Insights & Inspiration

[amitrandive]

Here's How Your Attitude Affects Your Success - GEOFFREY JAMES

http://www.businessinsider.com/how-your-attitude-affects-your-success-2014-9

Edited excerpt :

Your attitude defines and delimits your level of success. If you have a generally lousy attitude, you'll never really be successful. If you have a generally upbeat attitude, however, you'll always achieve at least some level of success. Your attitude determines how you interpret what events mean. Take obstacles, for example. Everyone who pursues any goal will inevitably run into obstacles. Your attitude determines what those obstacles mean and therefore how well you deal with them.

If you have a lousy attitude, you'll see obstacles as threats and annoyances. Even if you overcome them, you'll find the process frustrating, which will make future obstacles harder to cope with. If you've got a positive attitude, you'll see obstacles as interesting or even fun. Even if you fail to overcome them, you'll find the process invigorating, which will make future obstacles easier to overcome.

I ran into (or, more actually, almost ran into) a perfect example of this the other day. I was trying to find a parking space in a covered car lot. Suddenly, another car zipped around a blind corner and we would have crashed if we both hadn't quickly braked.

Same event. My first thought was: "Wow, I'm sure glad that we (meaning me and the other driver) have fast reflexes!" I'm not exactly sure what the other driver thought, but she gave me the single-finger salute accompanied by an expletive.

Same event, different attitude. Now, it's never pleasant to be the target of that kind of animosity, but my next thought was to feel sorry for her. She was in a small car with four kids and clearly having a horrible day. (I felt sorry for the kids, too.) Clearly still furious, she drove off even faster than she'd been driving before. I, however, slowed down because I took the almost-accident as a warning that I needed to pay more attention to my driving.

Same event, different attitude, opposite outcome.

The outcome for the other driver was an action that made her drive more dangerously and thus increase the possibility that she'd actually have a fender-bender next time. My outcome was to make me a better driver.
Everything in business is exactly like this. Stuff happens. Your attitude determines how you interpret and experience those events, and therefore strategies and tactics you'll follow in the future.

This is not to say that people who suffer from lousy attitudes don't win sometimes. They do, but it's always with massive hassle and complaint. When they finally win, they feel exhausted. Similarly, having an upbeat attitude doesn't bulletproof you against failure. You'll fail sometimes, but your attitude makes it easy to learn from your mistakes. And when you do win, you feel exhilarated.

Some people believe that their lousy attitude is part of who they are. Not so. As I explain in "How to Create a Positive Attitude," your attitude is something that you're doing. It's not a character trait. Regardless of what you do for a living, your real job — the foundation of what you will or won't accomplish — is your attitude. The more upbeat you are, the more likely you are to be successful at whatever you do.

Amazing stuff as always

Keep up the Good work DSM!!!

:clap::clap::clap:

 

[Catch22]

While we enjoyed good and comfortable childhood, grown watching our mother loving and caring ,devoted to her husband ,doting on her kids and created a pleasant and happy home ,We take it for granted and make much ado of minor matters, even in our adult life..
We rarely give thoughts of how they survive and what becomes of them. In this ‘virtual world ,I came across two kids born into disturbed home and had been brought up by kind foster parents .And today the way they have turned out is amazing ! So much so that it humbles me.


I paste here one of the essays reflecting their growth -


A Letter to Hugh. --


Ever have a brother or sister who meant so much to you and guided you through life?

It has been said that Jupiter, for the most part, has allowed for life to exist on earth. Long period comets aimed at earth have been blocked and absorbed by Jupiter thus allowing for intelligent life to thrive on our mother earth.

My brother is my Jupiter.

As far as I can pull out the explicit memories from the corners of my brain, my brother has always been my shield.

I was forced into a pre-school prison as a young child. But I was able to accept the eviction from my mom everyday because I knew my brother would be the one picking me up.

Fighting off Miami's hot breath, he would grab my young hand and would save me from the care of the day and take me to watch movies. It was our weekly tradition. He was the fountainhead for my love of cinema and music. 26 years later we find ourselves breaking down movie plots and listening to music for hours deciphering lyrics.

