Inspirational Articles

8/7/2019 Inspirational Articles

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Want to be a winner? Just do it!

Here's a simple question to get you started. There are three monkeys sitting on a tree, above apond. One of the monkeys decides to jump into the pond. How many monkeys are left on the

tree? Two? Wrong.

The right answer is three. You see, the monkey only made the decision to jump into the pond. Hedidn't actually jump! If you think about it, we are all like that. We take decisions. We makeresolutions. But somehow, we don't follow through with action. And intent without action isquite useless, really. Getting started - taking that first step - is often the master key to success. Assomeone once said, you don't have to be great to get started. But you sure have to get started tobecome great!

Do you find yourself struggling to take action on your plans and intentions? Well, here's a five-point programme to help you move from intent to action.

Make a beginning ? right away. Whatever be your goal, take the first step - however small - rightaway. Until you take that first step, your mind does not believe you. You need to signal toyourself that you are serious, that you mean business. Commit to taking action, immediately.Today. Now.

Break up the grand plan into smaller tasks. Remember, a journey of a thousand miles begins witha single step. Sometimes the task ahead looks so enormous that we feel overwhelmed - and wedon't do anything about it. Break that up into smaller sub-tasks, and suddenly you'll findsomething that's doable. Remember that old adage &lsquosomething is better than nothing'? It'sstill true.

Think of the pleasure, not the pain. Visualise success. If you want to do an MBA at a premierschool and plan to devote three hours a day to studying, don't think about missing the footballgame on television, or about not being able to go out for that Saturday night bash. Think insteadof the job that you could get post your MBA, the rewards that it would bring, the dreams thatwould get realised.

Create a support group. Surround yourself with people who share your objective, who are co-passengers on your journey to success. The excitement of being in it together will help you fightthe inertia, and get you going with the rest of the gang.

Pay up ? in advance. For most of us, monetary commitments are a strong impetus for action. Thefear of losing money or wasting it, can spur you into action. We follow up on our commitments,if only to ensure our money is well-spent. Plan to lose weight? Pay up for that three-monthweight loss programme! Don't wait.

Surround yourself with people who share your objective, who are co-passengers on your journeyto success.


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Bestselling management author Tom Peters tells the story of a man who approached Americanfinancer and banker JP Morgan with an envelope, and said, "Sir, in my hand I hold a guaranteedformula for success, which I will gladly sell you for $25,000."

"Sir," JP Morgan replied, "I do not know what is in the envelope. However, if you show me, and

I like it, I give you my word as a gentleman that I will pay you what you ask." The man agreed tothe terms, and handed over the envelope. JP Morgan opened it, and pulled out a single sheet ofpaper. He gave it one look - a mere glance - then handed it back to the gentleman. And paid himthe agreed-upon sum of $25,000! On that sheet of paper, were two things:

JP Morgan benefited from this advice, and you can too. Knowing what to do is often easy. Weall have our list of things to do. Our plans and our resolutions. Doing it - that's the tough bit. Butthat's the hallmark of successful people. The Nike guys are right. Want to be a winner? Just do it!

Obstacles helped these men earn mega

success

AT age 10, Julio was a little Spanish boy with a dream. He wanted to play football for hisfavourite club Real Madrid! He played all day, practised hard and became a very goodgoalkeeper.

By the time he was 20, the childhood dream was beginning to come true. He was signed up toplay for Real Madrid. And most football pundits were predicting that young Julio would soonbecome Spains No.1 goalkeeper.

One evening in 1963, Julio and his friends set out in a car for a night of fun. It turned out to be anight of horror, as the car they were travelling in met with a terrible accident. And young Julio soon-to-be star goalkeeper of Real Madrid and Spain found himself in hospital, paralysed from

the waist downwards. Doctors were unsure if hed ever be able to walk again. They were prettysure he would never play football again.

The road to recovery was long and painful. Julio spent the night thinking about what might havebeen. His mind was filled with sorrow, anger, regret. To lessen the pain, he took to writing songsand poems at night, with a tear in his eye and a pen in his hand. And to increase the dexterity inhis hand, a nurse gave him a guitar. He had never touched a guitar in his life! But soon Juliobegan strumming the guitar and also singing the songs that he had been writing.


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After being bed-ridden for 18 months, Julio gradually picked up the pieces of his life. Five yearsafter the accident, Julio entered a singing competition and won the first prize - singing a songcalled Life goes on the same!

He never played football again. But with a guitar in hand and a song on his lips, Julio Iglesias

went on to become one of the top ten singers in the history of music, selling over 300 millionalbums. Just imagine. If not for that accident, Julio Iglesias would have probably been justanother goalkeeper in Europe!

What happened to Julio that evening in 1963 could happen to any of us. A setback or an accident or failure - can often appear to be the end of the road. But it seldom is. When one door shuts,usually another one opens. Its just that we get so busy staring at the closed door and banging ourhead against it that we fail to spot the other door opening. Learning to cope with failure is oftenthe first and most critical step towards success.

Never let failure impact your sense of self-belief. You are a star, with unique talents. Didnt clear

the entrance exam to engineering college? Maybe you werent meant to be an engineer. Thatsall.

Even Albert Einstein didnt clear the entrance exam to join a polytechnic. But he didnt do toobadly, did he? Maybe there is a better, brighter career waiting for you. The trick is to move onand like Julio, tell yourself that Life goes on the same.

Several years ago, a bright little boy in a government school in Kerala had a dream. He wanted tobe a doctor. He did well in school, and everybody was convinced that this little boy wouldsomeday become a fine doctor. He wrote the entrance exam but failed to make the cut! He wasdevastated.

His parents were shocked. He went on to do a BSc then a Masters degree, worked with an ITfirm and later went on to found Infosys. His name? Kris Gopalakrishnan, CEO, Infosys. Justimagine. Had Kris not failed the medical entrance, he may have been in some little town inKerala today, prescribing antibiotics for a runny nose or a nagging flu. Imagine!

Good lesson to learn from Julio. And from Kris. When one door shuts, another one opens. Justbelieve in yourself. Next time you are faced with a failure or a setback, look out for the otherdoor. Push it open. And go find your place in the sun!


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Smash the peg. Set yourself free

DO you know what they do to keep a circus elephant from running away? They tie a metal chainonto a collar around the mighty elephants leg and tie it to a small wooden peg thatshammered into the ground. The 10-foot tall, 5,000 kilo hulk could easily snap the chain, uprootthe wooden peg, and escape to freedom. But it does not do that. In fact it does not even try. Theworlds most powerful animal, which can uproot a tree as easily as you and I can break atoothpick, remains tied down by a small peg and a flimsy chain. How come?

