Saturday, November 3, 2012
Opportunity to change your next Avatar
Many of you must have seen the James Cameron Blockbuster 'Avatar'. Do you believe in Avatar ? Do you believe that this life is one of the Avatars and it could be different in the next.
If this is true, what are you doing to make your next Avatar better? Human beings are some of the very few who have the OPPORTUNITY to DESERVE a better next Avatar, based on the deeds done in the present one. Perhaps this is because we can think, choose and act. Perhaps none of the other species have a chance to do something to improve the quality of their next avatar.
What are you doing to make your next Avatar better than the current one?
If this is true, what are you doing to make your next Avatar better? Human beings are some of the very few who have the OPPORTUNITY to DESERVE a better next Avatar, based on the deeds done in the present one. Perhaps this is because we can think, choose and act. Perhaps none of the other species have a chance to do something to improve the quality of their next avatar.
What are you doing to make your next Avatar better than the current one?
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Rules for creators
If you are in the habit/business/ profession of creating, the following lines from 'The Fountainhead' by Ayn Rand may be of help.
Disclaimer : please replace 'man' with person. The following were how Ayn wrote them in 1943.
You've gone beyond the probable and made us see the possible, but possible only through you. Because your figures are more devoid of contempt of humanity than any work I’ve ever seen. . . . I came for a simple, selfish reason . . . to seek the best.
Howard, I’m a parasite. I’ve been a parasite all my life . . . I have fed on you and all the men like you who lived before we were born. . . . if they hadn’t existed I wouldn’t have known how to put stone to stone. . . . I have taken that which was not mine and given nothing in return.
“Freedom (n.): To ask nothing. To expect nothing. To depend on nothing.”
“You have been the one encounter in my life that can never be repeated”
“Man cannot survive except through his mind. He comes on earth unarmed. His brain is his only weapon. Animals obtain food by force. man had no claws, no fangs, no horns, no great strength of muscle. He must plant his food or hunt it. To plant, he needs a process of thought. To hunt, he needs weapons,and to make weapons - a process of thought. From this simplest necessity to the highest religious abstraction, from the wheel to the skyscraper, everything we are and we have comes from a single attribute of man -the function of his reasoning mind.”
“It's easy to run to others. It's so hard to stand on one's own record. You can fake virtue for an audience. You can't fake it in your own eyes. Your ego is your strictest judge. They run from it. They spend their lives running. It's easier to donate a few thousand to charity and think oneself noble than to base self-respect on personal standards of personal achievement. It's simple to seek substitutes for competence--such easy substitutes: love, charm, kindness, charity. But there is no substitute for competence.”
“Integrity is the ability to stand by an idea.”
“Do you mean to tell me that you're thinking seriously of building that way, when and if you are an architect?"
Yes."
My dear fellow, who will let you?"
That's not the point. The point is, who will stop me?”
“Never ask people about your work.”
“I don't wish to be the symbol of anything. I'm only myself.”
Disclaimer : please replace 'man' with person. The following were how Ayn wrote them in 1943.
You've gone beyond the probable and made us see the possible, but possible only through you. Because your figures are more devoid of contempt of humanity than any work I’ve ever seen. . . . I came for a simple, selfish reason . . . to seek the best.
Howard, I’m a parasite. I’ve been a parasite all my life . . . I have fed on you and all the men like you who lived before we were born. . . . if they hadn’t existed I wouldn’t have known how to put stone to stone. . . . I have taken that which was not mine and given nothing in return.
“Freedom (n.): To ask nothing. To expect nothing. To depend on nothing.”
“You have been the one encounter in my life that can never be repeated”
“Man cannot survive except through his mind. He comes on earth unarmed. His brain is his only weapon. Animals obtain food by force. man had no claws, no fangs, no horns, no great strength of muscle. He must plant his food or hunt it. To plant, he needs a process of thought. To hunt, he needs weapons,and to make weapons - a process of thought. From this simplest necessity to the highest religious abstraction, from the wheel to the skyscraper, everything we are and we have comes from a single attribute of man -the function of his reasoning mind.”
“It's easy to run to others. It's so hard to stand on one's own record. You can fake virtue for an audience. You can't fake it in your own eyes. Your ego is your strictest judge. They run from it. They spend their lives running. It's easier to donate a few thousand to charity and think oneself noble than to base self-respect on personal standards of personal achievement. It's simple to seek substitutes for competence--such easy substitutes: love, charm, kindness, charity. But there is no substitute for competence.”
“Integrity is the ability to stand by an idea.”
“Do you mean to tell me that you're thinking seriously of building that way, when and if you are an architect?"
Yes."
My dear fellow, who will let you?"
That's not the point. The point is, who will stop me?”
“Never ask people about your work.”
“I don't wish to be the symbol of anything. I'm only myself.”
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Hard + Smart
Great organizations, businesses are built by a few smart people and a lot of average hard working people. Ratan Tata once said that about Tata Motors.
Too many geniuses in the team and they can't work with each other or get any work done. Too many hard working people and their efforts may get wasted without direction.
