Agility Stories

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Find more in yourself, than you ever thought possible

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Find more in yourself, than you ever thought possible

Stories of Role Models

Brij Sethi
Oct 6, 2022
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Find more in yourself, than you ever thought possible

agilitystories.substack.com

The viral fever paralysed me completely. I could not move my hands or feet even by 1 cm.

I was moving mountains earlier. IIT Madras, MBA from XLRI. Country manager for 3 COM. Youngest COO at age 34 in the telecom industry.

I was very driven to climb to the top. Here I was, lying helpless. 

I was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition. I fought back. 

I doused myself with pharmacy. 6 Lakhs worth of medication, every 2 months.

It did not work.

They switched me to steroids. I put on 16 Kg. Developed cataracts in both eyes.

It did not work.

I enlisted as Patient No 19 in a clinical trial in the US. The road ahead was uncertain.

They began to reboot my body, killing my entire immune system, then restarting it with my own stem cells. 

I fought from my bed in Chicago. The reboot worked.

While still in bed, I began to write a wacky science fiction book for kids.

Hope gave me Humor. Humor - I poured into the book. The book fed it back to me, as hope.

The loop moved me forward.

The road to my recovery was long and tiring. I worked on myself. Relentlessly.

In 6 months, I was walking 6 kilometres. Then some more.

I decided to not go back to corporate life.

I became a published author with the book I had written.

Kids loved it. I once read from my book to 800 children in a hall for one hour. They sat transfixed - and laughing.

Schools began to invite me for talks. I put together a science workshop for kids, using characters from my book. 

I researched deep into positive psychology. Figuring out what it takes to convert adversity into victory. To stay positive.

I also became a motivational speaker on the corporate circuit - narrating my story of recovery.

I wrote my 2nd book. An autobiography - 'From ouch to oops'

My desire to conquer the world had transmuted into a desire to make the world a positive place - happier and more caring.

Macmillan published my story in an 8th grade textbook. Every so often a child would reach me, from some part of the world, after reading it. 

It made me consider how I could make a difference to young people. A one hour talk may be good to listen to, but seldom has a lasting impact.

Parents! 

I realised, parents were the answer. They mould their children day after day.

I would reach to parents with insights and ideas on how they could be better parents, in spite of busy and chaotic lives.

My father had made a difference to me. He was an exceptional parent, when I had strayed downhill in my IIT days. I asked him if we could write a parenting book together.

It was not to be and he passed away soon after. I promised to myself, I would write the parenting book for us both.

I interviewed parents and children. I researched. I conducted parenting webinars. It took me 4 years to write this one.

I continue on this path, with hope and joy, for being useful every single day. 

The support from my family has been invaluable. I have learnt how precious they are to me.

This is my story, so far.


On youtube - Boundless with RamG

Books -

  • Active Parenting: how to raise children with boundless potential

  • from Ouch to Oops

  • Oops the mighty gurgle

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