We are humans

We all have emotions with Two Sides

Debit Side

-     Anger

-     Anxiety

-     Depression

-     Disappointment

-     Enmity

-     Impulsiveness

-     Jealousy

-     Meanness

-     Selfishness

-     Vulnerability

Credit Side

- Affection

- Affiliation

- Companionship

- Excitement

- Friendship

- Joy

- Jubilation

- Love

- Positivism

- Togetherness

- Uniqueness

- Warmth

To maintain a good balance sheet, of these two sides, we need to strive hard with an

-  Achievement strife

-  Competence

-  Dedication

-  Desire

-  Deliberation

-  Determination

-  Drive

-  Dutifulness

-  Initiative

-  Interest

And the support of all our stakeholders.

A little bit, everyday..

Communication, is our life line for relationships, be it professionally

@ work,

or be it

personally

out of work

@ home, society, social media public, or wherever.

Silence just doesn't help anyone.

-  If you are busy, say it, say so...

-  If you are upset, then express it."

- If you are running late, which can happen at times, let someone know that..

- If you are asked to do something that you don't like, say so, be straightforward.."

-  If you are unsure, ask even if others think you to be an ignorant fool, it can be worse assuming, experimenting, failing, and falling, making you look stupid.."

If you want to drive something, you have to have that skill in you and be able to communicate it.

If you have to, then learn and imbibe both the skill and the ability to communicate.

By doing so you'll be able to lend credibility to its merits, because you are an example for others to follow.

Break the silence and communicate, that's what I do, "Hello! How are You?”

“How has the day been so far?”

The two words 'information' and 'communication' are often used interchangeably, but they signify quite different things. Information is giving out; communication is getting through.

You can talk with someone for years, every day, and still, it won't mean as much as what you can have when you sit in front of someone, not saying a word, yet you feel that person with your heart, you feel like you have known the person for forever.... connections are made with the heart, not the tongue.

Don't use words too big for the subject. Don't say infinitely when you mean very; otherwise you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite.

What’s Life Really?

Life, we have two, the second begins, when you realize you have just one life to live.. I counted the years, and realized, I have less than the number I have lived.

Have I said it right...lived..

Yes, but how many of us truly live...meaning,

doing what they like doing...

enjoying the moments...

with passion and purpose...

not pushing themselves to the limits of breaking down...

Sometimes when you look back you'll realize most are like children,

with packs of candy...

eating it off a hurry...

and when it is getting over, the kid starts to taste them and takes its time...

Life is somewhat like that...

all hurry and push when young...

wanting more...

getting more get more...

but,

having little or no time to enjoy everything they have...

and when they grow and want to enjoy life...they realize they have no energy

left...

Second life starts here...but, sadly if you realize, it's only one life we have... rushing all over in the early years...and running in the later knowing not where to go, what to do...

This life is what you make it. No matter what, you're going to mess up sometimes, it's a universal truth. But the good part is you get to decide how you're going to mess it up. The ones that stay with you through everything - they're your true best friends. Don't let go of them.

You'll never find that half who makes you whole and that goes for everything.

Just because you fail once, doesn't mean you're going to fail at everything.

Keep trying, hold on, and always, always, always believe in yourself, because if you don't, then who will?

So keep your head high, keep your chin up, and most importantly, keep smiling, because life's a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about

Invisible Labels

An incident.

A car ahead, was moving slowly, at turtle pace, in the busy traffic time of office goers.

Impatient drivers, in a hurry to get to their workplace, were honking like mad, till one noticed, a small sign scripted, "Driver with disability, please have patience."

Reading that, the entire outlook changed from one of anger and animosity to peace, patience and protectionism.

That's a true story.

Let's get to real life.

We get angry, we lose cool at so many people at work, on the streets, in the society, at home.

Have we ever tried to understand them as much.

Among them might be someone who has

o   Lost a job

o   Has been burgled

o   Has lost a close relative o Has lost a valuable thing

o Is going through a bad relationship o Has been abused

o Is going through emotional stress because of a separation o Someone is in the midst of a victimized court case

o  Someone has been cheated by one most trusted..

Like this you find all sorts of people on a daily basis in all walks of life, with Invisible Labels.

Would we react in anger or show animosity, if people had a label stuck on their forehead.

Think it over, and deeply too, especially when you lose your cool next time.

This is one of the biggest lessons the teacher called life gives us.

This thinking wouldn't have been possible, but, for our teachers...

How Many Times Do You Pass "HIS" Test

Prof. C. V. Raman, post retirement settling down in Bangalore, wanted to start a Research Institute, so advertised in the newspaper wanted three scientists.

Several qualified aspirants applied, with the hope that they'll at least meet the great scientist, getting the job or not is another matter.

Applications processed, filtration done, tests conducted, interviews taken, finally 5 were shortlisted for the next round.

That evening when he was packing to go home he saw a young in the veranda.

The professor could recognize the young man as one who was rejected, anyway, asked him what the matter was.

The young man said, "Sir, I have received ₹ 7/- more in my settlement than my claim, I wanted to return it, but, there's no one in the office."

