Rajat Mishra's Blog

Ever wondered what if you had the 'personal time' that you used to, (maybe) quite some time back? What…IIHT? We all have our 'If I Had Time…' activities or IIHTs outside of our professional and personal responsibilities. Writing is one for me, but over the last few months I've been working on another competing IIHT.This post is about finding that creator in us (and my journey of a creation). No GenAI tool was used (or harmed) for creating this post. The year was 2007, I had just heard about the concept of blogging. What started as a fun activity while I was waiting for ISB & IIM A confirmation, turned into a full-fledged activity as soon as the first few posts with my story spread across the country. Many years later, after repeated asks from my well-wishers, an IIHT materialized and the story took the shape of a book. And now, many more years later and asks from readers, I finally finished a 4.51-minute-long video. It's a visual journey of my sine curve through pictures, emotions, and words. And, it is set to the calming rhythm of the whisper of the waves (more on that below). 2024 marks 20 years since my accident in Dec 2004, (sort of) death, and rebirth, and it's probably a good way to commemorate that milestone. While the video creation was exciting, I delved into something I've been meaning to do for many years. Instead of using a random audio, I thought, "Why not create my own?" So, I composed my own background soundtrack. Wow, the power of deciding how the notes will flow, which instruments will come in…Oh! the excitement. Took me back to the story writing days (which character will say what, and stuff…). So, yes, there was learning involved and I used the Soundtrap tool to compose my first piece—called 'Whisper of the Waves'. It's my second life's purpose to keep spreading my core message of 'It's all in the mind' and I hope to continue on that path with my book, website, speeches and interactions, and this video. As for all of us (as in humanity), go find that creator hidden inside and see what it brings to life. What's your IIHT? No need to respond in comments, it is your question and your answer. Carve out time and get it done.

“Why, Mr. Anderson? Why, why, why? Why do you do it? Why get up? Why keep fighting?” asked Agent Smith, in the Matrix series. That intriguing monologue was much longer of course. Almost everyone knows the importance of determination and this note has nothing to do with that. However, while with great determination, an expert biologist might try finding factorial of 100 a hundred times to see if the result differs, is that purposeful? 

Mindful determination doesn’t have to benefit the whole of humanity, but more importantly, it leads to purposeful outcomes. Mindless determination, on the contrary, is like a headless chicken running around. There is this inordinate amount of resolve to get “it” done, but there is no meaningful “it”. There is no purpose. 

I’m not saying that one should perpetually follow meaningful goals without a break. That will only burn out the wick. What we need is conscious investing of time into identifying personal and/or professional goals. Goals that add value to—an individual, one’s family, organization, or society, and so on. 

For a leader (at any level), the focus and determination exuded set the path for the team. Now, that leader can choose to layer on the path with aspects that matter the most. Or, the leader can be determined about achieving the goal, but focus on inconsequential asks. 

Let’s talk about a leader, say Mr. Agent Smith. He is a go-getter who is determined to go up the ladder. Now, everyone wants their team to be productive. So, Mr. Smith starts using ID cards data to track how much time team members are wasting in the cafeteria every hour. Then there’s this person who does the data crunching for him and creates Xcelsius reports and dashboards to report back on 20 metrics. This can go on and on, but you get the point. 

Determination as a superpower is good obviously, but are we pointing it in the right direction? That’s the question we need to ask and answer—both personally and professionally. Is it laser-focused on what truly matters? If yes, then go ahead and do what it takes. If not, then it’s time to get back to the drawing board. Get going... 

Linkedin post

P.S. The morning routine picture above is courtesy my daughter. The weighted vest certainly helps.

Over the lunch table a few days back, I had a realization. Not necessarily an epiphany, but an exciting idea indeed. And after discussing with my better half, drafted my 36-hours #RAFR break plan.

A #RAFR break is a run-away-from-responsibilities break (newly coined acronym). As we start our journey as an adult, the responsibilities keep getting added at every milestone—both professional and personal. Got married? Congrats! Responsibility added. Kid born? Yippee! Responsibilities added multifold. Had another one? You know the drill already.

Across the last two years, there has been a lot of focus on mental wellbeing, which is good. We always needed it, and many of us accepted a façade of, “I don’t want to appear weak, it's fine.” That thought process has changed thankfully, and most of us acknowledge the importance of peace of mind.

So, a #RAFR break includes a pre-defined period of getting away from ALL responsibilities. Irrespective of the life stage you are in, get far away from everything—maybe it's for 24hrs or 48hrs, or whatever you can make work based on your support system.

