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On 2nd July, 2018, I was sitting in my home terrace garden, thinking on what I would love to do on my 40th Birthday on 24th July.
As I started to ponder on it, I realised that one of my biggest fulfilment I discovered in my 30’s was connecting with hearts and mind of people through listening and sharing. I always felt inspired when I connected with my family, friends, office team & business colleagues one on one.
I dived more deep in my thoughts & started writing few of my most fulfilling experiences in my 30’s like …
1. completing a half marathon & Olympic format triathlon.
2. scaling up my family business Monachem from 300 to 2000 million INR & creating an innovative company brand image globally by winning top 25 innovative companies in India award & being selected as a case study at India’s leading business school – IIM, Ahmedabad.
3. along with my wife inspired & mentored our 7 year old daughter to start her own art company for raising money to help “underprivileged children”.
4. connecting with my family & friends for creating new fun life long memories through one on one interactions, Wishes Dil Se & vacations together.
5. being given an opportunity to lead as a president of Rotary Club of Baroda Cosmopolitan
6. Investing more than 3000 hours in my 30’s towards :
reading books & watching you tube video’s on self-help & business
attending educational programs at Landmark Education, Shiv Khera Foundation, IIM Ahmedabad & S.P.Jain Mumbai.
This lead to expansion of my attitude, skills & knowledge & created new life changing possibilities in areas of fitness, relationships & business.
7. wrote 10 blogs sharing my personal experiences on positive mental & physical fitness, happy relationships & scaling up business.
During this journey of 30’s, one common passion I discovered was I felt happier when I lead my life by contributing through innovation & inspiration.
Based on the above thought process, I decided to celebrate my 40th Birthday by choosing to live my passion which I discovered in my 30’s , which was around feeling inspired by connecting one on one with my near & dear ones. I decided to connect with them this time with an idea around inspiring fitness.
I send out whats app message to more than 100 friends, family and business colleagues asking for their gift in kms by walking or running from 2nd July to 24th July till my bday (within 3 weeks).
I received an overwhelming gift promise of around 5000 kms from total 102 friends, family and business colleagues on 3rd July to be finished within 3 weeks.
My Dad gave a gift promise of 100 kms in walking. He has been regular in walking since past few years but during his walks in gifting kms for my 40th Birthday, he experienced minor chest pain and decided to undergo tests on 9th July for heart fitness. He was detected with few blockages in his heart. Doctor advised that it was a positive sign that this pain and blockages got identified at the right time before it got late.
Doctor advised for a heart by pass surgery & we got him operated on 19th July.
On my birthday 24th July, I was at the hospital sitting next to my Dad’s bed as he was undergoing recovery. I along with Dad, Mom my wife were sharing & discussing about the good moments in life.
During these conversations, my Dad & my wife inspired me to go beyond in my 40’s for living the passion I had discovered in my 30’s.
With the intention of fulfilling my passion of “inspiring innovation for a happier world” , I decided to launch a new journey called – S/S on my 40th Birthday.
Under this new journey S/S, I am making an attempt to contribute towards a happier world by using innovation as a tool !
I celebrated my 40th Birthday with three life changing gifts —
1) My Dad’s heart blockages getting identified in time & he receiving a stronger heart.
2) Gift of 5209 kms of running & walking from 102 family, friends & business colleagues within 3 weeks.
3) S/S – a new way of living my passion in my 40’s.
A special thanks to my near & dear ones – family, friends & business colleagues for the gift of 5209 kms & inspiring me to identify my life passion for 40’s.
more about S/S in my next blog…
Cheers,
S/S