This is a powerful message in our modern society. We seemed to have lost our bearing & our sense of direction.
One young academically excellent person went to apply for a managerial position in a big company. He passed the first interview, the director did the last interview, made the last decision. The director discovered from the CV that the youth's academic achievements were excellent all the way, from the secondary school until the postgraduate research, never had a year when he did not score.
The director asked, "Did you obtain any scholarships in school?" the youth answered "none".
The director asked, "Was it your father who paid for your school fees?" The youth answered, "My father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees.
The director asked, "Where did your mother work?" The youth answered, "My mother worked as clothes cleaner. The director requested the youth to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect.
The director asked, "Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before?" The youth answered, "Never, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books. Furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than me.
The director said, "I have a request. When you go back today, go and clean your mother's hands, and then see me tomorrow morning.*
The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went back, he happily requested his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to the kid.
The youth cleaned his mother's hands slowly. His tear fell as he did that. It was the first time he noticed that his mother's hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many bruises in her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother shivered when they were cleaned with water.
This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes everyday to enable him to pay the school fee. The bruises in the mother's hands were the price that the mother had to pay for his graduation, academic excellence and his future.
After finishing the cleaning of his mother hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother.
That night, mother and son talked for a very long time.
Next morning, the youth went to the director's office.
The Director noticed the tears in the youth's eyes, asked: " Can you tell me what have you done and learned yesterday in your house?"
The youth answered, " I cleaned my mother's hand, and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes'
The Director asked, " please tell me your feelings."
The youth said, Number 1, I know now what is appreciation. Without my mother, there would not the successful me today. Number 2, by working together and helping my mother, only I now realize how difficult and tough it is to get something done. Number 3, I have come to appreciate the importance and value of family relationship.
The director said, "This is what I am looking for to be my manager.
I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of others to get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are hired.
Later on, this young person worked very hard, and received the respect of his subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and as a team. The company's performance improved tremendously.
A child, who has been protected and habitually given whatever he wanted, would develop "entitlement mentality" and would always put himself first. He would be ignorant of his parent's efforts. When he starts work, he assumes that every person must listen to him, and when he becomes a manager, he would never know the sufferings of his employees and would always blame others. For this kind of people, who may be good academically, may be successful for a while, but eventually would not feel sense of achievement. He will grumble and be full of hatred and fight for more. If we are this kind of protective parents, are we really showing love or are we destroying the kid instead?*
You can let your kid live in a big house, eat a good meal, learn piano, watch a big screen TV. But when you are cutting grass, please let them experience it. After a meal, let them wash their plates and bowls together with their brothers and sisters. It is not because you do not have money to hire a maid, but it is because you want to love them in a right way. You want them to understand, no matter how rich their parents are, one day their hair will grow gray, same as the mother of that young person. The most important thing is your kid learns how to appreciate the effort and experience the difficulty and learns the ability to work with others to get things done.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Friday, December 10, 2010
Life - A roller coaster?
"They" say life is one big learning curve, well I prefer to think of it as a roller coaster.
First you decide you are going to participate
You strap yourself in and wait for some unseen force to propel you forwards
In the beginning it is slow going, you work hard to get to the top of the first obstacle - and then hey
Free wheeling down the other side.
And if you're lucky you can gain enough momentum to keep going up the next slope
And you know when most people stop?
That's right - before they even buy a ticket. Of those who do pay their money and climb aboard - most will give up on the first obstacle. They'd sooner get off and clamber back to where they were. The few who remain on board are the "lucky" ones of course. They get glimpses of the great things they can do and achieve, they know they have a way to go and many more hills to climb - but once on board, nothing is going to stop them reaching their destination.
On the roller coaster of life, have you bought your ticket yet? Let me know
First you decide you are going to participate
You strap yourself in and wait for some unseen force to propel you forwards
In the beginning it is slow going, you work hard to get to the top of the first obstacle - and then hey
Free wheeling down the other side.
And if you're lucky you can gain enough momentum to keep going up the next slope
And you know when most people stop?
That's right - before they even buy a ticket. Of those who do pay their money and climb aboard - most will give up on the first obstacle. They'd sooner get off and clamber back to where they were. The few who remain on board are the "lucky" ones of course. They get glimpses of the great things they can do and achieve, they know they have a way to go and many more hills to climb - but once on board, nothing is going to stop them reaching their destination.
On the roller coaster of life, have you bought your ticket yet? Let me know
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Being honest with yourself
What you would not have done to yourselves, never do unto others.
Alexander Severus
You would never lie and cheat to yourself, nor would you stab yourself in the back by speaking ill of yourself in the company of your fellow men. So why then fellow comrades do you speak ill of your neighbors - surely it is the same thing? You have proven yourself to be untrustworthy, that you are willing to undermine your comrades and fellow soldiers - even though you took an oath to honor the legion. In the heat of battle we need to be able to trust each other - those who are not able to trust themselves and treat themselves fairly or properly cannot hope to put others needs ahead of their own.
******************************
Are you honest with yourself? Really? Can you look at yourself in the mirror and meet your own eyes? Yes / No
In what ways have you let yourself down over the last 10 days?
Have you done all that you could over the last 10 days, or have there been periods of doing less than you know you are capable of?
Have you complained about everyone and everything to anyone who will listen?
Have you stuck to your new disciplines or are you pretending to do so? What do I mean? Say you wanted to give up smoking, and you had planned that on this day - 70 days ago, you would have cut down or completely stopped smoking by now. Have you? What about those clients you said you were going to call and speak to - not to sell them anything, but to see if there was anything you could do to help them grow their business - say if you saw a prospect that could benefit them more than they could have benefited you? Those are the disciplines I am talking about.
I'm not saying it is easy because it isn't, life can and does get in the way - but we do need to be honest with ourselves. When we can be honest and above board in our dealings with ourselves, then we know exactly where we stand and we are more likely to pull ourselves up by the bootstraps and go again.
Imagine you had been going for a walk every morning, and then you had gotten sick and one day off had turned to a month, it can be easy to say - Well I've not been feeling very well and I really don't have the time... it can also be easy to be honest with ourselves and say, I have been slacking off, so you lay out your clothes the night before, set the alarm clock for your walking time and then get up and get going when the alarm goes off.
Being honest with yourself - that is one of the major keys to success
Treating others as you would treat yourself is another.
Which is something to think about.
Alexander Severus
You would never lie and cheat to yourself, nor would you stab yourself in the back by speaking ill of yourself in the company of your fellow men. So why then fellow comrades do you speak ill of your neighbors - surely it is the same thing? You have proven yourself to be untrustworthy, that you are willing to undermine your comrades and fellow soldiers - even though you took an oath to honor the legion. In the heat of battle we need to be able to trust each other - those who are not able to trust themselves and treat themselves fairly or properly cannot hope to put others needs ahead of their own.
******************************
Are you honest with yourself? Really? Can you look at yourself in the mirror and meet your own eyes? Yes / No
In what ways have you let yourself down over the last 10 days?
Have you done all that you could over the last 10 days, or have there been periods of doing less than you know you are capable of?
Have you complained about everyone and everything to anyone who will listen?
Have you stuck to your new disciplines or are you pretending to do so? What do I mean? Say you wanted to give up smoking, and you had planned that on this day - 70 days ago, you would have cut down or completely stopped smoking by now. Have you? What about those clients you said you were going to call and speak to - not to sell them anything, but to see if there was anything you could do to help them grow their business - say if you saw a prospect that could benefit them more than they could have benefited you? Those are the disciplines I am talking about.
I'm not saying it is easy because it isn't, life can and does get in the way - but we do need to be honest with ourselves. When we can be honest and above board in our dealings with ourselves, then we know exactly where we stand and we are more likely to pull ourselves up by the bootstraps and go again.
Imagine you had been going for a walk every morning, and then you had gotten sick and one day off had turned to a month, it can be easy to say - Well I've not been feeling very well and I really don't have the time... it can also be easy to be honest with ourselves and say, I have been slacking off, so you lay out your clothes the night before, set the alarm clock for your walking time and then get up and get going when the alarm goes off.
Being honest with yourself - that is one of the major keys to success
Treating others as you would treat yourself is another.
Which is something to think about.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Live a Rich life
"Whatever may be said in praise of poverty, the fact remains that is not possible to live a really complete or successful life unless one is rich"
Wallace D Wattles
If there is one thing I am sure about, I hated being poor, although we were luckier as a family than most. My mother was an amazing seamstress and knitter so we always had good quality clothes. My family grew most of their own fruit and vegetables, so we never went hungry, even through mass layoffs and strikes were the norm during my childhood. My father never went down the pits, although his father and his brothers and nephews did, so the miners strike hit them hard, all of a sudden they went from earning lots of money and spending it to earning little or nothing. My aunt said "we can't afford steak anymore" ... my mother turned around and said " ....... we've never been able to afford steak", which rather took the wind out of her sales. It took my parents an entire year to save for the family holiday, but we went away - every year. Nothing was bought on credit - if they wanted something - they did some overtime and saved the money.
Today we live in a world of instant gratification and credit cards, anything can be bought for three easy payments and no interest for ...
My neighbours have no less than half a dozen flat screen TV's and a camper trailer that has never been used. And I know they've re-mortgaged several times to pay off the debts they've accumulated. But the truth is they are pretending to be rich, but are in fact living a poverty existence. I tell you this because you probably live next to someone just like them, in fact you may be just like them.
You may argue that "you" are not living a poverty existence - but I would have to challenge you just a little.
Money does give you choices. But are you living from week to week? What happens when the bubble bursts? Would you be able to survive long enough to pay your bills before you landed another job? That's the kind of poverty mentality I am talking about. Then there is another kind, where you buy the cheapest thing on the menu, never offer to pay for a "round" of coffee's and hoard your money like a miser - saying I'll do that next week, and of course, the next week you are still saying you'll do whatever it was you said you were going to do.
