Question and the Answer given by Candidates who are IAS Officers now

Q.How can you drop a raw egg onto a concrete floor without cracking it?
A. Concrete floors are very hard to crack! (UPSC Topper)


Q.If it took eight men ten hours to build a wall, how long would it take
four men to build it?
A. No time at all it is already built. (UPSC 23 Rank Opted for IFS)


Q.If you had three apples and four oranges in one hand and four apples and
three oranges in the other hand, what would you have?
A. Very large hands.(Good one) (UPSC 11 Rank Opted for IPS)


Q. How can you lift an elephant with one hand?
A. It is not a problem, since you will never find an elephant with one
hand. (UPSC Rank 14 Opted for IES)


Q. How can a man go eight days without sleep?
A. No Probs , He sleeps at night. (UPSC IAS Rank 9


Q. If you throw a red stone into the blue sea what it will become?
A. It will Wet or Sink as simple as that. (UPSC IAS Rank 2)


Q. What looks like half apple ?
A : The other half. (UPSC - IAS Topper)


Q. What can you never eat for breakfast ?
A : Dinner.


Q. What happened when wheel was invented ?
A : It caused a revolution.


Q. Bay of Bengal is in which state?
A : Liquid (UPSC 33Rank )

The five faces of Genius by Annette Moser-Wellman

Most managers believe that if they manage well they will succeed. But in rapidly changing markets, being a good manager is less important than being an innovator. Those who can come up with new ideas - those who can create - become the leaders of the organization and the industry.

So, personal creativity is the skill we need the most but are taught the least. Did you have any courses on how to be a creative thinker? Of course not. Most of us live by the assumption that creativity is a gift one has or doesn't have. Our formal education usually trains the creativity out of us. And in business, being an innovator will be the next core competency - the essential capability for success.
So who do we model to help us learn these necessary skills? I've spent my career studying creativity in the arts and the sciences. When you look to some of the creative genius of our world, you find patterns of thinking that can augment our lives and increase our probability of new ideas in business.
Below is a framework of some of the most powerful skills in a creative genius and how the same skills are used in business. I call them the five faces of genius.

The Seer

When painters begin to paint, they have an image in their mind's eye - an internal picture they "see". When musicians write music, they often have a musical score that appears in their mind. The great writer Robertson Davies said, "What appears in my head is a picture that somehow must be considered." The visual stimulates the new idea.
And the same is true in business. Bill Gates said that the original vision for Microsoft was "a PC on every desk and in every home." It was the image that created the future. When executives meet in our workshops, they describe new products they see, new marketing ideas or even new businesses. Ideas come - not when we use our linear side but when we use our visual intuition.

The Observer

Before Ray Kroc was the head of the McDonald's franchise, he was a milkshake mixer salesman. When reviewing a list of clients, he noticed one small detail. One customer was buying enough milkshake mixers to make 40 milkshakes at one time. This made Kroc curious.

He travelled long distances to see the McDonald's restaurant. He was so impressed that he joined the McDonald's family to build the franchise.
Observers pay attention to small things and get big ideas from those details. Former Sony president Akio Morita developed the Walk-Man when he got the idea from a small thing he noticed. During a party for one of his teenagers, he saw that kids were lugging heavy stereo equipment from one room to the next. Morito asked himself, "What if music was portable?" and the Walk-Man was born.

The Alchemist

Do you frequently ask yourself, "where have I seen this problem before?" The "alchemist" uses the world around them to come up with new ideas. Physicists, for instance, find breakthrough theoretical ideas by creating analogies of the natural world.

You may use your alchemistic skill everyday and not know it. Marlboro cigarettes was a brainstorm of advertising guru, Leo Burnett. Burnett was flipping through a magazine and stumbled on a retrospective of the American cowboy. He connected the need to reposition the cigarette with the love of the cowboy. It was through this connection that the icon of one of the world's biggest brands was born.

The Fool

Most managers say, "I don't want to be a fool!" but in fact the "fool" is one of the most powerful creative skills. And once you see it at work in business, you'll see why. The "fool" knows how to invert problems, persevere when the going gets tough and isn't afraid to pursue absurd solutions.

Oprah Winfrey is arguably the most powerful business woman in the world. She built her empire with a "fool" strategy. When she began her talk show, other talk show hosts were featuring people's problems and making fun of each other.
Oprah turned the model upside down and started focusing on the strength of the human spirit. She created a book club, a magazine and programmes that featured the positive power of humanity.

The Sage

Have you ever worked with someone who could take complicated information, synthesize it quickly and then come up with a great idea? That is the creative style of the "sage". A seemingly easy notion, but in practice, very challenging. The design greats of the Bauhaus knew this best with the motto, "less is more".

A perfect example of the "sage" at work would be the business genius of Michael Dell. Prior to Dell computers, you had to buy a computer at a retail store. A low-margin business, fraught with tangled problems, Dell simplified the route to market. His idea in effect went straight to the heart of the problem and revolutionized the way we buy computers.

Perhaps you have seen yourself in the thinking styles above. Our research has shown that highly creative people have the ability to use all five skills. Just like turning a sparkling diamond, the next generation manager will be able to turn a problem in the mind and come up with new solutions from at least five different angles.

Becoming a creative business person, not merely a manager, requires a relentless pursuit of innovation. It means you will prioritize ideas and place them at the center of what you do everyday. It means you will not allow yourself to become distracted by day-to-day concerns and miss the larger reason you are working for - creatively bring value to the firm. It means you will bring your genius to work.

Each person has been granted the gift of creativity - it is our own personal genius. When we dedicate ourselves to using the full spectrum of our minds, we'll be surprised ourselves. Not only see our business grow, but we'll see our careers rise. And we will become the leaders the business world is looking for.

Life has no shortcuts

Sometimes, in travelling a path, we discover a short-cut, and we reach our destination in less time and with less effort than we thought, when we began the journey, would be required of us.

On the path to self-awareness, however, there are no short-cuts. Personal growth awareness of the person we are in every present moment is an ongoing lifetime process. The end of one learning cycle is always the beginning of the next.

Growth on any level, for any life form, is a continual process. Our soul's growth accumulates from lifetime to lifetime within each level of consciousness, and moves with us from one level to the next.

It is never a case of all or nothing, with our infinite future being permanently defined by the choices we make within a given timespan on a given level of learning; because soul experience for the purpose of growth is the only real objective in life.

God poses no limitations, no time limits, no space limits on our infinite, predestined accomplishment of that objective. Each soul learns through experience in its own time and on its own terms, as does every human being.

When, for our soul growth objectives, we come into a physical existence as a human being, we come in fully capable, on every level, of fulfilling the growth objectives we have planned to accomplish through our life experiences.

Each of us has in each lifetime one primary lesson we hope to learn. The secondary lessons that we build into our life plan are lessons that support and point to the primary lesson.

Based on our life plan, everything in our lives is geared to exposing us to the people, the events, and the circumstances that will encourage us to learn through our own experience — what we came here to learn.

Sometimes, we choose to look at our lives objectively and see the people, events and circumstances as the learning experiences they were intended to be. Sometimes, we choose to look at life from a more human, more emotional perspective.

It often happens that a person goes through an entire lifetime, complete with all of it's experiences, good and bad, without ever realising, on a conscious level, that there is a higher purpose to those experiences and/or a higher aspect to themselves. In their spiritual blindness, they have missed the opportunities presented as life lessons.

They fail to see the importance of their interactions with others, of the effect or lack of effect that they have had upon the people who chose, with ultimate faith on a soul level that the interconnected spiritual objectives would be accomplished in that lifetime according to plan.

They fail to learn and grow together by agreeing, long before the physical lifetime began and to be a part of each other's life plan.

"Ignorance of the law" does not redeem someone who breaks it and ignorance on a conscious level of the karmic law of repercussion does not redeem us from the karmic debt that we incur when we wander through life spiritually blinded.

Whatever karmic debts we incur in our state of unawareness we must build into future life plans, when we will try, try again to awaken the conscious mind to the soul's plan for growth.

Assessing our conscious awareness of our spiritual objectives at any point in our life journey is a vital ingredient in self-awareness, for it is only we recognise, accept and work with the soul as the essence of our current lifetime self that we can begin to see, for ourselves, the order of the universe as it is reflected in our lives and the learning experiences that constitute living.

It would be nice if all of us, as souls, could come up with a perfect, infallible life plan. Our life lessons would be accomplished quickly and easily, and we'd never miss the point of any relationship or any situation.

We'd know why we were here, and like all good students, we'd do our homework, learn what we needed to learn, pass each test of life with flying colours, and graduate to the next level of spiritual learning. Life would be simple.

Life would be good. But life doesn't work that way, and neither do life plans. The greatest challenge, at this juncture on our personal path to growth, is coming to recognise and respect the plan at play in our lives, a plan that, in the perfection of it is inception, perfectly accommodates our soul growth objectives.

Without conscious recognition of the bigger picture — the soul's objective of spiritual growth accommodated by the learning experiences offered in the present lifetime —we see our lives as a maze of emotional, physical and mental experiences that seem to have no purpose at all, other than to make us feel that we are victims of circumstance surviving the whims of a cold and uncaring fate.