The professor said, "Oh, ok, is that the issue, then give it to me, I'll send it to them tomorrow."

He took it and saying this he began to walk. After a few steps he stopped and called out the young man and said, "Please come and meet me at 10.30 AM, tomorrow."

Next morning, the young man reported sharp at the appointed time to meet the great man.

Prof. C. V. Raman met him, and said, "Young man, it's a pity you failed in physics, but, you've passed HIS test, so you are appointed."

Curious this young man asked "HIS test, who is this, or what is this Sir?"

Prof. C. V. Raman smiled and said, HONESTY INTEGRITY SINCERITY, test, which very few pass.

The young man was none other than

Prof. Chandrasekhar, who also went on to win the Noble Prize, like his Guru Prof. C. V. Raman.

Lesson : It needs vision to spot a diamond in a hard piece of coal.

Personal Branding

You must be hearing this word very often. You would have also noticed several who claim themselves to be Masters of Personal Branding.

For me Personal Branding,

comes in a CHIP ->

CREDIBILITY

HONESTY

INTEGRITY

POSITIVITY

you need to carry this everywhere and Walk Your Talk, that spells out your true PERSONALITY, that which projects your CHARACTER.

One doesn't go to sell one's Personal Band, it comes by people TRUSTING

and ACEPTING,  your

USP -> UNIQUE SELF PROJECTION, that can't be faked.

The SPACE, you create by your

SINCERITY,

PURPOSE,

AUTHENTICITY,

CONSISTENCY

EFFORTS

being

ACTIVE

ACCOUNTABLE

COMPETENT

TRUSTWORTHY

INVOLVED

VISIBLE

ENTHUISATIC.

Your brand is a gateway to your true work You know you are here to do something to create some true work or top help someone.in some way. The question is how?

How can you set up your life and work so as to do it. The answer lies in your brand. When you create your compelling brand you attract people who want the promise of the brand you deliver.

That's PERSONAL BRANDING, if I can simplify it.

Intent

Yes, it starts from within and is a very powerful stimulator, that leads to act as desired.

Thought inspired from a book by Alan Davidson "15 Paces," which I read in the early '70's.

A Prelude

I recall reading a book of a famous Australian All Rounder Alan Davidson, who was among the first to complete the double - more than a thousand Test Runs and more than a hundred wickets. Some more famous cricketers of the likes of Sir Garfield Sobers, Sir Richard Hadlee, Imran Khan, Ian Botham, Kapil Dev, Jacques Kallis, Wasim Akram are the other famous stars in this league.

Davidson (88 years now), played 44 test matches for Australia. Batted in 61 innings (there’s no count of the number of runs he ran in between the wickets).

Bowled in 81 innings delivering 11587 deliveries in all

(15 paces up and down those many times means about 197+ miles in all he covered to knit his illustrious career).

The opening lines of his book, is a beauty  which says it all.

It's the last ball he is about to deliver in his career to draw curtains.

He reminisces, "I have trudged this path thousands of times, my legs, seem to drag, not because am tired, I'll never do this again on a stage like this."

On his way up to his run up he thinks about the dressing room the smell of leather balls and wooden bats dabbed with linseed oil for seasoning, and the massages on the table to keep him fit. Thanks everyone who were a part of those memorable moments.

In the last six strides, he begins to focus on the delivery of his last ball.

He wishes, how nice it would be if it was wicket taking and the record books entered it as.. caught Grout, bowled Davidson.

(Thanks my mate Grout, I'll miss you very much because you've helped me a great deal with a lot many wickets against my name, with the stupendous catches behind the stumps, with those big gloves). He reaches the top of his mark, visualizes and focuses as to where the ball should land, with the right pace.

He does exactly that, delivers a fast ball on a good length, drifts a shade because of the wind from behind his right shoulder, draws the batsman into a defensive shot, beats him, but takes a faint edge and sails at a comfortable waist height to Grout's right, who completes the catch. Davidson kneels down looks at the heaves in tears and says "Thank you, My Lord."

It wasn’t the batsman’s “error of judgement,” but, this “master-craftsman’s skill, that earned him the prize he wished for, hoped for

The entire team gives their hero an emotional send off and is given the honour of leading the side back into the pavilion, with the match ball as a memorabilia.

That drew curtains on a famous player.

As you would have seen this narration shows the passion and the intent of a man committed to his job. It didn't matter even if the last delivery was crap worth being clobbered, but, the intent and the desire, to never give up is the most noteworthy lesson I picked up reading the book.

It's been so many years, but, yes it's embedded deeply in my mind and heart. I recalled every word as I scripted this here.

Here are some parting thoughts on Intent.

You've got to know what you want. This is central to acting on your intentions. When you know what you want, you realize that all there is left then is time management. You'll manage your time to achieve your goals because you clearly know what you're trying to achieve in your life.

Dare to dream!

If you did not have the capability to make your wildest wishes come true, your mind would not have the capacity to conjure such ideas in the first place. There is no limitation on what you can potentially achieve, except for the limitation you choose to impose on your own imagination.

What you believe to be possible will always come to pass - to the extent that you deem it possible. It is by translating your fine sense of aspiration into actual lofty deeds that you grow toward your ideal.

