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28 January, 2011

Tale of Two Seas.....


Sitting in the Geography class in school, I remember how fascinated I was when we were being taught all about the Dead Sea. As you probably recall, the Dead Sea is really a Lake, not a sea (and as my Geography teacher pointed out, if you understood that, it would guarantee 4 marks in the term paper!) Its so high in salt content that the human body can float easily. You can almost lie down and read a book! The salt in the Dead Sea is as high as 35% - almost 10 times the normal ocean water. And all that saltiness has meant that there is no life at all in the Dead Sea. No fish. No vegetation. No sea animals. Nothing lives in the Dead sea.

And hence the name: Dead Sea.

While the Dead Sea has remained etched in my memory, I don't seem to recall learning about the Sea of Galilee in my school Geography lesson. So when I heard about the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea and the tale of the two seas - I was intrigued. Turns out that the Sea of Galilee is just north of the Dead Sea. Both the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea receive their water from river Jordan. And yet, they are very, very different.

Unlike the Dead Sea, the Sea of Galilee is pretty, resplendent with rich, colorful marine life. There are lots of plants. And lots of fish too. In fact, the sea of Galilee is home to over twenty different types of fishes. Same region, same source of water, and yet while one sea is full of life, the other is dead. How come? Here apparently why. The River Jordan flows into the Sea of Galilee and then flows out. The water simply passes through the Sea of Galilee in and then out - and that keeps the Sea healthy and vibrant, teeming with marine life. But the Dead Sea is so far below the mean sea level, that it has no outlet. The water flows in from the river Jordan, but does not flow out. There are no outlet streams. It is estimated that over 7 million tons of water evaporate from the Dead Sea every day. Leaving it salty. Too full of minerals. And unfit for any marine life.


The Dead Sea takes water from the River Jordan, and holds it. It does not give. Result? No life at all.


Think about it.


Life is not just about getting. Its about giving. We all need to be a bit like the Sea of Galilee.

We are fortunate to get wealth, knowledge, love and respect. But if we don't learn to give, we could all end up like the Dead Sea.
The love and the respect, the wealth and the knowledge could all evaporate. Like the water in the Dead Sea.

If we get the Dead Sea mentality of merely taking in more water, more money, more everything the results can be disastrous. Good idea to make sure that in the sea of your own life, you have outlets. Many outlets. For love and wealth - and everything else that you get in your life. Make sure you don't just get, you give too. Open the taps. And you'll open the floodgates to happiness.

Make that a habit. To share. To give.

 

And experience life. Experience the magic!

Parents....

(This can be read without being gender specific)

Our parents have to go, but they never really leave 

There are three cusps in a man's life. One is when he realises he's exactly like his father; the second when he realizes he likes being his father; and the third is when he looks for his father and finds he's no longer there. 


All three are fulcrums around which revolve this character-building exercise we call life. At different stages maybe, but all equally important. Growing up, most children come to rebel against their parents' values and ethical code. Some do so with the knowledge that the code is flawed, some do it simply because… well… that's what youngsters do. What the scowling EMOs don't realise until it's too late is that no parent (unless they're gibbering sociopaths) set out to hurt their children or bar them from the pleasure of living an independent life. The code that they seek to impress on their offspring (and yes, some do so far too vigorously for anyone's good) is one born of experience, reflection and huge spoonfuls of regret. Nevertheless, it's a doctrine written in the sweat and tears of years.


 We all have traits of our parents within us, some will stifle them to a point where they cease to grow traits of their own; others learn to live with the fact that they are their parents' children and meld their own unique traits with those that their genetic lottery has tossed at them. It is the latter who emerge feeling a lot better. When a man realises he's like his father, he should embrace the best parts of that. By all means, discard those that don't conform to your lifestyle, but the process of ejection should be done with an absence of malice.


 At the second crossroad, you will realise that your father wasn't really the ogre your mind made him out to be. That his foibles were exactly that, and there was never any malicious intent involved. Teenagers reading this may snort in disgust, but believe you me… growth, both emotional and mental, comes from understanding familial history, not by shutting it out. The parental protective instinct is strong, and at times tempestuous, but it always leads to protected shores. When a man realises this, it is also the time he understands that the line "you're just like your father" is not an insult, but a compliment measured by a yardstick of affection and sacrifice. 