Monitor Yourself

We have a choice in life — to live by the laws of form, which are very dense and binding, or to live by the laws of our Divine Self. Life, relationships, and career begin to flow much easier when we move from the laws of form to higher laws.

One of the first steps on a spiritual path of growth is to recognise that there is more to us than just a personality and a body. Who we are takes on a body when we come into form.

Once we are born we soon forget who we are and begin to believe that we are a physical body. This is the way the system is set up. We are meant to forget who we are so that we can have a full experience of individuation.

It is through individuation that we are able to work on our piece of the karmatic pie of humanity. Once we become adults, part of our journey is to remember who we are. The laws of form are very dense and confining.

At different levels of frequency, there are different laws in effect. The laws of form are different than the laws of energy. For example, in form like repels like. In energy, it is often different — like attracts like.

If we wish, therefore, to have a life that flows and to have dominion over our lives, we need to shift away from being bound by the laws of form. The first step is to stop monitoring our external world and to begin monitoring self.

When we constantly monitor our external world, and try to change self to fit that external world, we give our power away to whatever, or whoever is in our external world. Moreover, when we are constantly monitoring our external world, we are bound by the laws of form.

When we begin to monitor self first instead of our external world first, we come under the laws of the human self, which are less dense than our external world. It is much easier to change self than it is to change our external world.

If we are in a relationship, for example, it is very difficult to change the other person. It is healthier to focus on what we need to change in self.

The healthiest first step we can take in a dysfunctional relationship is to find what we need in the relationship and do what we need to do to fulfill that need.

If, instead, we constantly monitor the other person and try to change self to please them, we continue the dysfunctional pattern and create more pain for ourselves.

Eventually, we want to align self to who we are in order to come under the laws of our Divine Self, which vibrate at a high frequency. These laws are much less binding and are more loving than the laws of form.

However, to get to where we can align self to our Higher or Divine Self, we must first shift our awareness and focus from external monitoring to self monitoring. The world of form is much larger than we are. We cannot change the laws of form.

However, when we instead begin to monitor self, we are able to change self in accordance to what self needs and live by a new set of laws that are less binding.

How do we monitor self? We begin by becoming aware of the three structured bodies of the human self — mental, emotional and physical bodies.

Human beings also have unstructured bodies, such as the intuitive body that are free from the structure of space and time, but we first begin with our bodies of structure.

Each of the three bodies has a function. The function of the mental body is to think. The function of the emotional body is to feel. The function of the physical body is to experience.

When we monitor self, we begin to monitor our thoughts, feelings and actions. We also monitor what self needs. Throughout the day we monitor what our mental body needs, what our emotional body needs and what our physical body needs.

If our emotional body needs to cry or laugh, we cry or laugh. If our physical body needs to urinate, we do not ignore it. We get up and urinate. As we monitor self we become aware of patterns in self that need healing.

We become aware of how these patterns and wounding cause us to think, feel or behave in a certain way that may not be beneficial to self.

If we want more freedom in our lives, we must switch from being led by our ego, to being directed by our Higher Self. If we want to move up to the lighter laws of our Divine Self, we must begin by shifting our focus to monitoring self instead of monitoring our external world.

This doesn't mean that we ignore the external world. It means that we monitor self first, then the external world. Every moment of the day, keep a piece of your awareness on yourself.

Monitor how you feel. As you do this you begin to raise your energetic frequency up. Your life becomes more fluid. You will have more glimpses of your Higher Self. You will move from being controlled by the laws of form, to living the laws of the Divine.

100 Ways to be Happy

1. Never put yourself last.
2. When you extend a helping hand to one person, be careful not to kick someone else in the teeth.
3. Always own a pair of old, faded jeans.
4. Count your blessings every day.
5. Acknowledge your successes along with your downfalls.
6. Burn the candle that has been in storage for the last two years.
7. Strive for progress, not perfection.
8. Remember, the voice telling you that you cannot do something is always lying.
9. At least once a day sit and do nothing.
10. Don't close your heart so tightly against life's pain that you shut out life's blessings.
11. Celebrate all your birthdays no matter how old you get.
12. Examine your life for limitations and ask yourself why you put them there.
13. Plant a tree, pull weeds, or get your hands dirty.
14. Diminish your wants instead of increasing your needs.
15. Cry when you feel like it.
16. Rejoice in other people's triumphs.
17. Don't wait for someone else to laugh or express joy.
18. Forgive yourself for any mistake you make, no matter how big or small.
19. Keep good company.
20. Never take a pill for a pain you need to feel.
21. Use your enthusiasm to put yourself in forward gear and give yourself a spark to move ahead.
22. Look in the eyes of the ones you love when you are talking to them.
23. Remember that one is a whole number.
24. Walk in a summer rain shower without an umbrella.
25. Do a kind deed for someone else.
26. Keep your eyes and ears open to get the messages you need from people and events in your daily life.
27. Be patient.
28. Eat something green.
29. Change what you can and leave the rest alone.
30. Walk hand and hand with truth.
31. Make laughter and joy a greater part of your life than anger and grief.
32. Embrace solitude instead of running from it.
33. Be zealous, not jealous.
34. Forgive anyone you've been holding a grudge against.
35. Slow down and enjoy the present.
36. Walk in others' shoes before judging them.
37. Send yourself a kind message.
38. Remind yourself that the company you keep is a reflection of what you think of yourself.
39. Go on a picnic.
40. Accept your fears, no matter how crazy they seem.
41. Don't let other people's opinions shape who you are.
42. Say a prayer.
43. Never attribute your accomplishments to luck or chance.
44. Know when to say no.
45. Look at the positive side of negative situation.
46. Remember that you are a spiritual being in a physical body.
47. Avoid seeking out other people for constant approval, because it make them the master and you the slave.
48. Go fly a kite.
49. Avoid fads and bandwagons.
50. Accept the things you cannot change.
51. Look inside instead of outside yourself for answers to life's problems.
52. Remember that all feelings are okay.
53. Shield yourself from bad influences.
54. Stand up for what you believe in.
55. Respect the wishes of others when they say no.
56. Seize every moment and live it fully.
57. Give away or sell anything you haven't used in the past five years.
58. Never downgrade yourself.
59. Take responsibility for what you think, feel and do.
60. Pamper yourself.
61. Never say or do anything abusive to a child.
62. Let yourself be God powered instead of flying solo.
63. Volunteer to help someone in need.
64. Refrain from overindulging in food, drink and work.
65. Finish unfinished business.
66. Be spontaneous.
67. Find a constructive outlet for your anger.
68. Think about abundance instead of lack, because whatever you think about expands.
69. Think of yourself as a survivor, not a victim.
70. Cuddle an animal.
71. Be open to life.
72. See success as something you already have, not something you must attain.
73. Experience the splendor and awe of a sunset.
74. When you score a base hit, don't wish it were a home run.
75. Learn to be in the present moment.
76. Instead of believing in miracles, depend on them.
77. Take a child to the circus.
78. Change your attitude and your whole life will change.
79. Never turn your power over to another person.
80. When your heart is at odds with your head, follow your heart.
81. Always remember that the past is gone forever and the future never comes.
82. Live your life according to what is right for you.
83. Acknowledge your imperfections.
84. Plant a tree and watch it grow.
85. See "friend" instead of "enemy" on the face of strangers.
86. Watch an army of ants build their houses and cities and carry food ten times their weight.
87. Believe in something bigger than yourself.
88. Let the playful child within you come out.
89. Make haste slowly.
90. Work through your problems step by step and one day at a time.
91. Accept compliments from others so you can see the truth about yourself.
92. Sit on the lawn without worrying about grass stains.
93. Don't condemn yourself for your imperfections.
94. Do a humility check periodically by loving the truth about yourself.
95. Tell someone you appreciate them.
96. Never live your life according to what is right for someone else.
97. Talk less and listen more.
98. Admit your wrongdoing and forgive yourself for it.
99. Thrive on inner peace instead of on crises.
100. Affirm all the good things about yourself.

60 Years of Republic India - Kuchh Paya, Kuchh Khoya

+++ Increased Financial Status,
----------- Reduced Mental Peace

+++ Increased Telephonic Connectivity
----------- Reduced Patience

+++ Increased Number of Vehicles
----------- Reduced Healthy Environment

+++ Increased Educational Infrastructure
----------- Reduced Innovations

+++ Increased Number of States
----------- Reduced Attention Towards Real Problems

+++ Increased Political Parties
----------- Reduced Number of Good Leaders

+++ Increased Food Varieties
----------- Reduced Healthy People

+++ Increased Housing Complexes
----------- Reduced Neighbours

Thought for the Day...

There comes a time when you must stand alone.

You must feel confident enough within yourself to follow your own dreams.

You must be willing to make sacrifices.

You must be capable of changing and rearranging your priorities so that your final goal can be achieved.

Sometimes, familiarity and comfort need to be challenged.

There are times when you must take a few extra chances and create your own realities.

Be strong enough to at least try to make your life better.

Be confident enough that you won't settle for a compromise just to get by.

Appreciate yourself by allowing yourself the opportunities to grow, develop, and find your true sense of purpose in this life.

Don't stand in someone else's shadow when it's your sunlight that should lead the way.

