The Power of Simple

The Power of Simple: I learn so much from my children. Not only are they my heroes, they are two of my best teachers. They have shown me how to live in the moment, helped me to see life as an adventure and taught me how to open my heart. And they’ve taught me so many lessons on The Power of Simple. These days, I’m all about simple. A simple message about everyone being a leader—no matter what they do or who they are. Simple ideas and tools (that actually work) to help people and organizations get to world class. And living a far simpler life (because, at heart, I’m a very simple man). Simple, to me, is so powerful (Google co-founder Sergey Brin made the point superbly when he said that at his company “Success will come from simplicity.”) Which brings me to my son. We went to London a few weeks ago. A shared experience that we’d planned for a long time; it was all about celebrating his graduation. We hung out at the best places in London. Went for dinner at Alain Ducasse at Dorchester, Heston Blue Menthal and went to the Royal Opera House to watch a show (one of life-time experiences). A weekend full of precious pleasures and unforgettable memories. Between a father and his son. Sunday night, on the flight home, I asked my young buddy, “What did you like best about our weekend?” He sat silently. Thought deeply. Then he smiled. “Dad, you know that the hot dog you bought me on the street yesterday? I loved that the most.”  The Power of Simple.  Success will come from simplicity.

Invisible Fences

Invisible Fences: I'm sitting here at the airport in Mumbai. Was just thinking on why so many of us play small in the core areas of our lives. Why we avoid change. Why we don’t innovate and express the creative genius that resides within each one of us. Why we refuse to accept the call on our lives. And why so many of us refrain from being remarkable. The answer I came up with? Invisible Fences. Here’s What I’m talking about: I took a drive out into the countryside last week. To breathe. To renew. To think. I saw a sign from a dog training company on someone’s lawn. It spoke of an Invisible Fence. It's a system that sets an invisible boundary that the dog can’t get past. The dog eventually becomes conditioned so that even when that fence is gone, it will not run beyond it. The dog sets up imaginary limits that determine its reality. We’re like that too. As we grow up, we adopt negative beliefs and false assumptions and sabotaging fears from the world around us. These become our Invisible Fences. We believe they are real. When we bump up against them at work (and in life), we retreat. We believe the boundary is true. So we shrink from all we are meant to be/ do/ have. The illusion seems so real. But it’s not. Please remember that.  So I invite you to question your Invisible Fences. Be aware of them. Observe them. Challenge them. So that when one confronts you, rather than running away from it, you exercise the force of will and talent of heart to run through it. Toward the poetic possibilities your life is meant to be. Because what you resist will persist. But what you befriend, you will transcend.

Be The Best You

Be The Best You: Warren Buffet once observed, “There will never be a better you than you.” Brilliant insight. From a brilliant guy. There will never be a better me than me. And there will never be a better you than you. Some might try to copy the way you think, speak and act. But no matter how hard they try, they will only be a second-best you. Because you are unique. Only one of you alive today. Among the billions of us. Makes you stop and think, doesn’t it? Makes you realize you are pretty special. No, very special. And that there really isn’t any competition. And so today, what will you do with you as you march out into a world that needs people playing at extraordinary with their lives more than ever before? Will you exert more of your hidden potential? Will you liberate more of your natural creativity? Will you uncover more of your authenticity? And will you be more of the you that you're meant to be? Just wondering. Because there will never be a better time to be the best you than today. And if not now, then when? Makes me think of what the philosopher Herodotus once said: "It is better by noble boldness to run the risk of being subject to half of the evils we anticipate than to remain in cowardly listlessness for fear of what may happen." So beautifully said.

Care for the Temple

Care for the Temple: A few months ago. I had lunch with a colleague and we discussed the things we did in our lives to stay focused, balanced and at our peak amid the demands of our busy schedules. He made a powerful  point: He said, “many people regularly go to a church or temple to stay grounded and centered. I’m a little different. I go to the gym — that's my temple." He added that no matter how busy he is, at 5:30 P.M. he closes his office and makes the "daily pilgrimage" to his gym to run a few miles on the treadmill. Nothing can stop him from taking this time to ensure his health and happiness. My friends observation made me think of a saying which is "in a sound body rests a sound mind.” It also made me realize that our bodies need to be treated like temples and considered sacred if we hope to live life fully and completely. Regular exercise will not only improve your health. it will help you think more clearly, boost creativity and manage the relentless stress that seems to dominate our days. And research has proven that exercise will not only add life to your years, it could add years to your life. One study of 18,000 Harvard alumni found that every hour spent on exercise added three hours to the participants lives. Few investments will yield a better return than time spent on physical fitness. And remember: ‘Those who don’t make time for exercise must eventually make time for illness.’  In your life, set the goal of swimming five times a week. There is something special about the renewing power of swimming that I cannot begin to describe. Every workout in the swimming pool brings the same results: You will feel energised, serene, balanced and happy. And my exercise sessions also bring me something that I feel is truly priceless: perspective.  The act of caring for my physical temple reminds me that life's greatest pleasures are often life's simplest ones.