Its because when the elephant was a baby, its trainers used exactly the same methods. A chainwas tied around its leg and the other end of the chain was tied to a metal stake on the ground.The chain and peg were strong enough for the baby elephant. When it tried to break away, themetal chain would pull it back. Sometimes, tempted by the world it could see in the distance, the

elephant would pull harder. But the chain would cut into the skin on the elephants leg, making itbleed, creating a wound that would hurt the baby elephant even more. Soon, the baby elephantrealised it was futile trying to escape. It stopped trying !

And now when the big circus elephant is tied by a chain around its leg, it remembers the pain itfelt as a baby. And it does not try to break away. So even though its just a chain and a littlewooden peg, the elephant stands still. It remembers its limitations, and knows that it can onlymove as much as the chain will allow. It does not matter that the metal stake has been replacedby a wooden peg. It does not matter that the 100 kilo baby is now a 5,000 kilo powerhouse.However, the elephants belief prevails.

If you think about it, we are all like the circus elephant. We all have incredible power inside us.We have it in us to take on the world. And of course, we have our own chains and pegs. Our self-limiting beliefs that hold us back. Sometimes its a childhood experience or an early failure.Sometimes its something we were told when we were younger. That becomes our chain andpeg, holding us back from doing what we are capable of, stopping us from achieving what waswell within our powers. Time then to ask the question: whats holding you back? Whats yourchain and wooden peg?

When we are young, many of us grow up on a diet of Dont do that, or You cant do it!, orYou are no good! And we stop ourselves from aiming high. We say I cant do it becauseand fill in our favourite excuse. Because I dont speak English too well. Because I didnt study ina premier B-school. Because I come from a poor family. Over time, these beliefs about ourlimitations become stronger and stronger. These self-limiting beliefs become chains that stop usfrom trying. Circumstances change, metal poles get replaced by wooden pegs but we dontrecognise that. We stop trying. We give up without even trying.

And in life we often play the role of the elephant trainer, too as parents, teachers, colleagues orfriends. When that happens, remember to handle your baby elephants with care! Dont be overlycritical. Dont belittle them. Dont chain them to a peg!


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Remember, we all have the strength of an elephant. Dont let a mere chain-and-peg hold youback. Its a good idea to recognise whats holding you back. And break the shackles of your self-limiting beliefs. Its sad when we allow our achievements in life to be determined not by ourstrengths and our powers but by our self-limiting beliefs.

Time then to break free. Snap the chain. Smash the peg. Break your self-limiting belief. Setyourself free. Today!

Unleash the elephant within!

Change the way you look at world

DO you hate your job and feel that you get paid much less than you deserve? Is there a subjectyou totally despise and hate studying? Is there someone whos being rude and nasty to you allthe time? And have you been wondering why its all that way? Maybe you should hear the storyof the evil monster and the little boy.

The story goes that long, long ago there lived a monster in a tiny village. The villagers were allterrified of him, and felt their village was cursed to have such a creature living in their midst.Several men tried to fight the monster. One man attacked the monster with a sharp sword.

The monster grabbed the sword and almost magically pulled out another sword, twice as large,twice as sharp and cut the man into half. Another time, a villager set off with a large woodenclub to hit the monster. The monster responded by slamming the man with a wooden club, twiceas large as the one that the villager had. On another occasion, a villager tried to set the monsteron fire. But the monster opened his mouth and spewed huge flames that roasted the poor man.

Scared by these events the village folks gave up trying to fight the monster. They felt this wastheir lot, and they had to learn to live with it. And then one day a little boy said he would go andvanquish the monster. People were surprised, and despite their disbelief, went along to see thelittle boy take on the monster.

As the boy looked up at the giant, the monster just flared his nostrils and glared back. The littleboy then took out an apple and offered it to the monster. The monster grabbed it, held it to hismouth, and then thrust his clenched fist in front of the boy. Bang! As the fist slowly opened, thepeople were astonished to see two delicious apples there. Twice as red and twice as large as theapple that the boy had offered.


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The boy then took out a little earthen pot with some water and gave it to the monster. And themonster took that and responded by placing in front of the boy two urns made of gold, filled withdelicious juice. The people were ecstatic. They suddenly realised that the monster was not acurse but a boon to the village. The little boy smiled. And the giant just smiled back. While thestory is centuries old, the monster is still around. In colleges, in the office, and in our lives. And

its a good idea to remember the lessons from that story. Most of our problems appear that waybecause of the way we look at them. You get back what you give. Twice as much!

Is someone being rude to you? Maybe you need to change the way you behave with them. Andno, dont wait for them to change; you need to change first! At work too, if you go in to work,hating every moment, its unlikely that youll do a great job. If you dont contribute, dont expectto get paid a fat salary. You get what you give. Resolve today then to change. Love your job andgive it everything you have. Be nice to the Ms Nasty in college. Look at Maths as a cool, funsubject. And youll discover that the evil monster is in fact a benevolent giant.

Its significant that it took a little child to discover the true colours of the monster. Children dont

have preconceived notions. They believe the world is a wonderful place. Its only as they growup that the optimism vanishes, and negative conditioning sets in. Go on. Let the child in you takeover. Look at everything you dread with fresh eyes be it rude friends, tough subjects or lousyjobs. Maybe the monster is really a nice guy. Change the way you look at him. And see thedifference!

Tips for Group Discussions/ Personal

interviews

GROUP DISCUSSIONS (GD) and Personal Interviews (PI) are standard selection tools foradmission into good business schools in India.

While your academic record, work experience (if any) and scores in the entrance test qualify youfor an interview call, your final selection depends largely on your performance in the last mile.

I will talk about two things here - what the moderators/ interviewers are looking for, and how

students should prepare for success.

We will also bust some myths while we address these questions. I have been a recruiter fromprominent B-schools during my days in the corporate sector and am now part of the selectionpanel for Praxis. I also do some training in this area. So I have a fair idea of what it takes to win.

Lets begin with GDs. A group of students is assigned a topic for discussion for 1520 minutes.The panel is looking for an effective combination of knowledge and skills in the candidates.


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Knowledge comprises some understanding of the topic assigned, and also a good level ofawareness of the world around us. Preparation the only way to prepare is to read more, developa keen interest in current affairs and seek opportunities to discuss these in groups. Knowledgegives the content in a discussion without good content you cannot score well.

MYTH: Candidates perform well because they are smooth talkers.

REALITY: Candidates perform well because they talk sense and there is sufficient meat inwhat they say.

