What should I do to open my own business?
I am not sure how many of us have never asked this question to ourselves and if you are one of them certainly you will find this post more interesting than anyone else. Reason is not that you are any way different than most of the people, the reason is you are even backward in nasty and time wasting thoughts of peoples imagination.
So let’s come back to the point. Why after more than three years of job and more than 26 years{those are excused who knew my real DOB} of my life I came to vomit all this with you when I certainly know that I will listen those preoccupied thougts from your mind that yahan per sabhi budhimaan hain kripyaa gyaan na baatian. So my sincere sorry to those gyani peoples that if they want to skip this is their own wish.
By d way … I wondered yesterday again when I saw the most intrigued topic of two college students who wanted to open there own business and I correlated that with the add of naukari.com that how passionate and the thought of opening a business is. I also correlated that with our college time gossips when we used to met with our zero programming skills and used to open big empires, and that too was happened when we had decided who is going to be CEO, CFO of CTO. True our thoughts were impulsive, our intentions were right and our motive was genuine.
But had we missed anything? Were we lacked in capability? What was the reason that we were not even together with those thoughts of opening something of our own and now we laugh, move forward and never turn around to them?
Do we hate them? May be the answer of this can make some on of us closer to those ideas closer to those dreams and closer to real success of their own thoughts and imaginations.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Monday, June 06, 2011
The War between Touch screen and Stylus
Topic may look something funny but it is not....
I wrote this para with this completely irrelevant topic because the situation is like this only. Taking democracy as LCD display and politicians as a Stylus i am not sure what is going to be the situation. At one side we say that we have the worlds biggest and finest democracy where people has the right to express, right to protest and right to go any where with in the country, then why the security guards of politics are opposing it. Some times we feared that waving Indian flag with in the periphery of India can create communal disharmony... Other time we say that a gathering more than a fix number can create a imbalance to the peace of a city and disallowing that then where are those human rights and where is the government who believe to be the one going to ensure this for the common man. Where is the judiciary to protect this and where are the common man to ask for this. But yes it is tough to feel that we are in such a transition phase that nth g could be said right or wrong.
Confused ..... to whom we have to go with .... the stylus {Government} or to LCD {Country}
I wrote this para with this completely irrelevant topic because the situation is like this only. Taking democracy as LCD display and politicians as a Stylus i am not sure what is going to be the situation. At one side we say that we have the worlds biggest and finest democracy where people has the right to express, right to protest and right to go any where with in the country, then why the security guards of politics are opposing it. Some times we feared that waving Indian flag with in the periphery of India can create communal disharmony... Other time we say that a gathering more than a fix number can create a imbalance to the peace of a city and disallowing that then where are those human rights and where is the government who believe to be the one going to ensure this for the common man. Where is the judiciary to protect this and where are the common man to ask for this. But yes it is tough to feel that we are in such a transition phase that nth g could be said right or wrong.
Confused ..... to whom we have to go with .... the stylus {Government} or to LCD {Country}
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
How a credit card works when you shop….??
A small situation to make us understand the funda…
Priya: I want to buy a Sony digital camera costing Rs.20,000, but I don?t have any cash right now.
Raj: Why don?t you use your ICICI Bank credit card? Never heard them say ? Hum Hain Na ??
Priya: I am quite skeptic about using these cards. I pay using the card, get a bill after 30 days and pay after another 20 days. This is a maximum of 50 days interest free loan. Why does any bank do it?
If I borrow Rs.20,000 on personal loan at 11%.
Interest to be paid for 50 days = Rs. 20,000 * 11% * (50/365) = Rs. 301.40.
Here the bank is giving me a loan without interest when I use the credit card. Something is wrong somewhere!
Raj: Well? let me tell you how it works when you use your card to pay for the camera.
• You present your ICICI Bank credit card ? a VISA card.
• Sony World swipes your card on a machine provided by Citibank. Lets call Citibank ? the acquirer bank and the process of Sony World swiping the card on that machine ? requesting authorization .
• Citibank communicates with the card issuer ? ICICI Bank through VISA Network to check if the card is valid and has the required credit limit.
• ICICI Bank reviews and approves / declines which is communicated back to Sony World.
• You sign a receipt called Sales Draft given by Citibank. This is the obligation on your part to pay the money to ICICI Bank. Data on this receipt can be captured electronically and transmitted.
