Usian Thunder Bolt

“The olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt has the record for sprinting 100 metres in 9.63 secs, for that 9.63 seconds of historic glory – he had to practise 9 hours a day for almost 9 years (if not more) of his life, during each seconds of that practise he pushed himself visualising his goal with confidence in himself when to the rest he was only running around a field …it doesnt matter which part of those 9 years you are at now, push yourself harder and beleive in yourself even when some may not , someday you will have your 9.63 seconds of fame and glory – which will then go on to stay with you forever , these same critics will come back that day and say – i knew you would do it! most importantly the acknowldegement will come from people far and beyond the level of these petty people , that day none of this pain , none of these stupid faces will matter – the spotlight will be blinding and the rest will be relaxing”

It could be practising hard on gaining experience , slogging it out when the rest are enjoying , burning the midnight oil to do something over and beyond but to achieve your dream …someday it will help , it could possibly help you take that organisation saving decision someday in a meeting in a matter of those 9secs , a  win you could never have had if the practise hours werent there , and as Muhammad Ali puts it in his quote(one of my other favourites) :

“I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’ “

Today is a gift

Today is a gift, that is why it is called ‘The Present’

It will take just few seconds to read this and change your thinking..

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.

One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs.
His bed was next to the room’s only window.The other man had to spend all his time flat on
his back.The men talked for hours on end.

They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation..

Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time bydescribing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity  and colour of the world outside.

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake.Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their
model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every colour and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen
in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite details, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine this picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by.

Although the other man could not hear the band – he could see it in his mind’s eye as the gentleman by the
window portrayed it with descriptive words.
Days, weeks and months passed.

One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep.

She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window.
The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left
him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside.
He strained to slowly turn to look out the window besides the bed.

It faced a blank wall.

The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.

The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.

She said, ‘Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.’

Epilogue:
There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own  situations.
Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is  doubled.

If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can’t buy.
‘Today is a gift, that is why it is called The Present .’

Trouble Tree

The carpenter I hired to help me restore an old farmhouse had just finished a rough first day on the job. A flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric saw quit, and now his ancient pickup truck refused to start.

While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence. On arriving, he invited me in to meet the family. As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands.

After opening the door, he underwent an amazing transformation. His face was wreathed in smiles, and he hugged his two small children and then gave his wife a kiss.

Afterward, he walked me to my car. We passed the tree, and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier.

“Oh, that’s my trouble tree,” he replied. “I know I can’t help having troubles on the job, but one thing for sure, troubles don’t belong in the house with my wife and children. So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home. Then in the morning, I pick them up again.”

“Funny thing is,” he smiled, “when I come out in the morning to pick them up, there aren’t nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before.”)

Never go to bed with an argument unsettled , and if you cant settle it then sleep over it , in the morning half of them would have vanished …for the rest half roll up your sleeves and solve it on immediate priority even if that requires the strength and energy of moses parting the sea. and after that if it still cant be managed – Pray with all your heart and soul…

The Three Races and the Winner

In old times, fable retells the story of the young athletic boy hungry for success, for whom winning was everything and success was measured by such a result.

One day, the boy was preparing himself for a running competition in his small native village, himself and two other young boys to compete. A large crowd had congregated to witness the sporting spectacle and a wise old man, upon hearing of the little boy, had travelled far to bear witness also.

The race commenced, looking like a level heat at the finishing line, but sure enough the boy dug deep and called on his determination, strength and power .. he took the winning line and was first. The crowd was ecstatic and cheered and waved at the boy. The wise man remained still and calm, expressing no sentiment. The little boy, however. felt proud and important.

A second race was called, and two new young, fit, challengers came forward, to run with the little boy. The race was started and sure enough the little boy came through and finished first once again. The crowd was ecstatic again and cheered and waved at the boy. The wise man remained still and calm, again expressing no sentiment. The little boy, however, felt proud and important.

“Another race, another race!” pleaded the little boy. The wise old man stepped forward and presented the little boy with two new challengers, an elderly frail lady and a blind man. “What is this?”, quizzed the little boy. “This is no race” he exclaimed. “Race!”, said the wise man. The race was started and the boy was the only finisher, the other two challengers left standing at the starting line. The little boy was ecstatic, he raised his arms in delight. The crowd, however, was silent showing no sentiment toward the little boy.

“What has happened? Why not do the people join in my success?” he asked the wise old man. “Race again”, replied the wise man, “…this time, finish together, all three of you, finish together” continued the wise man. The little boy thought a little, stood in the middle of the blind man and the frail old lady, and then took the two challengers by the hand. The race began and the little boy walked slowly, ever so slowly, to the finishing line and crossed it. The crowd were ecstatic and cheered and waved at the boy. The wise man smiled, gently nodding his head. The little boy felt proud and important.

“Old man, I understand not! Who are the crowd cheering for? Which one of us three?”, asked the little boy. The wise old man looked into the little boy’s eyes, placing his hands on the boy’s shoulders, and replied softly .. “Little boy, for this race you have won much more than in any race you have ever ran before, and for this race the crowd cheer not for any winner!”