Now I am not rich by any means, and I do still have a mortgage - but I do consider I have if not a millionaire mindest at least it's a tens of thousands-aire one (although I do have quite a way to go) - BUT my daily actions follow my thinking. If I want to be "rich" then I am going to have to be careful about what I spend my money on. But neither do I want to compromise the lifestyle I do lead.
Which sounds like a misnomer - but let me explain how you can live a rich life.
The one secret of success to living a rich life is this:
Spend less than you earn.
That's what the rich do. When they receive money, they know what their budget needs so they put away what they know they can save into a special account, and then they use what is left for day-to-day living. Most people do it the other way round. They spend first and then save what's left... and we all know what's left don't we.
Truth is we should take 10% of everything we earn and put it somewhere safe, don't think you can save 10% yet? Well if you have never saved 10% it will be hard at first. But you need to have the mindset that says I save money. How do you save money - by not spending it of course.
Start with those little purchases, the cups of coffee and the bought lunches. For one week carry on as normal but make a note of what you are spending. At the end of the week, add it all up - what % would that equate to out of the 10%? Do you smoke? How much do you drink? Do you have a magazine subscription you don't have time to read? Each decision adds up to the 10% and before you know it you will have saved several thousand dollars and once you start to see it grow you won't want to spend it. Did you know it takes an average of 20 years to become a millionaire? And you too can join the ranks, and I don't care if you are earning a thousand dollars a week or a couple of hundred, start early enough and you can do it. You can do it by saving 10% of what you earn and adding compound interest and time to the equation. Obviously if you have a damn good idea then the process does shorten, but here's the thing. If you have always spent up to and over what you earn, what happens when you have more money - I'd say you'd be like my neighbours who have all the gadgets and toys and then waste even more money buying new ones. Of all the people who become instant millionaires thanks to the roll of the numbers on the lottery, how long do you think it would take before they were back to where they started. Believe it or not, the average is about 3 years. Sure they may have had a great time, but if they had had the millionaire mindset they could have enjoyed their windfall for the rest of their lives.
As you know I've been working on what I call "ad-hoc" spending purchases for the challenge. Those odd cups of coffee here and there, and no purchases unless they come from a supermarket. Now I am the first to admit I have failed a few times - but by tightening up my ad-hoc spending I have created monetary space to start the process of re-decorating my house without touching any of my capital. And I shall continue with this way of living my life beyond this round of the challenge - because I now know how to live a rich life. It's quite exciting seeing the changes. Yes there are still things I need to do, I am a work in progress just like you. But my thinking goes - I don't want to touch my savings, I like seeing those numbers.
Dump your debt - it's true you can't grow wealth if your debt is out of hand, so if you are working from a negative as I was - it does take a little longer to begin the process, but if you -
Ditch your poverty, instant gratification way of thinking you can -
Live a rich life
Wallace D Wattles
If there is one thing I am sure about, I hated being poor, although we were luckier as a family than most. My mother was an amazing seamstress and knitter so we always had good quality clothes. My family grew most of their own fruit and vegetables, so we never went hungry, even through mass layoffs and strikes were the norm during my childhood. My father never went down the pits, although his father and his brothers and nephews did, so the miners strike hit them hard, all of a sudden they went from earning lots of money and spending it to earning little or nothing. My aunt said "we can't afford steak anymore" ... my mother turned around and said " ....... we've never been able to afford steak", which rather took the wind out of her sales. It took my parents an entire year to save for the family holiday, but we went away - every year. Nothing was bought on credit - if they wanted something - they did some overtime and saved the money.
Today we live in a world of instant gratification and credit cards, anything can be bought for three easy payments and no interest for ...
My neighbours have no less than half a dozen flat screen TV's and a camper trailer that has never been used. And I know they've re-mortgaged several times to pay off the debts they've accumulated. But the truth is they are pretending to be rich, but are in fact living a poverty existence. I tell you this because you probably live next to someone just like them, in fact you may be just like them.
You may argue that "you" are not living a poverty existence - but I would have to challenge you just a little.
Money does give you choices. But are you living from week to week? What happens when the bubble bursts? Would you be able to survive long enough to pay your bills before you landed another job? That's the kind of poverty mentality I am talking about. Then there is another kind, where you buy the cheapest thing on the menu, never offer to pay for a "round" of coffee's and hoard your money like a miser - saying I'll do that next week, and of course, the next week you are still saying you'll do whatever it was you said you were going to do.
Now I am not rich by any means, and I do still have a mortgage - but I do consider I have if not a millionaire mindest at least it's a tens of thousands-aire one (although I do have quite a way to go) - BUT my daily actions follow my thinking. If I want to be "rich" then I am going to have to be careful about what I spend my money on. But neither do I want to compromise the lifestyle I do lead.
Which sounds like a misnomer - but let me explain how you can live a rich life.
The one secret of success to living a rich life is this:
Spend less than you earn.
That's what the rich do. When they receive money, they know what their budget needs so they put away what they know they can save into a special account, and then they use what is left for day-to-day living. Most people do it the other way round. They spend first and then save what's left... and we all know what's left don't we.
Truth is we should take 10% of everything we earn and put it somewhere safe, don't think you can save 10% yet? Well if you have never saved 10% it will be hard at first. But you need to have the mindset that says I save money. How do you save money - by not spending it of course.
Start with those little purchases, the cups of coffee and the bought lunches. For one week carry on as normal but make a note of what you are spending. At the end of the week, add it all up - what % would that equate to out of the 10%? Do you smoke? How much do you drink? Do you have a magazine subscription you don't have time to read? Each decision adds up to the 10% and before you know it you will have saved several thousand dollars and once you start to see it grow you won't want to spend it. Did you know it takes an average of 20 years to become a millionaire? And you too can join the ranks, and I don't care if you are earning a thousand dollars a week or a couple of hundred, start early enough and you can do it. You can do it by saving 10% of what you earn and adding compound interest and time to the equation. Obviously if you have a damn good idea then the process does shorten, but here's the thing. If you have always spent up to and over what you earn, what happens when you have more money - I'd say you'd be like my neighbours who have all the gadgets and toys and then waste even more money buying new ones. Of all the people who become instant millionaires thanks to the roll of the numbers on the lottery, how long do you think it would take before they were back to where they started. Believe it or not, the average is about 3 years. Sure they may have had a great time, but if they had had the millionaire mindset they could have enjoyed their windfall for the rest of their lives.
As you know I've been working on what I call "ad-hoc" spending purchases for the challenge. Those odd cups of coffee here and there, and no purchases unless they come from a supermarket. Now I am the first to admit I have failed a few times - but by tightening up my ad-hoc spending I have created monetary space to start the process of re-decorating my house without touching any of my capital. And I shall continue with this way of living my life beyond this round of the challenge - because I now know how to live a rich life. It's quite exciting seeing the changes. Yes there are still things I need to do, I am a work in progress just like you. But my thinking goes - I don't want to touch my savings, I like seeing those numbers.
Dump your debt - it's true you can't grow wealth if your debt is out of hand, so if you are working from a negative as I was - it does take a little longer to begin the process, but if you -
Ditch your poverty, instant gratification way of thinking you can -
Live a rich life
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Add Value
Some might say it's just their job, others might say it's just customer service, but I have to say I believe it's called "adding value".
This morning, after a rather rude awakening by a clock I didn't know had an alarm on it (sorry honey) and subsequently attempting to go back to sleep for an hour, I headed into the city. I love the city in the very early morning. Not only do you have your choice of parking spot, you get to see wonderful examples of both good and bad customer service. As usual I was way too early for the meeting I had partly organised (others had had a hand in the today's meeting you understand). Anyway,. that's just me - always like to be the first through the door to meet and greet the people who are coming to see us, and it means I can get organised and set up.
But because I really was too early even for me, I stopped off at a tiny little bakery I didn't know existed to have a coffee. The smell of the baked cakes and pastries straight out of the oven at 6.30 was phenomenal - and no, I didn't buy anything but the coffee - and for those in Perth - Terrace Bakery (opposite DOME) had coffee for $3 and it was hot, fresh and not bad at all. But the smile on the face of the gentleman serving me, as well as the polite, "If you take a seat I'll bring it over to you" made the experience even better for me.
But that wasn't the reason behind the message today.
The hotel where we were holding our function this morning was a place just along the road from the 5 stars, and a couple of stars down, but you would never know. The welcome board was prominent, the room clean and easy to find and when I walked into the room, a colleague who also likes to arrive before the guests was there along with a member of the functions staff. Normally those kinds of people are here, there and everywhere - not him. He stayed with us all morning, replenishing supplies without asking, quietly "doing his job". But not only that, the functions manager who you don't normally see, was there too and introduced herself and the trainee who would also be helping to look after us. I have to say, the food was superb and the coffee hot and plentiful - and if there are 2 things breakfast seminar attendees like it's good, hot food and lots of coffee. They weren't disappointed and neither were we.
It was the little things that made the biggest difference to us.
* The attention to detail
* The attentiveness
* The genuine smiles at 6.30am
* The fact that we weren't rushed or felt the need to hurry
And a hundred other things that said - when we next run a breakfast seminar I know who I'm going to call.
I was also fortunate to see and speak to one of the readers of the Daily Dose of Motivational Medicine - no it wasn't a Motivate Me seminar, but an industry one of which we are both part of. I loved her comment "those annoying messages you send out" - they're working then!! and the comment "It's great to see things don't always go smoothly for you" ... of course they don't and that's why I like to write from a very personal perspective rather than the high-fallutin motivational messages other organisations tend to send out. There is value in the high-fallutin don't get me wrong, it's just I like you to know that I do stuff up and things get stuffed up on occasion - it's not that it happens, it's how you and I cope with the stuff ups - that's important, along with the motivation to keep going even when you don't want to.