B-Schools seek a variety of skills in the aspirants. These comprise analytical skills,communication skills, team skills, ability to handle stress, decision-making skills etc. Lets talkabout the first three. Management is an applied discipline students need to use their analyticalskills to apply theory effectively to solve day-to-day problems. The panel wishes to see whetherthe candidate is able to think clearly about a situation, dig into his treasure of knowledge andapply it usefully in the short time he has to make his point. Preparation - students can train

themselves to think analytically it is an attitude that one can develop as opposed to not thinkat all. Make it a habit to get to the why and how of issues dont take things at face value think about them before you form an opinion.

MYTH: Academic brilliance equals analytical skills.

REALITY: Students with lower academic achievements sometimes demonstrate bettercapability to relate their learning to practical situations.

Communication skills are perhaps the most critical attribute of the modern manager. Theseinclude listening and articulation skills. Moderators look for the candidates keenness and ability

to listen to others mature managers are very good listeners because every time you listen, youlearn.

Preparation - train yourself to be a good listener develop the patience to listen attentively.Acknowledge that everyone has something valuable to say. When speaking in a GD, your job isto articulate your point of view in a way that is easy for others to comprehend. Preparation -inculcate the good habit of structuring your thoughts and presenting them logically. Writingessays on a variety of topics is good practice developing thought structure.

QUICKTAKE

* Train your mind to think analytically * Your GD arguments should have meat * Respectother peoples views * Listening is important. Practise patience * Writing essays can improvethought structure

MYTH: Good communication is about speaking a lot, speaking in a stylish accent and usingbig words.


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And now the very last phase of the selection process the PI. Some of the GD attributes we havespoken about remain as important in a PI knowledge, analytical skills, communication skills.

However, the PI is a little more predictable as there is a set of questions that is likely to be askedto a majority of the candidates. It makes sense to know what these questions are and to be

prepared with the answers. Lets look at some of these questions:

The most frequently asked first question is Can you tell us something about yourself? It makesample sense to prepare a comprehensive answer to this the trick again being able to structure iteffectively.

A necessary condition is to understand your own self your strengths, weaknesses and nature before attempting an answer. Other common questions relate to your reasons for doing an MBA,your career goals, reasons for switching streams or giving up a job etc. Students often ask me forhelp in answering these types of questions.

Please remember that these are questions about you and only you can give honest answers tothem. A counsellor can at best help you structure the reply.

The candidate should be prepared to face questions on his areas of interest in academics and hisarea of work. He has to demonstrate the capability to think and present his thoughts cogently.Highlight your areas of strength try to direct the interview towards your area of comfort.

A panelist looks at a candidate with two things in his mind would I like to have him on campusfor the next two years, and, will I be able to place him with a good organisation two years fromnow. The interviewee should thus come across as an honest, capable and sincere person.

Speak the truth while answering personal questions nothing works quite as well as truth.Diligence, genuineness, maturity and an awareness of the environment around you are positivetraits.

Cynicism, arrogance and indifference are negative traits. A seemingly innocuous question onwho your role model is and why he is your role model can yield lots of information about youacross these dimensions.

Highlight your learning from your academics and your job. Emphasise your interest in pursuingan MBA, and that too from that B-school. Avoid running down your college, your current area ofstudy, your current job etc,. to justify your decision to pursue an MBA. Learn to say I dont

know instead of making wild guesses!

There is no substitute to preparation. Listen attentively to each question asked and keep youranswers brief and to the point. Hope you enjoy the GD/ PI process and get admission to the B-school of your choice.


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Napolean was a great manager

FRIEDRICH Hegel, the famous German philosopher, said, The only thing we learn fromhistory is that we learn nothing from history. This is true, when you consider the fact that thegreatest lessons are taught by history. In spite of great strides registered in science andtechnology, the human nature, skills and qualities required for fruition of endeavours remain thesame and this is a domain in which lessons from history are particularly timeless. Hence, a studyof great men who made a mark in history helps us fathom some of the timeless ingredients ofleadership. In this article, from an in depth study of Napoleon and his life, we identify andpresent some of his qualities which paved the way for his great achievements.

Continuous self-education

Reading and learning from books was the only way one could continuously learn in those days.Ever since his boyhood days, reading was Napoleons first love. His quest for knowledgecontinued with the same vigour even at the height of his busy tenure as Emperor and remainedaglow till his last days as a prisoner of war in St. Helena. Education, Napoleon believed, shouldbe useful to ones position. As emperor, he knew that he could not afford to lack the knowledgehe needed.

Napoleon maintained a well-stocked home library. In 1808, in the midst of hectic militarycampaigns, he sent a memorandum to his personal librarian to arrange for a portable library of1000 volumes, printed in small types with no margin, so as not to waste space and loosely bound

so that the books would lay flat while he read them on campaigns.

Continuous education was personally important to Napoleon. He never stopped educatinghimself at any stage of life. He was strongly influenced by works of Rousseaus Confessions,and La Novella Heloise. Many of his pioneering reforms in education were based on ideasgleaned from Rousseaus works.

During his last days of captivity in St. Helena, the golden day for him was when the ship arrivedwith wooden cases of books. In St. Helena, he is said to have collected 3,000 volumes and theywere arranged on the bare damp shelves. How many of our leaders today continuously read andeducate themselves?

Selective reading

Since Napoleons reading was very extensive, he had to be compellingly selective. So heregularly skipped many of the pages (including Rousseaus) as useless treatises. He also usedto read so fast that a book hardly lasted him an hour and the assistant was kept busy carryingaway armful of finished books brought from the shelves.


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In todays world characterized by information explosion and overload, it is particularly importantto be very selective in what we chose to read. It is also critical to cultivate the art of reading andskip unwanted reading, like Napoleon.

The great Life time Manager

In modern managerial education, time management is considered a critical topic. Timemanagement, as we understand, however, focuses only on the optimal management of a calendarday.

But Napoleon offers himself as a great role model by the way he conducted his whole life timemanagement in a masterly manner. His gross life lasted 51 years, seven months and 20 days. Hewas taken as a prisoner of war after his decisive defeat at Waterloo and was deported to theisland of St. Helena, notorious for its insalubrious climate and remained as captive for six yearstill his death. His net active life, therefore, was only 45 years. Within this short span of his life,he lived an extremely productive life, leaving indelible footprints on the sands of time.

Napoleonic era lasted only for 16 years from 1799 to 1815. In these limited number of years hisachievements are extraordinary. Compare this with our individual life and career. With greatertime at our disposal, we are unable to leave a mark. Napoleon used to admonish, space we canrecover, time never.

Living the Present Moment

For Napoleon, the most important moment was now. When an issue was taken up forconsideration, he would plug all the corners and crevices in his mind, clear all other extremethoughts and concentrate on the issue at hand. It is in your moment of decision that your destiny

is shaped.

Thrift

In public, Napoleon loved dazzle, splendour and pageantry. However, he was a stickler to thriftin his own private life. To his courtiers, his advice was: Be economical and even parsimoniousat home, be magnificent in public.