Make sure you build a team which contains both in correct proportion.
Too many geniuses in the team and they can't work with each other or get any work done. Too many hard working people and their efforts may get wasted without direction.
Make sure you build a team which contains both in correct proportion.
Learning from 'Headlines'
Headlines are everywhere. Magazines , news papers, hoardings , advertisements...
What makes them tick? They compete with billions of messages vying for your attention. They get at the most a second or two,to make an impact ,so you get interested.
They convey in few words what might take an hour to communicate. They use simple words, mostly include the word 'you', are direct and convey the key idea.
Rules that you can use in business communication. Else,you WILL get lost!
What makes them tick? They compete with billions of messages vying for your attention. They get at the most a second or two,to make an impact ,so you get interested.
They convey in few words what might take an hour to communicate. They use simple words, mostly include the word 'you', are direct and convey the key idea.
Rules that you can use in business communication. Else,you WILL get lost!
Friday, June 1, 2012
Posturing and Intent
Many people in positions of influence and decision making tend to 'Posture' especially in front of colleagues,peers. Posturing is putting up a stance or behavior.
Posturing may be required by a new boss to establish himself/herself , create an aura, make a political move, impress someone etc.
Don't confuse this posturing with real intent. When you meet the same person alone, their behavior would bd quite different from the posture since none of the above apply there.
Be sure to distinguish Posturing from intent. It's a useful distinction.
Posturing may be required by a new boss to establish himself/herself , create an aura, make a political move, impress someone etc.
Don't confuse this posturing with real intent. When you meet the same person alone, their behavior would bd quite different from the posture since none of the above apply there.
Be sure to distinguish Posturing from intent. It's a useful distinction.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
'Dignifying' everything with a response
Every interaction need not be responded to. Two reasons:
1. Many things people say don't deserve a response.
2. The moment you respond , you are no longer in control. The conversation is.
Eg. How many provocations, comments , criticisms do you think Cricketer Sachin responded to , in his career? What %?
Do not dignify everything that is said, with a response.
1. Many things people say don't deserve a response.
2. The moment you respond , you are no longer in control. The conversation is.
Eg. How many provocations, comments , criticisms do you think Cricketer Sachin responded to , in his career? What %?
Do not dignify everything that is said, with a response.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
The point of PowerPoint
There are not many in this world who made billions out of PowerPoint except perhaps Bill Gates.
If you want to articulate an idea, make a pitch, discuss points and numbers, get your idea straight like a story line .
Can you explain it on the back of a napkin, with a cheat note, just face2face?
Do it that way rather than open a PowerPoint file. You will get your points across without a lot of mess and pain.
There is a reason US army banned PowerPoint .
Remember world existed just fine before MS PowerPoint.
If you want to articulate an idea, make a pitch, discuss points and numbers, get your idea straight like a story line .
Can you explain it on the back of a napkin, with a cheat note, just face2face?
Do it that way rather than open a PowerPoint file. You will get your points across without a lot of mess and pain.
There is a reason US army banned PowerPoint .
Remember world existed just fine before MS PowerPoint.
Excellence
As the legendary coach vince lombardi once said " one's quality of life is directly proportional to one's commitment to excellence". The battle between excellence and real life compromises are everywhere.
While life and business demand that one makes compromises, the passion to pursue excellence should not be given up.
It's the journey as much as the goal, that make it worth it. Such a path provides purpose, motivation and satisfaction that cannot come from material gains.
While life and business demand that one makes compromises, the passion to pursue excellence should not be given up.
It's the journey as much as the goal, that make it worth it. Such a path provides purpose, motivation and satisfaction that cannot come from material gains.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Money and the many others
What drives people?
If you are one of those still stuck thinking money is #1, you are way behind. Maslow's hierarchy of needs works and once basic needs are done, money has little incremental value.
High performers find that the 'M' factor is incidental. The freedom to ideate, create, achieve,experiment,fail,learn,get better are more valuable to them.
So if you are trying to measure/motivate the actions of high performers in your team by the money factor alone, you are missing the many others that make them get up,dress up and show up!
If you are one of those still stuck thinking money is #1, you are way behind. Maslow's hierarchy of needs works and once basic needs are done, money has little incremental value.
High performers find that the 'M' factor is incidental. The freedom to ideate, create, achieve,experiment,fail,learn,get better are more valuable to them.
So if you are trying to measure/motivate the actions of high performers in your team by the money factor alone, you are missing the many others that make them get up,dress up and show up!
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Variety is the spice of life
No relationship can last forever unless parties involved keep reinventing. Whether a friendship, marriage, employment or business partnership, neither party can take it for granted.
You need to remain attractive to the other in the ever changing backdrop.New options emerge all the time for both parties just as initial basis for the relationship wears off over time.
To borrow loosely from Kamasutra, innovation is the glue.
You need to remain attractive to the other in the ever changing backdrop.New options emerge all the time for both parties just as initial basis for the relationship wears off over time.
To borrow loosely from Kamasutra, innovation is the glue.
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