Nobody is perfect! Period.
We are human beings bound to commit blunders and learn from them. None in the world is error-free.
During childhood I always looked up to the elders and wanted to be like them. I assume it’s customary around the world to compare kids with elders in the family and expect them to behave like the older generation. It helps both ways. It’s the best ego massage to the elders at the same time it recognizes the kid’s effort.
When I attained teens, I upgraded my idol to film and sports stars, which did improve my dressing and hairstyle and a few catchy phrases which they often used on screen.
After studying in best universities and armed with a couple of professional degrees, I got opportunities to brush through some the celebrities in the field of art, business and cinema. During my close encounters with them, I experienced they were no different than me. They had their own complex, fear, and insecurities along with the outstanding qualities which pushed them to top. Time has proven that the biggest sports star can be just as bad at relationship.
While idolizing someone, we are swept with the person’s success, wealth and charisma and of course some extra-ordinary traits which we love or aspire to acquire. Gradually our obsession gets stronger that we start following everything the person does- good or bad and stamp a lifetime visa to commonwood.
After experiencing thirty one summers and winters, I have realized it is a brilliant idea to acquire qualities from celebrities, not the persona. There are uncountable people and objects which inspire me right from a sweeper to Socrates, and from a toddler to Times Square.
I don’t have any idol although I love the James Bond movies, Paulo Coelho books and some qualities of my mom and dad. Don’t be shocked if I share some day that YOU inspired me.
These blogs contain stories, anecdotes, poems and thoughts to inspire you live a more successful life. Welcome to Vivek Singh Blogs.
Showing posts with label story inspiration change humanity love chanting lake vivek singh anecdote chanting lake two choices. Show all posts
Showing posts with label story inspiration change humanity love chanting lake vivek singh anecdote chanting lake two choices. Show all posts
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
One Man With Courage Is A Majority
This quote by Thomas Jefferson struck me hard when I saw it on my friend’s status board on facebook.
Everyone aspires to maintain high level of moral standards in the beginning. The person experiments, struggles and finally embraces words like pragmatism, worldliness as an escape. Not all, some of them stick to the principles or truly what they believe in and they make many sacrifices, still they carry on relentlessly. They are the men with courage.
We pass through injustice every now and then and undeniably, the time-proven way to follow is SILENCE, which we do, until we are the victim. Every so often, even we are the victim still we feel silence will cure things in course of time. It does, but we spend a life full of guilt and frustration.
Now the question is what prevents us from standing up and voicing what we believe in? Fear. Fear of losing job, fear of annoying someone, fear of revenge, fear of adding trouble in life, fear of being ostracized or fear of just losing our comfort zone.
The men with courage are not without fear but ones who feel their silence is like trading the soul.
Caution: I advocate voicing at any given time what you stand for. But Remember, the harshest of the things can be put in nicest way and vice-versa. So, gauge your language and tone, not to forget the context, that’s what I consider pragmatism. There is always a way you can retain your job or lessen the intensity of annoyance despite expressing courage. This art is not easy to acquire, but unquestionably you’ll stand out without trading your soul.
Everyone aspires to maintain high level of moral standards in the beginning. The person experiments, struggles and finally embraces words like pragmatism, worldliness as an escape. Not all, some of them stick to the principles or truly what they believe in and they make many sacrifices, still they carry on relentlessly. They are the men with courage.
We pass through injustice every now and then and undeniably, the time-proven way to follow is SILENCE, which we do, until we are the victim. Every so often, even we are the victim still we feel silence will cure things in course of time. It does, but we spend a life full of guilt and frustration.
Now the question is what prevents us from standing up and voicing what we believe in? Fear. Fear of losing job, fear of annoying someone, fear of revenge, fear of adding trouble in life, fear of being ostracized or fear of just losing our comfort zone.
The men with courage are not without fear but ones who feel their silence is like trading the soul.