So, here’s my #RAFR break plan for which I got the in-principle approval from my wife (yippee! 😊). For me, mountains are the one place that I’d love to spend my life in. So, the destination for my 36-hours solo #RAFR break is Ladakh.

Phase 1: Take the early morning flight from Hyderabad to Leh and reach in the afternoon. I still remember the moment I stepped out of the flight a few years back, the picturesque landscape felt like home. Next, I’ll have a good filling of Thukpa, momos, and stuff for lunch, and pack some hot tea (maybe butter tea?) in a thermos. I’ll then hire a cab for a day and go to any of the quiet spots with a view (not that there’s any scarcity of that 😊). And then, I’ll just sit there, admiring the work of nature, at peace, singing with the wind, enjoying the cold weather, connecting with my deep self. Then a cup of tea, and then continue being in the moment.

Phase 2: As part of the second tier of the plan, I’ll need some prior coordination with my NDA/IMA coursemates, juniors, or seniors who might be posted there. The night will be spent in one of the units with brother officers, connecting with my Army roots. Maybe reminisce going for patrols at night and climbing peaks with moonlit sky in the background, and stuff. Of course, there’ll also be update calls to home in between—because I’ll wish they were there too, strictly NOT for the sense of responsibility.

Phase 3: Next day, catch the early morning sunrise and enjoy the moment. Have a nice warm breakfast at the mess and then on the way to the airport, spend some time sitting in the valley areas—absorbing the moment, at peace, and all the works. Catch the afternoon flight after that, and back home rejuvenated.

So there, I’ve said it. Each one of us (all genders, all age groups) needs that moment of freedom to get away from the weight on the shoulders. Let’s see when I put my 36-hours #RAFR break in action. The planning process itself was energizing enough. How about planning yours—where would you go 😊?
PS: I still continue to post on this blog as well, but primarily post thoughts on Linkedin. Here's the link to this one: https://bit.ly/3tD0scu.
Ciao ppl!Ciao life!

Key ingredients—the core building blocks

So, there I was, sitting with a few of my coursemates from academy days last weekend. Many of the officers from my course are Colonels now and are commanding units. We were meeting after 18 years (wow!), and it seemed as if not a day had passed. After a few rounds of you know what, the question came up, “Rajat, what’s the one thing that defence veterans can easily bank upon in the corporate world?”

When it comes to the “one thing” question, firstly it reminds me of the book, “The One Thing,” but then I’m digressing. I’ve been asked that question before and my answer has always been the same. It’s the DWIT attitude, the “Do what it takes” mentality which is ingrained into us right from the training academy days (across all services). Well, the acronym DWIT isn’t my creation obviously, but the framework below is essentially my POV. With respect to business, it’s a quality that isn’t taught in MBA or academic courses. Of course, there are many professionals who develop this attitude with experience, but it’s one aspect which I’d say is a given for veterans. It’s the one thing that really helps in achieving business outcomes. And, I’m not talking about the basic definition of the phrase. There are certain underlying aspects (listed below) that are not typically stated.

D stands for being a doer(yes, that’s a word). Whatever the objective might be, focus on the first step and act. The emphasis is on taking action, i.e. not just talking in the air, or going into analysis paralysis, but taking the first step, and keep going in spite of roadblocks.

W stands for having the willpowerand willingness to achieve the goal (aka determination), which is the essence of the framework in letter and spirit. If I compare it with various IT services delivery models, this is a typical managed services or managed outcome model where you take complete ownership of the outcome and do what it takes to deliver (of course there’s a premium and other aspects to it). Having the perseverance to pursue an objective is what this entails.

I stands for integrity, and this is a key underlying principle blanked out by a few. I remember, back at National Defence Academy, in the first term one of my seniors spoke about this towards the end of a punishment session. It was a fun time for him, not so much for us. “You guys will be trained on how to manage things—getting things done, one way or the other,” he said, while we were rolling on the ground helter-skelter. “You might be asked to get something urgently, and hear the phrase BBS, or beg, borrow, steal.” That caught our attention, and some of us stopped rolling and looked up. “Keep rolling,” he exclaimed and continued, “Remember that the last word in BBS is figurative. At the end of the day, if your hull integrity is gone, sooner or later you are going to sink.” He was obviously a naval cadet, but it was evident what he meant. We’ve all heard about stories where some companies haven’t really lived up to that aspect, which is unfortunate. Do what it takes to achieve your objective, yes, but it should be within the confines of what is correct.

