the five finger theory for success - by balakumar ravichandran

The Five Finger Theory of 18

Date: 2nd

Feb, 2007

The Five Finger Theory for Success by Balakumar Ravichandran

eMail: [email protected] Mobile: +91 9901919109

THE FIVE FINGER

THEORY – Extn.

BY

R. Balakumar

mailto:[email protected]


Date: 2nd

Feb, 2007



THE FIVE FINGER THEORY If you want to succeed and don’t know how; “The Five Finger Theory” is a sure shot way

to tell you how to succeed with your ambitions.

Somebody once said “Success is like a golden lock; it is just that you don’t know where

the key is”. I, R. Balakumar will prove this wrong, with my theory.

In today’s competitive world, every person strives to create his / her own individual

identity and become successful. Few succeed but many fail. The ratio of people who

succeed is always less than the ones who fail. If we were to analyze and ascertain as to

what makes the few men and women climb unassailable heights leaving the others

behind, we will realize that these successful people do certain things that the others fail to

do. The five finger theory brings out those missed out characteristics, qualities, a step by

step pathway, enabling you to be successful.

Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you

with their ingenuity. - George Smith Patton, War as I Knew It, 1947

Theories such as the CORE THEORY for SUCCESS, THEORY OF SUCCESS in

LEADING & SUSTAINING CHANGES, etc., are situational. While The Five Finger

theory provides you with a step by step process that is applicable and workable in all

circumstances. TFFT lists out 5 key elements / attributes that are essential to attain

success. Those five elements are PASSION, INTEREST to LEARN, EXPERIENCE

& EXPOSURE, ABILITY to THINK BEYOND and PATIENCE. These attributes

when used in the following prescribed manner leads to success.

When we consider all successful people at present and in the past, we understand that,

these 5 elements had played a vital role in their success. It is just that, we are unaware of

the importance of these elements and ignorant about a common path followed by all those

successful.

However, before we look at the path to be followed, we must understand the difference

between an aim and success. When would one consider being successful? “When we

achieve our Aim / Goal / Objective, we consider ourselves as successful”. The goal / aim

may be short-term or long-term. Therefore, the starting point is always with an aim/goal

or an objective. As per a survey conducted nearly 50% of professionals surveyed have no

well defined aim. Many are confused with a short & long term goal / aim and do not

know which of these to concentrate on. Hence having a well defined goal/aim is

quintessential for success.

“A human being without aim is just like a human body without life”

Let us see how “The Five Finger Theory” works…



Date: 2nd

Feb, 2007



STEP – 1 - PASSION

Once we have identified our aim, we must strive to be passionate towards the aim.

Passion is a strong feeling or emotion, intense desire which gives the drive to achieve

something. When we are passionate about something, it automatically increases the drive

in that field enhancing our chances of success.

Ray Charles Robinson and Stevie Wonder, It is about being blind and becoming the

most admirable musicians in the world. It is about being deaf and becoming the greatest

composer in the history of music, Beethoven. It is about having triple disabilities of

blindness, deafness and severe speech impediment and becoming one of the best

American author, activist & lecturer like Helen Keller. All the above mentioned giants

have one thing in common, and that is PASSION.

“Passion is a step-in stone for any success”

However, we should remember that passion alone would not lead us to success.

PASSION INTEREST TO LEARN

PASSION INCOMPLETE 1 AIM

2



Date: 2nd

Feb, 2007



STEP – 2 – INTEREST TO LEARN

Once developing a passionate feeling towards the aim, the immediate action is to increase

our knowledge towards the subject we are dealing with. A passionate man with blighted

information is never going to make it far. The only way to obtain knowledge is through

Learning.

“Knowledge unused is useless.” Hence, we needs to “IMPLEMENT” (putting into

action) the knowledge acquired through learning. The implementation process is

followed with “VALIDATION” or “TESTING” to check whether,

1. The knowledge that has been acquired through learning is sufficient or not?

2. The knowledge that is implemented, is taking us towards our aim or not?

3. Is there any changes required in what we have learnt?

If you don't know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else. -

Lawrence J. Peter

Only through validation, we come to know where we stand in relation to the aim. The

possible outcomes through validation could be, YES – heading towards the aim or NO –

diverting. If YES, proceed to the Step-3.

KNOWLEDGE

IMPLEMENT

VALIDATE

3

YES

NO INCOMPLETE

INTEREST

TO LEARN

ADAPTABILITY

PERSEVERANCE



Date: 2nd

Feb, 2007



If No, we must find what went wrong and try to change them accordingly. This action is

called “ADAPTABILITY”.

To make necessary changes and correction, an individual would require Motivation.

Where would we get motivation at a stage after the changes and efforts are made?

Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you

already did. - Newt Gingrich

At this stage, we should develop the skill of “PERSEVERANCE”. Perseverance would

provide strength to fight back and self-motivate to get back to the start of the step-2 and

repeat the cycle until we gets an answer “YES” at the validation stage.