At the end of day or at the end of some period Sony World chooses:
o Sony World submits the receipt you signed to Citibank who pays Sony World the money. Sony World pays Citibank a fee called Merchant Discount . Let us say this is 6% of the sale value = 6% * 20,000 = Rs. 1200
o Citibank sends the receipt electronically to a Visa data center which in turn sends it to ICICI Bank.
o ICICI Bank transfers the money to a settlement bank which in turn transfers the funds to Citibank.
o Citibank pays ICICI Bank an Interchange Fee of 4% of the sale value = 4% * 20,000 = Rs. 800
o 20 to 50 days later ICICI Bank gets the money from you ? and you don?t pay the interest!!
Priya: Interesting! So Sony World pays more than the interest that I should have paid for the loan that I take. I, as a cardholder have the following benefits
1. Convenience of not having to carry cash.
2. Credit availability ? free of interest.
However what benefits does Sony World get for paying so much money? Isn?t it more profitable for them to take cash? They can save as much as Rs.1200.
Raj: Certainly. Some retail outlets offer you discounts if you pay by cash, don?t they?
However when you don?t count the money that you are spending, you tend to buy more! Cards encourage this ? called impulse purchase .
If you did not have access to credit, you would not have bought the camera this month ? or may be not any time soon either. By accepting cards, the merchant is actually extending you credit at the risk of the card issuer. He pays money to the banks to carry that risk.
Priya: So ICICI Bank uses this money to pay back to us when they announce 5% cash back. They insist that the Sales draft that I sign at the retailer should also be from ICICI Bank. This means they are saving on the Interchange Fee and also pay me a part of the Merchant Discount that they get.
Raj: Exactly! If you have noticed, ICICI Bank gives you the cash back in the next credit card statement. They keep the ?cash back? money for a maximum of 60 days before passing on a part to you. This accrues them interest too.
Say if ICICI Bank earns an interest of 6% per annum for the cash they carry ? they get Rs.1000 * 6% * (60/365) = Rs. 10
That is not huge, but money nevertheless. And when you consider that almost everyone in this city shops with a credit card these days, it is a big sum.
Priya: And that also explains why banks tie up with petrol pumps ? like ICICI Bank has tied up with HPCL and I could re-fuel there without having to pay the fuel surcharge of 2.5%. The card issuer and the acquiring bank is the same and that saves interchange fees.
Raj: Good! You seem to have figured out how it all works! Let me summarize:
Priya: Sooper! Toh ab shopping chalein?? Lets not miss this Christmas and New year Shopping Festival!
Priya: I want to buy a Sony digital camera costing Rs.20,000, but I don?t have any cash right now.
Raj: Why don?t you use your ICICI Bank credit card? Never heard them say ? Hum Hain Na ??
Priya: I am quite skeptic about using these cards. I pay using the card, get a bill after 30 days and pay after another 20 days. This is a maximum of 50 days interest free loan. Why does any bank do it?
If I borrow Rs.20,000 on personal loan at 11%.
Interest to be paid for 50 days = Rs. 20,000 * 11% * (50/365) = Rs. 301.40.
Here the bank is giving me a loan without interest when I use the credit card. Something is wrong somewhere!
Raj: Well? let me tell you how it works when you use your card to pay for the camera.
• You present your ICICI Bank credit card ? a VISA card.
• Sony World swipes your card on a machine provided by Citibank. Lets call Citibank ? the acquirer bank and the process of Sony World swiping the card on that machine ? requesting authorization .
• Citibank communicates with the card issuer ? ICICI Bank through VISA Network to check if the card is valid and has the required credit limit.
• ICICI Bank reviews and approves / declines which is communicated back to Sony World.
• You sign a receipt called Sales Draft given by Citibank. This is the obligation on your part to pay the money to ICICI Bank. Data on this receipt can be captured electronically and transmitted.
At the end of day or at the end of some period Sony World chooses:
o Sony World submits the receipt you signed to Citibank who pays Sony World the money. Sony World pays Citibank a fee called Merchant Discount . Let us say this is 6% of the sale value = 6% * 20,000 = Rs. 1200
o Citibank sends the receipt electronically to a Visa data center which in turn sends it to ICICI Bank.
o ICICI Bank transfers the money to a settlement bank which in turn transfers the funds to Citibank.
o Citibank pays ICICI Bank an Interchange Fee of 4% of the sale value = 4% * 20,000 = Rs. 800
o 20 to 50 days later ICICI Bank gets the money from you ? and you don?t pay the interest!!
