When I started my blogs on  Google  blogspot.com “JUST THINK ABOUT IT” way back in January 2009, I had simultaneously created three more titles under which I wanted to contribute  my writings or thoughts for general reading by all the visitors. They were “LIVING ON THE EDGE”,  “FRIENDLY MENTOR” and “STORY TIME BY GRANDPA”.  While there were some contributions in the JUST THINK ABOUT IT and FRIENDLY MENOTR I had not done anything under the titles LIVING ON THE EDGE or the STORY TIME BY GRANDPA partly because of too many commitments, too many priorities and partly because I was looking for suitable subject to launch these titles. Finally, last month when I was going home from a visit to a nearby state, I saw a classic example of living on the edge. On a Freeway or a Highway in USA the speed limits are generally 55-65 Miles per hour and stretching up to 75 miles per hour out side the city limits, but most of the people on Freeway are driving at least at a speed of 5-10 miles higher than that speed limit. In this scenario, I saw a guy talking on his cell phone with one hand, a cigarette in the other hand and steering the wheel by his elbow. Immediately my mind was flooded with so many questions as to why such a situation should exist when a split second error of judgment could spell a huge disaster not only for the guy who is driving but many more people who are just at a kissing distance away behind him in a downtown area. When I talked to my children about this incidence they were not surprised and I was shocked to hear when they said that this is very common and not only this but people are even sending long text messages while driving. 

Now the question is why did he have to do so many activities all at a time and put himself and others in to Extreme Risk Zone. There could be several answers to this question like he must be a busy executive, had left home few minutes late because he was working till late night for the office work, did not have enough sleep, had an urge to smoke to keep himself alert, give few instructions in the office on his cell phone so that before he reaches there, every thing is ready for an important meeting which will start minutes after he reaches office. Well it all sounds very justifiable, but at what cost.    

By nature most humans would prefer to live in a safe and comfort zone but the extreme competition, a very dynamic economic scenario and the very hazy future prospects have made the people to stretch to the limits of their capacities and abilities to grab every opportunity that is even far fetched or at least not allow the existing assignment to slip away from their hands in to the waiting hands of a smarter guy. I would partly put a blame on employers also since most of the employers these days expect far too much than that can be done by employees in the normal working hours. The Employees are encouraged to develop Multi Tasking abilities and people employed even at minimum wage level are expected to multi task. It is understandable that in a competitive environment input costs must be brought down to have a proper leverage in the market place, but while trying to achieve that there is a danger of compromising on quality of the output and reducing the job opportunities. In my opinion a very limited workforce probably even less than 5 percent at the higher level of an organization is capable of successfully multi tasking in their day to day activities without compromising on quality of their output. Employers value such employees and shower them with all kinds of benefits and compensations to get the most out of them but in the process they wear them out much faster and compel them to LIVE ON THE EDGE.

 In order to paint a very rosy pictures of Corporate growth performances many CEOs are in a race to increase productivity far beyond the actual market consumption capacities and then creating artificial demands by product up grades, incentives for buying more than the need and zero percent finances etc. These marketing gimmicks do boost up the sales but slowly and gradually trap the unsuspecting consumer in to unserviceable debts. Debts beyond the capacity to manage also pushes people to LIVE ON THE EDGE, since some major unexpected expense could push the entire financials of an individual out of gear.

 There are several factors which are responsible for pushing us to LIVE ON THE EDGE but a very balanced and a restrained effort will keep us on track or else  slowly and steady we will all knowingly or unknowingly stretch ourselves to our limits and thereby create compelling situations to LIVE ON THE EDGE.   

 I wish to discuss or sight many more examples of “LIVING ON THE EDGE” Which I come across many times a week. I have decided to share such incidences for the benefit of all the readers of this blog. if some of the readers will debate this issue among their friends and colleagues, then in all probabilities an awareness about this issue will be created, which could eventually benefit many individuals and the society at large. It will certainly make me very happy even if one percent of the readers of this blog are made to Think About It and change or adjust their life styles. 

CHITARANJAN NAGRECHA