Silence of the Lambs and the temptress called luck..

For a long time I have wondered what makes people successful. People talk of luck being a major factor. When I was in college I scoffed at that. But since then I have modified my views. Luck plays its part but it still is not the determining differentiator.

I have discovered along the way that tenacity, discipline and quick and structured thinking play a very important part. I have met many successful people who wont confess to being 'thinkers', but their is nothing in their approach to problem solving that suggests otherwise. What I have realized is that they have not consciously trained themselves to do it and are plain gifted that way.

Even the maniacally aggressive 'Viru Sehwag' thinks. It's pretty sad to live in a cricket mad country where only a small percentage understand the game as such. In a brief and illuminating interview Akash Chopra (Viru's opening partner for many years) laid out Viru's thinking and lot many friends of mine were shocked. Sure he has a radically different approach to batting, but yes he had one and he was not a wham-bam guy they thought him to be.

Next can we mere mortals learn to develop this? The answer is yes. The trick to this to be conscientious about yourself and be fearless about your own inabilities. What you can't face, you can't defeat! People in general are ashamed of 'admitting' their weakness or judge a person who is frank about his frailties as weak. But then successful people or people with fire in their belly are not dime-a-dozen, are they?

It's very difficult to do this. I am not in a Philosophical mood to dish this. I speak from the experience of trying to implement this for last 6 years. :D

Maybe thats for another post...

Just a short passage I found in 'Silence of the Lambs' from Thomas Harris. I liked it maybe because it agrees with my experiences...
Oh God! I am psychoanalyzing again. Novel hangover I guess...

The part refers on how to deal with situations in life particularly when you are stressed or are affected by emotions, Anger, disappointment, Betrayal, frustration, when you are cheated, When you are robbed etc etc. Its far important to understand the person or situation or in psychology terms the 'causal agent'. Because ultimately its your balance of 'id-ego-super ego' which determines your long term mental make up and ultimately probability of achieving success.

The conversation takes between Clarence Stirling, a trainee FBI agent (a.k.a Jodie Foster) and Jack Crawford (Special agent and Head of Behavioral Science) when Clarence is agitated. Hope you enjoy!

...

Crawford, ever wary of desire, knew how badly he wanted to be wise. He knew that a middle-aged man can be so desperate for wisdom he may try to make some up, and how deadly that can be to a youngster who believes him. So he spoke carefully, and only of things he knew.

What Crawford told her on that mean street in Baltimore he had learned in a succession of freezing dawns in Korea, in a war before she was born. He left the Korea part out, since he didn't need it for authority.

"This is the hardest time, Starling. Use this time and it'll temper you. Now's the hardest test--- not letting rage and frustration keep you from thinking. It's the core of whether you can command or not. Waste and stupidity get you the worst. Chilton's a God damned fool and he may have cost Catherine Martin her life. But maybe not. We're her chance. Starling, how cold is liquid nitrogen in the lab?"

"What? Ah, liquid nitrogen... minus two hundred degrees Centigrade, about. It boils at a little more than that."

"Did you ever freeze stuff with it?"

"Sure."

"I want you to freeze something now. Freeze the business with Chilton. Keep the information you got from Lecter and freeze the feelings. I want you to keep your eyes on the prize, Starling. That's all that matters. You worked for some information, paid for it, got it, now we'll use it. It's just as good--- or as worthless--- as it was before Chilton messed in this. We just won't get any more from Lecter, probably. Take the knowledge of Buffalo Bill you got from Lecter and keep it. Freeze the rest. The waste, the loss, your anger, Chilton. Freeze it. When we have time, we'll kick Chilton's butt up between his shoulder blades. Freeze it now and slide it aside. So you can see past it to the prize, Starling. Catherine Martin's life. And Buffalo Bill's hide on the barn door. Keep your eyes on the prize. If you can do that, I need you."

.....

"I want you to keep your eyes on the prize"---I like it :) Gotta sleep now. Got Cricket practice at 6.

Been a long time since any author hit me. Particularly after Crichton passed away losing his battle with cancer. Onto 'Hannibal' now Mr Harris.