Two virtues that paved

My way to Success!

Hello, I am Pramod Digital Automation Coach

Lets Begin …..

Hi friends. I am so happy to be with you today. But it feels so strange also – what do I share with you? When I look back, I see myself as unsure and hesitant. I was a dreamer and a hardworking person. My parents instilled a few values in me that carried me forward. And I am grateful to them for bringing me up this way. Let me tell you about my journey as a computer teacher. I started small but made sure I progressed steadily to reach this far. Yes, I am proud of my achievements. I have a long way to go, and I am confident I will realize my dreams.

“Courage is the most important of all the virtues because, without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.”

― Maya Angelou

I have always strongly believed in these words of Maya Angelou and my life is a living example of it. If I share my life story with you, it will be clear why I think courage is of utmost importance.

My early life

I was born in a middle-class family in Raichur in Karnataka. My father was a government employee while my mother looked after the house. She was a housewife and inspired us to lead a good life. As you can imagine, way back in the 1970-80s, life was simple. We were not rich but led a decent life. We were happy in our small space. Education was very important to middle-class people; hence my parents gave priority to my studies. Since there was no English-medium school in our town, I studied in vernacular medium.

I had dreams of doing something on my own. Computers were introduced in offices then and they fascinated me. I wanted to study computers and become self-dependent.

The first milestone of my life

The decade of the 80s brought a huge change in my life. We moved to Bellary. I made some good friends here who were dreamers like me. Together, we spent hours planning our lives. Nothing was decided then. Life was uncertain and full of challenges, but we were hopeful. Remember, I was telling about courage and how a single step can change the course of your life? The same thing happened to me.

In 1997, I opened my first computer training center with my friends, Pampana, Gouda, Nagesh, Patil, and Mohan. I was only 23 then and took a huge risk. The center, named Sarovar Computers, was owned by Mr. Vidya Nag and I took it over from him.

I had used the savings from my parents, and if I failed, it would break my parents. But I never thought of that. I was so passionate about my dream that I was ready to take any risk. The thought of failure could not deter me. We were so excited! For days, we didn’t sleep or eat properly. We worked very hard and soon my center became popular in our area.

As you can guess, we didn’t have much experience and faced problems at every level. From management to finance, we had to learn everything on our own. I did not give up and listened to my heart. I used my theoretical knowledge and tried to solve the problems logically. From the beginning, I kept expenditures under control. But I invested in new machines and upgraded the center so that the students get the best opportunities to learn and practice.

I always believed that quality speaks for itself. So, I made sure students were learning in my center and progressing in their careers. I took classes and looked after their overall growth.

Things were going okay but I had more plans. I wanted to expand my business and worked harder. Within the next 10 years, I opened 3 more centres. I consider that to be the golden period of my career.

The second phase of my life.

As you know, Bellary is a small city, so the prospect of growth was limited. Since I had bigger plans for my company, I moved to Bangalore. This was a turning point in my career and life. I came across so many opportunities in this IT city.

I didn’t tell you before, but my weakness in language posed several problems in my life. I lacked confidence in speaking in English which affected my communication skills. I never expressed this problem but it stressed me out. Slowly, I realized that I was not assertive enough. I couldn’t always express my views. Moreover, I expected people to take my advice, if they didn’t, I felt bad because I took it personally.

For all these reasons, I started attending counselling sessions and self-development classes. In these classes, I learned about basic personality patterns and how to introspect myself. I found these courses extremely intriguing as I came to know about different negotiation methods. These classes gave me enough opportunities to practice the theories we learned.

My confidence level increased. I could converse freely in English now.Moreover, I started applying the techniques in my classes. My students opened up to me. We discussed various subjects and I developed a strong bond with them.And I started dreaming large. I set more targets for myself. Personally, I was happy with my family, now it was time to expand my business.

During this time, I came to know about digital marketing. I found it interesting and took a course. It was very challenging and I decided to become a digital marketing coach and consultant. This new role suited me and slowly I gained popularity.

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The pandemic – the first setback

Like everybody, the COVID pandemic was a huge blow to me. The old system didn’t work, the months of staying at home brought my spirit down. I incurred losses in the business. This was a major setback for me. However, my experience has taught me to be patient. So, I waited patiently for the pandemic to get over.

