Casual Read

Goals in Life...

2012-01-23T14:37:00.001+05:30

If you ask most people what is their one major objective in life, they would probably give you a vague answer, such as, "I want to be successful, be happy, make a good living," and that is it. They are all wishes and none of them are clear goals.

On the best sunny day, the most powerful magnifying glass will not light paper if you keep moving the glass. But if you focus and hold it, the paper will light up. That is the power of concentration.

A man was traveling and stopped at an intersection. He asked an elderly man, "Where does this road take me?" The elderly person asked, "Where do you want to go?" The man replied, "I don't know." The elderly person said, “Then take any road. What difference does it make?" How true. When we don't know where we are going, any road will take us there.

Suppose you have all the football eleven players, enthusiastically ready to play the game, all charged up, and then someone took the goal post away. What would happen to the game? There is nothing left. How do you keep score? How do you know you have arrived?

Enthusiasm without direction is like wildfire and leads to frustration. Goals give a sense of direction. Would you sit in a train or a plane without knowing where it was going? The obvious answer is no. Then why do people go through life without having any goals?

The Goals however must be SMART:
1. Specific: For example, "I want to lose weight." This is wishful thinking. It becomes a goal when I pin myself down to "I will lose 10 pounds in 90 days."

2. Measurable: If we cannot measure it, we cannot accomplish it. Measurement is a way of monitoring our progress.

3. Achievable: Achievable means that it should be out of reach enough to be challenging but it should not be out of sight, otherwise it becomes disheartening.

4. Realistic: A person who wants to lose 50 pounds in~30 days is being unrealistic.
5. Time-bound: There should be a starting date and a finishing date.

Set up SMART Goals for a successful future...

Six keys to success......

2011-12-29T14:25:00.000+05:30

1. Attitude:
Bloom where you are planted. You have a choice to get back up after temporary set backs. Attitude is a small thing that makes a big difference!

2. Direction:
If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there. Write your short term goals down on paper. I have discovered and continue to discover that putting your dreams and goals down on paper lock in or focus your belief that they can be achieved--even if you have to take a course correction in achieving your goals. Success comes in cans, failure comes in can'ts.

3. Values:
Explore what is important to you. Maybe it is family, friends, your spirituality or working hard at any given task. I can assure you that your priorities will change as you grow older. Very important that you value yourself and treat yourself like the valuable gift from God that you are.
4. Interests:
Birds of a feather flock together. This is to say that if you are hanging around winners or others with a "can do" mind-set, you'll likely adapt to this same kind of thinking. Remember--"SUCCESS LEAVES CLUES!

5. Commitment:
Feelings may change, commitments do not. "Success is getting up one more time than you fall." I have often wanted to give up, and then I must think to myself about what the consequences of giving up will be. Generally, this is more than enough of a motivation to make us stick to the task at hand even if we don't feel like it. When the task is achieved, Whow!--IT FEELS GREAT!

6. Encouragement:
Be an encourager and comforter to friends that are feeling discouraged. I promise that you will not regret this as you will be encouraged by one, if not many, when you are feeling down. Encouragement and love are contagious qualities that can change the minds of the most stubborn and "hard-to-get-along-with" people you know. I have seen it happen over and over again.

The Keys can be remembered with the Keyword ADVICE.

Spend Time with your Family.....

2011-11-17T11:19:00.000+05:30

Father was a hardworking man who delivered bread as a living to support his wife and three children. He spent all his evenings after work attending classes, hoping to improve himself so that he could one day find a better paying job. Except for Sundays, Father hardly ate a meal together with his family. He worked and studied very hard because he wanted to provide his family with the best money could buy.

Whenever the family complained that he was not spending enough time with them, he reasoned that he was doing all this for them. But he often yearned to spend more time with his family.

The day came when the examination results were announced. To his joy, Father passed, and with distinctions too! Soon after, he was offered a good job as a senior supervisor which paid handsomely.

Like a dream come true, Father could now afford to provide his family with life’s little luxuries like nice clothing, fine food and vacation abroad.

However, the family still did not get to see father for most of the week. He continued to work very hard, hoping to be promoted to the position of manager. In fact, to make himself a worthily candidate for the promotion, he enrolled for another course in the open university.

Again, whenever the family complained that he was not spending enough time with them, he reasoned that he was doing all this for them. But he often yearned to spend more time with his family.

Father’s hard work paid off and he was promoted. Jubilantly, he decided to hire a maid to relieve his wife from her domestic tasks. He also felt that their three-room flat was no longer big enough, it would be nice for his family to be able to enjoy the facilities and comfort of a condominium. Having experienced the rewards of his hard work many times before, Father resolved to further his studies and work at being promoted again. The family still did not get to see much of him. In fact, sometimes Father had to work on Sundays entertaining clients. Again, whenever the family complained that he was not spending enough time with them, he reasoned that he was doing all this for them. But he often yearned to spend more time with his family.

As expected, Father’s hard work paid off again and he bought a beautiful condominium overlooking the coast of Singapore. On the first Sunday evening at their new home, Father declared to his family that he decided not to take anymore courses or pursue any more promotions. From then on he was going to devote more time to his family.

Father did not wake up the next day.

What do women really want?

2011-09-11T00:00:00.003+05:30

Young King Arthur was ambushed and imprisoned by the monarch of a neighboring kingdom. The monarch could have killed him but was moved by Arthur's youth and ideals. So, the monarch offered him his freedom, as long as he could answer a very difficult question. Arthur would have a year to figure out the answer and, If after a year, he still had no answer, he would be put to death.

The question was: What do women really want?

Such a question would perplex even the most knowledgeable man, And to young Arthur, it seemed an impossible query. but, since it was better than death, He accepted the monarch's proposition to have an answer by year's end.

He returned to his kingdom and began to poll everyone: The princess,the priests, the wise men, and even the court jester. He spoke with everyone, but no one could give him a satisfactory answer. Many people advised him to consult the old witch, for only she would have the answer. But the price would be high as the witch was famous through out the kingdom for the exorbitant prices she charged.

The last day of the year arrived and Arthur had no choice but to talk to the witch. She agreed to answer the question, but he would have to agree to her price first. The old witch wanted to marry Sir Lancelot, The most noble of the Knights of the Round Table, And Arthur's closest friend! Young Arthur was horrified. She was hunch-backed and hideous, had only one tooth, Smelled like sewage, made obscene noises, etc.
He had never encountered such a repugnant creature in all his life. He refused to force his friend to marry her and endure such a terrible burden, But Lancelot,having learnt of the proposal, spoke with Arthur. He said nothing was too big of a sacrifice compared to Arthur's life. And the reservation of the Round Table.

Hence, a wedding was proclaimed and the witch answered. Arthur's question thus: "What a woman really wants?"

She said, "Is to be in charge of her own life."

Everyone in the kingdom instantly knew that the witch had uttered a great truth. And that Arthur's life would be spared.

And so it was. The neighboring monarch granted Arthur his freedom. And Lancelot and the witch had a wonderful wedding. The honeymoon hour approached and, Lancelot, steeling himself for a horrific experience, entered the bedroom.

But, what a sight awaited him.The most beautiful woman he had ever seen lay before him on the bed.

The astounded Lancelot asked what had happened.The beauty replied that since he had been so kind to her when she appeared as a witch, She would henceforth be her horrible and deformed self only half the time. And the beautiful maiden the other half.

"Which would you prefer? She asked him. "Beautiful during the day....or at night?"

Lancelot pondered the predicament. During the day he could have a beautiful woman to show off to his friends,But at night, in the privacy of his castle, an old witch! Or, Would he prefer having a hideous witch during the day?But by night a beautiful woman for him to enjoy wondrous, intimate moments with?

What Lancelot chose, is given below:

BUT... make YOUR choice before you scroll down below... OKAY?

Noble Lancelot, knowing the answer the witch gave Arthur to his question, He said that he would allow HER to make the choice herself.

Upon hearing this, she announced that she would be beautiful all the time. Because, he had respected her enough to let her be in charge of her own life.

Indian women are the most stressed out --- read more

2011-08-02T04:00:00.008+05:30

Chetan Bhagats Article in TOI : Specially for Indian Women. Do Read it and share it with all the women in your life

Alright, this is not cool at all. A recent survey by Nielsen has revealed that Indian women are the most stressed out in the world: 87% of our women feel stressed out most of the time. This statistic alone has caused me to stress out. Even in workaholic America, only 53% women feel stressed.

What are we doing to our women? I'm biased, but Indian women are the most beautiful in the world. As mothers, sisters, daughters, colleagues, wives and girlfriends - we love them. Can you imagine life without the ladies?
For now, i want to give Indian women five suggestions to reduce their stress levels.

One, don't ever think you are without power. Give it back to that mother-in-law. Be who you are, not someone she wished you would be. She doesn't like you? That's her problem.

Two, if you are doing a good job at work and your boss doesn't value you - tell him that, or quit. Talented, hard-working people are much in demand.

Three, educate yourself, learn skills, network - figure out ways to be economically independent. So next time your husband tells you that you are not a good enough wife, mother or daughter-in-law, you can tell him to take a hike.

Four, do not ever feel stressed about having a dual responsibility of family and work. It is difficult, but not impossible. The trick is not to expect an A+ in every aspect of your life. You are not taking an exam, and you frankly can't score cent per cent (unless you are in SRCC, of course). It is okay if you don't make four dishes for lunch, one can fill their stomach with one. It is okay if you don't work until midnight and don't get a promotion. Nobody remembers their job designation on their dying day.

Five, most important, don't get competitive with other women. Someone will make a better scrapbook for her school project than you. Another will lose more weight with a better diet. Your neighbour may make a six-dabba tiffin for her husband, you don't - big deal. Do your best, but don't keep looking out for the report card, and definitely don't expect to top the class. There is no ideal woman in this world, and if you strive to become one, there will be only one thing you will achieve for certain - stress.

So breathe, chill, relax. Tell yourself you are beautiful, do your best and deserve a peaceful life. Anybody trying to take that away from you is making a mistake, not you. Your purpose of coming to this earth is not to please everyone. Your purpose is to offer what you have to the world, and have a good life in return. The next time this survey comes, i don't want to see Indian women on top of the list. I want them to be the happiest women in the world. Now smile, before your mother-in-law shouts at you for wasting your time reading the newspaper.

Cherish Womanhood.

To read more on the article click here

When things don't turn out the way they should, have faith....

2011-07-08T09:08:00.000+05:30

Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion's guest room. Instead the angels were given a space in the cold basement.As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied... "Things aren't always what they seem".
The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest. When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field.

The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel "how could you have let this happen!? The first man had everything, yet you helped him," she accused. "The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you let their cow die."

"Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel replied. "When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn't find it. Then last night as we slept in the farmers bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I gave her the cow instead. Things aren't always what they seem."

Sometimes this is exactly what happens when things don't turn out the way they should. If you have faith, you just need to trust that every outcome is always to your advantage. You might not know it until some time later.

Five Grains of Rice

2011-06-02T06:00:00.017+05:30

A rich man has four sons. As he grows old, he decides to give his property to the son who would value the wealth he had earned. He calls his four sons and gives them each five grains of rice. He tells them that he shall ask for these grains at the end of 5 years & he would give his property to the son who would value these grains the most.

The first son throws away the grains. He decides to show his father some other grains when he would ask for them after 5 yrs, in anticipation that his father would not be able to see the difference between the two sets of grains.

The second son eats the grains. He too decides to show his father some other grains when he would ask for them after 5 yrs, in anticipation that his father would not be able to see the difference between the two sets of grains.

The third son preserves these grains in a silver box and keeps the silver box in the 'puja sthaan' at home, and offers prayers to the box while offering his prayers to God for 5 yrs.

The fourth son sows these grains and cultivates them in the backyard of his house. They grow into crops during the harvest season. He keeps re sowing the grains from these crops. In due course, he has a vast plot of land cultivated with rice.

As apparent from the above mentioned, at the end of 5 yrs, the father gives his property to his fourth son, as he was the most deserving among his four sons.

When you have anything little in your hands, look at opportunity to grow it. Don't feel sad if you have less money today, know that you have it and you can grow it.

A blog Post by Singapore's Youngest Millionaire

2011-05-03T09:44:00.016+05:30

A blog Post by Singapore's Youngest Millionaire - Adam Khoo On Money

Some of you may already know that I travel around the region pretty frequently, having to visit and conduct seminars at my offices in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Suzhou (China). I am in the airport almost every other week so I get to bump into many people who have attended my seminars or have read my books.

Recently, someone came up to me on a plane to KL and looked rather shocked. He asked, 'How come a millionaire like you is traveling economy?' My reply was, 'That's why I am a millionaire. ‘He still looked pretty confused. This again confirms that greatest lie ever told about wealth

(Which I wrote about in my latest book 'Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires’). Many people have been brainwashed to think that millionaires have to wear Gucci, Hugo Boss, Rolex, and sit on first class in air travel. This is why so many people never become rich because the moment that earn more money, they think that it is only natural that they spend more, putting them back to square one.

The truth is that most self-made millionaires are frugal and only spend on what is necessary and of value. That is why they are able to accumulate and multiplies their wealth so much faster. Over the last 7 years, I have saved about 80% of my income while today I save only about 60% (Because I have my wife, mother in law, 2 maids, 2 kids, etc. to support). Still, it is way above most people who save 10% of their income (if they are lucky). I refuse to buy a first class ticket or to buy a $300 shirt because I think that it is a complete waste of money. However, I happily pay $1,300 to send my 2-year old daughter to Julia Gabriel Speech and Drama without thinking twice.

When I joined the YEO (Young Entrepreneur's Organization) a few years back (YEO is an exclusive club open to those who are under 40and make over $1m a Year in their own business) I discovered that those who were self-made thought like me. Many of them with net worth’s well over $5m, traveled economy class and some even drove Toyota's and Nissans (not Audis, Mercs, BMWs).

I noticed that it was only those who never had to work hard to build their own wealth (there were also a few ministers' and tycoons' sons in the club) who spent like there was no tomorrow. Somehow, when you did not have to build everything from scratch, you do not really value money. This is precisely the reason why a family's wealth (no matter how much) rarely lasts past the third generation. Thank God my rich dad (oh no! I sound like Kiyosaki) foresaw this terrible possibility and refused to give me a cent to start my business.

Then some people ask me, 'What is the point in making so much money if you don't enjoy it?' The thing is that I don't really find happiness in buying branded clothes, jewelry or sitting first class. Even if buying something makes me happy it is only for a while, it does not last. Material happiness never lasts, it just give you a quick fix. After a while you feel lousy again and have to buy the next thing which you think will make you happy. I always think that if you need material things to make you happy, then you live a pretty sad and unfulfilled life.

Instead, what makes ME happy is when I see my children laughing and playing and learning so fast. What makes me happy is when I see my companies and trainers reaching more and more people every year in so many more countries. What makes me really happy is when I read all the emails about how my books and seminars have touched and inspired someone's life. What makes me really happy is reading all your wonderful posts about how this BLOG is inspiring you. This happiness makes me feel really good for a long time, much more than what a Rolex would do for me.

I think the point I want to put across is that happiness must come from doing your life's work (be in teaching, building homes, designing, trading, winning tournaments etc.) and the money that comes is only a by-product. If you hate what you are doing and rely on the money you earn to make you happy by buying stuff, then I think that you are living a life of meaninglessness....

To read the original post click here

Making New Friends isn't tough.

2011-04-04T05:06:00.004+05:30

Well these little bits I got off a friendship card will certainly give you a few tips on making new friends

1. Don't worry about knowing people, just make yourself worth knowing.
2. Be friendly with the folks you know. If it weren't for them you would be a total stranger.
3. Friends are those who speak to you after others don't.
4. The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail and not his tongue.
5. The way to have friends is to be willing to lose some arguments.
6. Deal with other's faults as gently as if they were your own.
7. A friend is a person who can step on your toes without messing your shine.
8. You will never have a friend if you must have one without faults.
9. You can make more friends by being interested in them than trying to have them be interested in you.
10. A real friend is a person who, when you've made a fool of yourself, lets you forget it.
11. A friend is a person who listens attentively while you say nothing.
12. A friend is someone who thinks you're a good egg even though you're slightly cracked.
... and most important... A FRIEND IS A TREASURE!

24 Things To Remember in Life

2011-03-02T08:00:00.020+05:30

Your presence is a present to the world.
You are unique and one of a kind.
Your life can be what you want it to be.
Take the days just one at a time.

Count your blessings, not your troubles.
You will make it through whatever comes along.
Within you are so many answers.
Understand, have courage, be strong.

Do not put limits on yourself.
So many dreams are waiting to be realized.
Decisions are too important to leave to chance.
Reach for your peak, your goal and you prize.

Nothing wastes more energy than worrying.
The longer one carries a problem the heavier it gets.
Do not take things too seriously.
Live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets.

Remember that a little love goes a long way.
Remember that a lot goes forever.
Remember that friendship is a wise investment.
Life’s treasure are people together.

Realize that it is never too late.
Do ordinary things in an extraordinary way.
Have hearth and hope and happiness.
Take the time to wish upon a start.

And do not ever forget., for even a day how very special you are!

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Funny thing about humility. Just when you think you've got it, you've lost it...

