Uri Attack – Repercussions and Beyond

It has been 5 days since the URI attack shook the nation.

Millions of pages have been written about this and thousands of hours of air time have kept a nation glued to their TV sets taking in and interpreting the hundreds of expert opinions in the print, electronic and visual media. It was wonderful to see a unanimous condemnation of the dastardly attack in the first few days and then, as expected, the questions and the sarcasm started to surface from a selected and predictable group of people.

Videos of Prime Minister Modi’s interview, while he was CM Gujarat, started being circulated where he had stated his position on Pakistan that they have to be responded to in their own terms and not with “love letters” or “biryani”. Comments about “achhe din” and how their lack thereof were heard. “Where is the 56 inch seena” asked someone. A tweet sent by Mr Modi before the elections addressing PM Manmohan Singh suddenly started getting retweeted. These were statements / tweets of Mr Modi when he was CM Gujarat and when he was running BJP’s election campaign.

The scenario has changed dramatically once he was elected the Prime Minister. Mr Modi cannot afford to implement what he said earlier though I am sure he remembers all his comments. Taking action on his then comments would be akin to committing hara-kiri. Now strong decisions need to be taken and these have to be weighed against all the possible bilateral and international repercussions.

The hawks on TV want an immediate military response. Inexperienced politicians are speaking about retaliating with “an entire jaw for a tooth”. A purported article by an online site talking about Indian Special Forces crossing the Line of Control and killing 20 terrorists went viral, was received by me from a patriotic Indian in USA – this was later denied. A heartwarming video recording of a group of soldiers stating “Kashmir to hoga lekin Pakistan nahin hoga” has gone viral over social media (I tweeted it as well) and has been seen literally by hundreds of thousands of people.

Everyone in the country wants a visible response. So do I.

But as always happens after a national tragedy which results in an uproar, temperatures have started to come down and passion is giving way to reason in most cases and cynicism and criticism in some.

With India’s significantly superior defence capabilities, I am certain India can do serious damage to Pakistan’s military. Though Pakistan loves to talk about its nuclear deterrent, they cannot possibly use this, no matter what the provocation maybe because they recognize that India too is equally if not better equipped. Killing of tens, maybe hundreds of terrorists will not solve the problem but will exacerbate it further. Over the past few decades, the minds of thousands of young people in Pakistan have been moulded to believe in their version of jihad. They have been brainwashed into believing that they are doing God’s work when they attack India and the infidels.

So is an all-out attack on Pakistan really a solution? Can the potential killing of hundreds of Pakistanis be a revenge for the loss of our 18 soldiers? There will be a retaliation from the other side and more Indian soldiers will also die. In addition, who knows how many civilian deaths will be on the Indian side. No one likes body bags and if this were to happen, the tide would very quickly turn against the very same Government which is currently being goaded into taking decisive and quick action.

We have seen that the killing of Osama bin Laden did not destroy Al Qaeda. The Taliban, without Mullah Omar continue to do damage in Afghanistan. The emergence and strengthening of ISIS over the past few years despite innumerable surgical strikes only goes to prove that the World cannot wipe out terrorism using force – as someone said, you kill one person, ten more stand up to replace him.

The Pakistan Army, the fidayeens and the Pakistani religious leaders would want India to attack them militarily. This will give their ridiculous adventures like Uri, sanctity and also give them the excuse to go with their begging bowl to their wealthy friends for more money.

India as a nation has moved far ahead of Pakistan. Economically, we are at least 10 times the size of our depleted neighbor. In terms of purchasing power parity (PPP), India is ranked no 3 while Pakistan is at 43. The World sees us as a powerful partner while most nations are cringing away from Pakistan. We have built our stature in the World after decades of diplomacy and successful business partnerships.

