Shift_

I recently bought a new Nissan Altima. I liked their caption Shift_* where * stands for passion, inspiration, performance, individuality, joy, originality etc. No! That is not the reason why I bought a Nissan. But this shift_* reminded me of an illustration from the book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen R Covey. I read this book several years ago and have appreciated Paradigm Shift in my life. I personalized this illustration (with due reference to the author) on many occasions when I spoke on Paradigm Shift. I thought of narrating it again in my own words for my blog.

I was waiting at the KMCH hospital lobby for donating blood. It was a Saturday afternoon and the seats at the lobby were sparsely occupied. Some of them were reading magazines while most of them were lost in thoughts day dreaming. To break this silence, came two little kids yelling at each other accompanied by their father. One should be less than 5 years of age and the other could be anywhere between 7 or 8 years old. The man took a corner seat, closed his eyes and ignored the very existence of his two kids who were breaking the hell loose. They ran all over, grabbed the magazines from other peoples hand and irritated everyone there. An elderly man in the lobby could not stand this anymore. He went to the kids’ father and politely asked him to mind the kids. The kids’ father slowly opened his eyes, looked around as if he is seeing the world for the first time and said "My wife released herself from the world moments ago at the maternity ward. I don't know how to react and neither do they". My paradigm shifted at that moment. My attitude towards the kid, changed from hatred to sympathy. I could see everyone else in that room undergoing this shift in paradigm.

This story helped me realize how the paradigm shift could change your attitude altogether. If you wear blue glasses, my friends, the world is blue. If you wear red glasses, my friends, the world is red. So make your choice to wear the right glasses.