2011-02-14T07:00:00.004+05:30

After the Temple Darshan at the Kapaleeswarar Koil at Mylapore we entered the "Giri Trading" stores and started searching for this Book on "Thatva Bodha"

We found many people buying various Books and CDs and from their smart walks and accumulation of CDs from Bhajans to Bombay Jaishree, sent a nice feeling in us, that we have come to the right place indeed.

I was looking for this Book while my wife started collecting Bharathiar's songs and MS's Music. I searched everywhere for this Book.

There was this Girl, standing next to the Cashier, sincerely watching all our movements -a dark complexioned Girl, should be from a nearby Village, might be 17 or 18, should not have crossed 8th Std., might be out of poverty she is here.. all my Journalist's brain unnecessarily calculated about this Gullible Girl..and tho' she was repeatedly watching me, I ignored her and started searching for "Thathva Bodha"

I saw many books from "Sandhya Vandanam" to Swami Vivekananda's "Chicago Speech" but having spent a good 40 minutes. I looked at her, she also looked at me curiously. I asked her, knowing fully well that such a girl cannot have any idea of anything, leave alone "Thathva Bodah"

"Sir, may I help you?" (in Tamil)
"Yes. I am looking for 'Thatva Bodha' "
"Sanskrit Text or English/Sanskrit?"

God..she knows.
"Sanskrit & English"
"Do you like to have the Publication from Chinmaya Mission or Indu Publications or by Ramakrishna Mutt?"
"I dont know..I just want to only Learn you see..I dont really know indeed"
"Do you read Tamil Sir?"
"Yes I am a Tamilian "
(thinking to myself how most of mylife time I like to act in most otherplaces that I am not)

"Then Sir, you can take this"..she ran to the shelf where I had searched for 30 minutes, removed the books in the front and came out with a Book in Tamil.
"This one in Tamil by N.Sivaraman by Indu Publications infact is simple and wonderfull. You have the Sanskrit Text too inside."

My God. Why did I under estimate such a Genius. Just because of my Arrogance that I am an NRI. Or Just because I presumed such a Black, dark complexioned, gullible girl, who would have come for this job out of absolute poverty, wouldn't have any idea of "Thatva Bodha"

I decided to change my attitude and realized that I am absolutely an 'Idiot' at this moment in front of this wonderful girl and submitted myself in all humility.

"Madam, I really don't have any idea of even who wrote 'Thatva Bodha' till yesterday. I just attended a lecture on this subject and was fascinated by the lecture and hence...."
"Did you attend Goda Venkateswara Sastri's lecture in Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan?"
"Oh God. How did you know?"
"He regularly takes classes on such subjects. In fact he is one of the best Sir, in the city on such subjects."
"You are interested in such subjects?"
"Yes Sir, I read a lot about Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna and Thathva Bodha incidentally is my favorite Subject"
"You mean to say you have read Thatva Bodha?"
"I have read this one by Sivaraman and once you read it you won't feel like keeping that book on the table at all."
"Why what is so great about this Book?"
"Sir,you must be joking that you don't know about 'Thatva Bodha'."
"Really I accept my ignorance."

My wife was watching from the corner, admiring all her CD collections.
"Sir,according to me if you read this it gives the entire Vedanthic Saramsam (essence) and to say it in-one-word you become a bit more humble in life, leaving Ahamkaram (egotism) once for all."

"Is it a fact that reading this simple book one would get so humble?"
"Of course one should be involved totally into the text. Needs lot of conviction and devotion."

My wife joined the conversation and she felt this girl is indeed a very very talented intelligent girl, so she told me "Why don't you interview her for Washington Post. Why at all you should think of Paris Hilton?"
I also felt that I owe something to her. So I asked her whether she can spare sometime for an interview.

She politely refused saying "My boss is to give me permission. Besides many people are looking for guidance like you and hence I have to go."
"What is your name?"
"Kalaivani"

My wife's admiration for her devotion to duty and her total involvement in her work, made her go direct to the Boss "Sir,that girl Kalaivani."
"Yes very hard working Girl."
"This is my husband Viswanath."
"Nice meeting you Sir"
"He is the Senior Journalist in Washington Post."
The Boss stood up."Washington Post?"
"Yes Sir. I wd like to interview this girl. I am highly impressed with her ethics."
Boss called her. Time was 5:45 PM.
"Kalaivani, they have come all the way from USA, they would like to spend sometime with you. Can you?"
"Sir, there are so many customers waiting for some guidance. it is a rush time. If they can come again tomorrow."
"OK. I can come again tomorrow."
I again came next day morning leaving all my appointments with 'Times of India' just to see this girl. It was no rush hour. My wife and myself found out.

Kalaivani is from a nearby village near Arcot. She has 5 sisters. She is the eldest one. Her father was a drunkard and he died a few years ago caring for none of them. Her mother used to work as a helper in Masonry and passed away two years back, leaving all the 6 on the streets.
This girl who had completed her 9th std decided to search for a job and 'Giri Trading' came forward to help her out. She brought all her 5 sisters with her and with her meagre salary she is taking care of them. All the 5 sisters are going to a nearby Chennai Corporation School.
"Kalaivani. But when did you get this enthusiasm to learn about 'Thatva Bodha'?"
"Sir after joining here,I decided that the best way to be of help to the customers is to know the Subject first. I took small Books on Swami Vivekananda and started reading..I found the subject so fascinating..I decided to read other books in Tamil like Bagavad Gita and Viveka Choodamani. Thats how."
"What is your salary?"
"Rs 2500, Sir."
"Are you able to manage all your expenses with the 5 sisters?"
"Not at all Sir, but the Boss helps me a lot."
"What is your aim in Life?"
"I want all my sisters to get education. Then they would get easily employments is it not?"

"If I give monthly Rs 10,000 for meeting all your expenses, would that suffice?"
"It is indeed too much, but that also I would accept only through my Boss."

We took her to the Boss and told him that we would like to send Rs.10,000 every month so that all her sisters' education would be completed.
The Boss said "She deserves it Sir. You can trust me - I will hand over the amount to her every month or alternately you can open an account in her name and start transferring to the account."

My friend John Paul, who is the Regional Manager of 'Times of India' had also come with me. He said "You have done a good thing."
My wife said "I pray that 'Karpagambal' helps Kalaivani to become an expert in 'Vedantha' and start giving lectures in USA. We can arrange for her lectures."
We left wonder struck! If we go into the interiors of India, how many more 'Jewels' like Kalaivani can be found!!
I really became humbled.

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Reading this article reminded me of Albert Einstein saying, “The more I learn, the more I realize how much I do not know.

A beautiful letter from a DAD.................

2011-01-01T01:11:00.000+05:30

Following is a letter to his son from a renown Hong Kong TV broadcaster cum Child Psychologist.

The words maybe applicable to all of us, whether young or old, children or parents.

I am writing this to you because of 3 reasons:
1. Life, fortune and mishaps are unpredictable, nobody knows how long he lives. Some words are better said early.

2. I am your father, and if I don't tell you these, no one else will.

3. What is written is my own personal experiences that perhaps could save you a lot of unnecessary heartaches.

Remember the following as you go through life:

1. Do not bear grudge towards those who are not good to you. No one has the responsibility of treating you well, except your mother and I. To those who are good to you, you have to treasure it and be thankful, and ALSO you have to be cautious, because, everyone has a motive for every move. When a person is good to you, it does not mean he really likes you. You have to be careful, don't hastily regard him as a real friend.

2. No one is indispensable, nothing in the world that you must possess. Once you understand this idea, it would be easier for you to go through life when people around you don't want you anymore, or when you lose what/who you love most.

3. Life is short. When you waste your life today, tomorrow you would find that life is leaving you. The earlier you treasure your life, the better you enjoy life.

4. Love is but a transient feeling, and this feeling would fade with time and with one's mood. If your so called loved one leaves you, be patient, time will wash away your aches and sadness. Don't over exaggerate the beauty and sweetness of love, and don't over exaggerate the sadness of falling out of love.

5. A lot of successful people did not receive a good education, that does not mean that you can be successful by not studying hard! Whatever knowledge you gain is your weapon in life. One can go from rags to riches, but one has to start from some rags!

6. I do not expect you to financially support me when I am old, neither would I financially support your whole life. My responsibility as a supporter ends when you are grown up. After that, you decide whether you want to travel in a public transport or in your limousine, whether rich or poor.

7. You honour your words, but don't expect others to be so. You can be good to people, but don't expect people to be good to you. If you don't understand this, you would end up with unnecessary troubles.

8. I have bought lotteries for umpteen years, but I never strike any prize. That shows if you want to be rich, you have to work hard! There is no free lunch!

9. No matter how much time I have with you, let's treasure the time we have together. We do not know if we would meet again.

Your Dad.
shared on text mail.

Attitude is Everything......

2010-12-02T12:35:00.008+05:30

An excerpt from Attitude is Everything by Vicki Hitzges

Years ago, I was the public relations director for motivational guru, Zig Ziglar. At the time, he was arguably the best-known, most loved speaker in the world. When audience members heard Zig, they witnessed a man chockfull of energy, vitality and joy. Having worked closely with him and knowing him well, I can tell you that the Zig you saw on stage was the real Zig Ziglar. In fact, I can't remember ever seeing him when he was not happy and upbeat.

The Zig I knew was one carbonated guy.

Every time Zig answered his home phone, he picked up the receiver and said with gusto, "This is Jean Ziglar's happy husband!" And he meant it!

Awhile back one of Zig's closest friends and I were discussing Zig's aura of happiness. "Completely genuine," his friend said. "I have never seen him down." Then he added thoughtfully, but with love, "Hardly what you'd call normal."

"What's Zig's secret?" I asked.

"I think," he said, "it comes down to feeling grateful. Never met a guy more grateful than Zig. Period."

You'd think anyone that grateful must have had an easy life. But that's not so.

Zig started out poor. Dirt poor. His father died when he was six, leaving his mother to raise eleven children alone. The family was virtually penniless. Yet despite their poverty, Mrs. Ziglar instilled a strong work ethic in her children and raised them to believe that both she and God loved them. She also instructed her children to practice saying "please" and "thank you." Those lessons stuck. Her formula of work, love and faith made their difficult lives easier. Gratitude made their lives enjoyable.

Zig once told me, "When we neglect to require our children to say 'thank you' when someone gives them a gift or does something for them, we raise ungrateful children who are highly unlikely to be content. Without gratitude, happiness is rare. With gratitude, the odds for happiness go up dramatically."

Years ago, Zig created the popular phrase, "Have an attitude of gratitude." According to Zig, "The more you recognize and express gratitude for the things you have, the more things you will have to express gratitude for."

I know firsthand that giving thanks brings joy. Awhile back, I heard Oprah Winfrey urge viewers to keep a Gratitude Journal. It seemed pretty schmaltzy to me, so I didn't do it. But Oprah was a jackhammer. Day after day, week after week, she kept pounding on that idea. I'd catch her show here and there. Same thing: Keep a Gratitude Journal. A few months later, I was speaking to a government group and staying in a cruddy hotel. I was seated at the hotel's indoor restaurant by a swimming pool reeking with enough chlorine to purify the Love Canal. As I waited impatiently for my meal to arrive, I suddenly remembered Oprah's directive. What the heck? I had a pen and some scrap paper.

I listed my mother who spent time each day praying for me. I wrote down my father who deeply loves me. My kind, funny brother and his family. My job and the opportunity to travel and encourage people. Friends. Laughter. For the fact that I had a place to sleep that was safe. For a private bathroom. (You start listing - you begin to get thankful!) I quickly listed about 30 things and noticed that not only did I have a lot to be thankful for, but suddenly I was in a terrific mood!

Publisher Malcolm Margolin was grateful for something that's right outside our doors, but most of us have never taken the time to experience it. He wrote, "The next time it begins to rain... lie down on your belly, nestle your chin into the grass, and get a frog's-eye view of how raindrops fall... The sight of hundreds of blades of grass bowing down and popping back up like piano keys strikes me as one of the merriest sights in the world."

That might strike you as advice from a person with not nearly enough to do, but personally, I like it. If Margolin can feel joy in soggy clothes looking at wet grass, you and I can find all kinds of things for which we can give thanks!

Try it! Count your blessings. Jot them down. At least stop and think of as many things as you can that you're thankful for right now. It worked for Oprah, Zig, Margolin and me. Give it a shot. If you want to feel happy, try on an attitude of gratitude for a change in your mood, your outlook and you.

Confident presenters are excellent actors…!!!

2010-11-02T16:21:00.001+05:30

Confident presenters are excellent actors…!!!

I. Six ways of making effective presentation:

1. Maximize the first moment based on
    - What audience want
    - Tell the audience what you are going to tell

2. Involve Audience
    (We think 4 times faster than we speak)
    - Ask questions
    - Seeking Opinion & Suggestions

3. Use Visuals (Charts etc.)
    - Concise information
    - Only key points
    - Maintain the Pace

4. Maintain Control over audience

5. Read the group
    - Stories, jokes, practical examples

6. Push for action
    - Ask to generate idea

II. Tackle anxiety with confidence:

•          Preparation – works like magic
•          Practice – jump into as many presentations as you can
•          Do yoga/ deep breathing – never hurts
•          Positive self-imaging – let’s be kind to ourselves

III. Other Points:

1. Structure : Keep It Simple and Straight (KISS)
2. Keep 25% buffer for audience
3. Conclusion should be definitive
4. Don't put too much of content, slides are to support you
5. Topic: keep it Straight, Simple and Relevant
6. Communication: Simple, Collaborative, be assertive
7. Audience size does not matter only methodology changes
8. Go easy on animation - pictures on every slide does not work, keep it in alternative slide or after every 2 slides.
9. Color choice
    - For the Dark Room: dark background & light text
    - For the Light Room: light background & dark text
    - Heading: choose color starting with 'B' (Brown, Black, Blue)

The woman in your life...

2010-10-07T14:00:00.014+05:30

The woman in your life...very well expressed...

Tomorrow you may get a working woman, but you should marry with these facts as well.

A girl, who is as much educated as you are; Who is earning almost as much as you do;
One, who has dreams and aspirations just as you have because she is as human as you are;

One, who has never entered the kitchen in her life just like you or your sister haven't, as she was busy in studies and competing in a system that gives no special concession to girls for their culinary achievements;

One, who has lived and loved her parents & brothers & sisters, almost as much as you do for 20-25 years of her life;
One, who has bravely agreed to leave behind all that, her home, people who love her, to adopt your home, your family, your ways and even your family name;

One, who is somehow expected to be a master-chef from day #1, while you sleep oblivious to her predicament in her new circumstances, environment and that kitchen;
One, who is expected to make the tea, first thing in the morning and cook food at the end of the day, even if she is as tired as you are, maybe more, and yet never ever expected to complain; to be a cook, a mother, a wife, even if she doesn't want to; and is learning just like you are as to what you want from her;and is clumsy and sloppy at times and knows that you won't like it if she is too demanding, or if she learns faster than you;

One, who has her own set of friends, and that includes boys and even men at her workplace too, those, who she knows from school days and yet is willing to put all that on the back-burners to avoid your irrational jealousy, unnecessary competition and your inherent insecurities;

One, who can be late from work once in a while when deadlines, just like yours, are to be met;
One, who is doing her level best and wants to make this most important relationship in her entire life a grand success, if you just help her some and trust her;

One, who just wants one thing from you, as you are the only one she knows in your entire house - your unstinted support, your sensitivities and most importantly - your understanding, or love, if you may call it.

Free Travel to childhood :)

2010-09-01T16:28:00.007+05:30

I commute to work these days by public transportation- the newly introduced Volvo bus services.

A pleasant commute to forget the worries of traffic jam, sweat and the crowd in this highly populated metro.Just sit and relax...........

Every day's experience is unique with some set of unique people who just fascinate me.

It was a Monday morning when I was traveling, a two year old boy dragged his mother pleading her to take him in Volvo.The mom nodded yes finally.

As they entered and sat the kid was overexcited....he had a sweet kiddies language. he was actually in heights of his dream all jumping to catch the air vent,looking at people and didn't want the bus to halt even for few minutes in stops...

He was ordering the driver asking him to start...He had smart answers to every question one would ask.almost everyone in the bus became a fan of him in those few minutes forgetting all their worries and tension....

I was also one among them recollecting all the mischievous activities I had done when traveling and how my Parents used to answer me and handle..........

It was not a travel to office but a travel back to childhood....thanks to the kid for the free travel :)

Bossy Boss

2010-08-06T18:27:00.005+05:30

Most working people face problems managing their boss.....
Pity your boss. The poor guy has to get up early to see who comes in late. - Jacob Braude
Here is a fun quiz that I read recently on net.It gives idea on know how well you gel, and know your boss.
Give yourself one point for each of the questions that appear real to your situation.