T stands for understanding your targetor objective (know thy enemy, maybe). Many times, we end up pursuing certain line of actions without a clear vision of the end goal. Has that ever happened to you? Of course it has, and that’s fine but not always. If something is really so important that you need to DWIT, then understand your objective and its consequences. Is it worth it? At what cost? And, of course there are many other defining questions.

Can everyone apply these principles? Yes, of course. When founded on the core element of integrity, DWIT is an amazing superpower to have, but not something learnt overnight. Once you have it, sky is only the lower limit, yours is the universe.

P.S: DWIT also refers to being able to “Deal With IT” when things go awry. We might do what it takes to achieve our goals, but we all know “Life”. Life is iffy, as I keep saying. There will be times when you do what it takes, but life throws a spanner in the works. At that point in time, all that we can do is accept, deal with it, personify resilience and move on. But that’s another topic, perhaps for another day.

Ciao ppl!

Ciao Life!!

P.S.2:  Comments welcome here or on Linkedin 

It’s been a while, yes, and in line with the heading above, I’ll try to pen down here more often. Thankfully, my core job is founded in writing so I do get to follow my passion anyway.

Now, getting to the point, a few months back I got an email from one of my well-wishers who had read my book. She mentioned about a site called C.L.A.W. Global and asked for me to  check it out. Well, I did and realized that it was the brainchild of one of my NDA seniors (from back in 1999), Major Vivek Jacob, who is a Special Forces veteran.

I then connected immediately, and it was inspiring to hear about not only his exciting-difficult-fulfilling experience in the Special Forces, but also the fact that he turned an event in his life (that led to leaving the Forces) into an inspiring mission. Yes, not surprising given he was a Foxy (my Foxtrot squadron in NDA👦), but something that made me respect his fighting spirit and passion even more.

CLAW Global, as anyone can see on the web is on an inspiring mission to achieve something bold. They ARE going to achieve a Triple Elemental World Record in adaptive adventure sports with People of Disabilities (PwDs) around the globe. In their own words, "We are not victims of the elements...we are the elements."

As I’ve shared in a few forums dealing with the topics of PwD, most recently for a virtual webinar for NHRD (4:00 mins into the video), it’s all in the mind. PwDs are people who are dealing with certain conditions, not only on a daily basis, but every moment of their lives. And yet, they have decided that this condition will not define who they are; they will define who they are. It's all in the mind.

It’s an inspiring mission that the team of Special Forces veterans is on. Taking this mission to a global level—at a humanity level, speaks highly of the passion that fuels this group. I went through a few of the inspiring interviews of Jacob sir, and a few where he was brutally honest about his entire journey (and the way he communicated it) are these ones: TRS 103 and TRS 104 😊. 

I wish this group of Special Forces volunteers the very best, and look forward to join them one day.It is exciting when one has passion. 
It is meaningful when one has purpose. 
An impact is created when passion meets purpose. 

Ciao life!Ciao ppl!

 

What if I tell you that things can change—for better? Things might be just fine for you—right now—as you read, but what if things could be better tomorrow as well? And, an year down the line?   So, I’m writing this post today because well honestly, I do have a personal agenda—the desire to share my thought process, story, and understanding of life, and make an impact in somebody else's life. Why today? Because, December 22nd marks the 13th anniversary of my accident and technically a birthday in a way. 
Now, the idea put simply is, "Like attracts Like." Eureka moment? What a discovery? Nah, I agree, not really. But here's the thing—if you want positive outcomes in life, your environment has to be conducive for these outcomes. It's proven both by two distinct branches of science—Neuroscience (conditioning of mind, affirmations) and Pseudoscience (law of attraction). 
We all know that the law of gravity exists, whether you believe it or not. You take one step forward from the edge of a 10m board in swimming pool, you will fall down. Just like that, law of attraction exists, whether you believe it or not. 
Imagine for a moment, humor me, imagine that a Mr. Sid is having a conversation with "Life" (feel free to read "Sid" as "You"….only if you want). Sid: "Hey Life, I need a jar full of 100 beautiful red colored balls with a + sign." Life: "Sure,why not Sid, here's a gift wrapped jar full of 100 balls. You're free to do what you want with the balls in your jar." Sid removes the packaging happily and opens it up. It turns out that the jar is full of + sign red balls, and - sign black balls. He turns towards Life with a frown. Sid: "Life! I wanted 100 + sign red balls in my jar. Can I have more + sign red balls?" Life: "Sure, why not, here's a shower of 1000s of + sign red balls. You're free to do what you want with the balls in your jar." Precisely as Life said, there's a huge shower of + sign red balls over the jar. They're so many that the entire jar is covered in the pile of red balls. Sid happily fishes for the jar, picks it and looks inside. The frown is back. Sid: "Life! I made it clear that I want + sign red balls in my jar. This jar still has the same amount of + red and – black balls as before. Give me more please." Life: "Sure, why not, I have no shortage of + sign red balls. Here's another shower of 1000 for you. Remember, you're free to do what you want with the balls in your jar." Yes, the same thing happens and Sid is distraught. After 100 more tries there's no result and Life keeps saying the same thing. Not able to fathom why he can't have more + sign red balls, he seeks advice from a learned saint. The sagely saint says calmly with deep breath and a knowing smile, "Sid....dude, you're free to do what you want with the balls in your jar. Remove all the – sign black ones and make space for the + sign red ones. Simple?" 