Caution: I advocate voicing at any given time what you stand for. But Remember, the harshest of the things can be put in nicest way and vice-versa. So, gauge your language and tone, not to forget the context, that’s what I consider pragmatism. There is always a way you can retain your job or lessen the intensity of annoyance despite expressing courage. This art is not easy to acquire, but unquestionably you’ll stand out without trading your soul.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Dive Deep Down-D3
I read newspapers, magazines, newsletters, blogs, stories, novels, poetries, emails, letters, brochures, numbers on excel sheets etc. I watch news, music, reality-shows, youtube, keynotes, interviews etc. I listen to podcasts, songs, opinions, advice and hear whispers, growling, laughter etc. You must be thinking.. So What?
I just wanted to start my blog differently.
What I wanted to infer is- in this age of cutting edge technology we still rely on watching, listening and reading different sources of information, which shape our thoughts. Most people trust a limited number of sources and show allegiance to the information gained. Hardly few of us try to question the source and authenticity of information.
Jessica- a friend of mine felt Panasonic is the best phone. You must have questioned her technological awareness by now. But she had a reason- She liked Panasonic because she had one. Now she feels Sony Ericsson is the best.
We are no different than Jessica. Each one of us has our favorite film star, newspapers, magazines, and web sites. More often than not information is presented with facts, and sound so convincing that we end up believing and spreading them. Lest we ever question the authenticity of information despite many website and columns clearly mention that the article is a personal opinion of the author.
The only way to untangle the ravines of information is to question them. Question everything that matters to you. Question every piece of information you watch, hear or read. Try acquiring different point of view about the same topic. Doubt every piece you come across. Else, unknowingly you will end up carrying or spreading misinformation. And not to forget,question every email before you forward them to benefit your friends.
I just wanted to start my blog differently.
What I wanted to infer is- in this age of cutting edge technology we still rely on watching, listening and reading different sources of information, which shape our thoughts. Most people trust a limited number of sources and show allegiance to the information gained. Hardly few of us try to question the source and authenticity of information.
Jessica- a friend of mine felt Panasonic is the best phone. You must have questioned her technological awareness by now. But she had a reason- She liked Panasonic because she had one. Now she feels Sony Ericsson is the best.
We are no different than Jessica. Each one of us has our favorite film star, newspapers, magazines, and web sites. More often than not information is presented with facts, and sound so convincing that we end up believing and spreading them. Lest we ever question the authenticity of information despite many website and columns clearly mention that the article is a personal opinion of the author.
The only way to untangle the ravines of information is to question them. Question everything that matters to you. Question every piece of information you watch, hear or read. Try acquiring different point of view about the same topic. Doubt every piece you come across. Else, unknowingly you will end up carrying or spreading misinformation. And not to forget,question every email before you forward them to benefit your friends.
Who's Calling YOU
Wow! What a stimulating blog by Dan T Cathy. What I have understood is- To create trust, start with small actions.
By Dan T Cathy
We all feel stranded sometimes, stuck if you will by the circumstances of the day. We have to make a difficult decision or step out and do something risky, and we feel a bit lost at sea in those moments. But what if that wasn’t just a feeling? What if one afternoon, you found yourself afloat in an ocean without end and a boat without rescue? What then?
That’s what one group of people found one afternoon in Europe. They were off course. They had floated further and faster than they had anticipated. They were lost, stranded in an endless sea with land and hope long forgotten. So they did what everyone would have done, they contacted the Coast Guard.
As fate would have it, they couldn’t get through. The call wasn’t answered, the line never connected and the waves kept coming. What now? What would you have done in that moment? Who would you have called?
It’s an interesting exercise, but one group of people, it was more than an exercise, it was a life or death situation. So who did they call? Their travel agent.
Go ahead and read that last sentence again, because it’s unbelievable. Trapped on a boat, lost without imminent rescue, they called their travel agent. Why? Because they didn’t have an ordinary travel agent, they had a Travel Counsellor. Renowned the world, and ocean, over for their service, the Travel Counsellor sprung into action. They alerted the authorities and helped rescues the stranded boat. Crisis averted.
