…Reading a book on Buddha by Karen Armstrong, and one on Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
Over the years, I have had a habit of reading two books at a time, and that too from different genres… Before you imagine a funny picture of me holding one book in each of my hands and each of my eyes rolling in opposite side, let me clarify that I meant ‘toggling between them’…
The reason behind it is that a book is a dangerous species! It has all the power of hijacking one’s mindset, making one think entirely unidirectional (Hitler got obsessed with Friedrich Nietzsche’s writing and Jinnah with Iqbal’s thoughts, to become what they eventually did.)
So unless I deliberately want that to happen (there are times when I genuinely want a worthy idea to overpower me so that I obsess myself into a particular action), I normally read two in tandem, so that I retain enough objectivity to mull over the content and have ample chance to connect the seemingly unconnected dots.
They did it for me yesterday!
Last night, both the protagonists got disillusioned with life! While Buddha left everything at the age of 29 years (after he realized that the attachment to any worldly thing eventually gives only grief), Jobs got disillusioned at the age of 13 (when he held a magazine in hand – with a photograph of kids in Africa dying foodless – and asked the Pastor in the Church that if God knows this then why doesn’t he do something about it.)…
From there…they both embarked on a journey to seek a meaning for their lives. One paved the highest path of introspection (in spirituality) and other set the highest benchmarks of innovation (in technology)…
So different! And yet so same!
Well! Disillusionment is good…as long as it initiates us towards searching a meaning for our lives!
After all, we human beings are the only animals who live each day of our lives knowing that…we are not gonna stay forever!
About Sandeep Atre
Dr. Sandeep Atre:
• Counseling Psychologist and an internationally recognized ‘Emotional & Social Intelligence’ Expert, with experience of more than two decades in helping people ‘sort out’ and ‘excel in’ intrapersonal and interpersonal matters. He holds a PhD in Management and a Master’s degree in Psychology (www.dratrecounsels.com).
• Founder of Socialigence – a venture specializing in development of ‘Social & Emotional Intelligence’ and its offshoot interpersonal skills through workshops and an award-winning online course rooted in neuroscience and psychology (www.socialigence.net).
• Author of two books related to his domain, namely - “Understanding Emotions Logically” and “Observing Nonverbal Behavior”; and third book on various aspects of life, named “Two Paras of Everyday Wisdom”. Moreover, the collection of his Nazms and Ghazals is published as a book titled “Baat Jazbaat Ki”.
• Corporate Trainer, with experience of close to two decades. Has conducted 150+ workshops/sessions for 50+ organizations & institutions like CSC, Cummins, Piramal, Ranbaxy, Lupin, Bridgestone, Michelin, Eicher, Maruti, Force, Idea, Airtel, NBHC, SBI, HDFC, L&T, Zydus, Thapar University, Banasthali, Narsee Monjee, Symbiosis, IIFM Bhopal, Azim Premji University, Nirma, Welingkar & IBS Hyderabad.
• Co-Founder and Director of CH EdgeMakers – a leading ‘Coaching and Training’ organization of central India for more than 24 years. He has trained close to 100 thousand students for ‘Soft Skills’ & ‘Entrance & Recruitment Preparation’ (www.ch-india.com).
• ‘Management Speaker and Orator’. Has featured at platforms like TEDx, IIM, IIT, NIT, CII, YI, CII-IWN, TCS, IMA, ICAI, ECA, ISHRAE, NEN, Sahodaya, Aditya Birla Education Academy, Round Table, LinkedIn Local, Rotary International, MP State’s Teachers’ Training, Academic Staff College DAVV, Police University Rajasthan, Police Training Academy Indore & more than 100 institutions.
• Member of noted associations and boards. Has been an ‘Executive Committee’ member of Indore Management Association. Associate Editor of IMA publications. Governing Council Member of Banasthali University’s SBBJ Centre for Research in MSME & Promotion of Entrepreneurship in Women. Executive Member of IMS, DAVV Alumni Association. Member of Rotary International’s ‘Group Study Exchange’ team to Minnesota, USA. ESI Coach with FWSA Australia.
Note: For glimpses of work, watch YouTube Channel ‘Dr. Sandeep Atre at Socialigence’.
