20kms.Amidst all this he made a retort to. my query on why he settled here. He responded saying he makes enough just to keep going . He said I know how much money I have and could possibly make from this Thattu kada(small temporary cabins) but I really don't know how much time I have. I never knew that before nor do I know it now so I choose to live here and enjoy the present moment without thinking too much what lies ahead. I have by God's grace made it so far and I have the belief that he will take care if I believe and do my karma in my janma bhoomi(the place of birth). He went on to say we need to do justice to time and spend it with family, friends, loved ones and serve the society, people and so I choose to be here.

Life he said is a game. Every one he went on to say plays it differently. I have found the way I want to play my game he concluded that he thought he was successful as he spent many hours every day with his wife, children and grand children. He chose what to do & when to do anything but it is his discipline to keep his shop open from 8am to 10pm be it summer, winter or rains.. of course his family helps out...

what more in life can one desire... I had no answer to offer.

I thought.. Is that not something I sought as a twenty something just out of my professional institution ?.. or is it not something that I presently seek?

#mystory

#whatsyourstory

#sashtalks

zeauoxis.blogspot.com

 

Personal Growth & Freedom amidst chaos

 

Excerpts: Grapples & Triumphs

By : Sashi Prabhu

 The covid pandemic gave rise to the largest remote working experiment accelerating the trend towards  remote or hybrid working.
In march 21 we relocated to solar dos Prabhus,Goa  &lived till mid of may 21.  A personal exigency got us living to Cherthala,Alleppy, Kerala  upto the  week 3 of Sept21.
My wife daughter, me lived along with her father her elder sister & daughter in a bungalow which nested between trees . Despite being in the town it had its aloofness & rusticness
The home  CHENEMCHERIL was self-contained & roofed terraced . The floors red oxide, ventilated with big  windows & air movement openings.
Trees: The greenery around the home, plants, shrubs & 17 trees. There were mango, chiku, Ashoka, coconut, jack fruit, papaya, parijath flowers, star fruit, pomelo . Outside the kitchen were banana herbs.
The star fruit & pomelo trees were in a straight line 4 mtr apart in the backyard providing an area of 35 sqmtr of shade between them. Every morn, afternoon & evening I walked the figure 8 around them with bare feet. I would place my palms, chest, body against the tress & could feel the vibrations of the trees. The feeling of serenity that engulfed was soothing under the  trees.
 Work: Apart from the teams meetings  from the out house which was a 4 to 6 hour affair,was off grid. The life amidst greenery had got me grounded. My life was slowing down & effective. 12 hours off grid, whilst the week ends were fully off grid. Life kept reminding me every day that there is a time & place for everything & now is the right time to be here.
Space: I had no room of my own &my belongings fitted in a haversack & my laptop bag. My day was in the outhouse,grilled steop , backyard or terrace &  night used a mat and a blanket to lie on the big drawing room floor on the red oxide floor every night. I experimented diff positions of sleeping which were followed by morning stretches . After the first month my spine was much straighter & my posture improved.
Soil: The sandy soil, barefoot walking, by the end of week 3 could sense the presence of freshness. Iwalked bare foot in the back yard . By the end of week 4 was calmer, happier & felt a renewed vigour of being energised. I remember from week 2 was sleeping well. Every night as I lay on the floor with a thin pillow,drifted into slumber in a jiffy only to wake up early morn at 5.40 am.
Self: By week 3 was meditating,& practicing tai chi. My urges in prose & poetry was rekindled.
I had begun to understand the dark clouds entering my life no longer carried the rain or ushered a storm. There was a new colour & meaning to my life.  I learnt Time will pass anyway it is a choice to spend it creating the life you want or spend it living the life you don’t care. The choice is mine.
My experience "Between stimuli & response is a small space. In the small space is the power to choose our reponse.In our response lies our personal growth & freedom"
#sashtalks
#mystory
#whatsyourstory