If you’re a leader, you can’t hear that story without thinking, “Would they have called me? In that situation, would the boat have trusted me or my company to help? What does it take to have a relationship like that?”
Those are great questions to wrestle with, and as we discuss them this year, I want to remind you of one thing – start small. In our quest to be greater leaders or raise stronger families or lead better companies, we sometimes get lost thinking about the rescue phone calls. Instead, I think we need to focus on the day to day, seemingly small decisions.
Was I kind today to people who were not kind to me? Did I operate from my strengths? Did I make it easy for a customer to tell me they were unhappy with something? Did I go the second mile when the first mile was all that was expected?
These are always the kind of questions we need to ask and answer long before we’ll get a call from the middle of the ocean. And as we do, each day, we’ll get better at both the little things and the big rescues we’ll all face as leaders.
By Dan T Cathy
We all feel stranded sometimes, stuck if you will by the circumstances of the day. We have to make a difficult decision or step out and do something risky, and we feel a bit lost at sea in those moments. But what if that wasn’t just a feeling? What if one afternoon, you found yourself afloat in an ocean without end and a boat without rescue? What then?
That’s what one group of people found one afternoon in Europe. They were off course. They had floated further and faster than they had anticipated. They were lost, stranded in an endless sea with land and hope long forgotten. So they did what everyone would have done, they contacted the Coast Guard.
As fate would have it, they couldn’t get through. The call wasn’t answered, the line never connected and the waves kept coming. What now? What would you have done in that moment? Who would you have called?
It’s an interesting exercise, but one group of people, it was more than an exercise, it was a life or death situation. So who did they call? Their travel agent.
Go ahead and read that last sentence again, because it’s unbelievable. Trapped on a boat, lost without imminent rescue, they called their travel agent. Why? Because they didn’t have an ordinary travel agent, they had a Travel Counsellor. Renowned the world, and ocean, over for their service, the Travel Counsellor sprung into action. They alerted the authorities and helped rescues the stranded boat. Crisis averted.
If you’re a leader, you can’t hear that story without thinking, “Would they have called me? In that situation, would the boat have trusted me or my company to help? What does it take to have a relationship like that?”
Those are great questions to wrestle with, and as we discuss them this year, I want to remind you of one thing – start small. In our quest to be greater leaders or raise stronger families or lead better companies, we sometimes get lost thinking about the rescue phone calls. Instead, I think we need to focus on the day to day, seemingly small decisions.
Was I kind today to people who were not kind to me? Did I operate from my strengths? Did I make it easy for a customer to tell me they were unhappy with something? Did I go the second mile when the first mile was all that was expected?
These are always the kind of questions we need to ask and answer long before we’ll get a call from the middle of the ocean. And as we do, each day, we’ll get better at both the little things and the big rescues we’ll all face as leaders.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
I Believe!
I believe, though shadows may fall,
I believe the sun comes out, after all
I believe there's something to look forward to…
I believe there's someone beside me
I believe there's someone to guide me
I believe I'm not alone, on my own…
I believe I've got the music in my soul,
I believe my life's in my control
I believe I have the strength to carry on
towards my goal…
I believe that I've got it in me
To do my best, the very best that's within me
I believe I have a long, long way to go…
Yes, I believe, I believe in me.
I believe the sun comes out, after all
I believe there's something to look forward to…
I believe there's someone beside me
I believe there's someone to guide me
I believe I'm not alone, on my own…
I believe I've got the music in my soul,
I believe my life's in my control
I believe I have the strength to carry on
towards my goal…
I believe that I've got it in me
To do my best, the very best that's within me
I believe I have a long, long way to go…
Yes, I believe, I believe in me.
In A Different Way
Live each single moment,
As if it were you last.
Look forward to the future,
Forget about the past.
Take in time to value,
Exactly what you've got.
Appreciate the now,
Use what you've been taught.
To further your enjoyment,
Of each new passing day.
Try learn something new,
In a different way.
Expand your horizons,
By trying something new.
Makes life seem much larger,
You'll know just what to do.
When you have a problem,
You can not seem to mend.
