Winning me softly

AGKSPEAK

You need not always shout, but you do need tenacity to succeed.

What I've liked

President Theodore Roosevelt once quoted an old adage: "Speak softly and carry a big stick... and you will go far." Even though the phrase may carry menacing nuances today, in its original form, it meant that it was not necessary to shout when you had something more powerful than your vocal chords, to gain respect. Anyway, that was the first thought that crossed my mind when I flipped through my newspaper this morning. It has been a really long time since my column has featured a press ad, and I was delighted when I came across this one.

There are two routes that most corporates take to draw attention to their performance, the more popular one being: one big fact, presented in big type and dominant colours. It draws attention, no doubt. And then there is the other route rarely taken. The quiet headline, an impressive fact, supported by understated copy. It draws attention, no doubt about that too. I like this ad because it caught my attention, told me something I didn't know about Marico, and all without thumping its chest. Not only does it have a pleasing layout with clearly written copy, I like it especially because it made me like Marico. Now, that's a hard task to achieve "" to get a casual reader to not only spend about 20 seconds reading your pitch, but to evoke positive emotions after that fleeting encounter. It's a recruitment ad, and it does what it sets out to do: get people to like them enough to want to be one of them.

What I've learned
Hold on to your dream, however long the journey takes

Sometimes my readers trigger off interesting ideas for my column with their incisive questions, one of which was regarding my oft-repeated statement that dreams really do come true. One reader felt that such statements are only made in retrospect, once a person succeeds. What would I say of those who'd failed?

My answer is in two parts. Here's the first (the next column'll have the second).

Yes, I truly believe that dreams do come true, and this is a truth that I have learnt and experienced. No, it is not a statement made in retrospect. About people who fail, there are two reasons why it happens: one is that they did not hold on long enough. I've always maintained that if you believe strongly enough and long enough, you will succeed. It took all my gurus "" Dhirubhai, Giraben Sarabhai and Dr Verghese Kurien "" their entire lives to achieve their dreams. None of them were overnight wonders. Both Dhirubhai's and Dr Kurien's lifelong journeys toward achieving their goals have been written about quite a bit, but Giraben's story is known only to a few. She is Asia's only creator of a textile museum: The Calico Museum of Textiles, Ahmedabad. It was an unusual dream, and as you can imagine, not an easy one to accomplish.

Ancient fabric is hard to research and even harder to procure, transport, catalogue and display. But when you walk into her museum today and feast your eyes on the breathtaking craft of our ancestors, your heart will fill with admiration and gratitude for the person who devoted most of her life towards it. It took her years and years of nothing less than hard labour and amazing tenacity to set it up. It took Dhirubhai 44 long and hard years between dreaming of setting up a refinery and realising it. He would always tell us to hold on to our dreams, however long it takes. Now how many of those who failed can say that they held on for so long, despite all the obstacles?

If you remain tenaciously focused on your dream, as Paulo Coelho says, "The universe will help you get it." The keyword is tenacity.

agkbrandconsult@yahoo.com