Now you know I am going to give you some homework don't you.
Could you honestly say of the work you did today / this week that you went above and beyond people's expectations? The hotel and function staff did today, and I hope so did we (the organisers of the event);
Can you make some small but significant changes to the way that you work so you do go above and beyond even your own high expectations?
I hope so, because to me it's those little things that can mean the most
This morning, after a rather rude awakening by a clock I didn't know had an alarm on it (sorry honey) and subsequently attempting to go back to sleep for an hour, I headed into the city. I love the city in the very early morning. Not only do you have your choice of parking spot, you get to see wonderful examples of both good and bad customer service. As usual I was way too early for the meeting I had partly organised (others had had a hand in the today's meeting you understand). Anyway,. that's just me - always like to be the first through the door to meet and greet the people who are coming to see us, and it means I can get organised and set up.
But because I really was too early even for me, I stopped off at a tiny little bakery I didn't know existed to have a coffee. The smell of the baked cakes and pastries straight out of the oven at 6.30 was phenomenal - and no, I didn't buy anything but the coffee - and for those in Perth - Terrace Bakery (opposite DOME) had coffee for $3 and it was hot, fresh and not bad at all. But the smile on the face of the gentleman serving me, as well as the polite, "If you take a seat I'll bring it over to you" made the experience even better for me.
But that wasn't the reason behind the message today.
The hotel where we were holding our function this morning was a place just along the road from the 5 stars, and a couple of stars down, but you would never know. The welcome board was prominent, the room clean and easy to find and when I walked into the room, a colleague who also likes to arrive before the guests was there along with a member of the functions staff. Normally those kinds of people are here, there and everywhere - not him. He stayed with us all morning, replenishing supplies without asking, quietly "doing his job". But not only that, the functions manager who you don't normally see, was there too and introduced herself and the trainee who would also be helping to look after us. I have to say, the food was superb and the coffee hot and plentiful - and if there are 2 things breakfast seminar attendees like it's good, hot food and lots of coffee. They weren't disappointed and neither were we.
It was the little things that made the biggest difference to us.
* The attention to detail
* The attentiveness
* The genuine smiles at 6.30am
* The fact that we weren't rushed or felt the need to hurry
And a hundred other things that said - when we next run a breakfast seminar I know who I'm going to call.
I was also fortunate to see and speak to one of the readers of the Daily Dose of Motivational Medicine - no it wasn't a Motivate Me seminar, but an industry one of which we are both part of. I loved her comment "those annoying messages you send out" - they're working then!! and the comment "It's great to see things don't always go smoothly for you" ... of course they don't and that's why I like to write from a very personal perspective rather than the high-fallutin motivational messages other organisations tend to send out. There is value in the high-fallutin don't get me wrong, it's just I like you to know that I do stuff up and things get stuffed up on occasion - it's not that it happens, it's how you and I cope with the stuff ups - that's important, along with the motivation to keep going even when you don't want to.
Now you know I am going to give you some homework don't you.
Could you honestly say of the work you did today / this week that you went above and beyond people's expectations? The hotel and function staff did today, and I hope so did we (the organisers of the event);
Can you make some small but significant changes to the way that you work so you do go above and beyond even your own high expectations?
I hope so, because to me it's those little things that can mean the most
Prevention is better than cure
It is better to try to keep a bad thing from happening than it is to fix the bad thing once it has happened.
* You've spent a fortune buying the car of your dreams, but you forget to schedule in regular service checks.
* You fail to get an annual physical from your doctor
* You eat what you like, drink what you like, smoke goodness knows what - but don't do any kind of physical activity, and your clothes no longer fit you, in fact you look at yourself in the mirror and wonder who the stranger is staring back at you.
* Your house is falling down around your ears and the garden is over run with weeds
* You don't do your homework, preferring to sit on your rear playing war games or chatting on facebook
* You neglect your clients, going to pseudo business meetings where you can pretend to be important rather than bringing in income to a business that is running on fumes relying on cash flow of new clients to feed the debt you have let accumulate.
* Your spouse and kids don't know you anymore
* You can't remember the last time you saw your friends
We can all be guilty of neglect, but any day you can choose to stop it and begin the process of change. What areas are you neglecting? And what are you going to do about it?
* You've spent a fortune buying the car of your dreams, but you forget to schedule in regular service checks.
* You fail to get an annual physical from your doctor
* You eat what you like, drink what you like, smoke goodness knows what - but don't do any kind of physical activity, and your clothes no longer fit you, in fact you look at yourself in the mirror and wonder who the stranger is staring back at you.
* Your house is falling down around your ears and the garden is over run with weeds
* You don't do your homework, preferring to sit on your rear playing war games or chatting on facebook
* You neglect your clients, going to pseudo business meetings where you can pretend to be important rather than bringing in income to a business that is running on fumes relying on cash flow of new clients to feed the debt you have let accumulate.
* Your spouse and kids don't know you anymore
* You can't remember the last time you saw your friends
We can all be guilty of neglect, but any day you can choose to stop it and begin the process of change. What areas are you neglecting? And what are you going to do about it?
Follow your passion
"No matter what others think you should do or become, you must always follow your passion, and your passion only"
p21 The Angel Inside by Chris Widener
I love the story that is "the Angel Inside" of why and how il Gigante was created and by whom, and why this story is so relevant to everyone today.
Michelangelo went against his father's wishes. His father wanted him to become a merchant, but Michelangelo wanted to follow his passion - and be an artist. I think you would agree Michelangelo was correct in doing so.
* Are you doing what you love to do?
* Do you wake every day and long to begin the tasks that will fulfil your dreams and ambitions?
* Do you lay awake at night excited at what lies ahead?
Or are you the opposite
* Are you doing things because someone told you you should?
* Do you go to work not for the pleasure it brings but because it's a job and you need the money?
* Are you studying a subject that holds no joy for you - because it was someone else's suggestion of what might be a good career move?
But what do I mean by living your life "without wax"
It is often stated that the word sincere is derived from the Latin sine = without, cera = wax. According to one popular explanation, dishonest sculptors in Rome or Greece would cover flaws in their work with wax to deceive the viewer; therefore, a sculpture "without wax" would mean honesty in its perfection.
If you apply that principle to your own life, are you being sincere or are you hiding under a layer or two of wax?
As we are nearing the end of yet another year, now perhaps is a good a time as any to determine if you are living honestly or whether you need to make some changes.
p21 The Angel Inside by Chris Widener
I love the story that is "the Angel Inside" of why and how il Gigante was created and by whom, and why this story is so relevant to everyone today.
Michelangelo went against his father's wishes. His father wanted him to become a merchant, but Michelangelo wanted to follow his passion - and be an artist. I think you would agree Michelangelo was correct in doing so.
* Are you doing what you love to do?
* Do you wake every day and long to begin the tasks that will fulfil your dreams and ambitions?
* Do you lay awake at night excited at what lies ahead?
Or are you the opposite
* Are you doing things because someone told you you should?
* Do you go to work not for the pleasure it brings but because it's a job and you need the money?
* Are you studying a subject that holds no joy for you - because it was someone else's suggestion of what might be a good career move?
But what do I mean by living your life "without wax"
It is often stated that the word sincere is derived from the Latin sine = without, cera = wax. According to one popular explanation, dishonest sculptors in Rome or Greece would cover flaws in their work with wax to deceive the viewer; therefore, a sculpture "without wax" would mean honesty in its perfection.
If you apply that principle to your own life, are you being sincere or are you hiding under a layer or two of wax?
As we are nearing the end of yet another year, now perhaps is a good a time as any to determine if you are living honestly or whether you need to make some changes.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Learning never stops
Henry Ford said it best "Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young."
But it's not just a platitude, numerous study's show that the active mind stays "young". As you learn new things your brain is having to forge new neural pathways, that's why babies and kids are like learning machines - they have this huge capacity to learn, they have to. Every time they are shown something for the first time they have to absorb the lesson and they have to absorb it quickly - and if they don't - then you can understand why they have nicely padded rear ends - they don't care if they land on them once or twice whilst they are learning. The other amazing thing about kids and babies is this - they have no fear. To them life is one massive adventure....and boy are they going to have fun "adventuring".
When did we stop "adventuring?"
If you are a parent, did you ever tell your kids - don't do that you'll hurt yourself .... really? are you sure? How many times did your fear translate into actual accidents?
I remember as a young kid catching bumble bees - I would capture one in my cupped hands and proudly go inside to show my mum ... rather than freak out she said - make sure you don't frighten him, cos if you do you'll get stung, which meant nothing to me - but sure enough - was that a painful lesson - extracting the sting from my finger, but there are some things you do have to experience for yourself.... learning is like that. We have to experience it for ourselves for the lessons to sink in. And no I didn't catch any more bees.
I have a personal trainer - I go a couple of times a week, and I do a lot of other stuff exercise wise besides. But every time I go to see my trainer I know I will be learning something new. It may be a new exercise, it may be a variation on an old one....once I've stopped laughing long enough to say "are you sure you want me to do THAT" the exercise is broken down so I can see what my body needs to do and eventually my mind catches up. I am shown - but I only learn by doing.
Are you still learning?
* Every time you read something new
* Every time you attempt the morning cross word puzzle
* Every time you challenge your mind and body
Consider this
Every time I accept that the only thing I know for certain, is that I still have a lot to learn - I am opening my mind to new learning opportunities
Are you?
But it's not just a platitude, numerous study's show that the active mind stays "young". As you learn new things your brain is having to forge new neural pathways, that's why babies and kids are like learning machines - they have this huge capacity to learn, they have to. Every time they are shown something for the first time they have to absorb the lesson and they have to absorb it quickly - and if they don't - then you can understand why they have nicely padded rear ends - they don't care if they land on them once or twice whilst they are learning. The other amazing thing about kids and babies is this - they have no fear. To them life is one massive adventure....and boy are they going to have fun "adventuring".
