The Healthy (Fat) Man Stablisation Theory (THFMST)- Dinesh K Kapila

 

The Healthy (Fat) Man Stablisation Theory (THFMST)- Dinesh K Kapila

This theory is quite interesting. I have arrived at this theory after some thought, mainly drawn from my own experiences and that of people of my own types. This will be understood as we go along. The lesson is why not just let things or events or a process just be, in equilibrium, in the state it is in, the way it is, the mode it has always been in, I think you get the drift. THFMST is thus a concept which states that we need not be constantly presuming that each decision requires a movement or a direction or movement or disruption, at times it should only be, let it just be. May be there is no need to even voice that let it just be, it should just be a process and understood as such. For example, long term investors need not be looking up  their portfolios consistently and making changes and incurring costs all the while, if it’s stable, let it be. Do not let every general observation or movement disturb your equilibrium and constrain you into an action you could have done with out.

Honestly, something plain and simple triggered the thought. The dilemma of all thick set men and women, men in particular. Thick set as in a bit broad around the waist and then the neck and we can visualise it. Now you are say, heavy set and have a collection of suits. You are consistently set at say XY weight and had them tailored to your size. A good draper or rather tailor can be very fastidious and has set them carefully after very careful measurements and visualising how it would fall over the broad contours and what he can camouflage carefully. This would be further refined after a process of trials and discussions. The final product, the suit, would sit comfortably, and may not appeal to some, say the wife, maybe the grown up daughter who watches you hawk eyed and the son who may summarise his opinions in a sentence. But the wearer is comfortable and confident in the suit.

Now starts the process of learning and arriving at the THFMST. The guy in question loses some weight, say he is now XY – Z, may be he notices or may be he does not.  Maybe he is just happy the way it is. Now should he get it re-tailored or should he wait. It could just happen he may lose more weight, then what. Another round of re-tailoring ? Now what if, just if, he gains back weight, not all of it, but just a bit. Then what, the possibilities are many and the line of action also vary. But in all this, if the wearer is just comfortable, the suit overall sits okay, not baggy or tight, just within the margins of a certain comfort, then just let it be. That is my take, unless as a very special case you are rather finicky and self conscious and want to look every inch well tailored as the very centre of attention at a major event.   

This principle applies to life, to offices and to those in management too. Not all action is action per se and a requirement. Too many managers have a thought that a continuous flow of action and directives is management in action. I know of a Senior Manager in an organisation who would reshuffle his team every now and then. The result was hidden resentment as the team struggled to cope up with the changes. To coast along watchfully is also action and management. That is something we often overlook. Minor course corrections as we go along are par for the course .  Just be confident and comfortable and do not get into a scenario that a disruption or a different track would be beneficial. There is a time for disruption and there is a time to coast, it may happen simultaneously also but then be careful with the compartmentalisation. We have brought our world into a scenario here we revel in disruption and chaos and chase the perceived benefits which would emerge, but would they always, in a sustainable manner. What would be the actual real benefits as against the hype or projections. Meanwhile the process may have had unintended consequences too. THFMST as I said could also be a norm or an option. Consciously.   

Suppose you have a smartphone, and track your walk daily in terms of the distance walked. The app on the smartphone says it is X distance. Now a friend says how do you know the app is accurate. So would you download another app, which Google Aunty may say is also not always accurate. So maybe you start carrying two smartphones, as I did. Suppose you get two different readings, now what. Would you average the readings. What if both are off the mark. Then maybe the option is to buy a fitness watch to add the third dimension in the quest for accuracy and mental comfort. A friend suggested this. After all, we are data obsessed now. Then do we trust the watch or average three readings. But it’s just a walk, not a life threatening crisis, is it not. I discussed this interesting scenario at home. at home. Then,said the daughter, why not just average the two phones and chill. But actually, said the lawyered up son, once you know overall the time taken, your  pace and the general distance, maybe just the one smartphone is enough for a passing reference, if at all.  My wife, always with the last word, had a different thought and track, another totally different option, why not just walk the walk on the route we know as a fitness cum comfort exercise and leave the smartphone be as it is. All viable options but one has the obvious comfort.   

Know the ifs and buts and the force and trajectory of actions. And the fall out and the impact and the benefits and the sustainability. That is how in real life we can organise ourselves, decide if you need a resource or a particular action or if a multiple series of actions is honestly required or can you forgo constantly and consistently willed actions. Just learn to coast too. It does pay. Not always, but it works often. Know the balance. THFMST as I said.  Stability is its own virtue. Its valued even though we do not realise it in the series of actions consistently in play at times in offices.         

THFMST is the quest. Whether its the Suit or life or management.  

DKK

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