Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Of the left brain of the right brained people and vice versa

1) I am a right brained person, according to the test I took at a training at my company. It was a pretty useless test, if you ask me, because the test only checked what I liked to do, and not what I am good at. Those two are entirely different things although people often confuse them as similar. I like doing the right brained stuff but I am good at the left brained stuff. So what am I?
2) The 3 Idiots, which is entertainment mixed with a lot of gyaan - a LOT of gyaan, which killed it for me - gave fundaes about finding your true calling in life. Now what exactly does it mean by "the true calling in life?" Is it the thing you genuinely like doing the most or the thing you are the best at? The movie, while being good, is definitely not a masterpiece, and after a Hirani classic like Lagre Raho Munnabhai you are actually let down. Moreover, the way that it has looked down on achievers and praised the under-achievers is actually pretty naive. And ignorant of some basic facts about under-achievers. And the irony is, the movie is more appreciated by the achievers and those who were not meant to achieve :). But more rant about the movie later.
3) I owe a lot to the left part of my brain, and that is what actually made me graduate from the best colleges in the country. And everything I am today - which is not much, I have to admit - is because of the left part of my brain. Infact, the right part of my brain is responsible for my poor showing at both IIT and IIM. I could have probably topped there too if I really wanted to and allowed my left part of the brain to take over. But then again, it is the right part of the brain which really makes me happy- and there is nothing I can do about it. So while I do have the potential to be a Rancho or a Chatur, my right brain and my quest for following my dreams has made me a Farhan - or a Hari - or whatever the name of those two losers in 3Idiots was. But it has also made me happy, happy than I ever could be by being a topper or anything. And this is where 3 Idiots fails for me - a character representing me.
4) Remembered the venn diagram representation of the ideal job (Courtesy: Bud Cadell). Imagine three venn circles representing work you like to do, work you are good at and work that pays good money. See the diagram below. This is a great way to reflect on your work and are you doing what you are actually doing in your life. And what should you do to be really happy.



I tried putting my own perspective on the venn diagram and the results were not positive. These were the results
a) My current job was probably outside the Venn Diagram: I am not very good at it, I definitely don't like it much and it does not pay good money. Well, it pays okay but not good money.
b) The work I was good at was mostly left brained things like number crunching, quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis etc etc while the things I liked doing were creative writing, chattering aimlessly, playing sports, doing plays, and the like. Almost a certain mismatch between the two. Except probably for solving probability puzzles and cryptic crosswords. But the best was thinking about what are the jobs that actually pay money. These skills include cock sucking and ass licking of your boss across the different industries. Whatever you do and your other skills become totally useless. So my venn diagram became the following.



And now I am totally confused. My left brained skills and my right brained passions have left me little choice, about what to do. The venn diagram leaves me with only the following options then:
a) Open a Sports Analytics Company
b) Go Around Philosophising
c) Become a Creative Writer
However, being a left brained person, I am also try being a bit practical. And that practical aspect of me is afraid to take the next big step. Of quitting the current job, and doing something I like. A step towards being happier. At work. :)

13 comments:

itsallgreektome said...

I would say if you work enough at it, something that you like doing, you will eventually become good at. The problem is most of us dont have the courage to leave what we are good at and pays well, to jump into what we like doing. We always live in the learn to say no part and never aim for hurrah. Its only when u take risks that the rewards are handsome. We thus destine ourselves to a life of mediocrity even though we have the potential for greatness.....And that is the difference between good and great- want. Some people just dont want it bad enough

Unknown said...

leap of faith JZ.

Witness said...

bang on..Jump:)

zubin said...

@Madhur: Maybe, I dont want it bad enough. Atleast a part of my brain doesnt :).
@Nainy, Shweta: Some things are easier said than done. I am a fattu!!

Unknown said...

BBJ haha rofl.....
sports analytics sounds good!!!

Unknown said...

Well written dude .. i had almost similar reactions after watching the movie ... most of the guys i know, including myself, don't really know what they really would like to do. Finding your true calling, taking the jump etc sounds very romantic but not many options appear when you try to narrow it down.

Btw I 2nd tarun's point that sports analytics looks good .. do look me up whenever you start the firm :)

zubin said...

@Tarun: Yeah, Maybe!!
@Yeshu: Sir, dekhte hain, will let u know if nething comes up :)

sudhir said...

As usual..brilliant!!Yeah the movie was over simplistic.Romanticizing failure and under-achievement is much more fun than being one.Option C is not a bad option at all for you.

Rhythmn said...

we did the same test for our neurolinguistics class...

and loved ur post...

:)

arts said...

Sports? Did you say Sports???
May I forward you my resume please?

SUMIT SHARMA said...

i think this is the confliction between what we call practicality and faith in yourself and god.....one may be good at many things ,simultaneously at studies and games but he may like to do a totally different thing in life....once he will start pursuing that course of life he will excel because if he really liked to do that particular job he will give his 100 % in it....but as it has been said in book alchemist that everything starts with a beginners luck but finishes severly testing him.....so risk is inevitable and one needs faith and courage to pursue things which his or her heart wants to....

Parul J Saini said...

Are you being too analytical about what you'd want to do - some amount of gut feel/listen to your heart - at the end of the day it is work (not play) so there has to be some effort involved - it will not always be pleasurable.

Seems like in some ways a lot of your "I like to dos" have something in common with "socializing". You would need the socializing skill in almost everything - i need it too - from getting clients for a business you start to motivating the people you work with. So its not just BBJ. Seems like you need to reconsider your diagram a wee bit ...

zubin said...

@Sudhir: Thanks, and very true. As for Option C, thanks for the confidence, but am not too sure of it myself.
@Ruchira: Thanks :)
@Aarti: In due time, yes. And I already have ur resume :)
@Sumit: What you have written is true, but why do you underestimate talent. Just pure talent??
@Bhai: Maybe true, but then atleast you should have the option of whom you want to socialize with. Consulting takes that away from you.