Gerald D'Cunha

"Building alibis, with which to explain away failure, is a national pastime. The habit is as old as human race, and fatal to success.” Napoleon Hill in ‘Think and Grow Rich’ I had first come across the term ‘Alibi’ in Napoleon Hill’s famous book, ‘Think and Grow Rich’. This was the book I was reading during my days of struggle in Bombay. I was new in this city, and I was jobless and hungry. But, the hunger in my heart was of a different kind – I wanted to know how people realized their dreams, how they achieved success. And, which book, other than ‘Think and Grow Rich’, could answer my quest? Towards the end of the book, Napoleon Hill had included a very powerful chapter called ‘Fifty-seven famous Alibis… by Old Man IF’… What a priceless lesson that was! I must have read that book, ‘Think and Grow Rich’, countless times during my ‘days in the wilderness’. I could sense how it infused in me the power and I would find myself all set for the flight. ...

“I am sorry… Tried my best and I failed… Forgive me my ocean and my country.” With these words, Afroz Shah suspended the Varsova-beach-clean-up drive 110 weeks after he first started it… Alone, that was! But, has Afroz really failed? Not in my view.  To me, Afroz is a winner… an inspiration… a true hero. I have always believed in Afroz’s kind of initiative, his kind of ‘social change’. “Don’t ask what your country can do for you; Ask what you can do for your country.” I was in ninth standard when I came across these inspiring words of JFK’s speech in our English text book. This was how Mahatma Gandhi, (Afroz’s inspiration) carried out his mighty movement of social change: “Be the change you wish to see in this world”… Yes, don’t wait for the authorities and others to do it. You do it… Start from you and others will join you. This was precisely how Mother Teresa went about carrying out her mammoth mission: “I alone cannot change the w...

Pic.: Chetna Shetty “Excuses are the nails used to build a house of failure.” ~Don Wilder and Bill Rechin I have been teaching Ashar* for two years in a row now. So, by now, I can easily make out what is a valid reason and what is a lame excuse every time he bunks my class or turns up without doing his homework. To paraphrase what I just said in a blunt language, I can easily make out when Ashar tells a truth and when he tells a lie... Ashar is a well-built, good-looking and well-off kid. He goes to a great college, hails from a great family and speaks great English, too... The only problem with our young-man is – and, he is not alone in this problem - he is not very clear about his goals and priorities. This is his second-year degree... and, the way his life is going, I do not see any goals and priorities coming his way... This means, the drifting away in life will continue... Only after he gets up from his bed, you will...