Mr. Rajan Singh, ex-IPS officer of the 1997-batch (Kerala cadre) and founder of HabitStrong, an online habit-building platform, recently shared an inspiring story on his LinkedIn profile about one of the most effective ways to influence others.
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Last week, Mr. Singh met Mr. Gyanendra Tripathi, a remarkable 1998-batch IAS officer, known for his extraordinary commitment to fitness. Despite his heavy official responsibilities and having undergone an open-heart bypass surgery, Mr. Tripathi runs 10 km every morning, seven days a week, without fail, and has maintained this routine for the past two years.
What stood out even more was how Mr. Tripathi’s quiet passion for running gradually inspired others. During a training program, several fellow civil servants, many of whom had never run before, started joining him for morning runs. Mr. Singh himself became one of his running partners. What began as a solitary effort soon blossomed into a small but powerful movement toward fitness and running, sparked purely by example, not exhortation.
When the training concluded, a few participants had already developed a newfound love for running and fitness. Reflecting on this experience, Mr. Singh pointed out a profound truth: “The easiest change-management hack is this—hang around people you want to be like.”
Drawing inspiration from Mr. Tripathi’s silent leadership, Mr. Singh underscored the futility of mere advice and the power of action, concluding that: “The most effective mechanism for influencing others is to keep your mouth shut and act.”
Mr. Rajan Singh’s Post:
Mr. Singh runs HabitStrong, offering programs that focus on calm productivity, digital de-addiction, and building intense focus. To learn more, visit: www.habitstrong.com.
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