See your Day as Your Life

See your Day as Your Life: “The days come and go like muffled and veiled figures sent from a distant, friendly party, but they say nothing, and if we do not use the gifts they bring, they carry them as silently away,” observed Emerson. As you live your days. so you will live your life. It is easy to get caught up in the trap of thinking that this day does not matter much given all the days that lie ahead of you. But a great life is nothing more than a series of great, well—lived days strung together like a beautiful necklace of pearls. Every day counts and contributes to the quality of the end result. The past is gone, the future is but a figment, so this day is really all you can own. Invest it wisely. Your life is not a dress rehearsal. Lost opportunities rarely come again. Today, vow to increase your passion for living and multiply the commitment you will bring to each of the days that will follow this one. Many people think that it takes months and years to change your life. Respectfully, I disagree. You change your life the second you make a decision from the depths of your heart to be a better, more dedicated human being. What takes the months and years are the efforts you must apply to maintain that decision. And the best life changing decision you will ever make is the one to live every moment of your days to the fullest. As golf legend Ben Hogan said, “As you walk down the fairway of life, you must smell the roses, for you only get to play one round.”

Find your Place of Peace

Find your Place of Peace: Everyone needs a sanctuary or a “place they can go to be quiet and still. This special place will serve as your oasis in a world of stress. It will be a spot where you can take refuge from the crush of daily activities that demand your time, energy and attention. Your sanctuary does not need to be fancy. An unused bedroom or a corner of an apartment with some freshly cut flowers on the table will do nicely. Even a wooden bench in your favourite park can serve as your place of peace. When you feel you need some time alone, visit this  sanctuary and do some of those “inner development” activities that are so easy to neglect during the course of a busy day. Write in your diary or listen to a soothing piece of classical music. Close your eyes and visualize your ideal day. Read deeply from that book your mother always told you to read or from a book of wisdom. Or simply do nothing for thirty minutes and let the renewing power of solitude take hold. Carving out a little time for yourself is not a selfish act. Replenishing your inner reserves allows you to give more, do more and be more for others. Making the time  to care for your mind and spirit will keep you balanced, enthusiastic and youthful. And as L. F. Phelan once said, “Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of mind. People grow old only by deserting their ideals and by outgrowing the consciousness of youth. Years wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.... You are as old as your doubt, your fear, your despair. The way to keep young is to keep your faith young. Keep your self-confidence young. Keep your hope young."

Imagine a Richer Life

Imagine a Richer Life: A very famous writer once wrote, ‘‘In the midst of winter. I found there was within me an invincible summer." We really don’t discover how powerful and resilient we are until we face some adversity that fills our minds with stress and our hearts with pain. Then we realize that we all have within us the courage and the capacity to handle even the greatest curves life may throw our way. Many of the men and women reveal the challenges they face in their lives. Some speak of difficulties they have motivating their employees in these uncertain times. Others speak of inner longings and the need to find a greater sense of meaning and fulfillment through their work. And still others are seeking advice on how to restore balance within their personal lives. The solution always begins with the same lesson: to improve your life, you must first improve your thinking. Or as the old saying goes, “We see the world, not as it is but as we are.” Our greatest human endowment is the ability to reframe and reinterpret a difficult circumstance in a more enlightened and empowering way. Dogs cannot do this. Cats cannot do this. Monkeys cannot do this. This gift belongs only to us and is part of what makes us human. Blaming our circumstances for the way we feel is nothing more than excusing ourselves. In handling any problem. we must have the courage to assume a measure of responsibility for whatever situation we are in and then realize that we also have the capacity to use the setback to our advantage. Life’s greatest setbacks always reveal life's biggest blessings.