Some True Life Principles.....

• Winning isn't everything but wanting to win is.
• You would achieve more, if you don't mind who gets the credit.
• When everything else is lost, the future still remains.
• Don't fight too much or the enemy will know your art of war.
• The only job you start at the top is when you dig a grave.
• If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for everything.
• If you do little things well, you'll do big ones better.
• Only thing that comes to you without effort is old age.
• You won't get a second chance to make a first impression.
• Only those who do nothing do not make mistakes.
• Never take a problem to your boss unless you have a solution.
• If you are not failing, you're not taking enough risks.
• Don't try to get rid of your bad temper by losing it.
• If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.
• Those who don't make mistakes usually don't make anything.
• There are two kinds of failures: Those who think and never do, and those who do and never think.
• Pick battles big enough to matter, small enough to win.
• All progress has resulted from unpopular decisions.
• Change your thoughts and you change your world.
• Understanding proves intelligence, not the speed of the learning.
• There are two kinds of fools in this world.:
.Those who give advice and those who don't take it.
• The best way to kill an idea is to take it to a meeting.
• Management is doing things right. Leadership is doing the right things.

Some Nice Thoughts

Living on Earth is expensive,
But it does include a free trip around the sun every year.
*********
Birthdays are good for you;
The more you have, the longer you live.
*********
How long a minute is...
Depends on what side of the bathroom door you're on.
*********
Ever notice that the people who are late are often
Much jollier than the people who have to wait for them?
*********
If ignorance is bliss,
Why aren't more people happy?
*********
Most of us go to our grave with our music still inside of us.
*********
If WalMart is lowering prices every day,
How come nothing is free yet?
*********
You may be only one person in the world,
But you may also be the world to one person.
*********
Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.
*********
Don't cry because it's over;
Smile because it happened.
*********
We could learn a lot from crayons:
Some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull,
Some have weird names, and all are different colors
But they all have to learn to live in the same box.
*********
A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
*********
Happiness comes through doors
You didn't even know you left open.

Ten Commandments by Thomas Jefferson

1.Never trouble another for what you can do yourself.
2.Never spend your money before you have earned it.
3.Never buy what you do not want because it is cheap.
4.Pride costs more than hunger, thirst and cold.
5.We seldom report of having eaten too little.
6.Nothing is troublesome that we do willingly.
7.How much pain evils have cost us that have never happened!
8.Take things always by the smooth handle.
9.When angry, count ten before you speak, if very angry, count a hundred.
10.Never put off till to-morrow what you can do to-day.

Murphy's Technology Laws

Murphy's Technology Laws

Murphy's Technology Law #1:
You can never tell which way the train went by looking at the track.

Murphy's Technology Law #2:
Logic is a systematic method of coming to the wrong conclusion with confidence.

Murphy's Technology Law #3:
Technology is dominated by those who manage what they do not understand.

Murphy's Technology Law #4:
If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker that came along would destroy civilization.

Murphy's Technology Law #5:
An expert is one who knows more and more about less and less until he/she knows absolutely everything about nothing.

Murphy's Technology Law #6:
Tell a man there are 300 billion stars in the universe, and he'll believe you. Tell him a bench has wet paint on it, and he'll have to touch to be sure.

Murphy's Technology Law #7:
All great discoveries are made by mistake.

Murphy's Technology Law #8:
Nothing ever gets built on schedule or within budget.

Murphy's Technology Law #9:
All's well that ends... period.

Murphy's Technology Law #10:
A meeting is an event at which minutes are kept and hours are lost.

Murphy's Technology Law #11:
The first myth of management is that it exists.

Murphy's Technology Law #12:
A failure will not appear until a unit has passed final inspection.

Murphy's Technology Law #13:
New systems generate new problems.

Murphy's Technology Law #14:
To err is human, but to really foul things up requires a computer.

Murphy's Technology Law #15:
We don't know one-millionth of one percent about anything.

Murphy's Technology Law #16:
Any given program, when running, is obsolete.

10 Rules of Listening

Rule #1: Stop Talking!

You can't multi-task speaking and listening. If you're talking, you're not listening. This rule also applies to the talking inside your head. If you're thinking intently about what you want to say, you're not listening to what is being said.


Rule #2: Create a Space

Create a physical space. Focus on reacting and responding to the speaker. Create, too, a space in your mind for what the speaker has to say. Create a space between your thoughts. Think of listening as a form of meditation. Quieten your mind and focus your attention on listening.

Rule #3: Hold Your Judgments

How often we have passionately expressed a gut reaction only to turn around and regret what we said after hearing more of the facts? Allow for a thoughtful pause before reacting, a space in which to ask yourself, "Do I have the whole story?"

Rule #4: Don't Be a Label Reader

People are unique. We tend to create labels like Liberal, Dead Head, Wise Guy, and think we know what's inside. Suddenly, we believe we know everything about someone, but they are not really all alike.


Rule #5: Open Your Mind

While we may not consciously feel the need to be right, we tend to have certain ideas about reality and feel groundless when they're threatened. Groundless now and then isn't a bad thing. Without it we can't break new ground or find common ground; it's okay to be unsure.

Rule #6: Focus

When someone is speaking, focus. If you're paying attention, you'll likely be showing signs of focus – such as making eye contact – without thinking about it at all. Below are some of the ways we show we're listening.

Maintain eye contact. In the US, not making eye contact has the connotation of someone untrustworthy. But realize, too, that steady eye contact in some cultures is considered impolite or aggressive.

Give non-verbal clues. Nod, lean towards the speaker, take on the general demeanor of someone who is interested.

Encourage the speaker to go on. Especially over the phone, hearing no response feels like no one is listening.

Don't be a verbal trespasser. A verbal trespasser is one who interrupts or finishes the speaker's sentences.

Ask open questions. Open questions encourage the speaker. They elicit a more detailed response than closed questions. "What" and "Why" are usually helpful starts to open questions.

Summarize. Summarizing is often helpful, especially if you have had a misunderstanding, are unsure of expectations, or have just reached an agreement. Ensure that everyone is coming away with the same idea.

Rule #7: Visualize

Visualization is a technique that can enhance listening: a picture is worth a thousand words. One way to use visualization is to visualize what you are being told. Some people are more visual than others. If visualization is more a chore than a help, you may not be a visual person. But anything new takes some adjustment and might take a few tries before feeling natural.

Rule #8: Remember Names

The first step in remembering names is deciding that they are important to remember. Listen when you're told about someone prior to introductions. Repeat the names when you are introduced. Make associations to remember names.

Rule #9: Question

Going into a listening situation with questions in your mind will help you remember and, often, put information into the framework of your existing knowledge. Listen to body language and be quick to clarify assumptions if you are unsure or are getting a negative message. Observe. Listen. Ask.

Rule #10: Be Aware

We must be aware of the speaker, aware of verbal and non-verbal cues, and aware of our own listening strengths and challenges.

Bonus Rule: Know When To Break the Rules

If it's hard to start a conversation and something mindless that engages a connection can bring you together, go for it!

10 Ways To Feel Good About Your Life

1. Never stop questioning. Every time you feel frustrated with a task, ask yourself, "How does this task fit in with my ultimate goals?" "How can I do this better, faster, easier, simpler, and even more fun?"

2. Don't give up on life. Be interested and curious about yourself and about others. Don't assume that's "just the way it is". Look for the choices behind your results.

3. Accept your weakness. Don't deceive yourself by thinking you're the only one with difficulties in their life. Everybody has them (yes, everybody!). Instead of spending your time and energy trying to "overcome" your weakness, make friends with it and make it work for you. Where would NYPost Columnist Liz Smith be without her "weakness" for gossip?

4. Don't stop learning. The brain is a muscle just like any other, and it will stagnate if you let it. Make it your rule to learn something new every day. Then USE what you learn to make your life better.

5. Expect nothing; expect the best. Paradox? No. It just means that you don't want to miss out on what's wonderful in your life right now, while you spend all your time peeking around the next corner.

6. Don't lie to yourself.. Telling lies to yourself is the most harmful form of disrespect. Write out ways in which you are untruthful to yourself, and how to correct it. "I will no longer pretend that overspending my budget is ok".

7. Do plant what you want to grow. Many many people are (figuratively) wondering where the roses are in their life, yet they spend all their time planting and nourishing weeds. You reap what you sow. That's just the way it is.

8. Don't live in the past. Let go of things that are draining you. There's nothing in the past that you can change or correct -- that can only be done in the present. Use Today. Today, change what you need to change, and move on to feeling good about your life.

9. Swim with the current. Don't waste your time complaining about what you can't control - like other people. Concentrate on what you CAN control, Like who you Hug, what you Read, when you SMILE, how much you Laugh, where you Go, what you Do, what you Think about.

10. Stand like a Rock. You know what's right for you --be willing to stand up for what's right for you.

India 89, Pak 24, US 5 !!!

Source: Rediff.com

Starting a business in India takes nearly three months compared to just 5 days in the United States, 41 days in China and less than a month's time in Pakistan, according to World Bank's report 'Doing Business in 2005.'

The findings, which were presented in the Rajya Sabha by Minister of State for Commerce and Industry E V K S Elangovan through a written reply, said starting a business in India took nearly 89 days.

