gleaminghearts@sagar

How to know an Indian/Telugu Film is a Hit/Flop?

2012-03-22T01:10:00.002-07:00

Originally Posted by Vinay Pemmasani

How to know an Indian/Telugu Film is a Hit/Flop....?

Let me tell you that Its a pretty difficult q/n to answer in the 1st place! However, I give it a try!

Well, if you wanna know about a Hollywood flick, its very straight forward, as they mention the very genre of the film by its name in IMDB(Internet Movie Data Base). They reveal the complete story of the film in their 120 seconds trailer. If you like the stars, genre and if you like the subject, you go for it. And the rating given in IMDB is by people who watched it, not by a corrupt reviewer (As in the case of top Indian Website Reviewers).

However, in Tollowood, today, most of the films are genre-less films. Because, every movie uses Comedy, Action, Drama, Romance, Fiction, Suspense, but in different proportions. We also have a name for this mixed-genre, "MASALA". So, how do we differentiate films? People differentiate them by commercial and non-commercial! Practically speaking, there is no meaning to this terminology either in Telugu. Because, Every 99% of them are commercial. Rather, I would call them BIG-STAR Films & Medium-Small STAR Films......!

Going into the topic, How to know a movie is a hit/flop....? These are the main possible resources to know about a movie:

Magic Numbers?

Reviews?

Face Book/Twitter?

Media?

Mouth-talk?

BIG-STAR Films & Medium-Small STAR Films are very different from each other in all the above aspects!

Medium-Small STAR Films:

MAGIC NUMBERS: No Producer will announce the MAGIC NUMBERS ; 1st-Day, 1st-Weekend, 1st-Week collections(As they would B very low).

REVIEWS: I guess, No one really care about them these days. Very reliable source to confuse you with technical terminology, who give rating (stars ) based on the hotel (3 star or 5 star) where they get their pre-release party from producer! :P

FACE BOOK/TWITTER: We give a damn to promote or demote a small film, which is not the case in our BIG Favourite star film!

MEDIA: Producer should spend to promote their success on media; So, you will hardly see promotional programs on media about these films.

MOUTH-TALK: YESSSS! The only source to know about a successful Small-Star Films.

Therefore, bottom line is, it is very easy for us to estimate the success of these films, not much confusion.

BIG-STAR Films:

This is interesting! Let me give you an interesting formula:

Common Audience > Anti-Fans > Fans

This is because, we have three major fan bases in the state, MEGA, NANDAMURI, GHATTAMANENI. And these are more or less equal. And each fan-base has anti-fan-base from the remaining two. Therefore, every hero has more Anti's than the actual fans, and obviously there are more number of common audience than the Anti's.

RELEASE: It all starts way before release, by showing the number of prints/screens/shows. Ex: 1500/1800/2000 etc. Also, Logo Launch function, First look poster function, Audio Release function, Platinum Disk Function, Film Release Date function etc. Do not panic looking at these numbers. This doesn't even give a clue about the hit/flop factor of a film.

MAGIC NUMBERS: Every Producer will announce the MAGIC NUMBERS ; 1st-Day, 1st-Weekend, 1st-Week collections. And, sometimes they hype (Increase the collections) it to prove that their film is a hit/blockbuster. NOOOOOO. This does not give us a clue either. Because, these are BIG-STAR Films. Therefore, the 1st 3 days (Fri,Sat,Sun) collections reflect the Box-Office Stamina of the STAR (Hero), not the film. To be specific, 1st Weekend, they will get a share of around 12-13 Crores for NTR, MB, PSPK. You need to understand this first.

However, the collections on/from MONDAY reveal the actual stuff/Fate of the film. If the film does well on/from Monday, this is a commercially successful film. Again, what is a commercially successful film? A film liked by A,B,C centre audience, which would obviously have got a lot of "MASALA" factor. How do you know how much it s got on Monday? Producer Magic Number??? Noooooo....... Rather, Reliable Resources, where you get complete breakdowns:

Ex: www.andhraboxoffice.com

REVIEWS: I guess, No one really care about them these days. Very reliable source to confuse you with technical terminology, who give stars based on the hotel (3 star or 5 star) where they get their pre-release party from producer! :P So, you do not decide based on Reviews!

FACEBOOK/TWITTER: If a BIG film is releasing, its FANS/ANTI-FANS usually PROMOTE/DEMOTE the film on FB/Twitter. This is very unreliable resource to make a decision on the success of a film, because the responses would be extremely mixed. This is even more, if the film is about Avg. Even for a flop film, FANS would try to pick something interesting (for them) in the film to PROMOTE it. Even for a Hit film, ANTI-FANS would search for reasons to DEMOTE it.

EX: PSPK Fans for PULI: High grosser of disasters; Johnny: Different/Brave attempt

NTR Fans for RAKHI: Super Emotional Film/ Super NTR Action

MB Fans for KHALEJA: MB's Comic Timing is Super/ Super Entertainment.

ANTI-MB Fans: Saying Genuine Blockbuster DOOKUDU is a hit because of Brahmi/MS not coz of MB etc!

Therefore, you do not decide based on FB/Twitter Status!

MEDIA: Websites/Channels will be packed with TV Shows, Interviews, Success Meets during and after release, which are common for both hit/flop shamelessly.

So, do not decide based on Media!

MOUTH-TALK: Noooo. Because, it is more Complicated. Because, you have more Anti-Fans than Fans. However, you can rely on common audience talk, but which is a bit difficult to find during release, because, families, common audience do not rush to theatres in first week of release itself.

Therefore, MONDAY Mornings for Big-Star Films....Mouth-Talk for Small-Star Films.....!

Marriage of Movie & Money : Death of Innovation & Creativity!