When did we stop "adventuring?"
If you are a parent, did you ever tell your kids - don't do that you'll hurt yourself .... really? are you sure? How many times did your fear translate into actual accidents?
I remember as a young kid catching bumble bees - I would capture one in my cupped hands and proudly go inside to show my mum ... rather than freak out she said - make sure you don't frighten him, cos if you do you'll get stung, which meant nothing to me - but sure enough - was that a painful lesson - extracting the sting from my finger, but there are some things you do have to experience for yourself.... learning is like that. We have to experience it for ourselves for the lessons to sink in. And no I didn't catch any more bees.
I have a personal trainer - I go a couple of times a week, and I do a lot of other stuff exercise wise besides. But every time I go to see my trainer I know I will be learning something new. It may be a new exercise, it may be a variation on an old one....once I've stopped laughing long enough to say "are you sure you want me to do THAT" the exercise is broken down so I can see what my body needs to do and eventually my mind catches up. I am shown - but I only learn by doing.
Are you still learning?
* Every time you read something new
* Every time you attempt the morning cross word puzzle
* Every time you challenge your mind and body
Consider this
Every time I accept that the only thing I know for certain, is that I still have a lot to learn - I am opening my mind to new learning opportunities
Are you?
Be your best!
It doesn't take a genius to know you can be the best you can be.
To be the best, all you need to do is "do your best, all the time, every time"
The reason it makes you the best is because other people just can't be bothered.
* Other people look for ways to get out of doing things - but not you.
* Other people don't give it their all - but you do.
* Other people give up too easily when things don't quite as planned - but you work it out and work it through
* Other people have a house full of part-finished projects - whereas you have so many ideas to move forwards and make a difference to yourself, your family and your business you just can't keep up with YOURSELF
* Other people slink off into a corner muttering to themselves when their ideas get laughed at - whereas you pull back your shoulders and do it anyway
* Other people prefer to sit down and watch the TV every night rather than read the books, do the work or go to seminars to learn new ideas - but that's what they would find you doing - if they could be bothered to get up and look for you
* Other people whine and moan they just can't get ahead, because they're not "lucky" like you - whereas you know it wasn't luck, dumb or otherwise that enabled you to be the best, it was the fact that you did the best you could, all the time, every time.
And that's pure genius.
To be the best, all you need to do is "do your best, all the time, every time"
The reason it makes you the best is because other people just can't be bothered.
* Other people look for ways to get out of doing things - but not you.
* Other people don't give it their all - but you do.
* Other people give up too easily when things don't quite as planned - but you work it out and work it through
* Other people have a house full of part-finished projects - whereas you have so many ideas to move forwards and make a difference to yourself, your family and your business you just can't keep up with YOURSELF
* Other people slink off into a corner muttering to themselves when their ideas get laughed at - whereas you pull back your shoulders and do it anyway
* Other people prefer to sit down and watch the TV every night rather than read the books, do the work or go to seminars to learn new ideas - but that's what they would find you doing - if they could be bothered to get up and look for you
* Other people whine and moan they just can't get ahead, because they're not "lucky" like you - whereas you know it wasn't luck, dumb or otherwise that enabled you to be the best, it was the fact that you did the best you could, all the time, every time.
And that's pure genius.
Our mind
"The mind is an iceberg, it floats with only 1/7th of it's bulk above water"
Sigmund Freud
Do you tell yourself you can or you can't do something?
We are constantly "speaking" to ourselves - unfortunately most of what we are telling ourselves sub-consciously is at odds with what we are saying consciously. Only when you stop the negative chatter and align the sub-conscious thought processes with the conscious thought processes will you be able to move forwards.
Don't believe me?
If I ask you to say the sentence
I achieve ALL my goals with ease
What does your mind automatically start to say?
Most of the time, we can catch ourselves saying something derogatory like "No you don't", "Don't make me laugh" "You always give up"
That's the trouble with "affirmations" they don't really work, unless you believe them to be true - and your actions back up those words. Of course we can believe something to be true without taking action - but that's the start of delusion. We can affirm that we are rich and powerful, but the bank balance never seems to catch up with the spending, so watch your "affirmations" and make sure you only affirm that which is true. You can of course affirm that you are broke, good, now you need to work out how to get out of being "broke".... You can say - I will get a better paying job OR I will create my business and I will start today by working out the market for my product / service. Once you make that kind of decision, guess what - the actions are obvious, and as you take each action step, your sub-conscious starts to catch up and becomes aligned with what you have been consciously saying.
So - What are you affirming to be true and are your actions backing those thought processes or not?
Sigmund Freud
Do you tell yourself you can or you can't do something?
We are constantly "speaking" to ourselves - unfortunately most of what we are telling ourselves sub-consciously is at odds with what we are saying consciously. Only when you stop the negative chatter and align the sub-conscious thought processes with the conscious thought processes will you be able to move forwards.
Don't believe me?
If I ask you to say the sentence
I achieve ALL my goals with ease
What does your mind automatically start to say?
Most of the time, we can catch ourselves saying something derogatory like "No you don't", "Don't make me laugh" "You always give up"
That's the trouble with "affirmations" they don't really work, unless you believe them to be true - and your actions back up those words. Of course we can believe something to be true without taking action - but that's the start of delusion. We can affirm that we are rich and powerful, but the bank balance never seems to catch up with the spending, so watch your "affirmations" and make sure you only affirm that which is true. You can of course affirm that you are broke, good, now you need to work out how to get out of being "broke".... You can say - I will get a better paying job OR I will create my business and I will start today by working out the market for my product / service. Once you make that kind of decision, guess what - the actions are obvious, and as you take each action step, your sub-conscious starts to catch up and becomes aligned with what you have been consciously saying.
So - What are you affirming to be true and are your actions backing those thought processes or not?
KYC - Know your customers
How well do you think your clients and customers know you?
Do they know you well enough to refer business to you?
A good friend and mentor of mine says that "people will do business with and refer business to those people they know, like and trust" he should know he has written (or co-written) some of the best business books on the subject. Bob Burg not only wrote Endless Referrals, but co-authored the 2 biggest business books this century - The Go Giver and Go Givers Sell More. I can't emphasize this enough - if you haven't read them and you want to launch your own business into the stratosphere, you really are missing out if you don't.
Do your clients and customers know, like and trust you to do the right thing by them? Or are you only interested in how much they have to spend this quarter?
Now I am not saying that money isn't important, if you're in business, money is extremely important. But you can make millions dishonestly - just look at Bernie Madoff if you want a very large example of that in recent times. But if you want to help your clients and customers make money as well as yourself, then you are going to have to find ways to help them - and sometimes we can do that by referring other people to them.
Think about it, if we have benefited from someone or something surely we would be willing to pass that information on to our friends, co-workers and acquaintances. To give you a very personal example, I telephoned a family friend tonight, just wanting to touch base. Not only was she full of flu, but she eventually started bemoaning the cost of air conditioning as she needed her unit replacing. As you know I had air conditioning installed a few weeks ago, so who do you think I recommended? Absolutely - not only did MY air con people give me the only genuine discount out of all the quotes going, they were spot on with every aspect of their customer service. Do they know I've referred someone to them - NOPE, will I do so again - ABSOLUTELY.
Can you say that about your own business?
What can you do to ensure you do get that kind of word of mouth referral?
Apart from being honest, polite, doing what you say you are going to do, when you say you are going to do it and genuinely being interested in the people who you serve that is?
If you haven't spoken to your clients / customers in recent times may I suggest you start picking up the telephone and talking to them. And no, not with the intent to sell, but with a genuine curiosity to find out how they are. Believe me when I say this - you will be streets ahead of your competitors who only phone when they want something.
Do they know you well enough to refer business to you?
A good friend and mentor of mine says that "people will do business with and refer business to those people they know, like and trust" he should know he has written (or co-written) some of the best business books on the subject. Bob Burg not only wrote Endless Referrals, but co-authored the 2 biggest business books this century - The Go Giver and Go Givers Sell More. I can't emphasize this enough - if you haven't read them and you want to launch your own business into the stratosphere, you really are missing out if you don't.
Do your clients and customers know, like and trust you to do the right thing by them? Or are you only interested in how much they have to spend this quarter?
Now I am not saying that money isn't important, if you're in business, money is extremely important. But you can make millions dishonestly - just look at Bernie Madoff if you want a very large example of that in recent times. But if you want to help your clients and customers make money as well as yourself, then you are going to have to find ways to help them - and sometimes we can do that by referring other people to them.
Think about it, if we have benefited from someone or something surely we would be willing to pass that information on to our friends, co-workers and acquaintances. To give you a very personal example, I telephoned a family friend tonight, just wanting to touch base. Not only was she full of flu, but she eventually started bemoaning the cost of air conditioning as she needed her unit replacing. As you know I had air conditioning installed a few weeks ago, so who do you think I recommended? Absolutely - not only did MY air con people give me the only genuine discount out of all the quotes going, they were spot on with every aspect of their customer service. Do they know I've referred someone to them - NOPE, will I do so again - ABSOLUTELY.
Can you say that about your own business?
What can you do to ensure you do get that kind of word of mouth referral?
Apart from being honest, polite, doing what you say you are going to do, when you say you are going to do it and genuinely being interested in the people who you serve that is?
If you haven't spoken to your clients / customers in recent times may I suggest you start picking up the telephone and talking to them. And no, not with the intent to sell, but with a genuine curiosity to find out how they are. Believe me when I say this - you will be streets ahead of your competitors who only phone when they want something.
Exercise!
Now it may not be the first thing you do every day, but you do need to schedule exercise into your day and your week - and you do need to treat each exercise session as THE most important appointment you have - then keep your appointments.
