Tag Archives: Celebrities

Change under crisis or constraint is compelling; but it is costly n chaotic!

Dec 22,2016 / By

abc“Change” is the most celebrated term in corporate life, leadership circles, professional and personal lives and even in country governance across the globe. Most people take pride in speaking for change, but fall short is imbibing and implementing it. Many talk about it but don’t know what to do with it.

An aspirant gets a new job of his choice and hence he loves it and puts in hard work. Years pass by and his conviction gets consolidated that he would never like to leave such a job. His management starts to perceive him as a liability; but he believes in his loyalty and one fateful day, he faces termination.

You develop a taste for sugar coated donuts and get hooked to eating couple of them every morning. You believe you are young with no family history of blood sugar problem; so, why not enjoy it. In time to come, you discover alarmingly high level of blood sugar and then you start spending time and money on medical experts and medicines; at the same time, you find it painful to miss taste of donuts.

Look at the iconic companies like General Motors, Ford, Siemens, BlackBerry and many more. These organizations did not change in or with time and hence faced blow to their businesses or serious crisis, resulting into painful restructuring, sell offs or even closure of several of their units.

Rise of right wing voices or parties in USA, Europe and Brexit are clear indications of ruling parties giving a cold shoulder to changing their policies in time and now their people are forcing them to change albeit in wrong direction.

Is it not a clear indication that waiting for crisis to come and then change is very costly and complex? Very often, changing under constraints may not be a blessing but a bane.

Why “Change” receives more of lip service than living examples

It has become a fashion to talk about change; but hardly anyone is willing to walk for a change. Celebrities proudly pronounce “Change is the only constant in Universe”, not knowing what exactly it means. Change is a continuum; not a constant. Universe actually has no constant.

Then, we are ever ready to pass our sermons how and why others should change, forgetting that if we want to change others, that change has to first originate from us. A step ahead, people talk about grand changes in systems at company, community or country level; but most prefer to be spectators and fight shy of becoming part of system. Unless you become part of change, bringing change is only a pipe dream.

In more than 90% of cases, it is a decorative word in speeches and essays, until crisis descends.

Biggest confusion is “Why and what change”

Homilies aside, herds hardly understand correct definition of change!

Nothing is static around us. We and our environments are continuously changing. So, change is nothing but adjusting to changes happening internally and externally to us with time, so that we can accomplish our short and long term goals in least time and resistance.

So first of all, to talk of change without your goals in mind is foolhardy. Then comes, identifying what incremental changes have happened in and around you, followed by planned steps to effect the change.

Crisis comes out, when accumulated changes crash the system

By and large, people like to be inert to changes, because of inertia that they develop from their comfort zones.

Changes not made but accumulated over time burst out in form of crisis or even conflicts. You or people at large than have no choice or time but brace or face changes thrust upon you. You like it or not, such forced changes are bound to be painful; some of these may be right but a lot would not be. You would react against such forced changes; but would have no recourse left and hence, these become chaotic.

Changing by choice is indeed chaste

Very fact that change is continuum tells us that we must live side by side of changes that are arising and align with them in time. This alone can make us very efficient, ebullient and agile.

Changing by choice makes the Change a pleasure and not pain; it can be a nice asset but never liability.

Read More

Are modern day science n stress making us more sick or superstitious?

Nov 4,2016 / By
abc

True image or illusion?

Current US President Barack Obama has revealed in a recent interview that he always carries in his pocket a statuette of Lord Hanuman, small Buddha, silver poker chip etc. and seeks inspiration from same when he feels tired or discouraged. But, he has said that he is not that superstitious.

He is not alone; he has millions of followers!

How gifts and gadgets of science are making you more superstitious

You would find celebrities, artists, leaders, especially from political polity and gen. next more than ever before wearing rings containing specific stones, colorful bands or sacred threads on their wrists or lucky charms to attract good omens. Advancements in multimedia enable millions to watch them like never before and entice them to emulate such practices.

