The Invisible Slopeby Anand K. Ghurye

Dear All ,

Near my residence , there stands a small hillock . There are two paths which lead to the top of the hillock. One path has big visible gradient while the other one stretches along , has trees on both sides , and has an almost invisible gradient . A winding path so to say . The first path is smaller in length , naturally . It is stark naked devoid of any foliage along the way .Businesslike entity . The other path , as I said , has trees on both sides , has lots of shade , even has some drinking water available .Which path do you think will be easier climb ?

WRONG !

Not the small gradient , one . Most people come up with the logical ,
intellectual , physics based answer , that the long winding path will be
easier climb . But when I take them on actual trip , they realize that the
reality is otherwise .

WHY ?


The answer is very interesting and brings out the difference between
holistic thinking , or holistic being and intellectual or linearly logical
thinking .

When we see a big gradient , we prepare ourselves to face it or leave it .
This happens on the conscious as well as the subconscious level In the first place we SEE it . We see it in all its glory . There are no surprises , no hidden costs . All that is there is there on display - take it or leave it . Then we so to say gear up to face the situation . Our adrenaline flows , small aches vanish , our blood goes where it is necessary . Our focus sharpens . We are ready to take up the challenge. And we go for it . Hence though the visible slope looks daunting , we are through with it with comparatively less effort on our side .

When the gradient is invisible , or imperceptible , we do not gear up . We are caught unawares . The increased resistance slowly drains our energy , our speed , our motivation ,and the path seems to be never ending . Our
drive reduces , and as we are not aware of the slope , we look elsewhere for the reasons . In the final analysis , this is quite a difficult situation to cope with .

Can we take up the basic principle of this exercise , and apply it to our
day to day life ?

In any task we undertake , we can broadly define the factors in two ways seen and unseen , or perceptible and imperceptible , or known and unknown , and most of all , up front and draining .

It is the last category I am emphasizing here .

Normally we tend to give much more importance to the visible , than to the invisible while the invisible is that matters much . More trees are destroyed by schools which have switched over from slate to paper than people with axes who cut down trees for advertisement hoarding , more men are lost in low intensity warfare than an open war , more animals are killed by people who encroach on jungle land than the poachers , more people die of diabetes than of heart attack . But do we see it like that ? In general NO. In the same way , draining influences cause much more loss of efficiency and effectiveness than the troubles which are up front. Now can you relate ?

For want of nail , the horseshoe was lost , for want of horseshoe , the horse was lost , for want of horse , the rider was lost , for want of rider the battle was lost - and everyone says that the knight did not fight well enough . That is the emphasis .

While taking up any task we will do very well to know that the God resides in the detail . Find out as may factors as possible about the task in hand , giving much more importance to the draining factors . If this is done beforehand , you will fare much better in coping with the visible aspects of the task in hand .


Regards ,

Anand

Anand K. Ghurye
Mobile : 9820 489 416

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