While India fared better than Brazil, where opening a business was said to take as many as 152 days, the country was way behind Pakistan, where it takes only 24 days to set up a business.

In France it takes 8 days, Netherlands 11, Italy 13, England 18, Austria 29, and Belgium 34 days. With a procedure of 152 days, Spain is only the second country where it takes longer than India to open a new business.

Closing a business in India takes 10 days as against less than a day in Belgium and Japan, one day each in Austria, England and Spain, 1.2 days each in Germany and Italy, 2.2 days in Sri Lanka, 2.4 days in China and 3 days in the US.

As per the World Bank findings, it takes as much as 1,390 days to enforce a contract in Italy, while the same takes 425 days in India.

Enforcing a contract is fastest in Netherlands (48 days), followed by Japan (60 days). It takes 250 days to enforce a contract in US and 241 days in China. In Pakistan, it takes 395 days, England 288, France 75, and Brazil 566 days.

11 Ways to Motivate Geeks

Every leader wants a motivated group, but many find that motivating
technology workers is quite different from motivating other employees.
Here are a few tips from a book "Leading Geeks: How to Manage and
Lead People Who Deliver Technology"

1. Select Wisely. The most important thing a leader can do to
encourage intrinsic motivation is to assign work to geeks who have an
interest in the work.

2. Manage Meaning. The second most important thing a leader can do is
to give a geek some sense of the larger significance of their work.
Without a sense of meaning, motivation suffers and day-to-day
decisions become difficult. It is easy for geeks to become mired in
the ambiguous world of questions, assumptions, and provisional facts
characteristic of technical work.

3. Communicate Significance. It is very important for managers to be
explicit about the role a new technology plays in a business otherwise
some will misunderstand the centrality of their work and others may
develop delusions of grandeur.

4. Show Career Path. Many geeks have only a vague sense that there's
more to advancing their careers than just acquiring new technical
knowledge. Be specific about what competencies a geek must demonstrate
in order to advance their career.

5. Projectize. Projects help turn work into a game and geeks love
games with objectives that delineate both goals and success criteria.

6. Encourage Isolation. While geeks need free flowing communication
within their own work groups, collective seclusion provides fertile
soil for motivation, cultivating cohesion and concentration.

7. Engender External Competition. Healthy competition can enhance
group cohesion.

8. Design Interdependence. When a colleague is relying on you to
complete your work, it's much easier to put in the extra effort for
them than it is just to meet some externally imposed deadline.

9. Limit Group Size. As group size grows, colleagues become less
individuals and more an undistinguished mass of anonymous faces. The
larger the workgroup, the less conducive the environment for
developing intrinsic motivation.

10. Control Resource Availability. Whether thinking about money,
people, time, or training, there's a delicate balance of resources
that will encourage a group's enthusiasm. Too many resources or too
few can diminish interest in the work.

11. Offer Free Food. . .Intermittently. Never underestimate the power
of free food. I can't offer any rational explanation, but for geeks,
even those making sizeable incomes, free food offers major support to
motivation development, far more than an equivalent amount of cash

Achieve "A" to "Z"....

A void negative sources, people, things and habits.
B elieve in yourself.
C onsider things from every angle.
D on't give up and don't give in.
E njoy life today, yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come.
F amily and Friends are hidden treasures. Seek them and enjoy their riches.
G ive more than you planned to give.
H ang on to your dreams.
I gnore those who try to discourage you.
J ust do it!
K eep on trying, no matter how hard it seems.
I t will get better.
L ove yourself first and foremost.
M ake it happen.
N ever lie, cheat or steal. Always strike a fair deal.
O pen your eyes and see things as they really are.
P ractice makes perfect.
Q uitters never win and winners never quit.
R ead, study and learn about everything important in life.
S top Procrastination.
T ake control of your own destiny.
U nderstand yourself in order to understand others.
V isualize it.
W ant it more than anything.
X ccelerate your efforts.
Y ou are unique, nothing can replace you.
Z ero in on your target, and go for it!!

Life is Wonderful

"Face your past without regret.
Handle your present with confidence.
Prepare for the future without fear.
Keep faith and drop the fear.
Don't believe your doubts and never doubt your beliefs.

