By Lance Secretan
We live in a world where it often seems that our fears outweigh our hope that things can get better. And, yes, there are many concerns worth worrying about. Yet, rather than running from the problems we must embrace a powerful tool that will help us overcome what’s wrong-inspiration. It is a force that can truly change the world.
It starts as soon as we climb out of bed in the morning. A vast array of impulses and information begins to stream across the broadband of our consciousness-even before we are fully present in the world. We may begin the day with some precious moments in intimate connection with family or friends-even if just to review the after-school car pool schedule. But the radio, TV or newspaper soon sucks us into a vortex of violence, crises and tragedies. At breakfast we read the labels from the cereal maker or dairy, counting calories, carbohydrates or cholesterol. Already we are we multitasking. We pack up our children and their lunch bags and backpacks, and on the fly, we review the school day and work assignments. Breathless and wound up, we hurl ourselves into traffic, and our own unique workday worries as we flow into the world, juiced with fear. And we wonder why we are not more inspired.
Fear is the dominant experience of our lives. We are afraid of health risks, suspicious of our business institutions and governments, wary about our neighbors, nervous about financial insecurity and just plain scared of terrorism, violence and dying.
Because fear is so widespread in modern society, it seems a central part of life. In every field fear is used as the motivating force: religion (join my religion or you’ll go to hell); education (learn what I tell you or I will flunk you); parenting (do what I say or I will withhold my love and approval); politics (vote for me or the terrorists will get you); business (do what I say or I’ll fire you); advertising and marketing (buy this product or you’ll be ugly).
Fear places a wedge in our relationships and distracts us from our daily tasks. It diminishes our effectiveness in the world and the contributions we make as humans. Our basic primal desire is to love and be loved; the second is to inspire and be inspired. But when fear rules our hearts, there is little room for love or inspiration to reside there. When we are frightened we cannot lift up anyone else, because frightened people are not inspiring people and when we are frightening, we are not inspiring.
Yet, there remains a place within each of us that yearns to inspire and be inspired. We long for experiences that fill our days with joy and love. So why is it so emblematic of our times that we are more afraid and less inspired than ever before? Great athletes, artists and musicians know that the quality of their work depends upon mental, emotional and spiritual preparation. The rest of us are no different, this kind of preparation affects everything we do in our lives.
In recent years, we have begun confusing the words "motivation" and "inspiration." The word inspiration is derived from the Latin root spirare meaning "spirit," to breathe, to give life-the breath of God. Webster’s Dictionary defines inspiration as "breathing in, as in air to the lungs; to infuse with an encouraging or exalting influence; to animate; stimulation by a divinity, a genius, an idea or a passion; a divine influence upon human beings."
Inspiration is that moment when we access the ineffable, spiritual experience inside us. It is our muse, our creative juice-love and passion and joy bursting from our heart in a tide of beautiful energy. It is an inner knowing that transcends any external motivation. It is quite different from motivation because motivation is a relationship between personalities, while inspiration is a relationship between souls.
Motivation comes from a place of fear. It creates an attitude of scarcity and self-concern- "I want to change your behavior with a reward or incentive, so that, if you meet the targets or goals I set for you, I will meet my own needs and goals." Inspiration, on the other hand, comes from a place of abundance, service and love, with no strings attached- "I love you and wish to serve and teach you and help you to grow. When we motivate, we serve ourselves first; when we inspire, we serve others first. Motivation comes from the fear inside us; inspiration comes from the love inside us. They are almost opposites.
After 40 years of study, research, writing and teaching on this subject, it has become clear to me that inspiration plays a central role in helping people live fulfilling lives and creating good societies. Inspiration is a serving relationship with others that makes the world a better place.
Technology stands as another critical factor shaping our world. While we benefit greatly from the recent surge of technological innovation such as e-mail, the internet and our "crack berries," we seem to have made a Faustian bargain. Our world has become so accelerated and the demands of life so demanding there is little time to slow down and listen to our souls. It seems we are more invested in solving the small, the mundane and the often superficial problems of life, than in asking the more important questions. We are in danger of under nourishing our inner souls, forgetting to invite it to be an equal partner with our worldly egos. In the process, we find ourselves dragging our weary minds to work or school or to our parenting roles, while leaving our hearts behind. We’re exhausted, with no spark left for the deeper essence of life.
If we truly wish to move from being tired to inspired, it will take courage, energy, creativity and deep resources. For example, the much vaunted capacity to multitask is simply a bad-and uninspiring-idea. Experience someone talking to you and answering their e-mail at the same time, and you will understand what I mean. Doing lots of things at once leads to doing many things poorly. Multitasking may contribute significantly to the decline of inspiration because it thwarts excellence. Can you imagine great concert pianists performing at the same time as checking their voicemail?
