Mother's Love

She was suffering the most painful torment,

Her cries were the beginning of happiness.

At last it came to an end

And brought joy which she could not express.

TEARS OF HAPPINESS….

Now a new cry would be heard, a delightful music for her.

It’s a baby boy everybody said,

The baby’s beauty was eternal.

TEARS OF HAPPINESS….

She adored the baby sapling

Daily showered drops love on him.

She provided him with warmth feeling.

And her love never grew dim.

TEARS OF HAPPINESS….

She supported the tiny foot’s walking.

She changed baby’s stammering to speak.

She gave him the joy of playing.

Tears rolled as he started his schooling.

TEARS OF HAPPINESS….

She made him sincere and dedicated,

“You have to become a great man”

Was what she always repeated.

Dreams turned true when he became businessman.

TEARS OF HAPPINESS….

But this tuned to be a nightmare,

He gave the pain she could not bare.

Earning money became his only aim,

For that he was not playing fair game.

NOW TEARS OF PAIN….

She began to lose her health,

But son was busy earning wealth.

He could give the best doctor’s aid,

But forgot he was his mother’s only sustain.

TEARS OF PAIN….

Her eyes starved to see her son,

But heart tried to support his run,

Finally, her breaths stopped taking ache,

Of searching a son in a magnate.

TEARS OF PAIN….

Bit’s of memories was what she had,

Which brought smile in her last moment.

Did she mean this when she said

“You have to become a great man”.

Happy Mother's Day..

Lessons From Sachin Tendulkar

“Perseverance and hard work leads to success” - Sachin Tendulkar proved it. He was more than just his name. He started his journey when he was 16 years old and became inspiration for many of the people. He taught us many lessons from his game.

For a professional Manager there are many things, which one should learn from Sachin Tendulkar.

First and foremost is focus and work ethic. There are no shortcuts in life and for a manager a good work ethic and discipline are the key ingredients for long-term success.

Second is the innate ability to handle success, which is very difficult. It requires tremendous level-headedness and humility to handle fame and money at an early age. For a manager early success should not lead to bad attitude towards colleagues and customers.

Longevity and staying power on the job is also, what Sachin taught us. It is very important to manage the high and low. Staying fit and focused is critical for long-term success. Successful managers are the ones with the ability to survive and grow out of rough patches and keep motoring on.

Sachin never argued on field. He always kept his focus on his game and answered with his bat. The lesson here is never to use words on your competitor. The only thing one should do to impress others is by perform and give one’s best, because it is the only way to become successful and prove skeptics wrong.

Sachin Tendulkar was not a good leader. His captaincy record was very poor. The lesson here is, never to accept those options in which you cannot do well. Sachin realized that captaincy is not his cup of tea so he never accepted it. He contributed as a bowler and batsman. He knew that his contribution was good as a player not as a leader so he stepped down and allowed someone else to take that role, the true sign of a thought leader.

In a corporate scenario, individuals may be talented in many areas but one should work in a role, which works best for an organization. It is very important to reinvent and renew oneself with fresh challenges to keep the momentum. Play to your own strengths and the world is at your feet. 

For The First Time

Most of us are afraid of doing new things in our life. Sometimes even I afraid or scared of doing new things in my life. Then a question comes in my mind that- “How one feels when one does something for the first time?”

The First is when I think about Entrepreneurs. In my opinion, Entrepreneurship is a lifestyle. There are many risks associated when one starts something new in the market for the first time and on his own. Their vision, goals, and plan are clearly defined in their mind. One really needs to be fearless to become an Entrepreneur.

The Second is living abroad alone. According to me one feel excited with many questions in his mind.

The third is to meet someone for the first time in a business meeting or in a party. Many questions strike in mind when one meet someone for the first time.

There are certain situations where one feels tense. Going for an interview for the first time, the first day in office,  the first time on stage, teaching in a class for the first time, winning an award for the first time and thinking of a life partner for the first time.