I'll stop at that; let's come out of this conversation. If we want good things to happen and positive outcomes to materialize, we have to minimize all the negative thoughts, uncertain doubts and negative vibes.  
Safely assuming evolution to be a continuous improvement model, it's a reasonable conclusion that there's an unlimited supply of positive energy flowing across the universe. It's there when you wake up, there when you take a walk and there when you go to sleep. Like air, it's just there. If you keep living with a jar full of x% of + and y% of – sign balls, and keep cursing fate, luck and what not, for not letting you have more +ve, guess what—"you are free to do what you want with the balls in your jar".  Make space. 
So, what does it mean to you? What change can you bring practically? Does it mean one should never have -ve thoughts? No. What this means is that we need to modify our thinking to be more hopeful, more positive, look at the brighter side, remove that frown, put on more smiles, express more gratitude and words to that effect.  Does this guarantee success + happiness? No! Does this channel you towards the right path for success + happiness? Sure, why not! 
In your own time, I'd suggest you to read further into the law of attraction and the abundance principle. For the pro-factual science folks, read about how conditioning and positive affirmations can change you as an individual. Good things are waiting to happen, only awaiting a conducive environment for them to happen. Open the jar >> remove the – sign balls >>  make space for more + sign balls >> then seek and thy shall receive. 
Ciao life !! Ciao ppl !! 

That’s what I said - ”Wow, what an amazing facility,” when my better half told me a few days back, about her walk to the main road to get some stuff. Well, I was lying on the hospital bed with the right leg in a plaster, so the case in point was - “the ability to walk.” It’s really funny, how we get engrossed in the idiosyncrasies of life, take things for granted and don’t appreciate what we have. Last month during Chennai floods, we both said the same thing -“what an amazing facility”, when the electricity board went finally up n running and declared by night - “let there be light!”
I have definitely said this before in my blog; it’s something ingrained in our DNA. Typically, we appreciate the value of things only after they’re taken away. Life is iffy, iffy as it can be. Being ambitious is good, cribbing sometimes is just fine, but it’s best if we learn to appreciate (ALWAYS) what we have in hand. Yes, that (the 'always' part) is an ideal world scenario, but we can at least resolve to take that road and see where that takes us.P.S: On a different note, thank you for all the "appreciation" mails for my book. I'm really honored by all the love and good wishes. 
Ciao ppl!!Ciao Life!!

Q. "Sir, training from the Army probably worked for you, but how easy is it for a regular person to take this approach?"
Ans. It's a very relevant question that I've been asked in various forms & forums. My answer is really straight forward - in spite of the training, I was and still am a regular (common man) person, and I reiterate - "It's all in the mind". 
The answer really lies in our ability and willingness to change our thought process and approach to life. Sharp shooting, Rock climbing, Para sailing are skills that you have to learn via external means (not in everyone's reach). But what I'm talking about can be done by anyone - right now as I'm typing this and right not while you're reading it. Discipline towards an objective, perseverance (not giving up) and having a positive attitude is a conscious decision made by your mind.
I'm not saying it's easy, just saying that with focused efforts anyone can be strong willed and positive in terms of default reactions to the iffy idiosyncrasies of life. Do this consciously for 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 and sooner, that reaction will be the default one in the mind. I'm getting kind of preachy now :), but really, if I can do it, anybody can - it's all in the mind.