Get out your diary or your copy of the challenge...what day(s) are you going to exercise? Make an appointment with yourself - and keep it - that's essential. Imagine you are paying a personal trainer and you pay whether you turn up or not, it would be a complete waste of money if you paid and didn't go now wouldn't it... and if you do have that kind of money to waste, please send it my way :-)
One of the tricks that I use is this. I take my work out gear with me when I go to work, because I know that if I go home before I say I am planning to go out and exercise 9 times out of 10 I won't do back out again. Granted I will be doing other things, but it will be incidental exercise as opposed to specific training. So I take my gym gear into the office with me, and I get changed before I leave work for the day. Now I have made one commitment to myself. Of course I could still drive home without doing it, but that would be a little silly, so I go.
Incidental exercise is great - this is a wonderful way to up the overall number of calories you burn during a day and includes everything from dusting and vacuuming to gardening and ironing. But a weights session or sit ups or a run / power walk it isn't.
Make sure you have plenty of variety to your program. If you go to the gym 3 times a week and have a day of rest between each session you can work the same muscles. But if you do more than that you do need to think about which areas / muscle groups you are going to be working on. It's no good having great shoulders and arms if your legs are flabby or stick thin... you'd look odd.
Try and throw in a long walk on a weekend or a couple of evenings a week, take the kids to the park and throw a ball or a frisbee around, take a dancing lesson or a swim, play a game of tennis or ride your bike to work.
Before your eyes roll back in your head and you mutter - but I don't have time ... you have exactly the right amount of time each day / week to do what you want to do. If that means giving up an hour of television a day - great. If it means you have to get up half an hour earlier to go for a walk - so what. Do you have a lunch break? Then use it. I walk every lunch time - regardless of the weather. It may not be far, it may not be fast, but I go outside and I get some fresh air into my lungs. Given that most of us work in places where they recycle the air through machines it's a good thing to do.
Given that most of us could do with utilizing the calories we are consuming in a better way - please consider making exercise a priority. Not only will you begin to look toned, but your clothes will fit you better and the health benefits are enormous.
Get out your diary or your copy of the challenge...what day(s) are you going to exercise? Make an appointment with yourself - and keep it - that's essential. Imagine you are paying a personal trainer and you pay whether you turn up or not, it would be a complete waste of money if you paid and didn't go now wouldn't it... and if you do have that kind of money to waste, please send it my way :-)
One of the tricks that I use is this. I take my work out gear with me when I go to work, because I know that if I go home before I say I am planning to go out and exercise 9 times out of 10 I won't do back out again. Granted I will be doing other things, but it will be incidental exercise as opposed to specific training. So I take my gym gear into the office with me, and I get changed before I leave work for the day. Now I have made one commitment to myself. Of course I could still drive home without doing it, but that would be a little silly, so I go.
Incidental exercise is great - this is a wonderful way to up the overall number of calories you burn during a day and includes everything from dusting and vacuuming to gardening and ironing. But a weights session or sit ups or a run / power walk it isn't.
Make sure you have plenty of variety to your program. If you go to the gym 3 times a week and have a day of rest between each session you can work the same muscles. But if you do more than that you do need to think about which areas / muscle groups you are going to be working on. It's no good having great shoulders and arms if your legs are flabby or stick thin... you'd look odd.
Try and throw in a long walk on a weekend or a couple of evenings a week, take the kids to the park and throw a ball or a frisbee around, take a dancing lesson or a swim, play a game of tennis or ride your bike to work.
Before your eyes roll back in your head and you mutter - but I don't have time ... you have exactly the right amount of time each day / week to do what you want to do. If that means giving up an hour of television a day - great. If it means you have to get up half an hour earlier to go for a walk - so what. Do you have a lunch break? Then use it. I walk every lunch time - regardless of the weather. It may not be far, it may not be fast, but I go outside and I get some fresh air into my lungs. Given that most of us work in places where they recycle the air through machines it's a good thing to do.
Given that most of us could do with utilizing the calories we are consuming in a better way - please consider making exercise a priority. Not only will you begin to look toned, but your clothes will fit you better and the health benefits are enormous.
Motivation
What motivates some people to study and others to bunk off is often a mystery. So, the first thing we all need to remember is this - we have no control over anyone else, the only person we have any control over is us.
So, are you the kind of person who does what you say you are going to do, when you say you are going to do it, or do you find all sorts of other things to do instead? It's also interesting, there are times when we procrastinate even though we know we have things we need to do - and who cares about the consequences! And other times we are on top of our workload and can do more. It happens, it's normal.
No matter what your age, or what stage you are at in your life, the problem is the same. It's just the circumstances that are different.
So if you are a parent of school age people, bear in mind that you (we) are not perfect and neither will they be. And if you are a school aged person, bear in mind that your parents have been there and tried to wiggle out of their assignments just as much as you might think about trying to do.
Ultimately it's up to you.
But there are ways to manage your assignments and projects:
Projects and assignment can seem daunting when you receive the information from your lecturer / teacher. Where do you start and how are you supposed to complete all that by the end of the year?
* Break down the task into manageable pieces
* Assign each piece a time slot in your current calendar
* When the time comes to work on the project item, stop doing whatever else you are doing and spend the allocated time on your project. It doesn’t matter what the project is, it can be an assignment for your homework, or a major research piece for your dissertation. The principles are basically the same.
* Understand what the outcome needs to be, and
* Break down the task so that the “project” can be completed in the specified time frame.
Of course it does depend on what the project is as to how long it is going to take to complete it. But for complex projects there are usually stages that can be completed as isolated assignments and tasks. Each of these completed assignments build up to complete the major project.
For instance, a student needs to gain a particular mark or percentage in order to pass a course of study. In order to do that, students must complete small assignments and projects throughout the semester. Individually these assignments and projects comprise only a small percentage of the final years mark. However, together, they make up the final mark. On their own, the small assignments may not seem like very much – together they can make the difference between a pass and a fail.
Understand what your final outcome should be by defining your overall project. Break down the project into assignments that can be completed within a very small and specified time frame. Complete each one and build upon your knowledge, skills and abilities to reach your project goal.
Small steps completed over time equals completion of major projects.
So, are you the kind of person who does what you say you are going to do, when you say you are going to do it, or do you find all sorts of other things to do instead? It's also interesting, there are times when we procrastinate even though we know we have things we need to do - and who cares about the consequences! And other times we are on top of our workload and can do more. It happens, it's normal.
No matter what your age, or what stage you are at in your life, the problem is the same. It's just the circumstances that are different.
So if you are a parent of school age people, bear in mind that you (we) are not perfect and neither will they be. And if you are a school aged person, bear in mind that your parents have been there and tried to wiggle out of their assignments just as much as you might think about trying to do.
Ultimately it's up to you.
But there are ways to manage your assignments and projects:
Projects and assignment can seem daunting when you receive the information from your lecturer / teacher. Where do you start and how are you supposed to complete all that by the end of the year?
* Break down the task into manageable pieces
* Assign each piece a time slot in your current calendar
* When the time comes to work on the project item, stop doing whatever else you are doing and spend the allocated time on your project. It doesn’t matter what the project is, it can be an assignment for your homework, or a major research piece for your dissertation. The principles are basically the same.
* Understand what the outcome needs to be, and
* Break down the task so that the “project” can be completed in the specified time frame.
Of course it does depend on what the project is as to how long it is going to take to complete it. But for complex projects there are usually stages that can be completed as isolated assignments and tasks. Each of these completed assignments build up to complete the major project.
For instance, a student needs to gain a particular mark or percentage in order to pass a course of study. In order to do that, students must complete small assignments and projects throughout the semester. Individually these assignments and projects comprise only a small percentage of the final years mark. However, together, they make up the final mark. On their own, the small assignments may not seem like very much – together they can make the difference between a pass and a fail.
Understand what your final outcome should be by defining your overall project. Break down the project into assignments that can be completed within a very small and specified time frame. Complete each one and build upon your knowledge, skills and abilities to reach your project goal.
Small steps completed over time equals completion of major projects.
Friday, June 11, 2010
What happens when the too hard basket is full?
People often talk about putting things into the too hard basket, rarely do you hear of anyone who dives into it, fishes out one of the things they know needs doing - and completes the task.
Believe it or not, we've all got a too hard basket. We use this phrase to denote anything and everything we don't know how to deal with at a particular moment in time - or more appropriately - don't want to deal with. Whilst there are some people who are quite happy to stuff theirs until it's overflowing and never move beyond the fact they can't be bothered most of the time, we are not talking about those kinds of people.
To my way of thinking, the too hard basket is just another way to describe "structured procrastination". We know what needs doing and we know what we should be doing, we just decide some things are a little too hard today so we will deliberately do other things. Tomorrow of course, we may quite easily complete today's delayed task - not because it's any easier, but because there are other things we don't want to have to deal with. In other words we swap what's in the too hard basket.
The trick is of course knowing you are doing it.
Today I would like you to find your too hard basket - or if you have more than one, I need you to find them all. Get yourself a nice space where you can spread everything out and grab a notebook and pen, or computer task list, or diary - or whatever I don't care. What I do care about though is this. I need you to be honest with what you are putting off. Write down every task, every goal you started but didn't complete, everything - then you need to work out why. If you do have a visual - as in you have a filing tray filled with things you have not worked through - bills you haven't paid, letters you haven't written etc, then start with the oldest and sort it out. Once you have done that I need you to take a walk around your home and your place of work - again make a note of everything you need to do and haven't dealt with. It may be the leaky sink or the button that fell off your jacket. It may be a project that got stalled because one of the team members was away or had other priorities at the time. Re-visit them all.
And we won't stop there.
Your personal goals also need to be looked at - why are they in your too hard basket?
Work out what you need to do to move things on, it may be a meeting, or a telephone call. It may mean re-allocating money or discarding something that will never work but thought it was a good idea at the time.
