I have come to the clear conclusion that battles are won before they are fought.
It’s always mind over matter, intent over interest.
Many studies show that the best sportsmen, climbers, boxers and negotiators WIN their game because of their mental makeup, even before they begin to play or engage.
Real Example:
We rent a tiny 12 seater office in our office building on the ground floor, dedicated to Quality Control.
It’s a nice, cozy room that serves the purpose of letting QC operate individually and still within an arm’s length from the main production floors.
Two years ago, when the renewal of the lease of this office came up, the landlord (sensing how important it was to us) asked for a stupid hike in the monthly rent.
I mean it was stupid.
First we tried to request him to be rational and then even begged him to be reasonable.
He refused to budge.
A day or two later, I just lost it.
I felt terrible that I was being cheated and could not accept it.
I came up to my colleague Dinesh Gopalakrishnan (who’s been tolerating me for 12 years) and told him, “Dinu, I don’t care what you do, but plan to move all 12 QC folks up to either the 2nd or 4th floors and make arrangements for them to operate from there.”
That was a really insane mandate.
All the seats on both the floors were fully occupied.
I even suggested we break down the conference room walls to make these guys sit.
He said, “Alok, relax. Let me plan this.”
Two days later, he came to me, with a map in his hand and said, “Alok, I have figured it out. I will manage to seat all of them with little disruption. Would you like to see the layout?”
I did not need to see the layout.
That’s because I had won my battle before I fought it.
I called my CFO Satish Iyer and told him, “Tell the landlord to FO. We are vacating.”
Satish called the landlord. (He didn’t say FO, but a more Corporate NO)
The landlord kept quiet.
The next day the Landlord’s CFO called saying that they had agreed to our terms – on one condition.
The condition was that we signed a lease agreement for 3 years!!
We signed and occupy that space even today.
Lesson – I had fought that battle in my mind and won it (with Dinu’s help of course!). It would be have been disastrous to stuff 12 people in an already heavily stuffed office, but I was just convinced of doing it.
When your mind wins, it beams a signal to the Universe. And that signal becomes your victory’s bugle call.
Win the battle – before you fight it.
*****
Enjoy this real story that teaches another similar lesson – JUST JUMP
*****
Gurpreet Singh Tikku
Inspiring Sir…As Always.
Vidyabhushan Upadhye
Great that you got what you wanted. But curious to know if you had any backup plan apart from accommodating the 12?
Anamika Joshi
Very true… Even when you are lost and have no clue of what to do next (in a given situation), it’s always the mind that comes as a savior and helps you pick up the courage. A strengthened mind is way beyond anything else when it comes to handling an uninvited battle!
Govind G Prajapati
This not a real battle, this is called as blackmailing in more corporate way,
First Landlord Blackmailed You, then You blackmailed Him.
Landlord was of-course in loss if you vacating the place (bcoz he wouldnt find the another party in short while with the rent he wanted from you.)
He Just tried to recovered his loss. that was not the battle, battle was the one which “Shin Bet” was won even before started, Chankya Conquered the Magadh without any War.
I am saying that this was not battle, bcoz you were not fighting for your survival, or The Glory or Say your Ethics/Moral Responsibility .
Indeed the Thought “Win a battle – before you fight it” have a deep meaning and example like this is not enough to explain this may be it can just give the glance to the pick of the Iceberg there is more to learn, keep Posting.
Mandar Joshi
Bang on target Alok !!! Its always a pressure tactic or who blinks first kind of situation in some of the business (even in few cases personal decisions) One must always prepare for the worst rather than than getting stressed out of the obvious outcome and once you accept the worst the worst also accepts you 🙂 good lesson for everybody as we all face such situation in life. You help us keep fighting Man !!!!!
Sachin Karpe
I like the way you handled the complete issue with the landlord and rather than panicking or getting hassled you looked out for solutions. This is where most of us fall back we start worrying and in this process overlook solution or the possibilities to get out of them. Though not always things would be in our favor but its good to look for ways than just worry about the problems.
Puneet Nirogam Aggarwal
Amazing !!
Puneet Nirogam Aggarwal
I realise that if we get tense or anxious, our mind goes into the damage-control mode, which in all probability spews out a least favorable solution. By switching it to an “already won” mode, you get clarity and control over the situation and things then solve by themselves.