2012-03-22T01:09:00.000-07:00

Originally Posted by Vinay Pemmasani

We are approaching a world where the most known form of art, film, is being redefined. It is no more a place where “you can tell a story”! It is no more a place where innovative and creative people can amaze audience with their original stories, resulted from their incredible passion & imagination. The only reason for this devastating situation is “MONEY”, the destroyer of beauty of mankind; & Film is not an exception.

A story is a result of a thought process, where the “ideas, opinions & thoughts” blossom in the mind of the creator resulted from his interests, passions & imagination. Such is the nature of an original story, which will form a beautiful garden full of flowers, whose fragrance will be fresh and can be felt by audience. However, the M-factor is making the film makers go behind the stories resulted from “Unoriginal Ideas, Audience Opinion & Copied Thoughts”, which makes the audience feel “Yet Again, another commercial movie, uffff”! Because, these three has also got a collective name, “COMMERCIALITY”!

This is exactly the case with the most renowned film industries in the world, Hollywood & Bollywood. Having done an extensive research in the trade & creative aspects of HW, I would say, Hollywood should add a caption to their Hollywood sign in Los Angeles, which says “We don’t tell stories anymore”. Hollywood top studios WB, Paramount, 20^th Century Fox, Walt Disney, and Universal are just playing nothing but a safe game. They are not ready to invest on any new original films, if they are neither sequels nor adaptations.

Here is the proof! None of the top grossers of 2011 are ORIGINAL. Shame on Studios and the film makers who could not dare make a big original film in the entire year full of 700-800 films. However, the logic is simple! If a studio invests on an already popular adaptation such as The Twilight Saga or Harry Potter, irrespective of how the film comes out, they make HUGE ROI (Returns On Investment), as they have got a huge fan base established already. The other way of making money is franchisees making a sequel such as Pirates of C, Transformers, X-man, Batman, HP etc. These also make huge ROI, because of established fan base. This has been proved several times in the HW history. In addition to this devastating situation, the new trend HW studios are following is making the 3D versions of blockbusters in the past. Walt Disney invested 10 million on The Lion King for 3D conversion, which grossed 100 million. Studios cannot ask for any better. Today, Star Wars in 3D is in theatres making good money. This summer, HW has 5 notable 3D converted releases which include Titanic. These figures obviously do not let the HW studios risk investing in new original films.

And Bollywood is also following exactly the same path to hell. They are no different. Here is the proof. None of the Top 5 grossers of 2011 are Original stories. They are either remakes or sequels.

Bodyguard - 140.95 C (Remake from Malyalam)

Ready - 121.26 C (Remake from Telugu)

Ra.One - 114.78 C (Copied thought, Yet not successful)

Don 2 - 109.50 C (Sequel of a 6 times remade movie in Telugu, Tamil & Hindi)

Singham - 102.10 C (Remake from Tamil)

This surely is not an era for Original film makers. Definitely not. Here’s a simple example. We all know renowned Christopher Nolan, who happened to direct the third highest grosser of HW, Batman Series. He had this incredibly original and outstanding idea of Inception. However, no studio was ready to invest in Inception, just because it lacked the commercial content they were looking for. & Finally, Warner Bros. did a favour to Nolan investing for Inception, just because the studio needs him to make Batman 3. Now, think about new young film makers. Such is the respect some incredible Original ideas and their makers are getting at the door steps of HW. And this is just because of the only factor, “MONEY”. Being an aspiring film maker and original film lover, that’s why I call it “Marriage of Money & Movie: Death of Innovation & Creativity”.

Journey is what matters than destination!

2012-03-22T01:07:00.000-07:00

Originally Posted by Vinay Pemmasani

Journey is what matters than destination!

It’s not just about getting what you desire, but about HOW you get it. Unstoppable...! Until now, I have just used this word for exaggerating something. But today, I have learnt the actual meaning of “Unstoppable”, only by watching someone of such kind.

You watch football players scoring some stunning goals, always an eye feast to experience. However, watching Lionel Messi scoring goals is just irresistible. He scores with ease; he scores with skill... out of all, he scores with passion, which is always inspirational. However, what’s so special about it? We see Beckham, Zidane, Ronaldo, Rooney scoring goals...They all are exceptional...But, What’s the difference?

A legend like Zidane lost his temper at the most critical time, when it’s much needed for his country & for his own career itself. 2006 World Cup Final, Italy Vs France! It was not just a game, but a war, a battle of prestige...! Have a look at this!

Zidane's Temper!

Situations pull your shirt from behind.

The most dangerous evils pull your feet to disturb your dream run.

At times, enmity in your dear friends stop you from stepping ahead, holding your hand tight.

Society would whisper in your ears about your weaknesses, which would lock you up from all corners, not allowing you to pursue what you want.

Racist pricks would try to disgrace you about your colour, place, language & culture.

You even fall down many times…

But it’s about giving birth to fire in you and bringing all your strengths together to get up again and finding your way back.

Look at him, the real UNSTOPPABLE, who expects the unexpected, and still be pleased at unpleasant kicks/pulls/pushes/dashes:

UNSTOPPABLE Messi!

Isn’t he UNSTOPPABLE???

That’s his attitude. He is more about targeting what he wants in his mind, all the time. It’s about priorities. It’s about control. It’s about being intelligent. It’s about holding his nerves for something he loves. That’s the thin line that separates being exceptional and unstoppable.

Come on now! “UNSTOPPABLE you” should face & demolish all STOPPABLES in your own path, and your passion is what drives it. Bring out the fire in you. Enjoy facing the challenges and hurdles, which forms an enjoyable journey.

In cricket, 2 hours of nail biting thriller >>>> 2 min of winning feel!
In life, 2 or 20 years of inevitable struggling, yet enjoyable journey >>>> 2 min feel of fulfilled desire!

Enjoy every part of it....! If not, life would be just like watching a replay match knowing that you have already won or lost the match!