Link your lofty thoughts to earnest, active effort, and good results will inevitably follow.

The great things you intend to do some time must have a beginning if they are ever to be done, so begin something worthwhile today It really

is as simple as that.

Intention is one of the most powerful forces there is. What you mean when you do a thing will always determine the outcome. The law creates the world!

Intelligence and Wisdom

Are they connected?

For most in the world there are distinct differences.

Intelligence argues.                                                 Wisdom is sedate.

Intelligence is power of will.                           Wisdom is power over will.

Intelligence is heat, it burns.                            Wisdom is warmth, it comforts.

Intelligence is pursuit of                                     Wisdom is pursuit of truth

knowledge, tires the seeker.                            that inspires the seeker.

Intelligence is holding on.                                  Wisdom is letting go.

Intelligence leads you.                                          Wisdom guides you.

Intelligence thinks it                                               Wisdom knows there's a lot

knows a lot.                                                                  still to learn.

Intelligence tries                                                        Wisdom really knows

to prove a point.                                                        there's no point.

Intelligence is eager                                                Wisdom keeps it's counsel until all

to give ideas,                                                                options are explored completely.

even unsolicited.

Intelligence thinks it                                               Wisdom understands

understands all that's                                            even things unsaid.

said or being said.

Intelligence feels it                                                 Wisdom says only when there's

has to say something always.                         something to say.

Intelligence sees                                                        Wisdom see everything related.

everything relatively.

Intelligence tries to control                               Wisdom navigates with the flow

the flow.

Intelligence preaches                                             Wisdom reaches.

That being the distinctions let's try being modest.

Keep Your Eye On The Ball

It was hard not to get swept away by the Serena Williams, of a US Open Final story. It was difficult to avoid joining the debate about how it could all have played out differently, had this been done or that had been done.

The time spent on thinking about what should have been done, meant, we spent less time working on things we could have done.

We took our eye of the ball for just a second, and that's exactly what Serena did too.

Just around the same time, in the week that went by, there was a news about how a pilots mindfulness avoided a mid-air collision.

It happened on Kenyan Airspace. A chartered Italian flight moving in from Ethiopian airspace flying at an altitude of 37,000' was on its way to South Africa, and an Ethiopian Airways Flight moving in from Tanzanian airspace cruising at the same altitude of 37,000'.

The aircrafts were about 15 miles apart, when the pilot of the Ethiopian Airways noticed this and quickly ascended a 1,000' and averted an imminent disaster. Alertness presence of mind some would say, but, I would say, the pilot had his eye on the ball.

Our progress on any front, in any arena depends on our taking the opportunities to fix things we can control, instead of the one thing we can't. We all know these situations in which we’re simply unable to pay attention. We give our very best, but it’s simply not possible to stop the mind from wandering off. Some of us start having vivid daydreams, while others diligently think about all the things they need to do. We engage in all kinds of exciting thoughts, but we don’t do what we’re actually supposed to do: Paying attention. We cannot help but lose focus, often without even realizing it. It prevents us from ever paying attention, which makes it incredibly difficult to focus on the task at hand. No one likes to admit it, but we all lose focus more often than we actually like to. Even the most ambitious among us know how incredibly difficult it is to maintain a high level of concentration, especially when tired or bored. A lack of focus can be quite a problem The key to living a focused life is direction. When you have a clear goal, you can steer all your actions in one direction. But if you are unsure where to go, you will mindlessly wander around. At the same time, it is often not so important how long we work, but how effectively we use our working hours. If we pay the closest attention to maintaining a high level of focus, we can use the available hours of the day more effectively. However, if we allow distractions to draw away our attention, we are less likely to accomplish much in the time available..

A Nut called Self Belief

Has it ever crossed your mind as to who would have planted so many trees in the forests of the world.

Yes, some could be by humans, but, all the other has been the products of squirrels.

These creatures are forever busy. They are curious, they are always looking for something or the other and have the habit of depositing it somewhere for future use. This seems to be their every moment act day.

The nut that the squirrel saved is forgotten. It slowly gets buried into the darkness of the soil. Bears with all the pain and discomfort to finally break away and sprout into a plant. It grows with the support of all the other trees and eventually grows to become a tall oak.

In fact, every tall oak that stands high in the forests aiming for the sky is a testimony to this fact self-belief.

Man with all his greed may chop the oaks, but, mankind still will survive, thanks to the squirrel, they'll keep doing what they are known to be doing for ages - hide the nuts, and forget. Forests will flourish with this natural process.

Let's be like the squirrel, and plant some good thoughts and forget. Let it grow and flourish too, mankind certainly will benefit.

Be either a squirrel or a nut, both will do good anyway.

There has never been a time in the history of humanity when there was a greater need to understand who we are and what we are capable of experiencing. With no effort on your part you were born to be something very special and set apart. What you are going to do in appreciation of that gift is a decision only you can make. Your beliefs about yourself often translate into your convictions about yourself. It is difficult to achieve what you believe is beyond your power. If you don't intend to spend the whole life as a person "hammered into a corner," but want to perform serious deeds, to solve important tasks and to be able to achieve the real heights in life, then, first of all, you need to learn to believe in yourself. Your beliefs about yourself often translate into your convictions about yourself. It is difficult to achieve what you believe is beyond your power.