If we want to achieve mastery in anything and therefore be inspired by our contribution, we need to focus on one thing at a time, and accomplish it brilliantly. This can happen by focusing our resources and talents, by slowing down, empathizing and serving others, by giving that rare gift: our full attention. The inspiring thing about inspiration is that it can naturally flourish in almost every aspect of our world including organizational leadership government, education, religion, media, healthcare and communications as well as the soul spaces that make up our everyday lives. This is because inspiration comes from that spiritual centre that is within us all.
The creeping and insidious phenomenon of the modern era is that our personalities are becoming richer and richer, while our souls become poorer and poorer. Our personalities are being whipped into a frenzied spiral of acquiring more, doing more and moving faster, while our souls feel empty and yearn for renewal. Voices within us warn of the growing conflict between our personality and our soul. We are precariously poised at a moment of great danger and great hope. This is seen especially in the worlds of work, politics, entertainment and sports, where the great emptiness within the human spirit is most apparent.
The good news is that this loss and lack of fulfillment is temporary. By honoring our souls once again, we can restore joy, grace and inspiration throughout our lives.
This, however, poses a challenge for many of us because our experience has been forged through polishing our skills of manipulation and exploitation to unparalleled brilliance. Even though this cult of personality has ruled our society for many years, we can reclaim higher ground by rediscovering and revering our souls once again. This will be a new experience in our time and therefore a difficult change, but it will yield a quantum leap in human fulfillment and inspiration, producing a change so profound that it will seem like a revolution. We each have the power to choose whether we live a life that inspires or one that feeds on and generates fear and scarcity.
Recently, I was working closely with a group of 30 CEOs from a large organization to build more inspiring corporate cultures by helping them communicate from their souls to the souls of their employees, vendors and customers. After I had finished presenting my ideas, one of them turned to me and let loose a vituperative volley of criticism wrapped in much sarcasm and personal denigration. Having ventilated, he sat down. Floored, I took some deep breaths. I looked at my intimidator. 30 faces turned to me and the air was still everyone held their breath. I knew this was a teaching moment. I took another deep breath and I said, "Tom, I appreciate what you are trying to say, but I wonder if you could say it again in a way that inspires me?" Deafening silence. Slowly, everyone let out their breath. A successful teaching moment had occurred.
All great leaders and teachers have known three things: Why they are here on this planet- their Destiny; What they stand for-their Cause; and, What they will do, how they will serve others with their gifts and talent- their Calling. I call this understanding the Why-Be-Do. Leaders who have clarity about their Why-Be-Do inspire others through their own example-they lead authentic lives. They know how to bring out the best in others, and they have a gift for being inspired themselves.
Many of the people who have brought the most good to our world deeply understood the importance of inspiration. Think of Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. and Mother Teresa. Gandhi’s life was authentic when asked to describe his mission he said, simply "My life is my message." Mother Teresa and Martin Luther King didn’t have a quality program or a strategic plan- they didn’t need one but they each knew their Destiny and they had a Cause so compelling that it became a magnet for the passion of others.
Wally Amos, the founder of Famous 'Amos Cookies', has let inspiration be his guide in the business world. He is a warm, larger-than-life character, and uses his fame to support educational causes. Wally’s life-long goal has been "helping people feel good about themselves."
When you stand in the presence of someone, like Wally, someone who has a deep, inner knowing of their purpose in life, someone who is very clear about Why he is here on Earth, about how he will Be while he is here, and what he has been sent here to Do, you can feel the power of his energy. This is the power of knowing the answer to these 3 questions: the source of inspiration.
It is hard to be inspiring if your Destiny, Cause and Calling are not aligned in personal life, organizations, religion, politics or education. The important thing to underscore here is that none of these places can become inspiring until each individual within them is inspired.
When we peel away the outer theories and exterior models postulated by so many theorists of coaching, parenting, mentoring, teaching and leadership, one thing is revealed to be the essence of greatness- inspiration. After all what do great leaders, teachers, coaches and mentors do? They inspire us. Anyone who has had a great influence on our lives, helping to shape who we have become, has been an inspiring person- not a motivator. Our society’s emphasis on motivation- the heart of 90% of efforts in the behavioral field today- has caused us to focus unwarranted energy on the mechanics of human relationships, instead of the essence. It’s like seeking the scientific data about the sunset rather than the joy, beauty and experience of the sunset itself. Creating an inspiring relationship and who does not yearn for this? -is something one lives, not something one does. As jazz master Charlie Parker said, "If you don’t live it, it won’t come out of your horn." This is how we become as accomplished in inspiring others through love as we have become accomplished in motivating others with fear.
