WORK BRINGS SOLACE

            A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, a distinguished scientist, took charge as a President of India in July 2002. His name is associated with the development of India’s first satellite launch vehicle SLV-3, and the ‘Agni’ missile. He advocated plans to develop India into a developed nation by 2020. He has received many honorary doctorates and the Padma Bhushan (1981), Padma Vibhushan (1990) and Bharata Ratna (1997). He is a voracious reader, writes poetry and plays the Rudra Veena.

           

 Recollecting the journey with a rocketry genius, Wernher Von Braun, Kalam speaks how he could make his vision his religion and mission for success. Kalam was fortunate of flying in an Avro aircraft with Wernher Von Braun from Madras to Trivandrum. Wernher Von Braun was a scientist, designer, product engineer, administrator and technology manager, all rolled into one. Kalam was filled with awe that he was travelling with a giant of missile systems. During his journey Kalam observed that the father of modern rocketry to be so humble, receptive and encouraging. Wernher Von Braun questioned him about the missile work of Kalam and listened to his replies with rapt attention like a student. Wernher Von Braun suggested Kalam that one doesn’t just build on success, but also on failures. He advised him that mere hard work cannot fetch honor. Wernher Von Braun was so self-effacing that his personality made Kalam feel comfortable throughout their journey.

           

 With the encouragement of Wernher Von Braun, Abdul Kalam was lured towards his goal. He wanted to complete his mission of creating SLV, a genuine Indian design. Mean while three deaths of his family depressed him a lot. To overcome all these, he needed total commitment to work. He gave up everything outside SLV circle; (no family, no friends, no more weekends or holidays etc...) he had kept a hold button on his life which throws light on his single-minded devotion towards his goal.

           

 Individuals like Kalam are often called ‘workaholics’. He objects the term which implies an illness. He admits that the desire to work at optimum capacity leaves hardly any room for anything else. In his opinion, total commitment is the common denominator among all successful men and women.

            

‘Flow’ is an overwhelming and joyous experience while working with total involvement. During flow, action follows action avoiding distraction demands on one’s attention. The distinction between self and activity disappears. Although they were working very hard, they were relaxed, energetic and fresh. It was the fact that even the difficult targets they had set actually seemed achievable for his team.

            Kalam felt tremendous surge of confidence over the SLV-3 project. The first requirement to get into flow is a challenging work. It makes him realise that he is performing a task better today than he did yesterday. The other pre-requisite for being in flow is an uninterrupted span of time. It is very difficult to switch into the flow state in less than half an hour. There were occasions when without being conscious of his hunger, Kalam and his team worked on in a state of flow. Thus, Kalam opines that the single-minded devotion to work brings success.




Reference: -  http://bhashyameng.blogspot.in/