That’s why, I feel,

“Journey is what matters than destination!”

Find Your Passion & Film it!

2012-03-22T01:05:00.002-07:00

Originally Posted by Vinay Pemmasani

My Previous piece of writing, “Marriage of Movie & Money: Death of Innovation Creativity”, might have left you with a feeling “What the hell is going to happen? What Now?” Well, that’s a million dollar question. I have no clue about what young film makers would try to do to survive such demolishing situation. However, in this writing; I am going to tell, what I think they should do.

Today, streets of Los Angeles, London, Mumbai and even Hyderabad are full of Short Film screenings. Times have changed. This is no more an era of aspiring film makers, dreaming about working as assistants, hoping to would become a director SOME day. Today, the trend allows them to buy a camera, play around with it, find an enthusiastic team, make a short film, amaze people with their thoughts and prove their talent. Being in such an opportunistic world, would eventually tempt young film makers to cook up a story and film it in rush. Well, this is the problem.

James Cameron, being a profound lover of science fiction and sea life, spent 3000 hours in the deep Atlantic Ocean & was a member of NASA advisory board, before making Titanic, Terminator & Avatar. He spent millions of dollars & years of hard work in creating performance capture technology, to film Avatar. He originally loves all those creatures we see on the planet Pandora, some of which actually exist in deep oceans. Such immense passion reflect in his science fiction movies, which make the whole world spell bound, without even having any stars.

A 13 year Orthodox Jewish child made an award winning war film called “Escape to No Where”, he turned out to be Steven Spielberg. After facing difficulties in school being a Jewish & going through his father’s the World War-II experiences, he was interested in showing that extremely emotional & sensitive content during war, on silver screen. This resulted in making him the king of genre “WAR”. He has also received two Oscars for his War films, Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan.

His passion about human psychology, special effects & film making techniques can be seen in his every film ever made. He is the best user of Visual Effects. Name of this University College London guy is Christopher Nolan. His passion in special effects reflects in his very first 3 minute short film, Doodlebug, and he was unstoppable in his latest Bible for Visual Effects, Inception.

I find SS Rajamouli, an ace director, as a person with outstanding sensibilities had an urge of telling stories from his childhood. Filming action sequences backed up with highly emotional content is his weapon to amaze audiences. He introduced visual effects to TW on a big canvas (MD), made a movie (MR) without a star hero and grossed 30C, and now again filming a movie called EEGA with huge CG work involved without a big star. Passion & confidence.

Shankar is a director with great human values and the only Indian director with fantastic taste in fantasy & special effects, which can be seen in his every movie. He made the most expensive Indian film in 1998, where he used brilliant visual effects at that time, which was India’s pick for Best Foreign Language film for Oscar. His recent epic, Indian “I, Robot”, is still the highest grosser of Indian Cinema. Such is the nature of having passion, which builds confidence and reflects on silver screen.

However, this is exactly the problem is with young film makers. If a film maker love a specific subject matter, be it a simple drama or action or sci-fi or adventure or comedy or romance or even patriotic, he can be the best at telling it. He can convey the feelings and sensibilities of that story at his best, only when he has passion for that subject. Only then, he can actually tell a fresh original story, that the audience wouldn’t have seen anything like that before. However, when he has no passion, imagination and idea about any specific subject, the story, and eventually the film, turns out to be routine and unoriginal.

This is why I believe young Film/Short Film makers should stop writing Stories and making Films/Short Films in rush. Yes, they should just stop trying to be something having nothing to convey. Out of 100 short films (Indian) I see every day, 90 of them revolve around a guy, girl and their tragic or comic love stories, without minimum standards in Camera, Sound etc. Only 10 films are actually touching other genres with decent standards. This surely is because of lack of depth in knowledge and passion in other genres, which is really worrying in the internet world. “Know what you’re passionate about, find your interests, and film them. They would eventually turn out to be very original, exceptional and makes you stand out. You should be the captain of the ship. All the stars and productions houses will be behind them sooner or later, as it’s been proved several times in case of above film makers.”

2011-05-19T23:21:00.001-07:00

2011-05-19T23:20:00.001-07:00

2011-05-19T23:16:00.001-07:00

2011-05-19T23:15:00.000-07:00

2011-05-19T23:08:00.000-07:00

woooowwwww.....

Debut Telugu Album releasing on 14th feb.

2011-02-10T23:20:00.000-08:00

Debut Telugu Album releasing on 14th feb.

The Truth About Persistence

2010-12-01T00:00:00.001-08:00

Persistence is often described as the ultimate key to success, but what most people don’t realise is that there are three different types of persistence.

