Different Spheres of Life

How My Mother Beat Google!

2018-01-09T13:58:00.005+05:30

It was an early winter morning in Ahmedabad and with the elections in the state of Gujarat, my mother being a government officer, was entrusted the task of a polling officer. She had to make it to the booth by 6:30 am and I being the mummy's boy (😊😊😊) asked her to allow me to drop her to the booth and in a way do my bit since my dad too had been entrusted the duty of a presiding officer and had to stay overnight at a different center. The destination was some school in a certain lane in a certain locality which I had never earlier heard of or been to. My mother had been to the place a day before to prepare and make arrangements for the polling. We started at 6:15 am and I being the technology savvy individual started the journey by plugging in the destination into the Google Maps app. We drove and it was all fine till we

reached a place where Google instructed to drive straight. But my mother( she doesn't use a smart phone nor is tech savvy) asked me to take a left. I told her, "But Mr. Google is instructing to go straight." She insisted on taking left. I asked, "Are you sure?" She said, "Yesterday I had made a note of this particular hotel on this road. Pls take right." On taking right, Google almost showed no way to reach the destination. Then my mother counted the society boards along the road and asked to take right after the third society board. Taking right she then asked to take right onto the second lane and surprisingly we were at the government school where election polling was supposed to be done. I was simply amazed. Not because it was something out of the world but the beauty of sheer conventional wisdom that my mother had demonstrated. It just brought a smile on my face. She had made a note of the landmark, counted the number of blocks and the lanes and rightly so to reach the destination. I was left wondering where Mr. Google would have sent us had I blindly followed and if so would it have been that quick. That also makes me think if we the younger generation with all the gadgets and satellite run apps do and will ever use the conventional wisdom that our elders demonstrate so effortlessly and beautifully. That is also a worry because in this entire process we are also forgetting imparting it to our children. It's the same when simple calculations which we use calculators for are done mentally by our elders. I also hope Mr. Google incorporates this age old beauty of conventional wisdom into its apps. So the next time you are on a joy ride with your parents, do not underestimate their advise.

P.S. Technology is a great savior and an enabler. Google is one of the greatest inventions of modern world.

Taking the Driver's Seat:

2012-07-08T23:38:00.002+05:30

This post is for all belonging to the "Keen Observer" or "Spectator" breed like me who sometimes land up in soup when suddenly asked to take the hot seat of action. "Facilitation" and "Enabling" are key aspects of my role as a Human Resource professional. On a certain occasion, I was facilitating a conference call with an analyst of a partner firm. The call was strategic in nature and so was to be lead by our CEO. Technology being a maverick that it turns out to be in critical times, the channel started developing issues and our CEO couldn't log into the call. The analyst calls have a fixed time slot and predetermined agenda and while we decided to wait for our CEO to log in, he pinged me - "Take the Lead". While the agenda was clearly cut out and I was cognizant of the same, I was definitely put in a fey. I somehow garnered my wits and the call went through well though with a few hiccups. I internalized two very important lessons:

1. Contingency Plan for each task

2. Its not always about taking the back seat

While taking a back seat and relaxing may be the easiest and preferred option for many of us due to our conditioning, life situations demand us to take the driver's seat on several important and critical occasions. The point is how much ready we are to take up the challenge and perform. Some of us may collapse under the sheer pressure of an unplanned event or an adversity because we have never faced such a situation earlier nor are we well equipped to do so.

So while we may be conditioned this way, handling crisis in a better way remains still a concern. The prime and most important aspect of is to venture into the unknown and try the untried - Initiative. One has to allay the fears by fighting the fears and not fearing them. Initiative needs to be encouraged and rewarded. This induces a behaviour of going for the unknown, uncertain and the unexplored. This equips one to better handle crisis situations which demand one to take the driver's seat. While eye-opener's are a good part of experiential and accidental learning, initiated self induced situation handling distinguishes the best of breeds.

Stay back, relax or take the Driver's seat. Choice is Ours!!

The Universal Language - LOVE

2012-02-26T02:34:00.002+05:30

P.N : People who 'term' themselves to be highly 'pragmatic' and above any emotion can safely ignore this post.

If you had to color this part of the year, without contention it would be 'Red' - the color of 'Love'. I will dedicate this post to all the beautiful people and the relations I have and will share with them and the most special one - Mizza/Mols.

With the onset of spring (vasanta rutu), there is an enchanting fragrance which fills the air and makes this month extremely special. So its also nature's way of celebrating and expressing its love towards us. A few days back, FB and other social networking sites were inundated with hearts, chocolates, greetings, flowers, quotes and what not. Suddenly there is a lull. This makes me think if the emotion or expression of 'love' is bound to just one day or the 'V-day' or confined to lovers. Love doesn't require a special day or an occasion to be celebrated or expressed. Nor is it limited by any boundary of region, religion, caste, creed, society or category of an organism. It is beyond and above any expectation or obligation. It is the universal language that is commonly spoken and understood by all existing consciously or unconsciously. However, it is also the most misunderstood and loosely used term. As P.B. Shelley puts its:

"One word is too often profaned to thee to profane it;

One word is too falsely disdained for thee to disdain it."

The first expression that ever existed was 'Love'. God's several creations are the outcome of 'Love'. Nature's existence and its elements aiding human survival are expressions of 'Love' towards mankind. We may not have seen God but each one of us would have felt 'Love' of our parents, siblings, relatives, friends and loved one. Love is trans-nation, trans-being and trans-belief. It is the single delicate thread that binds us, that makes our heart beat, that gives us the reason to exist and that makes our living worthwhile. It is the single universal expression seen in nature and its creatures. The world without love would be like the body without blood - anaemic and dead. Can we even imagine a world devoid of love? Not for a moment. Because its all encompassing, its subsisting. We may not be close to our loved ones but our hearts still beat for them bringing a smile on our face because the invisible thread binds us. Love is what makes a 'relation' a 'relation' in true sense. Its the core ingredient of life and the true meaning of life.