Before writing my first Blog I was afraid of many things. There were many questions in my mind. Keeping momentum, what topics to choose were the big ones. However, now after a period of 8 months I feel confident about writing and share my thoughts and views publicly. The feeling of appreciation and comments from people motivate me and make me write more.  

Our life tests us in many situations but we keep moving in our life, handling all situations properly on our own. If in nervousness of doing something for first time one does not want to take initiative or steps back from doing what he wants to do then he himself is bringing an obstacle in his way. One should learn from each moment in one’s life and keep moving bravely and positively whatever may be the situation.

There is a Famous quote by Robert F. Kennedy:-

“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.”

What goes around, comes around!

A son and his father were walking on the mountains. Suddenly the father falls, hurts himself and screams, AAAHHHHHH!!!!! .  To the son’s surprise he hears a voice repeating, somewhere in the mountains AAAHHHHH!!!!! . Curious, he yells” who are you?”  He receives an answer “who are you?” and then he screams to the mountains “I admire you!”

The voice answers “i admire you!”

Angered at the response he screams “coward” he receives the answer “coward”. The son looks to his father and asks what’s going on?

The father smiles and says “my son, pay attention “again the man screams “you are a champion” the voice answers “you are a champion”. The surprised boy is still curious to know what’s going on. The father explains,” people call this ECHO but really this is LIFE. It gives you back your actions. If you want more love in the world, create more love in your heart, if you want more competence in your team, improve your competence.

This relationship applies to everything in all aspects of your life. Life will give you back everything you have given to it.

“YOUR LIFE IS NOT A COINCIDENCE IT’S A REFLECTION OF YOU”

Empty And Full

A very true story for a successful Life.

An old king wanted to choose his successor, but he had three sons. Everything about them was so similar that even their father and mother got confused among the three brothers. They were all handsome, intelligent and courageous and the king was getting older and could not figure out what to do.

So he went to an old wise man and asked, “How do I find my successor?” The man said, “It is not a difficult thing. Give all some money, the same amount and tell them, “You have to fill your houses with something this money can buy.”

All the three had their own big houses and the money just did not seem to be big enough for filling the whole house with flowers or any good things. Now what to do? So the first hit upon the idea to go to the municipal corporation of the city and ask for all the rubbish would fetch some price. The job was done.

The second was in trouble because the first had already filled his house well before time. He had to hurry. He too thought and could find nothing ‘good’ to fill his house with. It was rainy season and mud was all over the place. He thought he had just to bring trucks and carry the mud to fill his house. That should not cost much. He too completed the job.

Both were happy and looking at the third as to what he was doing, because he was doing nothing at all.

When the evening of the appointed day came, the king came to visit them. The first house stank “Come and see”, said the first son, “the house is full”, “Agreed”, said the king, but enter the house? No, no such a foul smell!

Visiting the second house, he saw the entire marble house filled with mud! And it looked really dirty. Now the king started getting worried. He thought if the third son too had done something like this, then how was he going to decide whom to choose?

Anyway, both the sons and the king went to the third son and they were surprised to see the house completely empty and even the furniture had been removed. The king said, “The house is empty and you were given money to fill it completely.” The son said, “Look a little harder,” they saw and said, “But it is empty”.

“But father, didn’t you see those candles which are filling the house with light? It is empty but full of light and I thought, there can be no better way than to fill it with light. And here is the money I wanted to return to you, because the candles were cheap and there was no need for so much money”.

The king exclaimed, “Oh! I didn’t realize how beautiful your house looked, how very beautiful indeed!

If we too could learn “To fill our own house of ignorance with the bright light of knowledge”.

Life Without Apple

Few days ago, I was using an Apple iPod and suddenly a question struck my mind. How many people’s life is linked to Apple and what would happen if there were no sudden incidents because of Apple?

I find three stories related to Apple.

The forbidden Apple that Adam and Eve ate. This term basically comes from the legend that when Adam and Eve ate the “apple”, the piece got stuck in Adam’s throat and made a lump. It was the Fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, which God had asked them not to eat.