The three types of persistence are:
(1) Blind Persistence
(2) Random Persistence
(3) Planned Persistence
Imagine for a moment that you are standing in front of a safe containing 10 million dollars. The safe has a 4 digit combination lock and if you can find the right combination within 24 hours, you can claim the 10 million dollars as your own.
Blind Persistence
The blind persistence approach is to decide that you know for a fact that the combination is ‘7318′ and to spend the next 24 hours entering this same combination and trying to open the door.
Random Persistence
The random persistence approach is to try different combinations at random and hope that you get lucky. The problem with this approach is that after a few attempts, you won’t remember which combinations you’ve tried and which you haven’t.
Planned Persistence
The planned persistence approach is to start with ‘0000′ and then try ‘0001′, ‘0002′, ‘0003′…until you reach the right combination. If you enter one combination every 8 seconds, it will take you just over 22 hours to try every combination possible. This approach therefore guarantees you success.
As you can see, blind persistence and random persistence rarely lead to success. The key to achieving your most important life goals is to learn to use planned persistence.
Here’s a real world example to show you what I mean.
Rob is trying to attract more customers to his automotive repair business.
Blind Persistence
He decides to put an ‘A’ frame sign in front of his shop and waits for the customers to come through the door. Nothing happens… He waits for three long weeks before realising that his approach isn’t working.
Random Persistence
His next approach is to try as many random marketing techniques as he can think of. He drops flyers into mail boxes, puts an ad in the newspaper and has a glossy brochure printed. He gets a few more customers but doesn’t know where they’re coming from.
Planned Persistence
Finally, Rob decides to sit down and think things through. He decides to run another ad in the newspaper and to monitor his results by asking every new customer how they found him. After three weeks, his results show that only one customer came from his newspaper ad while 12 customers came in as a result of his mail box flyers. He therefore decides not to advertise in the newspaper and puts the money he saves into expanding his mail box flyer campaign.
Rob is now using planned persistence and is on his way to achieving his goal of building a profitable business.
This Week’s Action Steps
(1) Decide on your goal and stick with it.
(2) Understand that to achieve your goal you need to use ‘planned persistence’ which involves carefully planned experimentation.
(3) Create a written plan of action of things to try.
(4) Try different techniques and monitor your results carefully.
(5) Discard what doesn’t work and move on to your next experiment until you find the combination that unlocks your dreams.
Until next time,
Dare To Dream!

~ $@G@R ~

The Wall of Doubt and Fear

2010-11-30T23:59:00.001-08:00

There is a wall that separates each of us from our most important goals in life. The strange thing about this wall is that it is a barrier which we create for ourselves.

We construct this wall in our minds using bricks of doubt and fear.
Let’s take a look at how this wall is created:
When you set a new goal, it is natural to have a small amount of doubt about your ability to achieve your objective.

Initially as you start to work on your goal, you get a boost of self confidence because you are taking action and your level of doubt decreases. However, after you’ve worked on your goal for a little while, you come to the Point of Clarity.

The Point of Clarity is the point at which you first fully understand how much work and effort is actually involved with achieving your goal. It is usually at this point that the bricks of doubt and fear start to build.
The next thing that happens is that you encounter a significant problem and immediately your doubts and fears increase which adds to number of bricks in your wall.

You then become aware of another problem:

And then problems seem to come at you from every direction

With each problem you encounter, your doubts and fears increase. You start thinking things like:
“I’m not smart enough to do this”
“I’m not capable of doing this”
“I don’t have what it takes to achieve this”
“I’m too old for this”
“I’m too young for this”
etc.
If you ever catch yourself saying things like this, it’s important to remember that

“When you doubt your power, you give power to your doubts.” – Author Unknown

Unfortunately, many people give so much power to their doubts that the wall in their mind becomes insurmountable and they walk away from their dream.
However, something truly remarkable happens to the small group of people who continue to meet these problems head on and persevere in the face of adversity.
Eventually they come to realize that facing and solving these problems is an important part of the process of achieving their goal. With experience they also realize that they ARE capable of meeting and overcoming these challenges.
With this realization, they cross over to the Point of Self-Confidence

Once you reach the Point of Self Confidence, everything changes.
You continue to face problems, but now each problem you solve makes you more confident in your ability and you begin to eliminate the bricks of doubt and fear from your mind.
You solve a problem and remove a layer of bricks

Then you solve another problem

Each time you solve a problem your remove another layer of doubt and fear.

Finally you solve the last problem that stands between you and your goal – Your self confidence soars and the final bricks of doubt and fear disappear.

You then look back to find that the wall of doubt and fear is gone – In fact it never really existed at all.
So today I’d like to encourage you to never give in to the doubts and fears that stop most people from achieving their goals. Always remember that the wall that stands between you and your objective only exists in your own mind.
Instead of walking away from your dream, focus on solving one problem at a time. As you gain experience, your self confidence will grow and the wall of doubt and fear will gradually disappear.
Until next time,
Dare To Dream!

The Key To Eliminating Your Problems

2010-11-30T23:58:00.000-08:00

There is a big difference between solving a problem and eliminating a problem. This week I’d like to share with you a powerful strategy that will help you eliminate your problems for good.

Let me explain using a real world example.

Last week I visited my parents and found that my mum was looking for a phone bill that she needed to pay. She was frustrated because she couldn’t find the bill anywhere. My dad and I joined in and soon we were all busy looking in drawers, cupboards, and old telephone books. Eventually, Mum found the bill in her handbag! – Problem solved right?

Well sort of…

It was true that the immediate problem had been solved, but I knew from experience that this was likely to happen again so I tried to think of a way to eliminate the problem for good.

In the case of lost bills, the system I set up for my parents was simple but effective. It consisted of a red folder, a green folder and a hole punch.

System To Eliminate The Problem Of Searching For Lost Bills

(1) When a new bill arrives in the post, it immediately gets placed in the red ‘Unpaid Bills’ folder.

(2) When a bill gets paid it gets transferred to the green ‘Paid Bills’ folder

(3) At the end of the month, all the bills in the green folder get archived to a cupboard.

Now, I know this is a very simple example but it illustrates an extremely powerful concept.

Whenever you encounter a problem, instead of focusing on just solving the problem try and put in place a system that will eliminate the problem in the future.

Every time you put in place a new system to eliminate a problem you make yourself more efficient and more productive.

Now you may be thinking, "I don’t really like having systems", but the reality is we all have systems in place whether we recognise them as systems or not.

For example, my old ‘car key system’ was:

(1) Come home

(2) Drop car keys in a random spot

(3) Waste five or ten minutes looking for keys before leaving home in the morning

We have systems for every aspect of our lives. The key to improving your efficiency is to replace systems that don’t work with systems that do work (for example, having a regular spot to put my car keys when I get home!)

This Week’s Action Steps

Identify areas in your life that are inefficient. A good way to do this is to take note of any situation in which you feel frustrated. Instead of just solving your problems, take action to eliminate them forever by improving your systems.