When Thomas Alva Edison was seeking to invent the electric light bulb, he did not get it

right the first time. It took him approximately 10,000 experiments to invent the perfect

set-up for the electric light bulb.

PASSION + INTEREST TO LEARN EXPERIENCE & EXPOSURE



Date: 2nd

Feb, 2007



STEP – 3 – EXPERIENCE & EXPOSURE

Having successfully completed the step 1 & 2, we would have obtained knowledge,

information, awareness and understanding of the aim. Acquiring all the mentioned details

in depth, we would certainly have the necessary “EXPERIENCE & EXPOSURE” on

that particular field.

Some people get confused between Experience & Exposure.

The stated definitions are,

EXPERIENCE – Understanding a situation through constant learning practice.

EXPOSURE – Having undergone a variety of situations so as to have quantifiable

knowledge of the universe of situations.

Experience & Exposure must go hand in hand.

At this stage, having enough E&E, meaning to say, having enough knowledge,

information, awareness & understanding, would certainly keep us a step ahead of others.

There are so many people who reach this level and find very difficult to move forward.

The reason is that, when we reach this level, we start considering this level as the success

point and get stagnated. Some people could also develop a negative attitude, that they

know everything and assuming that they have succeeded in their journey and stop

thinking beyond this stage.

The only disability in life is a bad attitude. - Scott Hamilton

POSITIVE

ATTITUDE INCOMPLETE

4

EXPERIENCE

& EXPOSURE



Date: 2nd

Feb, 2007



Negative attitude at this stage would not let us go further. Implementing any work at this

stage along with negative attitude, might sometimes lead us to failure. In addition,

negative attitude might corrupt our thoughts and will not let us move in the right

direction, so negative attitude should be avoided.

The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by

altering his attitudes. - William James

When “POSITIVE ATTITUDE” is developed / implemented, a lot of positive changes

would happen. This change would provide clarity of thought, an understanding of the

purpose of action, logical thought flow, interest to do right things and etc. Positive

attitude would help us push forward to see what is next.

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference. - Winston Churchill

Example 1

Step 3 will absolutely make us think different. “ABILITY TO THINK BEYOND”

PASSION + INTEREST TO LEARN + EXPERIENCE & EXPOSURE

ABILITY TO THINK BEYOND



Date: 2nd

Feb, 2007



STEP – 4 – ABILITY TO THINK BEYOND

“ABILITY TO THINK BEYOND” in this theory, it doesn’t speak about creative

thinking or innovative thinking, but intellectual thoughts.

They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who

dream only by night. - Edgar Allan Poe, "Eleonora"

This is a step, where we understand our SELF and create our own identity.

After completing Step 1, 2 & 3, our thinking ability would have gained more space. We

would start looking at things with a different perspective. We would have developed a

new vision for our AIM, meaning to say we will have an ability to view our aim in

different angle.

We would start asking a lot of questions regarding our aim and on our SELF, “SELF-

REALIZATION”. The more we question and more we answer, we start realizing the

importance of SELF, purpose of our existence and try to find the meaning to our life.

I paint objects as I think them, not as I see them. - Pablo Picasso

Mother Teresa taught at St. Mary's High School in Calcutta, but the suffering and

poverty she glimpsed outside the convent walls made such a deep impression on her that

in 1948 she requested her superiors to allow her to leave the convent school and devote

herself to working among the poorest of the poor in the slums of Calcutta. Although she

had no funds, she depended on Divine Providence, and started an open-air school for

slum children. Soon she was joined by voluntary helpers, and financial support was also

forthcoming.

ABILITY TO

THINK BEYOND

SELF-

REALIZATION

5

INCOMPLETE



Date: 2nd

Feb, 2007



On October 7, 1950, Mother Teresa received permission from the Holy See to start her

own order, "The Missionaries of Charity", whose primary task was to love and care for

those persons nobody was prepared to look after. This made it possible for her to extend

the scope of her work.

Mother Theresa being born in Macedonia, thought about do something for the suffering

people in India, which we being an Indians had not thought about (At that point of time).

“MORE YOU THINK, MORE YOU GROW”

Thus “The Five finger theory” tell us how the “ABILITY TO THINK BEYOND” and

“SELF-REALIZATION” helps us to get closer to AIM, to become SUCCESSFUL.

Hence, before taking any decision, we have to think of all possible ways to achieve a

meaningful outcome.

Step – 1 to Step – 4 will provide all the necessary paths to attain success.

Step – 1 to Step – 4 will not take us to Step – 5. Patience has to be implemented at this

stage for any situation.



Date: 2nd

Feb, 2007



STEP – 5 – PATIENCE

We see patience as the last element because; “PATIENCE” is the most powerful tool to

achieve success. Patience is a final check point for any success. If we lose patience at this

stage, we lose everything. We might still reach our AIM, but satisfaction is not

guaranteed.

Adolf Hitler, the most powerful dictator the world had ever seen, shot himself to death.