Somehow try it different,
Mind and thoughts must bend.
Learning to live life better,
In a different way.
Be open to ideas,
Every single day.
As if it were you last.
Look forward to the future,
Forget about the past.
Take in time to value,
Exactly what you've got.
Appreciate the now,
Use what you've been taught.
To further your enjoyment,
Of each new passing day.
Try learn something new,
In a different way.
Expand your horizons,
By trying something new.
Makes life seem much larger,
You'll know just what to do.
When you have a problem,
You can not seem to mend.
Somehow try it different,
Mind and thoughts must bend.
Learning to live life better,
In a different way.
Be open to ideas,
Every single day.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Sucess Shuns You Once... Twice.. Thrice
I have noticed brilliant ideas biting the dust around me on many occasions. Many among us conceive terrific ideas, some of us even muster courage to give a shape to them, a few of us go even further and try to make it a reality. Sad! Hardly a few of them make up to success stories.
I had read many books and articles advocating persistence. You should not give up, keep trying until success embraces you. Nice! Mostly before success embraces us, we run out of patience. No one tells us what should be the limit of patience. When we reflect, what our mind concludes is: If I keep trying a thousand times, still I don’t succeed, where will I reach? No wonder this thought scares us. And we give up.
A very close friend of mine, Prashant, a man of average caliber got enrolled for Chartered Accountancy. His first challenge was adapting to the language, as he belonged to a remote village in India and he started English only from class six. Secondly, he was throughout an Art student and had seen credit and debit only on bank statement. But, his determination was worth a gold medal. He failed once.. twice and upon being asked, what he planned next, he always said, “Come what may! I will pass the next one.” And he did.
Now, not only he is a full-fledged Chartered Accountant, he speaks fine English good enough to give a complex to a DPS pass out and currently holds CFO position in a leading domestic company.
When I last met him in New Delhi after nearly a decade, I could still see the same determination in his eyes and couldn’t hold myself saying, “Come what may! I will pass the next one.”
What I learned was every time he failed, he did brutally unbiased reflection and worked on his flaws. Over and above his persistence, he didn’t forget to avoid his past mistakes.
Do try again, but if it’s not working, change your approach, finetune your resources, check the timing and context, seek others feedback with open mind and do everything possible. I know you have already worked hard, but still it’s not the time to give up!
Success may shun you once..twice..or may be thrice. But finally, it doesn’t have a choice, it will be compelled to knock your door.
I had read many books and articles advocating persistence. You should not give up, keep trying until success embraces you. Nice! Mostly before success embraces us, we run out of patience. No one tells us what should be the limit of patience. When we reflect, what our mind concludes is: If I keep trying a thousand times, still I don’t succeed, where will I reach? No wonder this thought scares us. And we give up.
A very close friend of mine, Prashant, a man of average caliber got enrolled for Chartered Accountancy. His first challenge was adapting to the language, as he belonged to a remote village in India and he started English only from class six. Secondly, he was throughout an Art student and had seen credit and debit only on bank statement. But, his determination was worth a gold medal. He failed once.. twice and upon being asked, what he planned next, he always said, “Come what may! I will pass the next one.” And he did.
Now, not only he is a full-fledged Chartered Accountant, he speaks fine English good enough to give a complex to a DPS pass out and currently holds CFO position in a leading domestic company.
When I last met him in New Delhi after nearly a decade, I could still see the same determination in his eyes and couldn’t hold myself saying, “Come what may! I will pass the next one.”
What I learned was every time he failed, he did brutally unbiased reflection and worked on his flaws. Over and above his persistence, he didn’t forget to avoid his past mistakes.
Do try again, but if it’s not working, change your approach, finetune your resources, check the timing and context, seek others feedback with open mind and do everything possible. I know you have already worked hard, but still it’s not the time to give up!
Success may shun you once..twice..or may be thrice. But finally, it doesn’t have a choice, it will be compelled to knock your door.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Life is More Fun when You Have a Company
Few days back I went to watch Up In the Air-the latest movie starring George Clooney. His spellbinding performance did invoke many rounds of clap and laughter. But, the dialogue which I can’t still forget is-Life is more fun when you have a company.
