Professionals define the profession

In today's world, with the surmounting amount of information flow from all directions people have a huge question on mind as to which profession to take up. Different opportunities present different scales of returns and the number of such opportunities is limited in case of those who aren't prepared and trained to enter the work world while for those who are pre-equipped, they are just too big in number and variety. Too many options only confuse our choices. Which profession to choose is of great question and the debate about the goodness and badness of a profession is never ending. That's where I need to jump in and tell that your profession can't define you; you will've to give a new meaning to the profession you get into.

I had heard my lecturer say in my college days that, "everyone is good, everyone is bad but only the percentage varies." Likewise profession is also something that's innovated by man. No profession is good or bad. It's the people in the profession who shall define the quality and fame of the  profession. Let's take two simple examples of Sir Richard Branson and Sachin Tendulkar. to understand the concept better. Sir Richard Branson is a true serial entrepreneur who has made people feel that entrepreneurship is the cloud nine of life. He has given his adventurous touch to the business world. In the same way, Sachin Tendulkar has displayed the true spirit of sportsmanship by taking cricket records to new heights which people might not even defeat for ages to come. He has inspired and influenced hordes of others to take up cricket as the profession just like how Sir Richard Branson has triggered plenty of youth to jump into the ocean of entrepreneurship and business.

We can find so many frauds and cheats in both the fields of cricket and business. Still people opt for such fields because of the personalities who have made those professions noble. Hence we must not have any bias towards any profession. We must think about what value we can add to the profession we are in and how we can influence lots more to take up the same profession and benefit themselves. Only then you become a true professional in your profession and a leader who sets new benchmarks and standards.

Practical entrepreneurship

With the advent of internet, opportunities to be your own boss sitting at home have increased multifold. Information is available just a click away and resources to build a company are easily accessible at your doorsteps by way of ordering at your fingertips. The craze of owning something has forgone a long way more than just mere desire to form a kind of psychological lock. One who doesn't have to take others orders is considered to be great. As a result of all such factors, today's youth is jumping into entrepreneurship without having any practical insight into it just out of excitement. MBA books have introduced so many complicated terms just by knowing which people believe that they can become entrepreneurs.

Today, the word 'entrepreneur' has taken up various forms for people in different fields. For working people, entrepreneurship turns into something called intrapreneurship. For people in fields other than business there's a wide variety to choose from such as social entrepreneurship, political entrepreneurship, knowledge entrepreneurship and a lot more. In any form of entrepreneurship the most important thing to be taken care of is practicality. Any work can be printed on paper and conceptualized to the best idealistic extent. The true roots of success or failure can only be witnessed when we jump into the practical field of implementation of the intended idea. I have heard so many MBA students who come to the conclusion by the time they start working that they just need to take all their textbooks, tear them apart and throw away once they are in the real world. Books were written based on the real world scenario of the past.

Having graphs of thousands of dollars scaling their way up with every passing year or charting out tables and pie-charts indicating the expected investments or the profit/loss statements do not alone suffice to build a practical B-plan. One has to get a first hand experience on field about business, about working with people, about understanding the relationship between demand and supply and many more practical aspects related to business. Without basic understanding for at least a couple of years one will only be devastated to see his/her paper plans crushing down into ashes if the practicality of implementation is sidelined. Let's get realistic friends!

The first generation entrepreneurs

In today's world, there's a huge fuss and pseudo-fame associated with the word entrepreneurship . Becoming an entrepreneur has become a craze among the youth because of the respect and limelight associated with the word entrepreneur. Just registering a company doesn't make someone entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship requires one to invest every bit of his/her soul to establish his/her idea to yield fruits for many who shall believe in it. Such core entrepreneurs are called as first generation entrepreneurs who are ready to sacrifice everything that they have just to see their company take the shape that they have dreamt of from a long time.