The third crossroad is arguably the most important. Because it is at this stage that the man usually has children of his own, and is fighting battles that he never thought he would when he was a pup snarling at the big bad world outside his mental kennel. He's fighting his blood, his genes, his very nature; that's what your children are. And so you look for the one person who can understand exactly what you're going through, and hopefully open a path through the labyrinth of parenting. You turn; you look; but there's no one there. Mortality can be a brutal mistress, but she is a fair one too. Now you must find your own path. At some point in all our lives we have looked at our parents as invincible, people for whom the hands of time bow down and grovel. And then, the seconds fly by with barely a whisper heralding the oncoming hours, days, years, decades. The façade of invincibility begins to crack — slowly at first, but then with a sadistic abandon.


They say parents should never outlive their children, but I reckon that's unfair. The line implies that the death of a child is one of the worst tragedies that can affect a human being, and it maybe so. But, what of the death of a parent? Does that not sound grieving knells in a hollow soul? The duckling that finds itself alone in the middle of a road with no one to guide him across is a sad sight too. But herein lies an Absolute. We all die; some in their sleep, dreaming dreams of peace; others violently and painfully…we all go. 


Our parents are here to make sure that we find the firm footing needed to scale this seemingly insurmountable mountain. If they were always with us we would never find the courage to help those that we create; they would become our crutch. That's not what we need. What we need is exactly what they have given us: Unquestioning, unfaltering love (whether we like to admit it or not); a map of their world, pitfalls and all; and the wherewithal to do the best we can (or at least give it a damn good try). And even after they're gone, they never disappear. That's the beauty of the helices inside you, they're eternal, and will forever carry the thoughts and dreams of those that went before. In the end, the duckling does make it across the road. All it did was look inside itself, and found its parents smiling back. They had never left its side.

24 January, 2011

Life and Longevity


ALL OF US CAN DRAW OUR OWN LESSONS FROM THESE PICTURES....


Be nice to others because . . TIME will make a difference!!!
 

One day you will no longer be the big dog... just the old dog...


HOWEVER, OLD DOG IS BETTER THAN DOG-GONE…..;)))

20 January, 2011

Parents.............and Concern.


Is there an imaginary cut off period when 
offspring become accountable 
for their own actions? 
Is there some wonderful moment when 
parents can become detached spectators in 
the lives of their children and shrug, 
'It's their life,' and feel nothing? 


When I was in my twenties, 
I stood in a hospital corridor 
waiting for doctors to put a few stitches 
on my daughter's head and I asked, 
When do you stop worrying? 
The nurse said, 
When they get out of the accident stage…” 
My parents just smiled faintly 
and said nothing. 


When I was in my thirties, 
I sat on a little chair in a classroom 
and heard how one of my children 
talked incessantly, disrupted the class, 
and was headed for a career 
making license plates. 
As if to read my mind, a teacher said, 
Don't worry, they all go through this stage 
and then you can sit back, 
relax and enjoy them.
 
My parents just smiled faintly 
and said nothing. 


When I was in my forties, 
I spent a lifetime waiting 
for the phone to ring, 
the cars to come home, 
the front door to open. 
A friend said, 
They're trying to find themselves. 
'Don't worry! 
In a few years, they'll be adults. 
They'll be off on their own 
they'll be out of your hair.
 
My parents just smiled faintly 
and said nothing. 


By the time I was 50, 
I was sick and tired of being vulnerable. 
I was still worrying over my children, 
but there was a new wrinkle.
Even though they were on their own 
I continued to anguish over their failures, 
be tormented by their frustrations and 
absorbed in their disappointments, 
and there was nothing I could do about it. 
My parents just smiled faintly 
and said nothing. 


My friends said that 
when my kids got married 
I could stop worrying 
and lead my own life. 
I wanted to believe that, 
but I was haunted by my parent's warm smiles 
and their occasional, 
You look pale. Are you all right? 
Call me the minute you get home. 
Are you depressed about something? 


My friends said that 
when I became a grandparent 
that I would get to enjoy 
the happy little voices yelling 
Grandma! Papa! 
But now I find that I worry 
just as much about the little kids 
as the big ones. 
How can anyone cope 
with all this worry? 


Can it be that parents are sentenced 
to a lifetime of worry? 
Is concern for one another 
handed down like a torch 
to blaze the trail of human frailties 
and the fears of the unknown? 
Is concern a curse or is it 
a virtue that elevates us 
to the highest form of earthly creation? 


Recently, one of my own children 
became quite irritable, saying to me, 
Where were you? 
I've been calling for 3 days, 
and no one answered 
I was worried.
 