I don’t want to elaborate the context, but very few among us would have thought about these splendid words.
Without any doubt, it is our life and we are sole owner to make a decision about it. But imagine yourself on an island where you have everything in abundance but any other person. Imagine! your Birthday and you have no one around to clap while you cut the cake. Imagine! you become the wealthiest man in the world, and no one to savor the beautiful luxuries with you. Imagine! you are in deep pain, and no one around to ask how you feel. Imagine! you bought a Ferrari and no one’s along to go for a long drive. Just the thought of it puts us off, doesn’t it?
It’s true that you have come in this world alone and will go back alone. But, as long as you live, make it a celebration. And celebration is never alone.
I don’t want to elaborate the context, but very few among us would have thought about these splendid words.
Without any doubt, it is our life and we are sole owner to make a decision about it. But imagine yourself on an island where you have everything in abundance but any other person. Imagine! your Birthday and you have no one around to clap while you cut the cake. Imagine! you become the wealthiest man in the world, and no one to savor the beautiful luxuries with you. Imagine! you are in deep pain, and no one around to ask how you feel. Imagine! you bought a Ferrari and no one’s along to go for a long drive. Just the thought of it puts us off, doesn’t it?
It’s true that you have come in this world alone and will go back alone. But, as long as you live, make it a celebration. And celebration is never alone.
Justify Your Existence
I’m back from vacation. Trust me! No place like home.
We started with Dubai then went to different parts of north India and where we got severely tortured by chilled weather. Flight cancellations and train rescheduling pushed my change management skills to a new level. Hope you are aware- Delhi is known for extreme weather.
Now I’m proud to have first-hand experience at Burj-al-Arab (the only 7 star hotel in the world) and Burj Khalifa (the tallest building in the world) and Palm Jumeira. Of course got a few photos clicked to brag about.
The most commendable thing about Dubai is- it’s built out of nothing but just a VISION. Few know that Dubai doesn’t have oil.
The place which once was a dusty Arab town is now a glitzy megapolis known of the best of luxuries in the world. I suspect if the concept like Desert Safari ever existed before Dubai marketed it. They must have got inspiration from Jungle Safari. Whatever be the case it deserves a must visit, where you explore sand dunes with twists and turns in a Toyota Landcruiser sometimes as steep as almost 90 degrees.
I forgot to mention legendary Palm Jumeira. We went there by road and had a coffee at newly opened the Atlantis. Hats off to the man who thought of creating artificial island like this. It’s truly magnificent. But missed the aerial view, which left the experience incomplete.
Places like these do inspire us to justify our existence by creating things which never existed.
King Maktoum, May God help you recover from the recent setbacks so that you keep adding new icons on earth.
We started with Dubai then went to different parts of north India and where we got severely tortured by chilled weather. Flight cancellations and train rescheduling pushed my change management skills to a new level. Hope you are aware- Delhi is known for extreme weather.
Now I’m proud to have first-hand experience at Burj-al-Arab (the only 7 star hotel in the world) and Burj Khalifa (the tallest building in the world) and Palm Jumeira. Of course got a few photos clicked to brag about.
The most commendable thing about Dubai is- it’s built out of nothing but just a VISION. Few know that Dubai doesn’t have oil.
The place which once was a dusty Arab town is now a glitzy megapolis known of the best of luxuries in the world. I suspect if the concept like Desert Safari ever existed before Dubai marketed it. They must have got inspiration from Jungle Safari. Whatever be the case it deserves a must visit, where you explore sand dunes with twists and turns in a Toyota Landcruiser sometimes as steep as almost 90 degrees.
I forgot to mention legendary Palm Jumeira. We went there by road and had a coffee at newly opened the Atlantis. Hats off to the man who thought of creating artificial island like this. It’s truly magnificent. But missed the aerial view, which left the experience incomplete.
Places like these do inspire us to justify our existence by creating things which never existed.
