Working and Walking – Where Are You Going?
Tanmay Vora
Working (hard) is much like walking. Where you walk matters.
Walk on a beach and you see vast expanse of the sea.
Walk in the park and you can smell freshly cut grass. Listen the birds chirping early morning songs.
Walk in the gym and you only watch other people working out.
The effort (you put in walking) remains the same. Goal remains the same.
But where you walk changes your perspective.
Common perception is that we do our work. In reality, our work does us.
It shapes us. Our thinking. Our attitude. Our approach to life.
When it comes to working, walking on a treadmill is not a good idea.
It takes as much hard work, and doesn’t take you anywhere.
“Busyness” is not equal to progress.
“Busyness” (walking fast) in wrong direction can quickly lead to failure.
Critical questions then are –
- How is your work shaping you up?
- Where is it taking you to?
- Are you walking on a treadmill?
Photo Courtesy: RMontoro’s Flickr Photostream
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@LeaderTalk Good Morning Becky! All set for running in the weekend? Thanks for the RT!
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@tnvora My pleasure to share your work, Tanmay.
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Working (hard) is much like walking. Where you walk matters. – [link to post]
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RT @tweetmeme QAspire Blog – Quality, Management, Leadership & Life! » Working and Walking – Where Are You Going? [link to post]
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Hi Tanmay,
Don’t think of Treadmill, think of you are walking in the sand in desert and your girl friend is waiting for you on the other end. You will get softness of sand , toughness of desert and right direction to meet your goal waiting on the other side.. !!
Keep Walking !!!!
Hi Niraj – Thanks for commenting. Wish you a Happy Diwali!
.-= Tanmay Vora´s last blog ..Working and Walking – Where Are You Going? =-.
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QAspire Blog » Working and Walking – Where Are You Going? [link to post]
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Very well said Tanmay.
Using the same analogy, you should also focus on who you are walking with. Not only where you walk is important, the people that are surrounding you when you are walking also are important.
Just like the work shapes us (may be more) the people with whom we work shape us too.
You are always “becoming” something and “what” you do and “with whom” you do this work, shapes “who we become.”
Best,
Rajesh
.-= Rajesh Setty´s last blog ..Recharging while sweating… =-.
Hi Rajesh,
Thanks for adding that very interesting angle to this post. It is said – we become who we hang out with and you nailed it perfectly.
You are always “becoming” something and “what” you do and “with whom” you do this work, shapes “who we become.” – I loved this perspective!
I think this also applies to companies, for they become as good as their customers are!
Best,
Tanmay
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@UpbeatNow Thanks for adding a very interesting angle to my recent post “Working and Walking – Where are you going?” – [link to post]
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Hi Tanmay,
Good post. We can find a lot of people walking alongside but how many of us will guide us to the correct path if we take a wrong direction is doubtful. As you mentioned once: ‘A person needs to be his own best friend’, we need to decide and take up the correct paths. Sometimes, it may happen that we take a few steps in the wrong direction, but such mistakes are a part of our learning curve.
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Working and Walking – Where Are You Going? [link to post]
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Tanmay:
Great post! Several years back I had read Iacocca’s autobiography(American legend, a straight-shooting businessman who brought Chrysler back from the brink and in the process became a media celebrity). Of the many lessons I learnt from that book, one idea still stands out in my mind. Iacocca used to excel in his school days and went to undergrad and realized he was surrounded by people much more smarter than him. He realized it is important to be surrounded by smart people even if it made him “uncomfortable”.
The key lesson hear is simple. Along our journey(or “the walk” as you call it), it is important to forever challenge ourselves and not to be lethargic in one’s own comfort zone.
Thanx again for the thoughtful post.
.-= Ambal Balakrishnan´s last blog ..ClickInsights: What is your favorite white paper? Why do you like it? =-.
Ambal:
Thanks for stopping by and sharing a valuable insight from Iacocca’s autobiography. We become who we hang out with, and hence it is important to figure out three things (w.r.t the post):
1) Where are you walking?
2) In which direction?
3) With whom?
I am glad you liked the post.
[…] October 2009: Working and Walking – Where Are You Going? […]
Hello Tanmay
Totally agree with your thoughts.But it depends on one individual that where he wants to go.Just want to write one thing:If Vascodagama didnt take initials then it will be some one else who had found India.So one has to decide whether he wants the pleasure of beach or fragrance of flowers in a park.As life is about to take decision and prove them right not take right dicisions.
Regards
@Sanjay – Hi Sanjay – the crux of this short piece is to bring a realization on where we are heading to. It is easy to be carried away in herd mentality, doing things that are safe and sound. It takes courage, action and fearlessness to take bold actions and do things that matter, like Vasco Da Gama did. I agree that life is about taking decisions and work to prove them right!
Thanks,
Tanmay