Until next time,
Dare To Dream!

How To Use Fear

2010-11-30T23:56:00.001-08:00

Generally speaking, most of us fear things which we don’t understand. Often, when something is unfamiliar, a negative part of our mind begins to imagine terrible scenarios based on our lack of understanding. However, fear can also be a valuable tool for achieving success if you learn how to use it properly.

The best way to utilise fear is to view it as a sign post to identify the areas of your life in which you need to acquire more knowledge.

Here’s an example to show you what I mean…

Sean was an electrician who was starting out in his own business. He was so busy trying to stay on top of his day-to-day appointments that he somehow never got around to understanding the Tax system properly.

Deep down, he knew that he didn’t understand how the tax system worked and this led him to constantly worry that he would receive a letter from the Tax Department demanding money.

Eventually, Sean realised that his fear of the unknown was holding him back from achieving success in his business, so he booked himself in for a weekend Tax workshop which was specifically designed for new business owners.

By the end of the weekend, Sean finally understood how the Tax system worked and had a list of simple processes that he could use to run his business effectively.

What really surprised Sean was the huge boost in confidence that this new knowledge gave him. He was no longer worried about receiving letters from the Tax department because he now knew how the system worked.

This experience taught Sean a valuable lesson that he never forgot:

"With knowledge comes confidence
and with confidence comes success"
- Anthony Fernando

Today I’d like to encourage you to treat your fear as a signpost to identify the areas of your life in which you need to acquire more knowledge.

When you take action and acquire that knowledge, you’ll find that not only will your fear disappear, but you’ll also receive a huge boost in self confidence as you move closer towards achieving your goal.

Until next time,

Dare To Dream!

~ $@G@R ~

Busy or Productive?

2010-11-30T23:55:00.001-08:00

One of the best ways to accelerate your progress towards achieving your most important goals is to understand the difference between being busy and being productive.

These days everyone is busy. We’re busy with work commitments, family commitments, community commitments and study commitments just to name a few. We all seem to start each day with a long and demanding ‘To Do’ list.
The big question is – Are the items on your ‘To Do’ list leading you towards achieving your most important goals?
Being truly productive does not involve simply getting a lot of tasks done. It involves identifying and completing the specific tasks that will lead you where you really want to go.
A great question to ask yourself at the end of each day is:

"Am I a step closer to achieving my goals than I was this morning?"

If the answer to this question is "Yes" then you’ve had a productive day. If the answer is "No" then chances are you’ve been very busy but not really productive.

The best way to make the transition from being busy to being productive is to follow these steps:

Step 1: Identify your most important current goals

Step 2: Determine the specific tasks that will move you a step closer to achieving each of your goals

Step 3: Schedule these tasks early in your day when you’re fresh and alert

For example, when I was a computer consultant, I was working up to 70 hours a week but deep down I knew that my actions were not taking me any closer to achieving my goals. I felt like a duck swimming against a fast flowing river. I was paddling as hard as I could but I just wasn’t getting anywhere.

Finally I realized what the problem was – I was always busy but never productive.

To break this pattern I set aside one hour a day as ‘My Time’ to work on my own business. This wasn’t always easy to find but I loved the feeling that came from knowing I was doing something productive each day to achieve my goals.

Eventually those one hour blocks of time led to the creation of PianoIsFun.com which in turn helped me to walk away from the corporate world.

So I encourage you today to make the transition from being busy to being productive by following the three steps above. When you know what your goals are and you commit to taking a productive step towards achieving them each day, your success really is just a matter of time.

Until next time,

Dare To Dream!

~ $@G@R ~

How To Be Happy

2010-11-30T23:54:00.000-08:00

At the end of the day, what most people really want in life is to be happy.

Many people believe that happiness comes from obtaining certain objects. They say things like,

"I’ll be so happy when I get my new iPod!"

However, the happiness associated with obtaining these objects is usually fleeting. Have you ever received something you really wanted only to have it end up sitting on a shelf gathering dust a few weeks later? I know I have!

So, if lasting happiness can’t be found by obtaining ‘things’, how can we increase the levels of happiness in our lives?

I believe that the best way to obtain lasting happiness is to bring happiness into the lives of others. The most amazing thing about happiness is that the more you give away to others, the more you receive for yourself.

Here is a step-by-step plan that will help you bring happiness into the lives of others and thereby increase your own levels of happiness.

Step 1: Select someone in your life that you care about. It could be your partner, a child, a friend, a nephew or niece etc.

Step 2: Identify that person’s current passion in life. To do this, just ask them what they’re up to or interested in at the moment.

Step 3: Organise an experience that combines spending time with that person and persuing their passion.

Here’s a real life example to show you exactly how this works:

When my nephew Michael was 8 years old, his main passion in life was dinosaurs. One day I arranged to pick him up to go on an ‘adventure day’. Our first stop was a hardware store where we puchased a chisel to go with the two hammers I had picked up from home.

We then drove to a local beach called ‘Fossil Beach’ where we spent a few hours chipping away at rocks. What made this experience so special was that we were spending time together pursuing his main passion in life.

My nephew found two small fossils and was unbelievably excited. His happiness in turn made me incredibly happy. This trip is still one of our fondest memories even though it happened several years ago. The total cost of our expedition was $8.50.

So, whenever you’re feeling a little low and need a dose of happiness, one of the best things you can do is to focus on making someone else happy. Remember…

Until Next Time,
Dare To Dream!

~ $@G@R ~

Pay Your Dreams First

2010-11-30T23:53:00.000-08:00

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “Pay yourself first” – It usually relates to the idea of saving a percentage of your paycheck as soon as you receive it and then living on the remainder. This is a much more effective approach than trying to save whatever is left over at the end of the month because we all know that there’s rarely anything ‘left over’.