Do you know why patience is such a great virtue? Because it teaches us to sharpen our minds and wait for the right time to hit back. Anyone who is patient will find time by his side. That’s why I love this quote from War and Peace written by Leo Tolstoy.

“The strongest of all warriors are these two — Time and Patience.”

― Leo Tolstoy

I didn’t just wait for our lives to get back to normal. During this time, I read a lot of books and developed myself. I worked on critical thinking skills, and decision-making skills, and updated myself on digital marketing.

I know, the pandemic had been hard on us, but we should never give up hope. I have seen people who lost their livelihoods have taken up new jobs to make ends meet. They are true fighters and we must learn from them.

The second lockdown was more severe. I had to close down the centers. I felt hopeless. Then I took up digital marketing seriously. I started working from home. Even I planned new courses that I could teach online. Our students took this very positively. Together, we didn’t waste time but used the lockdown to develop ourselves.

Today I am a digital marketing coach and consultant. My training centers are running fine and I am happy with my personal and professional development.

What I learned from life

When I look back today, I feel satisfied. I started in a small place where people dreamt of a job. Living a peaceful life was enough for them. But I had a fire in my belly that made me take risks and do courageous things. I remember when I took over the computer center, my friends and relatives were sceptical about my success. Some of them even tried to dissuade me.

But my hunger for success and patience won in the end.

“I am extraordinarily patient, provided I get my own way in the end.”

― Margaret Thatcher

When I first came across this quote by Margaret Thatcher, I smiled to myself. I knew what she meant, as I had also done the same thing. I waited patiently for the right time. I didn’t hurry but remained patient. And life has rewarded me amply.

I have learned that everything begins with courage and then patience takes over. That’s how life works and we win success. I have faced setbacks courageously. The pandemic broke me but I never gave up. .

Life kept on throwing curve balls at me and I dealt well with them. With each obstacle, I became more confident of winning.

“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.”

― E.E. Cummings

Yes, it takes courage to assess yourself and find your strengths and weaknesses. But we cannot stop at that. We have to dig deeper and get in touch with our core. Then only we can determine our path and follow it. And when you are on the right track, you will easily find success and happiness.

Why is courage so important for our success?

We often define courage as taking risks and being bold. Yes, courage means going out of your way and trying new things, but it also means accepting yourself and your vulnerabilities and living with them. Courage means to stand up and speak when you are required to do so, it also means to sit down and listen to others.

Most of us miss this subtle aspect of courage. Did you ever think that it takes courage to set aside your pride and listen to others, even though you may not agree? Did it ever occur to you that when you confront your fears, you show courage? When you say sorry to a friend, you are being courageous?

Show courage and speak up

Many of us have gone through the same ordeal when we wanted to say something but didn’t, as we feared being judged or reprimanded.

Fears stop us from speaking our minds; sometimes we aren’t confident about having tough conversations.

If you want to develop courage in yourself, you have to first think, assess your situation, and develop a plan. It’s always better to start small. If you lead a team, you can decide to admit mistakes and handle them positively. Everybody in the team must agree to do this and become accountable for their mistakes. This way, you can establish a code of conduct built on courage and transparency.

Learn to accept your weakness

Identifying your weaknesses and accepting them requires great courage. Those who can do this can reach their potential in life. Early in my life, I ran a reality check on my life and found that not knowing English was a major drawback for me. Moreover, I lacked the necessary communication skills required for success in any career these days. But I didn’t just sit and felt about it. I knew I had to do something and searched or ways to solve this problem.

After recognizing my weakness, I worked on them and developed myself strongly. These skills came handy when I became a digital marketing expert.

Challenge yourself

Do you fear talking in public? Are you afraid that no one will listen to you? It’s time to address your fears and win them over. Challenge yourself so that you can kill your fears completely.

Take small steps to overcome your fear. when you are attending any party or get-together and you find people discussing different issues, listen to them. Mae mental notes on how they are speaking and putting forward their views. Next time, you also start expressing your ideas. You don’t have to give a lecture, but questioning others or giving an answer is enough to begin. Slowly, you will gain confidence to speak in front of others. This way, take small steps to develop yourself.

Being a digital marketing coach for many years, I know this industry very intimately. If you want to become a digital marketer or start an online academy, contact me. I am going to help you with my experience and expertise.