No formula works consistently
Gordon Mc Kenzie, the Creative Director of Hallmakr Cards, in his book Orbiting The Giant Hairball menitioned that during the early past of his careet, he visited elementary schools to teach creative thinking. He entered the first grade class and asked “How many artists do I have in this room? All hands went up. When repeated the same question in the second grade, the number droped to 80 percent. In the third grade it was fifty percent. In the fifth grade only 3 or 4 hands went up and in the sixth grade, there was only one.
What happens when we grow older? We can’t draw, we can’t speak, we can’t perform. We attribute that to our parents who gave us bad genes. Over and above, the teacher, boss and others in authority tell us, “You are not good; you can’t do this or that” and wse believe it. Suddenly, we become a collection of ‘Cants’. Negative thoughts dominate and many of us sit in awe and wonder when others succeed.
Any significant change in life starts with the words ‘I can that is, a belief in the self, faith in one’s own performance’. Remember, that it is not a big wound that kill our spirit but small little scratches that add up in life. No sooner we are born, people compare us to others. We are weighed, measured and judged. Some say that we have no potential and some say that we are a liability instead of an asset. It is for us to break out of that mould and create a new frame, to fit in, while going ahead in life.
People who pursue excellence make something out of their lives. Their efforts and Gods benevolence combine to make them distinct and unique. Contrary to popular opinion, they believe that they are responsible for being better and ultimately the best. God makes the original; he does not make a carbon copy. We only try to become a carbon copy not knowing who we are and what is our potential? John Steinbeck, the author said, “It is the nature of man to rise to greatness if greatness is expected of him”.
A retired bureaucrat told me, “I have lost my bearings. While in service there were many to whom I could give orders. Now there is none who will listen to me because I have lost my power, halo and glamour.” After a pause I told him, “You have lost nothing. It is only imagination and habit. You start doing things and miracles will happen. You can’t win a lottery before purchasing a lottery ticket. “He asked me, “Are you an optimist?” I replied, “It is not optimism or hope. It is only a lesson everyone learns after trial and error, but the point is that you should try and results will come automatically.”
There is a difference between dreamers at night and dreamers in daytime. Dreamers at night, sleep, see pictures, which fade away. They never wake up whereas dreamers in daytime know that a vision has to be followed by a venture and without that it becomes a mere fanciful speculation. Doers are ordinary people, who do things without expecting’ anything to happen immediately. They wait and if nothing happens they try again because they believe that everyone gets a second or third chance to achieve.
We always remember people who have failed but don’t remember those who make a comback and handle life confidently. We must remember that all of us face stress in life and it shatters some, while others gain strength.
We alone have the freedom to choose pace and grace ourselves. There is a little piece of heaven we have to reach but the route is through hell. Be rest assured that when we fall down, we have a chance to get up and run faster, perhaps to create a record.
The greatest danger in life is that we take too many precautions; we wait for the right moment when others have already started running the race. When we hold back in life, life holds back on us. We are all three different people. We are the people that others perceive us to be and we are the people that we think others perceive us to be.
I once asked a friend what his three wishes are? He replied, “I want a mahogany table, a luxury sports car and to be good at golf.” Of course, these are all trapping of success in business. I said, “Why not think of a close family, hard work and a yearly holiday with family? He thought over it and said, “Yes, it is a good idea mixing work with play and make it a game.”
What happens when we grow older? We can’t draw, we can’t speak, we can’t perform. We attribute that to our parents who gave us bad genes. Over and above, the teacher, boss and others in authority tell us, “You are not good; you can’t do this or that” and wse believe it. Suddenly, we become a collection of ‘Cants’. Negative thoughts dominate and many of us sit in awe and wonder when others succeed.
Any significant change in life starts with the words ‘I can that is, a belief in the self, faith in one’s own performance’. Remember, that it is not a big wound that kill our spirit but small little scratches that add up in life. No sooner we are born, people compare us to others. We are weighed, measured and judged. Some say that we have no potential and some say that we are a liability instead of an asset. It is for us to break out of that mould and create a new frame, to fit in, while going ahead in life.
People who pursue excellence make something out of their lives. Their efforts and Gods benevolence combine to make them distinct and unique. Contrary to popular opinion, they believe that they are responsible for being better and ultimately the best. God makes the original; he does not make a carbon copy. We only try to become a carbon copy not knowing who we are and what is our potential? John Steinbeck, the author said, “It is the nature of man to rise to greatness if greatness is expected of him”.
A retired bureaucrat told me, “I have lost my bearings. While in service there were many to whom I could give orders. Now there is none who will listen to me because I have lost my power, halo and glamour.” After a pause I told him, “You have lost nothing. It is only imagination and habit. You start doing things and miracles will happen. You can’t win a lottery before purchasing a lottery ticket. “He asked me, “Are you an optimist?” I replied, “It is not optimism or hope. It is only a lesson everyone learns after trial and error, but the point is that you should try and results will come automatically.”
There is a difference between dreamers at night and dreamers in daytime. Dreamers at night, sleep, see pictures, which fade away. They never wake up whereas dreamers in daytime know that a vision has to be followed by a venture and without that it becomes a mere fanciful speculation. Doers are ordinary people, who do things without expecting’ anything to happen immediately. They wait and if nothing happens they try again because they believe that everyone gets a second or third chance to achieve.
We always remember people who have failed but don’t remember those who make a comback and handle life confidently. We must remember that all of us face stress in life and it shatters some, while others gain strength.
We alone have the freedom to choose pace and grace ourselves. There is a little piece of heaven we have to reach but the route is through hell. Be rest assured that when we fall down, we have a chance to get up and run faster, perhaps to create a record.
The greatest danger in life is that we take too many precautions; we wait for the right moment when others have already started running the race. When we hold back in life, life holds back on us. We are all three different people. We are the people that others perceive us to be and we are the people that we think others perceive us to be.
I once asked a friend what his three wishes are? He replied, “I want a mahogany table, a luxury sports car and to be good at golf.” Of course, these are all trapping of success in business. I said, “Why not think of a close family, hard work and a yearly holiday with family? He thought over it and said, “Yes, it is a good idea mixing work with play and make it a game.”
Comments
Thanks for this blog.
Cheers!
Kapil.