Priya: Interesting! So Sony World pays more than the interest that I should have paid for the loan that I take. I, as a cardholder have the following benefits
1. Convenience of not having to carry cash.
2. Credit availability ? free of interest.
However what benefits does Sony World get for paying so much money? Isn?t it more profitable for them to take cash? They can save as much as Rs.1200.
Raj: Certainly. Some retail outlets offer you discounts if you pay by cash, don?t they?
However when you don?t count the money that you are spending, you tend to buy more! Cards encourage this ? called impulse purchase .
If you did not have access to credit, you would not have bought the camera this month ? or may be not any time soon either. By accepting cards, the merchant is actually extending you credit at the risk of the card issuer. He pays money to the banks to carry that risk.
Priya: So ICICI Bank uses this money to pay back to us when they announce 5% cash back. They insist that the Sales draft that I sign at the retailer should also be from ICICI Bank. This means they are saving on the Interchange Fee and also pay me a part of the Merchant Discount that they get.
Raj: Exactly! If you have noticed, ICICI Bank gives you the cash back in the next credit card statement. They keep the ?cash back? money for a maximum of 60 days before passing on a part to you. This accrues them interest too.
Say if ICICI Bank earns an interest of 6% per annum for the cash they carry ? they get Rs.1000 * 6% * (60/365) = Rs. 10
That is not huge, but money nevertheless. And when you consider that almost everyone in this city shops with a credit card these days, it is a big sum.
Priya: And that also explains why banks tie up with petrol pumps ? like ICICI Bank has tied up with HPCL and I could re-fuel there without having to pay the fuel surcharge of 2.5%. The card issuer and the acquiring bank is the same and that saves interchange fees.
Raj: Good! You seem to have figured out how it all works! Let me summarize:
Priya: Sooper! Toh ab shopping chalein?? Lets not miss this Christmas and New year Shopping Festival!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
A culprit Mind
"I will do this provided me that... " it's a very common dialogue we say, hear and feel from top to bottom except the very few people of the world. I am not sure why so ...or if say that i know that, then i must say i am not that confident, dedicated and genuine to my own dreams, commitments and destiny.
Monday, November 01, 2010
When You Are Confused, Do Nothing
Article taken from :
http://ezinearticles.com/?When-You-Are-Confused,-Do-Nothing&id=1147988
When we are confused there is an incongruity between what we are feeling and what we are thinking. Something in our head is telling us to move forward and, at the same time, another equally strong feeling is holding us back. This impasse is not something we need to willfully plow through, but rather a point at which to stop and reevaluate where we are going.
Confusion points the way to a new beginning and will not allow us to take the first path that allays our anxiety. The first path is always the path we know, the way that is familiar and "makes sense." It is very tempting to follow this path, and, if it were not for that nagging inner voice, we would surely go down this road. In addition, most of us are so used to moving quickly that any hesitation is interpreted as a sign of weakness. But we need to slow down and get in touch with what is really going on.
When there is a gap between our heart and our head, we become confused. The part that is on automatic is telling us to move ahead, but the part that is coming to consciousness is telling us to wait. This is because we aren't yet ready to make a decision. There are still parts of the puzzle coming together, and, if we act prematurely, we will most likely select a course of action that will not be in our best interest.
The best way I know to deal with confusion is to sit down in the middle of the floor. In a second, the craziness will stop. Maybe sitting on the floor is nuttier than the confusion, or maybe an act so isolated has the power to stop a tangle of feelings and thoughts and bring us back to square one. Either way, the act of sitting recenters us, and we are back in our bodies where we can feel. The feeling is solid and unequivocal and inherently gives us permission to explore the conflicting messages we are getting. We may not get all the pieces at once, but slowly things become clearer. Most importantly, we learn the only time to move is when everything says, "Go!" and not a moment before.
