Act on your own initiative but be prepared to assume full responsibility for you acts.

Dear Friends,

Act on your own initiative but be prepared to assume full responsibility for you acts.

One of the primary differences between those who achieve greatness in their lives and those who manage only to "get by" is that successful people learned early in life that they were responsible for their own actions.

No other person can make you successful or keep you from achieving your goals. Taking the initiative means assuming a leadership role, a position that singles you out for praise and for criticism. The good leader is the one who shares the credit for success with others and assumes full responsibility for failures or temporary setbacks.

When you accept responsibility for your actions, you gain the respect of others and are well on the way to creating your own future.

Cheers,

B

Thought of the day

Dear Friends,

Read a quote that provoked me a few days back. "Growth is the only evidence of life." Pretty smart words. They came from John Henry Newman. Since then I have been thinking, how to put this across.

You know I adore the whole notion of growth. To me, that's why we're here. To grow and expand through the work we do, the actions we take and the lives we lead (Don't just live your life - lead it).

But the growth that I am talking about is not just the external one but it is the growth from within. We need to be proud of who we are and not what we are - Status, Name and Fame are secondary and there is no meaning to life if we cannot grow internally - the right character, knowledge and attitude is what will help us be better human and it will také us places. External growth happens when you focus on the internal ones.

Growth from within matters. It's what ultimately makes us feel fulfilled. Energizes us (even when it's uncomfortable - and most growth is). Makes us who we truly are.

Hope you just don't read these mails of mine as mere forwards as I believe in sending my belief - these are from the books that I read, quotes from the motivational sites that I get or some which are my versions. Please také it forward to your friends as well - Lets make this world a beautiful place to live in.


Cheers,

B

Don't look to the STARS for the cause of your MISFORTUNES, look to yourself to get better RESULTS.

Dear Friends,

Don't look to the STARS for the cause of your MISFORTUNES, look to yourself to get better RESULTS.

There are many things you cannot control, but you can control the only things that really matter: your mind and your attitude.

External forces have very little to do with success. Those who program themselves for success find a way to succeed even in the most difficult of circumstances. Solutions to most problems come from one source and one source alone: yourself.

Living life to the fullest is a lot like shooting the rapids in a rubber raft. Once you've made the commitment, it's difficult to change your mind, turn around, and paddle upstream to placid waters. But it's the excitement and adventure that make it all worthwhile. If you never make the attempt, you may never know the depths of despair, but neither will you experience the exhilaration of success.

Cheers,

B

IT'S MIGHTY EASY TO JUSTIFY DISHONESTY IF YOU MAKE YOUR LIVING FROM IT

The subconscious mind makes no moral judgments. If you tell yourself something over and over, your subconscious mind will eventually accept even the most blatant lie as fact. Those whose lives and careers have been destroyed by dishonest behavior began the process of self-destruction when they convinced themselves that one slight infraction of the rules wouldn't matter.

When you sell yourself on an idea, make sure the idea is positive, beneficial to you, and harmless to others. Just as negative thoughts and deeds return to their originator, so do positive ones. When you practice honest, ethical behavior, you set in motion a force for good that will return to you many times over.

Lets ask this question to ourselves - Are we really honest?

Cheers,

B

Effective Brainstorming

Most managers simply herd some people in a room with a flip chart and call it a brainstorming session. Yet there is a definite process that maximizes the size and quality of the idea pool. While there are hundreds of valid techniques for doing this, below are just some of the important concepts leaders should consider.

a) The sum of ideas produced by individuals acting alone is greater than the sum of ideas produced by those individuals acting as a group. Further, the diversity and novelty of ideas produced by individuals acting alone is greater than produced in a group. This means that asking group members to think of a set number of diverse and novel ideas before the session and then repeat the process during the session results in greater total output. Be sure to insist that individuals think of new ideas in the group session.