Love loses its shine whenever 'greed' takes over the human race and thereby begins the fight between love and greed. What we and the world needs today is love and more love. This is what will make our life more meaningful.The Bible also says:

"Love thy neighbour as thyself"

Lets Love and spread love after all its the only universal language and means to Peace and Happiness. :)

Power of Determination

2011-11-30T03:04:00.001+05:30

With the ink having mapped my views on several subjects over the past twenty odd days, I finally wrap up my 3^rd semester. It is the onset of some free quality time for self. To avenge boredom, I hop onto my laptop to fulfill my quota of movies. As a coincidence (I would like to say so), I happened to watch some of the most inspiring movies – ‘Rocky IV’, ‘Iqbal’ and ‘JJWS’. All these three movies had one thing in common – ‘Determination to achieve the Goal’.

While in ‘Rocky IV’, it was avenging a friend’s loss of esteem and life; in ‘Iqbal’, it was the desire to represent the nation as a sportsperson (cricketer) and in ‘JJWS’, it was to win the race for fulfilling a father and brother’s dream. There is a great ‘power’ in the ‘determination’ to succeed. Determination is a great virtue and a trait of successful leaders. It is the element which runs in the bodies of these individuals like blood. It is the energy which enthuses them, boosts their morale and keeps them going. Great people like Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Indira Gandhi, Andrew Carnegie, Sachin Tendulkar, Steve Jobs and several others have been exemplary and the world has witnessed the influence they have had on the masses. So where does the determination come from? I believe it evolves from the belief in oneself and one’s ideas; also, a strong desire from within to achieve one’s dream/goal or commitment to a cause/belief. There is a strong connect between the belief that one has in his/her path taken and the level of determination. Determination gives individuals the power to stand by their decision against all the odds. The energy and spirit to ‘Never say Die’, ‘Never say Never’ and ‘No Pain’ emanates from this determination. So when the chips are down, conditions are deterrent to growth and people turn their back, it is the power of determination that keeps us in the game. This is what distinguishes greatness from mediocrity. The great leaders in all arenas have proved this to the world over, time and again. The vision is crystal clear and will power is unshakeable. That’s why great leaders are visionaries. They are determined to pursue their vision. Determination fuels the journey to success and one’s dream for a better tomorrow.

Today, world over what we are seeing is a lack of determination on part of our global leaders to lead and take decisions in the common interest of all. In the organizational context, organizations which have been led by individuals lacking the determination to lead have ceased to exist. Organizations in their ability should be determined to transform and evolve with the changing business, technological, social and political scenarios. They should be determined to the pursuit of their vision, mission and stay committed to their values.

Times may be tough and testing; odds may be against us; Murphy’s Law may work at its best and our best people may have deserted us but it’s our determination which keeps us ‘Going’. So let’s believe in our dreams. Let’s stand by them and let the power of determination marshal the cause.

The Talent Management Way

2011-10-20T23:50:00.000+05:30

A long gap and plethora of thoughts to ponder upon but finally am able to put one of them up here. With the 3^rd semester of my MBA program reaching the finish line, I sit to ruminate my learning over the past 4 months and the events influencing this thought. One of the interesting courses which I took up this semester is ‘Talent Acquisition/Management’. This course dealt with the intricacies of acquiring talent in the organization and strategies to retain the same. I would wonder if the core motive behind this was limited only to the organizations and their effective talent acquisition and retention strategies. I could metaphorically relate it to everything in our life – most importantly ‘Relations’.

We strive throughout our life to get the ‘best’ for us – we retain some while we lose some on our journey. When it comes to the organization, we tend to do every bit possible to retain the best employees but we happen to lose out on the personal front. I was contemplating on the scenario where we could have taken cue from even some of these retention strategies – Life would be more enriching. We lose out on our most important people and relations in life for several reasons. Things and even people are taken for granted and we end up on the losing side. Let us try to draw a parallel and understand how little effort and understanding from our end can lead to better relationship management (Strange but even relations need to be managedJ). At organizations, we focus on motivating employees, appreciating their efforts, rewarding them, helping them achieve their goals and thereby engaging them. There is an unsaid bond which the employees develop with the organization. They connect with the organization and stand for the organization. Their identity becomes synonymous to the organization they are working for. What does this transform into for our personal relationships? All that our friends and close ones expect from our relations is this unsaid and mutual understanding. Even a few words of love and care exchanged work wonders. The gestures of ‘I stand by you’, ‘U can do it’, ‘I am fortunate to have you’ and ‘I adore you’ add to the engagement levels of any relation. Understanding and being grateful to the beautiful people we have in life is extremely important. In organizations, we focus on employee engagement. In our personal life, we need to focus on and give priority to our relations. We can’t let our ‘high performers’ quit; it’s a huge setback for the organization. We can’t let the most important people in our lives leave us. Employees join and leave the organizations over the years but some end up having long lasting relationships with the organization. Similarly, we meet several people over a period of time but we build long lasting relations with some. When we have time for all the other things in life – why not the people who matter the most?

We may not be oblivious to the reasons but we hardly do anything to mitigate the effects. There is inertia; there is the ‘Big EGO’, there is the ‘careless attitude’ and there is this feeling of ‘letting go’. It is difficult to say if anyone wins. An Organization thrives on its high performers – Our life prospers with our closed ones and beautiful relations.

Let’s retain them! Let’s respect our relations!