As a child, I wished to be my brother’s mirror. I mimicked his sounds, the expressions he created, and wanted to partake in everything he did.

As we grew older, his sheep's coating began to turn black and he became troublesome for our parents. Walking the line, accepting rules for rules' sake, and exhibiting monochromatic tendencies were concentrated forms of insanity for my brother.

He shook and spit on the line while making his own rules. My brother has always been a manifold of colorful wavelengths.

He put the 'quo' on a plate of 'status' and devoured it.

In his journey of self-discovery he made several mistakes. Many in the family were worried I would follow in his footsteps because I was a sponge to my brother's life. I soaked it all in, soaked it to the very last drop, all in hopes of being at most, a slice of him.

But he didn't let me.

He made me carve my own path. He always told me, "I made these mistakes so you don't have to." I wanted to make him proud so I did exactly what he urged me to do, succeed in anyway that I wanted to.

There was always an undercurrent of sadness in him because he saw more pain than I did. He had many hard-won victories. He used that experience and etched it in me. He taught me so I could teach him.

He came a long way since he was younger. He used to constantly fight, he ran away from home, and became part of America's high school dropout rate.

Now, he still fights, but no longer with his physicality. Using his cognizance, he battles against the cabal of apathy and injustice. He continues to run, but runs home to the family instead. A ripple of realization hit him and with great fervor and allegiant focus he went back to school and inherited a diploma.

He took that youthful violence and turned it into a passion of sustainability: an artist of the soil, a self taught micro farmer growing organic produce and sharing with his neighbors for nothing in return.

He is a magnet of warmth and love. When entering a room eyes have no choice but to lock on to him, people must follow his direction. He sets the pace. Everyone wonders what it is about him that is so alluring. Everyone has a theory or reason, but no one could ever know. We all just understand there is something that sets him apart from the crowd, the commonplace, and the ordinary. We all know that we just want to be part of his ecosystem, because it makes us feel special. Just knowing my brother by his handshake, you begin to suspect his importance.

More than a mentor, my brother has always been my castle. As long as I was with him, abuse could not follow me. It was diverted, discouraged, and got lost on its way to find me. Little did he know that his presence alone struck fear in the enemy of abuse: an enemy that would never dare attack so long as I lived in the castle.

When in gutters of despair, rest assured my brother will heave, jerk, and yank you out. When cortisol pumps throughout your body and cyclopean trees fall and block your path, my brother is somehow able to handle it.

He is the alpha male without the violence, domination, and competitiveness. He is a lion without the bestiality.

In order to make a brother like mine you need to mix 1 part poetry, a bit of philosophy, a dollop of compassion, pounds of strength, pieces of charisma, slabs of empathy, and slivers of humor with masses of love.

He masters the power of the now and by example, exposes to others the possibilities of having convivial lives.

As victims of circumstance, we have been separated from one another due to divorce. Lands and oceans have kept us physically detached but we are brothers; 2 parts to the same soul, heart, and mind -- separated by distance but still always closely combined.

I am he, and he is me. Proud to say I know him as a human being, but even more proud to say he is my big brother.

-Gino Montessi.
Younger brother is a post graduate in social service ,a course he purposely chose .He writes powerful poems and essays to raise awareness.

DSM, Reading your earlier article these words stood out "If you have a lousy attitude, you'll see obstacles as threats and annoyances. Even if you overcome them, you'll find the process frustrating, which will make future obstacles harder to cope with. If you've got a positive attitude, you'll see obstacles as interesting or even fun. Even if you fail to overcome them, you'll find the process invigorating, which will make future obstacles easier to overcome."
..and so felt prompted to post the essay ,It had left a mark in me .
Hopefully it is inspiring enough to those who read as much as it was to me .