I smiled a warm smile. 
The torch has been passed. 

12 January, 2011

Self Appraisal..........


A little boy went to a telephone booth which was at the cash counter of a store and dialed a number. The store-owner observed and listened to the conversation:

Boy : "Lady, Can you give me the job of cutting your lawn?

Woman : (at the other end of the phone line) "I already have someone to cut my lawn."

Boy : "Lady, I will cut your lawn for half the price than the person who cuts your lawn now."

Woman : I'm very satisfied with the person who is presently cutting my lawn.

Boy : (with more perseverance) "Lady, I'll even sweep the floor and the stairs of your house for free.

Woman : No, thank you.

With a smile on his face, the little boy replaced the receiver. The store-owner, who was listening to all this, walked over to the boy.

Store Owner : "Son... I like your attitude; I like that positive spirit and would like to offer you a job."

Boy : "No thanks.

Store Owner : But you were really pleading for one.

Boy : No Sir, I was just checking my performance at the job I already have. I am the one who is working for that lady I was talking to!" 


This is called

"Self Appraisal"  


The difference between DREAM and AIM,

Dream requires soundless sleep to see,
whereas Aim requires sleepless efforts to achieve...





SIX PRINCIPLES OF EARNING MONEY


  • No point using limited life to chase unlimited money. 

  • No point earning so much money you cannot live to spend it.  
 
  • Money is not yours until you spend it.  
 
  • When you are young, you use your health to chase your wealth ; when you are old, you use your wealth to buy back your health . Difference is that, it is too late.  
 
  • How happy a man is, is not how much he has but how little he needs.  
 
  • No point working so hard to provide for the people you have no time to spend with.

How Wealthy Are You?

An article by Alan Hosking, publisher of HR Future magazine


In this, oh so materialistic, world we live in, we’re inclined to think of wealth in terms of one thing only – money. Sure, it’s probably the form of wealth that most people recognise the easiest and want the most. But is it, really? Let’s test your concept of wealth … Which would you rather have – Rs 2,00,00,000/- and an aggressive cancer with six months to live, or no money but the option of a long healthy life? It’s a bit of a no-brainer. I want to suggest that there are at least seven types of wealth. When you consider them, you might find that you’re wealthier than you realise!

1. Physical Wealth. The first form of wealth is your physical health (and with this I include your mental health). If you can’t get out of bed, it’s not much fun having millions and not being able to enjoy them. If you want to become truly wealthy, go for physical wealth first as that will give you the means to start acquiring other forms of wealth.

2. Relational Wealth. We weren’t meant to live in the forests alone. That’s why we’re lonely when we are disconnected from family, friends and society. Again, money means very little when you have no-one special to share it with. I know people who are fabulously wealthy but who are miserably unhappy because their relationships with parents, partners, children, siblings or friends have disintegrated. Strive to build up your relational wealth and you will never be lonely.

3. Spiritual Wealth
.This refers to your values and the development of your spirit – the essence of who you are - through prayer, meditation or contemplation. Many people focus on external (material) wealth and never discover internal wealth. They consequently never discover who they really are and die in poverty in that regard. When you find yourself, you find the wealth that was put into you for success in this life.

4. “Meaning” Wealth. This wealth is built by discovering and developing your reason for being on the planet. This is the only way your life will truly have any meaning. At the end of your life, if you feel your life has had no purpose, you will feel deep regret that your life has been of no value.

5. “Memories” Wealth. As we get older, we are able to build this wealth. Everybody has memories, but not everybody has happy memories – of their childhood, of their partners, of their children, of their careers. This is one wealth you cannot build at the end of your life. You have to build it now by creating the memories you want to carry with you for the rest of your life. When you live for others now, you will build a wealth of happy memories that will make you a wealthy person as you age.

6. “Opportunities” Wealth. Some get given many opportunities, some get very few opportunities, and some create their own opportunities. Some take the few opportunities they get and turn them into something wonderful. Many get given opportunities which they fail to recognise and never seize them. It’s up to you what you do with the many or few opportunities life gives you. The way to build “Opportunities” wealth is to learn to recognise opportunities that come your way, no matter how small they may be, then use them to create magic.

7. Financial Wealth. This wealth is the easiest to spot, but not necessarily the easiest to acquire. There is no get rich scheme that is really sustainable. Set yourself financial goals, then work toward achieving them and you will be able to build wealth in this area.

