Life Lessons is a joint initiative between Wealth Forum and Axis MF, where we look at lessons we can draw from everyday life that can help us become more successful and serve our investors better. Icons and their accomplishments are a part of our everyday life. They are icons because of the huge success they have achieved in their chosen sphere - be it business, sport or entertainment. But some of them go much beyond. Some of them truly inspire us to raise our own game - in our own arena, by setting an example for us to learn from and emulate. The series Lessons From Icons throws a spotlight on real life stories and anecdotes from the lives of some such icons.

The story of Amitabh Bachchan - Big B - the biggest film star this country has seen so far, has numerous lessons for all of us. In this article, we will share only one of the many lessons that his professional life holds out for us - one lesson that will help us remain successful in ever changing times. In the next article, we will discuss some more valuable lessons that his journey holds out for all of us.

The photos tell their story

A quick glance at these photos tells a great story. It's a story of how one man stayed on top of his profession for over four decades by constantly reinventing himself to ensure that he always remains relevant and on top of the game, even as the game kept changing.

This is a man who needed an introduction letter from no less a figure than Mrs. Indira Gandhi to get his first film - Saat Hindustani in 1969. He plodded along for a few years - just another struggling actor - until he (with the help of talented script writers) fashioned a distinct identity for himself as the "angry young man". From Zanjeer in 1973 to Shehanshah in 1988 - for 15 years, this angry young man ruled the roost, playing the game in his unique, charismatic way.

The decade of the 1990s was perhaps his career's "lost decade" - forgettable films, largely because he didn't change with changing times. The game had changed, but he continued with his old style - and lost out in the bargain.

A brand new Amitabh came back with a bang in 2000 with Mohabbatein, and instantly captured the minds and hearts of film lovers, with his new image. This bouce back after a decade in the wilderness, perhaps taught him the imperative of constantly reinventing himself to remain relevant and remain on top of the game. What we have seen since 2000 is a truly remarkable journey.

Recognizing the galloping impact of television, Amitabh plunged headlong into the now iconic TV game show Kaun Banega Crorepati. A star who in his younger days was known to be aloof and reserved, donned a brand new avatar of somebody who connected brilliantly with the audience at the show and millions who viewed the show from their homes. He was the first big film star to plunge into TV, and set a trend for others to emulate.

Recognizing the power of social media, he became an active blogger at age 70. He didn't for a moment think "why bother learning a new skill at 70?" He is today, one of the best networked celebrities on social media. Think back to the Amitabh of the 1980s who completely shunned media and refused to give any interviews for years - and look at the new age Amitabh, and how he has changed his approach, to ensure he is in tune with changing expectations of the audience. Look at the way he engages effortlessly with the youth, and the way he is able to smoothly shift gears when engaging with older audiences. Think of all the big film heroes of the 1970s and 1980s - and ask yourself if you can name another star who has managed this transition even half as successfully as Mr. Bachchan has.

The reason he remains the shehanshah - the emperor - is because he has constantly reinvented himself to remain the king of hearts of an ever changing and evolving audience.

Lessons for us in the financial advisory business

Our clients are the same people who form the audience for Mr. Bachchan. Their expectations from us as advisors keep changing and evolving, just as their expectations from film celebrities changes. The way they expect to engage with us, the information they seek, their expectations from their portfolios and from our services - all of these keep changing and evolving with times. Just as Mr. Bachchan reinvented himself so successfully, we too need to constantly reinvent ourselves to ensure that we engage with our clients the way they wish to.

Here is what Mr. Bachchan says in his blog, about the need to change and reinvent : "Change requires immense will... will to adjust, to understand, to look at the other point of view, perhaps to get up from a position of regulated comfort and to walk across to the fence to peep into the 'greener grass' of the neighbour. It may require quantum leaps... but the way of the world has only prospered for those that have continuously made effort to do so..."

The way of the world has only prospered for those that have continuously made the effort to change in tune with the world. The world will keep changing - we either stay in tune, or fall by the wayside.

Content is created by Wealth Forum and should not be construed as an opinion of Axis Mutual Fund.

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