King Maktoum, May God help you recover from the recent setbacks so that you keep adding new icons on earth.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Your Smile is Priceless
The New Year has just begun. So with it a set of hope, aspirations and resolutions. Wish you all a wonderful 2010. Hope we have more peace and prosperity all around this year.
Yesterday we went out to watch Avatar and it’s breathtaking visuals are still vivid in my mind. First time in life we were out for over nine hours with only purpose in mind-FUN! And without any doubt, it was incredible!
After the show, my wife wanted to buy a pair of Puma shoes and she finally got one of her choice. It was black leather sports shoes with yellow Ferrari logo which looked superbly appealing. The dilemma on her face was starkly visible for quite a while, she scrutinized them from every angle, tried them out and finally whispered, “It’s expensive!” I could comprehend her expression, smiled at her and said, “Your smile is priceless!”
Although it was expensive, yet I felt investment paid off when I saw the big smile on her face. Nothing makes us feel happier than giving joy to others.
Yesterday we went out to watch Avatar and it’s breathtaking visuals are still vivid in my mind. First time in life we were out for over nine hours with only purpose in mind-FUN! And without any doubt, it was incredible!
After the show, my wife wanted to buy a pair of Puma shoes and she finally got one of her choice. It was black leather sports shoes with yellow Ferrari logo which looked superbly appealing. The dilemma on her face was starkly visible for quite a while, she scrutinized them from every angle, tried them out and finally whispered, “It’s expensive!” I could comprehend her expression, smiled at her and said, “Your smile is priceless!”
Although it was expensive, yet I felt investment paid off when I saw the big smile on her face. Nothing makes us feel happier than giving joy to others.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Date with Destiny
Life keeps showering surprises every now and then. There are times when I worked very hard, but things didn’t work. I can also vividly remember instances when I didn’t take things seriously, but got groundbreaking results.
I strongly believe that there’s something which control our lives beyond our efforts. There’s someone who fixes our date with destiny or disasters. Don’t know how it works, but it does work.
I can’t visualize anyone who’s failed more than me. I was doing Company Secretaryship along with graduation, I failed there. Doubly motivated by my failure, I tried Network Marketing, it was again not my cup of tea. Started preparing for Armed Forces, passed the written exams, but couldn’t crack the interview. I can still recollect disappointment in my Mom’s eyes after she heard the result. Started preparing for other government jobs, nothing worked. Then, my fascination towards Call Centers started. Went for the first interview, got stuck in final stage. Tried at EXL, GE, Daksh, American Express, Convergys,Vertex, Global Vantedge and uncountable other companies which were hiring for Call Centers. None of them selected me. It went to the extent that GE would reject me right over the phone, whenever I called them again. Probably my voice skills were not up to the mark. I didn’t give up. Tried again, and again and again. Finally, I got a call from Daksh for non-voice process. I can’t forget how happy I was when I got the offer letter. It was the happiest moment of my life.
I know that was not a perfect interview, probably someone had fixed my date with the destiny.
Does it mean should we leave everything up to destiny? Not at all! Had I stopped trying, I would have never got that job. More important than luck was Persistence. Never Stop! Keep trying and wait for the lady luck to smile at you.
I strongly believe that there’s something which control our lives beyond our efforts. There’s someone who fixes our date with destiny or disasters. Don’t know how it works, but it does work.
I can’t visualize anyone who’s failed more than me. I was doing Company Secretaryship along with graduation, I failed there. Doubly motivated by my failure, I tried Network Marketing, it was again not my cup of tea. Started preparing for Armed Forces, passed the written exams, but couldn’t crack the interview. I can still recollect disappointment in my Mom’s eyes after she heard the result. Started preparing for other government jobs, nothing worked. Then, my fascination towards Call Centers started. Went for the first interview, got stuck in final stage. Tried at EXL, GE, Daksh, American Express, Convergys,Vertex, Global Vantedge and uncountable other companies which were hiring for Call Centers. None of them selected me. It went to the extent that GE would reject me right over the phone, whenever I called them again. Probably my voice skills were not up to the mark. I didn’t give up. Tried again, and again and again. Finally, I got a call from Daksh for non-voice process. I can’t forget how happy I was when I got the offer letter. It was the happiest moment of my life.