Before he established a splendid royal palace as Emperor at Fontainebleau, his accommodationconsisted of a bedroom, bath room, study, dining room, conference room, audience chamber anda large ante chamber. His eating consisted of two simple meals a day. His wardrobe was limited.

He would drink half-a-cup of strong coffee twice or thrice in a day. He was having only two(Napoleon trade mark) velvet caps at a time and everywhere he will put it on in a diagonallytilted posture.

Savings from his personal income was a priority. In his last will and testament the entire cashapportioned represented his savings from his civil list payments for the last 14 years. Otheritems, including items like furniture and pieces of art, were all purchased from his own savings.


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Leaving a mark

Napoleon had the innate ability to create a favourable impression in the minds of people withdisparate backgrounds. Augustin, brother of Maximilien Robespierre, fiery leader of the FrenchRevolution wrote to his brother during early spring of 1794, I add to the names of patriots,

citizen Bonaparte, an exceedingly meritorious General in Command of the Artillery. Sir NeilCampbell, the English commissioner at Elba, wrote in his recollections, I have never seen a manin any situation in life with so much personal activity and restless perseverance. Even his rivalBritish commander Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington used to say of him, His presence onthe field made a difference of 40,000 men.

Napoleon Bonaparte is not great by virtue of his words, his speeches, his writings or by virtue ofa love of liberty; he is great in that he created a solid powerful government, a code of lawsadopted by various countries, courts of law, schools and a strong active and intelligentadministration, which forms the basis for our living till today (Napoleonic Code is adopted in allEuropean countries even today).

While Napoleon is known for his military victories, his enduring popularity, however, is onlydue to his everlasting contributions as an organiser, administrator and manager of the Frenchstate. Many a lesson is in store to be learnt from a study of his life for todays generation.

'Slog. Get your hands dirty!'

He is 58 years old, bespectacled with distinguished silver grey hair. Hes spent 25 years workingfor one of Indias most respected corporate houses. I have learnt a lot from him. But it is unlikelyyou would have ever heard of him. His name is Karunan. And he worked with me as my driver.

Sometimes, the biggest lessons in life come from very unlikely sources. And as Karunan spoketo me one morning about his life and times, I thought young people would benefit from listeningto what he has to say. Since Karunan will probably never be invited to deliver a convocationspeech or a commencement address at a college, I decided to share those lessons with you. Heregoes:

1. Getting a driving license does not make you a driver. I was 18 when I got my license. But itwas only after several months of driving a car that I actually learnt to drive, and became a realdriver. A license is only a permit and not a stamp of authority. An MBA does not make you amanager. It is only after you spend several more years learning on the job that you truly qualifyto call yourself a manager.


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Many young people confuse getting a degree as signifying the end of their learning. Wrong. Itsjust the beginning. A degree or a diploma the licence simply marks you out as someonequalified to learn from real life experiences. It doesnt make you an expert.

2. The real world is very different from a classroom. I learnt to drive a car. But my first job

required me to drive a little tempo. The steering wheel was different, and so were the gears. Ithought I knew how to drive but I couldnt even get the tempo started. The world outside theclassroom is a very different place. Thats as true for engineers and MBAs and accountants as itis for drivers. Get ready to get surprised.

3. Slog. Get your hands dirty. I spent nights working as a cleaner. Thats when I learnt all aboutthe insides of an automobile. Knowing whats under the bonnet has made me a better drivertoday. The brightest marketing professionals in the country will tell you that they learnt theirbiggest lessons in the days they spent slogging in small towns selling soaps or colas. Theres noother way. If you want to be successful, work hard, dirty your hands and go beyond yourspecific role.

4. Initially, what you learn is more important than what you earn. In my first job, the pay wasbad but the boss was good. He gave me opportunities to learn, make mistakes. I banged histempo quite a bit. While the dents were quickly repaired, the lessons I learnt remain firmlyetched in my mind. In your first job dont worry about pay packet or the size of theorganisation. Get a good boss. A good mentor. Thats priceless.

5. Dont worry about which car you drive. Focus on being a good driver. I always wanted todrive the best cars but rather than complain about having to drive a tempo or a school van orthe city transport bus, I focused on driving well. I told myself that if I do that, the good cars willcome. And they did. Now thats a great lesson. Its not about the company. Its about you. Do

the best with what you have, wherever you are. Karunan spent 15 years struggling in odd jobsbefore landing a drivers job in one of Indias largest companies. We could all benefit by stayingfocused on doing a great job rather than worrying about the next job, or the next promotion. Doa good job. Success and happiness will follow. Inevitably.

Those then are five fabulous life lessons from an unlikely guru. Follow Karunans advice and Iguarantee theyll make a difference to your career. And to your life!


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Secret of success: Get the mind-set of an ant!

All of us tend to look up to big people for lessons on how to get better. We are keen to learn thesecrets of their success. But we forget that sometimes the biggest lessons in life come from thesmallest folks around us. Now thats a good lesson to remember!

Take ants for instance. Would you believe those small creatures can teach us how to live a betterlife? Jim Rohn - the great motivational guru developed what he called the Ants Philosophy.He identified four key lessons from the behaviour of ants that can help us lead better lives. JimRohn is no more but his messages continue to inspire. Here then, are the four lessons fromRohns Ants Philosophy.

1. Ants never quit. Have you noticed how ants always look for a way around an obstacle? Put

your finger in an ants path and it will try and go around it, or over it. It will keep looking for away out. It wont just stand there and stare. It wont give up and go back.We should all learn to be like that. There will always be obstacles in our lives. The challenge isto keep trying, keep looking for alternative routes to get to our goals. Winston Churchillprobably paraphrased the ants mindset when he offered this priceless advice: Never give up.Never, never give up!

2. Ants think winter all summer. Remember the old story of the ant and the grasshopper? Inthe middle of summer, the ant was busy gathering food for the winter ahead while thegrasshopper was out having a good time. Ants know that summer - the good times wont lastforever. Winters will come. Thats a good lesson to remember. When the going is good, dont be

so arrogant as to believe that a crisis or a setback cannot happen to you. Be good to other people.Save for a rainy day. Look ahead. And remember, good times may not last, but good people do.

3. Ants think summer all winter. As they suffer through the unbearable cold of the winter, antskeep reminding themselves that it wont last forever, and that summer will soon be here. Andwith the first rays of the summer sun, the ants come out ready to work, ready to play. When weare down and seemingly out, when we go through what looks like a never-ending crisis, its goodto remind ourselves that this too shall pass. Good times will come. Its important to retain apositive attitude, an attitude that says things will get better. As the old saying goes, tough timesdont last. Tough people do.