By allowing new feelings to emerge without judgment, we filter and sift new ideas, trying them on for size. We begin to understand that changes take place incrementally and that to rush the process is to invite in confusion. There will be a right time for the change, a way that works for us. There is no timetable for getting clear, only the commitment we make to be real, no matter how long it takes. From this place, confusion is converted to clarity. We are in synch. What initially produced anxiety is now exciting and becomes part of the grand adventure. Rather than feel apprehensive and out of control, we allow the changes to happen in a graceful way. And for the moment, we are at peace.
http://ezinearticles.com/?When-You-Are-Confused,-Do-Nothing&id=1147988
When we are confused there is an incongruity between what we are feeling and what we are thinking. Something in our head is telling us to move forward and, at the same time, another equally strong feeling is holding us back. This impasse is not something we need to willfully plow through, but rather a point at which to stop and reevaluate where we are going.
Confusion points the way to a new beginning and will not allow us to take the first path that allays our anxiety. The first path is always the path we know, the way that is familiar and "makes sense." It is very tempting to follow this path, and, if it were not for that nagging inner voice, we would surely go down this road. In addition, most of us are so used to moving quickly that any hesitation is interpreted as a sign of weakness. But we need to slow down and get in touch with what is really going on.
When there is a gap between our heart and our head, we become confused. The part that is on automatic is telling us to move ahead, but the part that is coming to consciousness is telling us to wait. This is because we aren't yet ready to make a decision. There are still parts of the puzzle coming together, and, if we act prematurely, we will most likely select a course of action that will not be in our best interest.
The best way I know to deal with confusion is to sit down in the middle of the floor. In a second, the craziness will stop. Maybe sitting on the floor is nuttier than the confusion, or maybe an act so isolated has the power to stop a tangle of feelings and thoughts and bring us back to square one. Either way, the act of sitting recenters us, and we are back in our bodies where we can feel. The feeling is solid and unequivocal and inherently gives us permission to explore the conflicting messages we are getting. We may not get all the pieces at once, but slowly things become clearer. Most importantly, we learn the only time to move is when everything says, "Go!" and not a moment before.
By allowing new feelings to emerge without judgment, we filter and sift new ideas, trying them on for size. We begin to understand that changes take place incrementally and that to rush the process is to invite in confusion. There will be a right time for the change, a way that works for us. There is no timetable for getting clear, only the commitment we make to be real, no matter how long it takes. From this place, confusion is converted to clarity. We are in synch. What initially produced anxiety is now exciting and becomes part of the grand adventure. Rather than feel apprehensive and out of control, we allow the changes to happen in a graceful way. And for the moment, we are at peace.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
The last day of Commonwealth in India----
Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 Australia 74 54 48 176
2 India 38 27 36 101
3 England 37 59 45 141
4 Canada 26 17 32 75
5 South Africa 12 11 10 33
6 Kenya 12 11 9 32
7 Malaysia 12 10 13 35
8 Singapore 11 11 9 31
9 Nigeria 11 10 14 35
10 Scotland 9 10 7 26
11 New Zealand 6 22 8 35
12 Cyprus 4 3 5 12
14 Samoa 3 0 1 4
15 Wales 2 7 10 19
16 Jamaica 2 4 1 7
17 Pakistan 2 1 2 5
