The presence of mind refers to the ability to remain calm and think clearly in difficult or unexpected situations. There are many famous examples of individuals demonstrating exceptional presence of mind, such as:
- Flight 1549 Miracle on the Hudson: In 2009, Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger successfully landed a US Airways flight on the Hudson River after both engines failed, saving all 155 people on board.
- Aron Ralston’s Survival: In 2003, Aron Ralston amputated his arm to free himself after it became trapped by a boulder while hiking in Utah.
- The 7/7 London Bombings: In 2005, Gill Hicks, who lost both of her legs in the London terrorist bombings, used her presence of mind to apply a makeshift tourniquet and communicate with rescuers.
These examples demonstrate the incredible resilience and quick thinking that can be displayed in moments of crisis.
Scene: The Kite Runner
A rich kid who loves to write stories is reading a letter. His servant’s son (also his best friend) is organizing his room.
Rich Kid: “My uncle liked my story. He wrote ‘Bravo!'”
Friend: “Well of course he liked it. You tell great stories.
What’s the story about?”
Rich Kid: “It’s about a very poor man who finds a magic cup. Soon he learns if he weeps into the cup, his tears will turn to pearls….And at the end of story, he’s sitting on a mountain of pearls with a bloody knife in his hands and his dead wife in his arms. “
Friend: “So he killed her so that he could cry and get rich?”
Rich Kid: “Yes, you’re very quick”
Friend: “But why couldn’t he just smell an onion?”
3rd Example
I was in the first year of my graduation, It happened during the external viva of computer science.
( Need to mention here, I was doing my Bachelors in Architecture, and we don’t care much about software other than design like CAD, Revit, pshop etc. in the initial years, but Excel was also a part for this semester and I was least prepared for it)
Characters
External examiner: EE
Myself : ME
(I was waiting in the lobby to be called for viva, after some time the office boy asked me to go in viva room, I went inside)
Scene: Viva room
EE: Hello, let’s start, tell me which software you are good at, be honest it may help in saving both of our time.
(I thought it was a trap, but looking at her straightforwardness, I fell for that)
ME: I have full command over CAD and Photoshop ask me anything(as per the syllabi of my semester).
EE: Great, I will ask you only one question from MS Excel, and if you answer that, I will give you full marks, else you are fail.
ME: That’s not fair, I told you the truth and you are asking me for the one which I am not prepared.
EE: You don’t have to tell me what I can ask. Just to make it a fair deal, I will ask you the same question that I have asked the student before you.
(She turned her laptop towards me with an excel worksheet open and said)
The girl before you, I had asked her to change the columns into rows and rows into columns, you have to do the exact opposite of what she did and you are done.
I paused for a moment and pressed Ctrl+z twice, her face was furious, and she said “no not this way”. I stood up and left the room.
4th Real-Life Example Of the Presence Of Mind
A badly injured couple was lying on the roadside. They had met with an accident. A car had hit their bike. The car owner was too scared to stop and have a look at the injured couple so he fled away. People had gathered around the couple and were discussing the accident. No one cared to take the couple to the hospital.
A man came and asked everybody to cooperate in taking the couple to the hospital. Suddenly another man from the crowd shouted that it was a police case and therefore nobody should interfere. Nobody came forward to help. Seeing this, the man shouted I am a Magistrate. I will see to it that the police will not disturb you in their investigation.
On hearing this the people came forward for help and followed his instructions. The couple was taken to the hospital and treatment began.
While returning from the hospital, a man from the crowd came and introduced himself as a lawyer in the lower court and asked him that in which court did he work. At this, the man replied, “Sorry Sir! I am not a magistrate. I am an engineer.”
5th Real Life Example
Interviewer: (Pointing his finger towards the table) Underneath this bowl on the table, there is piece of sweet, which you have to eat without touching the bowl and you will be selected.
Student: I am sorry, sir, but with due respect, there is nothing underneath the bowl except air because I saw you when you were planning for the activity.
Interviewer: When I’m saying that there is a piece of sweet under the bowl, why aren’t you believing me?
Student: Because I know that there’s nothing underneath.
Interviewer: (Removed the bowl and said in a pissed-off tone, pointing at the sweet) What is this then??
Student: (After he picked the piece of sweet up and ate it) Done sir, and thank you for helping me!!