Helping out

Ever since I have been back home, I have discovered a new trait in myself. I actually enjoy helping others out.

Today, I counselled a friend who is doing his Summer Internship, on the possibilities of defining the scope for his project. It gave me a high again to be talking about marketing. The jargon filled conversation, with the marketing lingo just coming out as if there was no tomorrow, was actually quite exhilarating. Discussing promotional mixes, price points, consumer profiles just transported me to another world. I put it down to a return to marketing jargon and the feeling of security initially, but it later turned out to be just the act of being able to help, counsel, guide someone which was the real high!

What made me realise this was the fact that I have been helping my father in a task with which he had been struggling for quite a few days. Why I had not done so before is beyond me, and now that I have spent the last 3 hours helping him out actually gives me a lot of satisfaction. But again, the common thread between these two events is that I applied myself again in a capacity to help or guide a task to completion.

The satisfaction which I derived from these tasks, has made me wonder, why during the last 2 years, I was not doing this on a regular basis. The most simple and straightforward reason which I can come up with right now is that, during the past two years, competition blinded me to a huge extent. I felt I had a point to prove to everyone. Maybe that led to a rebellious streak which could have resulted in bouts of selfishness. It led me to certain acts, which in hindsight I find intolerable. But I rest easy in the belief that at least I did realise the folly, and am now in the process of correcting myself and my behaviour.

In retrospect, I have always enjoyed myself when I have been in a position to guide others, help with my limited knowledge, and help them achieve their dreams, or achieve their targets. Doing it humbly for others, without expecting anything in return is actually a wonderful feeling. I suggest everyone tries it. For me, maybe, it is something which I can explore further.