We must also accept that Uri happened because of a failure of our intelligence. As we do our own introspection, we have to ensure that such lapses do not happen again. We need to get our own house in order as well. Our defence services have been short changed for a long time and it is only in the last few years that favourable decisions have started to be taken. We need the best surveillance systems and drone technology to protect our borders. No cost is high enough to put the lives of our soldiers in the balance.

War will have serious consequences on our country. The stock markets will fall. During the Kargil War, the stock market dropped by over 10%. Can we afford to have a similar drop and see a huge valuation wiped off? Investment inflows which have started seeing record levels will slow down dramatically and will take a while to re-start. We also do not want war to create even more pockets of resistance in Kashmir, which the separatists in Kashmir will push for.

Significant steps have been taken to diplomatically isolate Pakistan and get the World to see it as the primary sanctuary for terrorists, which it is. Pakistan is already standing alone in the comity of nations and this loneliness will only intensify as the cold winter months approach.

The comment by the young Indian Foreign Service officer at the United Nations calling the ancient centre of learning Taksh-shila, the new “Ivy League of Terror” will haunt and hurt Pakistanis for many years.

The Pakistan Prime Minister will remember his rebuff at the United Nations, from the US Government and even from China, who has stated that they would prefer to take a neutral position. Amongst the few sane voices in Pakistan, the Pakistani press exhibits its nervousness in all their television discussions while the few retired generals keep rattling their now blunted and rusted sabres and drop the “N” word in every discussion.

India needs to hurt Pakistan economically and politically while retaining our right to strike where we want to at our will. There will be short term collateral damage for the common citizens of both countries but this would be a very small price to pay.

1.    Revoke the Most Favoured Nation status given to Pakistan

2.    Stop exports to Pakistan, currently in the region of US$ 1.5 billion per annum

3.    Reduce exports from Pakistan by increasing tariffs currently in the region of about US$ 2.0 billion per annum

4.    Make securing Indian visas much more difficult for Pakistanis

5.    Stop flight of Pakistan International Airlines over India territory

6.    Open discussions of the Indus Water sharing accord.

The wise Chanakya had stated in his famous work ArthShastra “The enemy of my enemy is my friend”. This is the time for us understand implement this teaching in the context of Pakistan. Look at Pakistan’s neighbours.

1.   The Balochistan strategy has struck all the right chords in with the rebels in Balochistan and Pakistan is struggling to accept the weakness in their soft underbelly. One comment from the PM has set the proverbial fire in Pakistan’s backyard. We have so many of our disbelievers telling us that Balochistan is not Bangladesh – we love to draw parallels and later play the “I told you so game”. The early moves in Balochistan is only the beginning of the challenges Pakistan will see in its own backyard.

2.   Gilgit-Baltistan could be next. We must create so much dissonance within Pakistan that they have time for little else.

3.   Afghanistan is clearly on India’s side. Sustained political pressure from their Western neighbor will continue to hurt Pakistan.

4.   China, who Pakistan claims as an “all weather friend” is led by a group of pragmatic politicians who are struggling to handle their own economic slowdown. Politically, China needs Pakistan for what it wrongly believes as a counter to India. However, China, with its slowing economy recognizes the huge market India has to offer to its companies.

5.    Islamic Nations, while paying lip service to Pakistan, do not see any economic possibilities with Pakistan. This is clear from the incredible reception PM Modi received during his visit to Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.

6.   The SAARC nations particularly the larger nations like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will not see any reason to stand with Pakistan.

7.    The United States, Russia and other major nations are already on India’s side and the United Nations has refused to include Nawaz Sharif’s plea to intervene in the discussions between India and Pakistan.

The PM has already stated categorically that the perpetrators will pay. He is a strong leader who has the best interests of the country. He must be hurting as much as if not more than all his fellow citizens over the Uri attack.

Much as I to would like to see a “strong and credible” response for the lives of our soldiers, Mr Modi must not give in to all our jingoistic demands. He needs to calibrate the response and take steps that he knows are in the best interest of the country.