18 Uganda 2 0 0 2
19 Bahamas 1 1 3 5
20 Sri Lanka 1 1 1 3
21 Nauru 1 1 0 2
22 Botswana 1 0 3 4
26 Cameroon 0 2 4 6
27 Ghana 0 1 3 4
28 Namibia 0 1 2 3
29 Seychelles 0 1 0 1
31 Isle of Man 0 0 2 2
31 Mauritius 0 0 2 2
31 Tonga 0 0 2 2
34 Bangladesh 0 0 1 1
34 Guyana 0 0 1 1
34 Saint Lucia 0 0 1 1
- Anguilla 0 0 0 0
- Barbados 0 0 0 0
- Belize 0 0 0 0
- Bermuda 0 0 0 0
- Brunei 0 0 0 0
- Cook Islands 0 0 0 0
- Dominica 0 0 0 0
- Gambia 0 0 0 0
- Gibraltar 0 0 0 0
- Grenada 0 0 0 0
- Guernsey 0 0 0 0
- Jersey 0 0 0 0
- Kiribati 0 0 0 0
- Lesotho 0 0 0 0
- Malawi 0 0 0 0
- Maldives 0 0 0 0
- Malta 0 0 0 0
- Montserrat 0 0 0 0
- Mozambique 0 0 0 0
- Niue 0 0 0 0
- Rwanda 0 0 0 0
- Saint Helena 0 0 0 0
- Sierra Leone 0 0 0 0
- Swaziland 0 0 0 0
- Tanzania 0 0 0 0
- Tuvalu 0 0 0 0
- Vanuatu 0 0 0 0
- Zambia 0 0 0 0
Total 271 273 281 824[5]
1 Australia 74 54 48 176
2 India 38 27 36 101
3 England 37 59 45 141
4 Canada 26 17 32 75
5 South Africa 12 11 10 33
6 Kenya 12 11 9 32
7 Malaysia 12 10 13 35
8 Singapore 11 11 9 31
9 Nigeria 11 10 14 35
10 Scotland 9 10 7 26
11 New Zealand 6 22 8 35
12 Cyprus 4 3 5 12
14 Samoa 3 0 1 4
15 Wales 2 7 10 19
16 Jamaica 2 4 1 7
17 Pakistan 2 1 2 5
18 Uganda 2 0 0 2
19 Bahamas 1 1 3 5
20 Sri Lanka 1 1 1 3
21 Nauru 1 1 0 2
22 Botswana 1 0 3 4
26 Cameroon 0 2 4 6
27 Ghana 0 1 3 4
28 Namibia 0 1 2 3
29 Seychelles 0 1 0 1
31 Isle of Man 0 0 2 2
31 Mauritius 0 0 2 2
31 Tonga 0 0 2 2
34 Bangladesh 0 0 1 1
34 Guyana 0 0 1 1
34 Saint Lucia 0 0 1 1
- Anguilla 0 0 0 0
- Barbados 0 0 0 0
- Belize 0 0 0 0
- Bermuda 0 0 0 0
- Brunei 0 0 0 0
- Cook Islands 0 0 0 0
- Dominica 0 0 0 0
- Gambia 0 0 0 0
- Gibraltar 0 0 0 0
- Grenada 0 0 0 0
- Guernsey 0 0 0 0
- Jersey 0 0 0 0
- Kiribati 0 0 0 0
- Lesotho 0 0 0 0
- Malawi 0 0 0 0
- Maldives 0 0 0 0
- Malta 0 0 0 0
- Montserrat 0 0 0 0
- Mozambique 0 0 0 0
- Niue 0 0 0 0
- Rwanda 0 0 0 0
- Saint Helena 0 0 0 0
- Sierra Leone 0 0 0 0
- Swaziland 0 0 0 0
- Tanzania 0 0 0 0
- Tuvalu 0 0 0 0
- Vanuatu 0 0 0 0
- Zambia 0 0 0 0
Total 271 273 281 824[5]
What People Search For - Most Popular Keywords
Millions of searches are conducted each day on popular search engines by people all around the world. What are they looking for? A number of major search engines provide a way to glimpse into the web's query stream to discover the most popular search keywords or topics. These are:
* AOL Hot Searches: Top current queries, or see those in the last hour, last day and within particular categories.
* Ask IQ: See top searches at Ask.
* Dogpile SearchSpy: Choose to see either a filtered or non-filtered sample of top, real-time search terms from this popular meta search service. Sister site MetaCrawler offers a similar MetaCrawler MetaSpy service.
* Google Trends: Allows you to tap into Google's database of searches, to determine what's popular. View the volume of queries over time, by city, regions, languages and so on. Compare multiple terms, as well. See our review: Google Trends: Peer Into Google's Database Of Searches.
* Google Zeitgeist: What people are searching for at Google and its associated specialty services in a variety of categories. There are versions for various countries, as well.
* Lycos 50: Long-standing service showing top searches at Lycos each week.
* MSN Search Insider: Top 200 queries on MSN Search (annoyingly in random order), top "movers" in TV, sports and music, and a "duels" feature pitting top queries in a race against each other.
* Yahoo Buzz Index: Shows you what's hot and what's not in terms of search topics at Yahoo.
Millions of searches are conducted each day on popular search engines by people all around the world. What are they looking for? A number of major search engines provide a way to glimpse into the web's query stream to discover the most popular search keywords or topics. These are:
* AOL Hot Searches: Top current queries, or see those in the last hour, last day and within particular categories.