We could all be so much more inspiring if we had the emotional courage to overcome our fear. Organizations would become more inspiring places in which to work if our leaders spoke the language of love and not fear. Labor-management relationships would be more inspiring, and reach more positive agreements, if we approached our labor disputes by considering shared needs-not egos or firmly-held positions. Our marriages and relationships would be more inspiring if we embraced them as durable, uplifting and sacred gifts, knowing that love grows and marriages endure when both parties are committed to inspiring each other every day.
The growing level of fear that now characterizes our lives has led to an epidemic loss of personal inspiration and a widespread sense of personal sadness. We seed a culture of fear in our entertainment, sports and news industries. The creators of movies, video games, popular music, television programs, books, magazines and newspapers are very aware of this and choose images and language that support our addiction, misguided fascination and global numbness to fear. While these choices may improve bottom lines, they do nothing to inspire us or make the world a better place.
Our spiritual, emotional and physical wellness would grow in a world that was more aware of the impact of language and content in our day-to-day communications, relationships and transactions. The toxicity of violence and fear would be replaced with inspiration.
Fear has seeped into the lives of us all, whether we admit it or not. These are times in which fear stalks and grips us, distracting our attention from tasks and people, and therefore reducing our mastery and effectiveness as humans. In part, this fear is engendered by the shocks of institutional failure-corporate CEOs, priests, banks, doctors, teachers, politicians, police; we feel betrayed. And when we learn not to trust institutions that which is outside of us- we turn to the only place left-that which is inside of us-the source of inspiration.
This is good news, because when we go inside, even if the territory might be unfamiliar to some, this is the place where our capacity to love and therefore inspire resides. Being inspired and optimistic is one thing; trying to inspire or be inspired while gripped in or causing fear is another thing altogether. Carl Jung said, "Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakens."
We have 2 choices: playing not to lose, a fear- based way of living; or playing to win, an attitude that overcomes fear with love and therefore inspires those we touch. We experience inspiration and inspire others when we live authentically and are aligned with a clear sense of our higher purpose and a commitment to building soulful relationships with all those whom we serve. It comes from choosing our words carefully, avoiding the language of violence and war which sickens us instead of inspiring us.
We all have the capacity to inspire- if we choose to- but it is more about being inspiring than it is about telling others to be inspiring. As Albert Einstein said, "Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing."
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Principles of Success
By Jack Canfield
These are some of the key "Principles of Success" based on my research and experience.
* Success is whatever you want it to be. For me it is to love and be loved and to give and receive joy.
* Never give up. Keep playing till you win. ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ was rejected by 144 publishers over a 9 month period. Now it has sold over 100 mn copies in 39 countries.
* If one knows the combination of the lock of success it has to open.
* If one implemented the principles of success then one could double one’s income and free time in 2 years or less.
* You can’t hire other people to do push-ups for you. If it’s meant to be then it’s up to me.
* First principle is to take 100% responsibility for your life and results.
* Give up all blaming and excuse making. Give up blaming everything outside of us.
* Events + Responses = Outcomes.
* It’s the Response to the Event that produces the Outcome. One is responsible for the choice of how one reacts to the event. If you want a different outcome then change your response.
* One can influence responses in 3 areas viz. One’s behavior, thoughts and images.
* We need to realize that we are capable of doing almost anything. If we want to be successful then we need to eliminate ‘I can’t and ‘I have to’. Nobody can make anyone do anything. There are choices which one has to make. Given all the options one is constantly making choices.
* We affect one another with our energy fields. The mind extends beyond the physical brain. Every thought is like an email being sent out to the world.
* Colors too play a role. The color orange is a color which nobody wants to hang around. Whereas blue and green are soothing colors.
* Successful students take copious notes and review them that very night. Read fewer books and review what you have read. They also get 8 hours sleep. This is the time when the short-term memory gets locked into the long term memory.
* Got to pay yourself first. 10%-20% of everything one earns should be invested wisely so that one’s personal equity continuously increases. What is the use of earning $25000 per month and at the end of one’s career one has just $25000 left.
* If you are an average person with a negative attitude then you are half-way to the bottom. Whereas if you are an average person with a positive attitude then you are half way to the top.
* Another principle of success is to decide what you want. Don’t base this on what is possible but on what one really wants. Most often people have resigned themselves to their place in life.
* High Achievers have unusual clarity on Purpose and Mission, Vision and Goals and Objectives. If you don’t have goals then you end up working for someone who has.
* Each one has an innate purpose. Goals need to be aligned with one’s purpose. If they are not aligned then even though one may meet one’s goals one doesn’t experience any satisfaction. One remains unhappy.