As you build your career and your life, don’t chase financial wealth only. Make sure you build wealth in the other six areas I mentioned and you will truly be a wealthy person!


HOW VERY TRUE...IF & ONLY IF IT WAS THAT VERY SIMPLE TO PUT THIS INTO PRACTICE............

10 Simple Truths Smart People Forget



I received this from Col Narasimha. A very well researched and written article.

Simple Truths Smart People Forget
Some of the smartest people I know continuously struggle to get ahead because they forget to address a few simple truths that collectively govern our potential to make progress.  So here’s a quick reminder:

#1 – Education and intelligence accomplish nothing without action.

It doesn’t matter if you have a genius IQ and a PhD in Quantum Physics, you can’t change anything or make any sort of real-world progress without taking action.  There’s a huge difference between knowing how to do something and actually doing it.  Knowledge and intelligence are both useless without action.  It’s as simple as that.  For some practical guidance on taking action, I highly recommend The Now Habit.

#2 – Happiness and success are two different things.

I know an extremely savvy businesswoman who made almost a million dollars online last year. Every entrepreneur I know considers her to be wildly successful.  But guess what?  A few days ago, out of the blue, she told me that she’s depressed.  Why?  “I’m burnt out and lonely.  I just haven’t taken enough time for myself lately,” she said.  “Wow!” I thought.  “One of the most successful people I know isn’t happy.”
I also know a surfer who surfs almost all day, every day on the beach in front of our condo complex in San Diego.  He’s one of the most lighthearted, optimistic guys I’ve ever met – always smiling from ear to ear.  But he sleeps in a van he co-owns with another surfer and they both frequently panhandle tourists for money.  So while I can’t deny that this man seems happy, I wouldn’t classify his life as a success story.
“What will make me happy?” and “What will make me successful?” are two of the most important questions you can ask yourself.  But they are two different questions.

#3 – Everyone runs their own business.

No matter how you make a living or who you think you work for, you only work for one person, yourself.  The big question is:  What are you selling, and to whom?  Even when you have a full-time, salaried, ‘Corporate America’ position, you are still running your own business.  You are selling one unit of your existence (an hour of your life) at a set price (the associated fraction of your salary) to a customer (your employer).
So how can you simultaneously save your time and increase your profit?  The answer is slightly different for everyone.  But it’s an answer you should be seeking.  The 4-Hour Workweek is a good read on this topic.

#4 – Having too many choices interferes with decision making.

Here in the 21st century where information moves at the speed of light and opportunities for innovation seem endless, we have an abundant array of choices when it comes to designing our lives and careers.  But sadly, an abundance of choice often leads to indecision, confusion and inaction.
Several business and marketing studies have shown that the more product choices a consumer is faced with, the less products they typically buy.  After all, narrowing down the best product from a pool of three choices is certainly a lot easier than narrowing down the best product from a pool of three hundred choices.  If the purchasing decision is tough to make, most people will just give up.
So if you’re selling a product line, keep it simple.  And if you’re trying to make a decision about something in your life, don’t waste all your time evaluating every last detail of every possible option.  Choose something that you think will work and give it a shot.  If it doesn’t work out, choose something else and keep pressing forward.

#5 – All people possess dimensions of success and dimensions of failure.

This point is somewhat related to point #2 on happiness and success, but it stands strong on its own as well…
Trying to be perfect is a waste of time and energy.  Perfection is an illusion.
All people, even our idols, are multidimensional.  Powerful business men, polished musicians, bestselling authors, and even our own parents all have dimensions of success and dimensions of failure present in their lives.
Our successful dimensions usually encompass the things we spend the most time doing.  We are successful in these dimensions because of our prolonged commitment to them.  This is the part of our lives we want others to see – the successful part that holds our life’s work.  It’s the notion of putting our best foot forward.  It’s the public persona we envision as our personal legacy:  “The Successful ABC” or “The Award Winning XYZ.”
But behind whichever polished storyline we publically promote, there lies a multi-dimensional human being with a long list of unprofessed failures.  Sometimes this person is a bad husband or wife.  Sometimes this person laughs at the expense of others.  And sometimes this person merely takes their eyes off the road and rear-ends the car in front of them.

#6 – Every mistake you make is progress.