It is necessary for us to believe in ourselves in order to become the best person that we can be.

The Value of YOU

How many of us really know this?

It becomes even more significant in the VUCA World. (VUCA -> VOLATILE, UNCERTAIN, COMPLEX, AMBITIOUS).

Where were you?

Where are you NOW?

Where are you going?

As you think of these question, I encourage you to make a move to reclaim the life you dream out. It's yours if really wants it. Then..

VUCA -> VISUALIZE, UNDERSTAND, CONSTRUCT, and ADAPT, being open to new thoughts and by being flexible. To do this you'll need more than just a burning desire. You'll need a game plan that's built on a rock-solid-foundation of core values.

Our generation has lost its way. In a fast-paced instant gratification world we live in, we've lost our direction. It is values anchoring us that provide us the direction and purpose on the journey to living a life of our dreams. Values like confidence, courage, faith, hard work, honesty, humility, integrity, sincerity, that drives our abilities, builds our curiosity, which are the keys to living life on our terms. If everyone realizes this for each of themselves, together we can collaboratively take strides to meet the end goals not of just self but as a team. It's the journey that we all take to get there, because it's the journey that defines all of us in the end.

The Value of YOU, is the journey into the core values that give light to human experience.

Values lead us to internal freedom, peace of mind, success and happiness.

There are some values that you should never compromise on to stay true to yourself; you should be brave to stand up for what you truly believe in even if you stand alone.

Modern Man is the victim of the very instruments he values most. Every gain in power, every mastery of natural forces, every scientific addition to knowledge, has proved potentially dangerous, because it has not been accompanied by equal gains in self-understanding and self-discipline.

Values are the way of life. Start your journey, today...now...

Do You Sell?

"Are you a salesman?"

If you aren't one, you'll say, "No!," and probably add "I hate selling!"

People have made their life and career in selling, but, your answer is fair enough.

But, all of us forget one thing, because we don't know about it, we don't think about it. That is, whether we like it or not, knows it or not, we are all into selling...

In an interview, you are there selling your profile through your degree and

experience...

In a job you are selling your skills, your ideas for acceptance...

You sell your services freelancing...

You sell expertize advising...

You selling learning through facilitation...

You write to express and gain attention of your readers...

You speak to inspire thoughts for action...

You sell your attention to listen...

As Willy Loman said, (Quoting from Aurther Miller's, "Death of a Salesman), "

The funny thing is that you are and do not know about that."

So now that we know we sell, let's take care not to sell our integrity, dignity, self-respect, honesty and sincerity at any cost to anyone. Love yourself, respect yourself.

It is so easy to settle for the sheep life, enslaved to a life of another individuals making, many people sell themselves short on what they can truly accomplish, most people do not even try that hard, but they think within their mind that where they are is all that they can do and be. So many people just settle for a garbage low-level life, struggling to live because they have not self-educated themselves on how to live a better quality of life. If you want better, you must do better. Learn about success so that you may become successful. You get what you settle for, if you settle for mediocrity you will get misery.

Are you doing your best?

Are you focused?

Are you really giving it your all?

Do you have a whatever it takes mentality?

Are you really about success?

Do not just settle for making a living, design a life that you are proud to live, the choice is yours to get started on new path, the path of something greater, the path of personal development, the path of fearlessness, ambition, drive, determination, adventure, focus, hunger, grit, action, and greatness.

If you don’t shape your world the way you want it to be it will just unfold into a life of mediocrity most probably, if you don’t make a plan for your life, no one else will, don’t expect others to make success a priority for you, that is up to you. Life will end up being not much. Look around, that is how most people are living, trapped in someone else’s life, resigned to a life of someone else’s dream, unaware that they have betrayed themselves and they just float by making excuses about why they do not take action, excuses are used to justify laziness and fear.

Strive for what you want, you can do and be whatever you want to be, the choice is yours, you can shape your life in whatever way you want it to be, we all have the choice to create our world, but most people seem to remain asleep to this fact and settle for the conformists life. It is easy being like everyone else, it takes nothing to join the crowd, it takes courage to stand alone and be who you truly want to be.

It is in the grind that you will discover your strength, your fearlessness, and your true greatness that resides within you. Go confidently in the direction you truly want to go, get on the road of success and keep on pushing forward, keep on building, and keep on keeping on.

Do not ever give up on yourself, do not be idle with your days, daily consistent action on the right tasks will elevate your life to a whole new level. Put in the work now and the results will show, hard work does pay off, you shall reap what you sow, so do not expect to be living at a higher level if you do not take action. Let your actions be a reflection of your hunger for a better life. Action is what makes all the difference between successful people and the rest who just sit around assuming disaster. Action is what helps you to conquer your fears, action is what reveals the truth about who you can be, action is what helps you make progress, action is the key, the key to getting anywhere is to take some action, if it does not work out, take some more action, and the more you do the more you succeed or learn. It is so common for people to just drift on the current of mediocrity to their demise, sitting back on the boat of conformity. Be action orientated rather than talk orientated

Never sell yourself short. Believe in yourself regardless of what other people think. You can accomplish anything, absolutely anything, if you set your mind to it.