Life is wonderful if you know how to live it. "


~~~Author Unknown

"Colour" Poem

This poem was nominated by UN as the best poem, Written by an African Kid.


When I born, I black
When I grow up, I black
When I go in Sun, I black
When I scared, I black
When I sick, I black
And when I die, I still black

And you white fellow
When you born, you pink
When you grow up, you white
When you go in sun, you red
When you cold, you blue
When you scared, you yellow
When you sick, you green
And when you die, you gray

There is a Chinese story of a farmer.......

There is a Chinese story of a farmer who used an old horse to till his fields. One day, the horse escaped into the hills and when the farmer's neighbors sympathized with the old man over his bad luck, the farmer replied, "Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?" A week later, the horse returned with a herd of horses from the hills and this time the neighbors congratulated the farmer on his good luck. His reply was, "Good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?"

Then, when the farmer's son was attempting to tame one of the wild horses, he fell off its back and broke his leg. Everyone thought this very bad luck. Not the farmer, whose only reaction was, "Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?"

Some weeks later, the army marched into the village and conscripted every able-bodied youth they found there. When they saw the farmer's son with his broken leg, they let him off. Now was that good luck or bad luck?

Who knows?Everything that seems on the surface to be an evil may be a good in disguise. And everything that seems good on the surface may really be an evil. So we are wise when we leave it to God to decide what is good fortune and what misfortune, and thank him that all things turn out for good with those who love him.

Difference between Strength and Courage

It takes strength to be firm.
It takes courage to be gentle.

It takes strength to stand guard.
It takes courage to let down your guard.

It takes strength to conquer
It takes courage to surrender.

It takes strength to be certain.
It takes courage to have doubt.

It takes strength to fit in.
It takes courage to stand out.

It takes strength to feel a friend's pain.
It takes courage to feel your own pain.

It takes strength to hide feelings.
It takes courage to show them.

It takes strength to endure abuse.
It takes courage to stop it.

It takes strength to stand alone.
It takes courage to lean on another.

It takes strength to love.
It takes courage to be loved.

It takes strength to survive.
It takes courage to live.

-- Author Unknown
__________________

Don't Quit

"Everyone has potential... It is an infinite resource that cannot be exhausted, but can be lost in the clouds of fear and complacency. It may take courage to embrace the possibilities of your own potential, but once you've flown past the summit of your fears, nothing will seem impossible."................................Michael McKee

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill ...
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must But Don't You Quit!

Life is strange with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns ...
And many a fellow turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up through the pace seems slow
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a faint and faltering man ...
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor's cup,
And he learned too late when the night came down
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt ...
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar.

So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit ...
It's when things seem the worst
That You Mustn't Quit!

~William Murray Angus

Some interesting facts....

The practice of eating insects is called entomophagy

The working section of a piano is called the action.

The plastic things on the end of shoelaces are called aglets.

The apparatus used in alcohol distilleries for freeing the spirit from water is called the dephlegmator.

One that speaks two languages - is bilingual - can be said to be diglot.

Ducks are never male. The males of the species are called drakes.

Shoemakers are commonly called cobblers but correctly speaking a cobbler is a shoe repairmen. A shoemaker is a cordwainer.

The device at the intersection of two railroad tracks to permit the wheels and flanges on one track to cross or branch for the other is called a frog.

The white part of your fingernail is called the lunula.

The thin line of cloud that forms behind an aircraft at high altitudes is called a contrail.

In the early days of film making, people who worked on the sets were called movies. The films were called potion pictures.

The tendency of the leaves or petals of certain plants to assume a different position at night is called nyctitropism.

The back of the human hand is the opisthenar.

Someone who uses as few words as possible when speaking is called pauciloquent.

People that study fish are called ichthyologists.

A melody is a group of notes in a certain order that results in a sweet or agreeable sound. An easily remembered melody is called a tune.

In early France the distance a man could walk while smoking one pipeful of tobacco was called a pipee.

A building in which silence is enforced, like a library or school room, is referred to as a silentium.

The ear-splitting sound produced by the high notes of a bagpipe is called a skirl.

People who chase after rare birds are called twitchers.

Few Chanakya's Quotes

Chanakya - Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275BC

"A person should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first and Honest people are victimised first."

"Even if a snake is not poisonous, it should pretend to be venomous."

"The biggest guru-mantra is: Never share your secrets with anybody. ! It will destroy you."

"There is some self-interest behind every friendship. There is no Friendship without self-interests. This is a bitter truth."

"Before you start some work, always ask yourself three questions - Why am I doing it, What the results might be and Will I be successful. Only when you think deeply
and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go ahead."

"As soon as fear approaches near, attack and destroy it."

"Once you start working on something, don't be afraid of failure and don't abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest."

"The fragrance of flowers spreads only in the direction of the wind. But the goodness of a person spreads in all direction."

"A man is great by deeds, not by birth."

"Treat your kid like a darling for the first five years. For the next five years, scold them. By the time they turn sixteen, treat them like a friend. Your grown up children are your best friends."

"Books are as useful to a stupid person as a mirror is useful to a blind person."

"Education is your best friend. An educated person is respected everywhere. Education beats beauty and youth."

"Apologizing does not mean that you are wrong and the other one is right... It simply means that you value the relationship much more than your ego .."

"Being Kind Is More Important Than Being Right..”

Life is.......

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.

By:-Mother Teresa

10 Silly Questions People ask

1. At the movies: When you meet acquaintances/friends...

Stupid Question:-Hey, what are you doing here?
Answer:- Dont u know, I sell tickets in black over here..

2. In the bus: A heavy lady wearing pointed high-heeled shoes steps on your feet...

Stupid Question:- Sorry, did that hurt?
Answer : No, not at all, I'm on local anesthesia.....why don't you try again.

3. At a funeral: One of the teary-eyed people ask...

Stupid Question:-Why, why him, of all people.
Answer:-Why? Would it rather have been you?

4. At a restaurant: When you ask the waiter...

Stupid Question:- Is the "Butter Paneer Masala" dish good??
Answer:- No, its terrible and made of adulterated cement. We occassionaly also spit in it.

5. At a family get-together: When some distant aunt meets you after years...

Stupid Question:- Munna, Chickoo, you've become so big.
Answer:-Well you haven't particularly shrunk yourself.

6. When a friend announces her wedding, and you ask...

Stupid Question:- Is the guy you're marrying good?
Answer:- No,he's a miserable wife-beating , insensitive lout...it's just the money.

7. When you get woken up at midnight by a phone call...

Stupid Question:- Sorry. were you sleeping?
Answer:- No. I was doing research on whether the Zulu tribes in Africa marry or not. You thought I was sleeping....na na naaaaaa.

8. When you see a friend/colleague with evidently shorter hair...

Stupid Question:- Hey have you had a haircut?
Answer:- No, its autumn and I'm shedding......

9. At the dentist when he's sticking pointed objects in your mouth...

Stupid Question:- Tell me if it hurts?
Answer:- No it wont. It will just bleed.

10. You are smoking a cigarette and a cute woman asks...

Stupid Question:- Oh, so you smoke.
Answer:- Gosh, it's a miracle .......it was a piece of chalk and now it's in flames!!!

10 Things in LIFE that controls You

Are you controlling them or vice-versa?

We humans spend much of our time trying to control every aspect of our lives. Unfortunately, too often we try and control things that are simply beyond our control. The list of what we can control is quite short, but once you know these 10 things you will be able to take control of your own life.

1. What you do:

Your actions are yours alone. You choose to make them or not make them and you are responsible for the effects of those actions.

2. What you say:

Likewise, the words you speak (or write) are also consciously chosen. Like actions, they have an impact on your life and the lives of those you contact.

3. What you think:

Yes, there are some subconscious thoughts that you can't control. But the things that you really think about, your beliefs, your ideals, etc. are concepts you have chosen to accept and believe in.

4. Your work:

Many people like to overlook this one, it being much easier to say, "Oh, I'm! trapped in my job because I don't have a degree, experience, etc." That's simple a way of denying one's responsibility in having chosen the job in the first place.
It's your job and you chose it. If you stay (or go), that's a choice as well.

5. The people you associate with:

There's a famous T-shirt that states: "It's hard to soar like an eagle when you're surrounded by turkeys." Colloquial is very often correct! Your friends can either lift you up or bring you down. You make the decision which type of friends you wish to have.

6. Your basic physical health.

Much about our health is a factor of genetics, environment, and exposure. Much more of our health is simply a matter of the decisions we make about our health, such as: diet, exercise, drugs, sleep, routine physicals, check-ups, etc.

7. The environment you live in:

Your house, the condition of your home, the town you live in, the amenities available to you are all things you can control, although some to a lesser degree (i.e., you decide to tolerate them or move someplace else).

8. Your fiscal situation:

Having or not having enough money is a factor of what you make versus what you spend.

9. Your time:

You choose how to "spend" your time and how much of your time to give to various activities. You'll never get more time than the 24 hours your given each day.

10. Your legacy:

All your actions, words, and knowledge that you share while you are living become the gift that you leave when you are gone.

10 simple actions you can take to help reduce global warming

You can help to reduce the demand for fossil fuels, which in turn reduces global warming, by using energy more wisely. Here are 10 simple actions you can take to help reduce global warming.

1. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Do your part to reduce waste by choosing reusable products instead of disposables. Buying products with minimal packaging (including the economy size when that makes sense for you) will help to reduce waste. And whenever you can, recycle paper, plastic, newspaper, glass and aluminum cans. If there isn't a recycling program at your workplace, school, or in your community, ask about starting one. By recycling half of your household waste, you can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide annually.

2. Use Less Heat and Air Conditioning

Adding insulation to your walls and attic, and installing weather stripping or caulking around doors and windows can lower your heating costs more than 25 percent, by reducing the amount of energy you need to heat and cool your home.
Turn down the heat while you're sleeping at night or away during the day, and keep temperatures moderate at all times. Setting your thermostat just 2 degrees lower in winter and higher in summer could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide each year.

3. Change a Light Bulb

Wherever practical, replace regular light bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. Replacing just one 60-watt incandescent light bulb with a CFL will save you $30 over the life of the bulb. CFLs also last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, use two-thirds less energy, and give off 70 percent less heat.
If every family replaced one regular light bulb with a CFL, it would eliminate 90 billion pounds of greenhouse gases, the same as taking 7.5 million cars off the road.

4. Drive Less and Drive Smart