Do you go out of your way to avoid your boss?
Do you usually ask your boss's secretary what kind of mood he or she is in before stepping in to his or her office to ask a question?
Do you hesitate to offer your opinion because it isn't asked for or listened to anyway?
Do you rarely get a word of thanks no matter how hard you work?
Does your boss criticize you in public?
Is your boss "the Teflon man"?Does he slide away from decisions and action?
Do you have to ask for feedback in order to get it?
Do you only hear what's wrong when you do get feedback?
Does your boss frequently say, "Handle it," (without a word of explanation) and then disappear?
Does your boss play favorites?
Does your boss make jokes about your weaknesses?
Does your boss respond to your requests for career guidance by saying, "Just work hard and you won't have to worry about it"?
Does your boss allow numerous interruptions when you're trying to talk to him or her?
Does your boss hog the credit for your work?
Does your boss keep dumping additional work on you, in spite of your heavy workload, without making any attempt to help you prioritize?
Does your boss take every opportunity to enforce the rules in a rigid, black and white manner regardless of personal circumstances?
Does your boss use phrases such as, "Just do what you're told." "You're not paid to think."
Do people avoid applying for jobs in your area because your boss's reputation is lousy?
Has at least one person left your area in the past year because he or she couldn't tolerate your boss?
Do the people in your work unit spend at least ten minutes a week discussing the boss's behavior towards them?
Do people in your boss's area rarely get promoted?
Does your boss talk at you instead of with you?
Do you complain about your boss at least once every week to a friend or family member?
Does your boss "forget" to tell you about information the rest of your peers know?
Does your boss frequently cancel your meetings with him or her at the last minute because some "important" issue has come up?
Do you get a generic performance review without specific examples of what you did right or wrong?
Does your boss say one thing but mean another?
Does your boss ignore your complaints or fail to act on them?
Does your boss call meetings just to hear himself talk?
Do you rarely get an opportunity to try something new in spite of repeated requests?

Now, let’s check your score!
If your score is between 0 to 5, consider yourself lucky. If your score is between 6 to 10, chances are your boss is a good leader who is only human. In the press of daily events, no one will be a perfect manager all of the time.
If your score is between 11 to 20, your boss is probably difficult to work for. You will have to decide if it is worth putting up with it to get what you want. Many people tolerate difficult bosses because they are learning new things, are in a field they adore, or need the job. If these or other rational reasons don't exist, it might be wise to consider changing jobs. Your boss may block your advancement or make your life miserable - either way, your motivation could disappear or your performance could suffer.
If your score is more than 20, your mental and physical health are at stake. Put a resume together and put the word out to your friends and relatives that you're looking for a new job. Don't wait-unless you're a masochist.
If you circled numbers: 5,10,11,14,17 you could be in a very bad position. Bosses, who don't care about their employees, make cruel remarks, are selfish, threatened, or arrogant are particularly dangerous to work for. They can destroy your self-esteem and self-confidence to the point where you doubt yourself.

Positive Thinking

2010-07-30T14:59:00.006+05:30

Positive thinking is a good idea but everyone wants to take steps that they are sure will actually work. The first thing is to keep the end in mind and be proactive.

Visualizing where we want to be and having a mission for how we are going to achieve it will definitely keep us on track.

The next thing is know your values and what you stand for. Stick to your values so that when you are in trouble you will not compromise them.

It is better to prevent actions that you would like to avoid by first knowing how you feel inside.It helps your actions reflect the way that you feel inside, and not contradict your values and what you stand for.

The next step is, to find variety to keep you interested. Switch it up from time to time if you are doing the same constant thing you will find yourself bored.

Just appreciate everything that is around you and what you have achieved this will keep you sane and also very importantly humble. Love people and serve them. Love is a power that rewards people in relationships that matter and find a lot of happiness.

Have faith in yourself and what you can do. If you have faith you will be surprised at what you can actually achieve. Everybody leaves a legacy whether it be a good thing or a bad thing. Try to always leave a positive legacy.

Potential plus positive influence equals personal greatness remember that formula.
Things do not always turn out as expected. No matter how much you try, unpredicted obstacles sometimes occur so just make sure that you keep the positive hope and faith alive.

Remember that many people cruise through life not having a clue about what they want, and just simply react to what comes along, they either choose to accept it or reject it. It is up to you to choose what you want to do.

Two Wolves

2010-06-23T16:18:00.005+05:30

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.
He said, "My son, the battle is between 2 wolves inside us all."

"One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego."

"The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather Which wolf wins?

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

Funny story........

2010-05-29T10:42:00.005+05:30

Funny stories can make for not just interesting read but can also be narrated to friends and family where all can have a hearty laugh.

Here is one such story:

One day, a CEO of a company threw a party for his executives at his mansion. At the back of the mansion, the CEO had a large swimming pool anyone had ever seen. The pool was, however, filled with hungry alligators. The CEO told his executives "I think an employee should be measured by courage. Today I am what I am because of my courage and this is what has made me a CEO. So this is a challenge to all of you present here: Who has the courage to dive into this pool, swim through these alligators, and make it to the other side? The one who will do it will win anything they desire - money, property, jewels, anything!"

All the employees laughed at the outrageous offer and proceeded to follow the CEO. Suddenly, they heard a loud splash. Everyone turned around and saw that the HR manager was in the pool, swimming for his life. He dodged the alligators left and right and made it to the edge of the pool. He pulled himself out just as a huge alligator was about to snap at his shoes. The flabbergasted CEO said, "You are amazing. I've never seen anything like this in my life. You are brave and surely beyond measure and I will give you anything you want. Tell me what I can do for you. The manager panted for breath, looked up and said, “Can you tell me who pushed me in the pool?"

The Color of Friendship

2010-04-27T12:22:00.005+05:30

Once upon a time the colors of the world started to quarrel.All claimed that they were the best.The most important.The most useful.The favorite.

Green said:"Clearly I am the most important. I am the sign of life and of hope. I was chosen for grass, trees and leaves. Without me, all animals would die. Look over the countryside and you will see that I am in the majority."

Blue interrupted:"You only think about the earth, but consider the sky and the sea. It is the water that is the basis of life and drawn up by the clouds from the deep sea. The sky gives space and peace and serenity. Without my peace, you would all be nothing."

Yellow chuckled:"You are all so serious. I bring laughter, gaiety, and warmth into the world. The sun is yellow, the moon is yellow, the stars are yellow. Every time you look at a sunflower, the whole world starts to smile. Without me there would be no fun."

Orange started next to blow her trumpet:"I am the color of health and strength. I may be scarce, but I am precious for I serve the needs of human life. I carry the most important vitamins. Think of carrots, pumpkins, oranges, mangoes, and papayas. I don't hang around all the time, but when I fill the sky at sunrise or sunset, my beauty is so striking that no one gives another thought to any of you."

Red could stand it no longer he shouted out:"I am the ruler of all of you. I am blood - life's blood! I am the color of danger and of bravery. I am willing to fight for a cause. I bring fire into the blood. Without me, the earth would be as empty as the moon. I am the color of passion and of love, the red rose, the poinsettia and the poppy."

Purple rose up to his full height:He was very tall and spoke with great pomp: "I am the color of royalty and power. Kings, chiefs, and bishops have always chosen me for I am the sign of authority and wisdom. People do not question me! They listen and obey."

Finally Indigo spoke, much more quietly than all the others, but with just as much determination: "Think of me. I am the color of silence. You hardly notice me, but without me you all become superficial. I represent thought and reflection, twilight and deep water. You need me for balance and contrast, for prayer and inner peace."

And so the colors went on boasting, each convinced of his or her own superiority. Their quarreling became louder and louder. Suddenly there was a startling flash of bright lightening thunder rolled and boomed. Rain started to pour down relentlessly. The colors crouched down in fear, drawing close to one another for comfort.

In the midst of the clamor, rain began to speak:"You foolish colors, fighting amongst yourselves, each trying to dominate the rest. Don't you know that you were each made for a special purpose, unique and different? Join hands with one another and come to me."

Doing as they were told, the colors united and joined hands.
The rain continued:"From now on, when it rains, each of you will stretch across the sky in a great bow of color as a reminder that you can all live in peace. The Rainbow is a sign of hope for tomorrow." And so, whenever a good rain washes the world, and a Rainbow appears in the sky, let us remember to appreciate one another.

If You Love Someone . . .

2010-03-01T22:46:00.006+05:30

Was going through a article shared in web.It was really awesome so thought would share here :)

If you love some one because you think that he or she is really gorgeous ...

then it's not love..

it's - Infatuation . . .

If you love some one because you think that you shouldn't leave him because others think that you shouldn't ...

then it's not love..

it's - compromise . . .

If you love some one because you think that you cannot live with out his touch ....

then it's not love ..

it's - lust . . .

If you love some one because you have been kissed by him ...

then it's not love..

it's - inferiority complex . . .

If you love some one because you cannot leave him thinking that it would hurt his feelings ..

then it's not love ..

it's - charity . . .

If you love some one because you share every thing with him ...

then it's not love..

it's - friendship . . .

but if you feel the pain of the other person more than him even when he is stable and you cry for him ..

that's - LOVE . . .

if you get attracted to other people but stay with him without any regrets..

that's - LOVE . . .

If you let him go knowing that he has to go but he doesn't want to..

that's - LOVE . . .

How to Dance in the Rain....

2010-02-10T11:17:00.006+05:30

It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80's arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am.

I took his vital signs and told him to take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch and I decided that since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On examining his wound it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.

While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I inquired as to her health.

He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer's Disease. As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now.

I was surprised, and asked him, "And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?" He smiled as he patted my hand and said....."She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is."

I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm, and thought, that is the kind of love I want in my life. True love is neither physical, nor romantic. True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be.

The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.

Life isn't what you gather, life is what you scatter.

Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain.

as narrated by a nurse....Shared on text mails

Hare and Tortoise Corporate Stories

2010-01-11T08:47:00.007+05:30

Once upon a time a tortoise and a hare had an argument about who was faster.They decided to settle the argument with a race. They agreed on a route and started off the race.

The hare shot ahead and ran briskly for some time. Then seeing that he was far ahead of the tortoise, he thought he’d sit under a tree for some time and relax before continuing the race. He sat under the tree and soon fell asleep. The tortoise plodding on overtook him and soon finished the race, emerging as the undisputed champ. The hare woke up and realised that he’d lost the race.

The moral of the story is that slow and steady wins the race.

This is the version of the story that we’ve all grown up with. But then recently, someone told me a more interesting version of this story. It continues. The hare was disappointed at losing the race and he did some soul-searching. He realised that he’d lost the race only because he had been overconfident, careless and lax. If he had not taken things for granted, there’s no way the tortoise could have beaten him. So he challenged the tortoise to another race. The tortoise agreed. This time, the hare went all out and ran without stopping from start to finish. He won by several miles.

The moral of the story?

Fast and consistent will always beat the slow and steady.

If you have two people in your organisation, one slow, methodical and reliable, and the other fast and still reliable at what he does, the fast and reliable chap will consistently climb the organisational ladder faster than the slow, methodical chap. It’s good to be slow and steady; but it’s better to be fast and reliable.

But the story doesn’t end here. The tortoise did some thinking this time, and realised that there’s no way he can beat the hare in a race the way it was currently formatted. He thought for a while, and then challenged the hare to another race, but on a slightly different route. The hare agreed. They started off. In keeping with his self-made commitment to be consistently fast, the hare took off and ran at top speed until he came to a broad river. The finishing line was a couple of kilometres on the other side of the river. The hare sat there wondering what to do. In the meantime the tortoise trundled along, got into the river, swam to the opposite bank, continued walking and finished the race.

The moral of the story?

First identify your core competency and then change the playing field to suit your core competency.

In an organisation, if you are a good speaker, make sure you create opportunities to give presentations that enable the senior management to notice you.
If your strength is analysis, make sure you do some sort of research, make a report and send it upstairs. Working to your strengths will not only get you noticed, but will also create opportunities for growth and advancement.The story still hasn’t ended.

The hare and the tortoise, by this time, had become pretty good friends and they did some thinking together. Both realised that the last race could have been run much better. So they decided to do the last race again, but to run as a team this time. They started off, and this time the hare carried the tortoise till the riverbank. There, the tortoise took over and swam across with the hare on his back. On the opposite bank, the hare again carried the tortoise and they reached the finishing line together. They both felt a greater sense of satisfaction than they’d felt earlier.

The moral of the story?

It’s good to be individually brilliant and to have strong core competencies; but unless you’re able to work in a team and harness each other’s core competencies, you’ll always perform below par because there will always be situations at which you’ll do poorly and someone else does well.

Teamwork is mainly about situational leadership, letting the person with the relevant core competency for a situation take leadership.
There are more lessons to be learnt from this story. Note that neither the hare nor the tortoise gave up after failures. The hare decided to work harder and put in more effort after his failure. The tortoise changed his strategy because he was already working as hard as he could. In life, when faced with failure, sometimes it is appropriate to work harder and put in more effort.

Sometimes it is appropriate to change strategy and try something different. And sometimes it is appropriate to do both. The hare and the tortoise also learnt another vital lesson. When we stop competing against a rival and instead start competing against the situation, we perform far better.

When Roberto Goizueta took over as CEO of Coca-Cola in the 1980s, he was faced with intense competition from Pepsi that was eating into Coke’s growth. His executives were Pepsi-focussed and intent on increasing market share 0.1 per cent a time. Goizueta decided to stop competing against Pepsi and instead compete against the situation of 0.1 per cent growth.

He asked his executives what was the average fluid intake of an American per day? The answer was 14 ounces. What was Coke’s share of that? Two ounces. Goizueta said Coke needed a larger share of that market. The competition wasn’t Pepsi. It was the water, tea, coffee, milk and fruit juices that went into the remaining 12 ounces. The public should reach for a Coke whenever they felt like drinking something. To this end, Coke put up vending machines at every street corner. Sales took a quantum jump.

To sum up, the story of the hare and tortoise teaches us many things.

Chief among them are that:

Fast and consistent will always beat slow and steady;
Work to your competencies;
Pooling resources and working as a team will always beat individual performers;
Never give up when faced with failure; and
Finally, compete against the situation – not against a rival.

What does love mean?

2009-12-23T12:45:00.004+05:30

This is from a widely circulated email where the source is unknown:

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, "What does love mean?"

The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think:

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all even when his hands got arthritis, too. That's Love."Rebecca - age 8

When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth." Billy - age 4

"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French Fries without making them give you any of theirs." Chrissy - age 6

"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired." Terri - age 4

"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK."Danny - age 7

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen." Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)

"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate."Nikka - age 6

"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears iteveryday." Noelle - age 7

"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well." Tommy - age 6

"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore." Cindy - age 8

"My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night."Clare - age 6

"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken." Elaine-age 5

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford."Chris - age 7

"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day."Mary Ann - age 4

"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her oldclothes and has to go out and buy new ones."Lauren - age 4

"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you" Karen - age 7

"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget."Jessica - age 8

And the final one -- Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about contest he was asked to judge.

The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child.

The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.

When his Mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing, I just helped him cry."

The Pearl Necklace

2009-11-29T09:01:00.003+05:30

A cheerful girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them: a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box. "Oh please, Mommy. Can I have them? Please, Mommy, please!"

Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl's upturned face. "A dollar ninety-five. That's almost $2.00. If you really want them, I'll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday's only a week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from grandma."

As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores and she went to the neighbor and asked if she could pick dandelions for ten cents. On her birthday, Grandma did give her another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace.

Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She wore them everywhere--Sunday school, kindergarten, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.
Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story. One night when he finished the story, he asked Jenny, "Do you love me?"

"Oh yes, Daddy. You know that I love you."

"Then give me your pearls."

"Oh, Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have Princess-- the white horse from my collection. The one with the pink tail. Remember, Daddy? The one you gave me. She's my favorite."

"That's okay, Honey. Daddy loves you. Good night." And he brushed her cheek with a kiss.

About a week later, after the story time, Jenny's daddy asked again, "Do you love me?"

" Daddy, you know I love you."

"Then give me your pearls."

"Oh Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my babydoll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is so beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."

"That's okay. Sleep well. God bless you, little one. Daddy loves you." And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.

A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed Indian-style. As he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek. "What is it, Jenny? What's the matter?"

Jenny didn't say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And, when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver, she finally said, "Here, Daddy. It's for you."

With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny's kind daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime-store necklace, and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of beautiful genuine pearls. He had had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her genuine treasure.

What imitations are we holding onto.. that stops us from receiving God's genuine treasures?

Lets give up on the imitations to discover the genuine treasures stored for us ...

Dreams............

2009-10-09T09:32:00.005+05:30

I came across this interesting article on Dreams..............

You dream every night whilst you sleep. The dreams you have are the interface between your conscious waking state and your subconscious mind. You dream during REM sleep, which occurs roughly every 90 minutes throughout the night and for progressively longer periods. For example, you may only dream 5 or 10 minutes in your first REM period, but by morning you dream for about 30 minutes, right until you wake up.

Everyone dreams for about 100 minutes per night; you just have difficulty remembering your dreams. 100 minutes is more than an hour and a half and longer than most movies you see at the cinema.
Your dreams express to you what is happening in your physical body. They are a way of expressing and resolving what happens in your sub conscious mind. Science has shown that without dreaming you quickly breakdown in both mind and body.

Through your dreams you access a massive library of insight and information from your subconscious mind and the collective consciousness of humanity. Your dreams are a source for premonitions, spiritual contact and guidance. They are also a means to solve problems both personal and work related.

Interesting insight.......

If only we dare let go...

2009-09-18T09:40:00.004+05:30

Once there lived a village of creatures along the bottom of a great crystal river. Each creature in its own manner clung tightly to the twigs and rocks of the river bottom, for clinging was their way of life, and resisting the current what each had learned from birth.

