You think many people are (covertly) against you in your organization(s)?

"Yes. They are jealous and mean.”

“Not at all! In reality, you are often against yourself.”

“Hi Krishna, you seem to be on cloud nine and admiring the rainbow in the water jets from the sprinkler.”

“Hey Ram, come on in. Actually, a rainbow has come into my life.”

“What joyous news! Tell me more about this new lottery you’ve won.”

“My boss has nominated me to be part of the team that’s going to the USA for training in AI-based production technology.”

“How come the ‘monster’ has metamorphosed into a minister, rather an angel?”

“That’s all because of you – your manager-cum-professor-cum-Baba's krupa, or blessing.”

“Oh, I can now take to Babagiri alias consultancy! But, tell me how did this come about?”

“After our last meeting, I could see clearly the disaster that would have crushed my family if I had resigned. So, I took your suggestion and made an appointment with the 'Monster'. With as much serenity as I could muster, I requested him to give me an opportunity for training in the new technology so I could make bigger and better contributions to the company.”

“And then?”

“Well, he gave me a very serious and studied look, pulled out a piece of paper and added my name as the fifth member of the team going to the US.”

“Do you remember what I told you the last time - that people in higher positions are rarely vindictive. Perhaps, even earlier, he had decided to nominate you, but your ‘smart’ moves of feigning illness and taking sudden leave led him to leave the fifth line of the US Team list blank. 

“Now learn this lesson for life - that people are often against you because you are against yourself". That’s called ‘coming in the way of one’s own progress.' You are not alone. Many ruin their chances with such thoughts and behaviour.”

“I agree, I was behaving like my own enemy.”

“Don’t repeat it. Remember that it’s a personality flaw and has to be vigilantly watched out for. So, my heartiest congratulations, but watch out for some mistakes that you may be making unconsciously because that personality complex creeps in without your knowledge.”

“No, I’ll never act against myself ever again.”

“That’s a pious hope. Tell me, in the last five days what preparations have you begun to ‘impress’ the US trainers and your own colleagues. The training in the USA may not be ‘classroom teaching’. You may also have individual or group projects. You should be in a massive hunt for gathering more information, thinking about original ideas for the company’s benefit and for enhancing your own stature and potential". 

"Honestly I haven't done any such preparations".

"That's how the personality flaw to work against oneself creeps in. Things happen without your being aware"

"You told me once that you were just present and the department ran in its style without much significant change. That was your resignation from your primary duty to manage change. One more example of working against yourself.”

“You have ‘divya drrishti’ (Divine Vision), I should say. I have done nothing new in all these years and will start now. But can you explain why I did not think of these things before?”

“It’s very simple. It comes from the flaw of ‘pretentiousness'. One has a complex that ‘I know it all and that ‘people blame because they are jealous’. In your own case, since we know each other well, I believe that it crept in when you accepted your father’s proposal to choose engineering when you were keen on the Civil Services. From that moment, pardon me I am making a bold statement, you have been 'pretending’ to be an engineer. Since you graduated with first-class, your assumption became that you were superior to many. That complex (spontaneous pretension) has remained frozen and your pretensions became firmer. A person of your calibre could have obtained an Executive MBA or written papers or become an office-bearer of professional bodies. But, having missed the Civil Service bus, you got into a cocoon and always thought that others were against you.

“Remember many people have a pretence of superiority and get ‘tension’ which saps energy and creativity. Have you noticed that seven of the letters in pretension are in tension?  That's the proportion in which pretenders waste time and energy. You must have read in one of the blogs that no one is an ‘individual’, that each one has two 'selves’ to the personality, viz ‘social self or mask’ and ‘real self’. It is the divine duty of everyone to behave in accordance with the qualities of the 'real self’. So, no tension, no conflict, no jealousy. The rules of the game are apparent and clear.”

“I understand every word you have said and now believe that I truly was my worst enemy.”

“That’s fine, but you have a long way to go. Remember that course correction must have full vigilance and aim of the total change in personality defying others’ ridiculous comments and even hindrances.”

“All is clear, but one thing is missing.”

“What’s that?”

“You have not quoted any Baba or you are now the super BABA?”

“Not at all. I am a small fry compared to those mahatmas. But there is one Baba who has a penetrating vision in the inner worlds of both, spiritual and common people. He does not go into abstruse ideas but makes the point clear in the unambiguous language (in fact some of his lessons are like 'whacks on the head') so that shishyas (disciples) remember the lessons and change their ways.

“Not only you, but any executive who wants to become a wizard, should study his books (available in both Marathi and English) and absorb the essence. That BABA is Ramdas Swami the Guru of Shivaji Maharaj. His most precious book is Dasbodh and another which is called Manache Shlok. Pay careful attention to how he promotes proper behaviour by explaining Moorkhanchi Lakshane which means ‘Characteristics of Fools’.

“Here are just 2 examples:

• Sangateeche manushya todi to ek moorkh - One who cuts relations with companions that is one fool.

• Sakawanecha mani weet to ek moorkh - One who is repugnant to (good) teaching that is one fool.

 

[NOTE: Re-posting this blog, which was published earlier, as the world has become even more complex and given the superfast developments in AI.]