A question I often got asked after The Habit of Winning was published was how long it took me to write it. And my answer usually was—a lifetime! And now two years later, this second book might have warranted a different response to that question—but if truth be told, the answer remains just the same.
I’d like to thank all those wonderful folks who’ve touched me in what’s been a lifetime full of fun. People I’ve been privileged to call friend or colleague—and in many cases, friend and colleague. I am constantly reminded of the truth in Isaac Newton’s words: ‘If I have seen further than others, it is because I was standing on the shoulders of giants.’ Thanks guys—and girls—for some invaluable lessons, terrific times and wonderful memories.
The vital first break in life is always a big moment—although you don’t necessarily see it that way when it happens. For me, it was a small classified ad that did it. It said: ‘Copywriter wanted for an ad agency’. I was still in college, not yet old enough to drive—but I gathered my wits (and my collection of letters to the editor of Sportsweek!) and walked into Gulshen Patel’s office in South Mumbai. Not sure what she saw in me, but she hired me as a part-time copywriter for her agency. Knowing that knocking on the door that day opened up an opportunity to spend time doing something I was fond of—and get paid for it—did wonders for my self-belief. Thanks Gulshen, for betting on that unripe fruit, many, many years ago. Since then, I have had the good fortune of working alongside several outstanding leaders who have taught me, moulded me, inspired me and made a difference to my life. To all of them—a big thank you.
Several of the stories and ideas in this book were born in the monthly column I write for Careers360. Maheshwer Peri and the team there have given me a platform that allows me to reach out to young people looking for advice and counsel. I must confess that when an email comes in from a reader saying how something I wrote impacted them—it feels good to know that in my own little way, I made a difference. Suddenly, those late nights and tight deadlines and missed dinners with friends seem worthwhile! Thanks Mahesh (Peri and Sarma) and Merril and the readers of Careers360 for allowing me to be a co-passenger on your journey!
This book gathered momentum when a young man called Anish Chandy came on as my editor at Penguin. His energy, his ideas (and the shared passion for cricket) ensured that the sense of excitement just kept climbing as we worked together on the book. Thanks Anish. And thanks also to my copy editor Arpita Basu who did a fabulous job of ensuring the writing remained conversational yet correct, which also meant allowing several sentences (including this one!) to start with ‘And’. Thanks also to Udayan and the entire Penguin team—including Rahul and the Penguin sales army—for making it happen.
Like several people of my generation, I’ve been a huge fan of Rahul Dravid. An outstanding professional, a thorough gentleman and a complete team-man, Rahul was all that you could ask for in a friend or a colleague. Rahul was always this somewhat unusual cricketer—self-effacing, studious, pushing himself relentlessly to doing the best he possibly could at all times, and forever thinking about the team’s interest. For me, Rahul epitomized what true leadership is all about. So when he said he’d enjoyed reading the stories in The Habit of Winning—and consented to write the foreword to this book despite a hectic schedule—I was truly delighted. Thanks Rahul. You are an inspiration!
And finally, a big thank you to the three people in my life who make my world go round: my wife and kids. Savvy, Abs and Tuts—thank you for the support, encouragement and feedback (and for putting up with the erratic schedules and the odd tantrum). You know what this book means to me. But you have no idea what the three of you mean to me!
Enjoy the ride. And unleash the leader within!
‘The pessimist complains about the wind.
The optimist expects it to change.
The leader adjusts the sails.’
—John Maxwell