Gerald D'Cunha

E xams are approaching. Hardly any time to prepare well and shine in the exams. And, everybody reminds about that… everybody gives sermons. “I am fed up,” Bhushan cried yesterday. “Don’t they know, I am not an idiot?” Bhushan is not an idiot. His parents know, his aunts and well-wishers know. Still, they keep reminding him, “Bhushan, you better become serious… Else, ….” “I know it. If I don’t become serious, I will end up getting what I deserve,” Bhushan screams. “But, don’t you think it is my life and if I do not take charge now, I will ruin it?” They know it. Still. Bhushan is definitely a head-strong, committed young boy. I know, he is on the right track… and, I also believe he will do well not only in his exams but also in his life. Many a times, I have expressed these feelings of mine to his parents. But, Bhushan still pleads me, “Sir, please tell them not to keep irritating me.” Mohit’s case is exactly opposite. He is completely chilled out. He ...

S everal years ago, when I was introduced to the self-help reading, I was instantly impressed with the term – ‘Initiative’. It was from the famous book of Napoleon Hill – ‘The Law of Success’. I liked this because, I instantly realized that some things in my life were, always, within my reach… I could, always, do them, without waiting for anyone else's permission or support or even validation. Moreover, doing them, involved no costs… only benefits. Napoleon Hill himself had paid tributes to the great Ralf Waldo Emerson for inspiring him on the subject of ‘Initiative’. I loved the term, and began to implement it in my day-to-day dealings. I began to go ‘the extra-mile’… to do work more than paid for. And, it did pay me with ‘compound interest’. I began to do work not for money alone. And, it did bring me along the ‘other rewards’ – respect, goodwill, trust, friends and well-wishers and, above all, an unshakable faith in myself and a hope about tomorrow. I began to...

I just wound up teaching Priyanka. She too is preparing for her CPT. She is good in studies, particularly the key subject – Accountancy. Just before she left, I said, “Priyanka, there are two requisites for your real success in this field: your aptitude and your attitude.” I continued, “I have been teaching you Accountancy for almost four years now. So, I know you have a great flair for it. Yes, your aptitude is in place. All that I remind you is that - let your attitude be in place, too.” Priyanka was old enough to understand the meaning of that word – ‘Attitude’. Still, I found myself talking about it.  I told Priyanka, “The very first thing when it comes to attitude is that you should be doing what you do for the ‘right reasons’… You should do it out of your own ‘conscious choice’ and not out of any compulsions such as peer or parents pressure. In other words, you must feel deep within you, ‘I do it for myself… It is my life. It is about making my own life worthwhile… It ...