Yes, my book is out there now. It has been a long persistent effort over the last couple of years (bandwidth issues and stuff like that!). It all started when a number of well-wishers suggested that I should write a book. It was an amazing experience - going back in time (right to the NDA days), remembering how events shaped up, and through to some funny and not-so-funny experiences. The book has evolved over the period. The aim was always the same -  enable me to justify this 2nd life, tone was always the same - light-hearted and not preachy, and the message still remains the same - "It's all in the mind."

So, Siddhant (my fictional name) starts his journey from the NDA and traverses through the adventurous life, with every day at NDA (and IMA thereafter), molding the pliable mind into that of an ideal Officer. Without getting into specifics, while many readers of this blog would be aware of some of the twists and turns before and after my accident (right up to IIM A), it would suffice to say that the story has elements of Inspiration, Action, Humor, Tragedy, and (ahem!) Romance.
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I hope everyone enjoys reading it, even more than I did (penning it down). Please let me know if you liked it (or even otherwise), and do share your reviews at Amazon (direct link), or Goodreads (direct link).

Blurb from the back cover:
How would you feel if, one day, you wake up in a hospital to the faces of doctors and nurses? How would you react when you see your dreams shattering right in front of your eyes? And what would go through your mind when you’re barred from pursuing your passion? Crushed and devastated from within? Meet Lt. Siddhant, an epitome of courage and spirit, who woke up to all this one morning and yet remained composed, when told that his right arm has been amputated post a fateful accident. An average human would collapse, but Lt. Siddhant, an Indian Army officer asked, “Can I have a Chocolate Milkshake?”
This is the true-story of Lt. Siddhant, who when asked to shed his Olive Greens thereafter, goes on to build a successful career in the Corporate world and becomes an inspiration for many. But, how did he get there? How did he win his battle? “Can I have a Chocolate Milkshake” is a riveting tale of a man overcoming his limitations, fighting against all odds, and emerging as a winner.

Buy the book from:
The book is available in both print and e-book formats across countries. you can buy it from:
Notionpress: Paperback
Amazon.com: Kindle US, Paperback US, Kindle India, Paperback India
Other sources on the website

Other Key links:
My Website book page
Facebook Page
Goodreads page

In addition to all my near-dear ones and well-wishers, I would also like to thank my publishers - Notionpress for helping me in embodying my book.

Ciao ppl!
Ciao Life!

Today morning during the cooling down after the morning run, I was wondering- why do I run in spite of "that pain"? That "pain"- well, just to clarify, I don’t wear my right shoulder (dead weight) while running so that’s not the issue; it’s those tiny screws embedded in the right ankle that hurt post the run (thankfully not during).  I don’t run every day; generally have late working nights during the week, but do make it a point to run every Sunday early morning.Anyway, the question I posed was – why do I run? Why? (Reminds me of - "Why Mr. Anderson, why?") What’s the purpose/motivation?  Yes it’s an old habit from the good ol’ Army days, but that’s not the answer. I know many people fond of running, and there are even those high-spirited ones that love running on the face of adverse circumstances. Everyone has different reasons behind their motivation, which is needed 'coz running is pure hard work, no cutting corners. In my case, the pain lasts for some time in the feet and then vanishes, but that’s a cost I’m willing to pay for d ‘objective’. I concluded that the answer (for me) is twofold- (i) running is one of the best exercises for self-judging one’s determination quotient and (ii) I’m the only one ‘Responsible’ & ‘Accountable’ for my body.I follow bouts of purposeful running and auto-pilot mode. Purposeful running is when I’m consciously aware of the push from every step of the run, incremental push from swing of the left hand, and aware of the fact that this effort is adding value. Of course, bouts of auto mode are also fun where the body just moves with the flow, and focus is more on the lyrics of the song in the playlist (from the headphone).One of my favorite sayings is – “Stretch your limits once a while, lest you lose your elasticity”. Running helps in keeping that spirit alive, especially because it tests the determination to go on when you can just stop and walk or jog. Really, who’s watching? How does it matter to anyone else? It’s only our own ‘will’ that can make us keep going. By the same token, it’s our value system that helps in making the ‘right’ decision when no one’s watching, but then I’m digressing here (apologies). All said and done, we are answerable/accountable to our body (personifying it as a separate entity), and I just want to make sure- mine gives me a good rating during performance appraisal :).Ciao ppl!Ciao life!P.S: Well, it also helps in negating d sugar intake from my affinity towards good dark chocolate :).