No matter who you are, what you do, be a Great One!

It is all about Potential

Am sure you've heard Jack Ma saying he suffered rejections including even a waiters job at KFC, and goes on to become the trail blazer e-Commerce giant with Alibaba.

Then Late Sri. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam rejected by the Airforce going on to becoming the Missile King of India and also the President.

Amitabh Bachan was turned dome by AIR for an announcer going on to become the undisputed star of the century.

WhatsApp founder Brian Aston was rejected by FB and Twitter and one day FB buys WhatsApp as it appeared threatening the existence of FB in business.

Lambhorgini cars were a result of an insult by the owner of a tractor company and Ferrari's founder.

What's the inference?

In the case of Jack Ma, APJAK, and Amitabh, they worked seriously to explore and expand their potential to reach the levels they did.

In the case of Brian Aston and the creator of Lambhorgini, it was a clear case of under estimating, their talent and their potential.

What's the lesson?

Never underestimate

-> Yourself

-> Your Competitors

-> Your Colleagues

-> Your Employers

-> Newcomers in your domain...

In short never underestimate anyone, because every human has immense potential within.

Those who work hard, exercise patience, consciously exploring, expanding their potential, and channelizing it in the right direction for the right purpose go on to become great achievers and create "break through," that are impactful. Else like most the others know about it, sit on it, do nothing a go through life in routines being in their comfort zones living life as "been through."

Be Yourself, Be You

We stay in a world that's busy, yet, has all the time in the world to mind others' business too...despite all the chaos that prevails..

People will judge you. Have opinions about you.

Call you names. Criticize your actions.

Call your ideas silly. Label you as a failure.

Question your decisions. Laugh at you.

Insult you. Ridicule you. Not appreciate your strengths.

Want you to change, to be someone else you are not..

All this happens at various times in life.. to everyone.

There's surprisingly, one solution to overcome all this in one go, never the less..

Be fearless, keep saying "SO WHAT...?" and just be yourself.

We all have 4 systems programs that are running in our mind..

VIRUS Program : When this runs it will lead to self destruction. System will hang, we will need reformatting.

ANTIVIRUS Program : This inoculates the system helps move forward keeping viruses away.. this should be running even when system isn't in use.

FIREWALL Program This offers general protection against threats and helps us avoid treading further.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Program : Senses the surroundings and keeps

the system abreast so as to become better and better each day.

Keep at it...

Evolve...

Grow...

Persist...

Be fearless, just be you.

In the walk of your life, if you keep getting disturbed by stray dogs barking all the time, and you keep throwing stones at it, you'll be standing just there and not walking.

Money is Sweeter, than Honey.

Whoever said this isn't known to me.

Am not going to delve into the merits or demerits of that statement. Anyway the truth is man is very busy making money, while bees are very busy making honey.

For a moment my thoughts go to the bees, who only know one thing and that is to make honey.

Millions and millions, every moment of their limited life span, keep doing what they are best at, and doing the only thing they know and that is making honey.

They do it methodically following a process that can put our modern corporations to shame, as there's no stoppage either of work or in the production of honey for the world's health and prosperity.

Man steals it because bees do not deliver it at our doorstep.

Bees are unmoved, they still go about their job, producing more and more. Hardworking and selfless these bees are, but, when we think of bees, we hardly think honey, we only think of their sting. Mind you they don't come searching for you to sting, you come in their path and so they do.

Coming back to where we started, money is important for our living, our survival, our future and for many other things.

We ought not to be slaved by money, on the contrary we should learn to control it and put it to productive purposes. No matter how right or how beautiful your path is, never try to impose your path on others! Remember that flowers by no means pull bees by force to their world! Your path is your poem; if people like your poem, they will fondly join you in your path!

Think of the bee, it does only things for the others, so if the money you put to use serves that purpose, do it unhesitatingly.

You'll feel good you did.

To be successful, one has to be one of three bees - the queen bee, the hardest working bee, or the bee that does not fit in..

Be the Bee, and be the best at what you can be the best at.

The Paradox of Choices

We are all where we are today, is because of the choices we made in the past. Some we made, some we were told, this is what you have to do.

From a time we didn't have choices, we are now living in times with multiple choices.

With that comes the paradox.

With more choices we have, we fantasize about a better option out there, that despite thinking we regret we didn't choose.

This is primarily because we begin with something in mind, look at many, get influenced we choose. After closing in and deciding we see some other thing better and get upset.

With innumerable choices we have, with enough time we have to make our choices, we rush as if we do not have the time to make the right choice and make our choice with the time we think we do not have the time in today's times.

Flirt around, look around, take your time, don't push yourself, as if it is now or never.

The emotional cost of a bad choice leave us with a regret that lingers in us for a long time.

When we want to buy something we justify a need even if it is artificial. We make our choice and pay for it, then realize it doesn't offer the "value for money," causing regret and disgust.

