Why do I do what I do?

A man takes real notice of a woman only after another man takes notice of her…

Why do I do what I do?

Your biggest competitor is your own view of your future – Watts Wacker & Jim Taylor

I was conveying new-year greetings to one of my friends. He suddenly responded, “You have already told, how many times you will say?” It was rather a surprise to me, if not a shock. I could under...stand his plight. He has already put a tick mark in the receipt column. His problem was, where to put the tick mark again, as the computers do not allow a second tick mark in the same column. His concern for me was that I am wasting my energy and efforts by doing the same work second time.

Several organisations have the practice of people carrying their lates to the wash basin after having the meals. There are several formats to this – you have to carry only the plates, not the water tumblers, in some other companies you have to throw the left-over food in the proper bins, in few companies you have to wash the plates and so on. But in none of the companies you have to clean the table as well. In one place, I was picking up the spilled-over pecks of food particles and was cleaning the table before carrying the plate. The shock came when the manager told, “No, no, you don’t have to do that, they will take care.” The way he told, conveyed as though I am doing something, which I should not do.

“Why are you wearing the helmet?” “Otherwise, police will catch me.”

“Why do you say, Good Morning?” “That’s our company practice.”

“Why do you take feed-backs after the programme?” “That is an ISO requirement.”

“Why are you generating MIS reports?” “That is my job requirement.”

“Why are you collecting the telephone numbers of the visitors?” “That is our chief’s order.”

“Why do you go to temple?” “My astrologer has told me to do for six weeks.”

“Why do you drink so much water?” “My doctor has asked me to do that.”

“Why do you have the morning prayer?” “That is our corporate directive.”

“Why do you tie the cat?” “That is our master’s order.”

We can see such things everywhere – in the workplace, in the house, in the supermarket, in the railway station, in the temple, in the canteen and where not?

For each such ‘activity,’ if we try to find the real purpose and do that keeping the purpose in mind, we can see a sea of changes in the way we do. We do any ‘activity’ mechanically, just for the sake of doing. I am keen only in completing the activity, without any involvement. The purpose of carrying the plate is to leave a clean table for the next person to come and sit comfortably. When I am clear about the purpose, my cleaning the table is perfectly in order. But how many of us do this?

When I am wearing the helmet for the sake of the policeman, then the helmet becomes just a show piece. Even a cap will deceive the policeman. The moment policeman disappears, I curse him and remove the cap. If I am conscious of the purpose that the helmet is meant to protect my head, I choose the best one, wear it all the time, carefully, irrespective of whether the policeman is around or not.

 

When I know that saying ‘good morning’ is to give good feelings and positive energy to other person, I say it enthusiastically, with a smiling face, looking at the eyes of the person whole heartedly. Else, I do it mechanically, sometimes even by just nodding the head put a tick mark, and happy that the first work of the day is completed.

When I am serious about effectiveness of the programme and really interested in knowing how the participants liked it and how to make it more effective, then I design the format so carefully that I really understand the feelings of the participants from their feedbacks. Otherwise, I just file the forms and am happy that system requirement is completed.

 

The MIS reports are to give a clear picture of the state of affairs so that can make decisions from the information available there. So I go even out of the way to collect all the data, see that they are complete and accurate. Else with whatever data is available I make the report and pass it. ‘What can I do if people don’t provide data?’ ‘I cannot go and verify their accuracy everywhere.

Security people are collecting telephone numbers of the visitors to ensure their identity and also to use it in case of emergency. So it ought to be a number other than his cell phone which he himself is carrying. It can be a landline or a cell phone number of his people. doing it only for the Chief’s order, I don’t bother to see the correctness of the number and with whatever the gives, I am happy that the requirements are fulfilled. The activity is completed, but the purpose is not fulfilled.

My going to the temple is for praying with full faith so that I get peace of mind and to find a meaning and purpose for my life. But when I do it for the sake of the astrologer, it is done like a formality,for the sake of doing. Sometimes I do it by sitting in my moving vehicle and just bowing down to the deity. I do not have time to go inside the temple, not even to stop the vehicle and the god is great enough to understand my busyness.

 

Even I have seen people smoking a cigarette, doing it as an activity -as though something that must be done after a meal or after a cup of tea - quick three or four puffs and heaving a sigh of relief one very important work is completed When I do anything for the sake of doing, I am only counting the number or looking at the clock. My heart is not in the thing I am doing.

Often we can hear such comments: ‘ have conveyed it to the service department,’ ‘I have told the right people,’ ‘I have done my work,’ -etc.They are clear messages that the activity is completed.

Let us start living by enjoying and do things for the purpose. Let even the glass of water we drink let us enjoy it and drink and not do it for the doctor.

It doesn’t take a lot of strength to hang on. It takes a lot of strength to let go – J C Watts

Post by : Doshti