There is really no single answer or solution to the mess Pakistan is in. The Aam Aadmi in Pakistan is definitely tired of all this and wants to lead a peaceful life if only their leaders would let them.

Sharif and Sharif need to sit down with their political and military advisors, religious leaders and terrorist organisations and take stock of where they are as a nation and whether they need to continue their “adventurism” or start to correct the problems of their own making. From the time, if they do decide to change course, it will take at least one whole generation to change their thinking and to assimilate once again into the World.

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The author is the founder Chairman of Guardian Pharmacies and the author of the best-selling books, Reboot. Reinvent. Rewire: Managing Retirement in the 21st Century; The Corner Office; An Eye for an Eye and The Buck Stops Here - Learnings of a #Startup Entrepreneur. 

Twitter: @gargashutosh

Instagram: ashutoshgarg56

Blog: ashutoshgargin.wordpress.com

Why Trump should be elected President

The subject of Trump vs Clinton never seems to have any ambivalence or any mild reactions, anywhere in the World. Almost no one I know supports Trump though no one has ever given me a cogent explanation on why they maintain such anti-Trump views other than the standard abusive adjectives they seem to have picked up from the media.

Before I start to put down my thoughts, I must make it clear that I am a strong believer that Trump will win and will be a good President for America. I must also clarify that I am a citizen of India and therefore have no vested interest in the US elections. Main stream media all over generally loves the existing establishment and believes in status quo. It is no different in America though I do wonder what drives such extreme reactions from iconic news anchors against a man who could be the next President.

Over the last century, America has taken the place of London as the country with its “streets paved with gold” and attracted the best immigrants from around the world. America was also asked to take the centre chair at the head table of the World which it has done with aplomb since the end of the War. Over the years, most nations have looked towards America to resolve their issues, their challenges and even their internal disputes and the American leaders have played their part most admirably.

But America as a nation has been “underperforming” over the past few decades.

1. Its infrastructure is collapsing and needs serious investments. It is believed that an investment in excess of US$ 13 trillion is need to be invested in America.
2.  The middle class “white” majority is beginning to feel disenfranchised and the large black community is feeling alienated because nothing has been done for them over the past two centuries. Other minorities too seem to feel they are not getting their due – so is anyone really satisfied?
3. The power of America is waning. American politicians have become used to solving the problems of the World and pontificating on every challenge the World faces. Most nations have become far more self-supporting and powerful and are now beginning to exercise their own power within their region.
4. The United Nations, which was seen as the all-powerful body in the world with America virtually controlling it has started to lose its relevance in World affairs as well.

The World is undergoing a change – a change that started post 9/11.

Citizens of most “white” dominated nations who have traditionally been seen as very receptive to immigrants have started to demand their nations back. Brexit, no matter what some of the anti-exit supporters believe, was a vote to reclaim their country, their jobs and their nation. We will see many more nations in Europe demand their countries back and over the next few years we will see this happen.

Therefore, coming to Trump who has a simple slogan about making America Great Again, as an observer from the outside, I do believe he should for the reasons outlined below.

