Since I do the speaker circuit a bit and speak to variety of audiences have been through the “trying to make an impact and get as many claps as possible over the previous and next speaker” routine. And later bask in the glory (short lived one I must say) of having people walk up to you ask questions or exchange pleasantries. The more I do it, the more it seems to me that we love inspirational tales, talks and books so much that we stop with just loving them.

Let me put it more cricketish. I find that a lot of us are more kicked about saying that drive of Tendulkar – oh it is so perfect and awesome man. Just turn around and probe how many turn that inspiration inward, put in the same kind of consistent effort over a long period in their sphere of work without wavering with highs and lows and get to even one hundredth of what a genius like him is capable of.

My simple question is, is inspiration another fast food or instant gratification thing! A fad that lets you have a high only to carry on with the life as it was. Why, why are we so happy and content about being mere spectators.

Look all around with where India is heading and what is happening. Tell me one sector that is not booming. Tell me anymore that you got be influential and connected to get VC funding for your big, tangible idea. Tell me one company which says employees going the extra mile will not grow here as fast as they can. Tell me one area of life where there is nothing you receive for excelling from hairstyling to RJing to playing professional golf to cooking and what not.

As the evolution theory candidly puts it each surviving decade of human species is more competitive and more savvy. So we are multiple notches better than our predecessors. What is the issue then? Why are we not having a few million or even a 100 million success stories? Why can’t India become a nation of heroes that we stop searching for that elusive hero or a leader from idiot tubes to forums?

Why? If you find it too much to take, well, there is this new book, very inspirational tale about this woman who succeeded despite all odds…