* Ask IQ: See top searches at Ask.
* Dogpile SearchSpy: Choose to see either a filtered or non-filtered sample of top, real-time search terms from this popular meta search service. Sister site MetaCrawler offers a similar MetaCrawler MetaSpy service.
* Google Trends: Allows you to tap into Google's database of searches, to determine what's popular. View the volume of queries over time, by city, regions, languages and so on. Compare multiple terms, as well. See our review: Google Trends: Peer Into Google's Database Of Searches.
* Google Zeitgeist: What people are searching for at Google and its associated specialty services in a variety of categories. There are versions for various countries, as well.
* Lycos 50: Long-standing service showing top searches at Lycos each week.
* MSN Search Insider: Top 200 queries on MSN Search (annoyingly in random order), top "movers" in TV, sports and music, and a "duels" feature pitting top queries in a race against each other.
* Yahoo Buzz Index: Shows you what's hot and what's not in terms of search topics at Yahoo.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Leaders Develop Daily, Not In a Day
A group of American tourists walked through a quaint English village in wonderment. They were enamored by the town's winding cobblestone streets, the beauty of its courtyards and plazas, and the sense of history emanating from its ancient churches. While strolling through the local park, the tourists struck up conversation with an elderly gentleman and found out that he had lived in the town for his entire life. One of the Americas, eager to hear more about the town's history, asked, "Sir, have any great men been born in this village?" "Nope," said the old man, "only babies."
Personal Growth Is a Process
In our twenties, we think ahead to when we'll be ideally situated in our career, positioned to do exactly what we enjoy, and enjoying immense influence in our occupation. Like children on the way to Disneyland, we impatiently await arrival at our destination instead of appreciating the journey there. However, as we age we encounter an uncomfortable truth: growth doesn't happen automatically. We cannot coast through life hoping one day to stumble across our dreams. Unless we set aside time to grow into the person we desire to be, we'll not reach our potential.
Leaders develop daily, not in a day. They commit themselves to the process of growth, and over time they reap the rewards of daily investments in their development. In this lesson, I'd like to share five principles to encourage you to adopt a lifestyle of personal growth.
#1 Growth is the great separator of those who succeed and those who do not.
When I went to college, there was no gap between my peers and me-none at all. We started on the same level. However, at the age of 17, I made a commitment to spend an hour a day on my personal growth. I studied and read, filing the lessons I learned along the way. Now, in most cases, the gap between my former classmates and me is pretty wide. Am I smarter than they are? Absolutely not. Many of them got better grades than I did in college. It's the growth factor-my commitment to the process of personal growth-that has made the difference.
#2 Growth takes time, and only time can teach us some things.
When it comes to personal growth, you cannot substitute for time. Yet, the mere passage of time doesn't make you wise. Experience is not the best teacher; evaluated experience is the best teacher. To gain insights from your experience, you have to engage in reflective thinking. I have a habit of taking ten minutes every evening to look back on the day. As I reflect on what happened, lessons emerge, and I capture them in my notebook so that I can learn from them.
#3 Growth inside fuels growth outside.
The highest reward of our toil is not what we get for it, but who we become by it. At the age of 17, I decided that I would read, file, and begin to prepare lessons. From that simple discipline I accumulated a wealth of content that fueled my speaking and writing. I never set out to be a leadership specialist; I was simply diligent about reading, filing, and studying. With respect to personal growth, take the long view on results. The most important question to ask is not "What am I getting?" from the discipline of personal growth, the most important question is, "Who am I becoming?"
#4 Take responsibility for your own growth.
For 15 to 20 years, the school system holds us responsible for growth. Educational curriculum clearly spells out, "here's what you do next," and "here's the next step." Then we graduate with diplomas and certificates, and we no one longer have anyone to map out the next step for us. If we want to continuing growing, we have to do it ourselves. We have to put together a game plan so that we become students of life who are always expanding our minds and drawing upon our experiences.
#5 Determine the areas of your life in which you need to grow.