Believe it or not, we've all got a too hard basket. We use this phrase to denote anything and everything we don't know how to deal with at a particular moment in time - or more appropriately - don't want to deal with. Whilst there are some people who are quite happy to stuff theirs until it's overflowing and never move beyond the fact they can't be bothered most of the time, we are not talking about those kinds of people.
To my way of thinking, the too hard basket is just another way to describe "structured procrastination". We know what needs doing and we know what we should be doing, we just decide some things are a little too hard today so we will deliberately do other things. Tomorrow of course, we may quite easily complete today's delayed task - not because it's any easier, but because there are other things we don't want to have to deal with. In other words we swap what's in the too hard basket.
The trick is of course knowing you are doing it.
Today I would like you to find your too hard basket - or if you have more than one, I need you to find them all. Get yourself a nice space where you can spread everything out and grab a notebook and pen, or computer task list, or diary - or whatever I don't care. What I do care about though is this. I need you to be honest with what you are putting off. Write down every task, every goal you started but didn't complete, everything - then you need to work out why. If you do have a visual - as in you have a filing tray filled with things you have not worked through - bills you haven't paid, letters you haven't written etc, then start with the oldest and sort it out. Once you have done that I need you to take a walk around your home and your place of work - again make a note of everything you need to do and haven't dealt with. It may be the leaky sink or the button that fell off your jacket. It may be a project that got stalled because one of the team members was away or had other priorities at the time. Re-visit them all.
And we won't stop there.
Your personal goals also need to be looked at - why are they in your too hard basket?
Work out what you need to do to move things on, it may be a meeting, or a telephone call. It may mean re-allocating money or discarding something that will never work but thought it was a good idea at the time.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
It's a marathon not a sprint
There is one thing of which I am totally convinced....
There is no such thing as an "overnight success"
What we may see as "an overnight success" is in fact months if not years of dedicated work and practice to get to a point where someone notices you and what you are doing.
The author who has labored over a manuscript, been turned down by a dozen publishers and still they write, still they send out proposals - until one day - someone takes notice. J K Rowling and Stephen King are 2 examples of that kind of overnight success that took years.
The person who dreams of paying off their mortgage and diligently deposits money week after week to do so....
The person who thinks about setting up a website to promote their business....the business has been running for years, but because it can't be found until the website has been created....
The person who wants to create a new business, it may have taken months if not years of thought and preparation before the doors finally opened for business....
Google - yes THE search engine we know and love so much today started off as a research thesis for 2 doctoral students .... did you know it started off life as "Backrub"? doesn't have quite the same ring to it does it.... overnight success? I don't think so.
Every goal you have in front of you is likely to be a marathon not a sprint. Yes there will be spurts of inspiration and energy that will take you further than perhaps you had ever dreamed possible, but I do know that mostly it is a slog, not always a hard slog, but a slog nontheless. Getting up day after day to do something that will mean the goal is achieved.
- The person who gets up at 5am to go for a walk because it is the only time they have to themselves and when they can do some exercise.
- The writer who needs peace and quiet will wait until the kids have gone to bed before getting out the manuscript.
- The people who decide to give their diet just one more day.
- The would be business person who reads just one more article, then starts to lay the foundations
- The teenager who wants to save a million dollars by the time they are 40 decides to forgo the party one the weekend to stick the money into a savings account
- The student who decides to spend just a little more time studying than their fellow undergrads so they can get the first and the best job in town
And what do we hear - Oh they were lucky, they ....
Yes they created their own luck by working hard for it.
There is no such thing as an "overnight success"
What we may see as "an overnight success" is in fact months if not years of dedicated work and practice to get to a point where someone notices you and what you are doing.
The author who has labored over a manuscript, been turned down by a dozen publishers and still they write, still they send out proposals - until one day - someone takes notice. J K Rowling and Stephen King are 2 examples of that kind of overnight success that took years.
The person who dreams of paying off their mortgage and diligently deposits money week after week to do so....
The person who thinks about setting up a website to promote their business....the business has been running for years, but because it can't be found until the website has been created....
The person who wants to create a new business, it may have taken months if not years of thought and preparation before the doors finally opened for business....
Google - yes THE search engine we know and love so much today started off as a research thesis for 2 doctoral students .... did you know it started off life as "Backrub"? doesn't have quite the same ring to it does it.... overnight success? I don't think so.
Every goal you have in front of you is likely to be a marathon not a sprint. Yes there will be spurts of inspiration and energy that will take you further than perhaps you had ever dreamed possible, but I do know that mostly it is a slog, not always a hard slog, but a slog nontheless. Getting up day after day to do something that will mean the goal is achieved.
- The person who gets up at 5am to go for a walk because it is the only time they have to themselves and when they can do some exercise.
- The writer who needs peace and quiet will wait until the kids have gone to bed before getting out the manuscript.
- The people who decide to give their diet just one more day.
- The would be business person who reads just one more article, then starts to lay the foundations
- The teenager who wants to save a million dollars by the time they are 40 decides to forgo the party one the weekend to stick the money into a savings account
- The student who decides to spend just a little more time studying than their fellow undergrads so they can get the first and the best job in town
And what do we hear - Oh they were lucky, they ....
Yes they created their own luck by working hard for it.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Motivation
If not you - then who?
---------------------------
If it wasn't for people like you there would be no:
* Breakthroughs in science and medicine
* Amazing photographs taken or books written
* New ways to teach the children
* Reason for other amazing people to entertain you
* Companies
* Entrepreneurs
Or anything else done either come to think of it. Imagine if there had been no-one to grow crops or raise livestock, fishermen or boat builders. What would have happened if "they" had decided not to use their talents?
So why do I hear "I'm just a ......" which is usually accompanied by a shrug of the shoulders in embarrassment, a roll of the eyes and a change of subject
In my world there is no such thing as "I'm just a ..... "
You have been given unique talents, unfortunately most people
a) don't think they know what they are, or
b) ignore them - even if they do know what they are
So - what are you good at?
and
Are you sharing those talents yet?
Remember the caveat - there is no "well I'm just a ...." if that is what you are doing, and you are good at what you do - then - FANTASTIC - just remember one thing though, you might have more than one talent to share with the world and those people around you. Don't neglect ALL of who you are.
---------------------------
If it wasn't for people like you there would be no:
* Breakthroughs in science and medicine
* Amazing photographs taken or books written
* New ways to teach the children
* Reason for other amazing people to entertain you
* Companies
* Entrepreneurs
Or anything else done either come to think of it. Imagine if there had been no-one to grow crops or raise livestock, fishermen or boat builders. What would have happened if "they" had decided not to use their talents?
So why do I hear "I'm just a ......" which is usually accompanied by a shrug of the shoulders in embarrassment, a roll of the eyes and a change of subject
In my world there is no such thing as "I'm just a ..... "
You have been given unique talents, unfortunately most people
a) don't think they know what they are, or
b) ignore them - even if they do know what they are
So - what are you good at?
and
Are you sharing those talents yet?
Remember the caveat - there is no "well I'm just a ...." if that is what you are doing, and you are good at what you do - then - FANTASTIC - just remember one thing though, you might have more than one talent to share with the world and those people around you. Don't neglect ALL of who you are.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Refusing to Accept Failure
Sir Edmund Hillary was the first man to climb Mount Everest. On May 29, 1953 he scaled the highest mountain then known to man-29,000 feet straight up. He was knighted for his efforts.
He even made American Express card commercials because of it! However, until we read his book, High Adventure, we don't understand that Hillary had to grow into this success.
You see, in 1952 he attempted to climb Mount Everest, but failed. A few weeks later a group in England asked him to address its members.
Hillary walked on stage to a thunderous applause. The audience was recognizing an attempt at greatness, but Edmund Hillary saw himself as a failure. He moved away from the microphone and walked to the edge of the platform..
He made a fist and pointed at a picture of the mountain. He said in a loud voice, "Mount Everest, you beat me the first time, but I'll beat you the next time because you've grown all you are going to grow... but I'm still growing!"
He even made American Express card commercials because of it! However, until we read his book, High Adventure, we don't understand that Hillary had to grow into this success.
You see, in 1952 he attempted to climb Mount Everest, but failed. A few weeks later a group in England asked him to address its members.
Hillary walked on stage to a thunderous applause. The audience was recognizing an attempt at greatness, but Edmund Hillary saw himself as a failure. He moved away from the microphone and walked to the edge of the platform..
He made a fist and pointed at a picture of the mountain. He said in a loud voice, "Mount Everest, you beat me the first time, but I'll beat you the next time because you've grown all you are going to grow... but I'm still growing!"
Words of Wisdom
"The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward." -- Amelia Earhart
Amelia Mary Earhart (born July 24, 1897; missing July 2, 1937; declared legally dead January 5, 1939) was a noted American aviation pioneer and author. Earhart was the first woman to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross, awarded for becoming the first aviatrix to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.[4] She set many other records, wrote best-selling books about her flying experiences and was instrumental in the formation of The Ninety-Nines, an organization for female pilots. Earhart joined the faculty of the world-famous Purdue University aviation department in 1935 as a visiting faculty member to counsel women on careers and help inspire others with her love for aviation. She was also a member of the National Woman's Party, and an early supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment.
During an attempt to make a circum-navigational flight of the globe in 1937 in a Purdue-funded Lockheed Model 10 Electra, Earhart disappeared over the central Pacific Ocean near Howland Island. Fascination with her life, career and disappearance continues to this day.
"It takes a great man to be a good listener." -- Calvin Coolidge
John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. (July 4, 1872 – January 5, 1933) was the 30th President of the United States (1923–1929). A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state. His actions during the Boston Police Strike of 1919 thrust him into the national spotlight. Soon after, he was elected as the 29th Vice President in 1920 and succeeded to the Presidency upon the sudden death of Warren G. Harding in 1923. Elected in his own right in 1924, he gained a reputation as a small-government conservative.