1. He is appealing to the average middle class conservative voter who identifies with him and sees him as one of their own. The fact that he has a lot of wealth endears him further. These voters hear them speaking for them. Such voters believe that they have been alienated in their own land. Americans need jobs and he is promising creation of jobs including bringing manufacturing back to America shores – what this will do the American companies who have got used to outsourcing and large profits is currently not on his agenda. It is interesting to note that when I spoke to three senior naturalized Mexican Americans in Texas in June this year, all of them said that they would vote for Trump because what he was stating about Mexicans was hard to accept but the truth! Undoubtedly, America has been built by immigrants but as is always the case, the first set of immigrants become “more equal” than the last set of immigrants.
2. The average human in most countries has little interest beyond their city, state and country. What role their nation is playing or not playing on the World stage has no relevance to most of us. Americans are no different. Trump is therefore appealing to the base instinct of every human American which is personal prosperity and personal security.
3. He will bring a new perspective into the White House and to the World – a perspective that from a successful global businessman (yes I am aware of some of his failures and bankruptcies) and different from the establishment perspectives that have been espoused over the past few decades. A weak second term of Obama has further exacerbated the frustrations of the electorate. On a global scale, a change of leadership and a change of perspective has been seen in the last few years in several countries including Indonesia, Philippines, Venezuela and India and more changes will be seen.
4. As a businessman, he will demand high accountability from bureaucrats and ask for results. The “you scratch my back and I scratch yours” culture will end and this has a large section of the establishment very worried. He is thick skinned and abuses hurled at him from all over don’t seem to bother him much, or at least he never seems to show it.
5. The country is steeped in debt and successive leaders have increased this debt leaving the problems for the next leader. Trump understand the problems of debt and should take decisive steps to halt and hopefully reverse this trend. Trump is not beholden to any business group or political party, he is a rebel and an outsider within his own Republican party. This will keep him honest and permit him to take the hard decisions America needs. The fact that he is not a career politician is a huge advantage for him.
6. From a security perspective, Trump will be hard and decisive against ISIS. He has clearly stated his support for a strong military and I do believe he will increase defence spending.
7. He has been blamed for his politically incorrect statements, which his constituency seems to love, since they see him telling the truth in a manner they have always thought of but never heard so clearly verbalized and articulated.

It has been my view, since the election process started in June 2015, that in the very long election process of America over 16 months, Trump has needed to keep making statements, right or wrong, to retain his salience in the minds of the American voter. He has managed to get an incredibly large share of the press coverage without having to pay for it. No one can deny that he has achieved this very successfully and that without spending too much money. And as the elections are drawing near, his tone has started to change and become more moderate and “presidential”!

Whether the wall comes up or not and whether illegal immigrants are deported remains to be seen. However he is a pragmatic and successful individual, there is no reason to doubt that the leadership of the world’s most powerful nation will be in safe and sane hands. He is succeeding not because of his personality or his wealth but because people are identifying with his popular positions. Once he is thrown into the deep end, he, given his vast experience, will learn to swim fast and win.

All said and done, a change needs to happen in the world’s most powerful country with fresh thinking. The American constitution and its institutions are strong enough to control any President who decides to run amuck.

Trump’s voters will turn out in large numbers to vote for their candidate – it will be a strong positive vote while I don't see the same enthusiasm in the reluctant Clinton supporters.

Hopefully we will see President Elect Trump in November!

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The author is the founder Chairman of Guardian Pharmacies and the author of the best-selling books, Reboot. Reinvent. Rewire: Managing Retirement in the 21st Century; The Corner Office; An Eye for an Eye and The Buck Stops Here - Learnings of a #Startup Entrepreneur. 

• Twitter: @gargashutosh
• Instagram: ashutoshgarg56

Understanding, Appreciating and Enjoying your Whisky

The love for whisky has remained constant and consistent over the decades and it is one of the fastest growing spirits in the world. Most nations brew some kind of alcohol but the whisky from only a few countries has now gained an international appeal.

How to drink should never be the subject of any paper and therefore this note simply outlines what to watch out for while enjoying your favourite dram. After all, since you will generally pay a lot of money in comparison to other types of alcohol, you don’t want to just drink and forget!

What's the difference between scotch and whisky? 

 The spirit from USA and Ireland is whiskey, whiskey spelt with an “e”. All other countries have “dropped the e”. Further, while all scotch is whisky but not all whisky is scotch. Scotch whisky is a legal term created to protect whisky made in Scotland. By law Scotch whisky has to be distilled and matured in oak casks for at least three years in Scotland. Given the demand for whisky, most whisky distilleries are dropping the “aging” of their bottles.