A Short Journey Comes To An End

2011-06-08T14:07:00.001+05:30

One is often with his own self when aloof and in an unknown place. The restlessness had been shifting higher gears over the past few days with the project work coming to an end and a much longed vacation to home knocking the doors. Though it has been now more than 3 years of juggling between home and different places across India but the feeling of being home still sets butterflies in the stomach. The mornings of the past two months of my internship at RBI have usually been of firefighting and rushing with eagerness and haste to reach office (not too late :)). Today, being the last day was overtly restless and I kept checking on the time since early morning for it to be my wake up time. Nevertheless, I woke up earlier than my set alarm time. Unlike other days, I felt as if I had all the time in the world and l lazily got to the basics of the morning. Still I could find that I was well ahead of my planned time. I lingered to the bus stand not worried if I had missed the bus. I boarded the bus and continued to remain in my thoughts hardly listening to what a fellow passenger had to say about the change bus conductors crib about and dearth of coins in the monetary system. I felt something was missing or rather I was already missing my routine of past few months. I felt I will be missing the place, my office; buzz in the office, the employees most of whom are my parents’ age -their love and concern and of course my awesome and lovely friends and the long talks we had over the sumptuous lunch and snacks. The culture at this organization has been amazing with parental care and concern showered by the employees.

Life is a journey and an endless journey till we reach our ‘Final Abode’. We meet several different people during this journey. Some are there from the start of it while some we meet on the way, some are for a shorter period with us during this journey while others are for longer. It’s like a bus journey. At each stop new people may join in but you will be there in the bus only till your own journey. One needs to move on and realize the purpose of one’s journey to finally reach the Final Destination. What are most important are the bonds that we develop and the long cherished memories which we carry ahead with us. These form the profile of our life. One shorter journey of my life comes to an end today and I move on after my sojourn to reach my Destination and fulfill life’s goal. :)

Experiences and Life

2011-02-16T00:18:00.001+05:30

This place is one of the most sacrosanct places for me and a virtual station where one finds solace. Being the part of the 'Play' called 'Life', one gets so engrossed in it that realization of existence of the same is bemused. It is during the journey of life that an individual actually develops cognizance - Cognizance of people, relations, emotions, values and 'Aim of life'. This comes as a 'take-away' from each experience that one has during the voyage. The most beautiful experiences and learning that you have is from Nature and Human Beings - the most prominent part of Nature. Interaction with fellow humans at each stage involves Learning - however minuscule it may be. Some interactions are transient while others are life lasting. Some are unimportant while others are major reasons of our Happiness or Sorrow. We tend to build bonds with the ones with whom we have shared some of the most splendid moments. Also the impact that these experiences derived out of these bonds have is immense; sometimes even to the extent to make or break you.

Life is however Shrewd. Where it gives you bunch of roses, it also gives you thorns to value the roses. That's life's way of teaching things. Some of us learn it the easy way while still others the hard way. My mind contests - "Life is too short to experience everything. So learn it from others' experience". However, my Heart says - Live the Experience, Love it, Learn from it. After all its these experiences that we carry throughout our lives and cherish the same.

Live, Experience, Learn.

Drive Through

2010-12-01T01:34:00.001+05:30

Over past so many days, having met people of different cadres, in different roles, positions and specifically in age group depicting immense grey matter has made me think not once but innumerable number of times, “What is that DRIVES them seamlessly till date ? “. This sometimes also leads me to an interconnected question, “Are we more restless and lack patience and perseverance? ”. We are still more driven by our ID than our ego or superego. We get tired and bored of things and people so easily that we crave for change and something different each time. It is in this juggle of distractions, we lose the sight of our goal and aim we have set for ourselves in life. The path goes haywire and we lose focus. We become like ships in strong seas unguided and sail in the direction the external forces dictate. What is that then prevents us from the state of constancy of our goals? Is that complacency sets in quite easily within us given the cocooned care of our parents that we all are in? This also reminds me of the Hare and Tortoise story where the focused Tortoise finally wins the race. There is another aspect to this: Expectations. We have such ballooned expectations that we have made it a point to crib about each and everything. And in this blame game and complaining process we forget what the actual agenda was. Observing all these highly experienced people ( I resist from calling them ‘old’), one thing I have learnt is the outlook they have towards life. Their “Never say die” attitude, their simple approach towards life, low or no expectations from things and life, high dedication and commitment towards any activity they carry out. This is probably what drives them tirelessly.Generate that driving force within you. Do something which excites you, which acts as your driving force. This will add to your energy levels than enervating you. They have been a source of my inspiration and my change in attitude towards life. Still learning!

To differ or agree to my opinion is a personal choice. Having said that, our generation surely needs to learn and imbibe things from the learned and experienced generation.

Child is the Father of Man

2010-08-12T00:59:00.000+05:30

I am instilled with nostalgia and the childhood memories of my school teacher uttering these words by William Wordsworth become afresh in my mind. My understanding was in its nascent stage to contemplate the subtle and subterranean meaning that these words carry. Today when I ponder on these words, they make more sense as I reflect on my life journey from a child to a more mature human being.

A child is the treasure of innocence, joy, cheer, simplicity, candidness and is free from any notion of hatred, jealousy and selfishness. A child is the symbol of Purity. The actions of a child are governed by selfless motives. It is in the childhood that the cultivation of values, morals and culture takes place. A child is like a molten metal which can be caste into any shape. The way a potter gives shape to clay, a child can be nurtured in the desired manner. Whatever, the sapling imbibes in the blossoming stage of its life becomes the base of its growth and built in the days to come. It is these values, morals and culture that determine the character and the personality of an individual. Whatever, is blend within us during our childhood is persistent and we carry it with us for our entire life. Gandhiji in his book, “My Experiments with Truth” ascertains this fact and explains how his growing as a child had an impact in his later life as an adult. There is this child in every human being and this is what keeps us going. Several of our actions and decisions are governed by this child within us. The sheer determination and perseverance of Abraham Lincoln made him the President of the United States of America. On the contrary, Mussolini went on to become the dictator of Italy and plunged the world in the World War. Their two varied personalities can be attributed to their childhood. While Lincoln’s was a childhood nurtured through learning, grit, values and perseverance, Mussolini had a troubled childhood. It is the childhood which thus moulds the future of an individual.