b) Individuals are prone to competency traps and path dependency. This means that it is hard for them to rapidly frame break unless new experience, stimuli or knowledge is introduced. One solution is to import competencies. Bring in new and dissimilar individuals. Try and ensure these new individuals score high on expression, tacit knowledge and status.

c) Brainstorming usually implies that the solution to a problem is being sought. Thus one good principle is to break the session into three parts – problem identification, idea generation and idea selection. It is amazing how many different perceptions of a problem often exist. Each problem definition generates its own set of ideas. This stage-process allows the separation of creative from critical thinking. Writing and editing are two very different processes.

d) Set incremental goals. Incremental goals produce more output than "do your best." Further, they trigger prolific production; it can be said with great certainty that quality is closely connected with quantity – the single best creative product tends to appear at that point in the career when the creator is being most prolific.

There are at least two types of incremental goal: 1) short term – this forces production of output and 2) longer term – this allows problems to incubate at various cognitive levels and results in the required insight.

e) Foster collaboration instead of competition. Competition causes people to shut down, restricts the flow of information and creates core and peripheral groups. On the other hand, collaboration allows the intellectual cross-pollination that is the raw material for the idea generation process.

f) One of the top idea generation killers is slow or non-existent implementation. People just will not take idea generation seriously if nothing tangible resulted from the last brainstorming session. Ensure direct links to decision makers and visible progression through the innovation process – idea selection, development and commercialisation.

g) Don't rely on "creative types." Everyone can generate large numbers of diverse and novel ideas. Whilst there are assertions that there are creativity traits such as lack tolerance for conformity and tolerance for ambiguity, these theories are questioned on the basis that traits are hard to identify, isolate and are not stable or transferable across situations. Further, other criteria such as motivation and competencies are critical.

h) Think beyond brainstorming. The concept of brainstorming as the only effective method of good idea generation is questionable. Some brainstorming negatives include: 1) dilution of ideas, 2) lower rates of participation from individuals who score low in expression and 3) evaluation apprehension. Idea boxes, idea intranets and knowledge bases are just some methods of maximising the contribution of every individual.

Lets Think...!!!

NEVER TRY TO DECEIVE YOUR BEST FRIEND-YOURSELF.

Dear Friends,

Another good thought to ponder upon.


IF YOU MUST BE DECEITFUL, BE SURE YOU NEVER TRY TO DECEIVE YOUR BEST FRIEND-YOURSELF.

A better understanding of what you are about - your goals, your dreams, and your aspirations - leads you to a better understanding of those around you. It is critical, therefore, that you be honest with yourself at all times. The moment you begin to deceive yourself is the beginning of the decline in your character; it is the beginning of a process of rationalization that permits you to justify unacceptable behavior. Make sure you are a person whom you like, a person of sound character. If you don't like yourself, how can you expect others to like you?

Step back and examine your behavior as logically as possible. Ask yourself, "Am I the kind of person I would like to be with?" Developing good character traits is like achieving any other objective.

Determine where you wish to be and then develop a plan for getting there.

Cheers,

B

ATTEND TO YOUR CHARACTER AND YOUR REPUTATION WILL LOOK OUT FOR ITSELF.

ATTEND TO YOUR CHARACTER AND YOUR REPUTATION WILL LOOK OUT FOR ITSELF.

Most of us at one time or another have been misunderstood by those who are important to us. They thought we planned to take an action they disliked when in truth our intentions were to proceed in an entirely different direction. Such misunderstandings are usually quickly corrected and life goes on.

The same is true with character and reputation. If your reputation is for some reason misaligned with your character, it will soon quickly right itself when others discover for themselves that you are not at all the kind of person they had assumed you were. If your foundation is strong, you never need to be concerned about such misunderstandings.

Others will learn soon enough what kind of person you really are. Spend your time and energy in constant self inspection and self improvement, building strong character, and you will never have to worry about what others think of you or fear of what others think.

