Pursuing pet passions outside of work can be just the fuel you need to succeed in the workplace
Words by Sakshi Dhingra
Often, it is the case that Monday brings with it a sense of dread, and Friday elation. This manifests itself in people not caring enough for what they do, viewing the passing days as a struggle.
How does one escape this cycle then, you ask? Why it’s simple; pursue your pet passions with a sense of zeal. Doing something you enjoy away from work can reinvigorate you and give you the energy you need to push through and succeed in the office. But don’t take my word for it, see the tales of these successful leaders, all of whom have pursued their passion, and been all the richer for it.
Prateek Sinha, Partner & Leader – Design and Experience Consulting, PwC
Skateboarding is about many things. For one there is the sheer joy of the sport itself – the thrill of pushing a skateboard and learning tricks with it!! The pure physicality of the sport is rather raw and awesome for me – the need for balance and core strength, the need for stamina, the need to warm up (trust me I’ve learnt it the hard way 🙂 ), the need for strength and flexibility to name a few.
Then there’s the mental part – the need to focus, the need to unlearn and to learn new ways to push, ride and roll. Facing your fears, being courageous and the need to commit. I love how it’s taught me the strategy of breaking down big challenges into smaller ones, building skills for them and progressing one small step at a time (& *ahem* at this stage of my life – trust me there are so many small steps!).
Skateboarding is a great way to learn you get better everyday! And, man, the joy of doing something that was agonizingly difficult (many) months back, with ease – now – is unmatched!
And then two mental biggies – patience and acceptance. Accepting your current state and working on your future state – patiently – one push/one session/one day at a time. Whoa!
Finally, there’s the metaphysical/spiritual aspect – patience and acceptance certainly cross over to this dimension also. A really special one for me is the feeling of being one with the skateboard and the skatepark. Of being connected to it all.
On those special days when you hit the state of flow – when you master a wicked move and can now do it with ease, when your heart is racing, body is alert yet relaxed, your mind is sharp yet calm and when you get into the groove there’s nothing else. Zero! Shunya!!
That is skateboarding!! and I am extremely grateful to God for giving me this gift.
Nishant Shekhar, Managing Director and Partner, Boston Consulting Group
We all have an interest, a passion beyond our work, daily jobs which we may had picked up, invested, and enjoyed at multiple meaningful stages in our life. It’s disappointing that not many of us are able to carry on with the same as we continue to spend time and grow up in our corporate life. ‘Lack of time’ is the most frequent excuse given by us, corporate souls, for our inability to pursue our passion beyond work. And slowly we end up quite far from an activity, an interest which we loved. Many a times this ‘lack of time’ is genuine, but if it becomes a fallback option even for the things which made us happier, then maybe the interest wasn’t our passion in the beginning itself!
It takes rightful effort to convert an ‘interesting hobby’ into passion. And if we have authentic passion for something we will create time to make it happen. Whenever we are able to imbibe this thinking in our heads, there will be no dearth of effort to find and spend quality time for our passion. This philosophy sincerely worked for me. It helped me to write and eventually publish my new book ‘The Game of Power and Passion’. And I learned few tricks on the way.
This book is my honest attempt to go back to something very close to my heart – Storytelling!
The book is about the rollercoaster ride through the hallowed halls of IIT Delhi giving a sneak peek into part of an IITian’s life never shared before. With a blend of fast-paced drama and suspense intertwined with humor, it’s a story of coming of age and growing up. It captures a non-linear, multi-faceted learning in a set up with inspirational individuals. It’s all about balancing seemingly paradoxical agendas of life while multi-taking, building ownership and working in a team. Like Mahabharat, the diverse set of characters from the book, each playing a distinct role with their seminal action, will remain with you for the longest time.
Writing a non-business book is least expected from a Management Consultant who are not really known for their work life balance. Two things really helped me to complete my book.
Firstly, “Slow and steady has been the mantra this time”. And this is very different from my profession where quick impact is the differentiator. Dedicated few hours every weekend and longer hours during vacation over two years combined with target deadlines for interim stages helped me – not that I could meet all the target timelines, but it kept me going!