Less driving means fewer emissions. Besides saving gasoline, walking and biking are great forms of exercise. Explore your community mass transit system, and check out options for carpooling to work or school.

When you do drive, make sure your car is running efficiently. For example, keeping your tires properly inflated can improve your gas mileage by more than 3 percent. Every gallon of gas you save not only helps your budget, it also keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.

5. Buy Energy-Efficient Products

When it's time to buy a new car, choose one that offers good gas mileage. Home appliances now come in a range of energy-efficient models, and compact florescent bulbs are designed to provide more natural-looking light while using far less energy than standard light bulbs.

Avoid products that come with excess packaging, especially molded plastic and other packaging that can't be recycled. If you reduce your household garbage by 10 percent, you can save 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide annually.

6. Use Less Hot Water

set your water heater at 120 degrees to save energy, and wrap it in an insulating blanket if it is more than 5 years old. Buy low-flow showerheads to save hot water and about 350 pounds of carbon dioxide yearly. Wash your clothes in warm or cold water to reduce your use of hot water and the energy required to produce it. That change alone can save at least 500 pounds of carbon dioxide annually in most households. Use the energy-saving settings on your dishwasher and let the dishes air-dry.

7. Use the "Off" Switch

Save electricity and reduce global warming by turning off lights when you leave a room, and using only as much light as you need. And remember to turn off your television, video player, stereo and computer when you're not using them.
It's also a good idea to turn off the water when you're not using it. While brushing your teeth, shampooing the dog or washing your car, turn off the water until you actually need it for rinsing. You'll reduce your water bill and help to conserve a vital resource.

8. Plant a Tree

If you have the means to plant a tree, start digging. During photosynthesis, trees and other plants absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. They are an integral part of the natural atmospheric exchange cycle here on Earth, but there are too few of them to fully counter the increases in carbon dioxide caused by automobile traffic, manufacturing and other human activities. A single tree will absorb approximately one ton of carbon dioxide during its lifetime.

9. Get a Report Card from Your Utility Company

Many utility companies provide free home energy audits to help consumers identify areas in their homes that may not be energy efficient. In addition, many utility companies offer rebate programs to help pay for the cost of energy-efficient upgrades.

10. Encourage Others to Conserve

Share information about recycling and energy conservation with your friends, neighbors and co-workers, and take opportunities to encourage public officials to establish programs and policies that are good for the environment.

These 10 steps will take you a long way toward reducing your energy use and your monthly budget. And less energy use means less dependence on the fossil fuels that create greenhouse gases and contribute to global warming.

8 Gifts

This simple checklist can help measure how you are nurturing your relationships.

The Gift of Listening

But you must really listen. Don't interrupt, don't daydream, don't plan your response. Just listen.

The Gift of Affection

Be generous with appropriate hugs, kisses, pats on the back and handholds. Let these small actions demonstrate the love you have for family and friends.

The Gift of Laughter

Clip cartoons. Share articles and funny stories. Your gift will say, "I love to laugh with you."

The Gift of Solitude

There are times when we want nothing better than to be left alone. Be sensitive to those times and give the gift of solitude to others.

The Gift of a Favor

Every day, go out of your way to do something kind.

The Gift of a Written Note

It can be a simple "Thanks for the help" note or a full sonnet. A brief, handwritten note may be remembered for a lifetime.

The Gift of a Compliment

A simple and sincere, "You look great in red," "You did a super job," or "That was a wonderful meal" can make someone's day.

The Gift of a Cheerful Disposition

The easiest way to feel good is to extend a kind word to someone

Choose to live a LIFE that matters

Some day it will all come to an end – whether you are ready or not.

All our wealth, fame and power will disintegrate.
All that we own will be lost.
That which isn't lost will be passed on to those who will ultimately lose it too.
All our frustrations, likes, dislikes, grudges and rejoicings will vanish.
There will be no more sunsets or sunrises, no years, months, weeks, days, hours or minutes.
It no longer matters where we came from, what our origins were, which race, caste, creed or sex we belonged to, Where we lived, how we lived.
There will be no more goals, ambitions, aspirations, to-do lists and wish lists.
All the victories and defeats fade away.

The value of our lives will be measured by what we built, not what we bought.
The value of our lives will be measured by what we gave, not what we got.
The value of our lives will be measured by our significance, not by our success.
The value of our lives will be measured by what we taught, not what we learnt.
The value of our lives will be measured by what we encouraged others to emulate, not by the people we manipulate.
The value of our lives will be measured by the loss others feel, not by the number of people that we knew.
The value of our lives will be measured by the number of people who loved us, not the number of people whom we loved.
The value of our lives will be measured by what we are remembered for, not what we are cursed for.
The value of our lives will be measured by the sacrifice we made, not by the quantity that we consumed.
The value of our lives will be measured by the compassion that we showed, not by the insults that we heaped.
The value of our lives will be measured by the integrity that we had, not by the principles that we renounced.
The value of our lives will be measured by our character, not by our competence.

Choose to live a life that matters. This happens by choice, not by chance. Look at where you are today,
Is it by choice or by chance?

"We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give"
- Anonymous

A True Friend

In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem.

One day one fellow met the great philosopher and said,
"Do you know what I just heard about your friend?". "Hold on a minute," Socrates replied.
"Before telling me anything I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test.".
"Triple filter?". "That's right," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my friend it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say.
That's why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?" "No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and...".
"All right," said Socrates. "So you don't know if it's true or not.
Now let's try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?" . "No, on the contrary..." .
"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, but you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though, because there's one filter left: the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?" "No, not really."
"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful,
Why tell it to me at all?"

Lesson:
Well we can always participate in loose talks to curb our boredom.
But when it comes to you friends its not worth it.
Always avoid talking behind the back about your near and dear friends.

Principles of Life

* Winning isn't everything. But wanting to win is.

* You would achieve more, if you don't mind who gets the credit.

* When everything else is lost, the future still remains.

* Don't fight too much. Or the enemy would know your art of war.

* The only job you start at the top is when you dig a grave.

* If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for everything.

* If you do little things well, you'll do big ones better.

* Only thing that comes to you without effort is old age.

* You won't get a second chance to make the first impression.

* Only those who do nothing do not make mistakes.

* Never take a problem to your boss unless you have a solution.

* If you are not failing you're not taking enough risks.

* Don't try to get rid of bad temper by losing it.

* If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.

* Those who don't make mistakes usually don't make anything

* There are two kinds of failures. Those who think and never do and those who do and never think.

* Pick battles big enough to matter, small enough to win.

* All progress has resulted from unpopular decisions.

* Change your thoughts and you change your world.

* Understanding proves intelligence, not the speed of the learning.

* There are two kinds of fools in this world. Those who give advise and those who don't take it.

* The best way to kill an idea is to take it to a meeting.

* Management is doing things right. Leadership is doing the right things.

* Friendship founded on business is always better than business founded on friendship.

Azim Premji's Speech at IIM, Ahemdabad

While change and uncertainty have always been a part of life, what has been shocking over the last year has been both the quantum and suddenness of change.

For many people who were cruising along on placid waters, the wind was knocked out of their sails. The entire logic of doing business was turned on its head. Not only business, but also every aspect of human life has been impacted by the change. What lies ahead is even more dynamic and uncertain.

I would like to use this opportunity to share with you some of our own guiding principles of staying afloat in a changing world. This is based on our experience in Wipro. I hope you find them useful.

FIRST, be alert for the first signs of change. Change descends on everyone equally; it is just that some realize it faster. Some changes are Sudden but many others are gradual. While sudden changes get attention because they are dramatic, it is the gradual changes that are ignored till it is too late.

You must have all heard of story of the frog in boiling water. If the temperature of the water is suddenly increased, the frog realizes it and jumps out of the water. But if the temperature is very slowly increased, one degree at a time, the frog does not realize it till it boils to death. You must develop your own early warning system, which warns you of changes and calls your attention to it. In the case of change, being forewarned is being forearmed.

SECOND, anticipate change even when things are going rightmost people wait for something to go wrong before they think of change. It is like going to the doctor for a check up only when you are seriously sick or thinking of maintaining your vehicle only when it breaks down. The biggest enemy of future success is past success. When you succeed, you feel that you must be doing something right for it to happen!. But when the parameters for success change, doing the same things may or may not continue to lead to success. Guard against complacency all the time. Complacency makes you blind to the early signals from the environment that something is going wrong.

THIRD, always look at the opportunities that change represents. Managing change has a lot to go with our own attitude towards it. It is proverbial half-full or half empty glass approach. For every problem that change represents, there is an opportunity lurking in disguise somewhere. It is up to you to spot it before someone else does.

FOURTH, do no allow routines to become chains. For many of us the routine we have got accustomed to obstructs change. Routines represent our own zones of comfort. There is a sense of predictability about them. They have structured our time and even our thought in a certain way. While routines are useful, do not let them enslave you. Deliberately break out of them from time to time.

FIFTH, realize that fear of the unknown is natural. With change comes a feeling of insecurity. Many people believe that brave people are not afflicted by this malady. The truth is different. Every one feels the fear of unknown. Courage is not the absence of fear but the ability to manage fear without getting paralyzed. Feel the fear, but move on regardless.

SIXTH, keep renewing yourself. This prepares you to anticipate change and be ready for it when it comes. Constantly ask yourself what new skills and competencies will be needed. Begin working on them before it becomes necessary and you will have a natural advantage. The greatest benefit of your education lies not only in what you have learnt, but in working how to learn. Formal education is the beginning of the journey of learning. Yet I do meet youngsters who feel that they have already learnt all there is to learn. You have to constantly learn about people and how to interact effectively with them. In the world of tomorrow, only those individuals and organizations will succeed who have mastered the art of rapid and on-going learning.

SEVENTH, surround yourself with people who are open to change. If you are always in the company of cynics, you will soon find our self becoming like them. A cynic knows all the reasons why something cannot be done. Instead, spend time with people who have a "can- do" approach. Choose your advisors and mentors correctly. Pessimism is contagious, but then so is enthusiasm. In fact, reasonable optimism can be an amazing force multiplier.