The Second story is that of Sir Isaac Newton and the Apple. Sir Isaac Newton was a deep thinker. If that Ripe Apple would not have fallen on him then it might have taken a few more years to find the Universal Law of Gravitation, or even worse, the law may never have been discovered.

He also said that, “The Earth is many millions of times heavier than any other object near to or upon its surface; so it draws every such object toward it. This is why things fall, as we say, toward the earth”. Without this Law, Scientists would be unable to launch satellites or send man on moon and so many inventions would not have materialized.

The Third is Steve Job’s and Steve Wozniak’s creation of the Apple Corporation. Founded in 1977, Apple changed the world by technology. Apple is well known for Innovations and creativity. They began with a PC and restructured their gadgets to an iPhone. Apple was the first Organization that replaced walkman with iPod, by providing the ease of storing 1000 songs in our pocket.

There are certain stories related to Apple. But these three are ones which remind me when I think about Apple and the genesis emerges from the humble Apple. In my view, life without Apple would be very different as of now.

What if a day has only 12 hours?

Last night I had a dream, what if a day has only 12 hours. We make our day productive when we have 24 hours what if we only have 12 hours. How do we manage our time for education, job, sleep, friends, Facebook, emails, parties, movies and vacations? Just imagine the size of clock a bit small. Instead of 12 numbers in a watch we only have 6 numbers and half day is of 3 hours.

Isn’t it interesting to imagine, just like a fantasy. Earth revolution is faster. So just for the sake of discussion, what will happen if a day has only 12 hours?

We will have less school hours, say just 1-2 hours and six subjects.

How many days will it take for a test match to end?

How many days will it take for a person to travel from Kashmir to Kanyakumari or from India to USA?

An aspect which is particularly interesting is office timings. We will have to work only for 4-5 hours. It is very less time to prove ourselves in an organization.

We would have worked only for 7-8 hours in a day. If in reality we have this situation then one can easily accept and answer the famous problem “How to Manage Our Time?”

Even after there are 24 hours in a day, people say “I don’t have time”. After carefully evaluating, the problem is not because of lesser hours. The problem is time management and the solution is also time management. If we are able to manage our time well then we can do all we need to do in a day’s time whether there are 12 hours in day or 24 hours or 36 hours.

If our time is really hectic and not enough to cover all our activities, the key is to spend time wisely and spend it well. Truly God puts equilibrium in everything he created. As for me, I now see the 24 hours of my day must be spent so that the thought or dream of 12 hours in a day will not enter my mind again.

Sisters

Beautiful lines By Someone,

There's no better friend than a sister

There's no one more loyal and true

And even when sisters are different

Their likeness comes shining through!

Perhaps it's a family resemblance

That strengthens the bond they share

Or maybe it's just that sister’s live life with a similar flair!

A sister is one of the nicest things that can happen to anyone. She is someone to laugh with and share with, to work with and join in the fun. She is someone who helps in the rough times and knows when you need a warm smile. She is someone who will quietly listen when you just want to talk for a while. Her love is no less than a mother. She is a true friend and mentor. After a long search I found this poem and I Want to dedicate it to my Sister.

When I sit in the shade,

And look up at a sky of blue….

I thank god for giving me

A Sister like you.

When I walk down the street in a crowd,

So Heartless and Cruel….

I thank god for giving me

A Sister like you.

When I’m tired and sore,

And I just want to sleep,

When I’m sickened with sadness

And my heart’s in a heap.

When I just want to move away

And say it’s all through….

At last, I really thank god

for a sister like you.

One song that I want to dedicate to my sister and which I always had:-

We shall overcome, we shall overcome,

We shall overcome, someday;

Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,

We shall overcome someday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1pHRZXK3T0

Networking- Some hands go for a period of time

We network every day, everywhere. Every time one goes to school, college, office, parties, one is networking. Every time one establishes a relationship, one is networking.

Networking is very important. Some may think it is a dirty word, selfish and awkward but the truth is, networking is the number one way to get a job and build your career. It helps in building personal relationships, Job search and community impact.