Scientific advancements have given advent to social media and social media have brought together not only colleagues, cultures, traditions, beliefs and rituals from every corner of our planet but also voices of faith healers and fortune tellers. Every other day, I get text message on my cell phone about forecast for my future and what I should do to make it lucky. One day while under duress, one is bound to fall prey to same.

All kinds of wearable devices are now available to monitor nearly all parameters of your body. Everything looks hunky-dory as long as these parameters are within prescribed limits. But what is if some of those go out of limits? You land on the lap of stress, superstition or god for quick fixes. Hardly anyone would run to doctors for every tit and bit; but if someone does it, he/she would create another set of psychological problems.

When you are stressed, you fall either sick or prey to superstitions

Stress has long list of its byproducts – insomnia, IBS, cardio disorder, lever dysfunction, diabetes… and now new research studies including one conducted by Ohio State University have added cancer, as it gets accentuated by stress.

In modern age, there are many more media available to invite stress, leading among which is social media and mobile phones. Social media is a great boon as well as a gruesome bane. It is a classic example of how plus and minus go hand in hand. Thirty years back, we were surviving very well without having even a line of remote communication at home; today we can’t sustain a minute without cell phone in hand.

No one notices, rather dislikes to notice silent stress of taking selfies, posting images supposedly better than previous day, racing to get more likes and repenting if buddies or beloved did not like it.

Untold story of how science has been misused by man

In its original form, science is secular and secures everyone; but depending upon how it is used or applied, it can create values and virtues or vices and viruses; it can develop faith or fear; surprisingly, its positive use promotes spiritualism and negative use prompts materialism.

Though the taste of man or masses is for positive, their recipe is for exactly opposite – negative. That is why scientific facts have been twisted by most people into their fractured faiths i.e. illusions or superstitions and turned on more far right and left wing ideas and ideologies leaving little space for the center or balanced ones. Discoveries of atom and subatomic particles should have consolidated our conviction that god is everywhere but we have pushed him elsewhere – deeper into isolation and places of worship. We have used these discoveries more for destruction than for construction, creating more stress on our system. We have misused stress to create more medicines and manipulated the fact that it is more a matter of mind control.

We hardly know who we are; but we want to jump into bandwagon of knowing who and where aliens are. We are unable to arrest decay of our world colony; but billions of dollars are being spent on race for colonizing Mars and Moons.

But, all is not lost yet, if we can still realize that it is a bad idea to misuse or overuse science, its gifts and gadgets and that it is a bane to drift away from core principles of nature and life!

Read More

How to emerge magnanimous after making mistakes!

Oct 8,2015 / By

Mistake after a mistake! Source: http://www.flickr.com/

Dev (name changed) was a very smart and sincere employee of a US multinational organization. One fine afternoon, he was summoned by his departmental head. The head was very furious and told him that he was very unhappy with him, as he had to cut a very sorry figure with an important customer, who phoned him to get latest status of a project led by Dev. Head thundered “what happened to project status report, which I had asked you yesterday to furnish me within 4 hours?” Dev said there seems to be some disconnect; he had very much sent the report yesterday itself by e mail to him. Head then called Dev’s supervisor to tell her how careless her sub-ordinate (Dev) was. The supervisor tried to convince him that Dev had very much sent the report and she had a copy of his e mail. The head became even more upset and shouted “I can’t understand what is then happening to e mail system. Our IT group seems to have collected lot of fat!”

Later, the head realized that Dev’s e mail was very much in his inbox; but he missed to check it. Head then called Dev and tried to compliment him that he was doing his job well; it was some network issue but fact remains that our customer is very angry with me and company. Dev knew that he was only making up for his mistake, without admitting it. From that day, Dev and his supervisor lost confidence in their boss!

Dev’s kind of story is being repeated innumerable times every second in public, professional and private lives world over!

Why mistake is a natural necessity!

Making mistake is both natural and human. Mankind has evolved through mistakes.
Most of mistakes are committed under influence of:

  1. Reactions or emotions
    As a matter of fact, reaction is nothing but an act accompanied with emotions like anger, arrogance, disgust or disbelief.
  2. Error of judgment
  3. Choosing a wrong option – ignorantly or intentionally

Biggest misery of man comes through mistakes, so is the best learning!