* To discover one’s purpose, the first step is to think of the times when you feel that you are truly yourself. You feel completely at home with yourself. There is no effort required. Second step is to think of 2 ways through which you could as well as you would want to express these qualities. Third step is to think what according to you would the world be like if it has to work perfectly. What would it look like? Now take these 3 elements and string them together in the form of a statement which would express one’s purpose.
* Make an irritation list. Can do this every 3 months. This list contains all the various irritations like one’s table not being cleaned or one’s clothes being in a mess or any of a hundred other irritations one may have. Some irritations may take a day or two to clear up while others may take months. But this gives one a focus to clear up one’s cluttered space so that one feels free to do the many other things which one wants to do.
* One can have whatever one wants out of life. But here one needs to make a distinction between addiction and preference. One needs to avoid addiction but make a choice based on preference.
* Perception and Awareness are the most important tools for success.
* Make an ‘I Want’ List. Anything one wanted to do or achieve but haven’t done. There is no restriction on the number of goals. We keep putting off wanting to complete what we want to do and therefore have so many regrets. Therefore take up 3 goals a year.
* Give your child memories. May be the craziest things one does on a holiday becomes a lasting memory.
* We all have an inner GPS. Now a GPS system in a car keeps delivering instructions in small chunks not all at one go because one can digest and follow only that much at a time. Our brains have been designed to deliver the solution. But we must be committed to do what we want to do. The “how” will gradually show itself up. If we believe in the possibility that we can, then the ‘how’ will show up. But it will reveal itself gradually not all at once.
* Set a goal that is big enough so that in the process of achieving it one will become someone worth becoming. As a result of pursuing the goal one may learn many things one didn’t know. One becomes a master of life. This mastery can’t be taken away. Who one becomes as a result of achieving or pursuing the goal is more important than the goal. One needs to set goals which stretch oneself.
* Create a breakthrough goal. A goal which will break you to a new level. It doesn’t take any more effort to dream a big dream than to dream a small dream. Small dreams attract small people, and big dreams attract big people.
* Many people will tell you that your dream is impossible to achieve. Like Fred Smith was told about his proposal to deliver packages overnight anywhere. He went on to create Fedex. It is better to be a ‘dream maker’ than a ‘dream spoiler’.
* Use the ‘Rule of 5’ for one’s breakthrough goals. This means choosing 5 specific things to do every day which will help one in realizing the breakthrough goals.
* For drawing up one’s Vision divide one’s life into the following 7 areas viz. Financial, Business/Career, Fun Time, Health/Fitness, Relationships, Personal (Doing something just because one wants to do it), Contribution (What kind of contribution or legacy one would like to make or leave behind?)
* For each of these areas write down one’s goals to be achieved at the end of 2 years. Then one gets down to writing down one’s one-year master plan.
* Usually we come up with the objection of not knowing how to do whatever needs to be done. The answer to this is to see if there is anybody else who has done it. Ask them how they did it. Many people don’t like to ask. Success leaves clues.
* Get an accountability partner. Report every week what one has accomplished. We have proven that we are undependable in various areas of our lives and therefore we need Accountability Partners.
* The next step is to set measurable objectives for every part of one’s master plan. How much by When? An objective is something I want which is measurable in time and space. Be specific.
* Transcend your limiting beliefs.
* Believe it’s possible. Laura Schultz a 65 year old lady lifted the back of a car alone so that her grandson could free his leg. She refused to give any interviews regarding this incident and the reason she gave was that the incident made her ask herself a very painful question viz. ‘What was I capable of doing but haven’t done?’
* Believe in yourself. To change a belief, first identify it. Write down the opposite and then say it to oneself everyday.
* We think 50,000 thoughts a day. Follow the law of replacement. Replace a negative thought with a positive thought.
* Thoughts communicate. It’s like an ‘Innernet’. Masaru Emoto has shown that when thoughts are communicated to a glass of water one can see the effect on the water. For instance when one sends out thoughts like love and gratitude to a glass of water then if one examines a drop under a microscope one can see beautiful crystal formations.
* Whereas when one sends out thoughts of ‘you fool’ to a glass of water then on examination of a droplet one will find just a blob of an outline. 70% of our bodies are made up of water. We need to be conscious of what kind of thoughts we send out to ourselves and others.
* Do the following exercise. Ask oneself the following 3 questions viz. What is an area of your life or work that is not working right now? What belief of yours is keeping you stuck at your current level of results? What belief you would need to have in order for you to move up to the next level?
* Release the brakes. We are walking around with the brakes on. In order to release the brakes we need to use affirmations.
* An affirmation is always stated in the present tense and has a verb and feeling. One sees with the mind’s eye the goal being already achieved. For instance “I am enjoying looking at my physically fit 185 pound body in the mirror.” “I am calmly watching the sunset from my Malibu bungalow”. The repetition and image of having already achieved this is important.