But one creature said at last, "I trust that the current knows where it is going. I shall let go, and let it take me where it will. Clinging, I shall die of boredom."

The other creatures laughed and said, "Fool! Let go, and that current you worship will throw you tumbled and smashed across the rocks, and you will die quicker than boredom!"
But the one heeded them not, and taking a breath did let go, and at once was tumbled and smashed by the current across the rocks. Yet, in time, as the creature refused to cling again, the current lifted him free from the bottom, and he was bruised and hurt no more.

And the creatures downstream, to whom he was a stranger, cried, "See a miracle! A creature like ourselves, yet he flies! See the Saviour, come to save us all!" And the one carried in the current said, "I am no more Saviour than you. The river delight to lift us free, if only we dare let go. "

Our true work is this voyage, this adventure.Lets just not cling to a grip but enjoy the voyage.

Nature of Life....

2009-08-17T09:11:00.008+05:30

One day a saint was taking a bath in a river. His disciple sat on the bank with the saint's clothes, asana and rosary. The saint noticed a scorpion struggling in the current. Taking pity, he lifted the bedraggled scorpion in his palm and started wading toward the bank.

No sooner had the scorpion recovered than it promptly stung the saint on the palm. The saint felt an unbearable, burning pain shoot up his arm, but he did not drop the scorpion. Instead, he gently shook his hand to encourage the scorpion to move away from the wound.

The saint's disciple, watching from the bank, became alarmed, but did not say anything.The saint had only taken a few more steps when the scorpion stung him again. A searing pain more intense than the first one went all the way up his arm and throbbed in his hand. The saint staggered and nearly collapsed in the river.

This time the disciple did call out. "Put him down, guruji! He will only sting you again. Leave him to his fate. Your kindness is of no value to such a creature. He will learn nothing from it! The saint ignored him and continued walking. He had nearly reached the bank when the scorpion stung him for a third time. The pain exploded into his head, lungs, and his heart.

The disciple saw a blissful smile appear on the saint's face before he collapsed in to the river. The disciple dragged the saint to the shore, still smiling and still cradling the scorpion in his palm.

As soon as they had reached shore, the scorpion crawled away as quickly as it could. Guruji! said the disciple after the saint had regained consciousness.How can you smile? That wretched creature nearly killed you. You are right, my son, said the saint.

But he was only following his dharma, his nature. It is the dharma of a scorpion to sting, and it is the dharma of a me is to save its' life.

10 Principles for Peace of Mind

2009-07-24T08:29:00.004+05:30

Do Not Interfere In Others' Business Unless Asked
Forgive And Forget
Do Not Crave For Recognition
Do Not Be Jealous
Change Yourself According To The Environment
Endure What Cannot Be Cured
Do Not Bite Off More Than You Can Chew
Meditate Regularly
Never Leave The Mind Vacant
Do Not Procrastinate And Never Regret

Conquer Your Weakness

2009-07-05T01:22:00.004+05:30

This is a story of one 10-year-old boy who decided to study judo despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in a devastating car accident.

The boy began lessons with an old Japanese judo master. The boy was doing well, so he couldn't understand why, after three months of training, the master had taught him only one move.

"Sensei," the boy finally said, "Shouldn't I be learning more moves?"

"This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you'll ever need to know," the Sensei replied. Not quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, the boy kept training.

Several months later, the Sensei took the boy to his first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy easily won his first two matches.

The third match proved to be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent became impatient and charged; the boy deftly used his one move to win the match. Still amazed by his success, the boy was now in the finals.

This time, his opponent was bigger, stronger, and more experienced. For a while, the boy appeared to be overmatched. Concerned that the boy might get hurt, the referee called a time-out. He was about to stop the match when the Sensei intervened. "No," the Sensei insisted, "Let him continue."

Soon after the match resumed, his opponent made a critical mistake: he dropped his guard. Instantly, the boy used his move to pin him. The boy had won the match and the tournament. He was the champion.

On the way home, the boy and Sensei reviewed every move in each and every match. Then the boy summoned the courage to ask what was really on his mind. "Sensei, how did I win the tournament with only one move?"

"You won for two reasons," the Sensei answered. "First, you've almost mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of judo. And second, the only known defence for that move is for your opponent to grab your left arm."

The boy's greatest weakness had become his greatest strength.

People In Our Life

2009-06-18T07:33:00.004+05:30

During my second month of school, our professor gave us a pop quiz.

I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?" Surely, this was some kind of joke.

I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name?I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank.

Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade.
"Absolutely," said the professor.

"In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say 'hello'."

I've never forgotten that lesson. I also spoke to her, learned her name and said Thanks!

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Instructions For Life - Dalai Lama

2009-05-28T07:48:00.005+05:30

Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
Memorize your favorite poem.
Don’t believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.
When you say, “I love you”, mean it.
When you say, “I’m sorry”, look the person in the eye.
Be engaged at least six months before you get married.
Believe in love at first sight.
Never laugh at anyone’s dreams.
Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it’s the only way to live life completely.
In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.
Don’t judge people by their relatives.
Talk slowly but think quickly.
When someone asks you a question you don’t want to answer, smile and ask, “Why do you want to know?”
Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
Call your mom.
Say “bless you” when you hear someone sneeze.
When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.
Remember the three R’s: Respect for self; Respect for others; Responsibility for all your actions.
Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
Smile when picking up the phone.The caller will hear it in your voice.
Marry a man/woman you love to talk to.As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.
Spend some time alone.
Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.
Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
Read more books and watch less TV.
Live a good, honorable life.Then when you get older and think back, you’ll get to enjoy it a second time.
Trust in God but lock your car.
A loving atmosphere in your home is so important.Do all you can to create a tranquil harmonious home.
In disagreements with loved ones, deal with the current situation.Don’t bring up the past.
Read between the lines.
Share your knowledge.It’s a way to achieve immortality.
Be gentle with the earth.
Pray. There’s immeasurable power in it.
Never interrupt when you are being flattered.
Mind your own business.
At least once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.
If you make a lot of money, put it to use helping others while you are living.That is wealth’s greatest satisfaction.
Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a stroke of luck.
Learn the rules then break some.
Remember that the best relationship is one where your love for each other is greater than your need for each other.
Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
Remember that your character is your destiny.
Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

Give Value To Relationships...

2009-04-30T08:24:00.004+05:30

A man stopped at a flower shop for ordering some flowers to be sent as a gift to his mother who lived two hundred miles away.

As he got out of his car he noticed a young girl sitting on the curb sobbing. He asked her what was wrong and she replied, "I wanted to buy a red rose for my mother. But I only have seventy-five cents, and a rose costs two dollars."

The man smiled and said, "Come on in with me. I'll buy you a rose." He bought the little girl her rose and ordered his own mother's flowers. As they were leaving he offered the girl a ride home. She said, "Yes, please! You can take me to my mother."

She directed him to a cemetery, where she placed the rose on a freshly dug grave. The man returned to the flower shop, canceled the gifting order, picked up a bouquet and drove the two hundred miles to his mother's house.

At times we take many such relationships with our family and friends for granted. Learn to value them.

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Steps To Improve Your Persuasive Skills

2009-04-19T11:29:00.003+05:30

An article on Persuasiveness that I read on net.

Reviews of the oral communication and persuasion research has identified a number of suggestions that can help you improve your persuasive skills:

Establish your credibility. Nothing undermines persuasive efforts more than a lack of credibility. People don’t want to listen to a person they don’t trust and respect. Develop your expertise in the area in which you are trying to influence others. By being warm and friendly and making sure that your information is reliable, you can develop mutual trust with influencees. A dynamic presentation style also helps, as does a good reputation with others whom the influencee might consult about your ideas and intentions.

Use a positive, tactful tone. Assume the person you’re trying to persuade is intelligent and mature. Don’t talk down to that person. Be respectful, direct, sincere, and tactful.

Make your presentation clear. In the event persuasion is successful, what exactly do you want to accomplish? This delineation of an objective should guide your presentation. Present your argument one idea at a time.

Present strong evidence to support your position. You need to explain why what you want is important. You should demonstrate with strong supporting evidence why someone should do as you wish. The responsibility for building the case lies with you.

Tailor your argument to the listener. To whom are you talking? What are the person’s goals, needs, interests, fears, and aspirations? How much does the listener know about the subject your’re discussing? Does the person have preconceived views on this subject? If so, how do they align with yours? How does this person like to be treated? What is his or her behavioral style? Answering questions like these can help you define the right persuasion strategy to use.

Appeal to the subject’s self-interest. To persuade people effectively, you need to understand what makes them tick. Then you can put yourself into their position when you make a request. An individual’s behavior is directed toward satisfying self-interests. You need to appeal to that self-interest by anticipating, before you make any demands, that the subject will ask, “What’s in it for me?”

Use logic. A logical, reasoned argument is not guaranteed to persuade the subject, but if you lack facts and reasons to support your argument, your persuasiveness almost certainly will be undermined.

Use emotional appeals. Presenting clear, rational, and objective evidence in support of your views is often not enough. You also should appeal to a person’s emotions. Try to reach inside the subjects and understand their loves, hates, fears, and frustrations. Then use that information to mold what you say and how you say it.

This too shall pass.....

2009-03-02T10:29:00.005+05:30

One day Solomon decided to humble Benaiah ben Yehoyada, his most trusted minister. He said to him, "Benaiah, there is a certain ring that I want you to bring to me. I wish to wear it for Sukkot which gives you six months to find it."

"If it exists anywhere on earth, your majesty," replied Benaiah, "I will find it and bring it to you, but what makes the ring so special?"

"It has magic powers," answered the king. "If a happy man looks at it, he becomes sad, and if a sad man looks at it, he becomes happy." Solomon knew that no such ring existed in the world, but he wished to give his minister a little taste of humility.

Spring passed and then summer, and still Benaiah had no idea where he could find the ring. On the night before Sukkot, he decided to take a walk in one of he poorest quarters of Jerusalem. He passed by a merchant who had begun to set out the day's wares on a shabby carpet. "Have you by any chance heard of a magic ring that makes the happy wearer forget his joy and the broken-hearted wearer forget his sorrows?" asked Benaiah.

He watched the grandfather take a plain gold ring from his carpet and engrave something on it. When Benaiah read the words on the ring, his face broke out in a wide smile.
That night the entire city welcomed in the holiday of Sukkot with great festivity. "Well, my friend," said Solomon, "have you found what I sent you after?" All the ministers laughed and Solomon himself smiled.

To everyone's surprise, Benaiah held up a small gold ring and declared, "Here it is, your majesty!" As soon as Solomon read the inscription, the smile vanished from his face. The jeweler had written three Hebrew letters on the gold band: "gimel, zayin, yud", which began the words "Gam zeh ya'avor" -- "This too shall pass."

At that moment Solomon realized that all his wisdom and fabulous wealth and tremendous power were but fleeting things, for one day he would be nothing but dust.

In the wheel of life nothing is permanent; Happiness and sorrows come in cycles.

Take the Son and you take it all...

2009-02-10T10:13:00.004+05:30

Years ago, there was a very wealthy man who, with his devoted young son,shared a passion for art collecting. Together they traveled around theworld, adding only the finest art treasures to their collection.The widowed elderly man looked on with satisfaction as his only child became an experienced art collector. The son's trained eye and sharp business mind caused his father to beam with pride as they dealt with art collectors around the world.

As winter approached, war engulfed their nation, and the young man left to serve his country. After only a few short weeks, the elderly manreceived a telegram that his beloved son was missing in action. The art collector anxiously awaited more news, fearing he would never see hisson again. Within days his fears were confirmed. The young man had died while rushing a fellow soldier to a medic.

Distraught and lonely, the old man faced the upcoming Christmas holidays with anguish and sadness. The joy of the season-a season that he and his son had so looked forward to in the past-would visit his house no longer. On Christmas morning, a knock on the door awakened the depressed old man. As he walked to the door, the masterpieces of art on the walls only reminded him that his son was not coming home.

He opened the door and was greeted by a soldier with a large package in his hand.The soldier introduced himself to the old man by saying, "I was a friend of your son. I was the one he was rescuing when he died. May I come infor a few moments? I have something to show you." As the two began to talk, the soldier told of how the man's son had told every one of his-andhis father's-love of fine art work. "I'm also an artist," said the soldier, "and I want to give you this." As the old man began to unwrapthe package, paper gave way to reveal a portrait of the man's son.

Though the world would never consider it a work of genius, the painting featured the young man's face in striking detail.Overcome with emotion, the old man thanked the soldier, promising to hang the portrait above the fireplace. A few hours later, after the soldier had departed, the old man set about his task.

True to his word,the painting went above the fireplace, pushing aside thousands of dollars worth of paintings. And then the old man sat in his chair and spent Christmas gazing at the gift he had been given. During the days and weeks that followed, the man learned that his son had rescued dozens of wounded soldiers before a bullet stilled his caring heart.

As the stories of his son's gallantry continued to reach him, fatherly pride and satisfaction began to ease his grief, as he realized that, although his son was no longer with him, the boy's life would live on because of those he had touched. The painting of his son soon became his most prized possession, far eclipsing any interest in the priceless pieces for which museums around the world clamored. He told his neighbors it was the greatest gift he had ever received. The following spring, the old man became ill and passed away.

The art world was in anticipation, since, with the old man's passing, and his only son dead, those paintings would be sold at an auction. According to the will of the old man, all of the art works would be auctioned on Christmas Day, the way he had received his greatest gift. The day finally arrived and art collectors from around the world gathered to bid on some of the world's most spectacular paintings. The auction began with a painting that was not on any museum list... It was the painting of the old man's son.

The auctioneer asked for an opening bid, but the room was silent."Who will open the bidding with $100?" he asked.Moments passed as no one spoke. From the back of the room came, "Who cares about that painting? It's just a picture of his son. Let's forget it and get on to the good ones." More voices echoed in agreement. "No, we have to sell this one-first," replied the auctioneer.

"Now who will take the son?" Finally, a friend of the old man spoke. "Will you take $10 for the painting? That's all I have. "Will anyone go higher?" called the auctioneer. After more silence he said, "Going once, going twice... Gone!" The gavel fell. Cheers filled the room and someone shouted, "Now we can get on with it and bid on these treasures!" The auctioneer looked at the audience and announced that the auction was over. Stunned disbelief quieted the room.

Then someone spoke up and asked, "What do you mean it's over? We didn't come here for a portrait of some old man's son! What about all of the other paintings? There are millions of dollars worth of art work here. We demand an explanation!"

The auctioneer replied, "It's very simple. According to the will of the father, whoever takes the son...gets it all."Just as the art collectors discovered on that day...The message is still the same...the love of the Father....a Father whose son gave his life for others...And because of that Father's love...Whoever takes the Son gets it all.

Mistakes are an important part of life..

2009-02-03T10:24:00.002+05:30

This is an interesting forward that I read recently.It goes as.....

Rutali married Hitesh this day. At the end of the wedding party,Rutali’s mother gave her a newly opened bank saving passbook with Rs.1000 deposit amount.

Mother said ‘Rutali, take this passbook. Keep it as a record of your marriage life. When there’s something happy and memorable happened in your new life, put some money in. Write down what it’s about next to the line. The more memorable the event is, the more money you can put in.I’ve done the first one for you today. Do the others with Hitesh. When you look back after years, you can know how much happiness you’ve had.’

Rutali shared this with Hitesh when getting home.They both thought it was a great idea and were anxious to know when the second deposit can be made.This was what they did after certain time:

- 7 Feb: Rs.100, birthday celebration for Hitesh after marriage

- 1 Mar: Rs.300, salary raise for Rutali

- 20 Mar: Rs.200, vacation trip to Bali

- 1 Jun: Rs.2000, Hitesh got promoted….. and so on…

However, after years, they started fighting and arguing for trivial things. They didn’t talk much. They regretted that they had married the nastiest people in the world…. no more love…

One day Rutali talked to her Mother:‘Mom, we can’t stand it anymore. We agree to divorce. I can’t imagine how I decided to marry this guy!!!’

Mother said ‘Sure, girl, that’s no big deal. Just do whatever you want if you really can’t stand it. But before that, do one thing first.Remember the saving passbook I gave you on your wedding day? Take out all money and spend it first.You shouldn’t keep any record of such a poor marriage.’

Rutali thought it was true. So she went to the bank, waiting at the queue and planning to cancel the account.While she was waiting, she took a look at the passbook record. She looked, and looked, and looked.Then the memory of all the previous joy and happiness just came up her mind. Her eyes were then filled with tears. She left and went home.

When she was home, she handed the passbook to Hitesh, asked him to spend the money before getting divorce.The next day, Hitesh gave the passbook back to Rutali. She found a new deposit of Rs.5000.And a line next to the record: ‘This is the day I notice how much I’ve loved you thru out all these years. How much happiness you’ve brought me.’

They hugged and cried, putting the passbook back to the safe.Do you know how much money they had saved when they retired? I did not ask. I believe the money did not matter any more after they had gone thru all the good years in their life.

“When you fall, in any way, Don’t see the place where you fell, instead see the place from where you slipped.Life is about correcting mistakes.”

Rising Indian Footballing Hero....