In a survey it is said that the biggest reasons that college students don’t network are that they don’t know the benefits of networking or consider themselves too shy to network.

One example for Networking is:-

“Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, network together to change the world.”

Most Networking begins with a casual conversation. One never knows who may have a brother, uncle or colleague in your field. One thing that one must remember in networking is that be respectful. One can do networking anywhere. It can be in Office, Marriages, Alumni Sessions, Seminars and Fests etc.

There are certain things to remember when one meets someone for the first time. Introducing yourself and asking questions is most important. Establish rapport. Keep focus on gathering information and advice. Don’t make it a one sided conversation. Wrap up conversations with a promise to keep in touch and follow them /connect on facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter.

There is a quote by Michele Jennae:-

“Networking is not about just connecting people. It’s about connecting people with people, people with ideas, and people with opportunities”.

Why do people lie?

Lying, deception and more broadly unethical behavior are part of human behavior. People often engage in such behavior unaware of societal consequences.

“People lie to gain access to tangible or intangible benefits and once they manage to get the opportunity, it acts as a positive reinforcement strengthening their beliefs about the act of lying or deceit. Liars are apt to try deceit at the workplace too by taking credit for work they are not entitled to and use unfair means to climb up the professional ladder.

Psychologists say that people with low self-esteem and trust deficits are prone to lie as they try to fill the gap between the “real self” and the “ideal self”.

People with personality disorders could lie in order to manipulate and deceive others without much hesitation as the act of lying gives them a sense of control and power. They do not require specific reason to lie.

Deception has been defined as a social behaviour in which an individual attempts to persuade another to accept as true what the deceiver believes to be untrue. “Deception is the part of natural world”. Organisms deceive one another because evolution made them that way.

“Human beings are part of this picture. We, too, are part of this big picture and this helps us to become more successful. Humans learn how to lie”.

Human beings have taken deception to new levels by their power of thinking. The sense of morality in humans is also important in the context of deception. When forced to react quickly to a situation, people’s tendency to lie is more: when they have time to think it over they lie less.

Ref: Mint-Tuesday, December, 17, 2013, Delhi

Sharpening your axe

There is a good story written by Stephen Covey that I want to share:-

Once upon a time there were two men who lived in the same forest and decided to have a contest of chopping wood. The first man was in a good physical shape and very muscular. The second man was in good shape but smaller in stature and wiry.

They would chop wood all day and at the end of the day compare to see who had chopped the most wood.

The first man laughed to himself and thought that there was no way this wiry little man could beat him. So they began the contest.

Every 45 minutes the smaller man took a break and he seemed to just wander off somewhere.

The first man laughed again to himself and said “yep there’s no way this wiry little man is going to beat me.”

This happened several times during the day. At the end of the day the two men compared their piles of chopped wood and unbelievably enough the wiry little man had chopped twice as much wood as the physically fit man had.

He said “I don’t understand. Firstly, I’m twice your size and twice your strength! On top of that, every 45 minutes you rolled off and took a break or a nap or something. You must have cheated.”

The smaller man replied “I didn’t cheat. It was easy to beat you because every 45 minutes when you thought I was taking a break, I was out back sharpening my axe.”

I love this story because it always reminds me, how important it is to “sharpen your axe.”

To compete in Day to Day life it is important to persevere and for this one needs to update regularly.

We can compare it with the story where smaller man was sharpening his axe in regular interval breaks. One should sharpen his brain to work efficiently.

There is an underrated quote by Abraham Lincoln:

“If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend the first four hours sharpening the axe.”

Perseverance

Perseverance is the Key to success. It is commitment, patience, endurance and hard work. Every field requires dedication and perseverance.

Heroes are a breed apart. They defy the paradigm. They challenge the equilibrium.

Their dedication and commitment towards work make them different from the others.

Giving up is an easy option in life but perseverance towards work is what makes one a Hero.

There are many examples of this:

“People should retire at the age of 60” but Amitabh Bachchan , who was once ruined financially, was voted as the youth icon at the age of 60.