Making issue of a mistake, misinterpreting or misunderstanding it leads to a bigger mistake. So, there is necessity of managing a committed mistake well to get the best mileage out of it, rather than allow it to become a monster!

Why man has tendency to mismanage a mistake

Most maladies of mistakes come from the fact that majority of people consider it a taboo. It makes people very conscious or nervous of being right or flawless all times; in that process, they are more prone to go wrong or falter!

Here below are reasons, why mismanagement happens post making of mistakes:

  1. Most of us are image conscious, without giving proper thoughts on what uplifts our image. Therefore, we tend to hide or cover a mistake.
  2. All of us have traces to tower of ego within us and that spontaneously overpowers our sincerity to admit a mistake and look at it objectively.
  3. Fear to lose credibility refrains our mind to be rational.
  4. Mistake always brings more mistakes, unless we consciously resist.
    If a person commits same mistake 3 times over time, he/she would be tempted to make more and feel merry about it! Refer to the rule of 1-2-3-Go.
  5. Over-confidence or arrogance prevent people to learn from mistakes.
    “So what, if I committed a gaffe. Can’t I”, is the usual refrain of these people.
  6. Celebrities (Wardrobe malfunction), politicians (Off –the-cuff remarks or responses) and those in power (Sarcasm or cynicism) tend to monopolize their mistakes and media helps them to make a virtue out of it. And that becomes a trend setter for masses

In the run-up of mistake/s, how people react or respond!

  1. Some become vociferous or vocal after committing a mistake.
    They attempt to create fear psychosis in who can go against them.
  2. Few become vindictive after mistake is caught.
    Such people never have remorse for their acts!
  3. Majority justifies its mistakes.
  4. Masses hide or deny their mistakes.
    You can’t do it indefinitely; when it surfaces, it would sink you. Celebrated former US top military commander and ex-CIA Director Gen. David Petraeus tried for years to hide his mistake of having affairs with his biographer Paula Broadwell. Finally, it surfaced to his utter frustration and humiliation!
  5. Some morons would keep mum after making mistakes.
  6. Many play smart to make-up for their mistakes; that way they commit a bigger mistake and mess it up!
  7. Sincere ones admit their mistakes.
  8. Sober ones admit and also correct the mistakes.
  9. Savvy and smart ones, though few, not only admit and correct but also learn from mistakes!

So, mandate is clear – be magnanimous after making mistakes!

Never be coward or shy of making mistakes; but be courageous to admit it, correct it and learn from it. Don’t make deliberate mistake/s; but allow it, if you can’t help it. Sometimes, you are implicated falsely or blamed for what is not your mistake. Then, stand up and strive against it.

Never blame or belittle yourself for having committed mistakes. Be resilient and swing back to admit and analyze why that happened and how to avoid its reoccurrence.

When you admit a mistake in seriousness, it opens up your mind and heart; gives a new lease of confidence and new light of consciousness! 

How you become great? Either your great work or absence of any guilt makes you great! Either you have no guilt (which is impossible) or get rid of one by admitting, correcting and learning!!

So, now you know what can make you graceful as being, great in mind and grand by heart!

Read More

Why terrific thoughts and quotes go for a toss in implementation!

May 22,2015 / By

Absence of execution means presence of illusion! Source: http://www.flickr.com/

All of us know what is good or great for us; but when it comes to doing it, we lose grip on same! We love motivational thoughts, positive thinking and inspirational quotes; but when it comes to implementation, these seem to lose impact and we hardly practice the same seriously!!

Many times, some of our own thoughts are so overwhelming, powerful and life changing; but we fail to bring any change. Often the fact is that we might have even determined that this is how we want to be; but our deeds are hardly matching to our own decision and determination.