2009-01-16T07:56:00.015+05:30

Eight years ago, when he first arrived at the orphanage in the southern Indian state of Kerala, Raja Chinnaswamy had never seen a football. Today he is a rising star of Indian football, a 14-year-old already being talked about by his excited coaches as a future fixture in the national team.
The story of Raja is so extraordinary.Born in Tamil Nadu in 1994, he was four when his mother died. A couple of years later his father fell ill and lost his job at a sugar cane factory.

Hoping their luck would change, the boy and his father headed for the town of Thrissur in Kerala, but quickly found themselves penniless and on the streets. With his father too ill to work, Raja turned to begging.

If anyone needed a break, it was Raja. Finally he got one. A friendly bookseller found him sobbing in the street and took pity on him. He knew of an orphanage where the boy would be safe. It was Raja's good fortune that the Janaseva Boys' Home in Madhurappuram was run by a former international athlete, Jose Maveli, whose has a passion for sport.

Maveli offered the 100 or so boys who lived there a chance of an education, but, more importantly for Raja, sports training. It was not long before his natural footballing talents were spotted by a couple of former Indian footballing internationals roped in by Maveli to lend a hand with the coaching.

"He is a very speedy player with the ball and a very good goal-getter," said Soly Xavier, who played right back for the national side from 1986 to 1989. "He thinks about positioning and is always watching the other players. Whenever he gets an opportunity, he scores a goal. Within a year and a half he will be in the national side."

Last September, Raja was selected for the state football team: "I was happy and crying. Many of the players were crying because they had not been selected, but I was crying because I had."

Now trials for the Indian national side are beckoning. Neither Raja nor his coaches doubt that he will make it. "I will definitely play for India. I can do it," he says.

And he trots off towards the centre circle of the red dirt pitch carved out of a scrap of land surrounded by palm trees in one of the most beautiful parts of a country that does not yet care about football - but may soon have something to cheer about.

"A life without challenge would be likegoing to school without lessons to learn.
Challenges come not to depress or get you down,but to master and to grow and to unfold your abilities."

The Rose with thorns...

2008-12-20T10:52:00.003+05:30

A kid planted a rose plant and watered it daily and before it blossomed, he examined it.

He saw the bud that would soon blossom, but noticed thorns upon the stem and he thought, "How can any beautiful flower come from a plant burdened with so many sharp thorns?

Saddened by this thought, he neglected to water the rose, and just before it was ready to bloom... it died.

So it is with many people. Within every soul there is a rose. The God-like qualities planted in us at birth, grow amid the thorns of our faults. Many of us look at ourselves and see only the thorns, the defects.

We despair, thinking that nothing good can possibly come from us. We neglect to water the good within us, and eventually it dies. We never realize our potential.

Some people do not see the rose within themselves; someone else must show it to them. One of the greatest gifts a person can possess is to be able to reach past the thorns of another, and find the rose within them.

Help others to realize they can overcome their faults. If we show them the "rose" within themselves, they will conquer their thorns. Only then will they blossom many times over.

A Dog's Purpose from a 6-year-old

2008-11-19T15:10:00.004+05:30

Being a veteranarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker.The dog's owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.
As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, 'I know why.'
Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation.

He said, 'People are born so that they can learn how to live a good Life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?' The six-year-old continued, 'Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long.'

Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.

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One apple in my bag

2008-11-13T17:06:00.003+05:30

A teacher teaching Maths to seven-year-old Raju asked him, “If I give you one apple and one apple and one apple, how many apples will you have?”Within a few seconds Raju replied confidently, “Four!”

The dismayed teacher was expecting an effortless correct answer (three). She was disappointed. “Maybe the child did not listen properly,” she thought.

She repeated, “Raju, listen carefully. If I give you one apple and one apple and one apple, how many apples will you have?” Raju had seen the disappointment on his teacher’s face.

He calculated again on his fingers. But within him he was also searching for the answer that will make the teacher happy. His search for the answer was not for the correct one, but the one that will make his teacher happy. This time hesitatingly he replied, “Four…”

The disappointment stayed on the teacher’s face. She remembered that Raju liked strawberries. She thought maybe he doesn’t like apples and that is making him loose focus. This time with an exaggerated excitement and twinkling in her eyes she asked, “If I give you one strawberry and one strawberry and one strawberry, then how many you will have?” Seeing the teacher happy, young Raju calculated on his fingers again. There was no pressure on him, but a little on the teacher. She wanted her new approach to succeed. With a hesitating smile young Raju enquired, “Three?” The teacher now had a victorious smile.

Her approach had succeeded. She wanted to congratulate herself. But one last thing remained. Once again she asked him, “Now if I give you one apple and one apple and one more apple how many will you have?” Promptly Raju answered, “Four!”

The teacher was aghast. “How Raju, how?” she demanded in a little stern and irritated voice. In a voice that was low and hesitating young Raju replied, “Because I already have one apple in my bag.”

When someone gives you an answer that is different from what you expect don’t think they are wrong. There maybe an angle that you have not understood at all. You will have to listen and understand, but never listen with a predetermined notion.

The Perfect Boss

2008-10-13T17:34:00.003+05:30

There were about 70 scientists working on a very hectic project. All of them were really frustrated due to the pressure of work and the demands of their boss but everyone was loyal to him and did not think of quitting their job.

One day, one scientist came to his boss and told him, "Sir, I have promised my children that I will take them to the exhibition going on in our township so I want to leave the office at 5:30 pm."
His boss replied, "OK, You're permitted to leave the office early today."

The Scientist started working. He continued his work after lunch. As usual, he got involved to such an extent that he looked at his watch only when he felt he was close to completion. The time was 8.30 PM.

Suddenly he remembered the promise he had made to his children.
He looked for his boss but he was not there. Having told him in the morning himself, he closed everything and left for home. Deep within himself, he was feeling guilty for having disappointed his children. He reached home. The children were not there.

His wife alone was sitting in the hall and reading magazines. The situation was explosive; any talk would boomerang on him. His wife asked him, "Would you like to have coffee or shall I straight away serve dinner if you are hungry?"

The man replied, "If you would like to have coffee, I too will have but what about the children?"
Hi wife replied, "You don't know? Your boss came here at 5.15 PM and has taken the children to the exhibition."

What had really happened was ... The boss who granted him permission was observing him working seriously at 5.00 PM. He thought to himself, this person will not leave the work, but if he has promised his children they should enjoy the visit to exhibition. So he took the lead in taking them to exhibition.

The boss does not have to do it every time. But once it is done, loyalty is established.
That is why all the scientists at Thumba continued to work under their boss even though the stress was tremendous.

By the way, can you hazard a guess as to who the boss was?

He was none other than the mastermind behind India 's successful nuclear weapons and missiles program-Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, Former President of India.

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Neither Black nor White...

2008-09-22T16:07:00.003+05:30

In life, you will never forget a lesson completely that you learned in your past.
When I was in elementary school, I got into a major argument with a boy in my class. I have forgotten what the argument was about, but I have never forgotten the lesson learned that day.

I was convinced that "I" was right and "he" was wrong - and he was just as convinced that "I" was wrong and "he" was right. The teacher decided to teach us a very important lesson. She brought us up to the front of the class and placed him on one side of her desk and me on the other.

In the middle of her desk was a large, round object. I could clearly see that it was black. She asked the boy what color the object was. "White," he answered.

I couldn’t believe he said the object was white, when it was obviously black! Another argument started between my classmate and me, this time about the color of the object.

The teacher told me to go stand where the boy was standing and told him to come stand where I had been. We changed places, and now she asked me what the color of the object was. I had to answer, "White." It was an object with two differently colored sides, and from his viewpoint it was white. Only from my side was it black.

My teacher taught me a very important lesson that day: You must stand in the other person’s shoes and look at the situation through their eyes in order to truly understand their perspective.

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Parents..

2008-09-18T17:45:00.001+05:30

Conversation... this was narrated by an IAF pilot to IIT students on
Special seminar for HUMAN RELATION.

My parents left for our native place on Thursday and we went to the airport to see them off. In fact, my father had never travelled by air before, so I just took this opportunity to make him experience the same. In spite of being asked to book tickets by train, I got them tickets on Jet Airways.

The moment I handed over the tickets to him, he was surprised to see that I had booked them by air. The excitement was very apparent on his face, waiting for the time of travel. Just like a school boy, he was preparing himself on that day and we all went to the airport, right from using the trolley for his luggage, the baggage check-in and asking for window seat and waiting restlessly for the security check-in to happen.

He was thoroughly enjoying himself and I, too, was overcome with joy watching him experience all these things. As they were about to go in for the security check-in, he walked up to me with tears in his eyes and thanked me. He became very emotional and it was not as if I had done something great but the fact that this meant a great deal to him. When he said thanks, I told him there was no need to thank me.

But later, thinking about the entire incident, I looked back at my life. As a child how many dreams our parents have made come true. Irrespective of their affordability, they have catered to all our needs. Did we ever think about the sacrifices they had to make to accommodate many of our wishes? Same way, today when it comes to our children, we will ensure that we will have to give the child the best education,toys, etc.

But we tend to forget that our parents have sacrificed a lot for our sake to see us happy, so it is our responsibility to ensure that their dreams are realized and what they failed to see when they were young, it is our responsibility to ensure that they experience all those and their life is complete. Let us realize that old age is a second childhood and just as we take care of our children, the same attention and same care need to be given to our parents and elders.

Just because they are old does not mean that they will have to give up everything and keep sacrificing for their grandchildren also. They have wishes, too. Take care of your parents; it’s your turn.

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Laughter..

2008-09-10T17:04:00.005+05:30

Norman Cousins , a famous journalist in the USA, who, in his 60's,was diagnosed as "terminally ill." He was given six months to live. His chance for recovery was one in 500.

He could see the worry, depression and anger in his life contributed to, and perhaps helped cause, his disease. He wondered, "If illness can be caused by negativity, can wellness be created by positivity?" He decided to make an experiment of himself.

Laughing was one of the most positive activities he knew. He rented all the funny movies he could find - Keaton, Chaplin, Fields, the Marx Brothers. (This was before VCRs, so he had to rent the actual films.) He read funny stories. He asked his friends to call him whenever they said, heard or did something funny.

His pain was so great he could not sleep. Laughing for 10 solid minutes, he found, relieved the pain for several hours so he could sleep. He fully recovered from his illness and lived another 20 happy, healthy and productive years. (His journey is detailed in his book, Anatomy of an Illness.) He credits visualization, the love of his family and friends, and laughing for his recovery.

Some people think laughing is a waste of time. It is a luxury, they say, a frivolity, something to indulge in only every so often. Nothing could be further from the truth. Laughing is essential to our equilibrium, to our well-being, to our aliveness. If we're not well, laughing helps us get well; if we are well, laughing helps us stay that way.

Give yourself permission to laugh - long and loud and out loud - whenever anything strikes you as funny. The people around you may think you're strange, but sooner or later they'll join in even if they don't know what you're laughing about.

Some diseases may be contagious, but none is as contagious as the cure. . . laughter.

The Survival of the Fittest

2008-09-09T17:14:00.002+05:30

An apple tree gives around five hundred apples, each with ten seeds. We might think, "Why would you need so many seeds to grow just a few more trees?"

Nature has something to teach us here. It tells us: "Most seeds never grow. So if you really want to make something happen, you should better try more than once."

Darwin's theory of the Survival of the Fittest explains this-The individuals who best adapt to the environment are the ones who will most likely survive. They possess variations that give them a selective advantage.

This very well applies to our lives too. Simple instances in life:

Need to attend as many interviews to get one good job.
Need to interview forty people to find one good employee.
Converse with many people to buy or sell a product.
And you might meet a hundred acquaintances to find one special friend.

Laws of nature are not things to take personally. We just need to understand them - and work with them.

Successful people fail more often. They plant more seeds.

Google Search tips...

2008-08-29T18:23:00.006+05:30

Google is the go-to search engine for most people in the world. But instead of just typing in a phrase and wading through page after page of results, there are a number of ways to make your searches more efficient.Here is a small list.

Either/or. Google normally searches for pages that contain all the words you type in the search box, but if you want pages that have one term or another (or both), use the OR operator -- or use the "" symbol (pipe symbol) to save you a keystroke. [dumb little man]
Quotes. If you want to search for an exact phrase, use quotes. ["dumb little man"] will only find that exact phrase. [dumb "little man"] will find pages that contain the word dumb and the exact phrase "little man".
Not. If you don't want a term or phrase, use the "-" symbol. [-dumb little man] will return pages that contain "little" and "man" but that don't contain "dumb".
Similar terms. Use the "~" symbol to return similar terms. [~dumb little man -dumb] will get you pages that contain "funny little man" and "stupid little man" but not "dumb little man".
Wildcard. The "*" symbol is a wildcard. This is useful if you're trying to find the lyrics to a song, but can't remember the exact lyrics. [can't * me love lyrics] will return the Beatles song you're looking for. It's also useful for finding stuff only in certain domains, such aseducational information: ["dumb little man" research *.edu].
Advanced search. If you can't remember any of these operators, use Google's advanced search
Definitions. Use the "define:" operator to get a quick definition. [define:dumb] will give you a whole host of definitions from different sources, with links.
Calculator. One of the handiest uses of Google, type in a quick calculation in the search box and get an answer. It's faster than calling up your computer's calculator in most cases. Use the +, -, *, / symbols and parentheses to do a simple equation.
Numrange. This little-known feature searches for a range of numbers. For example, ["best books 2002..2007] will return lists of best books for each of the years from 2002 to 2007 (note the two periods between the two numbers).
Site-specific. Use the "site:" operator to search only within a certain website. [site:dumblittleman.com leo] will search for the term "leo" only within this blog.

For more please check out
http://www.dumblittleman.com/2007/06/20-tips-for-more-efficient-google.html

Sorrows in Sand & Blessings in Stone

2008-08-25T15:05:00.002+05:30

Two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey, they had an argument and one friend slapped the other one in the face.

The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand:
'Today my best friend slapped me in the face.'

They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him.

After he recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone:
'Today my best friend saved my life.'

The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, 'After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?'

The friend replied, 'When someone hurts us we should write it down in sand, where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it.'

we should learn to write our hurts in the sand and to carve our benefits in stone.
They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them.

Do not value the things you have in your life, but value who you have in your life!

This is Life...

2008-08-21T13:21:00.003+05:30

In the picture, just look at their condition.. No place to sleep, still they have made some space for the cat and dog...

Water is pouring from the roof but still each one of them have a peaceful smile on their face.. Simply amazing!!!!!

The happiest people in the world are not those who have no problems, but those who learn to live with things that are less than perfect.

We are sharing what was shared with us! Keep Smiling Always.
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ARE YOU A CARROT, AN EGG, OR A COFFEE BEAN?

2008-08-13T19:18:00.001+05:30

ARE YOU A CARROT, AN EGG, OR A COFFEE BEAN?

by Mary Sullivan

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as if as soon as one problem was solved a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen.

The mother filled three pots with water.

In the first, she placed carrots.In the second she placed eggs.And the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil without saying a word. About twenty minutes later, she turned off the burners.

She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.

Turning to her daughter, she said, "Tell me what you see."

"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.

She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did, and noted that they felt soft.
She then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg inside.

Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma.
The daughter then asked, "So, what's the point, mother?"

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity - boiling water - but each reacted differently.

The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.

The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid center. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its insides had become hardened.

The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water...they had changed the water.

"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on yourdoor, how do you respond?

Are you a carrot , an egg, or a coffee bean?"

Think of this: Which am I?

Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity, do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat?

Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financialhardship, or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my outer shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water - the very circumstances that bring the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor of the bean. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you instead of letting it change you.

When the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate to another level?

How do you handle Adversity?

ARE YOU A CARROT, AN EGG, OR A COFFEE BEAN?

The Law of the Garbage Truck

2008-08-07T16:21:00.002+05:30

Read an article similar to my earlier post. It goes as:

One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport . We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded,and missed the other car by just inches!

The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly.

So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!'
This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck'

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment.As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you.

Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home or on the streets.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets.

'Love the people who treat you right..Pray for the ones who don't.'

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17 Essential Qualities of a Team Player

2008-08-04T14:20:00.003+05:30

According to John C. Maxwell team Players are:

Adaptable: If you won’t change for the team, the team may change you
Collaborative: Working together precedes winning together
Committed: There are no halfhearted champions
Communicative: A team is many voices with a single heart
Competent: If you can’t, your team won’t
Dependable: Teams go to go-to players
Disciplined: Where there is a will, there is a win
Enlarging: Adding value to teammates is invaluable
Enthusiastic: Your heart is the source of energy for the team
Intentional: Make every action count
Mission Conscious: The Big Picture is coming in loud and clear
Prepared: Preparation- the difference between winning and not winning
Relational: If you get along, others will go along
Self improving: To improve the team, improve yourself
Selfless: There is no "I" in team
Solution-Oriented: Make a resolution to find the solution
Tenacious: NEVER, NEVER, NEVER QUIT!!!!

One is too small a number to achieve greatness!

Think before you act...

2008-08-01T16:51:00.003+05:30

At the airport after a tiring business trip a lady's return flight was delayed. She went to the airport shop, bought a book, a coffee and a small packet containing five gingernut biscuits. The airport was crowded and she found a seat in the lounge, next to a stranger.

After a few minutes' reading she became absorbed in her book. She took a biscuit from the packet and began to drink her coffee. To her great surprise, the stranger in the next seat calmly took one of the biscuits and ate it.