* See what you want and get what you see. The power of visualization. There was an experiment conducted among 3 basketball groups viz. the first group was told not to practice at all. They showed no improvement. The next group was told to practice for 30 days. They showed an improvement of 24 %. 3rd group was told only to visualize their shooting capability improving and experience it as if it were already achieved. At the end of doing this for 30 days they showed an improvement of 23%.
* The brain is designed to put into reality whatever we put in there as an image. But we need to do this for a minimum of 30 days. Whenever we want to initiate a new behavior we need to practice it for a minimum of 30 days. By thinking positive thoughts the brain creates new neural pathways. Visualize your goals and results as already completed twice a day.
* Vision doesn’t match reality. We need to focus on Vision so that Structural Tension is built up deliberately because then motivation arises. This structural tension creates a shift in perception, expands creativity and increases motivation.
* We see what we believe. And, therefore, we need to look at the beliefs we have about ourselves.
* Once we see it we will never know how not to see it. It becomes obvious.
* Like an iceberg, the conscious mind is just 1/6th and is seen above the water. While the unconscious mind is 5/6th and is not seen and needs to be reprogrammed.
* Act as if. Rehearse in your mind as if it was a reality. By doing this one attracts whatever is needed into one’s life to help in the achievement of what one is acting out.
* The one thing that separates winners from losers is ‘Action’. Winners always take action. One is willing to do whatever it takes.
* What stops us from taking action? Fear. Feel the fear and do it anyway. Fear is a cautionary sign not a ‘don’t do it’ sign. Fear stands for Fantasize the Experiences that appear real. The Body can’t tell the difference between the real and the imaginary. There are 2 ways of dealing with the imaginary. Either one stops imagining and comes back to the present moment or One focuses on imagining the positive.
* Ask, Ask, Ask. Continually even to the same person. Get interaction. Create relationship. Chad Pregracke a 19 year old student just went ahead and asked for money from Corporations to clean up the Mississippi. The Corporations were impressed by the boy’s sincerity and gave him the money.
* Reject rejection. Rejection is a myth in one’s mind. When you asked and got rejected you are no worse than when you were before you asked because you didn’t have it in the first place before you asked. So go ahead and ‘ask’. What’s there in feeling foolish. SWSWSWSW (some will, some won’t, so what, someone’s waiting). It’s a numbers game. Go on asking. The average sale is made after 6 calls. Therefore keep going back. When people say ‘No’ say ‘Next’. Ask the person concerned ‘What would have to happen if I wanted…..’
* Exceed expectations. Consistently exceed expectations. The principle followed by Walt Disney was that one needs to do whatever one is doing so well that people will bring others back to see it.
* Transform yourself for success. To do this one needs to complete the Past to embrace the future. To complete the past one needs to—
a. Acknowledge your successes.
b. Acknowledge others’ successes. To acknowledge others’ successes one needs to resort to ‘auditory’ viz. telling them about your appreciation, or showing them your appreciation, or touching them in the form of embracing them.
c. Learn from your failures.
d. Let go of your resentments.
e. Total Truth Process. Forgive others.
f. Practice meditation.
g. Practice releasing techniques.
h. Clean up physical messes and other incomplete areas.
* Practice uncommon appreciation. Everyone has a sign ‘Appreciate me’. Everybody wants to be noticed, listened to or touched. In a survey done among Supervisors and Employees on 10 ways to motivate an employee the results showed that as far as the supervisors’ responses were concerned ‘Appreciation’ was at the very bottom of the list.
* Whereas for the employees ‘appreciation’ was at the very top.
* Ask for something small first. Appreciate it. Then ask for something big. One will hardly be refused.
* Practice strength bombardment. Get three to four people to bombard you with the good they see in you.
These are some of the key "Principles of Success" based on my research and experience.
* Success is whatever you want it to be. For me it is to love and be loved and to give and receive joy.
* Never give up. Keep playing till you win. ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ was rejected by 144 publishers over a 9 month period. Now it has sold over 100 mn copies in 39 countries.
* If one knows the combination of the lock of success it has to open.
* If one implemented the principles of success then one could double one’s income and free time in 2 years or less.
* You can’t hire other people to do push-ups for you. If it’s meant to be then it’s up to me.
* First principle is to take 100% responsibility for your life and results.
* Give up all blaming and excuse making. Give up blaming everything outside of us.
* Events + Responses = Outcomes.
* It’s the Response to the Event that produces the Outcome. One is responsible for the choice of how one reacts to the event. If you want a different outcome then change your response.
* One can influence responses in 3 areas viz. One’s behavior, thoughts and images.