 

After a company is established, the power shall get passed on to the next heir either based on genetics or talent. The one who is running the company may take up new businesses and run them. The board of directors decide the investments to make and the shares to sell. Even they are entrepreneurs who run the business but they aren't called the first generation entrepreneurs. They are the entrepreneurs who shall manage the passed on legacy of an established business. Their goal is to stick to the objective vision defined by the first generation entrepreneurs. Unlike their predecessors they aren't ready to put their own personal assets at stake for the sake of the company. They will give their best to manage and play with the company assets to build or break the company. This is the prime difference between the first generation entrepreneurs and their successors.

 

Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Dhirubhai Ambani, Michael Dell and other great founders of extraordinary companies fall into the league of such first generation entrepreneurs. They invested their sweat and blood to build every ounce of their visionary company. Only visionaries become such first generation entrepreneurs. They are the people who had complete faith in their idea and were ready to sacrifice everything they had to see their vision turn into reality. Every entrepreneur should consider himself as a first generation entrepreneur if he dreams of building a firm that shall last through ages and which shall definitely keep his name immortal.

Kalpana - Beyond imagination

The word 'kalpana' in Hindi means imagination. But the word 'Kalpana' that I have used in the title doesn't refer to imagination but to a girl by name Kalpana from Gujarat who is beyond imagination. Students from 5 different colleges made their presence felt today in Bangalore to attend a session about ENTREPRENEURSHIP by Team IU(Inspiration Unlimited) and international inspirational speaker Mr. Sujit Lalwani. A large group of youth participated in this event and out of these there was one girl by name Kalpana who has an inspiring story to share with us.

Kalpana was enrolled into a Marathi school during her early childhood and had to study completely in Marathi. Then for her higher classes during schooling, she was transferred to another school that taught in Gujarathi. There was no option for her to study in an English medium school. After her schooling, she was sent to Bangalore to study in IKON nursing college to pursue B.Sc in nursing where the complete syllabus was taught in English alone. Indeed this was a big shock for Kalpana as she had to shift from regional medium school to English medium college all of a sudden absolutely without any expertise in English. However with the encouragement of her dad, she took up this bold step and entered Bangalore. This is just a brief introduction about Kalpana. To learn about how she managed through these language barriers let's see some Q&As;

How did you feel when you were transferred to schools teaching in different languages?

When I joined a Gujarathi institution to learn science I was very afraid. Then, I told myself that nothing is impossible on this earth. Even my dad encouraged me and I gave my best in the exams. Everyone around me was schocked that a girl from Marathi background had fared well in Gujarathi medium.

When you were trasnferred from Gujarathi medium to English medium institution, how did you face the challenge?

I almost doubted myself if I would be able to do anything but then consoled myself that now I couldn't turn my back on education and leave. I felt sad thinking that my dad would be disappointed to know that his daughter had accepted defeat. Hence I decided that I would put in my best efforts and learn. Today, though I make mistakes while speaking in English, I can understand English completely. I am even proficient in Marathi, Gujarathi and Hindi.

When you started practising to communicate in English how was your experience?

In our college, speaking in regional language is prohibited. So, when I used to speak in English with my Gujarathi friends they used to get irritated with the mistakes that I made while speaking and would ask me to stop speaking in English, but today the same friends appreciate me for the kind of fluency that I have mastered in speaking in English.

When you felt bad hearing to your friends' comments what did you do?

I used to cry a lot when my friends teased me. I have a habit of writing my daily dairy. I used to pour down my feelings in it. I blamed my dad for not enrolling me into an English medium school but my dad told me that I would be proud about him when I would be the topper of the class even in the English medium college.

When you were changing schools and college, your language medium was changing which upset you but because of that today you know Hindi, Marathi, Gujarathi, Nepali and English and you are a multilingual person today. How do you feel about it?

By learning different languages, I have even learned different cultures of which my friends are a part of. Hence I can mingle with all friends of mine very easily because of which I have many friends.

What is your one message to those who feel inferior while communicating in English?

Please don't think negative. Tell yourself that you will be able to do. Instead of thinking that things will not happen, give your best to make things happen. I gaurantee that if you try, you shall definitely succeed.

Who all do you want to thank for being an inspiration in your life?