So you can get a Yamazaki or Hibiki from Japan, a Hammer Head from the Czech Republic, a Kavalan from Taiwan or a Brenne from France – all of these are whiskies but none of them is a Scotch.

What is a single malt? 

Single malt simply refers to the whisky comes from one single distillery and the malt refers to the malted barley used in the whisky.

On the other hand, a blended whisky like a Chivas Regal or a Johnnie Walker is made from a blend of whiskies made from wheat or corn and “blended” by master blenders – who are no different from the expert chefs in high end restaurants.

So while you can find a malt distillery or a whisky distillery, there’s no such thing as a blended whisky distillery. It does not exist.

Is older whisky better? 

I have often seen people asking for old whiskies at duty free shops. However, older does not mean better. Maturity and age are very different for a whisky. The time your spirit spends in its cask is not as important as the quality of the cask.

Brewing is a natural process. Sometimes the cask is good and sometimes it is not. What happens inside the cask is between the spirit and the wood of the cask. There’s no way for any distillery to control that process. What is needed is lots of patience. The better the wood of the cask the better the whisky.

 However, since the older whisky occupies a longer shelf life in its distillery, it automatically takes in more investment and hence is priced higher.

How do you nose a scotch?

 The first experience we have with our whisky is with its smell, before it touches our lips and our tongue. Therefore, the first impression is the aroma. Every whisky has its own distinctive aroma and you would have heard terms like peaty, smoky, sweetish, etc.

Nosing a whisky is simply about how it smells.

After you have poured your drink into a glass (and while there are many shapes and sizes of glasses, the preferred choice for a malt is a tulip shaped glass which has a bulbous shape and a narrow neck) simply take the edge of the glass to the tip of your nose and take a deep breath of the aromatic liquid. You will first get the sweeter and lighter aromas followed by the richer aromas. As you “nose” more whiskies, you will be able to discern the many flavours in your chosen whisky.

When you think of flavours, dozens of impressions are created as you take your first sip. An easy way to start your journey is whether your whisky is sweet; does it have a vanilla flavor; what kind of a wood finish can your smell; is it smoky; is it peaty; does it have a medicinal taste; is it salty? Once you can start to make these differentiations, you can start to dive deeper.

Incredible isn’t it that you are able to enjoy your whisky even before you have taken the first sip.

Is there a special way to drink the whisky? 

Ideally, take a small sip and let it roll over your taste buds. Then let the lovely liquid find its way down your throat as you take in the flavours. We have five sensations - bitter, salty, sweet, sour and savoury. The tip of your tongue senses the sweetness first. As you breathe the fluid you will get the other flavours at the back of your mouth.

 Don’t swirl the precious liquid around your mouth like you would do with a mouth wash and don’t swallow it and feel the spirit burn the back of your throat!

How should I drink my whisky? 

There is really no correct or right way to enjoy your whisky. Some people like to drink their whisky neat while others add a dash of water to open up the bouquet. Some add ice while other add the recently launched stone cubes to keep their whisky cold without diluting it. There are still other who love to add a large amount of aerated water or soda.

It is important to remember a few facts:

1. If you are trying to learn the flavours and want to compare whisky, it is best to drink it neat 
2. Water breaks the surface tension of the alcohol and brings out the floral and citrus notes of the whisky to the forefront 
3. Ice chills down the oils and you get sweeter notes first 
4. Soda dulls all the notes with its carbon dioxide bubbles but if that is how you enjoy your whisky, so be it 
5. Then there are other ways that people drink whiskey with Coke or with a twist of lime or blended in a cocktail. 

How you chose to drink it is your personal choice. One that you like to enjoy your whisky.

What is the “finish” of a whisky? 

You must have heard people talk about a “short” finish or a “long” finish” of a whisky. Experts love to use terms that they think will impress people like us about their knowledge.

Simply put, finish means how long you can taste your whisky after you have swallowed it. A duration of less than 15 seconds is considered to be a “short” finish and anything longer is a “long” finish”. Once again, remember that neither short nor long is a factor to determine whether a whisky is good or better – finish only differentiates between whiskies.