* We need to realize that we are capable of doing almost anything. If we want to be successful then we need to eliminate ‘I can’t and ‘I have to’. Nobody can make anyone do anything. There are choices which one has to make. Given all the options one is constantly making choices.
* We affect one another with our energy fields. The mind extends beyond the physical brain. Every thought is like an email being sent out to the world.
* Colors too play a role. The color orange is a color which nobody wants to hang around. Whereas blue and green are soothing colors.
* Successful students take copious notes and review them that very night. Read fewer books and review what you have read. They also get 8 hours sleep. This is the time when the short-term memory gets locked into the long term memory.
* Got to pay yourself first. 10%-20% of everything one earns should be invested wisely so that one’s personal equity continuously increases. What is the use of earning $25000 per month and at the end of one’s career one has just $25000 left.
* If you are an average person with a negative attitude then you are half-way to the bottom. Whereas if you are an average person with a positive attitude then you are half way to the top.
* Another principle of success is to decide what you want. Don’t base this on what is possible but on what one really wants. Most often people have resigned themselves to their place in life.
* High Achievers have unusual clarity on Purpose and Mission, Vision and Goals and Objectives. If you don’t have goals then you end up working for someone who has.
* Each one has an innate purpose. Goals need to be aligned with one’s purpose. If they are not aligned then even though one may meet one’s goals one doesn’t experience any satisfaction. One remains unhappy.
* To discover one’s purpose, the first step is to think of the times when you feel that you are truly yourself. You feel completely at home with yourself. There is no effort required. Second step is to think of 2 ways through which you could as well as you would want to express these qualities. Third step is to think what according to you would the world be like if it has to work perfectly. What would it look like? Now take these 3 elements and string them together in the form of a statement which would express one’s purpose.
* Make an irritation list. Can do this every 3 months. This list contains all the various irritations like one’s table not being cleaned or one’s clothes being in a mess or any of a hundred other irritations one may have. Some irritations may take a day or two to clear up while others may take months. But this gives one a focus to clear up one’s cluttered space so that one feels free to do the many other things which one wants to do.
* One can have whatever one wants out of life. But here one needs to make a distinction between addiction and preference. One needs to avoid addiction but make a choice based on preference.
* Perception and Awareness are the most important tools for success.
* Make an ‘I Want’ List. Anything one wanted to do or achieve but haven’t done. There is no restriction on the number of goals. We keep putting off wanting to complete what we want to do and therefore have so many regrets. Therefore take up 3 goals a year.
* Give your child memories. May be the craziest things one does on a holiday becomes a lasting memory.
* We all have an inner GPS. Now a GPS system in a car keeps delivering instructions in small chunks not all at one go because one can digest and follow only that much at a time. Our brains have been designed to deliver the solution. But we must be committed to do what we want to do. The “how” will gradually show itself up. If we believe in the possibility that we can, then the ‘how’ will show up. But it will reveal itself gradually not all at once.
* Set a goal that is big enough so that in the process of achieving it one will become someone worth becoming. As a result of pursuing the goal one may learn many things one didn’t know. One becomes a master of life. This mastery can’t be taken away. Who one becomes as a result of achieving or pursuing the goal is more important than the goal. One needs to set goals which stretch oneself.
* Create a breakthrough goal. A goal which will break you to a new level. It doesn’t take any more effort to dream a big dream than to dream a small dream. Small dreams attract small people, and big dreams attract big people.
* Many people will tell you that your dream is impossible to achieve. Like Fred Smith was told about his proposal to deliver packages overnight anywhere. He went on to create Fedex. It is better to be a ‘dream maker’ than a ‘dream spoiler’.
* Use the ‘Rule of 5’ for one’s breakthrough goals. This means choosing 5 specific things to do every day which will help one in realizing the breakthrough goals.
* For drawing up one’s Vision divide one’s life into the following 7 areas viz. Financial, Business/Career, Fun Time, Health/Fitness, Relationships, Personal (Doing something just because one wants to do it), Contribution (What kind of contribution or legacy one would like to make or leave behind?)
* For each of these areas write down one’s goals to be achieved at the end of 2 years. Then one gets down to writing down one’s one-year master plan.
* Usually we come up with the objection of not knowing how to do whatever needs to be done. The answer to this is to see if there is anybody else who has done it. Ask them how they did it. Many people don’t like to ask. Success leaves clues.
* Get an accountability partner. Report every week what one has accomplished. We have proven that we are undependable in various areas of our lives and therefore we need Accountability Partners.
* The next step is to set measurable objectives for every part of one’s master plan. How much by When? An objective is something I want which is measurable in time and space. Be specific.
* Transcend your limiting beliefs.