Cheers,

: )

B

Some refreshers

Some points to ponder from the book: "The monk who sold his Ferrari" by Robin Sharma -

* When a student is ready, teacher appears

* Investing in yourself is the best investment you can make. It will not only improve your life, it will improve the life of all around you.

* Never overlook the power of simplicity

* There are no mistakes in life, only lessons. There is no such thing as a negative experience, only opportunities to grow, learn and advance along the road of selfmastery. From struggle comes strength. Even pain can be a wonderful teacher.

* Only those who seek shall find

* The secret of happiness is simple: find out what you truly love to do and then direct all of your energy towards doing it. If you study the happiest, healthiest, most satisfied people of our world, you will see that each and every one of them has found their passion in life, and then spent their days pursuing it. This calling is almost always one that, in some way, serves others. Once you are concentrating your mind power and energy on a pursuit that you love, abundance flows into your life, and all your desires are fulfilled with ease and grace."

* Purpose of a life is a life of purpose

* No one should ever take life so seriously so that they forget to laugh at themselves.

* Develop a deathbed mentality. Live as if today is going to be your last day on earth.

* We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human existence

* No matter how big a house you have or how slick car you drive, the only things that you take with you at the end of your life is your conscience. Listen to your conscience, let it guide you.

* Make the decision to spend more time with those who make your life truly meaningful


Cheers,

B

Thought of The Day

BOASTFULNESS IS GENERALLY AN ADMISSION OF AN INFERIORITY COMPLEX

Really capable people don't have to boast about their achievements; they let their actions speak for them. When you boast about your accomplishments, you are telling others that you are unsure of yourself and your value in the world.
Baseball manager Tommy Lasorda once noted that there are those who watch things happen, those who wonder what happened, and those who make things happen.

Strive to be one of those who make things happen. If you show others what you can do, they will respect you far more than if you had simply told them what you'd done. Anyone can quarrel with words, but actions speak for themselves.

Cheers,

B

Thought for the day

Hi friends,

A very good morning to all you guys.

Thought for the day: Some people resemble a cheap watch. They are not dependable.

It would be unrealistic to expect an inexpensive, mass-produced watch to perform with the same degree of accuracy as a finely crafted Rolex. They are not made with the same quality of materials or with the same craftsmanship.
Yet we somehow think that we do not need to give the same attention to our most important asset: 'Ourselves'.

* Don't leave something as important as your character to chance.
* Choose the character traits you admire, and work to develop them.
* Don't be discouraged when you stumble.

Building character is a process that takes a lifetime to complete. Fortunately, like anything else, the more you work at character building, the better you become at it.

Cheers

Bhartesh

'A Leader should know how to manage failure'

Friends,

Very inspiring story on Leadership


Former President of India APJ Abdul Kalam:
'A Leader should know how to manage failure'

India Knowledge @ Wharton: Could you give an example, from your own experience, of how leaders should manage failure?

Kalam: Let me tell you about my experience. In 1973, I became the project director of India's satellite launch vehicle program, commonly called the SLV-3. Our goal was to put India's "Rohini" satellite into orbit by 1980. I was given funds and human resources, but was told clearly that by 1980 we had to launch the satellite into space. Thousands of people worked together in scientific and technical teams towards that goal.

By 1979, (I think the month was August) we thought, we were ready. As the project director, I went to the control center for the launch. At four minutes before the satellite launch, the computer began to go through the checklist of items that needed to be checked. One minute later, the computer program put the launch on hold; the display showed that some control components were not in order. My experts (I had four or five of them with me) told me not to worry; they had done their calculations and there was enough reserve fuel. So I bypassed the computer, switched to manual mode, and launched the rocket. In the first stage, everything worked fine. In the second stage, a problem developed. Instead of the satellite going into orbit, the whole rocket system plunged into the Bay of Bengal. It was a big failure.

