20th June 2003

I have been shooting a film for the last few days at a college in the city. The other day, few girls came to take my autographs and wanted me to write a proverb too. I admitted that I was not too good at remembering any proverbs but when they insisted, I suggested to them what was uppermost in my mind: "Don't work hard". The look on their faces had to be seen to be believed!

What I really meant is that one should not just work hard but be smart in one's work. A person who is smart in his work always steals a march over the others who only work hard. This applies to work, sports and even studies. Taking a short break every 45 minutes while studying freshens the mind and increases one's grasping power. That's being smart. In boxing, the punch has to land where it hurts, and playing with correct technique in cricket fetches runs. Can you built muscles not by exercising furiously but doing it in a right way.

But how does one learn to be smart? Through experience and by learning from hardwork. Take a short break from work, and reflect on the quality and direction of it. Analyse it. Be a critic of your own work. Evaluate it. And, of course, get back to hard work again.

We may be working hard to reach a certain destination. However, if we do not make sure that the path we have taken is the right way, all the efforts and energy invested will mean nothing. A simple crosscheck about the right path would have set us in the right direction. Take the example of Information and knowledge. Information itself may not serve any purpose. But if we apply information for a cause it becomes knowledge with a purpose.

People who work hard tend to take their problems and tensions home. Throughout May last year, I was shooting in the hot sun at Ramoji Film City for Indra. It was tiresome no doubt but over the years I have developed the ability to switch off from my work the moment I enter my house. If I did not I would have spoilt the AC in my house by taking the heat from outside into it!

Don't spoil the atmosphere in your house by taking problems and tensions of your workplace into it. Or else, you will even have to take to your office you domestic problems. I greatly admire my brother-in-law and producer Allu Arvind for his ability from problems and always be cheerful and even steal a nap. A tranquil and reflective mind helps you come up with smart solutions.

My friend and co-star Nagarjuna will be amused to read all this because a couple of years ago, it was he who mentioned to me that I need to relax while working hard. I extend my sincere thanks to Nagarjuna for triggering a thought process in me about working smart.

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Courtesy: Times of India