4. Ants do all they possibly can. How much food does an ant gather in summer? All that itpossibly can! Now thats a great work ethic to have. Do all you can! One ant doesnt worry abouthow much food another ant is collecting. It does not sit back and wonder why it should have towork so hard. Nor does it complain about the poor pay! Ants just do their bit. They gather all thefood they can. Success and happiness are usually the result of giving 100% - doing all youpossibly can. If you look around you, youll find that successful people are those who just do allthey possibly can.


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Follow the four simple steps of Jim Rohns Ant Philosophy and youll see the difference.Dont quit. Look ahead. Stay positive. And do all you can.

And theres just one more lesson to learn from ants. Did you know that an ant can carry objectsup to 20 times their own weight? Maybe we are like that too. We can carry burdens on our

shoulders and manage workloads that are far, far heavier than wed imagine. Next timesomethings bothering you and weighing you down, and you feel you just cant carry on, dontfret. Think of the little ant. And remember, you too can carry a lot more on your shoulders!

Petrocrats, the new energy professionals

Fast Facts

Best Schools: PDPU, Gandhinagar; UPES, Dehradun; RGIPT, Rae Bareilly; ISM, Dhanbad;Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh; IIT-Madras ; MIT, Pune

Qualification: Diploma, BTech, MTech, MBA What you become: Geologist, Geophysicist,Petrophysicist, Drilling engineer, Process control engineer, Health and safety engineer, ReservoirEngineer, Mud Logging engineer, MWD Engineer (Measurement While Drilling), Well Testinganalyst, Pipeline Engineer, Design Engineer, Well Stimulation Engineer, R&D Engineer. SalesOfficer, Marketing Officer, Business Development Officer

Recruiters: Accenture, Adani, BPCL, British Gas, CRISIL, Deloitte, Essar Oil, GAIL, Gulf Oil,HPCL, Indian Oil, Infosys, Jindal Group, L&T

THE average manpower requirement in petroleum industry is very high compared to otherindustries, so there will be a lot of vacancies in the near future.

The optmistic view is shared by Prof. P.K. Banik, Director of the School of PetroleumTechnology, PDPU, Gandhinagar. The growth rate in petroleum industry is higher than thenational GDP growth rate hence the requirement for petroleum engineers is there, he elaborates.He is very optimistic about the job scenario in the petroleum sector in the coming years, andaccording to him two factors will ensure a high demand of qualified professionals in the sector.

In the recent past, though interest has been generated in areas like nuclear energy and solarenergy, due to the thrust on environmental concerns, the reality is that these alternative forms ofenergy have not taken off in India. Hence the focus is likely to remain on the petroleum sectorfor many years to come. I expect Petroleum sector to be in focus for the next 25-30 years, saysProf. Banik. Along with coal oil still remains Indias key to secure its energy needs andeconomic growth.


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Another lucrative aspect of this sector is a relatively stable employment scenario. Traditionally,employment in this sector is lifetime employment. For example, if one starts his career with IOC,he generally retires with IOC. Its even so with larger international companies, says Dr. ParagDiwan, Vice-Chancellor of UPES Dehradun, which according to him is the first petroleuminstitute in India.

Oil & Gas studies what is it?

Interestingly, petroleum engineering is an amalgamation of all engineering disciplines. Full-fledged petroleum engineers must be chemical engineers, they must be electrical engineers, tosome extent civil engineers and instrumentation and control engineers. They must knoweverything. In addition, they must know geology, geophysics, because they must know where theoil and gas reserves are underground, and how oil and gas moves, explains Prof. Banik,stressing on the multidisciplinary nature of a petroleum engineer.

Further, each institute is employing a unique method to help its students stand apart. Students

work on an MBA dissertation or thesis, a strong 250-page document which they start working onimmediately after coming back from their internship. So for be first six months they would dothe framework, analysis and in some cases even the data collection and in the last semester theyanalyse, bring in models, do some forecasting etc. So it runs over the full second year and haseight credits. So, we have heavy research focus in our MBA, says Dr. Diwan.

At PDPU, the focus is three-pronged: first students are made academically sound. Second, theirskill development is taken care of. The third focus is on personality development, includingcharacter building.

Profiles of a Petroleum Engineer

* Geologists can tell about the Oil & Gas reserves.

* Geophysicists tell you where the Oil and Gas is by conducting various surveys.

* Petrophysicists evaluate the reservoir rock properties by employing well log measurements, inwhich a string of measurement tools are inserted in the borehole

* Drilling engineers design and implement procedures to drill wells as safely and economicallyas possible

With respect to the knowledge aspect, we reviewed the curriculum last year and removedexisting gaps. We offer various subjects to cover functional knowledge, domain knowledge, andbasic knowledge, too. Further, adequate electives are offered to enable students to specialise inthe area of their choice from Finance, HR etc, says Prof. Bhavesh Patel.

On further enquiry, one comes to know that the OD (Organisational Development) and OB(Organisational Behaviour) courses, as well as Communication Skills classes focus on skilldevelopment. Hailing from Indias premier B-School for HR & OB - XLRI, Jamshedpur - Prof.


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Patel has evolved a unique methodology for students personality development. Students, on avoluntary basis, do community service in the nearby villages.

We also have a labour colony on campus whom the students educate. Sensitivity to human issuesis brought about by another programme because without this the manager is an incomplete

manager. In this Human sensitisation programme, they are in contact for some time with peoplewho come in the have not category, try to understand their problems and help themcontinuously for two years, he explains.

Lectures, conferences and summits where students get a chance to interact with industry expertsare, of course, more or less the norm across these institutes now-a-days.

What petroleum engineers do

There are three main areas which a student can choose within Petrochemical engineering tofurther his career:

1. Upstream: The upstream oil sector is also known as the exploration and production (E&P)sector. This includes searching for potential underground or underwater oil and gas fields,drilling of exploratory wells, and subsequently operating the wells that recover and bring thecrude oil and/ or raw natural gas to the surface. And it also includes searching for new forms ofenergy like Shale oil/ gas or oil from deep sea beds.

2. Midstream: This area of the sector processes, stores, markets and transports commoditiessuch as crude oil, natural gas, natural gas liquids and sulphur

3. Downstream:This involves the refining of crude oil and the selling and distribution of natural

gas and products derived from crude oil. The downstream sector includes oil refineries,petrochemical plants, petroleum product distribution, retail outlets and natural gas distributioncompanies.

What you must study

While those with a BTech/ MTech typically stoke the operations arm of the petroleumcompanies, the management cadre comprising of Marketing, Finance and HR functions areincreasingly being hired from the MBA batches of these institutes. Of the 21 managementtrainees hired in our organisation this year, 20 come from such specialised institutes, saysManas Nanavati, a 2010 batch Petro-MBA and management trainee at Bharat Petroleum in

Mumbai.