Carrots, eggs, or coffee – How do you handle Adversity?

What can a carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee teach a young woman tired of fighting and struggling with adversity and heartaches? Read on and find out… 

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as when one problem was solved, a new one arose. 

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. 

She let them sit and boil; without saying a word. In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, “Tell me what you see.” 

“Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” she replied. 
Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, “What does it mean, mother?” 

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. 

The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. However, the ground coffee beans were unique. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

“Which are you?” she asked her daughter. When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean? 

Think of this: Which am I? 

Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? 

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart? 

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. 

If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level? 

How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean? 

Architects of our life

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by.

The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. “This is your house,” he said, “my gift to you.”

What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.

So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we may not give the job our best effort.

Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized, we would have done it differently. Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. The plaque on the wall says, “Life is a do-it-yourself project.” Who could say it more clearly? Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past. Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today.

MANAGEMENT LESSONS FROM 500RS

Prakash Iyer, MD, Kimberly-Clark Lever and Executive Coach shares two important management lessons he learnt from a 500-rupee note. Read on.

1. It happened some years ago but I can recall the evening like it happened just last week.
I was in an audience listening to a motivational guru.
The speaker whipped out his wallet and pulled out a five hundred-rupee note.
Holding it up, he asked, “Who wants this five hundred rupee note?”
Lots of hands went up. Including mine.
A slow chorus began to build as people began to shout “Me!” “Me!”
I began to wonder who the lucky one would be who the speaker would choose.
And I also secretly wondered — and I am sure others did too — why he would simply give away five hundred rupees.
Even as the shouts of “I want it” grew louder, I noticed a young woman running down the aisle.
She ran up onto the stage, went up to the speaker, and grabbed the five hundred-rupee note from his hand. “Well done, young lady,” said the speaker into the microphone.
“Most of us just wait for good things to happen. That’s of no use. You’ve got to make things happen.”
The speaker’s words have stayed with me ever since.

‘Simply thinking about doing something is of no use’

Our lives are like that. We all see opportunities around us. We all want the good things.
But the problem is we don’t take action.
We all want the five hundred rupee notes on offer. But we don’t make the move. We look at it longingly.Get up, and do something about it. Don’t worry about what other people might think. Take action.

2. Several years later, it was another day, another time.
And another motivational guru.
As I watched him pull out a five hundred rupee note and hold it up for all to see, I thought I knew what he was going to do next. But he just asked a simple question. “How much is this worth?”
“Five Hundred rupees!” the crowd yelled in unison.
“Right,” said the speaker. He then took the note and crumpled it into a ball and asked “How much is it worth now?”
“Five Hundred rupees!” screamed the audience.
He then threw the note on the ground, stamped all over it and picked up the note and asked one more time: “And how much is it worth now?”
“Five Hundred rupees!” was the response.
“I want you to remember this,” said the speaker.
“Just because someone crumples it, or stamps on it, the value of the note does not diminish.
We should all be like the five hundred rupee note..
In our lives, there will be times when we feel crushed, stamped over, beaten. But never let your self-worth diminish. Just because someone chooses to crush you — that doesn’t change your worth one bit!
Don’t allow your self-worth to diminish because someone says something nasty — or does something dirty — to you.”

‘Never let your self-worth diminish’

 

A Beautiful Picture

There was a King who had 1 Eye and 1 leg..

He asked all the painters to draw a beautiful portrait of him. But none of them could — how could they paint him beautifully with the defects in one eye and one leg.

Eventually one of them agreed and drew a classic picture of the King.

It was a fantastic picture and surprised everyone..

He painted the King AIMING for a HUNT. Targeting with ONE Eye Closed and One Leg Bent …

Why cant we all paint pictures like this for others. Hiding their weaknesses and highlighting their strength…

Also think about it , often when we see a masterpiece we marvel at the skills of the painter and not of the objects (s)he painted,so next time you paint focus on the strengths , thats the way to create a masterpiece.

LL Bean Story

‘ David had bought his Dad a sweater from an online store. The sweater arrived the day before Christmas Eve and was the wrong size. His family actually celebrated Christmas and swapped presents on Christmas Eve. David was in a jam.

David decided that he would call the company he had bought the sweater from, knowing that it was too late to get another sweater. He was hoping just to get to talk to someone without holding forever and to place his order to get his Dad’s sweater as soon as possible after Christmas.

He called the company … L.L.Bean.

“Merry Christmas,” answered the customer rep on the first ring. “How can I help you?”

David told the story, asking how to exchange the sweater and how to get a new one sent out after Christmas for his Dad.

“After Christmas?” was the reply. “You simply package the sweater up and send it back when you can. In the meantime, I’ll get another one out tonight via FedEx for your Father to have tomorrow.”

No questions, no problem. Simply Let’s take care of your problem—courtesy the L.L.Bean way.’

BTW , LL Bean is a famous clothing store known for its exceptional customer service .