We would always like to do things we did as a child. Our thought process is influenced by our childhood. The creativity within us is the ‘Child’ effect. ‘Child’ is what brings life into an individual. It is the ‘Child’ which makes life more meaningful and lively. It is our childhood which shapes our adulthood. It is this Child which lays the foundation of an individual.

That’s what Wordsworth conveys when he says,

“My heart leaps up when I behold
A Rainbow in the sky:
So was it when my life began;
So is it now I am a man;
So be it when I shall grow old,
Or let me die!
The Child is father of the man;”

Honour The Trust

2010-08-06T21:19:00.001+05:30

I had almost stopped writing and had virtually forgotten about my blog after I landed up for my management education and was amidst loads of assignments, presentations, case studies, events and guest lectures. I thank my very dear friend “@SIIB” for coaxing me to write and I am once again convinced about the factuality of my last article on “friends”.

There would have been situations in each of our lives where in we feel our trust has been shaken and we have been taken for a toss. As a child, I used to ask my mom,”Maa, Y do we trust people?” and with an assuring smile my mom used to reply, “The world survives on trust and faith. Whom can we rest our faith on, if not on our fellow human beings and specially our near and dear ones?” These words have served as my guidelines in the formative years of my life and even today. Over the years, however I have realized how easy it is for “certain” people to disrespect your trust for whatever the reason may be. But then life comes about as a full circle and you are made to taste your own recipe someday. So a word of caution to all such people.

Our act not only displays our ethics, virtues and morals but also our upbringing and our mettle. One thing or virtue which sets you apart from the crowd is the way you nurture someone’s trust and “honour” it. You tend to build lifetime relations with such people or organizations. More you treat this sapling of trust with water of care and confidence; more will be the benefits that you will reap out of it. However, if you disrespect someone’s trust, life will take its own course of action. Someone’s trust in you instills a feeling of “responsibility” in you and a sense of “faith” in the person resting his/her trust in you. In whatever part of the world we are, whichever place we are, rules of the game remain the same. At home, your family rests their trust in you, at work place it’s the organization and especially your boss resting his trust in you, in social circle it’s your friends who put their faith in you. And one must honour their Trust. There’s another facet to it and that is “Commitment”. The equation of trust is balanced by commitment from your end. If you default on your commitment, the thread of trust breaks and your relations suffer because it is not that everybody will rest their trust in you but only the ones close to you. In today’s world, people believe in working relations and so trust is almost transient. But then whoever Trusts you – may it be you as a person, as a friend, your abilities and capabilities; try to live up to that trust. Otherwise not only your relations suffer but also your image.

I still abide by what I was taught as a child; have reaped benefits, learnt lessons of life, have got to know different types of people and most importantly MYSELF. Simply said, “Honour the Trust someone rests in You” because that not only makes you a good individual and a great human being but also gives you a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment within.

The Pious Bond of Friendship:

2010-05-19T12:51:00.000+05:30

This is dedicated to all my lovely friends,their love and immense care they have showered upon me and specially my brother who has been the Best of the Best.
I remember of an old adage of school days, "Friendship is a ship which ferries friends in turbulent and calm seas of life and sails them through making the bond stronger than ever".Theres a family in addition to your family in the world outside.The moment, parents make a child enter into the stage of Educating Self,he/she enters into a world which is very new and the nascent individual takes time adjusting to this different world without parents and dear ones.It is here that the culmination of a family outside family,i.e friends and relations
take place.The individual is now with his group of pals matching his frequency,habits and built."Birds of the same breed flock together".This is where we know the importance of bonds and relations which we share for life.The relations stitched with thread of love and care than by the bond of blood.We grow as an individual,meet several people, have acquaintances but very few good friends who stand by us in all our times and are there to lend a helping hand when we are on the brink of fall in life.Afterall, its not only about "A friend in need being a
friend indeed" but realising the worth of your pal and caring for him/her."I may not be able to help you solve all your problems but ofcourse I will not allow you to face them alone",a friend wrote to me.Friendship teaches us the true meaning of words "TRUST" and "FAITH" which are otherwise good only in dictionary.We confide in our friends and true friends will never disappoint you.So the base of any friendship is the trust you put in the relation.Afterall , when KK sung "Yaaron Dosti, yahi zindagi hai.Ye na ho to phir kyaa zindagi hai"(Friendship is Life), he extracted the crux.

However, the bond suffers a blow when we start taking our friends for granted,hurt their trust and faith in us and after that even though the bond may be reconciled but the KNOT remains.
It is this set of friends and relations which act as our Family outside our Family and help us grow as an individual,are with us in all walks of life,make us realize our worth and guide us.
I have been lucky to have such great friends and relations which I will cherish for life and I write this thanking them for being besides me when I needed them the most.
Thanks a ton.

A Smile.Tht's It !!!!