Then comes the paralysis in decision making because no one wants to make a bad choice.

We keep playing around with our thought and make choices this and that, that and this. It goes on back and forth, causing a confusion, till a point you don't take a decision and remain where you are. Remain status quo, and regret, I should have...

What choices are you toying with.

Take a call..

What the gain making a choice?

Then choose

Alternatively ask "What's the pain, if I don't make the choice?

Then choose.

Just Because You Can

Was wondering if you knew how challenging the role of a hotel concierge can be?

To begin with the concierge has to earn the trust of the guest in the shortest possible time, think on his/her feet, solve problems on the fly and must have solutions to earn the tag of being credible.

A gifted and a good concierge knows the answers to the questions that are likely to come by. They will have answers even for questions that guests haven't thought to ask. He/she will empathize, anticipate, and delight the customer going out of his/her way to be creative and do the work he/she is proud of, just because he/she can. These transform a good experience to great ones.

It is possible in every job for us to learn the lines, stick to the script, be on time, put in the required number of hours, make little or no mistakes, to show competence and offer solutions on the fly. No one will ever question your competence, but, the work that's most appreciated and valued now isn't simply being compliant or competent, it is the creative work you do, not because it is required, but, it is just because you can.

The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.

Everyone has a purpose in life and a unique talent to give to others.

To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity.

When your dreams include service to others - accomplishing something that contributes to others - it also accelerates the accomplishment of that goal. People want to be part of something that contributes and makes a difference.

P is positive emotion

R is relationships

E is engagement,

M is meaning and

A is accomplishment.

Those are the five elements of what free people chose to do. Pretty much everything else is in service of one of or more of these goals. That's the human dashboard.

Who Is Happy?

There was a crow, which was quite disgusted with its colour, appearance and life overall. It met an elegant, beautiful white swan, paddling in the pond, and said, "How I wish I were a swan?"

The swan replied, "You don't know how much I have to paddle below to keep a float, and when I am a float, am not sure who'll hunt me for my beauty, who for my meat. I felt the parrot had a better life than me."

The crow me the parrot and told him, "How I wish I were like you?"

The parrot said, "Am just a pale green colour bird with a red beak. Am not a multi-coloured package like the peacock, nor am I like the eagle which can flying high and fly distances. I'd have loved being a peacock."

The crow went to the peacock and was about to say, "How..."

The peacock stopped the crow and said, "I know what you are going to say. Am a helpless caged captive, held for beauty for the visitors delight. You are a free bird, no one ever thinks of caging you. How I wish I were like you?"

Who is happy?

Actually it is the crow, and poor thing doesn't know. The others with whom the crow was comparing were feeling far more miserable.

It happens in real life. People are constantly comparing themselves with others, looking at their life and style, their living and feeling sorry they didn't have a life like that, when actually someone else has to show them what all they have and how they can be happy.

Stop comparing. Enhance your self-esteem, for if you don't like the way you look at yourself, how will you expect others to like you.

Inspiring true story Originally Published in the Readers Digest.

A SOLDIER’S SUPRISE

by Gail Litrenti-Benedetto, Park Ridge, Illinois

It is spring of 1943 during World War II. Standing among hundreds of new soldiers at Camp Grant, in Illinois, my father, Sam, just 18 years old, waits as a truck slowly drives by. A full field pack is randomly tossed to each soldier. “How strange,” my father thinks, as he sees his last name, Litrenti, marked on each item in his pack. “How did they know it was me when they tossed the pack?” He was impressed! Beating all odds, my father was tossed a field pack from World War I—his own father’s.

Master Chef

Am not assuming you are or aren't, but, let's imagine this for a moment... We all are given the same ingredients including time to make dishes out of our choice.

We begin.

Some may quickly use what they see, and what they know. They look here and there, set off wanting to be ahead of the others in the fray.

Some may look at everything, plan which all to use when, how, and how much. They take their own time, use their own time, for what they have in mind is a very special dish, that tastes good. They take care, doing everything measured, observing everything like the temperature, use of vital ingredients that go to give the dish the right look, the right colour, the right flavour and the right taste and give the right final touches of dressing what they have made, that gets appreciated by one and all wanting more and more of it. The dish that you dole out is remembered for a long long time.

Are you this kind of a Master Chef

who knows about the ingredients you possess, you know the way to use them,

you know the process, you use your skills,

you are patient,

you are passionate,

you have in mind those who you serve and do all things deligently without pushing yourself despite the others around you who are going through the motions in a hurry?

Pause and think this over. Always cook love and serve delight.

Inspiring true story Originally Published in the Readers Digest.

SMOKE SIGNALS

by Dan Rolince, Golden, Colorado

On a cool night lit only by the orange glow of fire, we rushed to my grandfather’s home as his decades-old barn burned to the ground. The firemen let us stand nearby as they pumped water from the creek a quarter mile away. We watched the barn go up in flames, which stirred memories of jumping off foot-wide wooden beams into the hay below. The real sadness came as my elderly grandfather, who did not get out of bed, quietly asked if his cows were safe. He hadn’t had dairy cows in a dozen years.