Look at this – “Life is about making an impact, not making an income – by Kevin Kruse”! Don’t you love this quote? Perhaps you do, since this is one of the most popular quotes! If you love this, are you working incessantly to make an impact? No, you don’t; you do the opposite – being busy in making income. You put those making millions of dollars on high pedestal and make them your role models! Many of us believe that we make impact by selling or buying followers or friends in XX dollars on social media!! We crave for the quote; but wrongly comprehend its very essence.

See another one – “Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve – by Napoleon Hill”. Nobody would disagree with power of mind. But, then how many of us realize the enormous energy that resides in us? Should it not make each one of us supremely confident and courageous? On an average, we only make less than 7% productive use of our mind!

All of us want to be successful and are perhaps aware that “If you are focused, you can’t fail!” Only thing that stands between success and setback is focus. We would spend lot of time and energy in attending learning programs, leadership courses and undergo mentorship; but the success is seldom in sight for many. Reason – most don’t seriously put their sight on “Focus”!

It is incredibly ironical that we are so near to our own thinking, which is terrific; but we throw or tow ourselves away from practicing it! What bugs us?

Why we love terrific thoughts and quotes!

Various people do it for a variety of reasons:

  1. These have become a fancy and fashion for all, especially elite and celebrities!
  2. Most take pride in citing good quotes in their conversation or communication.
    These no doubt make content of your communication rich!
  3. People like to be known in public that they side with positives and not negatives.
    Reality may be often reverse!
  4. Quotes are usually phonetically very appealing and concise. These have subtle humor or rhetoric. Therefore, a good quote can be very catchy.
  5. These invariably relate to real life examples and have profound meaning.
    Therefore, these are striking to us.
  6. Good thoughts and quotes evoke emotions and euphoria! These release Endorphins in our body, which is a “feel good” hormone!!

Why we lag in executing our lucid thoughts and quotes!
If 10% of population would have believed in employing their positive thoughts and quotes, our planet would have been dramatically different! Is not is amusing that things, which are mind boggling, becomes meaningless to us when it comes to imbibing or implementing! The most probable reasons are:

  1. Our inertia
    Many of us believe that we are dynamic and dashing; but reality often is we are docile to change! We are perennially infested by our inertia.
  2. Fractured conviction
    You believe that you have conviction in a good idea or great quote; but you are actually in “Yes & No” state!
    In absence of firm convictions, your terrific thoughts go for a toss:
    – When you face crisis or criticism
    – When your role model/s, nears and dears carry different ideas than you
    – When your friends mock at you
  3. Fragile patience
    To pursue anything positive, patience is a must. Everything that is right or good has a systematic and structured method to evolve. One cannot bypass this.
    Most of us are impatient; like quick results and when that does not happen, we give up. We go on the wrong side, which would show quick result albeit wrong one.
  4. Tendency to follow masses
    Even though masses mostly commit mistakes, we feel out of place if we don’t follow them. We are shy of standing out of and away from crowd.
  5. Confusing emotions as inspiration
    You normally comprehend a thought or quote on its surface; look at its face value. This evokes your emotions and you confuse same as your inspiration. It is for this reason that you experience a short kick of excitement.
    You need to go deeper and focus on its larger implications. This is when emotions give way to your inspiration. If you are inspired, you feel compelled to implement! 
  6. Lot of reactions but little of actions
    Out of total efforts and energy that we spend in our life, actions are as little as less than 10% and more that 90% emanate from our reactions. This is one important reason why we are high of intents and low on implementation.

So, would you not like to dump above 6 tendencies as much as you can, to allow terrific thoughts or quotes to shape a terrific life for you?

Read More

A miraculous quality – Focus, which is most misunderstood & misused!

Aug 8,2014 / By

Great Focus! Source: http://www.flickr.com/

Most people understand what Focus is; but, misunderstand its meaning, power and use! If focus is correctly understood, we would become very different in our style and strength. Focus is one human quality, which has far reaching impact on our mind, body, soul, success, health and happiness!! All successful leaders to legends, businessmen to celebrities use this quality as main contributor to their success.

Focus can bring radical changes in your character and class. What you need is to fathom it right and follow it faithfully!

