Formula to Fail

I
was reflecting upon as to why I crashed my A levels in the first time later in
life I could identify five reasons and later I could observe them as common tend
encies in human beings. I started observing them in myself and always tried to
overcome. Whenever I overcame I was successful and when not I had failed. Let m
e share them with you and would like to know whether you would feel the same. (
actually if you want I can send you a questionnaire to analyze these tendencies
)
Ever since I discovered these five factors, I had been speaking about them in sc
hools on the topic how to fail exams! In order to simplify my presentation I dev
eloped an acronym called RAPID.
R= Restlessness meaning lack of Focus.
A= Aversion- fighting and avoiding situations that I do not like
P= Procrastination- postponing things to be done later
I= Indulgence â giving in to the demands to satisfy senses forgetting the task at
hand
D= Doubt-lack of self confidence, not having a clear idea of the path to be foll
owed.
Let me now elaborate how these manifested in my student life.
Restlessness- although I entered the A/L classes to become a medical doctor, a p
rofession I still love when it came to studies I really did not have a good focu
s. I remember how I sat to study one subject only to change the subject in a few
hours without completing the lesson I set out to complete. I had never been to
a single tuition master for more than three months, I always heard of a better m
aster. I got easily distracted to other issues that are outside my immediate rel
evance including politics
Aversion- the expression â I hate that subject â was the way I describe my attitude
towards the subjects or subject areas that I could not master very well. I avo
ided the difficult subjects. I use to loose my temper very often and many a time
s with my room- mate. He and I differed how we should be keeping our room- absol
utely irrelevant to the objective of getting through the exam
Procrastination- I had very good reasons why something should not be done at th
at moment. I postponed doing certain tutorials at home thinking that I would do
that in the class and in the class that was postponed to be done during the tuit
ion sessions etc, and there were many questions not attempted even after my thir
d shy. I found excuses such as too early in the day, too late in the day, just a
fter meals, about to eat, before exercises, after exercises and so on to delay d
oing something.
Indulgence- having come from a village to the city the new found freedom gave me
enough opportunities to go for movies, hang around with friends, visiting frien
ds, seeking popularity in the school so that I was more in the cadetting room an
d later in the prefects room than in the class room. When the alarm goes early i
n the morning I would stop it and lie on the bed for a few more minutes and to f
ind it was rather late. I found studying at the table not so comfortable and dis
covered that the most comfortable way was to lie on the bed and study only to fi
nd me falling sleep!
Doubt- Obviously this type of student life did not lend to developing a strong s
elf confidence in myself. I did not have a clear understanding as to what was ne
eded to be effective at the examination. Honestly I did not know at that time ho
w much marks I should get to enter the medical college when I sat the A/Ls for t
he first time. Certain areas of the chemistry and zoology syllabus I discovered
for the first time at the examination hall..!
Later I discovered how these tendencies affect achieving goals set by us in our
day to day life and in the world of commerce as well. If we accept that these ar
e human tendencies then as long as we have humans running businesses and organiz
ations these aspects can affect the way we work and it is nothing but natural.
RESTLESSNESS It is very common to shift from one activity to another without com
pleting what is in hand. The present day work life environment in fact has many
external factors that thrive on this human tendency. The e mails, smss, and the
phone calls can do exactly the same thing. At a more strategic level not being f
ocused on the agreed strategy is very common and some of the decisions and actio
ns we take are completely counter productive the agreed strategy. This I see as
a result of the presence of restlessness as a human tendency.
AVERSION- we say kill the messenger. This is exactly what we do when aversion i
s present in our mind in the context of work. In many business situations we do
not want to accept the bad news. When the market research says that there is neg
ative perception in the market we ask for more evidence. In the meeting the one
who challenges the status co is not the most popular. We avoid listening to her.
Sometimes we even fight with the clients! We avoid speaking to the difficult
client because of this dislike. At strategic level we try to fight the competi
tor rather than the competition by winning the customer. How many ego battles fu
el the advertising wars providing only the amusement to the public.
PROCRASTINATION -Let us do this next Monday, the moment we say that what we do
is delaying the activity by one week without even realizing it. There many impo
rtant but no so urgent activities in work life and in the organization. We delay
doing it until they become Urgent and Important thus creating excessive stress.
The habit of procrastication is in a way linked to the physical sloth and toper
as well. At the same time the mind also get lazy and slows down. If allows this
too can become a dominant barrier to success. At a strategic level we take inor
dinate time to make decisions because of the presence of this tendency.
INDULDGANCE This can expand from individuals indulging in excessive satisfaction
of senses and allowing them to be habits that costs money, time, health and rep
utation. Other than that subtle forms of this tendency can drive us to favour th
ose whom we like, carry on comfortable tasks without moving away from the comfor
t zone, building organization practices physical and otherwise that soothes our
personal egos and images. Simple excessive comforts can be a result of the prese
nce of this tendency.
DOUBT This can vary from the lack of self confidence of the individual to the or
ganization not having a common understanding of the purpose and the path. The co
mmon issue of not having a collective understanding of the organizational strate
gy among the staff is in a way manifestation of this tendency among individuals.
Actually I could structure these concepts after reflecting upon the five hindran
ces mentioned in the Buddhist texts. In describing these the texts provide some
very interesting similes. They are of course given in the context of spiritual a
dvancement but I think it is quite appropriate even in the mundane situations th
at we discussed above.
According to certain similes, in sutras where the hindrances are described; the
effect of Sensual Desire (indulgence) is similar to water mixed with dye, Aver
sion resembles water heated to the boil; Sloth and torpor ( procrastination) is
compared to water overgrown with algae; and Doubt is like dark and muddy water.
Restlessness is compared to a water that is moving. According to certain similie
s, in sutras where the hindrances are described; the effect of sensual desire is
similar to water mixed with dye, aversion resembles water heated to the boil; s
loth and torpor is compared to water overgrown with algae; and doubt is like dar
k and muddy water.
Another set of similies illustrates the absence of the hindrances. Accoridingt o
this set to be free from sensual desire is like being relived from debt, to be
free from aversion is like recovering from physical illness, to be unobstructed
from sloth and torpor is akin to being released from a prison, to be free from
the agitation of restlessness and worry is like being liberated from slavery; an
d to overcome doubt resembles crossing dangerous desert safely.
Another set of similies illustrates the absence of the hindrances. Accoridingt o
this set to be free from sensual desire is like being relived from debt, to be
free from aversion is like recovering from physical illness, to be unobstructed
from sloth and torpor is akin to being released from a prison, to be free from
the agitation of restlessness and worry is like being liberated from slavery; an
d to overcome doubt resembles crossing dangerous desert safely.
The first step of overcoming these tendencies is becoming award of that they are
present. Once recognized we can re commit to the cause or the objective that we
are striving to achieve. It is nothing but natural for us to get deviated when
these are present and it is in our command to get back to track. Making public c
ommitments, having constant reminders are other techniques that can be used to o
vercome these when present. Above all the most effective method is having right
association- associating with the kind of person who can encourage us constantly
to back on track, who reminds us when we are not on the path is a real blessing
.
deepalsmiles@gmail.com