A few years ago, my Indian Police Service training boss, Shri Atul Karwal, told me the story of his commando training with India’s elite National Security Guards (aka black cat commandos).
When he, along with another batchmate of his, reported for the training, the trainers were baffled and told him, “Sir, you won’t be able to do this course.”
This is one of the toughest commando courses in India, and usually, only constables or junior officers opt for it. Why would a Superintendent of Police ranking officer subject himself to such harsh training when he can instead be the police chief of a district?
But Shri Karwal and his batchmate insisted.
So to test and, if possible, break their willpower, the instructors (called ‘ustaads’) started their physical training (PT) classes.
Typically, a physical training (PT) class lasts 40 minutes. But here, there was no such limit. The instructors would keep going as long as they wanted, sometimes for even 3-4 hours. And it was brutal.
But they persevered.
During this training, they would not wear their rank with their uniform, so that they were treated just like any other trainee.
That is the mindset it took to do something so hard.
Often, we struggle to learn new things because our rank and status become obstacles. Our ego comes in the way.
But learning can’t happen without humility — because if the cup is already full, it can’t take any more.
To become a student, empty your cup. Become a beginner. Only then, will any learning happen.
– Rajan