Mistakes teach you important lessons.  Every time you make one, you’re one step closer to your goal.  The only mistake that can truly hurt you is choosing to do nothing simply because you’re too scared to make a mistake.
So don’t hesitate – don’t doubt yourself.  In life, it’s rarely about getting a chance; it’s about taking a chance.  You’ll never be 100% sure it will work, but you can always be 100% sure doing nothing won’t work.  Most of the time you just have to go for it!
And no matter how it turns out, it always ends up just the way it should be.  Either you succeed or you learn something.  Win-Win.  Remember, if you never act, you will never know for sure, and you will be left standing in the same spot forever.

#7 – People can be great at doing things they don’t like to do.

Although I’m not suggesting that you choose a career or trade you dislike, I’ve heard way too many smart people say something like, “In order to be great at what you do, you have to like what you do.”  This just isn’t true.
A good friend of mine is a public accountant.  He has told me on numerous occasions that he dislikes his job – “that it bores him to death.”  But he frequently gets raises and promotions.  At the age of 28, out of nearly a thousand Jr. Accountants in his division, he’s one of only two who were promoted to be Sr. Accountants this past year.  Why?  Because even though he doesn’t like doing it, he’s good at what he does.
I could come up with dozens of other examples just like this, but I’ll spare you the details.  Just realize that if someone dedicates enough time and attention to perfecting a skill or trade, they can be insanely good at doing something they don’t like to do.  For an insightful read in this department, I highly recommend The Talent Code.

#8 – The problems we have with others are typically more about us.

Quite often, the problems we have with others – our spouse, parents, siblings, etc. – don’t really have much to do with them at all.  Because many of the problems we think we have with them we subconsciously created in our own mind.  Maybe they did something in the past that touched on one of our fears or insecurities.  Or maybe they didn’t do something that we expected them to do.  In either case, problems like these are not about the other person, they’re about us.
And that’s okay.  It simply means these little predicaments will be easier to solve.   We are, after all, in charge of our own decisions.  We get to decide whether we want to keep our head cluttered with events from the past, or instead open our minds to the positive realities unfolding in front of us.
All we need is the willingness to look at things a little differently – letting go of ‘what was’ and ‘what should have been,’ and instead focusing our energy on ‘what is’ and ‘what could be possible.’

#9 – Emotional decisions are rarely good decisions.

Decisions driven by heavy emotion are typically misguided reactions rather than educated judgments.  These reactions are the byproduct of minimal amounts of conscious thought and primarily based on momentary ‘feelings’ instead of mindful awareness.
The best advice here is simple:  Don’t let your emotions trump your intelligence.  Slow down and think things through before you make any life-changing decisions.

#10 – You will never feel 100% ready when an opportunity arises.

The number one thing I persistently see holding smart people back is their own reluctance to accept an opportunity simply because they don’t think they’re ready.  In other words, they believe they require additional knowledge, skill, experience, etc. before they can aptly partake in the opportunity.  Sadly, this is the kind of thinking that stifles personal growth.
The truth is nobody ever feels 100% ready when an opportunity arises.  Because most great opportunities in life force us to grow emotionally and intellectually.  They force us to stretch ourselves and our comfort zones, which means we won’t feel totally comfortable at first.  And when we don’t feel comfortable, we don’t feel ready.
Just remember that significant moments of opportunity for personal growth and development will come and go throughout your lifetime.  If you are looking to make positive changes in your life you will need to embrace these moments of opportunity even though you will never feel 100% ready for them.

05 January, 2011

Motivational Quotes...........


Courtesy Maninder, who has been sending (and still does) me a motivational quote daily. Of 2010, I compiled the ones that appealed to me more and now include them here for pondering on them time and again. Yes!!! Each time, I am likely to derive a better meaning out of these……………

-           You do not have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.

-           GOD has three answers for each prayer. Yes; Wait; and I have another plan for you.

-           Life is a one-way street. No matter how many detours you take, none of them leads back.-

-           Umbrella cannot stop the rain, but it protects us. Similarly, confidence does not guarantee you success, but it gives you the courage to face any challenge.

-           Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot, rather make it hot by striking it.

-           Do not search for a perfect person, rather try to improve yourself. Who knows that somebody’s search for a perfect person may end at you.

-           Do not feel bad that people remember you only when they need you. Rather, feel privileged like a candle, which comes to mind only when there is darkness around.

-           The best cosmetic for lips is JAAP, for voice is SIMRAN, for eyes is DARSHAN, for ears is GURBANI and for hands is SEWA.

-           You are ‘educated’ when you have the ability to listen to anything without losing your temper or self confidence.