 

[DSM]

20 Daily Habits That Will Enrich Your Life - MATT MAYBERRY

Mostly, we are likely to read a motivational or inspiring article and forget it in a few days. Am guilty of it myself. So what struck me while reading this is that a few points emphasize consistency of thinking and action. Intend to follow up this article IN ACTION, not just thoughts.

Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/236864#ixzz3DLydCTRp

As entrepreneurs and business owners, it can be very easy at times to fall into a rut and get in the habit of having just average days where we seem to not get much of anything done. Here are 20 ways that will hopefully rekindle that passion of yours and help make each day amazing.

1. Engage in consistent action.

2. Constantly picture yourself beyond your current circumstances. Dream enormously big and hold that dream deep within your mind, body and spirit.

3. Spend time in solitude to just think and visualize.

4. Write your most important goal on a note card and look at it five times a day. Say it out loud and believe with a deep conviction that it will become a reality.

5. Drink plenty of water. It's impossible to operate to the best of your ability and tap into your full potential if you are dehydrated. Our minds and bodies need water in order to perform at an extremely high-level.

6. Eat to win. If you don't want junk results stay away from junk food. The bottom line is that we are what we eat.

7. Get your sweat on. One of the best productivity tools that you can utilize is to get a workout in at some point throughout your day. Whether you go to the gym or at home, make the time.

8. Pick up a book for 15-20 minutes and get lost in it. Just as our bodies need physical exercise, our minds need to stay mentally fit.

9. Spend your time around those who lift you up and encourage your vision, not belittle it. We are the average of the five people we hang out with the most. Pick your company wisely.

10. Make time to grow. Carve out 30 min to an hour and find ways to personally and professionally grow.

11. Turn off the music in your car to an audiobook. Most of us spend hours in a car daily, utilize that time to better yourself and learn.

12. Keep a journal. Record your thoughts, ideas and strategies. We have roughly 20,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day. Don't let an idea or strategy go to waste. Never rely solely on your memory.

13. Think of five things you are grateful for right this second. It can be something as simple as how beautiful is mother nature or how wonderful your family is. Be grateful for what you have and you will eventually end up having more.

14. Snack on almonds. Great source of protein and other minerals and vitamins that will increase your energy levels and keep performance in peak state.

15. Say "I love you" more often. Don't let a day go by where you don't tell those you love how much they truly mean to you. Life is short and by simply saying the words "I love you" will bring you an immense sense of satisfaction.

16. Treat others how you want to be treated. In business and in the game of life, people matter. If you want to truly win in both, make every person you come in contact with feel important.

17. Have a green smoothie. Instead of turning to caffeine turn to the power of mother nature and blend yourself up a delicious, energizing and healthy green smoothie. One of my favorites is two handfuls of organic spinach, one apple, juice of one lemon, three stalks of celery, and ginger root. There are plenty of recipes available to you online.

18. Take a post-it-note or note-card and write down some quotes that move, inspire and empower you. There will be times throughout the day that might upset you or discourage you. Constantly feeding your mind with words that inspire and empower you will instantly get you back on your feet ready to hit the ground running.

19. Cut off all distractions. When it's time to work, work. When it's time to relax, relax. Discipline yourself to stay off Facebook and other social media sites when you are working on a computer. If you are in an office, hang up a "Do Not Disturb'' sign if possible. Focus completely on the task at hand.

20. Take full and complete responsibility for your life. Own up to your mistakes and never fall into the trap of playing the ever-so-popular blame game.

Adopting winning habits is one of the surest ways to get to where you want to go. What we do on a daily basis determines the results that we end up with. If you don't like what you have been producing up to this point, then change what you do daily. It's my hope that this list of 20 ideas is of extreme value to help make today utterly amazing for you.