Understanding the Meaning of Colours

Understanding the Meaning of Colours: The meaning of colours can vary depending on culture and circumstances. Each colour has many aspects to it but you can easily learn the language of colour by understanding a few simple concepts which I will share with you here.Non-verbal CommunicationColour is a form of non verbal communication. It is not a static energy and its meaning can change from one day to the next with any individual - it all depends on what energy they are expressing at that point in time. For example, a person may choose to wear red on a particular day and this may indicate that this is their favorite (personality) colour, or they  are ready to take action, or they may be passionate about what they are going to be doing that day, or again it may mean that they are feeling angry that day, on either a conscious or subconscious level. All are traits of the color red.The Meaning of ColoursRed is the colour of energy, passion, action, ambition and determination. It is also the colour of anger and sexual passion.Orange is the colour of social communication and optimism. From a negative colour meaning it is also a sign of pessimism and superficiality.With the meaning of colors, in colour psychology, Yellow is the colour of the mind and the intellect. It is optimistic and cheerful. However it can also suggest impatience, criticism and cowardice.Green is the colour of balance and growth. It can mean both self-reliance as a positive and possessiveness as a negative, among many other meanings.Blue is the colour of trust and peace. It can suggest loyalty and integrity as well as conservatism and frigidity.  Indigo is the colour of intuition. In the meaning of colours it can mean idealism and structure as well as ritualistic and addictive.                       Purple is the colour of the imagination. It can be creative and individual or immature and impractical.        The colour meaning of Turquoise is communication and clarity of mind. It can also be impractical and idealistic. The colour psychology of Pink is unconditional love and nurturing. Pink can also be immature, silly and girlish. Magenta is a colour of universal harmony and emotional balance. It is spiritual yet practical, encouraging common sense and a balanced outlook on life. May your life always be filled with the power of each colour and abundant happiness! God bless you!

Do New Things

Do New Things: Human beings crave control—that’s just the way we are. It’s a survival mechanism that goes right back to the days when we lived in caves. We need certainty, and anything less makes us uncomfortable. But leadership is all about getting good at being uncomfortable. It’s about running toward, not away from, the things that intimidate and frighten you. And leadership is about trying new things. It’s so easy to eat the same food each day. But if you don’t try new foods, you just might miss out on the opportunity to discover your new favourite meal. It’s easy to associate with the same people and have the same conversations each day. But if you don’t expand your community, you just might miss out on meeting your new best friend. It’s so easy to do the same things at work each day—to get stuck in a rut. And if you don’t stretch, you'll miss an achievement that could flood you with a sense of confidence and fulfilment that will be the start of a whole new world of work.  I invite you to use each day as a platform for filling your life with more adventure, passion and energy by injecting into it more new things. Listen to Jazz if you usually listen to Rock music. Eat Asian food if you usually eat Continental food. Read Time magazine if you subscribe to Fortune. It’s a big, interesting world out there. And it’s yours for the taking.

Create a Daily Code of Conduct

Create a Daily Code of Conduct: It is easy to live your life like a leaf in the fall wind, moving in whatever direction the wind blows that day. To create a great life, you must live more intentionally, deliberately and passionately so that you live on your own terms rather than on someone else’s. The real challenge is that with so much to do, it is easy to allow life to act on you and watch the days quickly slip into weeks, then into months and finally into years. But I have a solution. In my own life I have created what I call my Daily Code of Conduct. It is simply three paragraphs containing the values, virtues and vows I have determined through much reflection that I need to live by in order for my life to be a fulfilling one. For example, part of the first paragraph states, “Over the next twenty-four hours I vow to appreciate this day, as it is all I really have, and to use every minute wisely and fully. So much can be done over the next twenty-four hours to advance my life's agenda and complete my legacy. I will, throughout this day, remember that this day could be my last and try to do everything good."My code  then outlines my dearest values and vows as they relate to  my family, my community and myself. Reading my Daily Code of Conduct at the very beginning of the day, reminds me of the things that matter most in my life and reconnects me to my highest priorities, priorities that are so easily forgotten in the blur of daily events. After reading my code, I feel energized, committed and ready to go out into the world with a renewed sense of purpose and focus. Creating your own Daily Code of Conduct will do the same for you.

Be More than your Moods

Be More than your Moods: For much of my life, I believed my thoughts were beyond my control. They just entered my mind automatically and did whatever they wished to do. Even worse, I believed that 'I' was my thoughts. Thankfully, I discovered that nothing could be further from the truth. We are not our thoughts. Instead, we are the thinkers of our thoughts. We are the creators of the thoughts that flow through our minds and, given this fact, we can change our thoughts if we choose to do so. This seemingly obvious insight was an epiphany for me. I soon became far more aware of the thoughts I allowed into my mind and the inner dialogue that takes place within every one of us every waking hour of every living day. I began to pay complete attention to the quality of my thoughts. This awareness was the first step to changing them. Over a matter of months, I trained my mind to focus only on positive, inspiring and enlightening thoughts. And in doing so, I saw the outer circumstances of my life change. Just as you are not your thoughts, you are not your moods. You are the creator of the moods you experience, moods that you can change in a single instant. If you choose to do so, you can feel peace in a moment of stress, joy in a time of sadness and energy during a time of fatigue.