EIGHTH, play to win. I have said this many times in the past. Playing to win is not the same as cutting corners. When you play to win, you Stretch yourself to your maximum and use all your potential. It also helps you to concentrate your energy on what you can influence instead of getting bogged down with the worry of what you cannot change. Do your best and leave the rest.

NINTH, respect your self. The world will reward you on your successes. Success requires no explanation and failure permits none. But you need to respect yourself enough so that your self-confidence remains intact whether you succeed or fail. If you succeed 90 per cent of the time, you are doing fine. If you are succeeding all the time, you should ask yourself if you are taking enough risks. If you do not take enough risks, you may also be losing out on many opportunities. Think through but take the plunge. If some things do go wrong, learn from them.

I came across this interesting story some time ago:

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally he decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up anyway it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and begin to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down. A few shovels later, the farmer finally looked down the well and was astonished at! What he saw. With every shovel of dirt that fell on his back, the donkey was doing some thing amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up.

Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and totted off! Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick is too not to get bogged down by it. We can get out of the deepest wells by not stopping. And by never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up!

TENTH, in spite of all the change around you, decide upon what you will never change: your core values. Take your time to decide what they are but once you do, do not compromise on them for any reason. Integrity is one such value. These have contributed to our success, including our parents and others from our society. All of us have a responsibility to utilize our potential for making our nation a better place for others, who may not be as well endowed as us, or as fortunate in having the opportunities that we have got. Let us do our bit, because doing one good deed can have multiple benefits not only for us but also for many others. Let me end my talk with a small story I came across some time back, which illustrates this very well.

This is a story of a poor Scottish farmer whose name was Fleming. One day, while trying to make a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog. There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the boy from what could have been a slow and terrifying death. The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman's sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved. "I want to repay you," said the nobleman. "Yes" the farmer replied proudly. "I'll make you a deal. Let me take your son and give him a good education. If he's anything like his father, he'll grow to be a man you can be proud of." And that he did.

In time, Farmer Fleming's son graduated from St. Mary's Hospital Medical School in London, and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin. Years afterward, the nobleman's son was stricken with pneumonia. What saved him? Penicillin. This is not the end. The nobleman's son also made a great contribution to society. For the nobleman was none other than Lord Randolph Churchill, and his son's name was Winston Churchill. Let us use all our talent, competence and energy for creating peace and happiness for the nation."

SECRETS To A Great Life !!

A great life doesn’t happen by accident. A great life is the result of allocating your time, energy, thoughts, and hard work towards what you want your life to be. A great life is the result of using the 24/7 you get in a creative and thoughtful way, instead of just what comes next. Customize these “secrets” to fit your own needs and style, and start creating your own great life today!

1. S – Simplify.

A great life is the result of simplifying your life. People often misinterpret what simplify means. It’s not a way to remove work from your life. When you focus on simplifying your life, you free up energy and time for the work that you enjoy and the purpose for which you are here. In order to create a great life, you will have to make room for it in yours first.

2. E – Effort.

A great life is the result of your best effort. Creating a great life requires that you make some adjustments. It may mean re-evaluating how you spend your time, or choosing to spend your money in a different way. It may mean looking for new ways to spend your energy that coincide with your particular definition of a great life. Life will reward your best effort.

3. C – Create Priorities.

A great life is the result of creating priorities. It’s easy to spend your days just responding to the next thing that gets your attention, instead of intentionally using the time, energy and money you have in a way that’s important to you. Focus on removing the obstacles that get in the way of you making sure you are honoring your priorities.

4. R – Reserves.

A great life is the result of having reserves – reserves of things, time, space, energy, money, love. Simplify first in order to find a reserve, then build on that. For example, in order to find a reserve of time, first simplify by delegating a task to someone else, or simply dumping the task if it’s no longer important. With reserves, you are able to live your life looking forward instead of always digging yourself out of a hole.

5. E – Eliminate distractions.

A great life is the result of eliminating distractions. Up to 75% of your mental energy can be tied up in things that are draining and distracting you. Eliminating distractions can be a difficult concept to many people, since they haven’t really considered that there is another way to live. Look around at someone’s life that you admire. What do they do that you would like to incorporate into your own life? Ask them how they did it. Find ways to free up your mental energy for things that are more important to you.

6. T – Thoughts.

A great life is the result of controlling your thoughts so that you accept and allow for the possibility that it actually can happen to you! Your belief in the outcome will directly dictate how successful you are. Motivated people have specific goals and look for ways to achieve them. Believing there is a solution to the same old problems you encounter year after year is vitally important to creating a life that you love. Whatever you think and believe, you create. Listen to what you’re telling yourself, and adjust that voice if you need to.

7. S – Start!

A great life is the result of starting. There’s the old saying everyone’s familiar with “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” In order to even move from the couch to the refrigerator, you have to start. There’s no better time to start than today. Don’t wait for a raise, or until the kids get older, or the weather is better. Today, right now, is the right day to start to take a step in the direction of your heart’s desires. It’s what you do TODAY that will make a difference in your life tomorrow.

7 deadly habits that incompetent people indulge in

NUMBER 1 - They think, say & do negative things.
They see problems in every opportunity.
They complain that the sun is too hot. They curse the rain for ruining their plans for the day. They blame the wind for ruining their hair.

NUMBER 2 - They act before they think.
They move based on instinct or impulse. If they see something they like, they buy at once without any second thought.
Then they see something better, they regret & curse for not been able to take advantage of the bargain.

NUMBER 3 - They talk much more than they listen
They want to be the star of the show. So they always engage in talks that would make them heroes, even to the point of lying.
Oftentimes they are not aware that what they are saying is not sensible.

NUMBER 4 - They give up easily
Successful people treat failures as stepping stones to success.
Incompetent ones call it quits upon recognizing the first signs of failure.

NUMBER 5 - They try to bring others down to their level
Incompetent people envy other successful individuals.
Instead of working hard to be like them, these incompetent ones spread rumors and try every dirty trick to bring them down.

NUMBER 6 - They waste their time
They don't know what to do next. They may just be content on eating, getting drunk, watching TV, or worse, staring at the blank wall with no thoughts whatsoever to improve their lives.

NUMBER 7 - They take the easy way out
If there are two roads to choose from, incompetent people would choose the wider road with lesser rewards than the narrower road with much better rewards at the end. They don't want any suffering or hardship. They want a good life.

The best way out………….…………..
Simple………BEWARE of them…….. and………….avoid………….

40 steps for removing stress from your life

1. Walk for 10-30 minutes every day, while smiling.
2. Sit quietly for at least 10 minutes every day, in isolation if necessary.
3. Upon arising in the morning, one must immediately say “My goal today is….”
4. Listen to quality music every day. This is real nourishment for the soul.
5. Live with the 3 Es: Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.(Easier said than done)
6. Play more games than last year.
7. Read more books than last year.
8. Look at the sky at least once a day, appreciating the majesty of
the world that surrounds us.
9. Dream more while awake.
10. Eat more foods that come from trees and plants. Eat less manufactured foods.
11. Eat berries and nuts. Drink green tea, plenty of water, and a
glass of wine each day; toast something beautiful in life and, if
possible, in the company of a loved one.
12. Try to make at least 3 people laugh every day. (this should be
everyone’s motto for life, food always tastes better in the company of
good friends)
13. Eliminate clutter in the home, the car, and the office. Let a new
energy enter your life.
14. Don’t spend your precious time immersed in rumors, things from the
past, negative thoughts or things beyond your control. It is better
to invest your energy in the positive present. (this is probably the
number one stress buster)
15. Life is a school, and we are here to learn. Problems are lessons
that come and go; what we learn from them will serve us for the rest
of our lives.
16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a beggar.
17. Smile and laugh more often.
18. Do not let an opportunity pass to hug a friend.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating someone.
20. Don’t take yourself so seriously. Nobody else does.
21. It is not necessary to win every argument. One must accept that
the other person is not in agreement, and learn from his position.
22. Make peace with your past, so as not to ruin your present. (absolutely)
23. Don’t compare your life with others. You have no idea of the
highways they have travelled during their lives.
24. Nobody is responsible for your happiness, except yourself.
25. Remember well that we have no control over what happens to us, but
only what we do.
26. Learn something new every day.
27. What others think of us is not completely under our control.
28. Appreciate your body, and its marvels.
29. Whether the situation is good or bad, it will change. (if you keep
this in mind you will always be able to be happy in all situations)
30. Work will not take care of us when we are sick. Our friends will.
Stay in contact with them.
31. Reject everything that is not useful, amusing, or beautiful.
32. Don’t lose time. We already have all the things we need.
33. The best is yet to come. (this is always handy to remember if you
are having a bad day)
34. Nothing is as important as sitting, standing, getting dressed, and
helping others.
35. Have fantastic love, always in harmony with the other person.
36. Phone your family regularly, and tell them “Hi, I was thinking of you”.
37. Each day, before going to sleep, say: I am thankful for
_______________. Today, I succeeded in _____________________.
38. Remember that we have too much that is good to be stressed.
39. Enjoy the voyage. You only get one shot at this thing called
life. (no matter where your journey takes you, don’t forget to take in
the view along the way)
40. Life is beautiful. You must appreciate it as much as possible.

Be a Successful Leader

To be a leader, one must be able to influence others to accomplish a goal, or an objective. He contributes to the organization and cohesion of a group.

Contrary to what people believe, leadership is not about power. It is not about harassing people or driving them using fear. It is about encouraging others towards the goal of the organization. It is putting everyone on the same page and helping them see the big picture of the organization. You must be a leader not a boss.

Being a leader is not about what you make others do. It’s about who you are, what you know, and what you do. You are a reflection of what you’re subordinates must be.

Trust and confidence is built on good relationships, trustworthiness, and high ethics.

The way you deal with your people, and the relationships you build will lay the foundation for the strength of your group. The stronger your relationship, the stronger their trust and confidence is in your capabilities.

Dreams