I know that was not a perfect interview, probably someone had fixed my date with the destiny.
Does it mean should we leave everything up to destiny? Not at all! Had I stopped trying, I would have never got that job. More important than luck was Persistence. Never Stop! Keep trying and wait for the lady luck to smile at you.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Don't be Serious, Be Sincere
Yesterday I received this speech through email from one of my colleagues. Chetan Bhagat delivered this speech at Symbiosys, India to the BBA students. It makes a lot of sense and hope will bring some spark in your life too. I'm a big fan of Bhagat, who's not just read all his book, but is also waiting for the next one. Just like his books, this piece is interesting and I'm sure will stay in your mind for long.
Love!
Vivek
Dont just have career or academic goals. Set goals to give you a balanced, successful life. I use the word balanced before successful. Balanced means ensuring your health, relationships, mental peace are all in good order.
There is no point of getting a promotion on the day of your breakup.
There is no fun in driving a car if your back hurts.
Shopping is not enjoyable if your mind is full of tensions.
"Life is one of those races in nursery school where you have to run with a marble in a spoon kept in your mouth. If the marble falls, there is no point coming first. Same is with life where health and relationships are the marble. Your striving is only worth it if there is harmony in your life. Else, you may achieve the success, but this spark, this feeling of being excited and alive, will start to die.
One thing about nurturing the spark - don't take life seriously. Life is not meant to be taken seriously, as we are really temporary here. We are like a pre-paid card with limited validity. If we are lucky, we may last another 50 years. And 50 years is just 2,500 weekends. Do we really need to get so worked up? .
It's ok! Bunk a few classes, score low in couple of papers, goof up a few interviews, take leave from work, fall in love, have little fights with your spouse. We are people, not programmed devices..... ...." :)
"Don't be serious, be sincere."!!
Love!
Vivek
Dont just have career or academic goals. Set goals to give you a balanced, successful life. I use the word balanced before successful. Balanced means ensuring your health, relationships, mental peace are all in good order.
There is no point of getting a promotion on the day of your breakup.
There is no fun in driving a car if your back hurts.
Shopping is not enjoyable if your mind is full of tensions.
"Life is one of those races in nursery school where you have to run with a marble in a spoon kept in your mouth. If the marble falls, there is no point coming first. Same is with life where health and relationships are the marble. Your striving is only worth it if there is harmony in your life. Else, you may achieve the success, but this spark, this feeling of being excited and alive, will start to die.
One thing about nurturing the spark - don't take life seriously. Life is not meant to be taken seriously, as we are really temporary here. We are like a pre-paid card with limited validity. If we are lucky, we may last another 50 years. And 50 years is just 2,500 weekends. Do we really need to get so worked up? .
It's ok! Bunk a few classes, score low in couple of papers, goof up a few interviews, take leave from work, fall in love, have little fights with your spouse. We are people, not programmed devices..... ...." :)
"Don't be serious, be sincere."!!
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Newton Rules Your Life !
I was staring at the sky sitting in my balcony, suddenly a thought struck my mind.. Newton Rules My Life. Let’s not misinterpret I’m going to talk something scientific.
I presume, you too remember Newton’s third law of motion. I’ve quizzed hundreds of people and everyone was able to tell me in some form. If you can’t recollect.. you too quiz someone. You will get the answer.
Suppose you are waiting at a signal to turn it green. Parallel to your car, you see a guy looking at you from his car. You look back and sincerely smile. The guy smiles back.
Let’s change the situation.
You had a bad day in the office. You come home and press the bell. Your wife opens the door and you straightaway head inside without even looking at her. You throw the laptop in the corner, sit on the couch, close your eyes resting your head and she asks, “What do you want to have in dinner?” You shout, “NOTHING!” Imagine what will be her response.