2010-05-06T14:13:00.002+05:30

I write this showing my gratitude for those smiles which lit my face. Thank You(with smile on my face).
There are several occasions in life where in we are down,upset,out of mood, stressed because of several reasons. We as humans are ought to be victims of such states mainly because of our Expectations from someone or life.However,I have been lucky to have such great friends whose 'cute and beautiful smile' has worked wonders for me and has acted as a ferry sailing me through the ocean of emotional or professional downturn. I thank them for being there. Their smile has brought a smile on my face in whatever state I may be.
We are so bogged up with work and other responsibilities that we have forgotten to smile. Some people say, “No time to smile”. Others, "No reason to smile”. Still others, "I have forgotten how I look when I smile”. Is this the life which we aspire to live? Is this how we set an example? In Setting up our lives, career, children, we get Upset. But are we doing justice to ourselves as a person who has right to his/her share of happiness. Life has its set of challenges but that should make us more strong and a better person than a emotionally weaker person. We may not know but a smile on our face may make someone's day. Or the other way round- seeing someone smile may bring a smile on our face. We should not be dependent on a reason to smile. But rather we smile and we will find a reason to smile. Does putting up a frown face or being sad suffice any of our goals/purpose? I know we are subject to Several circumstances but that shouldn't stop us from putting an 'ear to ear smile' on our face. Its easier said than done but yes we can dig the wealth of happiness if we strive to do so.Afterall, it may not be wrong when someone said, "Smile and the world smiles with you. Cry and you cry alone”. If not for yourself, may be for someone else. Who knows, your smile may be the architect of someone's happy day. And of course Life will definitely smile back on us in return. Lets find a reason to smile than to cry or be sad for things which are ephemeral or transient.

'Just a smile' has worked wonders for me. Yes A smile.Tht's it!!!So Keep Smiling - An Ear to Ear Smile.

Love Your Loved Ones Now !!!!!

2010-03-19T20:49:00.000+05:30

Before writing on this, I would like to thank my very special friend living in some other part of the world from whom I draw the latent inspiration to write this.Thank you "Flower". (As the name means).

The line above on the first read may look trivial and banal.However,I would wish we ponder on this for a few seconds freeing our mind from other stuff.
We get so boggled up and embroiled in our daily lives that we miss even small but important moments with our near and dear ones.In the run of setting targets and striving to achieve them,we forget even displaying our affection towards the most important people in our lives.We do this all our lives only to repent when we lose them and that is when the cover of false world disappears from our eyes and we face reality.At that point in time,we realise what we missed and the moments which we could have cherished but couldn't do so due to our other so called "commitments".The illusion that life is all pervading and lasting is shackled and then only thing we can do is only repent and long for the people we have lost.
This reality touched the grounds of my conscious when I was talking to this very special friend of mine and I thought this very important message needs to be understood and propagated.Let us show our love for our loved ones Now.Let us do what makes them happy Now rather than crying over spilt milk.Let us show our affection towards them Now.Let us make them feel special to us Now.Even a gesture of a hug or a peck on the cheek is sufficient to make them feel special sometimes.But show that.
Let us do things Now so that we dont say "I could have", "Had I", "I should Have" when our loved ones continue their journey to a different world.
This life is ephemeral.Time is limited.Show your love now.Show your care now.Love your Loved Ones Now............

--- Positive Frustration ---

2010-03-08T21:21:00.003+05:30

Flumoxed!Confused!Well, yes those words are paradoxical in nature.One would think,"How can frustration be ever positive?"
Lets dig deeper into the meaning of those words.Let me start with an example.One of my friends the other day I met told me that he was highly frustrated with the mundane job that he was doing.As such, I was sympathetic with him which is pretty natural.On the contrary, he smiled.I was puzzled by his satirical smile.On asking him for his unexpected smile,he told me,"It makes me more stronger".Again confused,I asked him,"And how is that?".He replied back again with an explanatory smile saying that it is this Frustration that makes him strive for the world, he envisions and makes him stronger to pursue his dreams and desire.He further added,"Each Day, as it passes instills in me an attraction for what I love doing and what I aspire to do.One Day, this frustration will grow to an extent which will make me chase my dreams and quit what am doing."After hearing him,I too gave a supportive smile.I was really amazed at his Positive attitude and way of taking things in life.I dont know how much successful, he will be in his endeavours and I pray for his success but one thing for sure he has taught me -"Positive Frustration".Dislike for a certain thing, makes us so very strong that we trod the Untrodden, the path less trodden.The Path of Chasing Your Dreams.Its our perspective of taking things and decorating them.Its we,who can take positive out of them or keep cursing things doing nothing.It is we who can Make or Break our life because of several situations in life.

Life treats us with several challenges at different phases in life.But it is we who can take up the challenge in a positive manner and make the most out of it. Make the best of any adverse situation.If we are able to do so , then can we call ourselves living LIFE.Giving into circumstances and taking irresponsible steps, is no solution to any problem.Ostrich's Algorithm doesnt work.The only answer to it is facing the Problem with our Head held high.Thats what differentiates us from the Ordinary.I thank my friend for his Pearls of Wisdom and wish him all the Success.

Common Sense is the Most Uncommon

2010-01-09T11:58:00.002+05:30

The other day , when I was dealing with a certain situation arose by the silly actions of a colleague,one of my well-wishers quipped, "Common Sense is the most uncommon in people".I gave a thought to his lines and my weary face wore a smile and juggled between intervals of smile and laughter.But, these simple words carry a great amount of wisdom and food for our thought.We get our mind so boggled into the complexities of life that we forget to enjoy and live the gift of simplicity with which we come into this world and the gift we adore as a child.

Let me tell you another incident of a very well known and great scientist who had 2 cats,one baby cat,lean,slender and thin and its Fatso mom whom even the dogs would dread.The Great man wanted to make an arrangement whereby the cats could enter his
room from their chamber which was separated by a wooden partition.To do so, he cut out two holes in the wooden partition,one smaller one for the kitten and other of greater circumference for the Fatso mom,not realising that the kitten could pass
through the bigger hole.I leave the onus of guessing the Scientist's name on you.

