Super saleswoman….

The other day I was travelling by train to some place. I always carry a book with me when I am travelling and not driving.

On this day too I had a book with me. It was about an hour’s journey. Most of my fellow travelers were engrossed in their mobile screens with earphones on. Some were playing games, others watching movies and some listening to music. And then there were some who were sleeping and few others were just watching here and there.

During the journey lots of vendors came, all trying to sell something or the other. In order to attract attention these people usually say things loud enough about their products and promote them to all travelers around them. Anyone who is interested in the product see it, and if liked buy them.

Although I was into my book reading throughout the journey, I managed to hear them coming and going because of their loud speeches.

Just about five minutes before my stop was to come, I closed the book and looked around. And what I saw, just amazed me. There was a lady selling some sweets and toffees.

You might say so what’s so unusual about it. There was something very special about her, please continue reading……

What was very unusual about this lady was that she was not saying anything at all to sell the sweets and toffees, yet I saw some people buying them. I was a little surprised and puzzled as well. I paid attention and observed her for few moments. Soon I realized she was mute.

So how did she manage to make a sale? This is what she did.

She held the sweets and toffee bag (not a very big one, there were about half a kilogram of sweets and toffee in it) in her right hand, and walked in front of the travelers, shook and thrust the hand which held the bag containing sweets and toffes in front of their eyes and managed to take out a very feeble voice which was more like a grumble as in like Unmmmm, unmmm.

People would look at her first and then at her hand and would understand that she were trying to sell the sweets. Some bought them, some simply ignored, and some looked away.

A sales person is usually the one who is known for his talks and use of sweet tongue, but here was this lady who without even saying anything was making the sales and a livelihood. 

This lady did not allow her disability to earn a living out of pity of others, instead she used her eyes, hands and smile to compensate for what she lacked. There was only one feeling which I felt for that lady at that moment and it was, immense amount of RESPECT.

My station came and I alighted from the train, but not without buying sweets from her :)

Does being Famous means, they are the only BEST....

Really???

Do you all really think that the famous is the only BEST? The more you pay the best you get?

I don’t think so.

Lata Mangeshkar, Amitabh Bachhan, Sachin Tendulkar, Sania Mirza, Gulzar Sahab and many more who are famous, they all are the synonyms to the BEST in whatever field they are. No two ways about that. But are they the only best?

There are so many good singers, actors, players, poets and others who are out their, giving their best.

So why do we always vouch for only those who have established or have made name?

There are so many talented people all around us but do we care to recognize and/ or acknowledge them.

I personally know so many people who are delivering their best in the field that they are in, but they are not craving for any fame or recognition. Nor are they doing what they know best for the sake of money. They just do what they do, because that is the only best way that they know to do it. To deliver, to help, to be of service, and to be useful.

Now why I am blabbering about this?

Well I have a reason and I want you all to know about it.

This is a very recent incident, and a story which happened with one of my clients. He and his wife are both doctors (General Physicians) and they are doing well in their field. And they are known, admired and respected for their work.

Their son was diagnosed with Hernia and he was supposed to be operated. Now being doctors themselves they were having enough contacts and doctor friends who could have performed this simple surgery, but they wanted the BEST. So the doctor they zeroed down was one of the most renowned doctors of India. 

Before they went there, he of course consulted me and I recommended to him a very good hospital in Thane which is run by a charitable trust and I have had some of my other clients treated there and who had given me a very positive feedback with regard to the hospital, doctors, staff and the procedure and all. I suggested him to visit that hospital atleast once, before taking a final call.

They did not go there.

Instead they went for the doctor they wished to go. The surgery was scheduled, it was to be performed in not to mention one of the FIVE STAR hospitals in Thane. The estimate for the whole procedure for two days was 1.63 lakhs. Now because this was a pre-scheduled surgery and since this client of mine had a Health insurance plan he registered himself for the cashless hospitalization procedure, a week before the surgery.

