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!"
Saturday, May 15, 2010
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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