The only reason for his failure was his lack of patience. The crucial decision in his career,

the invasion of Soviet Russia on June 22, 1941, was his first step to failure…

Hitler prematurely proclaimed in October 1941 that the Soviet Union had been "struck

down and would never rise again." In reality he had overlooked the pitiless Russian

winter to which his own troops were now condemned and which forced the Wehrmacht

to abandon the highly mobile warfare which had previously brought such spectacular

successes.

Hitler would have been a very successful leader, if he had to wait for the right time and

acted according to the situation.

One moment of patience may ward off great disaster. One moment of impatience

may ruin a whole life. - Chinese Proverb

In this theory, patience means “always wait for your turn”.

Being patient, if we “ACT and REACT ACCORDING TO THE SITUATION” We

can definitely achieve our AIM and become SUCCESSFUL.

PATIENCE

SUCCESS COMPLETE

REACT

ACCORDING TO

THE SITUATION

6



Date: 2nd

Feb, 2007



Arriving at one goal is the starting point to another. - John Dewey

Hence, once our goal is met, lay a foundation for the next.

Now, achieving success, we should understand that, there is something above success.

PASSION + INTEREST TO LEARN + EXPERIENCE & EXPOSURE + ABILITY

TO THINK BEYOND + PATIENCE SUCCESS



Date: 2nd

Feb, 2007



STEP – 5 (Extension) – SUSTAINABILITY

On achieving success, we would look for a longer success period. If we are not able to

sustain our success, then we are definitely not successful. Hence, “SUSTAINABILITY”

plays an important role for a long-term success.

Considering satisfaction as a final requirement for the ultimate success, Let me throw a

question to the entire human race. How many of us have succeeded in our lives, yet

satisfied? (Note - Those who say, “they have succeeded, yet satisfied” will not have

any need for want thereafter). There are very few people in the world, who have

reached this stage.

As long as I have a want, I have a reason for living. Satisfaction is death. - George

Bernard Shaw

On being successful, take a break to “Realize / Recollect / Recall” our entire journey.

We will feel an everlasting “SATISFACTION” and this satisfaction is our

“ULTIMATE SUCCESS”.

Mother Teresa's work has been recognized and acclaimed throughout the world, for

Peace. She was very successful in reaching the heights in achieving whatever she wanted

to (despite of all the challenges & struggle) and never took a break from her journey till

her death. Very important things to note here is, she achieved what she wanted and was

satisfied with everything she did for the world.

SUCCESS

SATISFACTION SUSTAINABILITY REALIZATION

6

ULTIMATE SUCCESS



Date: 2nd

Feb, 2007



Mother Teresa is a successful person according to The Five Finger Theory.

One filled with joy preaches without preaching. - Mother Teresa

SUCCESS + SATISFACTION ULTIMATE SUCCESS

---------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE:

“THE FIVE FINGER THEORY” is a very simple pathway to attain success, but

needs practice. The theory leads to success, when used according to the steps prescribed

as above, because each step is dependent on the previous step.

----------------------------------------------------------------



Date: 2nd

Feb, 2007



WHY “THE FIVE FINGER THEORY”?

In the present competitive world, the life has become hard-hitting for every individual.

Competition, change in technology, change in lifestyle and various other external factors

challenge the people of today’s generation at every stage they step into. People spend half

their time thinking on how to cope up with the nonstop varying scenario.

It is very obvious that, People are more concerned about their day to day needs and wants

(Survival) and scared to take risk or to think beyond. Thus people often compromise

themselves for whatever they are, and loose focus on what they wanted to do. These days,

people consider themselves as successful; if they had just managed to survive year after

year.

This attitude of present generation will not let us grow. The main reason for this

stagnation is just that, people don’t have a proper pathway which will guide them till the

end.

This “THE FIVE FINGER THEORY” provides a step by step process for any

individual, under any circumstances to achieve success in whatever they wanted to

achieve and also help the people to identify where they stand regards to their aim.

Different scenarios in different time frames pose different challenges and obstacles for

individuals and entities to attain success. These challenges and obstacles could be

minimized and a proven path could be laid for attaining success. “The Five Finger

Theory” describes those methodologies and sequences in detail.

TFFT talks about five top primary elements and those are PASSION, INTEREST to

LEARN, EXPERIENCE & EXPOSURE, ABILITY to THINK BEYOND and

PATIENCE.

TFFT is a combination of the above mentioned primary elements along with necessary

subsidiary elements followed in a particular format, proves to be a guideline for attaining

success. The Five Finger Theory elucidates those primary and secondary elements and

their impact on the overall objectives.

This theory shows us the common path followed by all those successful personalities.

This theory would be a benefit for all the individuals who just need an appropriate

pathway to achieve their goal and to become successful.



Date: 2nd

Feb, 2007



THE FIVE FINGER THEORY DIAGRAM



Date: 2nd

Feb, 2007



THE FIVE FINGER THEORY FLOW-CHART



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Feb, 2007





Date: 2nd

Feb, 2007



-NOTES-


the five finger theory for success - by balakumar ravichandran

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