Being a technology-dominant industry, the traditional route of entry has been by getting a BTechor an MTech degree in any discipline of Petroleum Engineering. However, with petroleuminstitutes like PDPU, UPES and RGIPT opening up in the country, one can also get a specialisedBBA or MBA in Oil & Gas sector to kick-start ones petro-career.


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However, probing deeper, one finds that many of these MBAs have actually done engineering attheir graduation level. For example, Manas happens to be a Chemical Engineer. Petroleumexploration, extraction, and processing is a very technology-intensive process and thereforeskilled manpower intensive. Worker level or unskilled people do not fit the bill and technicalpersons are required. Even if you are not in a technical job as such, a good understanding of the

sector is required and a first technical degree helps.

Opportunities galore

It is not only in the core Oil & Gas sector that petro-graduates are in demand. Another promisingarea is the IT companies with domain areas in Oil and Gas. Big IT companies like Wipro & TCShave verticals focussed on Oil and Gas, which is responsible for projects in these industries.They prefer people with IT knowledge and domain knowledge of the Oil & Gas sector.

Secondly, there are a lot of companies into design of off shore structure, off shore drillwell etc,which only petroleum engineers can do as they have these subjects covered in their curriculum

unlike a Civil or Mechanical engineer. For example, L&T is a major company in this area. Theremuneration, however, remains higher for the core technical jobs, in comparison to these alliedopportunities.

Remuneration

Last year, the average salary was around rupees 4.5 lakhs with the highest salary being 10 lakhsfor the MBA batch, says Bhavesh Patel, Director of School of Petroleum Management atPDPU. Parag Diwan, VC, UPES, Dehradun, agrees that the BTech holders have an edge over theMBAs in placements as it is a technology-dominant industry.

Nihit Jain, Senior Officer, HR with Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC) shares that theSixth Pay Commission made a significant difference to his pay packet. Nihit had joined GSPC in2008 after completing his MBA-Oil & Gas.

Opportunities abroad

Another interesting fact to note is that 30% of the petroleum engineers produced by India areworking abroad. The student preference is clearly for international companies like British Gasand Schlumburger, being in direct proportion to what they pay, says Dr. Parag Diwan.Obviously, the perks too are on the higher side.

The flipside

Though salaries are lucrative and the prospects are bright, the conditions in which one has towork in the field are often trying. We send students for a three-week rural internshipprogramme right after the completion of the first year of their studies to acclimatise them to theharsh conditions, so as to prepare them well for a job in the demanding petroleum sector, saysProf. Banik. It can be physically very demanding and social life is almost zilch.


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You can expect to be at an offshore drilling site like Bombay High, or in the desert regions, oreven the hilly terrain of the North East with little company. In fact, the sector seems to havesomething in common with the Merchant Navy - the going is tough, but the tough laugh all theway to the bank.

Parable of the Pencil

The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box.

There are 5 things you need to know, he told the pencil, Before I send you out into the world.Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be.

One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in

Someones hand.

Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but youll need it to becomea better pencil.

Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.

Four: The most important part of you will always be whats inside.

And Five: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what thecondition, you must continue to write.

The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in itsheart.

Now replacing the place of the pencil with you. Always remember them and never forget, andyou will become the best person you can be.

One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in Godshand. And allow other human beings to access you for the many gifts you possess.

Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going through various

problems in life, but youll need it to become a stronger person.

Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.

Four: The most important part of you will always be whats on the inside.

And Five: On every surface you walk through, you must leave your mark. No matter what thesituation, you must continue to do your duties.


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Allow this parable on the pencil to encourage you to know that you are a special person and onlyyou can fulfill the purpose to which you were born to accomplish.

Never allow yourself to get discouraged and think that your life is insignificant and cannot makea change.

The True Story Of Rudolph

A man named Bob May, depressed and brokenhearted, stared out his drafty apartment window into the

chilling December night.

His 4-year-old daughter Barbara sat on his lap quietly sobbing. Bob's wife, Evelyn, was dying of cancer.

Little Barbara couldn't understand why her mommy could never come home. Barbara looked up into her

dad's eyes and asked, "Why isn't Mommy just like everybody else's Mommy?" Bob's jaw tightened and

his eyes welled with tears. Her question brought waves of grief, but also of anger. It had been the story of

Bob's life. Life always had to be different for Bob.

Small when he was a kid, Bob was often bullied by other boys. He was too little at the time to compete in

sports. He was often called names he'd rather not remember. From childhood, Bob was different and

never seemed to fit in. Bob did complete college, married his loving wife and was grateful to get his job as

a copywriter at Montgomery Ward during the Great Depression.

Then he was blessed with his little girl. But it was all short-lived. Evelyn's bout with cancer stripped them

of all their savings and now Bob and his daughter were forced to live in a two-room apartment in the

Chicago slums. Evelyn died just days before Christmas in 1938.

Bob struggled to give hope to his child, for whom he couldn't even afford to buy a Christmas gift. But if hecouldn't buy a gift, he was determined to make one - a storybook! Bob had created an animal character in

his own mind and told the animal's story to little Barbara to give her comfort and hope.

Again and again Bob told the story, embellishing it more with each telling. Who was the character? What

was the story all about?

The story Bob May created was his own autobiography in fable form. The character he created was a

misfit outcast like he was. The name of the character? A little reindeer named Rudolph, with a big shiny

nose. Bob finished the book just in time to give it to his little girl on Christmas Day.

But the story doesn't end there.

The general manager of Montgomery Ward caught wind of the little storybook and offered Bob May a

nominal fee to purchase the rights to print the book. Wards went on to print, "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed

Reindeer" and distribute it to children visiting Santa Claus in their stores.

By 1946 Wards had printed and distributed more than six million copies of Rudolph. That same year, a

major publisher wanted to purchase the rights from Wards to print an updated version of the book.


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In an unprecedented gesture of kindness, the CEO of Wards returned all rights back to Bob May. The

book became a best seller. Many toy and marketing deals followed and Bob May, now remarried with a

growing family, became wealthy from the story he created to comfort his grieving daughter.

But the story doesn't end there either.

Bob's brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, made a song adaptation to Rudolph. Though the song was turned

down by such popular vocalists as Bing Crosby and Dinah Shore, it was recorded by the singing cowboy,

Gene Autry. "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" was released in 1949 and became a phenomenal

success, selling more records than any other Christmas song, with the exception of "White Christmas."

The gift of love that Bob May created for his daughter so long ago kept on returning back to bless him

again and again. And Bob May learned the lesson, just like his dear friend Rudolph, that being different

isn't so bad. In fact, being different can be a blessing.