Stop Complaining and Start Living

Stop Complaining and Start Living: Stop complaining about having no time for yourself and get up an hour earlier. You have the option, why not exercise it? Stop complaining about not being able to exercise given all that is on your plate these days. If you sleep seven hours a night and work eight hours every day, you still have more than sixty—three hours of free time every week to do all the things you want to do. This amounts to 252 hours every month and 3,024 hours every single year to spend on life’s pursuits. There has never been a more exciting time to be alive in the history of the world and you have the choice to seize the boundless possibilities that every day presents. If you are not as fulfilled or as happy or as prosperous or as peaceful as you know you could be, stop blaming your parents or the economy or your boss and take full responsibility for your circumstances. This will be the first step to a completely new way of looking at your life and the starting point of a better way to live. As George Bernard Shaw said. "The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can't find them, make them.”  Make wiser choices about the thoughts you will allow to enter your mind as well as the attitude you will bring to your days and the way you will spend the hours of your time. Stop complaining and start living. In the words of  the poet Rudyard Kipling, “If you can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds’ worth of distance run, yours is the earth and everything that's in it."

Serve others selflessly

Serve others selflessly: It is said, “There is no higher religion than human service. To work for the common good is the greatest creed." And the ancient Chinese believed that "a little fragrance always clings to the hand that gives you roses." One of the greatest lessons for a highly fulfilling life is to rise from a life spent chasing success to one dedicated to finding significance. And the best way to create significance is to ask yourself one simple question, “How  may I serve?" All great leaders, thinkers and humanitarians have abandoned selfish lives for selfless lives and, in doing so, found all the happiness, abundance and satisfaction they desired. They have all understood that all-important truth of humanity: you cannot pursue success; success ensues. It flows as the unintended but inevitable by-product of a life spent serving people and adding value to the world. Mahatma Gandhi understood the service ethic better than most. In one memorable story from his life, he was traveling across India by train. As he left the coach he had been riding in, one of his shoes fell to a place on the tracks well beyond his reach. Rather than worrying about getting it back, he did something that startled his traveling companions: he removed his other shoe and threw it to where the first one rested. When asked why he did this, Gandhi smiled and replied: “Now the poor soul who finds the first one will have a pair that he can wear.”

Make a Vow of Silence

Make a Vow of Silence: The Buddhist monks have a favorite strategy to build willpower —one that has been used by many cultures over the years to create enormous amounts of inner strength and resolve. It is the vow of silence. Staying quiet for even short periods of time builds willpower and  self-control because you exert force on your will by not  giving in to the impulse to talk. So many people talk far more than they have to. Rather than speaking precisely and communicating only what needs to be said, all too often we go on and on. This in itself reveals a lack of discipline. Discipline involves saying exactly what needs to be said and preserving your precious mental energy by not talking more than you have to. Measured, precise speech is also a sign of clear thought and of a serene mind.  A strategy that you can apply today to improve your personal discipline is to keep a vow of silence for one hour a day over the next seven days. Don't speak at all during this silent time. Or if you must, speak only in direct response to a question and offer a clear, crisp answer rather than rattling on about everything from : what was on TV last night to where you hope to vacation this summer. The vow of silence can be adopted politely and warmly. The idea is to make you stronger and to enhance your will, not to hinder your relationships. Within a matter of days, you will feel a sense of mastery and strength growing within you. Judge by the results: they will speak for themselves.

