Beyond the routine

I have been asked to write something. I kept thinking what subject would be most appropriate. I have not found the time to write in a long time owing to professional pre-occupations. Now that I have to pen a thought, I want to make it worthwhile. I desire to impart something that would be of benefit to the student community at large and also aspirants of various competitive examinations. I like to share a thing or two from my experiences till date.

I joined government service towards the fag end of 2008. It has almost been 9 years since I became part of the salaried class. Even as students in colleges chalk out their career and those out of regular academics compete for a place in the sun, it is to be noted that certain things never fail the test of time. Taking up something beyond the routine or finding interest in something beyond the regular or being passionate about a particular subject/activity, is one such. Call it a hobby or an extracurricular activity or a passion. It really helps to excel in something over and above the basic activity one is normally engaged in.

 The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English defines a ‘hobby’ as an activity that one enjoy doing in one’s free time. Extracurricular activities are not part of the course that a student is doing at school or college. The definition of ‘passion’ in this context would be ‘a very strong liking for something’ or ‘a very strong belief or feeling about something’. A blended meaning of ‘hobby’, ‘extracurricular’ and ‘passion’ would generate the point that I like to convey. An ‘aficionado’ is someone who is very interested in a particular activity or subject and knows a lot about it. Being good at something beyond office work is really helpful and valuable. The ‘good’ we refer here means excelling – you are simply one of the best around. Your ability should be pronounced, recognizable and above ordinary, if not extraordinary.

 It can be a game – badminton, tennis, golf, cricket, football, etc. It can be musical – vocalist, guitarist, pianist, sitarist, drummer, songwriter, etc. It can be artistic – cartoonist, sketch artist, graphic designer, painter, etc. It can be literary – poet, essayist, scriptwriter, freelancer, etc. It can be cultural – classical dance, folk dance, contemporary dance, traditional dance, etc. It can be adventurous – mountaineering, fishing/angling, cycling/biking club, nature watch, etc. It can be many others – compering, philanthropy, public/meeting presentations, event managements, etc. The above are not exclusive but some of the fairly common citable examples.

It is always helpful and beneficial to excel in something over and above regular academics. More so, after getting into a regular job/employment. The reasons are manifold – first, it bust stress from your routine work and provides relaxation to body and mind; second, it brings you close to people/colleagues who share the same interest, which normally has positive impact across the hierarchy and also facilitates smooth task execution; third, exhibiting your talent in the right forum enhance your profile and stature in the workplace; fourth, you become engaged productively in your free time; fifth, it enhances your self-concept and worth, gives you satisfaction and contentment. Having said so, the importance and irreplaceability of doing well in basic academics remain paramount. What is discussed here is about value-addition in life and career and the concept of remaining relevant, resourceful and useful.

 If you are a really good badminton player, if you are a good golfer, if you play excellent tennis, if you are a great singer or accomplished musician, if you have written and published acclaimed essays or authored reasonably readable books, if you are an accomplished artist in any form of dance, if you are an experienced hand in outdoor activities, etc.; rest assured, you will not be without friends wherever you go. It is also true that instead of being mediocre in many fields, it is better to excel in a chosen genre. In the chosen subject, one should also make effort to be a cut above the rest. A talented employee or student is always loved, admired, adored and cared for. Mistakes and other shortcomings are also more prone to being overlooked or dealt by giving gentle advice rather than resorting to punitive measures.

 Cultivating and nurturing a skill or talent does not bring any loss, but only gain. You may have to invest substantial time and resource, but at the end of the day, it is more than worth. A plate of green salad to the main course adds spice to the meal and lifts the discourse. The routine we keep doing and cannot avoid as it is skeletal to the job. In course of time, monotony sets in and can be very uninteresting. The working relationship borne out of formal tasks is result-oriented, the informal relationship emanating from activities beyond routine is value-oriented. Take up something beyond routine today and be more valuable !!

 “Do something that you love. Whatever you’re going to do is going to be tough enough. Find something that gets you so excited that the sun can’t come up early enough in the morning because you want to go do your thing.” – Chris Gardner, author of ‘The pursuit of Happyness”.

[The article was published in the August 2017 Issue of LAMHIL, mouthpiece of Kuki Students' Organisation, Delhi]