Besides the ‘WOW’ factor , I was also blown away with the level of transactional freedom , authority and entitlements entrusted to a simple call handler.

L.L. Bean Refuses To Let You Be Unhappy — Even Though It’s Your Own Fault

I wear dress shirts to work every day, so for Christmas, my wife ordered three new shirts from LL Bean. Like all my other shirts, she ordered them with my initials monogrammed on the pocket. Some of my old shirts are a little threadbare, so I was thrilled to have new shirts. (Kids, when you get older, clothing CAN be an exciting Christmas gift.) The Monday after Christmas, I pull one out of the closet to wear to work. The sleeves are too short—way too short.

I didn’t try them on Christmas day because almost all of my shirts come from LL Bean. They’re all the same size. I just took them from the package, washed them and hung them with my other shirts.

Turns out, my wife had confused my inseam length with my sleeve length and ordered shirts with the sleeves three inches too short. I was quite disappointed, but my wife was fuming mad at herself. That’s about $150 worth of shirts that had my initials on them and I couldn’t wear. We, naturally, assumed we would be stuck with the shirts. It was her error, not LL Bean’s. We’d just be careful ordering in the future—”Measure twice, order once,” to steal a carpenter’s axiom.

I encouraged my wife to call anyway, just in case, and explain what had happened. Reluctant to admit a mistake, she waited to call until yesterday. She wasn’t calling to try to return them, just to place an order for replacement shirts.

The conversation with the LL Bean customer service agent went something like this (paraphrasing):

Wife: “I placed order xxxxxxx in November, and I’d like to re-place that exact order with different size shirts.”
LL Bean: “That’s an odd request, why do you need to do that?”
Wife: “I ordered the shirts for my husband, and the sleeves are 3 inches too short, but it was my mistake, and they are monogrammed, so I know I can’t return them.”
LL Bean: “Oh, you need to send those back to us. We’ll replace them for you.”
Wife: “But it was my mistake. I don’t want you to have to pay for my mistake. Can I just place a new order?”
LL Bean: “I’m sorry, ma’am, I can’t place your new order for those shirts, you’ll have to send them back so we can replace them for you.”
Wife: “They’re monogrammed though, you won’t be able to re-sell them.”
LL Bean: “I understand that, but we always want to make sure our customers are 100% satisfied with their orders.”

This is truly an above and beyond from LL Bean. We ordered the wrong size monogrammed shirts, called them not to try to return them but to place a new order, and LL Bean refused the new sale and instead is sending us new shirts and eating $150 on the monogrammed shirts. Instead of $300 in sales, they have $150 in sales and three ruined shirts.

I wear dress shirts to work every day, so for Christmas, my wife ordered three new shirts from LL Bean. Like all my other shirts, she ordered them with my initials monogrammed on the pocket. Some of my old shirts are a little threadbare, so I was thrilled to have new shirts. (Kids, when you get older, clothing CAN be an exciting Christmas gift.) The Monday after Christmas, I pull one out of the closet to wear to work. The sleeves are too short—way too short.

I didn’t try them on Christmas day because almost all of my shirts come from LL Bean. They’re all the same size. I just took them from the package, washed them and hung them with my other shirts.

Turns out, my wife had confused my inseam length with my sleeve length and ordered shirts with the sleeves three inches too short. I was quite disappointed, but my wife was fuming mad at herself. That’s about $150 worth of shirts that had my initials on them and I couldn’t wear. We, naturally, assumed we would be stuck with the shirts. It was her error, not LL Bean’s. We’d just be careful ordering in the future—”Measure twice, order once,” to steal a carpenter’s axiom.

I encouraged my wife to call anyway, just in case, and explain what had happened. Reluctant to admit a mistake, she waited to call until yesterday. She wasn’t calling to try to return them, just to place an order for replacement shirts.

The conversation with the LL Bean customer service agent went something like this (paraphrasing):

Wife: “I placed order xxxxxxx in November, and I’d like to re-place that exact order with different size shirts.”
LL Bean: “That’s an odd request, why do you need to do that?”
Wife: “I ordered the shirts for my husband, and the sleeves are 3 inches too short, but it was my mistake, and they are monogrammed, so I know I can’t return them.”
LL Bean: “Oh, you need to send those back to us. We’ll replace them for you.”
Wife: “But it was my mistake. I don’t want you to have to pay for my mistake. Can I just place a new order?”
LL Bean: “I’m sorry, ma’am, I can’t place your new order for those shirts, you’ll have to send them back so we can replace them for you.”
Wife: “They’re monogrammed though, you won’t be able to re-sell them.”
LL Bean: “I understand that, but we always want to make sure our customers are 100% satisfied with their orders.”

This is truly an above and beyond from LL Bean. We ordered the wrong size monogrammed shirts, called them not to try to return them but to place a new order, and LL Bean refused the new sale and instead is sending us new shirts and eating $150 on the monogrammed shirts. Instead of $300 in sales, they have $150 in sales and three ruined shirts.