Keep strong Perspective towards Life

Keep strong Perspective towards Life: One day, according to an old story, a man with a serious illness was wheeled into a hospital room where another patient was resting on a bed next to the window. As the two became friends, the one next to the window would look out of it and then spend the next few hours delighting his bedridden companion with vivid descriptions of the world outside. Some days he would describe the beauty of the trees in the park across from the hospital and how the leaves danced in the wind. On other days, he would entertain his friend with step—by—step replays of the things people were doing as they walked by the hospital. However, as time went on, the bedridden man grew frustrated at his inability to observe the wonders his friend described. Eventually he grew to dislike him and then to hate him intensely. One night, during a particularly bad coughing fit, the patient next to the window stopped breathing. Rather than pressing the button for help, the other man chose to do nothing. The next morning the patient who had given his friend so much happiness by recounting the sights outside the window was pronounced dead and wheeled out of the hospital room. The other man quickly asked that his bed be placed next to the window, a request that was complied with by the attending nurse. But as he looked out the window, he discovered something that made him shake: the window faced a stark brick wall. His former roommate had conjured up the incredible sights that he described in his imagination as a loving gesture to make the world of his friend a little bit better during a difficult time. He had acted out of selfless love. This story never fails to create a shift in my own perspective when I think about it. To live happier, more fulfilling ljves, when we encounter a difficult circum- stance, we must keep shifting our perspective and continually ask ourselves, "Is there a wiser, more enlightened way of looking at this seemingly negative situation?" Stephen Hawking, one of the greatest physicists ever, is reported to have said that we live on a minor planet of a very average star located within the outer limits of one of a hundred thousand million galaxies. How's that for a shift in perspective? Given this information, are your troubles really that big? Are the problems you have experienced or the challenges you might currently be facing really as serious as you have made them out to be?  We walk this planet for such a short time. In the over- all scheme of things, our lives are mere blips on the canvas of eternity. So have the wisdom to enjoy the journey and savor the process.

Be liked by the People

Be liked by the People: One of the deepest of all the human hungers is the need to be understood, cherished and honoured. Yet. in the fast paced days we live in, too many people believe that listening involves nothing more than waiting for the other person to stop talking. And to make matters worse. while that person is speaking, we are all too often using that time to formulate our own response, rather than empathizing with the point being made. Taking the time to truly understand anothers point of view shows that you value what he has to say and care about him as a person. When you start “getting behind the eyeballs” of the person who is speaking and to see the world from his perspective, you will connect with him deeply and build high-trust relationships that last.  We have two ears and one mouth for a reason: to listen twice as much as we speak. And having the courtesy to be a better listener has another advantage: since you are not doing all the talking, you are doing all the learning, gaining access to information you would have missed had you been engaged in the usual monologue.Here are a few practical tips to become better at the art of listening:  1) If you are speaking and the person you are having a conversation with has not said something within the past sixty seconds, there is a good chance you have lost him and it’s time to stop talking so much. 2) Resist the temptation to interrupt. Catch yourself just before you do so and pay more attention to the content of what the other person is saying to you. 3) If appropriate (i.e., in a business setting), take notes. Few things more readily show the other person in a conversation that you genuinely wish to learn from what he has to say than pulling out a notepad and making notes while he speaks.  4) After the other person makes his points, rather than immediately responding with your opinion, reflect on what you have just heard. Saying something such as, "Just to make sure I understand you, are you saying ...?" and doing so with complete sincerity will bring you much closer to the people you interact with every day of your life.

Rewrite your Life Story

Rewrite your Life Story: One of the most wonderful things about time is the fact that you cannot waste it in advance. No matter how much time you have squandered in the past, the next hour that comes your way will be perfect, unspoiled and ready for you to make the very best of it. No matter what has happened to you in the past, your future is spotless. Realize that every dawn brings with it the corresponding opportunity to begin a completely new life. If you so choose, tomorrow can be the day that you start getting up earlier, reading more, exercising, eating well and worrying less. As author Ashleigh Brilliant has observed: "At any moment I could start being more of the person I dream to be — but which moment should I choose?” No one is stopping you from opening your diary and, on a blank page, rewriting the story of your life.This very minute, you can decide the way you would like it to unfold, change the central characters and create a new ending. The only question is will you choose to do so? Remember, it is never too late to become the person you have always wanted to be.

A Special Child: A Boon or a Bane - As you see it!...

Nine years ago I gave birth to my daughter, who is moderately autistic and battled severe life threatening epilepsy for most of her childhood. I struggled with her care, diet and many other life style choices that you are compelled to make suddenly after the diagnosis.

I had a flourishing career, which I gave up. I became a 24X7 stay at home mom caring for both my kids. Sleepless nights spent in and out of hospitals were routine for me. 

Cut to the present I slowly started working again, first I began to teach once a week and then gradually went on to pick up a very good well paying job. I tend to dress well and take care of my health. Even then I am amazed at the stigma I face everytime people come to know about my daughter, they look at me with pity, and wonder silently as to why I am so happy then!!!

They think that I should be perpetually sad, look sorry and dress shabbily because c'mon I have been punished, haven't I?

I want to put the word out to all special parents, that it is of utmost importance that you celebrate your special child rather than considering him/her to be a punishment. My daughter has made me a better human being, more patient, compassionate and above all has given me the drive to succeed and achieve inspite of all obstacles. I mean, one look at her and I feel emboldened, because if she could fight through so much inspite of being such a small precious life, what stops me then!!