-           Remember that the best relationship is the one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

-           GOD sometimes upsets our plans to set up his own. Reason being that we see our present and plan for the future, but he sees our future and plans for our present.

-           The hardest four tasks : To return love for hate; to include the excluded; to forgive without apology; and to be able to say, “I was wrong”.

-           Do not be happy for a particular reason, because then happiness ends when that reason ends. Be happy without reason, and you will be happy in every season.

-           If you salute your duty, you then need not salute anybody. However, if you pollute your duty, you will have to salute everybody.

-           An error does not become a mistake, unless you refuse to correct it.

-           Difference between truth and a lie : Lie is a credit card, enjoy now and pay later, while truth is a debit card, pay now and enjoy later.

-           When GOD pushes you to the edge of difficulty, trust him fully because only two things can happen. Either He will catch you when you fall, or He will teach you how to fly.

-           GOD does not like the hardness of tongue and heart……….that’s why He made them boneless.

-           Richness is not measured by earning more, or spending more, or saving more. It is when you need ‘NO MORE’.

-           Effort is never wasted, even when it leads to disappointing results. Rather, it always makes us more capable, stronger and experienced.

-           If everyone is happy with you then surely you have made many compromises. And, if you are happy with everybody then surely you have accepted many faults of others.

-           Three great philosophies : Ability can never remain hidden; No injury is deeper than insult; and, the birth of tension is the death of talent.

-           Express yourself to someone who cares for you and not needs you, because ‘care’ means personal commitment and ‘need’ means personal requirement.

-           Good decision comes from experience, but experience comes from bad decisions.

-           Relationships are like stapling a paper. Easy to attach, but when you detach….it leaves damage marks.

-           It’s not hard to sacrifice something for someone, but it is difficult to find that someone who deserves your sacrifice.

-           If friendship is your weakest point, then you are the strongest person in the world.

-           Reality of life : People do not change when you show them a better option, but change only when they have NO other option.

-           Attitude is a little thing which makes a big difference in life, but it should be like, “I may not be the best, but I am not like the rest”.

-           A happy person is not one who has a certain set of circumstances, but one who has a certain set of attitudes.

-           A seed while growing makes no sound, but a tree while falling makes a huge noise. Destruction is noisy, while creation is always quiet.

-           Winners Version : If one can do it, I too can do; and, if no one can do, I must do. Losers Version : If one can do it, let him do; and, if no one can do it, then why to do.

-           The size of the candles may differ, but they yield the same brightness. It’s not a matter of your position, but your ability that shines.

-           Satisfy the person who expects from you, rather than surprising the person who never expected anything from you.

-           Always be a first rate version of yourself, rather than being a second rate version of someone else.

-           Faith is taking the first step when you do not see the whole staircase.

-           Confidence does not come when you have all the answers. It comes only when you are ready to face all the questions.

-           Money says, “Earn me, forget everything”. Time says, “Follow me, forget everything”. Future says, “Struggle for me, forget everything”. GOD says, “Remember me, and get everything”.

-           Listen and learn from everyone, because nobody knows everything and everybody knows something.

-           Perception is important. What people call congestion in train, becomes atmosphere in a disco.

-           Few succeed because they are destined to, but most succeed because they are determined to.

-           Positive thinking is not about expecting the best to happen. It is about accepting that whatever happens……is the best.

-           Man said to GOD, “I want happiness”.  GOD replied, “First remove ‘I’, that’s ego. Then remove ‘want’, that’s desire. You will then be left with only ‘happiness’.

-           An arrow can be directed on target only by pulling it back. Similar phenomenon occurs in life.

-           Two thoughts decide your attitude in life. What do you think of yourself when you have nothing, and what do you think of others when you have everything.

-           Success is not permanent and failure is not final. So, never stop working after you achieve success and never stop trying if you face failure.

-           In life when you sometimes feel that all doors are closed, remember, all closed doors are not always locked.

-           If you desire to blossom like a rose in the garden, then you need to learn the art of adjusting with the thorns.

-           Always be the reason for somebody’s happiness; never be a part of it. Always be a part of somebody’s sadness, but never the reason for it.

-           Doing what you like is freedom, but liking what you do is real happiness.

-           GOD knows your future. He may not reveal it, but will walk with you as the future unfolds. Do not bank on the stars, rather trust the one who created them.

-           When we do a task, we have to cross the three stages of insult, opposition and acceptance. Fools stop at the first, losers stop at the second, while the winners cross the third.