We always say “An Individual can never make a difference” but Mahatma Gandhi did.

There is a famous quote “Success Comes with Experience” but the 16 year old Sachin Tendulkar rocked the cricket world with his bat.

“One doesn’t need education to go in the corporate world”, Bill gates.

If “One needs money to make money” then Dhirubhai Ambani would never have been in the Indian Business Sector.

It is their passion, commitment and perseverance that makes them Heroes of this world. They challenged themselves and stood apart from others.

Dale Carnegie once said- “Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.”

Indelible Impressions

There is an old saying, “Practice makes a man perfect.”

When we practice a skill regularly we master that particular skill.

This clearly shows how important it is to implement it on a regular basis.

To continue to be successful, one needs to read books related to business, surf the net, attend seminars and be an initiator other aspects which help us in improving our skills.

One should be constantly striving to learn and push oneself on a regular basis to learn new things. “Challenge one-self, not others”.

Regular practice will create indelible impressions and will help one in scaling great heights.

Let’s compare this with real life situations. Suppose one mark’s a table with a knife and repeat this on a regular interval on the same mark. The mark will become permanent and it will remain the same even after many years.

Now if one mark’s the table just once and sees it after many years, one will find dust on it and the depth of the mark will not be the same as it will be after marking it daily for a period of time.

This is termed as “Indelible Impressions”. If one sharpens one’s brain regularly, then the brain will remain as it was.

There is a saying “If you’re not getting better you’re getting worse.”

One should practice daily to be perfect and sharp.

THE EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM AND THE SECOND MOUSE GETS THE CHEESE

The early bird gets the worm, meaning it is good to work proactively, instead of delaying them. The second mouse gets the cheese, because the first mouse gets trapped in the mouse-trap and the second mouse grabs it by starting late and learning from the mistakes made by the first mouse.

The dichotomy is that if the early bird gets the worm, is true then how is it possible for the second mouse to get the cheese, to be true too? 

If one wants to grab opportunities then one must get a head start before anyone else and be like the early bird that gets the worm.

But if one loses the opportunity or misses out something very important and another person achieves it, then, one can just learn from others’ work and achieve one’s goals.

Success comes when one works hard and prepares well. It is the effort that we have put in to achieve something that gets the result.

One can’t just make a team and play without practicing before the match. Planning strategies before performing any team task is very important, otherwise the team can't win.

One must work hard to succeed is what I have learnt. I have also been taught that taking initiative is very important and working without any procrastination is the ladder to success, making me believe in the part - “early bird gets the worm”.

However, in my career I have realized that doing things after observing other examples gives better results. By waiting and judging others’ performance I get to learn from their mistakes and do a better job than them, by following the part- “second mouse gets the cheese”.

At last I would like to say that we should keep motivating each other and work hard to achieve our goals. To be like the early bird or the second mouse is everyone’s personal choice. Both achieve their goals in their own ways.

“Failure is the key to success.”

Failure occurs from mistakes. One should learn from mistakes and move forward in life. Ups and downs are part and parcel of life. Similarly, failure occurs when life wants us to focus more. One should never give up in life. For many individuals, giving up in their life is an easy option but they never realize that God is testing them, and their tenacity and whether they can handle the burdens of their life. Giving up is the biggest mistake that an individual makes in life.

“One must not worry if a problem can be solved and why to worry if the problem has no solution.”

Another reason for failure is copying others to achieve success.

This builds a wall in between success and the achiever, because, it keeps gratification at bay.

 For every lock there is a key, in the same way for every problem there is a solution so always solve problems yourself.

“Taking initiative and doing things innovatively is the key towards success.”

One should try to avoid mistakes in life but failure is also the biggest teacher. Keep in mind a positive thought towards, treat failures as learning experiences, don’t repeat the same mistakes in future.

Let me share another thought which resonates deeply with me and has meaning in every word-

“Mistakes are painful when they happen. But year’s later a collection of mistakes is called experience which leads to success.”