Regarding yesterday’s post, which you might want to read before tackling this one, a follow-up point that should have struck me much earlier – the answer lies as much in that ChatGPT query that I ended with as much as it does in a post written a while ago by Navin Kabra:
One of the most influential modern theories espoused by many successful people is known as “Process-Oriented Thinking” or “Systems-Mindset.” The main point is that focusing on your process, or your system, instead of focusing on the goals, or the outcomes is the key to success.
https://futureiq.substack.com/p/karmanyevaadhikaraste-in-modern-life
I have linked to this post before, and I doubtless will again. But please, if you have not read this post yet, do so in its entirety. It is well worth your time. And please note the title of Navin’s post!
Whether it is a NAAC visit or a G20 visit, why should that act as the catalyst to Get Things Done? Why should, in other words, Senapati Bapat Road look awesome only when foreign dignitaries come a-visitin’? Why should a campus look fantastic only when the NAAC committee comes a-visitin’?
Because we’re focussing on the outcomes, but ignoring the process (note that targeting outcomes is important, but without having a process-mindset, the targeting is next to useless). The PMC is not following the karmanyevaadhikaraste philosophy if the Senapati Bapat Road relapses to its old state once the summit is over. A college is not following the karmanyevaadhikaraste philosophy if the bathrooms are back to being dirty the week after the NAAC committee has vacated the building. By the way, in the defense of both the PMC and the college/university, it is hard to follow the karmanyevaadhikaraste philosophy. I rarely succeed in it myself across all of the things I try to do (this blog included) – and so while I have enjoyed trolling both the PMC and colleges, I do have some sympathy for ’em.
But regardless of whether it is hard or not, if you are looking for an answer to the question of how do we get Senepati Bapat Road to always be spic-and-span, the answer lies as much in ChatGPT’s answers as it does in ancient wisdom. And it is, as Navin says, worth following this advice in one’s own life, to the maximum extent possible.
On a related note, one my of my resolutions for the year was to listen to more podcasts, and I’m happy to recommend to you a conversation about what we’ve been talking about between Tim Ferriss and James Clear. Lots of excellent takeaways, including the quote that they’ve chosen to lead with:
Every action you take is a vote for the kind of person you wish to become
And if you’re wondering, yes, that is a very large chunk of the reasons behind I trying to write everyday. It really is all about the process!