* Believe it’s possible. Laura Schultz a 65 year old lady lifted the back of a car alone so that her grandson could free his leg. She refused to give any interviews regarding this incident and the reason she gave was that the incident made her ask herself a very painful question viz. ‘What was I capable of doing but haven’t done?’
* Believe in yourself. To change a belief, first identify it. Write down the opposite and then say it to oneself everyday.
* We think 50,000 thoughts a day. Follow the law of replacement. Replace a negative thought with a positive thought.
* Thoughts communicate. It’s like an ‘Innernet’. Masaru Emoto has shown that when thoughts are communicated to a glass of water one can see the effect on the water. For instance when one sends out thoughts like love and gratitude to a glass of water then if one examines a drop under a microscope one can see beautiful crystal formations.
* Whereas when one sends out thoughts of ‘you fool’ to a glass of water then on examination of a droplet one will find just a blob of an outline. 70% of our bodies are made up of water. We need to be conscious of what kind of thoughts we send out to ourselves and others.
* Do the following exercise. Ask oneself the following 3 questions viz. What is an area of your life or work that is not working right now? What belief of yours is keeping you stuck at your current level of results? What belief you would need to have in order for you to move up to the next level?
* Release the brakes. We are walking around with the brakes on. In order to release the brakes we need to use affirmations.
* An affirmation is always stated in the present tense and has a verb and feeling. One sees with the mind’s eye the goal being already achieved. For instance “I am enjoying looking at my physically fit 185 pound body in the mirror.” “I am calmly watching the sunset from my Malibu bungalow”. The repetition and image of having already achieved this is important.
* See what you want and get what you see. The power of visualization. There was an experiment conducted among 3 basketball groups viz. the first group was told not to practice at all. They showed no improvement. The next group was told to practice for 30 days. They showed an improvement of 24 %. 3rd group was told only to visualize their shooting capability improving and experience it as if it were already achieved. At the end of doing this for 30 days they showed an improvement of 23%.
* The brain is designed to put into reality whatever we put in there as an image. But we need to do this for a minimum of 30 days. Whenever we want to initiate a new behavior we need to practice it for a minimum of 30 days. By thinking positive thoughts the brain creates new neural pathways. Visualize your goals and results as already completed twice a day.
* Vision doesn’t match reality. We need to focus on Vision so that Structural Tension is built up deliberately because then motivation arises. This structural tension creates a shift in perception, expands creativity and increases motivation.
* We see what we believe. And, therefore, we need to look at the beliefs we have about ourselves.
* Once we see it we will never know how not to see it. It becomes obvious.
* Like an iceberg, the conscious mind is just 1/6th and is seen above the water. While the unconscious mind is 5/6th and is not seen and needs to be reprogrammed.
* Act as if. Rehearse in your mind as if it was a reality. By doing this one attracts whatever is needed into one’s life to help in the achievement of what one is acting out.
* The one thing that separates winners from losers is ‘Action’. Winners always take action. One is willing to do whatever it takes.
* What stops us from taking action? Fear. Feel the fear and do it anyway. Fear is a cautionary sign not a ‘don’t do it’ sign. Fear stands for Fantasize the Experiences that appear real. The Body can’t tell the difference between the real and the imaginary. There are 2 ways of dealing with the imaginary. Either one stops imagining and comes back to the present moment or One focuses on imagining the positive.
* Ask, Ask, Ask. Continually even to the same person. Get interaction. Create relationship. Chad Pregracke a 19 year old student just went ahead and asked for money from Corporations to clean up the Mississippi. The Corporations were impressed by the boy’s sincerity and gave him the money.
* Reject rejection. Rejection is a myth in one’s mind. When you asked and got rejected you are no worse than when you were before you asked because you didn’t have it in the first place before you asked. So go ahead and ‘ask’. What’s there in feeling foolish. SWSWSWSW (some will, some won’t, so what, someone’s waiting). It’s a numbers game. Go on asking. The average sale is made after 6 calls. Therefore keep going back. When people say ‘No’ say ‘Next’. Ask the person concerned ‘What would have to happen if I wanted…..’
* Exceed expectations. Consistently exceed expectations. The principle followed by Walt Disney was that one needs to do whatever one is doing so well that people will bring others back to see it.
* Transform yourself for success. To do this one needs to complete the Past to embrace the future. To complete the past one needs to—
a. Acknowledge your successes.
b. Acknowledge others’ successes. To acknowledge others’ successes one needs to resort to ‘auditory’ viz. telling them about your appreciation, or showing them your appreciation, or touching them in the form of embracing them.
c. Learn from your failures.
d. Let go of your resentments.
e. Total Truth Process. Forgive others.
f. Practice meditation.
g. Practice releasing techniques.
h. Clean up physical messes and other incomplete areas.