But this is what is reality.We get so engaged with trivialities of Perfect life that we stop realising how small things matter in a big way.Sometimes,even you would have realised, how children are well equipped with these Simplicities and when they
suggest something innocently,we think why our complexly connected neurons couldnt pave way for such a simple and common thinking. That's what is the truth of life.We get so messed up that we dont leave any room for Common-Sense which is the Need of the Day.Trust, we can take a cue from this and leave our stressful and complex life aside to realise our gift of Common-Sense and simplicity.

Lets Live the KISS principle and make Common-sense most common,its place, meant to be.

Deciphering the Murphy's Law:

2009-12-21T15:59:00.003+05:30

Recent course of events over some days have led me to consider the authencity of the Murphy's Law which the unfortunate(He definitely would have been to give such a law) Mr. Murphy stated as "If something has to go wrong,It Will".The opposite is equivalently true viz. "If something has to go good,It will,Come what may".Haven't heard anyone quoting that.So, I take the ownership and credit for that.
There would have several instances,wherein each one of us would have remembered Mr. Murphy for his Crude law or if not, now you will.The sequence of events make themselves appear in a manner, wherein all seem so adamant on doing things worse for us,no matter what.You feel entangled.No way out.Nowhere to go.Seems the Universe is conspiring against you.You feel helpless.A puppet,dancing to the tune of events,seeing things getting worse for you and yet being a mere spectator.Why would actually such things happen?Why you feel, a plan being concocted to put you in trouble?Why is that we are Helpless?Well,I could not find a Definite Logic behind that and remained pulling my hair,brooding over the triviality of several happenings.However,I put this question to one of the very good Soft Skills' trainer who also has knowledge about a wide gamut of fields/areas including Philosophy,Hypnotism,Telepathy,Psycology,etc to name a few.The understanding,he gave me was quite complex and difficult for me to decipher in a timespan of 10 mins.However, I will try to put my understanding of the same in front of you.He said,"When you think or carry out a negative/wrong (morally) act,negative vibes overcome you and you start emanating negativity.As such the energy around you starts diminishing and negativity gains strength.The resultant of all the cosmic and particulate energy around and within you goes on diminishing on your successive imprudent act and finally results in all the wrong things at wrong places happening for you."
Well, probably this means Mr. Murphy would be wrong on most occasions.However,keeping the right perspective and doing the duty religiously can prove any Law wrong.It is only when we give less than 100% for anything we do, that there are chances of things going wrong.So the universal law is "Do right and right things happen for you".

Essential Hibernation :

2009-10-09T05:54:00.002+05:30

Well,long time and many would have thought that I had forgotten about the blog.
Was ofcourse, involved in several regular day to day activities but had gone into a much needed Hibernation on several fronts.This is what I believe is a phase of Introspection.

We have different priorities in life and several plans and goals storming our mind at each instant.
But, it is very much a possiblity that you get deviated from your aimed path.There are fluctuations.You get carried away by temporary distractions.And before it is too late knowing that,it is always important that we know where we are heading and inculcate any corrections if required.This is where an Introspection Within, which I term "Essential Hibernation" is required.
Hold on for a moment.Be Calm and composed, keeping all mundane worries at bay.Analyse.Know where you are heading.Is this where you are destined to be?Are things in place as per your aspirations and expectations?Is this what you Desire?Is it the kind of life you wish to live?Get answers to these questions.Jot them down if required.Brood over them taking aid of your Intellect and cognizance.Take a Decision.Change the things for you.It is noone but you who is afterall responsible for the life you live.Make it a point to Introspect to climb the ladder of Excellence.This is where you make yourself Distinct from the crowd.You may Introspect each day,may be before beginning your day or at the end of the day on how you treated 'your day'.May be, even in spells and intervals.But this is what will help you trod the Untrodden Path.

This has formed an essential part of my life and my build as an individual.It has helped me imbibe serenity,calmness and peace.Made my path clear.Work on my priorities and move to the next level.Trust you are treated with the same.

Focus-Strength of Winners:

2009-08-13T20:27:00.002+05:30

Let me begin with a very nice story my Mom told me the other day.
There was once a King in a certain region.One day,he made an announcement in his Kingdom that the person who will reach his Palace by 5'O Clock the next day in the morning will be the heir to his throne.When this message spread across the kingdom,the folks rightaway started rushing towards the palace.However,the King was wise and was never to give away his throne to anyone so easily.He played a trick.He kept all the beautiful things in his palace on the way.People who could control the temptation for one thing would find a more tempting thing at some distance.Thinking,still there is lot of time remaining for 5am,they started grabbing as many things as possible on the way forgetting about the throne.Finally when they reached the Palace they were kicked out by the guards as the time was well ahead of 5am.

Hope you would have got the essence of the story.The king wanted to give his throne to the only one who kept apart all his attractions and had true desire to get the throne.Similarly,there are several instances in life when worldly attractions(Different people may have different) make our Goal hazy and vague.Our Focus Deviates.

We get busy with our attractions and forget about our True Goal.By the time we realise our mistake,its too late and then we repent our entire life.Time which has passed can never come back.The decisions made cant be reverted.So, start early,start good.Decide what you want to achieve and where you want to reach.Once you have made a decision,never lose focus.It is said,"Winners do what losers dont - FOCUS".Judiously decide your Goal and hit it right.The way Arjuna(ref. to Mahabharata) focussed only on the eye of the bird(not the tree,branch,bird -- only eye),one should one be eyeing only the Goal, rest will unwind.
Arjuna grew up to become the greatest archers of all times.Hope we can take a cue and reach somewhere nearer....

Happy Independence Day In Advance!!!!