-           Life is a rope that swings us between hope. Always believe that today is better than yesterday, and tomorrow will be much better than today.

-           Destiny is sometimes a jewel, and sometimes is cruel. When it is a jewel, wear it with all humility. When it is cruel, bear it with all the ability.

-           Life is all about a card game. Choosing the right cards is not in our hands, however playing well with the cards in our hand is what determines our success.

-           Remember, result of anger is always more powerful than the reason for anger.

-           Life is like a coin with pleasure and pain as the two sides. While only one side is visible at a time, but do remember that the other side is also waiting for it’s turn.

-           Do not change your character for the person you love, but change yourself completely for the person who loves you.

-           A good heart and a good nature are two different things. A good heart helps in creating many relationships, but a good nature is responsible for winning and sustaining lifelong relationships.

-           Everyone starts out with a full bag of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience, before the luck runs out.

-           Good friends are not easy to obtain, but once gained, it is difficult to maintain and once lost, can never be regained.

-           If we are willing to do only what’s easy, life will be hard. However, if we are willing to do what is hard, life will be easy.

-           Troubles are like a washing machine. They twist, turn and knock us around, but in the end we come out brighter and better than before.

-           Fighting the world is easy, you either win or lose. However, fighting with the loved one is difficult, because if you lose, you lose; and even if you win, you lose.

-           Friendship and love are like rubber bands – flexible. You can stretch it as much as you want, but do not leave it after stretching, as it it will hurt a lot then.

-           The price of discipline is always less than the pain of regret. Self discipline is the biggest investment, and the return on this investment is success.

-           Expecting the world to treat you well because you are a good person, is like expecting a lion to not attack you because you are a vegetarian.

-           Friendship is not a business, where you give when you get. It is a beautiful relationship, where you give even if you do not get.

-           Everyone one wants happiness and no one needs pain; but, it’s not possible to get a rainbow without a little rain.

-           Learn to write your pains on the sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. Carve your joys in stone, where even the rains cannot erase it.

-           Small minds talk about sales, average minds talk about business, great minds talk about growth; but champions never talk. They just perform and let the world do the talking. 

-           Prayer does not change the situation, but it changes your attitude towards the situation.

-           Being happy does not mean everything is perfect. It means you have decided to look beyond the imperfections.

-           GOD gives us problems, to humble us and not tumble us.

-           Life can be happier and stress less, if we remember that we cannot have all that we desire, but GOD will give us all that we deserve.

-           Life is a boxing ring. To win, it does not matter how hard you punch. What actually matters is how hard a punch can you take to continue fighting.

-           Work for a cause, and not for an applause. Live life to express and not to impress. Do not strive to make your presence noticed, rather just make your absence felt.

-           Everything in life has a beautiful ending. If it is not beautiful, then be sure it is still not the end.

-           Life is like a river. The twists and turns along the way are to guide us, not stop us.

-           You may get delayed to reach your targets, but every step you take towards your target is equal to victory.

-           Birth was not our choice, and death will not be our choice. However, the way we live our life is absolutely our choice.

-           No one ever won a game of chess by betting only on each forward move. Sometimes, you have to move a step back for a better move forward.

-           Forget things that make you sad, and remember those that made you glad. Forget the trouble that passed away, and remember the blessings that come each day.

-           Speaking without egos, loving without intentions, caring without expectations and praying without selfishness, are true signs of a relationship.

-           Do not pray to GOD for the things you desire, rather pray for things you deserve. You never know that what you deserve may be more than what you desire.

-           Either you can complain that roses have thorns or, you can rejoice that thorns have roses.

-           If your eyes are positive, you will like all the people in the world. However, if your tongue is positive, all the people in the world will like you.

-           Smooth roads never make good drivers. Clear skies never make good pilots. Problem free life never makes a strong man. So, instead of saying, “Why me?”, say, “Try me”.

-           Never expect things to happen. Struggle and make them happen. Never expect yourself to be given a good value, create a value of your own.

-           Trusting GOD would not make the mountain smaller, but it will make the climbing easier. Do not ask Him for a lighter load, rather ask him for a strong back.

-           In life, GOD does not give you the people you want. Instead He gives you the people you need, to hurt you, to love you, to teach you, and to make you exactly the way he wants you to be.

-           Hate, but love more. Argue, but agree more. Talk, but listen more. Punish, but forgive more. Then you do not have to love people, but people will love you more.