What Comes Out is What's Inside...

A motivational speaker to begin a talk used an orange as a prop.

Holding it the speaker looked at a bright kid in the front row and asked,

"What will you get, when this is squeezed?"

"Juice," said the boy.

"Will we get apple juice?"

"No," the boy said laughingly.

"Will we get grape juice?"

"No, no...," the boy said getting a little annoyed.

"Will we get pineapple juice?"

"Are you crazy? What comes out is what's inside! Squeeze an orange, it'll get be orange juice. What else?" the boy said angrily losing all the patience he had.

The speaker, then turned to the audience and said, "Let's imagine ourselves to be the orange. When someone squeezes us, when someone applies pressure on us! Can be anyone mother, father, brother, sister, spouse, children, colleagues, boss, whoever. Like the young boy said, what comes out is what's inside. Applying the same logic here, what comes out is what's inside us - anger, desperation, hate, disappointment etc."

There are things outside us about which we have no control of, but, there are things within our control such as moods, thoughts, words, temper, love, patience, empathy, kindness etc.

Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.

The season of failure is the best time for sowing the seeds of success.

You were designed for accomplishment, engineered for success, and endowed with the seeds of greatness

The seeds we sow and nurture are what become plants and trees that give us flowers and fruits.

Nurturing good thoughts is the key.

Sit back, think it over and see what are those seeds you are sowing?

Who Gets The Credit

A fruit appears on the tree, and you eat it.

Who gets the credit - the farmer who is the owner of the tree, or the tree that bears the fruit from flower to bud to fruit, or the earth that holds the tree firmly to it's roots or the seed that hung its ground to become the tree that bears the fruit.

This came to mind because, most times at work we are so bothered about who gets the credit. Some do all the work and some others take away the due credit.

Don't we know it is the horse that does the pulling of the coach, but, at the end of the journey the coachman gets tipped.

How nice it would be if we enjoy just the fruit and just never worried about anything else.

Just think it over.

Inspiring true story Originally Published in the Readers Digest.

A MOTHER’S WISDOM

by Lori Armstrong, Kelseyville, California

I have always worn my children’s birthstones around my neck. One morning, when I was late for work, my infant son Larry’s topaz birthstone fell from my gold chain. I frantically searched for it, whispering to myself, “I lost my Larry, but I will get him back.”

That day, Larry’s cardiologist called with test results from one of his first check-ups. He would need emergency heart surgery. Happily, the operation was a success, and I whispered in Larry’s ear, “I thought I lost you, but I knew I’d get you back.”

Accomplish

"He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life." - Muhammad Ali

“You can have anything you want if you want it badly enough. You can be anything you want to be, do anything you set out to accomplish if you hold to that desire with singleness of purpose.” - Abraham Lincoln

“Here I am... wanting to accomplish something and completely forgetting it must all end—that there is such a thing as death.” - Leo Tolstoy

Give...Give...

More than you take.

Let's admit we are humans, we all have a tendency to take, more than we give.

Let's understand this more...

G -> Gratitude and Generosity.

Let's be grateful for all the gifts given to us. Let's be grateful to all those who helped us realize these gifts, and let's be generous, in showing gratitude.

I -> Intensity and Interest

Let's have the intensity to do some good to the others. This happens only when we show we are interested, in the welfare of others as well.

V -> Versatile and Vibrant

It is said that it isn't good to be a jack of all trades, but, master of none. This is true, so let's master something's that we can build them in a way that we become versatile and by being enthusiastic we can help others with our vibrancy.

E -> Energy and Excitement

All of us are endowed with abundant energy, which only some exhibit a lot more than others. It is not any big rocket science to show up the energy we have. All it needs is that we need to be excited, about the life we have been given, and share the same feeling with others liberally.

So that's it. Give...Give...Give...

I have given what I have for today.

Sit back and think it over, when is the last time you have given something, and recall what you felt.

Now, see what you can over the next few hours to give before you dash off for the first weekend of October.

Keep it going. You'll enjoy an unbelievable bliss by giving. You truly will.

Being Seen, Heard and Remembered.

Isn't it the endeavour of every marketing effort to be seen, heard and remembered, so that it converts to creating a favourable customer.

All this to be done through a commercial in 5 seconds flat. The irony though. is no one sees the hard 5 years of work that preceded this moment of decision.

Let's take our case.

For every tens of things we do over a day, we might do one thing or two to be worthy of being remembered.

The irony is of course what we want to do deep down is to do work that's remembered - not just noticed.

We can achieve that goal by addressing the imbalance - forsaking the desire for attention today, and to do something worthwhile, so that it still matters tomorrow.

Our goal ought not to be seen and heard, but to do work that matters, that is seen, is heard, and is remembered.

While you relax over the weekend, think about the work you do.

Is it something that mattered yesterday, seen and heard today, but will be remembered tomorrow and the day after.

Inspiring true story Originally Published in the Readers Digest.