She has taught me to dream, smile and laugh from deep within, and bloom under my piece of the sky.

We must consider them as our strengths and feel blessed and surge ahead rather than becoming a victim of the stereotyped image of tired, hassled and penniless parents of special children.

Once you clear these clouds from your mind, you will truly soar and it is in your soaring that your child will find her wings...

Why Plan?

Why Plan?: Personal planning and goal-setting are not sexy topics. But they are incredibly important and central to an extraordinary experience of life. I see it time and time again among people: lots of time spent articulating a clear and detailed vision for what the key areas of their lives will look like, then a written plan with the vision broken down into sequenced goals so that the vision isn’t so overwhelming and the big picture can be seen as manageable steps to drive daily action. One of the best effects of planning that I’ve discovered personally is what it does to my mind. Let me put it this way: Few things focus the mind as well as setting plans on paper and then sequencing them into goals. The very act of doing it heightens your awareness as to what’s most important. And with better awareness, you will make better choices. And as you make better choices, you are certain to experience better results.  So give yourself a gift: Take out a nice, crisp white sheet of paper. Sharpen a pencil. And then start writing about the work and home you desire to create. It's a lot easier than you may think. And the results will stun you. Just do it!

Set People Free

Set People Free: The best leaders turn their teammates loose. They clearly communicate the vision, coach and develop their people and, once done, set them free. Free to use their own creativity and ingenuity to get the results needed. Free to do excellent work and find splendid solutions. Free to feel what it’s like to succeed. And free to fail, because making mistakes is part of getting to success.  People want to be a part of an organization that lets them bring their gifts to work and be fully alive. People want to be engaged and feel proud of their contribution. At the deepest level, each of us aches to know the work we do-and the lives we lead—make a difference. Will you let the people around you realise this longing by setting them free? If you do, I bet, they will show astonishing results!

Your Days Define Your Life

Your Days Define Your Life: Big idea: Your days are your life in miniature. As you five your hours, so you create your years. As you live your days, so you craft your life. What you do today is actually creating your future. The words you speak, the thoughts you think, the food you eat and the actions you take are defining your destiny—shaping who you are becoming and what your life will stand for. Small choices lead to giant consequences over time. There’s no such thing as an unimportant day.  As you live your days, so you craft your life.  Each one of us is called to greatness. Each one of us has an exquisite power within us. Each one of us can have a significant impact on the world around us—if we so choose. But for this power that resides internally to grow, we need to use it. And the more you exercise it, the stronger it gets. The more this power gets tapped, the more confident you become.Thoreau wrote: “I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of a human being to elevate their life by conscious endeavor.” And advertising guru Donny Deutsch added a more current spin on the idea when he wrote in his book - Often Wrong, Never in Doubt: "For every person with the stuff, the one out of a hundred who goes to a rarefied place is the one who says, ‘why not me?’ and goes for it". The best among us are not more gifted than the rest. They just take little steps each day as they march toward their biggest life. And the days slip into weeks, the weeks into months and before they know it, they arrive at a place called Extraordinary.  

Happy Women's Day!

Outsource five tasks in Business

Outsource five tasks in Business: You’re an expert in what you do best – your business. There’s no point wasting time and effort trying to understand the nuances of tax, web design or social media to better your business, so consider bringing in some outside help.The most successful entrepreneurs delegate specific tasks to freelancers or specialist companies, to help them utilise their time more efficiently.So, here are five tasks you should outsource to an expert.Taxes and accountingNo successful entrepreneur does their own taxes. It’s a time consuming and complex process that only gets worse as your business grows. Hire a professional accountant with specialist knowledge of the startup space to balance your books, offer advice and help your business grow.Web development and graphic designBuilding a brilliant brand is a key requirement to building a business. Whether you want a new logo, eye-catching website or some standout stationery, a professional designer will make your business look it’s very best. Many graphic design agencies also have in-house web developers to make sure your site functions technically.Social media and writingOnce the website is looking professional, you will need some equally effective words to provide some context. High-quality and SEO-friendly blog posts, website copy, newsletters, case studies, whitepapers and marketing materials can all be produced by a professional freelance writer. A good writer will also provide the copy for your social media profiles to provide a consistent and punchy message across Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google and so on.Virtual AdminIf you do not want to sift through your inbox every morning, consider using a Virtual Administrative Assistant (VA) to streamline this frustrating process and reduce your email noise. A VA can also do other clerical and secretarial tasks including making travel arrangements or scheduling appointments.Online researchEntrepreneurs are experts in their chosen industry – but they do not have the time to keep up with every latest development. A web researcher can do the heavy lifting by, for example, gathering information for a presentation or researching prospective leads.By following these five steps, your productivity and time management will increase, and ultimately so will your overall business’ performance. You should focus more on strategic planning and execution!