How focus is misinterpreted and misrepresented!

This is mostly because of lack of awareness. Though focus is talked about in all walks of life, including corporate, its correct meaning is hardly emphasized.

Focus does not mean:

  1. Having a concerted thought for desired object or activity, while allowing all other kinds of thoughts crossing your mind.
  2. Doing a single physical activity, for which you believe you are focused, while all types of thoughts are wandering your mind.
  3. Carrying a train of similar thoughts for desired object or activity but with interruptions.
  4. Multi-tasking, even if you believe you are fully concentrating on multiple tasks!
  5. Having more than one type of thoughts, though connected with same subject or object e.g., kicking football for penalty shoot-out, feeling nervous and thinking that everyone expects you to net a goal. Though there is one subject, there are 3 types of thoughts – to hit ball right, fear of failure and expectation of others! This is no focus and most probably, you would miss your target!!
  6. Headstrong or blind run for your objective/s.

True meaning of Focus

Focus means “your mind has a single type of thoughts, which is also driving your body in sync!” As an example, Focus on breathing means mind is having thought of breath going in and out and you are also breathing exactly at same time and sequence. Another example – you are at the goal post and your mind and body are fully in tune for hitting ball at right spot, with no other thought. Then, it would surely be a goal! Even if goal keeper tries to intercept you, you would miraculously deflect the ball past him!!

So, focus is mind and body getting fully synchronized to perform one and only one activity – “a thought or thought + physical action” at a time, when past and future lose their meaning to you.

When you continue to remain focused for a period of time, then either you would have same type of thought repeating in your mind or have a train of thoughts but each one aligned towards achieving your aim or goal. Let us term such train of thoughts as “Same type of thoughts”.

In practical life, it is difficult to remain truly focused all the time. What is important is high degree of focus, which can be defined as:

Degree of Focus = 2 ⁄ x

Where x is no. of same type of thoughts in mind per minute.

This is a simple formula, but has solid implications:

  • x can never be zero, because mind can never be blank, unless dead.
  • If x is 1, then it means that your mind has only single type of thoughts, which could be dangerous as it would go in a loop of same thought and can’t come out of same.
  • Ideal degree of focus in 1, when you have 2 types of thoughts – 1st for the object or activity you are concentrating at and 2nd to monitor its start to finish and take it forward to repeat or make only such variation adequate to reach your aim.
  • Practical degree of focus is 2 ⁄ 3, where 3rd type of thought is for observing your body/surroundings.
  • If degree of focus falls below 2 ⁄ 4 = 0.5, you are no longer focused.
  • Distraction means other type/s of incoming thoughts, which interfere with single types of thoughts on which you are concentrating.
    Best way to deal with distraction is not to react or forcefully remove such incoming thoughts, but ignore; don’t give importance. Your mind would restore its focus.

Startling results of being focused

When degree of focus is 2 ⁄ 3 and under no case below 0.5, you would observe that:

  1. Several of key your functions merge:
    1. Mind and soul or conscious and sub-conscious parts of mind
    2. Brain and Body
    3. Inner voice and Inspiration
  2. You would feel energetic and motivated.
  3. All negative emotions – fear, frustration, anxiety, anger, aversion or delusion would vanish.
  4. Anything that is feasible comes within your reach.
  5. You feel supremely confident and courageous.
  6. You won’t and can’t do anything wrong!
    In other words, degree of focus of ill meaning people is always below 0.5!
  7. You become amazingly effective.
  8. It brings a rare combination in you – being innovative and creative at same time!
  9. If you remain focused most time, your vitality and virtues multiply.
    It makes you happy and healthy.
    You may have observed that unhappy or unhealthy people are not focused. Conversely, focus can address your ailments in many ways!

So, if you wish to end your weaknesses and enhance wisdom, please start practicing “Focus” properly and prudently. You would then unlock real power and potential of this magnificent quality, which you possess!

Read More
1 2
Discover the art of balanced life
Improve your productivity and well-being
Contact