Today, at the age of 72, I find myself developing software with AI, reflecting on a lesson that has stayed with me for over half a century.
Life, in my view, is not a 100-metre sprint.
It is a relay race.
Somewhere along the journey, we receive a baton from those who came before us—our parents, teachers, colleagues, friends, and sometimes even complete strangers who influenced our thinking.
We run our part of the race.
Then we pass the baton on.
That is why I have never fully understood the fascination with "winner takes all."
In sport, as in life, today's winner may not be tomorrow's winner.
A champion can have a bad day.
A newcomer can have an exceptional day.
What remains important is not who held the baton longest, but whether the baton moved forward.
One of the reasons I have always admired team sports is that they remind us that individual excellence matters, but it serves a larger purpose.
The relay team wins together.
The hockey team wins together.
The football team wins together.
Even in professional life, none of us truly succeed alone.
Looking back at my own journey—from Srinagar to Sainik School Bhubaneswar, from IIT Delhi to engineering, valuation, software development, and now AI—I can see countless people who carried the baton before me.
If I can contribute even a small part of my experience to younger generations, then perhaps I am simply running my section of the relay race and preparing to pass the baton forward.
What are your thoughts?
Do you see life more as an individual race or as a relay race?
#Leadership #Learning #Mentorship #Teamwork #LifeLessons #ExperienceTruths #Engineering #PersonalGrowth