You've probably heard someone say, "You can do anything as long as you put your mind to it." Sadly, as nice as that sounds, it simply isn't true. In watching people grow, I have discovered that, on a scale of 1-10, people can only improve about two notches. For instance, I love to sing; that's the good news. The bad news is that I can't carry a tune. Now, let's be generous and say that, as a singer, I'm a "two." If I put lots of money, effort, and energy into developing my voice, perhaps I can grow into a "four." News flash: on a ten-point scale, four is still below average. With regards to my career, it would be foolish for me to focus my personal growth on my voice. At best, I'd only become an average singer, and no one pays for average.
Don't work on your weaknesses. Devote yourself to fine-tuning your strengths. I work exceptionally hard on personal growth in four areas of my life. Why only four? Because I'm only good at four things. I lead, communicate, create, and network. That's it. Outside of those areas, I'm not very valuable. However, within those areas of strength I have incredible potential to make a difference.
Copied from ---------------->.............. shobanakarthik.typepad.com
Personal Growth Is a Process
In our twenties, we think ahead to when we'll be ideally situated in our career, positioned to do exactly what we enjoy, and enjoying immense influence in our occupation. Like children on the way to Disneyland, we impatiently await arrival at our destination instead of appreciating the journey there. However, as we age we encounter an uncomfortable truth: growth doesn't happen automatically. We cannot coast through life hoping one day to stumble across our dreams. Unless we set aside time to grow into the person we desire to be, we'll not reach our potential.
Leaders develop daily, not in a day. They commit themselves to the process of growth, and over time they reap the rewards of daily investments in their development. In this lesson, I'd like to share five principles to encourage you to adopt a lifestyle of personal growth.
#1 Growth is the great separator of those who succeed and those who do not.
When I went to college, there was no gap between my peers and me-none at all. We started on the same level. However, at the age of 17, I made a commitment to spend an hour a day on my personal growth. I studied and read, filing the lessons I learned along the way. Now, in most cases, the gap between my former classmates and me is pretty wide. Am I smarter than they are? Absolutely not. Many of them got better grades than I did in college. It's the growth factor-my commitment to the process of personal growth-that has made the difference.
#2 Growth takes time, and only time can teach us some things.
When it comes to personal growth, you cannot substitute for time. Yet, the mere passage of time doesn't make you wise. Experience is not the best teacher; evaluated experience is the best teacher. To gain insights from your experience, you have to engage in reflective thinking. I have a habit of taking ten minutes every evening to look back on the day. As I reflect on what happened, lessons emerge, and I capture them in my notebook so that I can learn from them.
#3 Growth inside fuels growth outside.
The highest reward of our toil is not what we get for it, but who we become by it. At the age of 17, I decided that I would read, file, and begin to prepare lessons. From that simple discipline I accumulated a wealth of content that fueled my speaking and writing. I never set out to be a leadership specialist; I was simply diligent about reading, filing, and studying. With respect to personal growth, take the long view on results. The most important question to ask is not "What am I getting?" from the discipline of personal growth, the most important question is, "Who am I becoming?"
#4 Take responsibility for your own growth.
For 15 to 20 years, the school system holds us responsible for growth. Educational curriculum clearly spells out, "here's what you do next," and "here's the next step." Then we graduate with diplomas and certificates, and we no one longer have anyone to map out the next step for us. If we want to continuing growing, we have to do it ourselves. We have to put together a game plan so that we become students of life who are always expanding our minds and drawing upon our experiences.
#5 Determine the areas of your life in which you need to grow.
You've probably heard someone say, "You can do anything as long as you put your mind to it." Sadly, as nice as that sounds, it simply isn't true. In watching people grow, I have discovered that, on a scale of 1-10, people can only improve about two notches. For instance, I love to sing; that's the good news. The bad news is that I can't carry a tune. Now, let's be generous and say that, as a singer, I'm a "two." If I put lots of money, effort, and energy into developing my voice, perhaps I can grow into a "four." News flash: on a ten-point scale, four is still below average. With regards to my career, it would be foolish for me to focus my personal growth on my voice. At best, I'd only become an average singer, and no one pays for average.
Don't work on your weaknesses. Devote yourself to fine-tuning your strengths. I work exceptionally hard on personal growth in four areas of my life. Why only four? Because I'm only good at four things. I lead, communicate, create, and network. That's it. Outside of those areas, I'm not very valuable. However, within those areas of strength I have incredible potential to make a difference.
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