THE GOOD DOCTOR

by Danica Helfin, Tifton, Georgia

Toto was a white dog with a small red tongue, and his stuffing was red as well. When his seams began to come apart beneath his knitted collar, it looked to my six-year-old eyes as though he were bleeding. That night, my father left for his shift in the emergency room with Toto wrapped in a blanket. The next day, Dad showed me the X-rays and Polaroid photographs of the surgery. Beneath the bandage on Toto’s neck was a clean row of stitches. I still have the injury report! I love you, Dad.

What's Your Failure Strategy?

Now what is this you may wonder.

(Excuse me for it is a bit long, but, am sure it'll hold your interest).

Read on.

Everything runs like clockwork precision when all staff members show up and all other resources aligned.

A little deviation, the whole plan gets upset.

Let's take a typical scenario of a very popular "breakfast joint."

It is a Sunday morning. Customers arrive in loads with family. They are greeted at the door. Some have to wait for a table and have to wait. They are served a complimentary drink, while they wait for the table. A staff member calls in reports sick.

The whole system begins to creak, if not crumble. Staff doubles up as greeters and coffee runners.

People forget priorities, service is compromised and customers are disgruntled.

Every business has a success strategy. Targets are set and plans for execution created meticulously, to achieve them. We imagine how we will perform on our best days, when everything goes according to plan, with everyone serving, in.

We unfortunately, do not devote the same time, energy and resources to imagine our next move for those times when we have to take a diversion from our original plan.

We are found woefully unprepared for failure because we do not always think about what could go wrong and what will we do when it does. For instance :

Server might crash...

Package may be lost...

Email might offend...

Sales person could have a bad day...

Plan laid out for a project may not go as hoped...

What then?

The difference between an exceptional performer and a mediocre is that the exceptional ones prepare for off-colour days too.

It turns out that we do our best work when we plan for both success and failure, in equal measure.

So you'll do good if you can charter out What will be your Failure Strategy, along with your Success Strategy.

The Power of Self

A TV interviewer asked Martina Navratilova, "How is it that you are able to focus so well on the ball, even at this age of 43."

Her suave response was, "The ball doesn't know how old I am," and smiled. In his excellent book, Still power, sports psychologist Garret Kramer says the key factor to perform in sports (and on life), is your ability to control both, the quality and the quantity of your internal dialogue, the constant chatter that happens in all of us all the time.

Performance =  Potential - Internal Interference.

In other words, you need to stop yourself from stopping yourself. You need to shun your limiting beliefs.

Business, Sports, Careers, Fitness and indeed Life, all plays out in the 9" space between your two ears called Mind-Space.

If you know how to mind that space, you are the master, of yourself. When you can't control what's happening, challenge the way in which you respond to what's happening around you.

That is the Power of Self.

Inspiring true story Originally Published in the Readers Digest.

MY MASTERPIECE

by Angela Bradley-Autrey, Deer Park, Washington

I was four, playing outside in the humid Kentucky air. I saw my grandfather’s truck and thought, Granddad shouldn’t have to drive such an ugly truck. Then I spied a gallon of paint. Idea! I got a brush and painted white polka dots all over the truck. I was on the roof finishing the job when he walked up, looking as if he were in a trance.

“Angela, that’s the prettiest truck I’ve ever seen!” Sometimes I think adults don’t stop to see things through a child’s eyes. He could have crushed me. Instead, he lifted my little soul.

Action

"Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“Do you want to know who you are? Don’t ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.” - Thomas Jefferson

“The path to success is to take massive, determined actions.” - Tony Robbins

Missed Opportunities

A young man wanted to marry the beautiful daughter of a rich farmer, and sought her hand.

The farmer agreed but on the condition that he would catch a bull by its tail.

On a fixed day, the young man was there for the challenge of his life.

The farmer released a large bull. It came running fast towards the young man. Feeling threatened, he let it go by, wanting to take a chance on the second one.

The second which was released was much more powerfully built and more menacing than the first. The young man was broken between risking and taking yet another chance. In the meanwhile, the speeding bull passed by thereby the young missed the second chance too. While he was praying he should succeed in the next one chance which was his last, also hoping it would be a weak one, the third was released. Much to the delight of the young man it was a puny skinny one. It came towards him slowly. The young man steadied himself and tried to grab it's tail. To his shock this bull had no tail at all.

Taking the story into our life, am wondering as to how many opportunities we let go for various reasons of comfort, laziness, procrastination, assuming more better ones will come...and so many other reasons.

Pause for a while, take stock and rework to develop new strategies to grab opportunities coming.

Inspiring true story Originally Published in the Readers Digest.

A SMALL FORTUNE

by Ron Fleming, Fort Drum, New York

While walking across an open, grassy field, I became excited as my hand swooped toward the ground like an eagle attacking its prey. I picked up half of a $5 bill. I continued to walk around looking for the other half but thought to myself it would be impossible to find it on such a windy day. As I lifted my head, I spotted the other half of the bill tangled in crabgrass. Somehow, finding two halves of a ripped $5 bill felt better than working for a twenty.

Ambition

"Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in." - Bill Bradley

“Ambition is enthusiasm with a purpose.” - Frank Tyger

“A man’s worth is no greater than his ambitions.” - Marcus Aurelius