What many people don’t realise is that this same principle applies not only to money but also to time and energy.
When you’re working full time and/or raising a family, you may find that at the end of the day you just don’t have enough time or energy left to work on achieving your personal goals and dreams.
In order to make your goals a reality, you must make two important decisions:

(1) Decide that your goals are important and make them a priority in your life.

(2) Decide to work on YOUR dreams before you work for other people.

Now you might be thinking. “Anthony – that sounds good in theory, but what does it mean in the real world?” – Good question…Let’s have a look at an example:

Here is a typical work day for most people:

Time	Activity
7:00am	Wake up and get ready for work
8:00am	Travel to work
9:00am – 6:00pm	Work for other people
7:00pm	Dinner
8:00pm – 11.00pm	Spend time with family / watch TV etc
11:00pm	Go to sleep

The most practical and effective system for making your dreams a reality is this:
Step 1: Go to sleep an hour earlier than usual
Step 2: Wake up an hour earlier than usual
Step 3: Spend the first hour of your day working on your personal goals and dreams
By following this system, you make your goals a priority and “Pay Your Dreams First”
Let’s look at a revised timetable:

Time	Activity
6:00am	Wake up and get ready for work
7:00am	Work on your goals and dreams
8:00am	Travel to work
9:00am – 6:00pm	Work for other people
7:00pm	Dinner
8:00pm – 10.00pm	Spend time with family / watch TV etc
10:00pm	Go to sleep

Although it might initially be difficult to make these lifestyle changes, if you can adopt this as your new morning routine, you’ll find yourself on the fast track to creating the life you really desire. Each and every day you’ll be gaining momentum and moving steadily towards achieving your goals.
You really can change your life one hour at a time. Always remember:

Until next time,

Dare To Dream!

~ $@G@R ~

How To Get What You Want

2010-11-30T23:52:00.001-08:00

Asking people for what we want can sometimes be a difficult process involving awkward discussions and potential conflict. However, it doesn’t have to be that way.

The secret to getting what you want from other people is to develop a genuine sense of reciprocity by giving before you receive.

The term ‘reciprocity’ describes the expectation that people will respond to you in the same way that you respond to them. So if you give another person something of value, they will be much more inclined to give you something in return.

Next time you want something from someone, instead of simply asking or demanding what you want, try using the following Reciprocity Formula.

The Reciprocity Formula

Step 1: Analyse the situation from the other person’s point of view and try to identify what they currently want. If you can’t figure out what they want, the best thing to do is to ask them.

Step 2: When you have identified the main thing they want, present your case by saying something like, "If I help you achieve… [what they want], could we discuss… [what you want]. Most reasonable people will be open to this approach because they are receiving before they have to give.

Step 3: Follow through and help the other person achieve their objective. The more time and effort you put in during this step, the more reciprocity you will develop.

Step 4: When you have achieved the objective you agreed upon, revisit your initial discussion and ask for what you originally wanted.

Here’s an example that shows how the Reciprocity Formula works in the real world:

Sherry worked as a Sales Rep in a software company and wanted to ask her boss for a raise. From previous experience, she knew that simply asking for a raise was rarely effective so she decided to apply the Reciprocity Formula.

Step 1: Sherry had lunch with her boss and asked him what his major goal was for the quarter. He informed her that what he really wanted was to sell 1000 copies of the companies new accounting software before the end of the financial year.

Step 2: Sherry then presented her case by saying, "If I can sell 1000 copies of the new accounting software by June 30th, would you be open to discussing a raise?" Her boss said he’d be happy to.

Step 3: Sherry got down to work and devised a viral marketing campaign on the Internet. She worked extremely hard and her boss could see that she was serious about achieving her goal.

Step 4: Sherry achieved her sales goal and arranged to have lunch with her boss again. In a three month time frame, she’d added a great deal of value to the company and in doing so, she’d also built up a genuine sense of reciprocity with her boss. Over lunch, Sherry’s boss confirmed that he would be happy to give her a raise.

Giving before you receive and developing a genuine sense of reciprocity is one of the most effective ways to get what you want from other people. So today, I’d like to encourage you to use the Reciprocity Formula to develop true WIN-WIN agreements that will help you achieve your most important life goals.

Until next time,

Dare To Dream!

~ $@G@R ~

Seeds of Thought

2010-11-30T23:50:00.000-08:00

One of the most important principals for achieving success is to understand that your mind is like a garden bed where you cultivate and grow the seeds of thought.

When you plant a positive seed of thought in your mind and nurture it carefully, it germinates and grows until it leads you to take action.
As soon as you begin acting on your idea, your seed of positive thought becomes a seedling of positive action.

If you continue to feed and encourage this seedling, it gradually develops into a tree of positive habit.

Once this habit has become solid and immovable, it is then only a matter of time before it blossoms to produce the fruits of success.