Coolidge restored public confidence in the White House after the scandals of his predecessor's administration, and left office with considerable popularity. As a Coolidge biographer put it, "He embodied the spirit and hopes of the middle class, could interpret their longings and express their opinions. That he did represent the genius of the average is the most convincing proof of his strength." Many later criticized Coolidge as part of a general criticism of laissez-faire government. His reputation underwent a renaissance during the Ronald Reagan Administration, but the ultimate assessment of his presidency is still divided between those who approve of his reduction of the size of government programs and those who believe the federal government should be more involved in regulating and controlling the economy.
"Without ambition, one starts nothing. Without work, one finishes nothing. The prize will not be sent to you. You have to win it." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson (May 25, 1803 – April 27, 1882) was an American essayist, philosopher, and poet, best remembered for leading the Transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century. His teachings directly influenced the growing New Thought movement of the mid-1800s. He was seen as a champion of individualism and a prescient critic of the countervailing pressures of society.
Emerson gradually moved away from the religious and social beliefs of his contemporaries, formulating and expressing the philosophy of Transcendentalism in his 1836 essay, Nature. As a result of this ground-breaking work he gave a speech entitled The American Scholar in 1837, which Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. considered to be America's "Intellectual Declaration of Independence". Considered one of the great orators of the time, Emerson's enthusiasm and respect for his audience enraptured crowds. His support for abolitionism late in life created controversy, and at times he was subject to abuse from crowds while speaking on the topic. When asked to sum up his work, he said his central doctrine was "the infinitude of the private man."
Amelia Mary Earhart (born July 24, 1897; missing July 2, 1937; declared legally dead January 5, 1939) was a noted American aviation pioneer and author. Earhart was the first woman to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross, awarded for becoming the first aviatrix to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.[4] She set many other records, wrote best-selling books about her flying experiences and was instrumental in the formation of The Ninety-Nines, an organization for female pilots. Earhart joined the faculty of the world-famous Purdue University aviation department in 1935 as a visiting faculty member to counsel women on careers and help inspire others with her love for aviation. She was also a member of the National Woman's Party, and an early supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment.
During an attempt to make a circum-navigational flight of the globe in 1937 in a Purdue-funded Lockheed Model 10 Electra, Earhart disappeared over the central Pacific Ocean near Howland Island. Fascination with her life, career and disappearance continues to this day.
"It takes a great man to be a good listener." -- Calvin Coolidge
John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. (July 4, 1872 – January 5, 1933) was the 30th President of the United States (1923–1929). A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state. His actions during the Boston Police Strike of 1919 thrust him into the national spotlight. Soon after, he was elected as the 29th Vice President in 1920 and succeeded to the Presidency upon the sudden death of Warren G. Harding in 1923. Elected in his own right in 1924, he gained a reputation as a small-government conservative.
Coolidge restored public confidence in the White House after the scandals of his predecessor's administration, and left office with considerable popularity. As a Coolidge biographer put it, "He embodied the spirit and hopes of the middle class, could interpret their longings and express their opinions. That he did represent the genius of the average is the most convincing proof of his strength." Many later criticized Coolidge as part of a general criticism of laissez-faire government. His reputation underwent a renaissance during the Ronald Reagan Administration, but the ultimate assessment of his presidency is still divided between those who approve of his reduction of the size of government programs and those who believe the federal government should be more involved in regulating and controlling the economy.
"Without ambition, one starts nothing. Without work, one finishes nothing. The prize will not be sent to you. You have to win it." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson (May 25, 1803 – April 27, 1882) was an American essayist, philosopher, and poet, best remembered for leading the Transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century. His teachings directly influenced the growing New Thought movement of the mid-1800s. He was seen as a champion of individualism and a prescient critic of the countervailing pressures of society.
Emerson gradually moved away from the religious and social beliefs of his contemporaries, formulating and expressing the philosophy of Transcendentalism in his 1836 essay, Nature. As a result of this ground-breaking work he gave a speech entitled The American Scholar in 1837, which Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. considered to be America's "Intellectual Declaration of Independence". Considered one of the great orators of the time, Emerson's enthusiasm and respect for his audience enraptured crowds. His support for abolitionism late in life created controversy, and at times he was subject to abuse from crowds while speaking on the topic. When asked to sum up his work, he said his central doctrine was "the infinitude of the private man."
Gratitude
When you look at life through the eyes of gratitude, the world becomes
a wonderful place. The more you find to be grateful about, the more
you find to be grateful about. Gratitude is a wonderful antidote to
depression. It lifts you out of your small self and gives you an
expanded view.
A simple exercise:
Think of one nice thing that happened today that you can be thankful
for....
notice how you feel as you dwell on it.
Now, think of a yukky thing that made you sad or angry or upset or
fearful....
notice how you feel as you dwell on it.
Which one made you smile? Which one made you feel uplifted? Which one
made you feel heavy? Which one made you feel light?
So the more times you find something to be grateful / thankful for,
the more times you feel good. The more times you feel good, the more
of that joy you spread to others. Watch out... it could be
contagious....
It's that simple!
*Some quotable quotes...*
Gratitude helps you to grow and expand.
Gratitude brings joy and laughter into your lives
and into the lives of all those around you.
~ Eileen Caddy ~
There are only two ways to live your life.
One is as though nothing is a miracle.
The other is as if everything is.
~ Albert Einstein ~
To find the universal elements enough;
to find the air and the water exhilarating;
to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter;
to be thrilled by the stars at night:
to be elated over a bird's nest or a wildflower in spring ...
these are some of the rewards of the simple life.
~ John Burroughs, Naturalist (1837-1921) ~
Look at everything
as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time.
then your time on earth
will be filled with glory.
~ Betty Smith, novelist (1896-1972) ~
To see the world in a grain of sand
and Heaven in a wildflower,
hold infinity in the palm of your hand and eternity in an hour.
~ William Blake ~
Those who are Awake
live in a state of constant amazement ...
~ Jack Kornfield ~
Cherish yesterday,
Dream tomorrow,
Live today.
~ Richard Bach (from 'Jonathan Livingston Seagull') ~
a wonderful place. The more you find to be grateful about, the more
you find to be grateful about. Gratitude is a wonderful antidote to
depression. It lifts you out of your small self and gives you an
expanded view.
A simple exercise:
Think of one nice thing that happened today that you can be thankful
for....
notice how you feel as you dwell on it.
Now, think of a yukky thing that made you sad or angry or upset or
fearful....
notice how you feel as you dwell on it.
Which one made you smile? Which one made you feel uplifted? Which one
made you feel heavy? Which one made you feel light?
So the more times you find something to be grateful / thankful for,
the more times you feel good. The more times you feel good, the more
of that joy you spread to others. Watch out... it could be
contagious....
It's that simple!
*Some quotable quotes...*
Gratitude helps you to grow and expand.
Gratitude brings joy and laughter into your lives
and into the lives of all those around you.
~ Eileen Caddy ~
There are only two ways to live your life.
One is as though nothing is a miracle.
The other is as if everything is.
~ Albert Einstein ~
To find the universal elements enough;
to find the air and the water exhilarating;
to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter;
to be thrilled by the stars at night:
to be elated over a bird's nest or a wildflower in spring ...
these are some of the rewards of the simple life.
~ John Burroughs, Naturalist (1837-1921) ~
Look at everything
as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time.
then your time on earth
will be filled with glory.
~ Betty Smith, novelist (1896-1972) ~
To see the world in a grain of sand
and Heaven in a wildflower,
hold infinity in the palm of your hand and eternity in an hour.
~ William Blake ~
Those who are Awake
live in a state of constant amazement ...
~ Jack Kornfield ~
Cherish yesterday,
Dream tomorrow,
Live today.
~ Richard Bach (from 'Jonathan Livingston Seagull') ~
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Don't...
Don't undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others,
It is because we are different that each of us is special.
Don't set your goals by what other people deem important,
Only you know what is best for you.
Don't take for granted the things closest to your heart
Cling to that as you would your life, for without them life is meaningless.
Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or the future.
By living your life one day at a time, you live all the days of your life.
Don't give up when you still have something to give.
Nothing is really over … until the moment you stop trying.
Don't be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect,
It is the fragile thread that binds us to each other.
Don't be afraid to encounter risks in career and love.
It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.
Don't shut love out of your life by saying it's impossible to find.
If you Believe in True, Deep and lasting love you will get it.
The quickest way to receive love is to give love.
And the best way to keep love is to give it wings.
Don't take love and loved ones for granted.
Let your loved ones know that you love them.
Don't dismiss your Dreams. To be without dreams is to be without hope.
To be without hope is to be without purpose.
Don't run through life so fast that you forget where you've been,
But also know where you're going.
Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored every step of the way.
It is because we are different that each of us is special.
Don't set your goals by what other people deem important,
Only you know what is best for you.
Don't take for granted the things closest to your heart
Cling to that as you would your life, for without them life is meaningless.
Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or the future.
By living your life one day at a time, you live all the days of your life.
Don't give up when you still have something to give.
Nothing is really over … until the moment you stop trying.
Don't be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect,
It is the fragile thread that binds us to each other.
Don't be afraid to encounter risks in career and love.
It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.
Don't shut love out of your life by saying it's impossible to find.
If you Believe in True, Deep and lasting love you will get it.
The quickest way to receive love is to give love.
And the best way to keep love is to give it wings.
Don't take love and loved ones for granted.
Let your loved ones know that you love them.
Don't dismiss your Dreams. To be without dreams is to be without hope.
To be without hope is to be without purpose.
Don't run through life so fast that you forget where you've been,
But also know where you're going.
Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored every step of the way.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Career Planning
If you notice any of the famous and successful people, you will notice a common theme running through the careers of these people - they have been passionate about their beliefs and wanted to make a difference. And maybe thats the reason why they seem to radiate such self-confidence and energy. You can almost feel their passion and commitment, and the power that it seems to give them to achieve extraordinary things.
