The Wanna Wanna Trap
Vineet Nayar
Founder, Sampark Foundation & Former CEO of HCL Technologies | Author of 'Employees First, Customers Second'
The question most often asked in a job or appraisal interview is “what do you want to be in 5-10 years? It is the same question we ask a kid - what do you want to become when you grow up or what next after this?
?What is wrong with thinking and enjoying what I am doing today instead of worrying about tomorrow? If you are not careful, these questions begin to stoke the desire to be somebody or someplace else tomorrow at the cost of what I am doing today.
Looking back at my life I can say that none of the events of my life was driven by my wanna wanna ambition. I lost my dad when I was at school and survival now was the big question. I was asked to go into my first job within 90 days and survival now was still the big question. My start-up, Comnet, ran out of money and survival now was still the dominant question in my mind. Leading the transformation at HCL Technologies and knocking down doors of pre-conditioned mindsets in education in Sampark Foundation, how to survive now continued to be the big question.
I never had time and energy to think about what and where I want to be because the now was exciting and challenging and I was focused on navigating it the best I can. I learnt this lesson most on my treks where the joy of the trek was not in the destination. The destination was actually the low point as you had to head back into the concrete jungle again. Life has the last laugh when you reach your destination, it gets you to turn around and go back to where you started.
领英推荐
You may still argue that this drives ambition and increases aspirations. Is that true?
When you look at a map, don't you first look for the text that says: "You Are Here"? Only then can you chart a path to where you want to go. Do you know where is here? Do you realise that the journey from here to there starts from the first step you take today, now! Would just thinking about the destination be enough for you to get there? So while you should have a destination in mind however if 90% of your mind is not focused on now, is there any chance you will get there?
Think about it and get out of this wanna wanna trap. Not only you would be happier but also go the distance and enjoy your trek to your destination-towards it and on the way back and that would be a life worth living.
Do you agree?
Passionate About Client Success & Tech Transformation | Accomplished Sales Leader | SaaS & CLM/LegalTech Expert | GenAI Innovator | Driving Revenue & Human-Centric Processes
8 个月Is this question stem from individuals seeking validation for the paths they've chosen, perhaps wanting to reaffirm their own journey or reflecting societal expectations? It seems to go beyond a mere inquiry about future aspirations .
Industry sector solutions & services Experience Domain Guv-Tech, EPC , Mining, Utility and Smart Space , Manufacturing and 4.0, AI & Analytics, Blockchain, CIPS and IoT, Cloud & e-Gov, Member MGMI, Member IEI
2 年Sir, Have You published your thoughts on -a. role of Incubator for promoting/expanding?social entrepreneurship and facilitating it's success and b. whether Tech sector senior BD people can bring any specific competency/expertise there ? Rgds
BFSI: Business and Digital Banking Leader | Functional Expert | Tech-Savvy Compliance and Risk Specialist (Views expressed are Personal)
2 年It is true and meaningful when we say we must live in the present moment. When living in the present is the time when justice can be done to what we want to be in the future. However , we are trapped like the article states to keep planning for the future and miss it every single day to live in the present. Physically and Spiritually everyone proposes to live in the present. Somewhere it’s a task that requires constant effort. It needs a thought around what needs to change to live in the present moment. It’s tough but not impossible. It will be a win-win if living in the present comes to us naturally and not with enough effort.
I was asked this question recently and my point of view is "that's a long time to plan something. Covid had taught me that you can be negative and in the middle of crowd today and 2 days from now, you could be positive and isolated. So planning that ahead isn't my priority for today." I want to focus on that y and in just near future for now. Let the time unfold slowly.
Very True