Train your mind

My friend’s son, who successfully cleared the a bank probationary exam last year, was asked two questions in course of viva-voce. One of the interviewers asked him: “Tell me, Mr Ravindran, what if I decide to run away with your sister?” The 24-year replied:
“Great sir. I couldn’t find a better husband for my sister.”

Placing a cup of coffee before him, another interviewer asked him: “This is your last question of the interview. Please tell me the exact position of the centre of this table.” Ravindran confidently put one of his fingers at one point. The interviewer asked how he knew that for sure. Ravindran was quick to reply: “Sir, you said this was the last question. So, I took a wild guess.”

Ravindran was selected with an excellent score. You see, apparently, the two answers Ravindran gave do not sound awfully innovative, per se. However, what’s striking is the fact that he succeeded in giving innovative replies with alacrity. In short, Ravindran’s replies were out-of-the-box responses which defied the constricted mindset that we find in most people today.

Moreover, it’s difficult to think differently when faced with an off-the-cuff question. There are certain set patterns of human reactions. Those who can think in split seconds and react in an unconventional manner are considered the ones who can cope with unforeseen situations. This is no child’s play and requires utmost mental equanimity. And that, you would agree, is exactly what recruiters look for.

In a fiercely competitive world, commonplace reactions are unwelcome. To think differently is not all that difficult. One needs to train the mind to maintain calm when the wind gets wild. Out-of-the-box thinking is an arduous route, but often rewarding as it proves that the person knows his stuff. Of course, the process involves boxing around with a lot of ideas to finally come up with a knock-out-punch.