Stunned, she couldn't bring herself to say anything, nor even to look at the stranger. Nervously she continued reading. After a few minutes she slowly picked up and ate the third biscuit. Incredibly, the stranger took the fourth gingernut and ate it, then to the woman's amazement, he picked up the packet and offered her the last biscuit.

This being too much to tolerate, the lady angrily picked up her belongings, gave the stranger an indignant scowl and marched off to the boarding gate, where her flight was now ready.
Flustered and enraged, she reached inside her bag for her boarding ticket, and found her unopened packet of gingernuts...

The Dog’s curly tail

2008-07-21T15:17:00.001+05:30

This is a famous story, an extract from the Complete works of Swami Vivekanada

There was a poor man who wanted some money; and somehow he had heard that if he could get hold of a ghost, he might command him to bring money or anything else he liked; so he was very anxious to get hold of a ghost. He went about searching for a man who would give him a ghost, and at last he found a sage with great powers, and besought his help. The sage asked him what he would do with a ghost. I want a ghost to work for me; teach me how to get hold of one, sir; I desire it very much," replied the man.

But the sage said, "Don't disturb yourself, go home." The next day the man went again to the sage and began to weep and pray, "Give me a ghost; I must have a ghost, sir, to help me."
At last the sage was disgusted, and said, "Take this charm, repeat this magic word, and a ghost will come, and whatever you say to him he will do. But beware; they are terrible beings, and must be kept continually busy. If you fail to give him work, he will take your life."

The man replied, "That is easy; I can give him work for all his life." Then he went to a forest, and after long repetition of the magic word, a huge ghost appeared before him, and said, "I am a ghost. I have been conquered by your magic; but you must keep me constantly employed. The moment you fail to give me work I will kill you."

The man said, "Build me a palace," and the ghost said, "It is done; the palace is built." "Bring me money," said the man. "Here is your money," said the ghost. "Cut this forest down, and build a city in its place." "That is done," said the ghost, "anything more?" Now the man began to be frightened and thought he could give him nothing more to do; he did everything in a trice.

The ghost said, "Give me something to do or I will eat you up." The poor man could find no further occupation for him, and was frightened. So he ran and ran and at last reached the sage, and said, "Oh, sir, protect my life!" The sage asked him what the matter was, and the man replied, "I have nothing to give the ghost to do.

Everything I tell him to do he does in a moment, and he threatens to eat me up if I do not give him work." Just then the ghost arrived, saying, "I'll eat you up," and he would have swallowed the man.
The man began to shake, and begged the sage to save his life. The sage said, "I will find you a way out. Look at that dog with a curly tail. Draw your sword quickly and cut the tail off and give it to the ghost to straighten out." The man cut off the dog's tail and gave it to the ghost, saying, "Straighten that out for me." The ghost took it and slowly and carefully straightened it out, but as soon as he let it go, it instantly curled up again.

Once more he laboriously straightened it out, only to find it again curled up as soon as he attempted to let go of it. Again he patiently straightened it out, but as soon as he let it go, it curled up again.

So he went on for days and days, until he was exhausted and said, "I was never in such trouble before in my life. I am an old veteran ghost, but never before was I in such trouble." "I will make a compromise with you ;" he said to the man, "you let me off and I will let you keep all I have given you and will promise not to harm you." The man was much pleased, and accepted the offer gladly.
This world is like a dog's curly tail, and people have been striving to straighten it out for hundreds of years; but when they let it go, it has curled up again. How could it be otherwise?

WE HELP OURSELVES, NOT THE WORLD

The Trench digger

2008-07-15T15:00:00.002+05:30

Read this story recently, thought would share it.

An elderly couple retired to the countryside - to a small isolated cottage overlooking some rugged and rocky heathland.

One early morning the woman saw from her window a young man dressed in working clothes walking on the heath, about a hundred yards away. He was carrying a spade and a small case, and he disappeared from view behind a copse of trees.

The woman thought no more about it but around the same time the next day she saw the man again, carrying his spade and a small case, and again he disappeared behind the copse.
The woman mentioned this to her husband, who said he was probably a farmer or gamekeeper setting traps, or performing some other country practice that would be perfectly normal, and so not to worry.

However after several more sightings of the young man with the spade over the next two weeks the woman persuaded her husband to take a stroll - early, before the man tended to arrive - to the copse of trees to investigate what he was doing.

There they found a surprisingly long and deep trench, rough and uneven at one end, becoming much neater and tidier towards the other end.

"How strange," the old lady said, "Why dig a trench here - and in such difficult rocky ground?" and her husband agreed.

Just then the young man appeared - earlier than his usual time.

"You're early," said the old woman, making light of their obvious curiosity, "We wondered what you were doing - and we also wondered what was in the case."

"I'm digging a trench," said the man, who continued, realising a bigger explanation was appropriate, "I'm actually learning how to dig a good trench, because the job I'm being interviewed for later today says that experience is essential - so I'm getting the experience. And the case - it's got my lunch in it."

He got the job.

Why we disagree

2008-07-11T19:30:00.002+05:30

I would like to share the extracts from Swami Vivekananda's inspiring speech on "Why we disagree" at the World's Parliament of Religions, Chicago. It goes as follows :

I will tell you a little story. You have heard the eloquent speaker who has just finished say, "Let us cease from abusing each other", and he was very sorry that there should be always so much variance.

But I think I should tell you a story which would illustrate the cause of this variance.

A frog lived in a well. It had lived there for a long time. It was born there and brought up there, and yet was a little, small frog. Of course the evolutionists were not there then to tell us whether the frog lost its eyes or not, but, for our story's sake, we must take it for granted that it had its eyes, and that it every day cleansed the water of all the worms and bacilli that lived in it eith an energy that would do credit to our modern bacteriologists.

In this way it went on and became a little sleek and fat. Well, one day another frog that lived in the sea came and fell into the well. "Where are you from?" "I am from the sea." "The sea! How big is that? Is it as big as my well?" and he took a leap from one side of the well to the other. "My friend", said the frog of the sea, "how do you compare the sea with your little well?" Then the frog took another leap and asked, "Is your sea so big?" "What nonsense you speak, to compare the sea with your well" "Well, then," said the frog of the well, "nothing can be bigger than my well; there can be nothing bigger than this; this fellow is a liar, so turn him out."

That has been the difficulty all the while.

A few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, which is every day repeated by millions of human beings: "As the different streams having their sources in different places all mingle their water in the sea, sources in different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee."

To read the entire speech click here.

Delegating work... 5 must-avoids ...

2008-07-08T12:07:00.004+05:30

I would like to share an article I read long back in rediff.

Distributing work is never easy. Taking on a new job generally finds few takers, especially if the task is demanding and the time available is short.

Not surprisingly, we often run into problems while allocating work. Ranging from a simple goof-up by a colleague to ultimately having to do things yourself in order to get it done correctly and on time, we have all experienced the perils of delegation.

However, delegation need not always be such a thankless task. In principle, delegation actually makes great sense. Working in a team where you can delegate clearly and people understand their roles well can help any task get done efficiently and effectively.

Though people do try to delegate smartly, it often becomes difficult to do so. As usual, this can be analysed down to a simple list of easily avoidable mistakes. These include:

1. Not defining a clear 'follow-up and finish' schedule:

Delegating a task is only the beginning; you need to keep track of it until it is executed.
"To do this well, we need to ask ourselves three simple questions," says Pune-based corporate trainer Asha Chander, who conducts regular sessions on time management.
When and how frequently should I do a status check?What is the end date for the task?What are the parameters against which I will assess the work to see if it has been satisfactorily done?

2. Dictating, not delegating:

Those used to running the show by themselves often end up micromanaging when they delegate to others. The best way to assess the degree of handholding required is by matching the person with the task. As a general rule the lesser the experience, the more explicit the delegation. It also makes sense to monitor things closely if the situation is changing rapidly.

3. Delegating to the wrong person:

More importance is given to who the task is being delegated too rather than what is being delegated.
"That means if you follow the wrong path, your tasks might become low priority, even though they may have a high business impact. Conversely, if you go through the right people, or have the right person forwarding your request, things get done in a jiffy," says Sankule.

"You also need to be careful to delegate to someone who is your equal or junior to you in the hierarchy. If you send it to someone higher, even unknowingly, chances are they will consider it an affront. "

4. Delegating what you can eliminate:

As a thumb rule, you should follow the 'eliminate, automate, delegate sequence' for routine tasks.
Even if the task is mundane and boring, it's good to give credit to your team members and encourage them for even small improvements.

5. Playing passing the parcel (sub-delegating and cross-delegating unnecessarily)

The party game Passing The Parcel gives an interesting insight into the practice of delegation.Sometimes, a hot issue in a company is treated in a similar manner. It just gets passed around, until the senior management steps in. In the meanwhile, the matter is needlessly degated from A to B and onwards because nobody wants to be holding this particular 'parcel' when the 'music stops'.

Honestly, in some situations, such a situation is unavoidable. But if you really care about adding value, it helps to stop the unnecessary rounds. Speaking up will result temporary unpopularity but, in the long run, if you are at the right place, it will be much appreciated.

As you move higher and the scope of work you handle grows, delegating will become even more importance. Understanding these don'ts will go a long way in helping you master this skill.

Summing up, Mascerenhas adds, "The corporate hierarchy is like a game of Snakes And Ladders. Except here, instead of rolling the dice, it's the phone number that you dial (to delegate) that makes the difference and decides how you will grow."

To read the article click here

Tale about Buddha

2008-07-04T17:57:00.002+05:30

This short story illustrates that every one of us has the choice whether or not to take personal offence from another person's behaviour.

It is said that on an occasion when the Buddha was teaching a group of people, he found himself on the receiving end of a fierce outburst of abuse from a bystander, who was for some reason very angry.

The Buddha listened patiently while the stranger vented his rage, and then the Buddha said to the group and to the stranger, "If someone gives a gift to another person, who then chooses to decline it, tell me, who would then own the gift? The giver or the person who refuses to accept the gift?"

"The giver," said the group after a little thought. "Any fool can see that," added the angry stranger.

"Then it follows, does it not," said the Buddha, "Whenever a person tries to abuse us, or to unload their anger on us, we can each choose to decline or to accept the abuse; whether to make it ours or not.

By our personal response, we can choose who owns and keeps the bad feelings."

Presumptions and prejudices....

2008-06-25T17:12:00.003+05:30

I read this story on Presumptions and prejudices thought I would share it....

A party of suppliers was being given a tour of a mental hospital.One of the visitors had made some very insulting remarks about the patients.

After the tour the visitors were introduced to various members of staff in the canteen.The rude visitor chatted to one of the security staff, Bill, a kindly and wise ex-policeman.

"Are they all raving loonies in here then?" said the rude man.

"Only the ones who fail the test," said Bill.

"What's the test?" said the man.

"Well, we show them a bath full of water, a bucket, a jug and an egg-cup, and we ask them what's the quickest way to empty the bath," said Bill.

"Oh I see, simple - the normal ones know it's the bucket, right?"

"No actually," said Bill, "The normal ones say pull out the plug. Should I check when there's a bed free for you?"

The story illustrates lateral thinking, narrow-mindedness, the risks of making assumptions, and judging people and situations.

Make a difference.....

2008-06-18T15:42:00.005+05:30

Here comes my post after a long break.........

There's a story I would like to share with you. It was inspired by the writing of Loren Eiseley. Eiseley was a very special person because he combined the best of two cultures. He was a scientist and a poet. And from those two perspectives he wrote insightfully and beautifully about the world and our role in it.

Once upon a time, there was a wise man, much like Eiseley himself, who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work. One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself to think of someone who would dance to the day. So he began to walk faster to catch up. As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn't dancing, but instead he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean.

As he got closer, he called out, "Good morning! What are you doing?" The young man paused, looked up and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."

"I guess I should have asked, Why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?"

"The sun is up and the tide is going out. And if I don't throw them in they'll die."

"But young man, don't you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it. You can't possibly make a difference!"

The young man listened politely. Then bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves. "It made a difference for that one!"

His response surprised the man. He was upset. He didn't know how to reply. So instead, he turned away and walked back to the cottage to begin his writings.

All day long as he wrote, the image of the young man haunted him. He tried to ignore it, but the vision persisted. Finally, late in the afternoon he realized that he the scientist, he the poet, had missed out on the essential nature of the young man's actions. Because he realized that what the young man was doing was choosing not to be an observer in the universe and make a difference. He was embarrassed.

That night he went to bed troubled. When the morning came he awoke knowing that he had to do something. So he got up, put on his clothes, went to the beach and found the young man. And with him he spent the rest of the morning throwing starfish into the ocean. You see, what that young man's actions represent is something that is special in each and everyone of us.

We have all been gifted with the ability to make a difference. And if we can, like that young man, become aware of that gift, we gain through the strength of our vision the power to shape the future. And that is our challenge,We must each find our starfish. And if we throw our stars wisely and well, it will propel our journey to excellence........

People always remember how you made them feel....

2008-05-08T14:14:00.005+05:30

Twenty years ago, I drove a cab for a living. It was a cowboy’s life, a life for someone who wanted no boss. What I didn’t realize was that it was also a ministry.

Because I drove the night shift, my cab became a moving confessional. Passengers climbed in, sat behind me in total anonymity, and told me about their lives. I encountered people whose lives amazed me, ennobled me, made me laugh and weep.

But none touched me more than a woman I picked up late one August night.

I was responding to a call from a small brick fourplex in a quiet part of town. I assumed I was being sent to pick up some partiers, or someone who had just had a fight with a lover, or a worker heading to an early shift at some factory for the industrial part of town.

When I arrived at 2:30 a.m., the building was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window. Under these circumstances, many drivers would just honk once or twice, wait a minute, then drive away. But I had seen too many impoverished people who depended on taxis as their only means of transportation. Unless a situation smelled of danger, I always went to the door. This passenger might be someone who needs my assistance, I reasoned to myself. So I walked to the door and knocked.

“Just a minute,” answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor. After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 80s stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940’s movie.
By her side was a small nylon suitcase.

The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.

“Would you carry my bag out to the car?” she said.

I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness.

“It’s nothing,” I told her. “I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated.”

“Oh, you’re such a good boy,” she said.

When we got in the cab, she gave me an address, then asked, “Could you drive through downtown?”
“It’s not the shortest way,” I answered quickly.

“Oh, I don’t mind,” she said. “I’m in no hurry. I’m on my way to a hospice.”

I looked in the rear view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. “I don’t have any family left,” she continued. “The doctor says I don’t have very long.”

I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. “What route would you like me to take?” I asked.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds. She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl. Sometimes she’d ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, “I’m tired. Let’s go now.”

We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico. Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her. I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.

“How much do I owe you?” she asked, reaching into her purse.

“Nothing,” I said.

“You have to make a living,” she answered.

“There are other passengers,” I responded.

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly.

“You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,” she said. “Thank you.”squeezed her hand, then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life.

I didn’t pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly, lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient at the end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?
On a quick review, I don’t think that I have done anything more important in my life. We’re conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unaware–beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.

People may not remember exactly what you did, or what you said, …but they will always remember how you made them feel.

Shared on text mail.

A Leader Should Know How to Manage Failure

2008-04-29T10:43:00.003+05:30

Former President of India APJ Abdul Kalam : 'A Leader Should Know How to Manage Failure'

India Knowledge Wharton: Could you give an example, from your own experience, of how leaders should manage failure?

Kalam: Let me tell you about my experience. In 1973 I became the project director of India's satellite launch vehicle program, commonly called the SLV-3. Our goal was to put India's "Rohini" satellite into orbit by 1980. I was given funds and human resources -- but was told clearly that by 1980 we had to launch the satellite into space. Thousands of people worked together in scientific and technical teams towards that goal.

By 1979 -- I think the month was August -- we thought we were ready. As the project director, I went to the control center for the launch. At four minutes before the satellite launch, the computer began to go through the checklist of items that needed to be checked. One minute later, the computer program put the launch on hold; the display showed that some control components were not in order.

My experts -- I had four or five of them with me -- told me not to worry; they had done their calculations and there was enough reserve fuel. So I bypassed the computer, switched to manual mode, and launched the rocket. In the first stage, everything worked fine. In the second stage, a problem developed. Instead of the satellite going into orbit, the whole rocket system plunged into the Bay of Bengal. It was a big failure.

That day, the chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization, Prof. Satish Dhawan, had called a press conference. The launch was at 7:00 am, and the press conference -- where journalists from around the world were present -- was at 7:45 am at ISRO's satellite launch range in Sriharikota [in Andhra Pradesh in southern India]. Prof. Dhawan, the leader of the organization, conducted the press conference himself. He took responsibility for the failure -- he said that the team had worked very hard, but that it needed more technological support. He assured the media that in another year, the team would definitely succeed. Now, I was the project director, and it was my failure, but instead, he took responsibility for the failure as chairman of the organization.

The next year, in July 1980, we tried again to launch the satellite -- and this time we succeeded. The whole nation was jubilant. Again, there was a press conference. Prof. Dhawan called me aside and told me, "You conduct the press conference today."

I learned a very important lesson that day. When failure occurred, the leader of the organization owned that failure. When success came, he gave it to his team. The best management lesson I have learned did not come to me from reading a book; it came from that experience.

article shared on text mails

Burdens in life...