 

[DSM]

Came back from the theater watching 'Finding Fannie' The original is in english, but it is also dubbed in hindi. So why am I writing about it here on this thread?
The reason for it is that the movie, which really has a important life message. Not sure if all people will see it the same way, as I heard one guy remark to another - nothing special in it.... So what was different for me? Maybe watching the movie will be better, and I don't want to be the spoiler, giving out the story. So will just summarize saying the message :

* One should not wait for the perfect time/moment/setting/person/situation to do or not do something, as there is no such 'perfect thing' in life. (Reminded me of trading, as there is always one reason or argument to not take the trade, When all signals are screaming buy, the stock has already run up and carries a risk of reversal/retracement. Waiting for 'perfect opportunity' will risk missing out on many good opportunities)

* Not to live in the past, with regret. It is a waste of life and opportunity. It is funnily illustrated by the characters Ferdie and Fanny.

* If you want something, go for it. Arjun Kapoor - Savio Da Gama's character exemplifies that.

* It is never to late. Dimple Kapadia - Rosie would agree.

Note : This is an offbeat film. Not everybody will like it. The story/situation is a disjointed at times. But for me, it was a good investment of money and time.

 

[DSM]

A friend posted this, a good thought to ponder over :

Don't place your mistakes in your head, it's weight will crush you down. Instead, place the mistake under your feet. And then, you can use it as a platform to raise your vision.

 

[Catch22]

A friend posted this, a good thought to ponder over :

Don't place your mistakes in your head, it's weight will crush you down. Instead, place the mistake under your feet. And then, you can use it as a platform to raise your vision.

Very Useful !Thanks a lot :thumb:

 

[amitrandive]

Being a dad is the best

Being a husband and a dad is better than anything else life has to offer.

I've experienced joys that I never had any idea existed since becoming a husband and father.

Traveling, fast cars, ski trips and business success are all awesome, but nothing compares to your mom and you.

 

[amitrandive]

Not every successful person gets successful the same way, but they all may still have some traits in common. Here are eight traits that most successful people have as determined by years of research.


Passion: Love what you do.
Work: Really hard.
Focus: On one thing, not everything.
Push: And keep on pushing yourself.
Ideas: Come up with some good ones.
Improve: Keep improving yourself and what you do.
Serve: Serve others something of value.
Persist: Because there is no overnight success.

 

[DSM]

Suresh Kalmadi goes to a saloon to cut his hair. While cutting hair, the Barber asked him,

‘’What’s this Swiss Bank issue?”

Suresh Kalmadi shouts, “YOU, are you cutting hair or conducting an inquiry?”

Barber: Sorry Sir, I just asked.

Next day on the job, while cutting the hair, he asked the same question to A.Raja.

“Sir, what’s this Black money issue?’’

A.Raja shouts back ’Why did you ask me this question?’’

Barber: ‘’Sorry Sir, just asked you’’

Next day, CBI interrogated the Barber, ‘’Are you an agent of Anna Hazare?’’

Barber: No Sir.

CBI: Then are you the agent of Arvind Kejriwal?

Barber: No Sir.

CBI: We have got complaints that while cutting their hair, you ask these VIP's and politician about Swiss Bank Accounts and Black money issues. So why do ask them these questions?

Barber: Sir, I do not know why, but when I ask about Swiss Bank or Black money to the politicians and VIP's, their hairs stand up straight; and that helps me to cut the hair easily; that’s why I keep asking them these questions.

:lol::lol::lol:

 

[Catch22]

Warren Buffett is one of the most prolific providers of quotable sayings, although this is partly because he has been doing it so long (and still coming out a few new ones each year)

Rule No. 1: Never lose money. Rule No. 2: Never forget rule No. 1

A public-opinion poll is no substitute for thought.

Beware of geeks bearing formulas.

Chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken.

Derivatives are financial weapons of mass destruction.

I never attempt to make money on the stock market. I buy on the assumption that they could close the market the next day and not reopen it for five years

If a business does well, the stock eventually follows.

If past history was all there was to the game, the richest people would be librarians.

In the business world, the rear view mirror is always clearer than the windshield.

It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently.

It's far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price.

Look at market fluctuations as your friend rather than your enemy; profit from folly rather than participate in it.

Of the billionaires I have known, money just brings out the basic traits in them. If they were jerks before they had money, they are simply jerks with a billion dollars.