To his shock the claim for cashless facility was rejected. He asked me why the claim was rejected and I explained to him that at times even if the hospital is on panel and cashless procedures can happen the claim can be rejected, but then we can file for the reimbursement. But for that to happen, first you need to go ahead with the procedure, pay the money upfront from your pocket and then wait for the reimbursement to come.

He was not in favor of that and was very furious at me that the claim for cashless was rejected. He also did not want to spend so much money from his own pocket.

I genuinely wanted to help him. I have some really good friends in pharmaceuticals field and I found out from them, who was a good pediatric surgeon in the closest vicinity, where my client resided. They gave me names, and I found one most common in all the list, and this doctor was in Kalyan.

I called my client and suggested the name of this new doctor, and he said he already knows him. I asked him what was he waiting for then?

The very next day they went to see him, and the surgery was performed. The operation went beautifully, the kid is safe and recovering well :)

To their surprise the cost of the whole procedure was just 1/4^th of what was given to him by this FIVE star hospital at Thane.

What I really want to convey here is this… it’s not that only high charging hospitals or the famous personalities are able to deliver the best results. 

There are so many infamous yet some of the BEST people around us, whom we do not even care to consider and give a chance.

These people know precisely what their job is and what their responsibilities are, and believe me when I say this, they are good at it. 

They too are the BEST, it’s just that they are not famous yet, or may be are not interested in being famous. They too believe in delivering their best, and they do it relentlessly, without expectation of any reward of fame. They are content and happy with what little they do and they are serving the community in a very humble and generous way, which is beyond our comprehension.

They are waiting for us to give them an opportunity. 

Success mantra….

Today I am going to share a learning which each of us should understand and apply in our day to day life. Although I myself follow this as much as possible, but never shared. 

But today while I was surfing through YOUTUBE videos, I came across this video and after seeing it felt like sharing it with you all.

What amazed me about this video was that how the host (PRIYA KUMAR) conveyed one of the most important lessons to some childrens through a simple game and which I feel each of us must bring into practice every day of our life.

So in this video, the host - PRIYA KUMAR, is addressing some children’s and she is asking them what all things they need to be successful…

All sorts of answers came in like; time, hard work, respect, education etc; but then PK says there is one more thing which is very important, and what that one thing is, is what she wants to demonstrate through a game.

                               
Video Source- SONA KUMAR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

So the game is that each child were given a balloon and a tooth pick, and they were asked to blow it. They were then asked to ensure that their balloon stays blown for next ten minutes. Whosoever’s balloon stays up for ten minutes will win a prize :)

So the game begins and guess what? No one’s balloon lasted long enough and the game was over in less than three minutes….. Why? Because each participating child was busy blowing up others balloon so that only his or her balloon stays up till the end of ten minutes, so that he or she can win the prize….. and in the process each one ended up blowing up one another’s balloon and no one won :(

     

You must be wondering so what? That’s no big DEAL, Yesss…..

Well actually it is both a NO and a YES.

It’s NO big deal if you look at it merely as a game. But if you look at the whole game/ exercise from a human behavioral point of view and observe it carefully and relate it with your life, YES it is a big DEAL.

So what was the teaching of the game and which inspired me to write about it?

Each of us wants to be successful in all that we do, be it in professional or in personal life. And in order to achieve this success we all need help and support of others. No one can grow big or achieve success all on their own.

As much as we want to succeed in whatever we do, so do others. We must therefore respect everybody’s dream for success, and as often as possible, try to help and support them. When we wish well for others, they surely too will wish the same for us, isn’t it this a WIN, WIN situation for ALL :)

And yes, not only should we root for success of others, we must also ensure that we must stop those who try to be a hindrance in the path of others.

P.S: The host PRIYA KUMAR is a very famous and most sought after Motivational Speaker in the corporate circle nationally and internationally. She is also author of 10 books, and has won several international awards for her books.