There is a famous pop song, “I have a dream” by the famous Rock group Abba. It created great waves. People started talking about dreams, their relevance and their necessity in the human life and performance of persons. Dreams were promoted; persons with dreams were called as visionaries.


Shift the scene to a common man. The question “What is your dream?” makes him, more often than not, very conscious and acutely uncomfortable. What has dream got to do with a normal life, is what he tends to think. He prides himself to be a rational and a practical person who deals in reality of the life. So when, put to talk about dreams he is not at all ready.

Dream is a word which makes you self conscious. Is it because of the fact that it may remind you of all the things which you wanted to achieve but could not? Does it remind you of all the petty adjustments for leading a supposedly normal life? You start thinking and you would know that you cannot isolate yourself from the word dream. You are either working for accomplishment of your dream (if you belong to a cadre of a select few) or you are working for some one to achieve his dream. So in short you have your dream or you are a part of some one’s dream. The choice is always yours.

Dream is something we automatically associate with sleep and because of this we rarely give any importance to what we see in our dreams. But dreams deserve a better deal. Whatever we have done is our past, whatever we do today is our present, but the only way we can live in future is in our dreams. It is a great thing. And to make the dreams better we can shape, paint and crystallize them in any way we want. It is accepted that what we see in our dreams is what we think. The possibility factor rarely matters in the dreams.

What are dreams? People have various impressions. For some dream is the basis of the future. For some it is a fickle mind’s expression. Some feel that the dreams are invaluable others term them as a worthless activity. The dreaming can be like a dream while some one is sleeping, day dreaming, nightmares, and sweet dreams like in a romantic novel, dream as an objective, and dream as a vision. The dream is something most people like to talk about when they are proclaimed as successful and that is right too. Every one is interested in some body and his dreams if and only if he succeeds.

A person who dreams and then does nothing about it is not the person we wish to discuss here. We are looking into the persona of those who dream and subsequently realize the same. Very rarely, people have fixed dreams. It is seen that the dreams evolve with the time and circumstances. There is a story which explains the aspect in the discussion. Once, there was a big fight between the Dream and the Truth. The issue was as usual about being more powerful. Both fought bitterly but could not reach a decision. So, they approached the God. He listened to what they had to say. He smiled and said “I am throwing my wand in the space, and let me see who catches it? Up went the wand in the space. The Truth tried, very hard, stretching it self to the fullest but could not even touch. It was crest fallen and disappointed. The Dream just zoomed and caught the wand. It was very excited. It expected some praise from Him. The God said “You both have failed. The truth could not even touch the wand. The dream reached the wand but its feet were off the ground.”

The dreams of a common man and the men who are termed as more than equals have different futures. The common man dreams and then starts finding reasons for the expected failures. More often than not he does not realize that if he can dream something he himself is responsible for the success of the dream. Not in the cases of powerful people. John F Kennedy, the President of America, in one of the public address given in 1962 said that US would put a man on the moon before the end of the decade. The press, the people from NASA were nonplussed. They asked the President if he had any information, any plan for the same. The President disarmingly said that he just knew. The statement set the ball in the motion and the first human, Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, in July 1969.

So the dream which matters is what you see as your future with your feet firmly grounded. The dreaming is not to be confused with wishful thinking, which most of us do. When the dream is more aligned towards the aim it becomes more relevant. There is only one difference between the dream and the aim. The dream requires effortless sleep where as the aim requires sleepless efforts. They say that sleep for a dream and wake up for an aim.

Once you dream, it is your baby. You have to nurture, care and fight for the same. If you do not accomplish what you dream you alone are responsible. Get away from those who tell you that you can not do it. Get away from the dream killers who are dime a dozen in all parts of the world.

So finally we have to understand that the dream is the beginning of any endeavor. To begin with the dream may not have any limits, no thoughts of finance or for that matter any other known resource, but in itself the dream does not have capacity to achieve any thing. It requires logic, efforts, feasibility as its complements to survive and succeed. A mere dream can never match the glory of an accomplished dream.

So dream, dream big and achieve big.

The Best "Out-Of-Office" E-Mail Auto-Replies

1: I am currently out at a job interview and will reply to you if I fail to get the position .

2: I'm not really out of the office. I'm just ignoring you.

3: You are receiving this automatic notification because I am out of the office. If I was in, chances are you wouldn't have received anything at all.

4: Sorry to have missed you but I am at the doctors having my brain removed so that I may be promoted to management

5: I will be unable to delete all the unread, worthless emails you send me until I return from vacation on 4/18. Please be patient and your mail will be deleted in the order it was received.

6: Thank you for your email. Your credit card has been charged .99 for the first ten words and .99 for each additional word in your message.

7: The e-mail server is unable to verify your server connection and is unable to deliver this message. Please restart your computer and try sending again.'

( The beauty of this is that when you return, you can see how many in-duh-viduals did this over and over).

8: Thank you for your message, which has been added to a queuing system. You are currently in 352nd place, and can expect to receive a reply in approximately 19 weeks.

9: Hi. I'm thinking about what you've just sent me. Please wait by your PC for my response.

10: Hi! I'm busy negotiating the salary for my new job. Don't bother to leave me any messages.

11: I've run away to join a different circus...

Hold others hand

Little girl and her father were crossing a bridge. The father was kind of scared so he asked his little daughter,

'Sweetheart, please hold my hand so that you don't fall into the river.'

The little girl said, 'No, Dad. You hold my hand.'

'What's the difference?' Asked the puzzled father.

'There's a big difference,' replied the little girl.

'If I hold your hand and something happens to me, chances are that I may let your hand go. But if you hold my hand, I know for sure that no matter what happens, you will never let my hand go.'

In any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind, but in its bond.

So hold the hand of the person who loves you rather than expecting them to hold yours...

लहरों से डर कर नौका पार नहीं होती

लहरों से डर कर नौका पार नहीं होती,
कोशिश करने वालों की हार नहीं होती।

नन्हीं चींटी जब दाना लेकर चलती है,
चढ़ती दीवारों पर, सौ बार फिसलती है।
मन का विश्वास रगों में साहस भरता है,
चढ़कर गिरना, गिरकर चढ़ना न अखरता है।
आख़िर उसकी मेहनत बेकार नहीं होती,
कोशिश करने वालों की हार नहीं होती।

डुबकियां सिंधु में गोताखोर लगाता है,
जा जा कर खाली हाथ लौटकर आता है।
मिलते नहीं सहज ही मोती गहरे पानी में,
बढ़ता दुगना उत्साह इसी हैरानी में।
मुट्ठी उसकी खाली हर बार नहीं होती,
कोशिश करने वालों की हार नहीं होती।

असफलता एक चुनौती है, स्वीकार करो,
क्या कमी रह गई, देखो और सुधार करो।
जब तक न सफल हो, नींद चैन को त्यागो तुम,
संघर्ष का मैदान छोड़ मत भागो तुम।
कुछ किये बिना ही जय जय कार नहीं होती,
कोशिश करने वालों की हार नहीं होती।

--हरिवंशराय बच्चन

Quotes About Making A Difference

•"It's not what abilities you have that makes a difference it's what you do with these abilities that's paramount."
Byron Pulsifer

•"Each person has an opportunity to help others no matter how little; this help is really more about making a difference that can assist others to improve their own life."
Byron Pulsifer

•"There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. That little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative."
W. Clement Stone

•"There are only about a half dozen things that make 80% of the difference in any area of our lives."
Jim Rohn

•"It's your unlimited power to care and to love that can make the biggest difference in the quality of your life."
Anthony Robbins

•"The purpose of life is not to be happy - but to matter, to be productive, to be useful, to have it make some difference that you have lived at all."
Leo Rosten

•"It seems to me that any full grown, mature adult would have a desire to be responsible, to help where he can in a world that needs so very much, that threatens us so very much."
Norman Lear

•"Little things done over and over again add up to making a difference in a big way."
Byron Pulsifer

What is Letting Go?

To "let go" does not mean to stop caring. It means I can't do it for someone else.

To "let go" is not to cut myself off. It's the realization that I can't control another.

To "let go" is to admit powerlessness, which means the outcome is not in my hands.

To "let go" is not to try to change or blame another. It's to make the most of myself.
To "let go" is not to care for, but to care about.

To "let go" is not to fix, but to be supportive.

To "let go" is not to judge, but to allow another to be a human being.

To "let go" is not to be in the middle, arranging all the outcomes, but to allow others to affect their own destinies.

To "let go" is not to deny, but to accept.

To "let go" is not to nag, scold, or argue, but instead to search out my own shortcomings and correct them.

To "let go" is not to adjust everything to my desires, but to take each day as it comes and cherish myself in it.

To "let go" is not to regret the past, but to grow and live for the future.

To "let go" is to fear less and to love more.

When there is no freedom there are no choices

A young boy left his home in search of truth. He met many people; he became richer in awareness of his ignorance. Since people went to forests to meditate, he too went to a thick forest. He did not know how to meditate. So he screamed at the forest to give him knowledge. For years his only mantra was screaming at the forest to give him knowledge. He believed that if you are committed, existence will help you.

One day, a monk came to him. He asked: "What do you want, my son?" "I want to know what the meaning of life is," he replied. "Go to the town. The first three persons that you meet will give you the meaning of life," the monk replied.

The boy went to the town. The first man he met was doing carpentry work. The next man he met was doing sheet metal work. The third man he met was making strings. Disappointed, he sat on the bank of a river. Suddenly, he heard the sweet strains of violin music. Something mysterious touched him. He suddenly got the answer he was looking for and he started dancing.

The carpenter was preparing the wood for the violin. The sheet metal worker was preparing metal for the strings and the strings were meant for the violin. Life has everything; all you need is to be able to connect the dots. You need to work out new combinations. And for that you need creative perception.

You have to change the notion that difficulty is pain. In exercise, there is difficulty but also joy. In sports, there is difficulty but there is joy. In your relationships, when there is difficulty, treat it as joy. Just reprogramme your mind.

In prayer you don't have to do anything; just be available to God's grace. Prayer is a deep readiness to receive God's flow. It is passive alertness. Go deep and you discover your original mind… it is deep passiveness. A greedy mind is richer than a Buddha, but rich with desires and greed; so a Buddha is 'poorer' than you are. The Bible says: "Blessed are the poor for theirs is the kingdom of God."

When someone asked Buddha what he attained through his enlightenment, he said: "I did not gain but I lost. I lost my ignorance, my dreams, my dogmas, my likes and dislikes, my ambitions."

You can live in two ways – mechanical or meditative. The meditative way involves you being more aware; that awareness is passive alertness. When you are passively alert, you will realise that you are born free; you are not condemned to be not free. You have choices and that is your freedom. When there is no freedom there are no choices.

Be more meditative and you will make the right choices that will make you grow rather than feel trapped. Substance abuse is a bad choice. This is a mechanical way of living. But the choice is before you..

If you choose wisely you are in paradise. When you are eating, meditatively eat. Then eating will be a paradise. Totally be in your eating. When you take a bath, be total in taking your bath and a different paradise opens up. Next, bring in love energy into whatever you do… feel your inner being. With the energy of silence, be total. You realise that you will be a moving heaven rather than a moving hell.