-           Never judge and conclude a person based on his present status. Time has the invaluable power to convert a piece of coal into valuable diamond.

-           Flexibility is an art and mobility is a part of life. One who understands this, success is the landmark of his life.

-           Never walk away from true friend. When you see some faults, be patient and realize that nobody is perfect. It’s affection that matters, not perfection.

-           When floods come, fish eat ants. When the water dries up, ants eat fish. Fate gives chance to everyone, so be patient and wait for your turn.

-           Often when we lose all hope and think that it is the end, GOD smiles from above and says, “It’s just a bend, and not the end”.

-           Before giving up a difficult task, imagine it being completed by someone you violently hate.

-           Attitudes are like wrist watches. Every watch shows different time than others, and everyone thinks that his watch is showing the right time.

-           See a mistake, as just a mistake and not as ‘his’ or ‘my’ mistake. MY brings guilt, HIS brings anger, and ONLY mistake brings realization and possible improvement.

-           Any great relationship is mainly about two things. The first one is to find out the similarities, and the second one is to respect the differences.

-           If GOD answers your prayer, it means he’s increasing your faith. If HE delays, HE is increasing your patience, and if HE does not answer, then HE knows that you can handle.

-           The stone gets broken on the last strike. It does not mean that the first strike was useless. Similarly, SUCCESS is a result of continuous efforts.

-           Always welcome your problems, since they give you two good advices. First, how to solve; and second, how to avoid in the future.

-           Age is of no relevance to intelligence, to wisdom, to growth, or to success.

-           Soft nature does not imply weakness. It is only water with soft nature, that breaks the rocks.

-           “But, I am with you”, or “I am with you, but….” Do not express the same emotions.

-           If you want to shine like the Sun, learn to burn like him too.

-           The greatest mistake of the human beings is that we listen half, understand quarter, think zero, react double and remember forever.

-           Believe in Karma and not Rashi. Ram and Ravana, Krishna and Kans and, Gandhi and Godse had the same rashis, but their karmas made them different.

-           Once a wise man asked God, “What is the meaning of life?”. God replied, “Life itself has no meaning in it. It is actually an opportunity to create a meaning”.

-           You are what your deep, driving desire is. As is your desire, so is your will. As is your will, so are your deeds. And as are your deeds, so is your destiny.

-           Life is the hardest school. You never know what class you are in, what class you will go to, what exam you will have next, and you cannot even cheat as no one will face the same questions.

-           2get and 2give, creates too many problems. So, just double it to 4get and 4give, and solve all the problems.

-           The ocean is huge, but we get as much water our hands can hold. Similarly, God’s blessings are infinite, but we only what our belief can hold.

-           10 two letter words that can change one’s life if understood correctly, are “IF IT IS TO BE, IT IS UP TO ME”.

-           You are not responsible for what people think about you, but you are solely responsible for what you give to them to think about you.

-           Experience says, “Once I did bad and I heard it ever. Twice I did good, but I heard it never”.

-           Life is a ‘roller coaster ride’. We can scream every time we hit a bump, or throw our hands up in the air and enjoy the moment.

-           In the business world everyone is paid in two coins, cash and experience. Take the experience first, and cash will follow automatically.

-           Darkness is not the opposite of light, it’s just the absence of light. Similarly, a problem is only an absence of an idea, and not the absence of a solution.

-           One thing I learnt from life is that getting ‘upset’ will not help. Instead get ‘UP’ and ‘SET’ your goals, and life will become much easier.

-           All things in life are temporary. If going well, then enjoy them as these will not last forever. If not going well, then do not worry as these will not last forever either.

-           A pessimist says, “Erasers are for people who make mistakes”, whereas an optimist says, “Erasers are for people who arer ready to correct their mistakes”.

-           The biggest enemy of success is the ‘fear of failure’. So, when opportunity knocks on the door, send ‘faith’ to open the door, and let ‘success’ walk in.

-           When time is never ready to wait for us, why do we wait for the right time? No time is wrong to do the right thing.

-           If you want to enjoy a thing, then think that today is the first day. And, when you want to achieve something, think that today is the last day.

-           True friends may not be able to give their life for you, but they can definitely help you get your life back, when you think you have lost it.

-           If the loser smiles after losing the game, the winner will lose the thrill of his victory.

-           Take risks in your life. If you win, you can lead; and if you lose, you can guide.

-           A third person never creates a misunderstanding between two people, but a misunderstanding between two people always creates a space for third person to indulge.