An evening with a Head Hunter

M. Gautham Machaiah

Last night, I was invited to dinner at the Windsor Manor Hotel in Bangalore by a Head Hunter, who offered me a senior position in one of the biggest media organisations in the country. I had earlier politely declined the offer due to some personal reasons, but the Head Hunting firm insisted that I meet their senior partner.

The conversation began with the usual spiel of how great the organisation was and how it was now a professional entity unlike the times when I had worked there earlier. On offer was the position of CEO of a regional entity based out of Bangalore. “Give it a two year window and then you can move to Mumbai at a much higher position,” the gentleman offered.

Seeing that I was not very convinced, he threw that most obvious question that most Head Hunters use, “Tell me, where do you want to go in life? What is your aim?”  He expected me to ask for a big designation or mega bucks, but I plainly responded, “My aim in life is to constantly evolve as a good human being.”

Taken aback by my reply, he asked, “But don’t you have a purpose in life?”

“Of course, I have. The purpose of life is to be happy and to make others happy,” I said. Hoping to catch me on the wrong foot, the Head Hunter tried to throw a googly, “But what makes you happy?” Perhaps, he expected me to say success, position and money.

Without batting an eyelid, I retorted, “Peace of mind.”

“You got me on that,” the gentleman conceded, as the conversation veered away from work to matters of the spiritual plane.

The next half-an-hour or so went in explaining why money, success or position could not buy happiness while on the other hand happiness can get you money, success or position. What is the point in having billions or holding the top most position in a company if you do not have happiness in the end of the day?

Life is really simple, but we make it complicated by running after positions without realising that what we should instead be aspiring for are happiness and peace of mind. And this comes as we evolve as better human beings. Ambition is not bad, but not at the cost of happiness.

When you make happiness the purpose of your life, you will see how peace of mind will quickly follow. “I have all the material comforts in life and I continue to be materialistic like all others around me. But if I have to choose between materialism and happiness, I would go for the latter,” I explained.

The Head Hunter listened to me in patience and did not speak about the offer again. Was he convinced about my argument or did he think I was a fool?

Well, I would any day prefer to be a happy fool than an unhappy smart ass.