Make the best use of free time

Make the best use of free time: We love our free time. And probably most things that come with the word free. The thought is after hours of hard work you get a few hours for yourself without having to worry about work or school.  How you spend your free time can be challenging though. There is so much you want to do, things you want to try, endeavours you want to continue but you don’t know how to start. Here are ways you can make the most out of your free timePlan Your Free TimeEverything works well with a plan. The first step to enjoying your free time is to have a plan first. You can list all the things you want to try. Think of all the activity and endeavors you may want to try before the week is over. Planning is a great way to keep you hyped and also to prepare for the activity you have in mind.Do Some Volunteer WorkMaybe you want to do something different for a change. A work that’s not also interesting but also inspiring? For me the best way to spend free time into purposeful and meaningful work is to use it to serve others. You can try community work or any activity that’s primary intentions is to help and better humanity. There are many ways you can look for these opportunities. Research and Learn New ThingsLearning can become tiresome when it’s filled with restrictions, deadlines and fears. This is the usual case in our schools, universities or jobs. Most college professors make reading materials more of a task rather than an experience to learn something. Instead of getting psyched up, most students tend to resort to laziness and bunk the whole reading work instead. But when we do learning on our free time, and in our own accord we give ourselves more freedom to hone our knowledge and to really read about the things that intrigue us to our core.Spend Time With Your PetsPets make great companions. Our furry friends that are always there for us in our happy and sad moments help us like life a little more. Dogs in particular, help reduce anxiety, stress and has been used to treat many damaging effects of loneliness.Chat and Hang Out With FriendsYour week’s not going to turn out great if you don’t take time to catch up with old friends and people you care about. It can also be time to make new connections, and further relationships with acquaintances. It can be as simple as lunch, going to the movies, or playing bowling together.Write in Your DiaryThere are many benefits to writing. Emotional benefits that help you reflect on your life particularly in your relationships and your thoughts. When you reread your diary writings, you also learn more about yourself. I’ve kept a diary all through my high school days and rereading it to relive my experience actually opened a lot of things about me.Go GardeningSpend time digging into dirt, planting a seed and watching it grow into a plant. Growing your own produce is not only convenient; it’s also a great way to enjoy nature in your free time. If you’re spending the lot of your days glued in your computer or cell phone, gardening is a refreshing way to make use of your time.Time is irreversible. As much as we’d like we can never go back in time and change our ways. The things you do now will shape your future.  The best way to spend time is to live in the present moment. To exist in the now. To never cease thinking of the present, and minimize dwelling on the past and future.

Drink coffee with Gandhi

Drink coffee with Gandhi: Reading is one of the best disciplines I know of to stay “on your game” and at your highest. Reading from a great book is really all about having a conversation with the author. And we become our conversations. Just think, tonight-—by reading Mahatma Gandhi’s autobiography, 'My Experiments with truth', over a cup of coffee—you can get behind this great man’s eyeballs and learn what made him tick. Want to hang out with Madonna tomorrow? Grab her book. Same for Jack Welch, Mother Teresa, Bill Gates, Bob Proctor or the Dalai Lama. And reading a book by someone you respect allows some of their brilliance to rub off on you. As Oliver Wendell Holmes observed: “A mind Once stretched by a new idea can never return to its original dimensions.” When I was growing up my father once told me: "Cut back on your rent or cut back on what you spend on food but never worry about investing money in a good book." That powerful thought has accompanied me through life. His philosophy was that all it takes is one idea discovered in a single book to lift you to a whole new level and revolutionize the way you see the world. And so our home was filled with books. And now I try to devote at least an hour a day to reading. That habit alone has transformed me.Perhaps my greatest gift to my children when I die will be my library. I have books on leadership, relationships, business, philosophy, wellness, spirituality, great lives and many of my other favoured topics in it. Many of these I’ve picked up in bookshops from across the planet when I travel on business. These books have shaped my thinking. They have formed my personal philosophy. They have made me the man I am. To me, my books are priceless.  The old expression is true: “Knowing how to read and not reading is almost the same as not knowing how to read." Make the time to read something good each day. Fill Your mind with big ideas and dazzling thoughts. Use books to flood your soul with hope and inspiration. And remember, if you want to lead, you really need to read. Oh, and if you-like me—have the habit of buying more books than you can ever possibly read, don’t feel guilty—you’re building your library. And that’s a beautiful thing.