What is “proof”? 

 The word proof is an indicator of the quantum of alcohol by volume in your whisky. Therefore, a 40% proof whisky means that in your drink of 30 ml, there will be 12 ml of pure alcohol. Proof varies in strength from 40% to 65% (there are more potent whiskies as well) based on choice made by a distiller. Therefore, the higher the proof the more potent is your whisky and the more careful you need to be when you indulge.

Finally, always remember that if you have bought your whisky, you own the whisky. Drink it any way you want it but drink it responsibly. The way you like it is the best way to enjoy it.

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The author, a whisky enthusiast over the past three decades, is also the founder Chairman of Guardian Pharmacies and the author of the best-selling books, Reboot. Reinvent. Rewire: Managing Retirement in the 21st Century; The Corner Office; An Eye for an Eye and The Buck Stops Here - Learnings of a #Startup Entrepreneur.

Twitter: @gargashutosh

Instagram: ashutoshgarg56

Ageing and Retirement - Age is only a number

Ageing and Retirement Age is only a number In a country which is being spoken about as the “youngest” country in the world, where over 700 million of us are under the age of 30, we have an increasing number of people who are growing old as well. Just like the baby boomers in USA, India too has its post-independence children, born after 1947. The oldest of these children will be in their early to late-sixties in 2015 and a majority of these pre-independence kids may probably still be working but thinking of the impending retirement. Looking back on the years gone by I am sometimes amazed at the resilience and persistence exhibited by us mere mortals in our lives. In our effort to make ends meet and prepare for our future we are often forced to endure thankless and sometimes abusive work environments for years on end. Stress becomes our new best friend as we attempt to pay never ending day to day bills while somehow also providing for big ticket expenses like education, clothes, cars and weddings. We are forced to delay the pursuit of our own interests and passions because there is either not enough time or not sufficient free money. As I pondered over and debated my own reality, I was curious about my peers' attitudes toward retirement I spoke with many friends, both men and women over 60 who were either already retired or were just starting to think about it. What I found most shocking was the level of denial and postponement in thinking about the subject of retirement. While many people had been diligent about saving and investing, few had considered the psychological jolt that usually accompanies the end of an active working career. My first realisation was that I would have a much greater degree of freedom under my control. I don't have to do but I do what I please to do. I have therefore redefined retirement to mean “Reaching a stage in life when one has the freedom to do what one wants.” I am reminded of an old poem I read At ten, we have just fun At twenty, we are still naughty At thirty, we think lofty At forty, we get shifty At fifty, we confront reality At, sixty, we seek serenity Author - Unknown However in today’s day and age, the retirement paradigm has changed completely from what we have seen with our parents and probably our grandparents. While the message may be the same, the ages have certainly changed over the past three decades. “Yesterday’s 60 is today’s 40” said a close friend to me when we were discussing getting older. “Age is only a number” said another So working in our regular jobs as employees till we are between 60 and 65 is something we can normally expect to do as per ore terms of employment. When I started work in 1979 at the age of 22 the retirement age in my company was 52 years and I used to think that three decades was a long way off. A few years later the retirement age was raised to 55 and like me, a lot of young managers in the company complained about how top management was interfering with our careers by allowing the “oldies” to stay on for another 3 years! Today as I approach 58, I wonder what it would have been like to have retired when I consider that I am at the peak of my career. As we reach the age of superannuation or retirement, I see so many of friends becoming insecure and afraid of becoming irrelevant. When it is time to retire, we forget what we told ourselves. What has changed in the last three decades that we are afraid to slow down or pace of work or recognize that our minds and bodies are ageing? Most of us would have achieved what one set out to at the start of one’s career or we would have accepted that what one has achieved is all that is possible in the career that we have chosen. We would have also seen the push coming from our younger colleagues in the work place to move aside to let the youth brigade move forward faster. There is no point