LIFE OF RESPONSIBILITY:

2009-08-07T17:24:00.001+05:30

Sometimes I think, when there will be a time when I would be readily taking Life's different responsibilities?
Hope it doesnt take an era.Life is a juggle between Accepting/Running from Responsibilities.But I feel Life gifts you at different stages a Sense of Responsibility.Reflecting through your life, you will realise this.You have shouldered several responsibilities knowingly or unknowingly of a good son,daughter,brother,sister,student,friend and several others.These all are showered Implicitly on you.And you readily accept and perform your duties to the Best.Love and attachment may be the motivation for this.But you have.Now, when there are several Explicit Responsibilities being put on our heads, we simply duck and try our level best to give them a skip.Have you ever thought why we avoid taking Responsibilities?There are some very obvious reasons,that we dont tend to accept giving all possible excuses in the world and probably inventing some new.But the truth is that we are sometimes afraid of Failure,slothful at times and lack pluck at others.All these will boil down to one thing and that is - We are not ready to take Accountability.Yes thats right.We want to execute all our thoughts into actions but we dont want the Accountability Part.But then how does the Equation get Balanced?That where the point of your Mould and Build as a person comes into picture.Thats when your Character Speaks for you.Each Act that we perform,maps on to each cell that makes our Character.Start with taking a responsibility tieing up all the loose ends and do your best to act.At the same time be bold enough to face any consequences.Make a start and things start changing for you.This will make you reluctancy fade away and you will readily shouldering Responsibilities for the better.Dont take responsibility as a burden but a chance to prove your mettle.This will make you even more stronger.Life without Responsibility is like "Body without Soul".Hope you start taking responsibilities and doing the Best and Me too.

Desire+Dedication=Dream Fulfilled

2009-07-20T03:49:00.002+05:30

Well with this post, let me begin with the Power of 3 D's which I believe can change life for the better.These 3 D's stand for Dream,Desire and Dedicate.The other day, I was talking to my good Friend,colleague and mentor, Rahul Thaker(@Oracle) and he suddenly sprung up with a one liner,
"Sirf Chaahat se kya hota hai,Dedication bhi to hona chahiye".I will translate this for you,"Only desire wont yield you anything, there has to be Dedication".I was flabberergasted and in a fay for a moment(Not many times does he say such things).Though the words may seem to be ordinary but it took time to weigh the implicit message hidden.I could feel the depth of the message conveyed by these words.I resolved to him that I will write something on this.
In life, we desire several things and dream about several others.But how many times do we actually see our desires converted to reality?Why cant we fulfil our dreams and ambitions at several occasions?What is stopping us?What is missing?I got the answer(may be you too).Yes, it is the DEDICATION with which we aspire to pursue our Dreams.It is the Dedication that keeps you constantly motivated to foray towards the Path of you Dream Fulfillment.It is the Dedication which will keep you Focussed on your Goal and give you the Energy to fulfil it.It is with this Dedication that when you trod any Path of your Desire , you taste Success.Take my words and try this.Dedicate yourself to one Dream/Goal/Aim you have long cherished.This Dedication will help you find the ways and give you the vision to March towards your Dream.Dont deviate.Dont let your Dream disappear.Dont be let down.Just give your best and leave the rest.This will surely lay the Foundation of your Dream fullfillment.I have taken a lesson from this and constantly keep this one liner in mind to keep me motivated. Hope you too can take a cue and cherish your dreams.

Empty Mind is Devil's Workshop.Is it really????

2009-07-12T01:33:00.005+05:30

I have been hearing this maxim/thought(may be you too) since my childhood.But one day a thought struck me on this.Why do we say, "Empty Mind is Devil's workshop"?Why not something like,"Empty Mind is an Industrious Person's workshop"?Interesting Right?Well on deeper introspection, several thoughts occupied my mind.Is it really that as we have been hearing this since our early years of Molding, this maxim has occupied its space permanently in our mind and has been influencing our thinking since.What would have been the situation had the quote been the other way round,as I earlier quoted.Would not our Mind been trained to think positively and constructively had the quote been a positive one?This way, each time our mind is free,we will think Industriously and positively leading to more Optimism and Positivity around us sending out the vibes which would open up the Treasure Of Success.This is where your thinking can make/break things for you.The way you Perceive things moulds the way you grow up as a person.Try Inculcating Positive thoughts whenever you feel you are dragged towards Negativity.Answer each Negative Feeling/Thought with a Blow of Positivity.Agreed, it is definitely difficult but not impossible.Try and things will change for you.Life will glow.You will experience the Beauty of Positivity.Dont ever let fear/Negativity peep into your home Of Happiness called Life.Think about the Postive aspect of each event.Things may sometimes not go your way but on your adding a Positive Outlook to it, things will change.You will get a whole new vision about things.You and only you can change the way you live your life.Live life either as a King or be a Pauper and die so.Everything is in your Mind.Nurturing the plant of positivity in your mind will reap you benefits for the same.Change the Outlook/Perception about things and the World will change for you bestowing all its Charm on you.