However it is important to be aware that the garden of your mind does not discriminate between positive and negative seeds of thought.
A negative seed of thought planted within your mind often leads you to take negative actions. These actions gradually develop into negative habits that will inevitably produce the fruits of failure.
When you understand that your thoughts lead to actions and your actions develop into habits and that it is your habits that determine your results in life, then you’ll appreciate why it’s so important to be careful about the seeds of thought that you plant within your mind.
One of the real secrets of success is to become a watchful caretaker over the garden of your mind and make sure that you only plant and cultivate thoughts that will develop into the positive habits necessary for making your dreams a reality.
So what does this mean in the real world?
It means that you should carefully monitor the thoughts that you are planting within your mind each day. Whenever you catch yourself planting or nurturing a negative thought, make the conscious decision to uproot and discard it.
For example, when Andrew went to see his doctor, he was told that he had high cholesterol and needed to lose 10kg. In response to this advice, Andrew joined his local gym and started exercising three days a week.
A few weeks later Andrew stood in front of his bed room mirror and assessed his reflection.
His first thought was, “I look exactly the same! All that hard work and I don’t look any different. This isn’t working at all.”
Then he stopped and realized that this was a negative seed of thought.
He knew that if he continued to nurture this negative perspective it wouldn’t be long before he started skipping sessions and pretty soon his exercise program would be a thing of the past.
Having recognized his negative seed of thought, Andrew made the conscious decision to uproot and discard it before it took hold in his mind.
He took a second look at his reflection and told himself, “Every training session is making me fitter.” This was a positive seed of thought that made him feel good about the action he was taking.
Over time, Andrew continued his training program while protecting his mind from the disempowering seeds of negativity. Eventually he reached his goal weight and brought his cholesterol level down to a healthy level.
So today I’d like to encourage you to become a watchful caretaker of your mind. Whenever you identify a seed of negative thought, uproot and discard it.
Remember, it is much easier to uproot a seed of negative thought than it is to chop down a tree of negative habit that has taken root over many years.
By planting and cultivating seeds of positive thought, you will set in motion a truly remarkable process.
In the same way that a tiny acorn develops into a mighty oak tree, your positive seeds of thought will germinate into the actions and habits that will ultimately lead you to success.
Until next time,
Dare to Dream!

~ $@G@R ~

Sany

2010-11-19T20:50:00.000-08:00

Sany

B."TEaCH"-Solutions

2010-11-08T00:27:00.000-08:00

B."TEaCH"-Solutions

8 Adventurous Spots Around the World

2010-10-26T12:20:00.001-07:00

One of the many reasons why people travel is the challenge it poses. Diving into shark-infested waters, climbing the towering peaks or trekking through dense jungles – they all jolt adventure travelers to life. As my blood rushes with every adventure, I am reminded of the meaning of travel. Once again, based on my own experience and observations, here’s my round-up of 8 adventures and where best to do them.

1. Mountain Trekking – Nepal

Home to the highest peak in the world, Nepal is the playground for climbers and trekkers interested in pushing themselves to the limit. There are numerous trekking routes to explore the Himalayas – the most popular being the Annapurna Base Camp Trail. Many find themselves tested both physically and mentally, returning home with a fulfilled sense of accomplishment.

Flickr Photo by McKaySavage

2. Hiking through the Amazon Jungle – Ecuador

Few places in the world offer such raw adventure: trudging through the thick foliage of the Amazon in the sultry heat and stumbling upon wildlife and primitive tribes give modern-day travelers a taste of jungle life. Definitely the highlight of our trip through South America, a multi-day jungle trek brings you close to nature and back to basics.

3. White-water Rafting – New Zealand

New Zealand has always been known as adventure travelers’ stomping ground. Queenstown, famed for the variety of heart-pumping activities, promises some of the best white-water rafting opportunities in the world. From Kawarau River for the beginners, to Shotover River suitable for the experts, there is something for every rafting enthusiast. Rapids range from Class II to V. Holidays to New Zealand are sure to get your adrenaline pumping and make you feel truly alive.

4. Skydiving – Florida, USA

There is no other extreme sport that is more jaw-dropping or adrenaline-pumping than jumping off a plane, at an elevation of 1500 feet. There are over thousands of skydiving spots around the world, but many claim skydiving in Sebastian, Florida as one of the most scenic. The dropzone is situated directly on the east coast of Florida, offering a freefall over the beautiful Sebastian Inlet and Atlantic Ocean. Anyone can do it – no physical fitness required!

Photo from TripAdvisor

5. Scuba Diving – Australia

The world’s biggest coral reef, the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, Australia, has an amazing diversity of marine life never seen anywhere else– from huge barracudas, to schools of reef sharks and the famous green turtles. This dive mecca has always been on the top of many scuba enthusiasts’ bucket list. For the outdoor lovers, Australian holidays definitely provide the kind of action and adventure that few countries do.

Photo by The Lightworks.

5. Sand boarding – South Africa

Just 40 minutes away from Cape Town stands the majestic Atlantis Dunes, attracting professionals and amateurs around the world. Its pure white dunes are extremely popular thanks to the perfect sand boarding conditions and the magnificent view of the city and its surroundings. Its gentle slopes make it an excellent spot for beginners.

6. Caving and jungle adventures – Borneo

Borneo is the Asian epicenter of adventure travel, drawing in travelers with the opportunities to do caving, wildlife watching and many other activities. The deep cave systems of Gunung Mulu National Park are some of the best systems to do caving: remember to explore the enticing Lang Cave and Clearwater cave. Outdoor enthusiasts will love to explore the surrounding jungle or climb the Mount Kinabalu peak.

7. Sea Kayaking – Thailand

Southern Thailand, specifically around Koh Phangan, offers out-of-this-world kayaking experiences, suitable for both first-time paddlers and the serious marine explorer. Unique and remote limestone islands sprout from the sea, making kayaking through the inlets an exploration on its own. Many of these isolated islands feature dramatic sea caves and sheltered, pristine beaches that can only be reached by kayaks.

8. Rock Climbing – Jordan

Top 8 Natural Wonders of the World

2010-10-26T12:17:00.000-07:00

Massive volcanic craters, acres of raw jungle and stretch of deserted sand dunes: the work of Mother Earth is beyond our imagination. Thanks to these natural wonders, our Earth has been blessed with gorgeous landscapes and undulating backdrops. Without environmental protection, they might be gone faster than we expect. To pay tribute to these phenomenal sites, here’s my roundup (based on readings and travels) of the world’s top natural wonders.