in agonizing over the past because there is nothing that we can do about it. I have always believed in looking ahead with a positive frame of mind. Yet most people if they have led a relatively healthy life will, with modern medicine see our life expectancy increase significantly. Our parents would generally be well into their eighties and we could expect them to live in to their nineties. Given the right set of genes, there is no reason why we would not live to at least 90 years of age, maybe more if we have not abused our body too much. Retirement is not the end of the world. It is the beginning of a new and more fulfilling life without the stresses and strains, the pulls and pressures we had when we were young. We may have looked forward to retirement but a fulfilling retirement will not just happen. You have to plan for it and you have to plan by including the most important person in your life, your spouse. Unless both of you are in agreement with your plans, prepare for dissonance in both your lives. At the same time, I realized that with ageing parents, the baton for the next generation was passing to me. The next generation of children in my family was looking up to me. When I visited their homes, I would be seated first. I would be served first at dinner and when I spoke they would listen attentively. It was difficult to handle this contradiction. On the one hand I was beginning to feel less relevant at work and in the society that I knew and on the other hand I was being respected more by the next generation. I have met several people and discussed with them their challenges and their thoughts as they faced retirement. I have spoken to people in their thirties and forties as they agonised over making plans for the retirement of their parents. I have spoken to spouses who are preparing for a life with a much more inclusive husband post his retirement and I have spoken to husbands who have had very successful career and spouses who are wondering how life will be for the two of them now that both of them have “all the time in the world to spend together”. Let me draw a parallel to retirement with a setback. It is a stop in our life and we need to restart with a new direction and with renewed vigour. Think back to a recent setback or disappointment in your career or personal life. Think about how you felt. How long did it take for you to bounce back? Did you formulate an action plan? Did you blame yourself, or others? Did you eat a big plate of sweets or ice cream to give yourself a “sugar fix”? How you handle a setback defines who you are. Let's say there are two ends of the spectrum - the optimist and the pessimist. You may be at any point of the spectrum.  The optimist experiences a challenge. They see it as a temporary situation, something that they'll get past. An optimist will often make a plan for recovery, and take action. An optimist looks to the future.  A pessimist is at the opposite end of the spectrum. They see a problem, and the problem affects every aspect of their life, and no solution to the problem is in sight. There is usually someone to blame for this problem. Have you ever tried to help a pessimist solve a problem? They will argue with you that every possible solution will not work. There is no happy future, all is hopeless. A pessimist will say that an optimist is not realistic. Maybe that is the case. However, perhaps that slightly unrealistic view is what allows the optimist to meet the challenge head on and succeed. How can you move along your place on the retirement spectrum to be on the positive side as you look to reinvent, reboot and rewire your life? Examine your behaviour pattern. Be honest with yourself. • When a challenge arises, step back and see it for what it is. Look for the opportunity within the challenge. Sometimes the opportunity is merely the experience gained from getting through it. • Don't let the problem become your life. • Move into action to resolve the problem immediately. Make a plan and get started. • Believe in yourself and your power. Cast off society's belief about aging and retirement. Optimists may have greater success, health and happiness. Pessimists may experience a self-fulfilling prophecy of unhappiness and despair. You choose your spot on the spectrum from where you will make the start to rebooting your life. In conclusion it is my belief our new life ahead can be the adventure of a lifetime. It doesn't have to be a permanent rest. Ask yourself whether your negative beliefs about retirement are getting in the way of how you really want to live the "third half" of your life. The author is the founder Chairman of Guardian Pharmacies and the author of the best-selling books, Reboot. Reinvent. Rewire: Managing Retirement in the 21st Century; The Corner Office and The Buck Stops Here - Learnings of a #Startup Entrepreneur. Twitter: @gargashutosh http://www.bigdecisions.com/article/ageing-retirement-why-age-is-just-a-number