ATMAON : A simple line that keeps you humble

ATMAON : Though this word sounds like a sanskrit word(In sanskrit atmaon means souls), it is just an acronym for my favorite phrase "According to me, as of now". Repeating these words in your mind when you are in a discussion, debate, fight, quarrel or when you are giving a lecture, advice, suggestion or when you are trying  to prove a point to someone keeps your feet grounded, mind sane and heart happy.

ATMAON has two halves ATM and AON. Both of which are equally important.

• ATM : According To Me

The first half (According To Me) says that whatever you are saying is your opinion. It reminds that what you are saying need be the truth but is only your perception of truth.(I am assuming that you are not trying to fool somebody with views which you consider are not true). It also reminds you that since it is your opinion, the person with whom you are interacting is also entitled to his view, which may or may not be same as yours. Anyone can easily handle a person who agrees with you. But handling a person who disagrees with you, is what separates the intellectuals from the lay men. It doesn't mean that you accept the views which are against your principles. It only says thats you should provide enough room for opinions which are not aligned to your views, especially the ones which are polar opposite of yours.

 Well,  before ending this let me say all these views are According To Me.

• AON : As Of  Now

If the first part makes sure that we respect others views and opinions, the second part(As Of Now) takes it ahead and points that the our own views and opinions change with time. Haven't you experienced this so many times? My views about two things has changed drastically over the time. They are divorce and abortion.

Similarly most of our views change with time and changing society. What you consider wrong today may become right tomorrow and vice versa. So just remember that your views are not going to be the same. But remember that your perception of what is good and bad may change, but your perception of right and wrong should not keep changing very frequently.

So next when you go about proving your point to somebody else, just say to yourself "According to me, as of now" and the person on the other side can definitely sense the difference. I pomise (sorry according to me as of now they will sense the difference.)

Whom do you consider as a role model in your life (Part III)

Part I  Part II

One major hurdle in my dad's mission  of making me an english literate man was cleared. But the actual test was a test of survival. I had read it somewhere that actual test was not getting into an IIM but surviving in one. And I think that appears to all the institutions.

 Everybody in my home were happy that I had cleared the test and I was going to join the school. But my dad not stop with that. Once again my dad proved that he was indeed a hero and why he is so special. He took me aside that day and told me "See  you know that reason why I wanted you to go to that school. Now that you have cleared the entrance test and you are going to the school, there is something I want to tell you. It may not be all that easy for you to cope up with other students. Remember that they have all been studying English for four to five years, whereas you are just about to start. Promise me that you won't feel bad, irrespective of what happens in that school. I am sure that you can top the class very soon. But be prepared to face the situation in-case you fail and loose an year. I want to you to know that loosing an year doesn't impact you in the long run, but learning good english definitely will....". That was a short(incomplete) talk. It did scare me a little, but it helped me get close to the reality. 

And that was my third lesson in management : When you motivate somebody to try something unconventional make sure that they are ready to face rejection and they are ready to face the burden of failure.

Once he was sure that I was ready to face the worst, he continued "In-spite of all this I want you to give your best shot and I am sure that you can top the class by the end of the year." Whether he had so much confidence in me I am not sure, but those words did encourage me and enthuse me. And that was my fourth lesson in management : Be prepared to face the worst, and then try for the best.


Now that I was all set, my Dad gave me a tip "Since you know that you are not the best(at-least as of now), make sure that you are the best prepared. Always be two chapters ahead of your teacher in every subject and that will ease your tension a lot. You will not feel left out even if you are not able to follow the teacher in your class. Work hard, be prepared and be ready to face the worst". And that was my fifth lesson in management : Fortune favors the brave mind. When you know that you are not the best, make sure that at-least you are the best-prepared.


I personally like the last line "When you know that you are not the best, make sure that at-least you are the best-prepared". Though I came out with this line , I would attribute it to my dad because it was from him that I learnt it.

Whom do you consider as a role model in your life (Part II)

Part I

The next incident came after a gap of 2-3 years. I had just completed Class 4. I had decided to switch to an english medium school(May be what that uncle in Part I told had an impact on me). But which school i should  join was still in debate. All the options were listed. The advantages and disavdvantages of joining various schools were brainstormed. We had even made a few visits to schools to get the first hand information. But nothing had materialized. It was at this moment that some-one recommended an ICSE school called Jyothi Vidya Niketan to him.

I had studied in a kannada medium school where English was just one subject(all other subjects were taught in kannada) and that too it started only from standard 3. I had just completed standard 4. So I had two years experience in the language of English. All that I had learned till then was A for Apple,B for Ball,.....Z for Zebra. And there was a chapter at the end of the text book in standard 4. It was the story of two sheep trying to cross a bridge. I still remember those days a small kid when I used to turn pages to the last chapter in the book, stare at the images of two sheep crossing the bridge, unable to read or understand what the random jumble of those 26 alphabets of English, in various combinations and permutations meant. But whenever I turned to that particular chapter I always felt that one day I should be able to read and write English in such a brilliant way that these words should appear to me like a piece of cake-walk.

Whom do you consider as a role model in your life

This was the topic given to us during the English test that was given to us.That was an year back. I don't remember the essay exactly but the essay goes something like this.

Of-course my dad. Who else can it be. I am actually amazed at how fast i decided on the person who was my role model. I had not even completed reading the question but I had already decided on the answer. At every stage of my life i have been amazed by his nature and attitude. Most of the things that i have learned from him are not the ones he has told me, but the ones that i have learnt from him looking at him handle his daily situations.

What did the Diode say to me...? (Electronics and Life - Part II)

Part I

1.) In diodes current is directly proportional to the Voltage applied.

It says the output is directly proportional to the input. If Current is the results you get and Voltage is the efforts you put, it says Results that you achieve are directly proportional to the efforts you put.

Success is directly proportional to the efforts you invest.

2.) In diodes the current is not linearly related to voltage, like in a resistor.

In life the outputs are not linearly proportional to the input. And the type of non-linearity varies from one to another.

You cannot expect to get 50% of the results when you put 50% of the required efforts.

Success is not linearly proportional to  the efforts you put in.

3.) The combination of Property1 and Property 2.

The combination of Property1 and Property 2 is an important lesson to be learnt in life. If we know these two properties in separate and their impact when put together, we can lead a contented, successful life.

Success is directly proportional to the efforts you invest. But it(success) is not linearly related to the efforts you put in.

4.) When the applied voltage is less the cut-in voltage, no current flows through the conductor.

When you set out do something, don't expect the results right from the beginning. There is a time till which you have to just keep putting in your efforts, without looking at the results. Analising  your return-on-investments before that will only lead to you to develop a pessimistic outlook towards life.

For every assignment or enterprise, there is cut-in efforts value, below which you cannot expect any results.

5.) Once the applied voltage crosses the cut-in voltage, current flow through the diode becomes exponential.

Once the amount of efforts you have put crosses the cut-in efforts value, the results become exponential with respect to the efforts input. Though in real life the results may not become exponential, they are bound to increase drastically. This point is generally known an tipping point.

Beyond the tipping point, the Return-On-Investments increases substantially.