Fear Of Failure --- The Greatest Road Block to Success

2009-06-01T01:34:00.003+05:30

There is this cold drink you would have heard of named "Mountain Dew".Its punchline says "Darr ke aage jeet hai" which translates to "There is victory beyond Fear".I had heard it a lot of times(Guess you too) and thought it to be one more Impressive Puncline until it started ringing bells in my mind some days back.Fear of What?When you drill down, you will feel that we are all bound by the Fear of FAILURE.Failure in our own Subjective Perspectives.But how subtly these lines depict out Limitations.The limitation of letting Fear of Failure set in us and never look beyond.
It is this Fear of Failing that we get discouraged;never take the Untrodden Path and never taste true Success.Strenghten your Mind.Focus on the Aim.March Ahead.Beat the Fear.Taste Success.
This is the Simple rule.But then how do we follow this?Constant motivation and Fire in the Belly to achieve Your AIM,Come what may.
Sometimes, we think of Ideas and before even thinking of conceptualising them , we kill them saying "Its not Possible.We will not succeed.There is a Risk Involved".But thats not what Successful Men do.They trod over the Path of Success by Winning over their Fears and Trusting their Dreams.Once you have achieved Victory over your Fear, you have Victory over the World.
The Greatest People in the World have lived their Dreams by winning over their Fears.Had Edison Feared Failure, we would have had the World living in Dark.Had Tendulkar feared the Fastest bowlers in the World, he would not have been known as one of the Greatest Cricketers.Let me give you one more example of a living Tech Legend named Steve Jobs.Steve Jobs went on to establish and flourish what you know today as "Apple".He was the CEO and was then sacked from his own company.He worked Innovatively, lived his Dreams and Ideas and fought back his Position again as CEO of APPLE which he currently is.Had he been overcome by his Fears, he would have never realised his dream and been where he is.
So Conquer your fears.Hit them and Hit them Hard.Once you do so, your vision will be clear and you will know the Elixir of Success.So March Ahead on the Path of Success!!!!

Dont Forget Your Mistakes

2009-05-10T12:24:00.005+05:30

Its said, "Its human to Err".Correct.Agreed.But what if you commit the same error again and again over the time."Making mistakes is not bad but committing the same one again is".After all, how do we learn if we dont make mistakes.No one among us is Mr. Perfect.But learning from our mistakes is surely a path closer to that level."Failures are Stepping stones to Success".Failures are what result from our mistakes.Success is what is achieved by learning from those mistakes.After Thomas Alva Edison invented the bulb, one of the Journalists asked him, "You failed nearly 1000 times before finally coming up with this Revolutionary Invention.What did you learn from these attempts?".To this Edison wittily replied,"I learned that the Bulb could not be made by those 999 ways".There is a lot of wisdom in this.Dont forget the Failures and Errors that you make even in your everyday life.This will lay the foundation of your Great Successful life ahead.Never Forget your errors/failures/mistakes.Learn from them.Let me give you another example of our Living Legend, the Chess Champion, Vishwanathan Anand.Vishy as he is called by his admirers was quite impatient during his early days.It would be hard for him to wait for his Opponent to make a move once he himself had played his game.On one such ocassions, he lost the game.At that time, his mother told him that he had made mistakes during the game that laid to his defeat."Dont forget your mistakes",said his mother.Anand rushed to his room and jotted down the moves he had made and those his Opponent had made and the mistakes he had committed.He realised what mistake he had made and decided never to make them again.Since then it became his habit to jot down his moves and the mistakes committed and to never forget the Mistakes.This is what has made him into such a Great Personality and a World Champion in his own game.Same is applicable to us in our own Territories of work and effort.Make mistakes but dont forget them.This will add the Charm to your work and you will be Nonpareil.Its as simple as that.So Dont forget your mistakes!!!

Practice with Dedication --- The Secret of Champions

2009-04-23T02:49:00.003+05:30

We have been born hearing "Practice Makes a Man Perfect".However, I feel it is not "Practice" alone that would do the magic for you.It is the Dedication with which you Practice that will do the Trick for you."The more you sweat in Practice, the less you Bleed in War".I was amazed when I heard this Dialogue from the movie "Border".This Principle applies to all spheres of life irrespective of the context mentioned in the lines.The harder we Practice, the smoother the path to Glory.This sweat of Dedicated Practice is what makes Champions of Champions.May it be Tiger Woods, Sachin Tendulkar or Rafael Nadal.The harder they Practice, the better they stand the chance of annihilating the opponent.Bruce Lee once said "I fear not the one who has practiced 1000 kicks once but I fear the one who has practiced 1 kick 1000 times".This speaks volumes about proper and dedicated practice.The sweat of your efforts will yield you the fruits of success.Add the spice of dedication to the recipe of your Practice to relish the Dish called Success.None but you are the Sole creator of your Destiny and the Dedication with which you Practice your Strokes, will be the decider between the Gem and the Ordinary.So put in your Best, Do the Best and Leave the Rest!!!

Be Thankful and Respect What You have

2009-04-11T17:27:00.000+05:30

I and my friend Chekit often get into discussions and healthy debates and sometimes express support for each others tone.The other day we both started complaining about things we were not comfortable with,goals,life and stuff.We felt quite good supporting each others grievances for Life and felt, our complaining about varied things in life was justified.The next day, on my way to office,I saw a small child who had a cloth (turned red with blood) wrapped around his head to cover the wound was crying and still begging for food.No one to wipe the tears of the little beautiful soul and satiate his deserved requirement of meal.I was awestruck and the plight of the Infant deeply pierced my Heart.What is the fault of the child who is born with a bowl in his hand?I immediately thanked Almighty and this life of being so Kind to me.I thought, I had no qualms with my Life.All my problems now seemed pithy and irrelevant.
We often tend to press the "Complain" Button and keep on showering our grievances and agony for things not possessed instead of appreciating and being Happy about what we have.We always think of Materialistic Elements we dont have and forget about what is in our hands.We carry this mindset and become sad and unhappy.Instead of finding ways to be happy and Joyous, we brood over petty matters and let our sweetest moments pass by.Let us not waste this Gifted Life in complaining about things we dont have but enjoy and respect what Life has in store for us..In this complain process we often fail to praise and value what we have.Learn to value what you possess and respect the State and Position you are in.Because till you dont have respect for yourself and your accomplishments,others can never have.After all Life is not that Difficult.You may always strive to achieve greater Heights but be happy and develop a sense of satisfaction for what you have achieved.This will make you value your success and the difficulties faced.So stop Complaining and be thankful for what Life has done to you.