The Responsibility Meter

The Responsibility Meter: Imagine a dashboard with a meter on it. At one end is the word FREEDOM. At the other, the word RESPONSIBILITY. To me, being a leader and living a remarkable life means striking the delicate balance between the two. In other words, the needle on your Responsibility Meter should stay in the middle. Ideally. Life’s all about balance. And one of the most vital of all balance points is the one involving freedom and responsibility. Yes, be free. Enjoy the moment. Be wildly passionate. Have a fabulous time. Live in the now. And yet, be responsible. Set your goals. Keep your promises. Get important things done. Fulfill your duties. Where does your life—this very minute—register on the Responsibility Meter? Too much time enjoying your freedom and not enough time doing what’s required to build a world-class career and world-class days? Or the other way around? Being at either extreme means being out of balance. So here’s an excellent idea: Think about what being at the middle of the meter would look like. Because better awareness drives better choices. And better choices create better results.

Find Uncomfortable Friends

Find Uncomfortable Friends: Okay this one might challenge, provoke and even irritate you a bit (if so, I’ve done my job). Because we grow through ideas and experiences that stretch us. And all I want to do is help you grow (into your greatness). The idea centers on the importance of surrounding yourself with people who cause you to leave the SHK: Safe Harbour of the Known. Why spend time with people at work who play at mediocre? Why have friends in your personal life who resign themselves to being ordinary? We really do become who we drink coifee with. We really will become our associations. Powerful thought: You will become a lot like the five people you spend most of your time with (hope I didn’t scare you). So my suggestion is that you invite people into your professional and personal life who inspire you. Who will uplift you. Who will make you more extraordinary/ authentic/ unforgettable (and loving). Who are viscerally committed to world class. And, most importantly, who see the world through a different set of eyes. They’ll challenge you. They’ll push you. And sometimes maybe they even irritate you (if so, fantastic). This practice will serve you well. So that you grow. And reach. And evolve. So that you will never be the same.

Stop trying so Hard

Stop trying so Hard: One of the core organizing principles of life is that success is the result of a delicate balance between making things happen and letting things happen. Yes, we have the responsibility to set our goals and realize our potential and play at our very best. We need to do our part. Good things definitely unfold for people who are devoted to doing great things. But I suggest’ we also need to show a gentle commitment to letting things unfold. In other words, do your best—then let life do the rest. Life will always lead you to a place that’s better (even when it may not seem like it). I’ve learned it is important to let life lead you (not an easy lesson to get—I know; still working on that one myself). If you’ve tried everything possible to realize an outcome and it just hasn’t worked out as planned, stop trying so hard. Relax. Maybe nothing’s wrong. Maybe the timing is not right. Maybe what you wanted wasn’t in your best interests. Maybe while one door seems to be closing, another is actually opening. And often, once you let go of what you thought was best, space is created for something even better to arrive. Because every ending ushers in a brand-new beginning. Truly said! Life will always lead you to a place that's better!

Mind governs Body

Mind governs Body: ‘The Art of Mind Control’ is an ancient meditative technique used by most spiritual and religious schools today — ISCKON, Buddhists and even the Shivananda school of yoga. After all, today’s fast- paced corporate lifestyle, competitive childhood and pressure to perform in various phases of one’s life pushes one to the brink of insanity; so much so that it becomes quite necessary to give the mind some relaxation.  Yet, meditation undergoes different changes in different schools. So, why is it necessary as a process?  Mind over matter or matter over mind? That has been an old and much-repeated philosophical question. Nevertheless, thinkers have always given more importance to the mind and the fact that mind feeds the body. Well, partially true as don’t we see, almost every day in our lives, being driven by our subjective notions of love, relationships and life in general. A single thought or a fresh Perspective on a topic could easily change your mind  from what you held as a highly-guarded belief or an opinion. For example, it is thought that working women are financially emancipated But do we truly agree with this statement? Once at home, even a wife is governed more by the husband’s style of expenditure necessitated by the family needs. How would you call a working woman emancipated then?  Sage Valmilki, as is well- known, was a deadly dacoit before he had a mind—change and got down to penning the Ramayana. Angulimaal, the dreaded assassin, was also transformed to perform better deeds instead of murders after his encounter with Gautam Buddha. Why is it that Gautam Buddha himself decided to relinquish all material pleasures in order to walk off to the jungles in search for Enlightenment? The body decides to follow a course of action based on the thought pattern of the mind. Well then, won't you say that body does live in the mind; and a healthy body resides only in a healthy mind.

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