1. Great Barrier Reef, Australia

The world’s largest coral reef system stretches over 2,600 kilometers and can be seen from outer space. Supporting a wide diversity of marine life, the Great Barrier Reef is a World Heritage site since 1981. A large part of the reef is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which helps to limit the impact of human use, such as overfishing and tourism. A holiday to Australia would be ideal from November to May, when summer temperatures are pleasant and Queensland’s vibrant aquatic life is at its most active.

Photo by Sarah Ackerman

Photo by Brewbooks

2. Amazon Rainforest, South America

An extensive forest covering most of the Amazon Basin of South America, is spread across 8 different countries and covers over 5.5 million km sq. Home to proliferate wildlife and nearly-extinct primitive tribes, the Amazon Rainforest is the largest and most species-rich tropical rainforest in the world.
The majority of the forest is contained within Brazil, with Rio de Janeiro as the best place to enter the jungle from. We trekked through the Ecuadorian part of the jungle, visiting tribes and exploring the forest at night.

3. Grand Canyon, USA

A steep-sided gorge carved by the Colorado River in Arizona is one of the most awe-striking natural site in the United States. The Grand Canyon is a creation formed by over two billions years of nature’s work. Aside from casual sightseeing from the South Rim, the floor of the valley is accessible by foot, mule or rafting. Other activities like whitewater rafting, hiking and running are especially popular.

Photo by Andy Won

4. Sahara Desert, North Africa

The Sahara is the world’s largest hot desert covering over 9 million km sq of area. Spanning most of Northern Africa (Morocco, Egypt, Sudan, Chad and Algeria), it’s almost as large as the continent of Europe. Consisting of rocky formations and large sand dunes, a trip through the Sahara is one of mystique and desolation. Visitors can experience the various cultures around the desert through the little Saharan villages.

Photo by wonker

5. Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

Over 972km west of continental Ecuador, the Galápagos Islands have been secluded from humans for thousands of years, resulting in unique and endemic species of wildlife. This volcanic archipelago of 13 islands is sprouting with marine lizards, giant land tortoises and blue-footed boobies everywhere. An opportunity to visit the islands makes one feels privileged to experience such rare sights in this modern world.

6. Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

The crater is a sprawling conservation land, with one of the largest concentrations of wildlife in Africa. As a natural sanctuary to thousands of birds, lions, zebras, black rhino, it is often called Africa’s Eden.
Known as the “largest unbroken caldera in the world”, the crater is 610 meters deep and 260 sq km. Only the indigenous tribe of Maasai are allowed to live in the land.The crater is most popular for bird watching, photography, walking safaris, and game viewing.

7. Halong Bay, Vietnam

Halong Bay – meaning ‘Descending Dragon Bay’ in Vietnamese- is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It features thousands of limestone karsts and oddly-shaped islets rising from emerald green waters. The evolution of these limestone karsts has taken over 20 million years to form, under the impact of the tropical wet climate. With such biodiversity and ecologically-rich grounds, there is also a thick cultural and historical side to the country. Vietnam holidays often involve a perfect mixture of the two.

Photo by Ethan Crowley

8. Iguazu Falls, South America

Located on the Argentinean-Brazilian border, the falls divide the countries, as if the waters were plunging off the edge of the tectonic plates. It has been compared with the Victoria Falls and Niagara Falls, but the Iguazu definitely offers better views and well-designed walkways. At the Devils’s Throat, you are standing in the midst of the torrential waters, surrounded by 360degrees of waterfalls. Visitors can see the falls from the Brazilian side (Foz de Iguacu) or the Argentinean side (Puerto Iguazu).

Why is China upset over Arunachal Pradesh?

2010-10-26T11:29:00.001-07:00

The recent protest by China over Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh may have surprised many. But why is China protesting, one may ask. Well, the story, rather the animosity, dates back to the British rule in India and the days of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at a press meet

When the British were ruling India, they had demarcated the boundaries between India and China. This was called the McMohan Line. This Line runs to a large extent through Arunachal Pradesh's 1030-km unfenced boundary with China. Beijing never recognised the McMohan Line and has been consistently accusing India of taking away 90,000 sq km of its land. But China shows amnesia when it comes to the north where it occupies a chunk of territory in Kashmir that India regards as its own and it runs in to 43,180 sq km of Jammu and Kashmir.

In a statement, China said the two countries had never officially settled the demarcation of their border, and that its stance on the eastern section of the China-India border was consistent and clear-cut.
India has taken the stand that Arunachal is not a disputed territory and that it is very much part of the Indian Union of States.
Said Foreign Minister S M Krishna: "Regardless of what others say, it is the Government of India's stated position that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India. We rest at that."
China has suddenly raised the issue of Arunachal Pradesh for two reasons: It is upset at the large scale democratic participation of the people of the State in the recent elections which resulted in a whopping voting figure of 72 percent.

Arunachal Pradesh in China : IPhone 4

2010-10-26T11:27:00.000-07:00

Arunachal Pradesh in China as per IPhone 4

Apple IPhone 4, the iconic Mobile Phone by Apple Inc. of United State of America ( USA) shows Arunachal Pradesh of India in China. Apple has accepted Chinese advise to put Arunachal Pradesh in China looking at the huge Chinese market. There has no official reaction from Indian Government. It may be mentioned that, China has been claiming Arunachal Pradesh and call it Zangnan. India and China fought a border war in 1962 over border dispute.

“The map that comes along with the new iPhone is censored to comply with the official stance of the Chinese government on border divisions,” according to one of the several local web sites and blogs including thebeijinger.com. iPhones sold in China shows Arunachal belongs to China, they said.
New users of iPhones in China also find the equipment is VPN-proof. Virtual private networks used by thousands in China to overcome the problem of censorship is not working in the case of the new phones when users try to access sites providing independent mapping services, reports say.
One blogger advised his readers to replace iPhone’s map icon with maps.google.com or simply use Google Earth in order to view reliable maps.