Also, sharing the plan with couple of close people from family, friends helped create some kind of accountability to complete it. They intermittently checked on status but inadvertently pushed me to progress from one stage to another.
From my experience, spending time far from work for our passion goes a long way in making us better at work too. Daily rigor and continuous hustle at work can become counter-productive at times. Both the depth of thinking as well as newness of ideas hits a roadblock. A passion beyond the boardroom helps us step back from work consistently. And when we go back after a mental break, it’s accompanied with rejuvenation and freshness. It not only helps ‘restart’ but also sometimes bolster thinking at work with new perspectives.
Very often, the journey to find time for our passion starts by solely reflecting at cadence when ‘lack of time’ was the excuse we gave to ourselves. And when we evaluate where we actually ended up spending the hours in the day, we can get clarity and answer to the future. Even, if we can acknowledge the same in our minds, half of the battle is already won.
We need not go beyond Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore to find the inspiration. I really love what he once said, “The butterfly counts not months but moments and has time enough.” And that series of moments can start for us as soon as we have made up our minds to find time for what we genuinely love.
Priyanka Sippy, Vice President- PR & Communication, Victorinox
Amidst the hectic bustle of life, it is easy to forget how to slow down and appreciate the wonderful gift it is. To remember, in the daily juggling act, to find time to for yourself, doing something you enjoy, and spending time with others who are important.
For me, food, both cooking and exploring new restaurants, as well as rediscovering favourites, is one of the ways I unwind. Weekends are an enjoyable time to cook and to explore new restaurants as well. Cooking is therapeutic, and therefore, cooking a favourite dish or just whipping up something new is enjoyable.
In the mad beautiful hustle that is Mumbai, there are a myriad of good places to dine. I enjoy a well-prepared meal in a good ambience, where family and friends come together to appreciate life.
I make it part of my travels too, whether it is mussels at the Champs de Elysses, Paris, a mozzarella bar in Rome or eating pizza at a sidewalk cafe in Milan. I enjoy culinary experiences at home and in my travels and am fortunate to have had the opportunity to do that.
Pradeep Sekar, Managing Director, Optiv India
Hobbies play a critical role in enabling people to maintain their overall well-being and productivity. One such hobby of mine has been playing strategic board games which are as much fun as they are a learning tool to develop my leadership qualities. These games provide a safe environment where everyone learn and practice skills such as strategic planning, negotiation, time management and decision making. Some of my favorite board games include Settlers of Catan, Risk, Power Grid, 7 Wonders, Pandemic etc.
Many of these board games require players to think critically and plan ahead. For example, Settlers of Catan and 7 Wonders challenge me to think several moves ahead and develop my ability to plan. Board games often present complex situations that require negotiation and communication with other players to advance in the game. Games like Settlers of Catan or Pandemic encourage me to adapt to changing circumstances and find optimal solutions.
Some board games have time constraints, forcing me to manage my limited time efficiently. Learning to allocate time effectively during a game translates to better time management skills. Games like Risk or Power Grid require resource allocation and delegation. Deciding when to take risks, delegate tasks, and allocate resources sharpens my decision-making skillsets.
Ramesh Babu – Managing Director, Velan India
Life as a corporate leader, provides you ample opportunities to give back to the Society. The Government of India’s unique CSR mandate is one such opportunity that has led me to believe that small actions do have big impacts.
Nelson Mandela wisely noted, Education is the most powerful weapon that you can use to change the world. I spend time visiting the local Government schools and look for opportunities to support young kids from the local communities to get quality access to education.
You can go miles to see the glee in the young child’s face on getting a new table for the classroom, a Television set to see and learn, the smell of a new set of books, a computer for the class.
These are very small acts, but they truly give one a sense of satisfaction, that you may not get otherwise in the fast-paced world. As you grow older, you get to realise that one of the best acts that a person can do is to spend time in giving back to the society. I find solace and comfort in visiting and seeing for myself the schools that are hidden in remote villages with a teacher doing her best to impart education to these young ones.