The Bhagavad Gita Simplified And Englished

Why do you worry without cause?

Whom do you fear without reason?

Who can kill you? The soul is neither born, nor does it die.

Whatever happened, happened for the good; whatever is happening, is happening for the good;whatever will happen, will also happen for the good only.

You need not have any regrets for the past. You need not worry for the future. The present ishappening...

What did you lose that you cry about?

What did you bring with you, which you think you have lost?

What did you produce, which you think got destroyed?

You did not bring anything - whatever you have, you received from here. Whatever you have given, youhave given only here. Whatever you took, you took from God. Whatever you gave, you gave to Him. Youcame empty handed, you will leave empty handed.

What is yours today, belonged to someone else yesterday, and will belong to someone else the dayafter tomorrow. You are mistakenly enjoying the thought that this is yours. It is this false happiness thatis the cause of your sorrows.

Change is the law of the universe. What you think of as death is indeed life. In one instance you can bea millionaire, and in the other instance you can be steeped in poverty. Yours and mine, big and small -erase these ideas from your mind. Then everything is yours and you belong to everyone.

This body is not yours, neither are you of the body. The body is made of fire, water, air, earth and ether,and will disappear into these elements. But the soul is permanent - so who are you?

Dedicate your being to God. He is the one to be ultimately relied upon. Those ho know of His support


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are forever free from fear, worry and sorrow.

Whatever you do, do it as a dedication to God. This will bring you the tremendous experience of joy andlife - freedom forever.

GOD IS NOTHING BUT THE SUPREME SELF WITHIN YOU.

The Faithful Dog

There is a legend of a woman who had a faithful dog. This dog was so faithful that the woman could leave

her baby with it and go out to attend other matters. She always returned to find the child soundly asleep

with the dog faithfully watching over him.

One day, something tragic happened.

The woman as usual, left the baby in the "hands" of this faithful dog and went out shopping. When she

returned, she discovered a rather nasty scene. There was a total mess.

The baby's cot was dismantled. His nappies and clothes torn to shreds, with bloodstains all over the

bedroom where she had left the child and the dog. Shocked, the woman wailed as she began looking for

the baby.

Presently, she saw the faithful dog emerging from the under the bed. It was covered with blood and

licking its mouth as if it had just finished a delicious meal. The woman went berserk and assumed that the

dog had devoured her baby. Without much thought, she clubbed the dog to death.

But as she continued searching for the "remains" of her child, she beheld another scene.

Close to the bed was her baby who, although lying on the bare floor, was safe. And under the bed, the

carcass of a jackal torn to pieces in what must have been a fierce battle between it and the dog which

was now dead.

Then reality hit the woman, who now began to understand what took place in her absence. The dog

fought to protect the baby from the ravenous jackal. It was too late for her now to make amends because

in her impatience and anger, she had killed the faithful dog.

Question: How often have we misjudged people and torn them to shreds with harsh words and even withphysical assault before we have had time to evaluate the situation? A little patience can drastically reduce

major life long errors.

Think about it!


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Your Greatest Day!

Today is a new day!

What can you do today to make it your greatest day?

Shake things up today.

Take time to think about all the things you are grateful for.

Call a friend and make them laugh.

Let go of past regrets and future insecurities.

Stop validating your victim mentality.

Embrace the immeasurable power you have been blessed with.

Say goodbye to people who mean you harm.

Surround yourself with positive people.

Excuse yourself from any relationship that is hurtful.

Understand that you are here to grow, to learn, to love, and be loved.

Do something you've wanted to do but always talked yourself out of.

Share your dreams and thoughts with someone close to you.

Remind yourself that you are beautiful, powerful, and created by love.

Today you have the opportunity to do so much!

You can choose to make it the same ol' same ol' or you can make it great.

Choose to make it great.

Today is a new day.

Make today your greatest day!. . . then do it again tomorrow :)

Rewrite Your Destiny

How many of us blame "destiny" when we're going through tough phases of life? We hear people say, it's

bad luck. But is this "luck" thing really so harsh and irreversible?


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Though few events of our life like birth, marriage or death are controlled by destiny, when it comes to hard

times, opportunities, or challenges we can repeal them by our "karma"- our deeds.

Even when passing through the roughest period of our life, we can turn it in our favor by hard and

righteous work. No good deed goes without being paid off and it does have the power of changing the

fortunes.

For example if one has worked for 20 hours in a week, the employer will pay for 20 hours. Similarly if we

are walking on the path of positivity with great faith in the almighty, performing our karmas, we'll be paid

off. When and how? Better we leave this calculation to the most compatible one - the god himself.

Even when nothing seems obliging or working, it's better to keep trying to make something good happen

rather than sitting or blaring.

When trapped from all sides in a dark cave one is not supposed to break the rock straight away. One

hollows out a small hole amid rocks to let the sunshine and air come in to avoid suffocation. Then efforts

are aimed at breaking free.

Human life is precious and powerful. This power is "will power". However this "will power" has to be

coupled with undeterred hard work, commitment and positivism. And if you are doing so, no matter how

tough stiff the problem is or how tough the time is, it will have to change as result of your "karmas" and

you will rewrite your destiny.

The secret lies in being vigorous and not surrendering. The secret lies in always striving to fill the gap

between "what is happening" and "what you want to make happen". The secret lies not in being the

victim or spectator of circumstances but in being victor of circumstances.

Seek Perfection

Have you sought to ascertain the talents you've been given? Do you realize the great gifts you possess?

What are you doing with the talents you have, that can bring satisfaction to your being? You were born

into this world with unique gifts. Within you is a glimmer of the divine. Your light can make a more

beautiful world.

Today, the light of many in the world lies dormant. It's been snuffed out by fears. Don't let your talents be

silenced by prejudice, discipline, judgment, or lack of motivation. Don't undermine the light of these

talents by hiding your abilities.

You deny self and others of many great experiences, when your capabilities are not displayed for their

greatest worth. Your abilities are a part of who you are and you should affirm the love, esteem, and trustwhich you have within yourself. Display your light for the world to see.

Don't let others convince you of your inadequacies. Don't allow peers to sway you from using the talents

you have. Don't be admonished or humbled to avoid showing off your skills.

Realize that there is a vast chasm between those who let their light shine and those who seek only to

draw attention to themselves. Give of your light to the world. You become a whole individual when you


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can share the embodiment of your vast potential.

If you have kept your light hidden for so long that it has shrunk to an ember, start today to enlighten

yourself and the world. It's not too late to ask yourself how you can utilize those abilities in your daily

living. The gifts you were born with were not given to you arbitrarily.

God put you here for a purpose. Seek to know His will.