That day, the chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization, Prof. Satish Dhawan, had called a press conference. The launch was at 7:00 am, and the press conference (where journalists from around the world were present) was at 7:45 am at ISRO's satellite launch range in Sriharikota [in Andhra Pradesh in southern India].
Prof. Dhawan, the leader of the organization, conducted the press conference himself. He took responsibility for the failure. He said that the team had worked very hard, but that it needed more technological support. He assured the media that in another year, the team would definitely succeed. Now, I was the project director, and it was my failure, but instead, he took responsibility for the failure as chairman of the organization.

The next year, in July 1980, we tried again to launch the satellite -- and this time we succeeded. The whole nation was jubilant. Again, there was a press conference. Prof. Dhawan called me aside and told me, "You conduct the press conference today."
I learned a very important lesson that day. When failure occurred, the leader of the organization owned that failure. When success came, he gave it to his team. The best management lesson I have learned did not come to me from reading a book; it came from that experience

Life gives answers in three different ways

Friends,

Something very beautiful came across that I wanted to share.

Life gives answers in three different ways.
It says YES and gives you what you want;
It says NO and gives you something better
It says wait and gives you the best.

Thus why crib when Life has only good in store. We tend to expect and thats why we feel let down. Do your best and leave the rest in the hands of the almighty.

Change of perception in life;
* Be positive
* Think only for the betterment of yourself and everyone around you,
* Be sure that whatever happens, there's a reason behind it and it will never be bad.
* Live your Life as if its the last day, you will notice that you will only try to achieve the best and be your best self.

Please share your opinions, agreements,disagreements on the same.

Smile :)

Never Quit

Dear Friends,

Life is beautiful and we still crib about it. Its just being HUMAN and we cant help. Seldom can we think positively when we are crunched in a complicated situation and WE GIVE UP or we blame.

These small stories stands as reminders to us. Whosoever has written it must be having wonderful thoughts. Since I found it good and touching, I thought of reminding all my friends on the same.

There a quite a few stories that I have read or I do touch upon which has made as impact on my life. I would like to share with you guys as well.


NEVER QUIT....

One day a man decided to quit everything... his job, his relationship, his spirituality. He wanted to get rid of his life.

He went to the woods to have one last talk with God. God, he said "Can you give me one good reason not to quit"

God's answer surprised him

"Look around", God said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"

The man replied, "Yes".

"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo."

God said, "In the third year there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit".

God said, "and then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant...But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would
not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle".

God said again, "Did you know, my creation, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots. I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you. Don't compare yourself to others".

God said, "The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful. Your time will come. You will rise high".

Moral: In life never lose hope and never give up or QUIT and Success will come to you sooner or later in life.

Cheers,

B

The Duck & The Devil

The Duck and the Devil
There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm.
He was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods. He practiced in the woods, but he could never hit the target.
Getting A little discouraged, he headed back for dinner. As he was walking back he saw Grandma's pet duck.
Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head, and killed it. He was shocked and grieved.
In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile, only to see his sisterwatching! Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.
After lunch the next day Grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the Dishes."
But Sally said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen."Then she whispered to him, "Remember the duck?"So Johnny did the dishes.
Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing andGrandma said, "I'm sorry but I need Sally to help make supper."
Sally just smiled and said, "Well that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help."She whispered again, "Remember the duck?"
So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help.
After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's, he finallycouldn't stand it any longer. He came to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck.
Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug, and said, "Sweetheart, I know. Yousee, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing, but because I love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you."
*********************
Thought for the day and every day thereafter?
Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done... and the devil keepsthrowing it up in your face (lying, cheating, debt, fear, bad habits,hatred, anger, bitterness, etc)Whatever it is, you need to know that God was standing at the window and he saw the whole thing. He has seen your whole life. He wants you to know that He loves you and that you are forgiven.
He's just wondering how long you will let the devil make a slave of you.
The great thing about God is that when you ask for forgiveness, He not only forgives you, but he forgets. It is by God's grace and mercy that we are saved.
Go ahead and make the difference in someone's life today. Share This with a friend and always remember: God is at the window.