Ajith Nair

I felt the same intense anger that cricket fans all over felt when I learnt about the ball tampering incident. After the “brain fade” in India, Steve Smith did not leave much love on the table. We always knew he was not the most honest guy around. And then on Thursday, he broke down at the Press conference. Those tears were real. One felt sorry. Which Steve Smith is the real Steve Smith- the one who cheated or the one who cried and repented? Both. In my last blog I wrote about how narrow definitions of growth confine and stifle us into spaces that we don’t necessarily enjoy but end up being in. While doing so we suppress and submerge those parts of ourselves which are truly ourselves- our core selves which make us feel truly alive. Steve Smith was probably caught in such a place- the part of him that wanted success at all costs and could not take failure was dominant and active. Infact it was the dominant part that put on Whites and walked on to the field. This was the part...

Have been in a few conversations recently where career growth, progression etc. have been the hot topic of discussion. Realized at the end of it that we as a society have started to place too much value and hence focus on external validation of growth. Titular growth, accompanied by material markers of success seem to be inextricably linked to conventional definitions of growth. This is leading to conflict because two distinct individuals might want to grow towards the same title, and more importantly and sadly it is taking away from a more individualistic model of growth which is anchored in individual identity as a starting point.  Needless to say, for the latter to take place, individuals need to take charge of their own growth and development. What does this look like (or not)? Let’s first start with a rudimentary definition of growth which I lay no claim to on authorship but identify very strongly with Individual Growth=  “Being a better version of onese...