Seek to be in the right place at the right time to make a difference in someone's life. Know that when you

embrace and share your talents with others, you will spread light to a darkened world. Godspeed...

The Power Of Thought

"Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions;

they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your

destiny."

--- Frank Outlaw

"Thought is at the bottom of each progress or retrogression, of all success or failure, of all is desirable or

undesirable in human life. The type of thoughts we entertain both creates and draws conditions that

crystallize about it, conditions exactly the same in nature as is the thought that gives them form, thoughts

are forces and each create of its kind, whether we realize it of not. Like creates like, and like attracts like.

And it is continuously working in every human life."

--- James Allen Wallace

What we think, believe and imagine about ourselves determines exactly our personality and the security

with which we cope with life. All thoughts we retain in our minds influence our personality and motives.

The more we hold them, the stronger they become and the more they control our actions. Thoughts ofinsecurity, uncertainty, fear, and failure build a weak, negative and insecure mind, therefore a weak

personality.

Be sure about yourself, or better yet be confident, for it is the main and first step all of us need to acquire

what we want. Being confident consists of believing in yourself - that you are sure you will achieve

whatever you set in your mind, regardless of all the obstacles you have in front of you, even if we don't

have the required tools. Attitude is everything!

All the knowledge or education you acquire doesn't matter, if you don't trust and believe in yourself. All

you pretend to do or obtain will be in vain. Maybe think of it this way: a car's wheels are to the tires what

confidence is to our achievements.

Take control of your life! Monitor, constantly and daily, your thoughts and guide them toward your goals.

Never, never accept, (not even for a second) negative thoughts that take you away from your peace,

happiness and your dreams.

"People only see what they are prepared to see."

--- Ralph Waldo Emerson


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Goodnight

It is time for bed... I need to get on my knees and thank the Lord above for another day. I humbly thank

Him for being such a big part of my life and walking with me on my journey of self-exploration.

As I put my head on my pillow for another night's slumber, I ask myself... Did I do everything I could

today, to make this day the best one yet??

Did I react to every opportunity to do a good deed, as to let someone go in traffic while others lay on their

horn in disbelief that I should let the person take their left turn in front of me?

Did I act ethically in every aspect of life today?? Did I help another human being with their taxing issue

and put them in a better place??

Did I hold the door for the old man that was behind me and that had two boxes in his arms, right after the

door was not held for me and literally slammed on my face??

Did I smile at the woman that cut me in line to get a carriage in the grocery store, who just spilled her

pocketbook while looking for a pen to cross off the broccoli she just put in her carriage off of her list?

Did I offer to help her pick up her belongings or did fear of helping someone riddle my body?? No, I

helped her, because fear stops people right in their tracks and lives in people's minds... I do not let fear

live in me.

Did I kiss my daughters goodnight and was I the best Daddy I can be to my children??

Ok, I think I can go to bed now because I answered, "yes" to all of my questions.

Goodnight!

What Is Progress?

Man belongs to where he wants to go. Think 'improvement' in everything you do and think 'high

standards' in everything you do. Believe it can be done.

Believing something can be done sets the mind in motion to find a way of doing it. There is a way. And,there is a better way. When you believe it is impossible, your mind goes to work to prove why. But when

you believe and really believe that something can be done, then your mind goes to work to help find ways

of doing it.

Many of us whip and defeat on why we can't, when the only thing worth concentrating on is why and how

we can.

In almost everything in life, from work to home to community development, the formula for success is - 'do


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what you do even better' (improve the quality of your output) and 'do more of what you do' (increase the

quantity of what you do). Qualitative up-gradation plus quantitative growth is progress.

Constantly remind yourself that you are better than you think you are so you can do everything in a better

way than how you are already doing it. Also, constantly remind yourself that you are not doing as much

as you can so you can do more of everything than what you are already doing.

Capability is the ability to better what you are already doing. Capacity is about doing more of what you are

already doing.

Improve your capability. Increase your capacity. That's progress.

Mastermind success!You can, if you think

you can

Have you heard of Roger Bannister? He was the first athlete to run the mile in less than fourminutes.

In doing so, he not only broke the four-minute barrier, but also taught us all a valuable lesson.

Back in the 1950's, the world record - 4 minutes 1.4 seconds - was held by Sweden's GinderHaegg. The record stood for several years since it was set in 1945. Athletes, experts and theworld were convinced that it was impossible to run a mile in less than four minutes. Some evenargued that the human body was biologically incapable of running the mile in less than fourminutes!

And then, on 6th May, 1954, Roger Bannister did the impossible. He broke the four minutebarrier, finishing the race in 3 minutes, 59.4 seconds.

His rival - Charles Landy - had thrice run the mile in less than 4 minutes 2 seconds withoutbreaching the 4 minute mark. The four minute barrier was "like a wall", Landy had said. Butguess what? Just 56 days after Bannister's feat, Landy ran the mile in 3 minutes 57.9 seconds.And by 1957, 16 athletes around the world ran the mile in under 4 minutes. The 4 minute mentalbarrier was truly shattered!

What really happened? Did coaches get smarter and teach the athletes new techniques? Didrunning shoes get more sophisticated? Did bodies suddenly get stronger? No. The 4 minutebarrier it turned out was not a physiological one - just a mental one! As Roger Bannister


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explained later, it seemed illogical that you could run a mile in 4 minutes and a bit, but not break4 minutes. His mind refused to accept that barrier. That made all the difference.

Once that mental barrier was broken by Bannister, everyone believed it could be done! And oncethe belief changed, the rest was easy.

It's important to understand that our achievements in life are limited not by what we can do, butby what we think we can do. More than ability, it's our attitude that makes the difference. AsHenry Ford said, "If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can't, you are right".

You will probably find your mind constantly grappling with two competing thoughts: 'I can't!'and 'I can!' How do you ensure the 'I can' wins? How can we break our mental barrier of 'I can't'?

There was a man in Alaska who had a black dog and a white dog. His dog fights attracted largecrowds. Every week people would bet on which dog would win. Sometimes the black dog won,and sometimes the white one. One lady noticed that no matter which dog won, the owner always

bet on the right dog, and won each week. When the man retired the two dogs, the lady asked himthe secret.

"Simple," said the man. "I always bet on the dog I had been feeding all week."

So whether 'I can't' wins in your mind or 'I can', depends on which thought you are feeding!

Feed the 'I can' dog in your mind. The thought you feed, grows! Focus on your strengths, andthey will grow. Or keep thinking of your weaknesses and your fears. And unfortunately they'llgrow too.

You won't always find a Bannister to break your mental barrier. You need to do it yourself. Onceyou start feeding the 'I can' thought, you will achieve more than you ever thought was possible!

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