Strengths and Weakness

Often we find ourselves in situations where we are asked to analyse strengths and weakness...if we are lucky it is about ourselves and if we are unlucky then it is a about a third person or entity. Although I am not sure about the exact demarcation of lucky and unlucky in such cases. Since, it can be more disheartening and equally, if not more, complicated to put one self under the microscope...mostly if it is about our own self, it tends to throw up ghastly insights which we can barely tolerate.

Having had a quick glimpse of life or more of a sneak preview in the last few months, I left wondering what are my strengths or weakness. Left wondering here basically means, no body else to talk to other than the mirror ( time to get a dog I guess -- but I am afraid looking at my condition The Royal Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals might strongly object).

I have come to the conclusion, ( and readers, honestly, this was without the aid of old barley extracts ) that your strengths are your weaknesses. I know that kind of simplifies SWOT analysis when you are asked to do so -- imagine how trivially easy it would be to say Strengths = Weakness and Opportunities = Threats -- hence we are left to only analyze Strengths and Opportunities. If we can , the smart-aleks that we are, can somehow equate opportunities to be a direct function of Strengths, then we are left to deal with just one aspect of an other-wise drab and boring, as also very fruitless, exercise. Specifically if the target of such an exercise is none other than our own superior selves.

Lets take for example one of the movie stars of the current bollywood who is known for his perfectionist attitude. Open to guesses, but knowing the lackluster characters of current fiefdom and the lack of it, it is not tough to guess. Lets say for a moment that you are him. then your biggest strength is your worst weakness. You know you have won awards for your perfectionist approach , while time and again you proceed to subject yourselves to an inhuman extent to achieve this perfect. The net result -- You are a star. Sadly the analogy could not be more ironic. A star burns and so do you.

Let take the example of a beautiful mind. No the fans of that beautiful movie can desist -- I am not attempting to sling anything at that movie. Infact, those who haven't watched it, I suggest -- take some time of to watch the movie. The suggestion of taking some time of, is not to watch the movie -- it is for you to internalize the purport of the movie.

Teachers : Learnings of a Life

Perfection. The keyword catches my eyes as I swirl the ice-cubes in the glass of the golden adrenalin.
Isn't that why I drown myself in alcohol. Isn't that the burning desire that has alas turned my life and everything I hold dear into ashes.
What force draws me to that elixir of life? The abominable wish to numb pain? Even if it is a temporal relief? The pain I feel, unfortunately, is too deep and no amount of intoxication even reduces a fraction of it.
Then why do I resort to this so often?
Perfection -- That is the reason why I subject myself to an alcohol induced sleep. Because whatever happens today, however much it hurts, however much i cry, tomorrow is inevitable. Tomorrow, I have to wake up, tomorrow I have to subject myself to the physical needs, tomorrow I have to drive, tomorrow I have to reach office. Tomorrow Asif has to appear in front of the whole world, in a way only he knows how he does it.
And if Asif has to do that, to again stand up, to again prove to the world that if not the best, he is among the best, then he needs rest. He needs atleast a few hours of sleep, he needs to keep that pain from turning into horrendous nightmares, he needs to relax. Because whatever happens, life doesn't stop. Whatever happens today perfection has to be attained tomorrow in each and every sphere of life, in each and every thing that he touches -- from parking perfectly, to a perfectly analysed and composed business case, to a perfectly executed fore-hand topspin on the table-tennis board.
Perfection, in everything I do.