Being taken for a ride
Have you ever felt that helpless frustration of being taken for a ride?
If not, then maybe you have not experienced an auto-rickshaw (Tuk Tuk) ride in India. For some, an ‘auto’ ride is like a death wish on three wheels. While, for some others, it is one of the essential conveniences to beat traffic and time. But irrespective of the side you belong to, it is customary and fashionable to complain about the rude auto-rickshaw drivers and rough rides that follow.
I have realised that there is more to this ride than just the rough side. If we manage to hang in there through the potholes, sharp turns, tampered fare meter, et-all, this ride can actually teach us some important life lessons.
Lesson 1: Every Problem has a solution
Now and then, in life, we feel overwhelmed by a challenge that seems impossible. An auto-rickshaw faces this situation every day on jam-packed roads with hardly any space to maneuver. And yet, they find a way to move forward. How do they do this?
They don’t look at what’s in front but what’s ahead. They find the gaps while most of us only see a vehicle blocking our path.
“Focus on the solution and not the problem, even if the solution is not too glamorous or popular”
Lesson 2: Unknown angel is better than the known devil.
When faced with overwhelming problems (heavy traffic), the ‘auto’ almost always goes into roads less travelled. Sometimes even into streets with no road. It may seem reckless and risky. But think about it. A known devil (the main road with traffic) is a devil. There is not much you can do about it. Whereas, there is always chance that the new route could be an angel. A 50% chance of success is better than a certain failure, is it not? It is the hope for an angel rather than the fear of the devil that helps navigates the traffic.
“A gamble is always better than the status quo. Our problems result from our fear of failure and the resulting inaction.”
Lesson 3: Take that first step
An important and fascinating lesson I have learned through an auto ride is how a solution emerges once we desire to solve the problem. The trick is to take that first step, however small it may seem. Have you noticed how an auto-rickshaw manages to pass through the narrowest of gaps that were not even wide enough for the front wheel to pass through, to start with? They never wait for the complete solution to emerge but work with what is available lets the answer evolve. Course corrections are part of the norm. True pioneers of the agile methodology, I suppose.
“If you want to move a mountain, you begin by carrying small stones – Confucius”
Lesson 4: Self Belief
It is easy to believe that for a vehicle on three wheels and a high centre of gravity to stay on the road without tipping over, it must be a miracle at play and not just engineering logic. But miracles don’t happen every day. Do they? The supreme self-belief of the driver in his driving skills, his confidence about his vehicle’s capability, and the knowledge of the road is what makes this miracle happen every day. Essential traits for success. Aren’t they?
Lesson 5: Success is not a popularity contest
These drivers are not the most popular ones on the road, and they don’t care about winning hearts either. If you have a time-crunched passenger on board and stand-still traffic to cut through, then being Mr Nice will not work. So do not bother preaching them road rules, the auto-rickshaw would have zipped past long back.
Experience life through the ride
An auto-rickshaw ride is not just an experience of a lifetime, as some westerners think. You actually experience life through the ride. Complain if you must, about the nerve-wracking, back-breaking ride next time you get into one of these three-wheeled marvels. But, try to sit back and enjoy the adventure while it lasts. You may pick up few amazing lessons for life too.
“Life never takes us for a ride. It only takes us on a ride. Therefore, it is up to us to enjoy the distinction and, more importantly, enjoy the ride while it lasts.”
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