2008-04-17T14:04:00.012+05:30

One morning I wasted nearly an hour watching a tiny ant carry a huge feather cross my back terrace. Several times it was confronted by obstacles in its path and after a momentary pause it would make the necessary detour.

At one point the ant had to negotiate a crack in the concrete about 10mm wide. After brief contemplation the ant laid the feather over the crack, walked across it and picked up the feather on the other side then continued on its way.

I was fascinated by the ingenuity of this ant, one of God’s smallest creatures. It served to reinforce the miracle of creation. Here was a minute insect, lacking in size yet equipped with a brain to reason, explore, discover and overcome. But this ant, like the two-legged co-residents of this planet, also share human failings.

After some time the ant finally reached its destination - a flower bed at the end of the terrace and a small hole that was the entrance to its underground home. And it was here that the ant finally met its match. How could that large feather possibly fit down small hole? Of course it couldn’t. so the ant, after all this trouble and execising great ingenuity, overcoming problems all along the way, just abandoned the feather and went home.

The ant had not thought the problem through before it began its epic journey and in the end the feather was nothing more than a burden. Isn’t life like that!

We worry about our family, we worry about money or the lack of it, we worry about work, about where we live, about all sorts of things. These are all burdens - the things we pick up along life’s path and lug them around the obstacles and over the crevasses that life will bring, only to find that at the destination they are useless and we can’t take them with us.....

from mail archives

Attitude is a decision

2008-04-08T12:10:00.004+05:30

Jerry is the manager of a restaurant.He is always in a good mood.When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would always reply: 'If I were any better, I would be twins!'

Many of the waiters at his restaurant quit their jobs when he changed jobs, so they could follow him around from restaurant to restaurant.Why? Because Jerry was a natural motivator.

If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was always there, telling him how to look on the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him:
'I don't get it! No one can be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?'

Jerry replied,'Each morning I wake up and say to myself, I have two choices today. I can choose to be in a good mood or I can choose to be in a bad mood.I always choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be victim or I can choose to learn from it. I always choose to learn from it.'

*****
Several years later...
I heard that Jerry accidentally did something you are never supposed to do in the restaurant business. He left the back door of his restaurant open.

And then in the morning, he was robbed by three armed men. While Jerry trying to open the safe box, his hand, shaking from nervousness, slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him.
Luckily, Jerry was found quickly and rushed to the hospital.

After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body. I saw Jerry about six months after the accident.

When I asked him how he was, he replied, 'If I were any better, I'd be twins. Want to see my scars?'
I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as the robbery took place.

'The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the back door,' Jerry replied. 'Then, after they shot me, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or could choose to die. I chose to live.'

Jerry continued,'The paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine.
But when they wheeled me into the Emergency Room and I saw the expression on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared.In their eyes, I read 'He's a dead man'.

I knew I needed to take action.'What did you do?' I asked.

'Well, there was a big nurse shouting questions at me,' said Jerry.'She asked if I was allergic to anything.'

'Yes,' to bullets, I replied. Over their laughter, I told them:'I am choosing to live. Please operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.'

Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude.I learned from him that every day you have the choice to either enjoy your life or to hate it. The only thing that is truly yours that no one can control or take from you is your attitude,so if you can take care of that, everything else in life becomes much easier.

Every day we wake up with two options to spend the day: Happy and Joyful ;Worried and Fearful.Its upto us to make the right choice

- shared on text mail

Teacher...

2008-04-01T19:34:00.005+05:30

"Teacher : The child's third parent." says Hyman Berston

I wish to share a good article written by a teacher.

Has teaching changed the way I think? Yes, most certainly. My students have shown me how to manage time. I marvel at how deftly they juggle sports, academics, dance, theatre and pottery, for instance. I have learnt how to accept failure as i see my students taking success and failure with equanimity. I admire the confidence of my students who can go up on stage and speak extempore. I see them contesting an election, lose it, and yet work with the winner for the common good.

I have observed students working in teams, giving suggestions, disagreeing politely, coming to a consensus even if it means giving up one's original idea. They go ahead, never claiming: "That was my idea". I see them sharing everything - their history notes and lab coats, their problems and joys, their ice creams and food, with such ease. It is wonderful the way they appreciate their classmates' talents. If you ask them "Who do you think should be given this task?" you can be sure they will pick the most suitable person. Their loyalty to friends disconcerts me at times. Will their selflessness last as they grow into adults?

Students are so good at solving problems creatively. The other day as I was walking out of the school gate, if saw something interesting. One girl, recently elected senior-most student leader, was motivating her fellow students with an amusing game - to amazing response. When I questioned her she told me it was an activity to energise them so that they could put in their best for the forthcoming Teacher's Day function. How innovative!

My students have often shown me how to keep cool during a crisis, with a "Don't worry Ma'am, it can be done!" I am often amazed at their openness, at their ability to think critically, accept reasoned answers. What has struck me most is their daring - to chart unknown territories, to be constantly redefining rules, unafraid to be original.

My students make me think constantly. Last week I told my class, "In these 10 years of teaching from this book, no one has asked me this question!" I have to be always ready for surprises. I know they are not testing me - though they do, sometimes. They ask such basic questions that it stumps me.

I have taken so many things for granted. Students remind me that my learning is not complete and never will be. Above all, my students have taught me to be young, to never grow old. I have to be up-to-date in everything, in order to keep up with them.

For the article click here

"To teach is to touch lives forever." - Anonymous

Wow!

2008-03-28T12:14:00.002+05:30

Last spring I was walking in a park. A short distance ahead of me was a mom and her three-year-old daughter. The little girl was holding on to a string that was attached to a helium balloon. All of a sudden, a sharp gust of wind took the balloon from the little girl. I braced myself for some screaming and crying.

But, no! As the little girl turned to watch her balloon go skyward, she gleefully shouted out, Wow!

I didn’t realize it at that moment, but that little girl taught me something.

Later that day, I received a phone call from a person with news of an unexpected problem. I felt like responding with Oh no, what should we do But remembering that little girl, I found myself saying, Wow, that’s interesting! How can I help you

One thing’s for sure - life’s always going to keep us off balance with its unexpected problems. That’s a given. What’s not preordained is our response. We can choose to be frustrated or fascinated. No matter what the situation, a fascinated Wow! will always beat a frustrated Oh, no.

So the next time you experience one of life’s unexpected gusts, remember that little girl and make it a Wow! experience. The Wow! response always works.

Expectations Expels

2008-03-25T16:08:00.006+05:30

A turtle family went on a picnic. The turtles, being naturally slow about things,took seven years to prepare for their outings. Finally the Turtle family left home looking for a suitable place. During the second year of their journey they found it. For about six months they cleaned up the area, unpacked the picnic basket, and completed the arrangements.

Then they discovered they had forgotten the salt. A picnic without salt would be a disaster, they all agreed. After a lengthy discussion, the youngest turtle was chosen to retrieve the salt from home. Although he was the fastest of the slow moving turtles, the little turtle whined, cried, and wobbled in his shell.

He agreed to go on one condition: that no one would eat until he returned. The family consented and the little turtle left. Three years passed and the little turtle had not returned. Five years, Six years... Then in the seventh year of his absence, the oldest turtle could no longer contain his hunger. He announced that he was going to eat and began to unwrap a sandwich.

At that point the little turtle suddenly popped out from behind a tree shouting, "SEE I knew you wouldn't wait. Now I am not going to go get the salt."

Some of us waste our time waiting for people to live up to our expectations. We are so concerned about what others are doing that we often don't do anything ourselves...

Prayer..

2008-03-19T13:53:00.001+05:30

A voyaging ship was wrecked during a storm at sea and only two of the men on it were able to swim to a small, desert like island.The two survivors, not knowing what else to do, agree that they had no other recourse but to pray to God. However, to find out whose prayer was more powerful, they agreed to divide the territory between them and stay on opposite sides of the island.

The first thing the first man prayed for was food. The next morning, the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the land, and he was able to eat its fruit. The other man's parcel of land remained barren. After a week, the first man was lonely and he decided to pray for a wife. The next day, another ship was wrecked, and the only survivor was a woman who swam to his side of the land. On the other side of the island, there was nothing. Soon the first man prayed for a house, clothes, more food. The next day, like magic, all of these were given to him.

However, the second man still had nothing. Finally, the first man prayed for a ship, so that his wife and he could leave the island.In the morning, he found a ship docked at his side of the island. The first man boarded the ship with his wife and decided to leave the second man on the island. He considered the other man unworthy to receive God's blessings,since none of his prayers had been answered.

As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard a voice from Heaven booming, "Why are you leaving your companion on the island?"

"My blessings are mine alone, since I was the one who prayed for them," the first man answered. "His prayers were all unanswered, and so he does not deserve anything."

"You are mistaken!" the voice rebuked him. "He had only one prayer, which I answered. If not for that, you would not have received any of my blessings."

"Tell me," the first man asked the voice, "what did he pray for that I should owe him anything?"

"He prayed that all your prayers be answered."

For all we know, our blessings are not the fruits of our prayers alone, but those of another praying for us. Always remember to pray for others who are in need.

The Monk who sold his Ferrari

2008-03-06T13:59:00.006+05:30

I would like to share the review of the book I recently read.

Julian Mantle, a very successful lawyer was the epitome of success. He had achieved everything most of us could ever want: professional success, a grand mansion in a neighborhood inhabited by celebrities, a private jet, a summer home on a tropical island and his prized possession a shiny red Ferrari parked in the center of his driveway.

The last few years Julian had worked day and night without caring about his mental and physical health. That helped him become a very rich and successful lawyer but took a toll on his health and mental state.Julian’s spark of life begins to flicker.Suddenly he has to come terms with the unexpected effects of his unbalanced lifestyle.His obsession with work has caused a heart attack.After recovery,he quit his law firm and took off without saying where he was headed.

Three years passed without any news from Julian. One day he paid a visit to his friend and former colleague John, who was now a cynical older lawyer. But Julian, in the past three years, had been miraculously transformed into a healthy man with physical vitality and spiritual strength.

John, who is a friend as well as co-worker of Julian, narrates the story. He begins by describing Julian’s flamboyant lifestyle, his exaggerated courtroom theatrics that has lead to unexpected after effects on his health and mental conditions.

Later he tells us about Julian’s Indian odyssey, how he met the sages of Sivana who had a life changing effect on him. Julian Mantle shares his story of transformation, relates his experiences with YogiRaman the leader of the sages of Sivana and the person who taught Julian his secrets of a happy and fulfilling life. He narrates to John the fable that contained the seven virtues for a life abundant with inner peace, joy and a wealth of spiritual gifts.

The Secret of Julian Mantle's change is all that's described in "The Monk who sold his Ferrari", a tale, which provides an approach to living a simple life with greater balance, strength, courage and abundance of joy.

Golden Rules for Career Success

2008-03-05T14:51:00.003+05:30

Top 12 Principles I like among the Golden Rules for Career Success by Richard Moran

Business is made up of ambiguous victories and nebulous defeats. Claim them all as victories.
Write down ideas; they get lost, like good pens.
Treat everyone who works in the organization with respect and dignity, whether it be the cleaner or the managing director. Don’t ever be patronizing.
Never appear stressed in front of a client, a customer or your boss. Take a deep breath and ask yourself: In the course of human events, how important is this?
Career planning is an oxymoron. The most exciting opportunities tend to be unplanned.
Know how to write business letters including thank-you notes as well as proposals.
Avoid working at weekends. Work longer during the week if you have to.
The most successful people in business are interesting. Sometimes you’ll be on a winning streak and everything will click; take maximum advantage. When the opposite is true, hold steady and wait it out.
Never in your life say, It’s not my job.
Be loyal to your career, your interests and yourself.
Understand the skills and abilities that set you apart.Use them whenever you have an opportunity.
People remember the end of the project. As they say in boxing, Always finish stronger than you start.

For the entire set of rules click here.

Wicked grin

2008-02-25T11:24:00.003+05:30

It was late in the evening when I entered Howrah Station .It was teeming with office workers returning home after a typically tiring day at work. I didn't look forward to the prospect of returning home to my husband. The love between us had died years ago. Our marriage had been transformed into a dead corpse buried deep beneath a pile of painful memories.

The bits and pieces of pleasure I derived from my daily existence were my only source of sustenance. My husband had accused me of being mentally deranged. But only I know better. He should have thought of a better reason than that to get rid of me.

I hauled my self into a train standing nearby. Finding a seat lying vacant I gleefully slid into it. After having exhausted myself at work securing a place to ease my legs was a welcome relief. The scene inside the train was disquieting. The train being the last one on that particular route, it wasn't long before the compartment was bursting to the full with people. They jostled and fought with each other in a desperate attempt to keep from falling off.

June is the hottest month in Kolkata; it's when the summers are at the peak of their torment. The sweltering heat conspired with the intolerable humidity to beat the lives out of the commuters. The stench from the garbage rotting on the rail tracks combined with the nauseating smell of human sweat to pervade the whole atmosphere. I felt like vomiting. I subconsciously swallowed the spittle that formed in my throat. In despair, I stared up at the ceiling for comfort. A solitary fan hung up there in a state of eternal rest, hideously shrouded in spider webs. I closed my eyes in a bid to rest my mind. Slowly I allowed myself to fall into a labored slumber.

When I awoke the train had traveled far into the countryside. The seat next to mine was occupied by a pretty nymphet. She had a concerned look on her face. The object of her anxiety was seated right opposite to us. He was the most loathsome, horrid specimen of mankind I had ever seen. He evidently appeared to be a village goon of some reputation. His bloodshot eyes were planted firmly on the girl. She squirmed uncomfortably in her seat under his leering looks. The redness of his eyes was indicative of the fact that he had soaked himself in liquor far exceeding socially acceptable limits.

The girl's nervousness was infectious. I looked around the compartment. It was completely vacant except for the three of us. I began to grow uneasy. The girl pressed my hand and held up a piece of newspaper for my inspection. She pointed towards a front-page news report. It was on a sensational serial killer who had been haunting Kolkatans for the past couple of weeks. Six young girls had been murdered in different parts of the city. They were discovered with their throats brutally slit open. The killings had been executed with such meticulous efficiency that the murder scenes were totally devoid of any clues. The police were baffled. The report went on to draw parallels with the legendary 'Stoneman' who had terrorized Calcutta in the early 90's and whose identity was yet to be ascertained. The report was undeniably scary and chilling to the bone.

The girl had visibly paled. She motioned with her eyes indicating to me that she considered the man sitting opposite to be a prime suspect. The girl was badly scared and I must admit I was pretty worried myself. Suddenly the train slowed as it approached an oncoming station. I was contemplating the feasibility of getting off the train, well before my intended destination, when the man himself stood up. To my utter surprise and immense joy he hopped off the train as it came to a screeching halt. The girl looked at me and both of us let out a huge sigh of relief. The tension having been released, she began to giggle. I caught up with her silly laughter and soon both of us were laughing away in abandon.

With a rude jerk the train started moving. Soon it was speeding across vast open countryside at a furious pace. Her jangled nerves having been calmed, the girl had begun to doze in her seat. As I looked at her I wondered just how naïve and unsuspecting young girls can be. I slipped my hand inside my handbag and firmly gripped the kitchen knife I always carried. I felt a strange numbness in my fingers but it had to be done. Besides she had an exceedingly beautiful neck. Such a pity!

Appearances are deceptive..........

Unthanked People

2008-02-25T09:56:00.002+05:30

Thought I would share an article I read recently.

William Stidger taught at Boston University, he once reflected upon the great number of unthanked people in his life. Those who had helped nurture him, inspire him or cared enough about him to leave a lasting impression.

One was a school teacher he’d not heard of in many years. But he remembered that she had gone out of her way to put a love of verse in him, and Will had loved poetry all his life. He wrote a letter of thanks to her.

The reply he received, written in the feeble scrawl of the aged, began, My dear Willie. He was delighted. Now over 50, bald and a professor, he didn’t think there was a person left in the world who would call him Willie.

Here is a copy of that letter

My dear Willie,

I cannot tell you how much your note meant to me. I am in my eighties, living alone in a small room, cooking my own meals, lonely and, like the last leaf of autumn, lingering behind. You will be interested to know that I taught school for 50 years and yours is the first note of appreciation I ever received. It came on a blue-cold morning and it cheered me as nothing has in many years.

Not prone to cry easily, Will wept over that note. She was one of the GREAT UNTHANKED PEOPLE from Will’s past.

You know them. We all do. The teacher who made a difference. That coach we’ll never forget. The music instructor or Sunday school worker who helped us to believe in ourselves. That scout leader who cared.

We all remember people who shaped our lives in various ways. People whose influence changed us. Will Stidger found a way to show his appreciation - he wrote them letters.

There may be some unthanked people from your past it may not be too late to say, thanks. Do it now. Do it as soon as possible. Time waits for none.

If you look up, there are no limits....

2008-02-12T11:50:00.000+05:30

The story of Cliff Young, a humble potato farmer in Australia, who consciously decided at age 57 to create his own destiny. Up to this point his destiny was running the family farm and settling for a life of hard work; however, Cliff was quietly harboring a passion for long-distance running.