First of all, I want to thank my dad about whom I am very proud of. He is the reason for my success today. In spite of low income levels, he is spending a lot on me and my studies and providing me all the amenities. Secondly, I want to thank that teacher of mine who encouraged me to go on the stage and talk to hundreds of people. Thirdly, I would like to thank Sister Devi who has helped me and my friends to get an exposure about different things happening around us and who has been a source of inspiration and encouragement for us always.

Backup or Backdoor

Close all your backdoors if you are going to follow your passion. Make sure you have the required backup when you set out for this adventurous journey. I think the previous two statements have already conveyed the difference between 'backup' and 'backdoor'. Many are confused whether to follow their passion or do what can yield result and reward right at the present moment. I have tried to come up with a practical method which can help you live a life that you dream of and let me share it with you.

Basic necessities of life are the most important to be fulfilled irrespective of whether we are passionate about what we are doing or not. If these basic essentials can get fulfilled at the basic level possible then you can definitely think of working for the extra that you dream of. Without being able to fulfill the pressing needs of a basic life it's even more difficult to work towards our dreams. If you are already working in the field about which you are the most passionate about and are able to fulfill your and your family's basic necessities then continue the same without turning back even if your income fluctuates sometimes. If you are a person like I was some days back who are working in a field out of necessity and not out of passion then just calculate well if you can earn and save enough which can support your basic needs for next one year. If you have saved this much amount of money then it will be your backup when you jump into the field of your passion completely.

If you are spending extra apart from your basic needs being in a work and blaming that is the reason for you not being able to work on your passion then it's the backdoor. Backdoors are those escapades which you keep open under the fear of security which will never allow you to open the front doors towards your dreams. Unless the backdoors are shut completely you will never be able to work on your passion completely. If you can build one year of experience backup in the extra time apart from your work and be able to generate at least ten percent of revenue and also save a backup which can support you for one year without any income from the field of your passion then you can fearlessly close all your backdoors and open the front doors towards the life that you always dreamt of living.

I closed all my backdoors the moment I quit my job and jumped into the field of my passion, public speaking and entrepreneurship and hence I am able to write this blog today. Hope you like it! Keep me informed on www.facebook.com/ismohanbn

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As I foray into the future

As I foray into the future of unlimited freedom, I realise that I need to be more responsible for each and every act of mine. I have worked as a software engineer at Oracle for over three years now and finally on October 12th,2012 I quit my job to enter the field of full time entrepreneurship. Today, a day after my job ends the mind is clear without any pressure of work or confusion about my career growth as a software engineer in a company. The mind is pouring in questions as to how do I work on my passion and impact a large mass of people. Every instance happening around just inspires me to think a lot more as to how can I make use of it to grow to be a better human being.

The seed of becoming an inspirational speaker was sown in my head when I was in 9th std when I watched few videos of Shiv Khera. The sheer power to hold a crowd of thousands of people just by talking for hours together really triggered the desire more in me to do the same. I have been addressing people from three years now and it's been an enhancing experience each time I do it. Today I feel, I have all the time and all the resources that are necessary to build my intellectual ability to serve all those who listen to me. Working in a job of eight hours also gave me ample time to invest on my passion of public speaking. The only reason that I could take the strong decision of quitting my job was this. I practised my passion bit by bit in the available time even while I was working for my living elsewhere.

Friends! Your passion is only yours and belongs to no one else. It's in your hands to either water it or leave it to spoil and die. The only way to keep your passion alive is by practising it as often as necessary. Since I kept my hopes alive that someday in the future I will make my passion as my profession, I always tried to take out my extra and free time apart from the office work towards my passion and took talks. I feel a sense of accomplishment in letting you know that I have addessed more than ten thousand people face to face through seminars, inspirational and empowerment talks and trainings while working in a job for which I had to spend 3 hours of travelling daily. Probably one lesson that I can share out of my experience is that, practise your passion no matter how busy you are because at the sunset of our lives we only remember what we did out of passion and not what we did out of pressure in the past. You can share your views and opinions on www.facebook.com/ismohanbn

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