Didn’t you experience the third law of motion?
Also, think about the following actions and actively notice the reaction:
1. Be the first to greet the receptionist at the check in counter on the air port.
2. Brake you car to offer a crossing to a pedestrian.
3. Offer your seat to an elderly person in train or bus.
4. Sincerely thank a colleague for her support.
5. Let your spouse know how deeply you love her.
If observed closely, you’ll notice Newton rules every second of your life. Give more to get more!
Saturday, April 25, 2009
It Couldn't be Done
Somebody said that it couldn't be done,
But, he with a chuckle replied;
That "maybe it couldn't" but he would be one,
Who wouldn't say so till he'd tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin,
On his face. If he worried he hid it;
He started to sing as he tackled the thing,
That couldn't be done, as he did it.
Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you'll never do that;
At least no one we know has done it";
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he'd begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.
There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you, one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle right in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing,
That cannot be done, and you'll do it.
by Edgar Guest
But, he with a chuckle replied;
That "maybe it couldn't" but he would be one,
Who wouldn't say so till he'd tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin,
On his face. If he worried he hid it;
He started to sing as he tackled the thing,
That couldn't be done, as he did it.
Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you'll never do that;
At least no one we know has done it";
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he'd begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.
There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you, one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle right in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing,
That cannot be done, and you'll do it.
by Edgar Guest
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Two Choices
What would you do?....you make the choice. Don't look for a punch line, there isn't one. Read it anyway.
My question is: Would you have made the same choice?
At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves children with learning disabilities, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended.
After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question:
'When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does, is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?
The audience was stilled by the query. The father continued. 'I believe that when a child likeShay, who was mentally and physically disabled comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child.' Then he told the following story:
Shay and I had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?' I knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but as a father I also understood that if my son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.
I approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, 'We're losing by six runs and the game is in theeighth inning.
I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning.' Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. I watched with a small tear in my eye and warmth in my heart. The boys saw my joy at my son being accepted. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as I waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again.
Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat. At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game?
Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.
However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team wasputting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed.The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay.
As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.The game would now be over. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game. Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, 'Shay, run to first! Run to first!'
Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base.He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled. Everyone yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!' Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball. The smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team.
He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home. All were screaming, 'Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way, Shay!'
Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, 'Run to third! Shay, run to third!'
As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, 'Shay, run home! Run home!'
Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team 'That day', said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, 'the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world'.
Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making me so happy, and coming home and seeing his mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!
And now a little foot note to this story:
We all have thousands of opportunities every single day to help realize the 'natural order of things.' So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice:Do we pass along a little spark of love and humanity or do we pass up those opportunities and leave the world a little bit colder in the process?
A wise man once said every society is judged by how it treats it's least fortunate amongst them.
My question is: Would you have made the same choice?
At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves children with learning disabilities, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended.
After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question:
'When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does, is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?
The audience was stilled by the query. The father continued. 'I believe that when a child likeShay, who was mentally and physically disabled comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child.' Then he told the following story:
Shay and I had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?' I knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but as a father I also understood that if my son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.
I approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, 'We're losing by six runs and the game is in theeighth inning.
I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning.' Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. I watched with a small tear in my eye and warmth in my heart. The boys saw my joy at my son being accepted. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as I waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again.
Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat. At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game?
Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.
However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team wasputting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed.The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay.
As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.The game would now be over. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game. Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, 'Shay, run to first! Run to first!'
Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base.He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled. Everyone yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!' Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball. The smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team.
He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home. All were screaming, 'Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way, Shay!'
Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, 'Run to third! Shay, run to third!'
As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, 'Shay, run home! Run home!'
Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team 'That day', said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, 'the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world'.
Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making me so happy, and coming home and seeing his mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!
And now a little foot note to this story:
We all have thousands of opportunities every single day to help realize the 'natural order of things.' So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice:Do we pass along a little spark of love and humanity or do we pass up those opportunities and leave the world a little bit colder in the process?
A wise man once said every society is judged by how it treats it's least fortunate amongst them.
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