He came to the decision to live his own life and create his own destiny. Soon he was seen in the wet Australian countryside training in a rain coat and gum boots. It did not matter to him that he was 57 years old, ill equipped and drastically out of running shape. What mattered most to him after all these years on the farm was pursuing his passions and creating his own destiny. He ignored those who mocked him and the drivers who tried to run him off the backcountry roads. He continued to train and built up to running 20 to 30 miles per day, day in and day out.

In May 1983, after four years of constant training, Cliff Young shocked the world. At 61 he won the first Sydney-to-Melbourne ultra-marathon - a distance of 875 kilometers (nearly 545 miles). To run this distance at any age is quite a feat, but to run it at 61 and beat some of the world's best-conditioned athletes in their 20's and 30's, is absolutely incredible!

Despite his age at 61, Cliff Young become prosperous as he created his own destiny. Regardless of your age and physical condition you too can take charge of your life and pursue prosperity. You do have the power to achieve prosperity at any age. You alone must be willing to take charge of your future by following your heart, pursuing your passions, and creating your own destiny.

Reflection:
No matter your age and in spite of your current challenges, be more like Cliff Young and take control of your future. Embrace the belief that it is never too late to create your own destiny and achieve prosperity. I challenge you at any age to dream, plan, execute, and soar to a life full of prosperity!

Breakfast at McDonald's

2008-02-03T18:35:00.000+05:30

This is a good story .I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree.The last class I had to take was Sociology.The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with. Her last project of the term was called, 'Smile.'

The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions.I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway. So, I thought this would be a piece of cake, literally.Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonald's one crisp March morning. It was just our way of sharing special playtime with our son.

We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then even my husband did. I did not move an inch... an overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved.As I turned around I smelled a horrible 'dirty body' smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men.As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was 'smiling'. His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance.

He said, 'Good day' as he counted the few coins he had been clutching.The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally challenged and the blue-eyed gentleman was his salvation. I held my tears as I stood there with them. The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted. He said, 'Coffee is all Miss' because that was all they could afford.(If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm).

Then I really felt it - the compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embrace the little man with the blue eyes. That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me,judging my every action.I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two morebreakfast meals on a separate tray.I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue-eyed gentleman's cold hand.He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, 'Thank you.' I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, 'I did not do this for you.God is here working through me to give you hope.' I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son.

When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, 'That is why God gave you to me,Honey, to give me hope.'We held hands for a moment and at that time, we knew that only because of the Grace that we had been given were we able to give.I returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in hand.

I turned in 'my project' and the instructor read it.Then she looked up at me and said, 'Can I share this?'I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class.She began to read and that is when I knew that we as human beings and being part of God share this need to heal people and to be healed. In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald's, my son, instructor,and every soul that shared the classroom on the last night I spent as a college student.

I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn:"UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE"

"LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS - NOT LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE".

(Courtesy: Reader's Digest)

One paragraph that explains life!

2008-01-31T13:22:00.000+05:30

Arthur Ashe, the legendary Wimbledon player was dying of AIDS which he got due to infected blood he received during a heart surgery in 1983. From world over, he received letters from his fans, one of which conveyed: "Why does GOD have to select you for such a bad disease"?

To this Arthur Ashe replied:
"The world over -- 50 million children start playing tennis, 5 million learn to play tennis,500,000 learn professional tennis, 50,000 come to the circuit, 5000 reach the grand slam,50 reach Wimbledon, 4 to semi final, 2 to the finals, when I was holding a cup I never asked GOD 'Why me?'.
And today in pain I should not be asking GOD 'Why me?' "

Happiness keeps you Sweet,
Trials keep you Strong,
Sorrow keeps you Human,
Failure keeps you humble and Success keeps you glowing,
but only Faith & Attitude Keeps you going.........

How to Make Your Messages Memorable

2008-01-28T15:46:00.000+05:30

When a piece of communication is to the point, relevant, worthwhile, and compelling, it moves you — the listener or reader - to action.
Moving people is not magic -it’s all about effective communication.The 4Cs Model, which stands for Comprehension, Connection, Credibility, and Contagiousness helps in achieving it.

The beauty of the 4Cs Model is that it’s easy to understand and simple to apply to every piece of communication you produce at work whether it's a résumé, an email, newsletter article, marketing piece, PowerPoint, or blog.
When you use get into the habit of applying the 4Cs to every type of communication you generate, managers, coworkers, clients, and customers will take notice.

The First C: Comprehension
To make sure the audience gets the message.

The Second C: Connection

Making a connection with a communicated idea or message means not only that the audience "gets it," but that it resonates with them, has meaning and significance for them.

The Third C: Credibility

The audience needs to believe who is saying it (the brand or messenger’s voice), what is being said, and how it is being said. Otherwise, any connection begins to break down - immediately. Credibility is the critical C, because the audience may completely understand a communicator’s message.

The Fourth C: Contagiousness

Think of the last time you saw a TV ad that was so funny or clever that you discussed it with your friends. That’s contagiousness. To be contagious, a message has to be energetic, new, different, and memorable. It should also evoke a vivid emotional response, have "talk" potential, motivate the target to do something, and elicit a demonstrable reaction.

To read more on the topic click here

The 99 Club

2008-01-24T11:17:00.000+05:30

Got a story. Thought of sharing.

Once upon a time, there lived a King who, despite his luxurious lifestyle, was neither happy nor content.

One day, he came upon a servant who was singing happily while he worked. This fascinated the King; why was he, the Supreme Ruler of the Kingdom, unhappy and gloomy, while a lowly servant was so joyous. The King asked the servant, 'Why are you so happy?'

The man replied, 'Your Majesty, I am nothing but a servant, but my family and I don't need too much -- just a roof over our heads and warm food to fill our tummies.'The king was not satisfied with that reply. Later in the day, he sought the advice of his most trusted advisor. After hearing the King's woes and the servant's story, the advisor said, 'Your Majesty, I believe that the servant has not been made part of The 99 Club.'

'The 99 Club? And what exactly is that?' the King inquired. The advisor replied, 'Your Majesty, to truly know what The 99 Club is, let's place 99 Gold coins in a bag and leave it at this servant's doorstep.' Next day when the servant saw the bag, he picked it up and took it in. When he opened the bag, he let out a great shout of joy... So many gold coins!

He began to count them. After several counts, he was at last convinced that there were 99 coins. 'What could've happened to that last gold coin? Surely, no one would leave 99 coins!' he wondered. He looked everywhere he could, but that final coin was elusive.

Finally, exhausted, he decided that he would have to work harder than ever to earn that gold coin and complete his collection. And from that day, the servant's life was changed. He was overworked, horribly grumpy, and castigated his family for not helping him make that 100th coin. He stopped singing while he worked.

Witnessing this drastic transformation, the King was puzzled. When he sought his advisor's help, the advisor said, 'Your Majesty, the servant has now officially joined The 99 Club...'

He continued, 'The 99 Club is a name given to those people who have enough to be happy but are never contented, because they're always yearning and striving for that extra one, telling themselves: 'Let me get that one final thing and then I will be happy for life.'

We can be happy, even with very little in our lives, but the minute we're given something bigger and better, we want even more!

We lose our sleep, our happiness, we hurt the people around us; all these as a price for our growing greed and desires. That's what joining The 99 Club is all about.'You have reached the pinnacle of success as soon as you become uninterested in money, compliments, or publicity. ~Thomas Wolf

Who packs your parachute?

2007-12-17T09:15:00.000+05:30

Charles Plumb, a US Navy Academy graduate, was a jet fighter pilot in Vietnam. After 75 combat missions, his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile.

Plumb ejected and parachuted into enemy hands. He was captured and spent the next six years in a Communist prison. He survived that ordeal and now lectures about lessons learned from that experience.

One day, when he and his wife were sitting in a restaurant, a man at another table came up and said, "You're Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Nam from the carrier, Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!"

"How in the world did you know that?" asked Plumb."Oh, I was the one who packed your parachute," the man replied.Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude.

The man smiled and said, "Yep, I guess it worked!"

Plumb assured him, "It sure did work -- if your chute hadn't worked, I wouldn't be here today."

Plumb couldn't sleep that night, thinking about the man who has packed his parachute. Plumb kept wondering what the man might have looked like in a Navy uniform.

"I wondered how many times I might have passed him on the Kitty Hawk. I wondered how many times I might have seen him and not even said good morning, how are you or anything, because you see, I was a fighter pilot and he was just a sailor."

Plumb thought of the many hours the sailor had spent on a long wooden table in the bowels of the ship carefully weaving the shrouds and folding the silks of each chute, holding in his hands the fate of someone he didn't know.

Now Plumb asks his audiences, "Who's packing your chute?" Everyone has someone who provides what they need to make it through the day.Plumb also points out that we all need many kinds of parachutes. We need mental, emotional and spiritual parachutes as well.While a prisoner of war, Plumb called on all of these supports before reaching safety.

His experience reminds us all to prepare ourselves to weather whatever storms lie ahead -- and to recognize and appreciate all of those people who pack our parachutes everyday, for they are the ones who truly deserve the credit for our survival.

25 qualities that will get you promoted

2007-12-15T21:58:00.000+05:30

25 qualities that will get you promoted
By Ramon Padilla

Master written communication.

Master verbal communication.

Be a Self starter.

Perform quality work.

Develop good listening skills.

Don’t be a gossip.

Know how to behave.

Deliver on your promises.

Be honest in your dealings.

Be a willing collaborator.

Be knowledgeable.

Be a quick study.

Be prompt.

Don't disregard your image.

Get out of your cube.

Learn the business.

Be empathetic.

Don't be a drama queen.

Be a critical thinker.

Be yourself.

Take the next step.

Treat people kindly.

Remember that it’s a small world.

Be sincere.

Don’t be afraid to ask why.

Courtesy: TheHindubusinessline (Picture )

Wanna Borrow A Jack...

2007-12-15T05:48:00.000+05:30

Good article to share
One day I went to a lawyer friend for advice.

"I'm in real trouble" I said. "My neighbors across the road are going on vacation for a month; and instead of boarding their dogs they are going to keep them locked up and a woman is coming to feed them, if she doesn't forget. Meanwhile they'll be lonely and bark all day and howl all night, and I won't be able to sleep. I'll either have to call the SPCA to haul them away or I'll go berserk and go over there and shoot them and then when my neighbors return, they'll go berserk and come over and shoot me.

My lawyer patted back a delicate yawn. "Let me tell you a story," he said. "And don't stop me if you've heard it because it will do you good to hear it again."

"A fellow was speeding down a country road late at night and BANG! went a tire. He got out and looked but he had no jack.

"Then he said to himself. 'Well, I'll just walk to the nearest farmhouse and borrow a jack.' He saw a light in the distance and said, 'Well, I'm in luck; the farmer's up. I'll just knock on the door and say I'm in trouble, would you please lend me a jack? And he'll say, why sure, neighbor, help yourself, but bring it back.'

"He walked on a little farther and the light went out so he said to himself, 'Now he's gone to bed, and he'll be annoyed because I'm bothering him so he'll probably want some money for his jack. And I'll say, all right, it isn't very neighborly but I'll give you a quarter.

And he'll say, do you think you can get me out of bed in the middle of the night and then offer me a quarter? Give me a dollar or get yourself a jack somewhere else.'

"By the time he got to the farmhouse the fellow had worked himself into a lather. He turned into the gate and muttered. 'A dollar! All right, I'll give you a dollar. But not a cent more! A poor devil has an accident and all he needs is a jack. You probably won't let me have one no matter what I give you. That's the kind of guy you are.'

"Which brought him to the door and he knocked angrily, loudly. The farmer stuck his head out the window above the door and hollered down, 'Who's there? What do you want?' The fellow stopped pounding on the door and yelled up, 'You and your stupid jack! You know what you can do with it!'"

When I stopped laughing, I started thinking, and I said, "Is that what I've been doing?"

"Right," he said, "and you'd be surprised how many people come to a lawyer for advice, and instead of calmly stating the facts, start building up a big imaginary fight; what he'll say to his partner, what she'll say to her husband, or how they'll tell the Old Man off about his will. So I tell them the story about the jack and they cool off.

Reflection:

Exaggeration is to paint a snake and add legs.Thinking over practical ways would help us most in life.

Dealing With Difficult People at Work

2007-12-14T10:07:00.000+05:30

Rise Above the Fray: Options for Dealing With Difficult People at Work
From Susan M. Heathfield

Difficult people come in every variety and no workplace is without them. How difficult a person is for you to deal with depends on your self-esteem, your self-confidence and your professional courage. Dealing with difficult people is easier when the person is just generally obnoxious or when the behavior affects more than one person. Dealing with difficult people is much tougher when they are attacking you or undermining your professional contribution.

Difficult people come in every conceivable variety. Some talk constantly and never listen. Others must always have the last word. Some coworkers fail to keep commitments. Others criticize anything that they did not create. Difficult coworkers compete with you for power, privilege and the spotlight; some go way too far in courting the boss’s positive opinion – to your diminishment.Some coworkers attempt to undermine you and you constantly feel as if you need to watch your back.

Five Tips for Dealing With Difficult People

Start out by examining yourself - Always start with self-examination to determine that the object of your attention really is a difficult person’s actions.
Explore what you are experiencing with a trusted friend or colleague.
Approach the person with whom you are having the problem for a private discussion - Be pleasant and agreeable as you talk with the other person. They may not be aware of the impact of their words or actions on you. They may be learning about their impact on you for the first time. Or, they may have to consider and confront a pattern in their own interaction with people.
Follow up after the initial discussion. Has the behavior changed? Gotten better? Or worse?
You can confront your difficult coworker’s behavior publicly- Deal with the person with gentle humor or slight sarcasm. Or, make an exaggerated physical gesture – no, not serious wounding.

To read more on the article click here

Positive Attitude....

2007-12-10T09:35:00.000+05:30

One day a father, of a very wealthy family, took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people can be. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.

On their return from the trip, the father asked his son,"How was the trip?" "It was great Dad!"

"Did you see how poor people can be?" the father asked. "Oh yeah," said the son.

"So what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father. The son answered,

" I saw we have one dog and they have four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.

We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them."

With this the boy's father was speechless.
Then his son added, "Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are."

Reflection:

"Two men look out through the same bars; One sees the mud, and one sees the stars".Its all in the way we look at things as every act has its pros and cons in life.

Growing Good Corn...

2007-12-06T10:09:00.000+05:30

There was a farmer who grew award-winning corn. Each year he entered his corn in the state fair where it won a blue ribbon.

One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something interesting about how he grew it. The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors. "How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?" the reporter asked.

"Why sir," said the farmer, "didn't you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn."
He is very much aware of the connectedness of life. His corn cannot improve unless his neighbor's corn also improves.

Reflection:
Those who choose to be at peace must help their neighbors to be at peace. Those who choose to live well must help others to live well, for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches. And those who choose to be happy must help others to find happiness for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all.

Vital Few than Trivial many....

2007-12-03T10:29:00.000+05:30

I was preparing for a quality training and evaluation when I came across the famous 80-20 rule.Thought of sharing some thoughts on it here......

What Exactly Is The 80/20 Rule?

By the numbers it means that 80 percent of your outcomes come from 20 percent of your inputs. As Pareto demonstrated with his research this rule holds true, in a very rough sense, to an 80/20 ratio, however in many cases the ratio can be a lot higher - 99/1 may be closer to reality.It really doesn’t matter what numbers you apply, the important thing to understand is that in your life there are certain activities you do (your 20 percent) that account for the majority (your 80 percent) of your happiness and outputs.

To say that 20 percent of your activities produce 80 percent of your financial rewards, and that is true, there are probably a handful of activities you do each week that produce your income. You can definitely apply the 80/20 Rule to most aspects of your business or working life, however I believe your overall happiness and satisfaction are much better variables to focus on.

Actual 80-20 rule's origin:

The Pareto principle (also known as the 80-20 rule, the law of the vital few and the principle of factor sparsity) states that, for many events, 80% of the effects comes from 20% of the causes. Business management thinker Joseph M. Juran suggested the principle and named it after Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, who observed that 80% of income in Italy went to 20% of the population. It is a common rule of thumb in business; e.g., "80% of your sales comes from 20% of your clients."

80/20 Examples:

There are many economic conditions, for example the distribution of wealth and resources on planet earth, where a small percentage of the population controls the biggest chunk, which clearly demonstrate the 80/20 Rule. There are business examples such as 20 percent of employees are responsible for 80 percent of a company’s output or 20 percent of customers are responsible for 80 percent of the revenues (or usually even more disparate ratios). These are not hard rules, not every company will be like this and the ratio won’t be exactly 80/20, but chances are if you look at many key metrics in a business there is definitely a minority creating a majority.

How You Can Live An 80/20 Lifestyle:
When you start to analyze and breakdown your life into elements it’s very easy to see 80/20 ratios all over the place. The trick, once your key happiness determinants have been identified, is to make everything work in harmony and avoid wasting time on those 80 percent activities that produce little satisfaction for you.

The message is simple enough - focus on activities that produce the best outcomes for you. This applies to both your business/working life and your personal life .

To read more on it:

Wikipedia's definition

Thoughts on 80-20 rule

Pareto Principle's Complete Information

Carpenter's House

2007-11-29T10:06:00.000+05:30

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family.

He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by. The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work.He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you."What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.

So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized that we would have done it differently.

Reflection:

Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project." Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today.