I was recently reading a book called 'Careers Unplugged' and was pleased to read that the author had shared similar views and infact described this further by encouraging everyone to find their 'sweet spots'. I am keen to share this further through my blog today.
The reason, like I said, is simple. Competence and passion constitute an unbeatable combination for a successful career. If you can find something that you're both good at and feel strongly about, you are well placed to achieve a truly satisfying career. So when you think about your career choices at any stage of your career, ask yourself two questions:
1)What am I good at (or what are my natural strengths)?
2)What am I passionate about?
If you're lucky, the answers to these questions will be the same - you're in your own personal career 'sweet spot'. But if they're not, you'll need to find a way of reconciling them if you have to unleash your full career and personal potential. Just as your own intuition and experience tell us that there should be a link between passion and success, so research seems to confirm this. All famous and successful people found their 'sweet spots' i.e. they identified what were their natural strengths and leveraged these expertly to combine them with their passion.
What happens if you're not able to reconcile competence and passion? You are likely to find yourself pondering unmet needs in your current role so that while you 'do' your job, you are not able to engage yourself fully. As a consequence, you may well relegate yourself to a mediocre career. In the worst case, it could result in sustained feelings of personal stress. However, it is never too late. If you find yourself in mid-career feeling unfulfilled because you are not operating in your career 'sweet spot', remember that there are examples of late starters.
To find your own career 'sweet spot', you have to commit the time to working at it. You may realise, for example, that although you are good at analysing problems, you feel happiest or most passionate when you have contact with clients and are of service to customers. Or you may be a 'natural' with technology but prefer creating marketing campaigns. Or you may find yourself in an operational role when in fact you long to bury yourself in groundbreaking research.
I was recently reading a book called 'Careers Unplugged' and was pleased to read that the author had shared similar views and infact described this further by encouraging everyone to find their 'sweet spots'. I am keen to share this further through my blog today.
The reason, like I said, is simple. Competence and passion constitute an unbeatable combination for a successful career. If you can find something that you're both good at and feel strongly about, you are well placed to achieve a truly satisfying career. So when you think about your career choices at any stage of your career, ask yourself two questions:
1)What am I good at (or what are my natural strengths)?
2)What am I passionate about?
If you're lucky, the answers to these questions will be the same - you're in your own personal career 'sweet spot'. But if they're not, you'll need to find a way of reconciling them if you have to unleash your full career and personal potential. Just as your own intuition and experience tell us that there should be a link between passion and success, so research seems to confirm this. All famous and successful people found their 'sweet spots' i.e. they identified what were their natural strengths and leveraged these expertly to combine them with their passion.
What happens if you're not able to reconcile competence and passion? You are likely to find yourself pondering unmet needs in your current role so that while you 'do' your job, you are not able to engage yourself fully. As a consequence, you may well relegate yourself to a mediocre career. In the worst case, it could result in sustained feelings of personal stress. However, it is never too late. If you find yourself in mid-career feeling unfulfilled because you are not operating in your career 'sweet spot', remember that there are examples of late starters.
To find your own career 'sweet spot', you have to commit the time to working at it. You may realise, for example, that although you are good at analysing problems, you feel happiest or most passionate when you have contact with clients and are of service to customers. Or you may be a 'natural' with technology but prefer creating marketing campaigns. Or you may find yourself in an operational role when in fact you long to bury yourself in groundbreaking research.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Who am I
I am a girl, born on 16th of September, grew up in New Delhi with my parents and a younger sister. I went to Loreto Convent School, Delhi and subsequently moved to the British School, New Delhi where I completed my schooling and passed the GCSEs, ‘O’ Level and ‘A’ level examinations by Oxford and Cambridge University. I enjoyed studying Mathematics, Economics, Hindi, Fine Arts and Theatre studies and never missed a single drama class. I also spent my childhood in some extracurricular activities including Taekwondo classes, playing badminton, Shloka lessons, Music classes (Hindustani classical vocal) and dance classes which continued till I joined FMS.
I love to dance, and maybe will dance all my life, while my formal training has been in Bhartanatyam, I have also dabbled with other forms including Western Ballet, Jazz and hip-hop. I have performed across India with my guru Padmashree Geeta Chandran, and been under her tutelage since 1991; last performance with Natya Vriksha was in Apr08. My sister and I had the privilege to perform at the Rashtrapati Bhawan for the then president of India ‘Shri. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’ and his esteemed guests an entire repertoire of pure Bharatanatyam, it was an honour back in 2006.
I chose to take a year off after school, this was pivotal in my life as it gave me enough time to think life ahead. I, during this year, took the SATs, got through NIFT, worked in three musicals, auditioned for music videos, thank fully mom didn’t allow me to pursue the offers, did freelance still modelling for kicks. I like acting, my sister calls me drama queen sometimes, I managed to be a frontline dancer in DMT’s “Misbeavin’ ” and “The Magic of the Musicals” two Broadway productions, staged in Kamani Auditorium, each of them ran 14 shows in 10 consecutive days. I also later got the female lead in a negative role in “Dangerous Thrills” by the Gatearch productions, this musical ran for 14 consecutive days at Kamani.
I graduated in Mathematics and Computer applications from Lady Sriram College, Delhi University and also completed a GNIIT course simultaneously, took the CAT exam and the exam paper leaked that year, I become a fractional part of history!
I got my first job with Citibank N.A. in their Credit Cards division and reported directly to VP Sales thereafter I joined HSBC bank in Mar04 and have been with them ever since. I, today am a Human Resources Manager and am a part of the HR team that works with employees in North India, we are an eight member team and deal with over 1500 employees. I ventured into the corporate world, my sister followed her dream, has taken dancing as a full time career, and she is living my dream too.
I like fine arts and discovered the artist in me during my ‘A’ level art course, I chose to study sculpture, I even sculpted my friends head and another school worker’s, these two ‘heads’ got me an A-grade. I made the sculptures in fibre glass, clay and bronze. I, in my free time like to either clean up my house, I always think there is room for improvement, or else go spend time with friends and visit my grandmother, who is practically my Godmother. I am very fond of her and my close friends.
I am interested in meeting people and getting to know about diverse cultures and life styles. I like to network online and one can find me on LinkedIn, facebook and Twitter.
I have a keen interest in music, listen to it all the time, always carry it with me, listen to almost all genres and sometimes get hooked on to one song and hear it 20 times a day.
I like to plan things out usually and like to lead an organised life as far as possible, of course realistically. I planned my wedding date and got married on 25 December so that me and my spouse would be on leave, no matter where we are in the world on our anniversary, well that is the day in 2006 when my Hindu marriage took place, and my Santa came into my life.
I’ve never been a writer but want to cultivate my writing skills and hence am planning to start my own online blog, hope I find time to maintain it. I like to travel and have travelled extensively across India and visited 5 other countries.
I have a dream, a personal & financial goal and hope to realise it one day.
I love to dance, and maybe will dance all my life, while my formal training has been in Bhartanatyam, I have also dabbled with other forms including Western Ballet, Jazz and hip-hop. I have performed across India with my guru Padmashree Geeta Chandran, and been under her tutelage since 1991; last performance with Natya Vriksha was in Apr08. My sister and I had the privilege to perform at the Rashtrapati Bhawan for the then president of India ‘Shri. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’ and his esteemed guests an entire repertoire of pure Bharatanatyam, it was an honour back in 2006.
I chose to take a year off after school, this was pivotal in my life as it gave me enough time to think life ahead. I, during this year, took the SATs, got through NIFT, worked in three musicals, auditioned for music videos, thank fully mom didn’t allow me to pursue the offers, did freelance still modelling for kicks. I like acting, my sister calls me drama queen sometimes, I managed to be a frontline dancer in DMT’s “Misbeavin’ ” and “The Magic of the Musicals” two Broadway productions, staged in Kamani Auditorium, each of them ran 14 shows in 10 consecutive days. I also later got the female lead in a negative role in “Dangerous Thrills” by the Gatearch productions, this musical ran for 14 consecutive days at Kamani.
I graduated in Mathematics and Computer applications from Lady Sriram College, Delhi University and also completed a GNIIT course simultaneously, took the CAT exam and the exam paper leaked that year, I become a fractional part of history!
I got my first job with Citibank N.A. in their Credit Cards division and reported directly to VP Sales thereafter I joined HSBC bank in Mar04 and have been with them ever since. I, today am a Human Resources Manager and am a part of the HR team that works with employees in North India, we are an eight member team and deal with over 1500 employees. I ventured into the corporate world, my sister followed her dream, has taken dancing as a full time career, and she is living my dream too.
I like fine arts and discovered the artist in me during my ‘A’ level art course, I chose to study sculpture, I even sculpted my friends head and another school worker’s, these two ‘heads’ got me an A-grade. I made the sculptures in fibre glass, clay and bronze. I, in my free time like to either clean up my house, I always think there is room for improvement, or else go spend time with friends and visit my grandmother, who is practically my Godmother. I am very fond of her and my close friends.
I am interested in meeting people and getting to know about diverse cultures and life styles. I like to network online and one can find me on LinkedIn, facebook and Twitter.
I have a keen interest in music, listen to it all the time, always carry it with me, listen to almost all genres and sometimes get hooked on to one song and hear it 20 times a day.
I like to plan things out usually and like to lead an organised life as far as possible, of course realistically. I planned my wedding date and got married on 25 December so that me and my spouse would be on leave, no matter where we are in the world on our anniversary, well that is the day in 2006 when my Hindu marriage took place, and my Santa came into my life.
I’ve never been a writer but want to cultivate my writing skills and hence am planning to start my own online blog, hope I find time to maintain it. I like to travel and have travelled extensively across India and visited 5 other countries.
I have a dream, a personal & financial goal and hope to realise it one day.
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