* Practice uncommon appreciation. Everyone has a sign ‘Appreciate me’. Everybody wants to be noticed, listened to or touched. In a survey done among Supervisors and Employees on 10 ways to motivate an employee the results showed that as far as the supervisors’ responses were concerned ‘Appreciation’ was at the very bottom of the list.
* Whereas for the employees ‘appreciation’ was at the very top.
* Ask for something small first. Appreciate it. Then ask for something big. One will hardly be refused.
* Practice strength bombardment. Get three to four people to bombard you with the good they see in you.
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Foreign Direct Investment in Indian Newspapers
By Dinesh C. Sharma
Indian government recently announced a new policy on foreign direct investment in print media. Move comes after years of discussion and debate in media and political circles on whether print media should be opened to foreign capital. While the well-entrenched print media houses opposed the entry of foreign newspapers, liberals felt there was no point in keeping print media out of bounds to foreign investment when foreign companies own and operate television news networks in India.
As a first step, the government 2 years back allowed foreign direct investment up to 26% of equity in Indian newspaper companies.
Now, institutional investors and non-resident Indians can also invest in Indian newspaper and magazine companies, but the limit on total foreign investment will remain 26% of paid-up equity capital.
New policy says permission will be granted only to organizations in which the largest Indian shareholder holds at least 51% of paid-up equity. The idea is to ensure management control remains in Indian hands.
In addition, foreign newspapers can launch facsimile editions of their international editions after incorporating local subsidiaries in India. Here again, these facsimile editions will not be allowed to carry any locally generated content or India specific content, which is not simultaneously published in the original edition of foreign newspaper and advertisements aimed at India's readers. Ministry for information and broadcasting has ruled out permitting Indian editions of foreign newspapers because of apprehensions that Indian Newspapers would not be able to withstand competition.
The International Herald Tribune launched its facsimile edition in May, 2004 from Hyderabad, in south India, taking advantage of loopholes in regulations existing then. It is only now that facsimile editions have been legally allowed. Yet another important aspect of the new policy is a hike in the foreign investment limit for non-news publications from 74% to 100%. The cap for foreign syndication in newspapers has also been raised from 7.5% to 20% of total editorial content.
FDI or no FDI, the Indian press is on a roll. Circulations and readership are booming at a time when American and European newspapers are reporting declines in sales. With nearly 80 million copies sold daily, India is next only to China, where about 93 million copies are sold daily, according to latest data released by the Seoul-based World Association of Newspapers. Readership figures are even more impressive. Country has 200 million newspaper readers, a large number of them in Indian languages, according to National Readership Survey 2005. The highest read daily 'Dainik Jagaran' in Hindi language commands a readership of 21 million. Still there is huge potential over 310 million people who can read and understand a language but do not yet read a publication.
In Asia, India commands the largest market for English-language newspapers. The overall Indian print market is set to grow at the compounded annual growth rate of 6.9% (compared to a growth rate of 2.7% for the Asia-Pacific region) and will be worth $2.4 billion in 2008 from $1.8 billion in 2004, according to a Pricewaterhouse Coopers' study. Besides the growth projections, the Indian press is much more vibrant, competitive and free compared to China and Southeast Asian countries.
So, it is obviously an interesting market that international publishers cannot afford to ignore. After the policy was relaxed 2 years back, United Kingdom's 'Financial Times' acquired a stake in 'Business Standard' and 'Henderson Global' bought a 20% stake in 'Hindustan Times'. Some technical and scientific publications, including 'Scientific American', have also made their entry. BBC Magazines bought a 50% stake in the magazine business of the 'Times of India' last year. BBC says the venture will provide a base from which to launch BBC titles in India in the future.
However, media experts see the new policy as not going very far. International news media may take a strategic stake for access to local printing capacity and distribution. There will be little interest beyond this, they feel. The overall impact of new regulation will only be marginal, said Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, media commentator and director, School of Convergence, New Delhi. ''Most of the large Indian newspapers are family-owned businesses and FDI can come in only for specific projects. As far as technology is concerned, they are already using the best available.'' At best, he said, international companies can hope to ride piggyback on successful Indian companies by taking minority stakes in them.
While sales and readership are booming, there are areas of concern as well. Since cover prices are low, newspapers have to make up with advertising revenues. And these revenues are under threat because of the growth in satellite and cable television. In addition, newsprint costs are rising. In such a scenario, the influence of the market on news is growing. Advertising is creeping into news and editorial space is up for sale. All over the world, consumers are losing their respect for the press as they deliver consumers to advertisers. Credibility and believability of media in general is being lost through displacement of the reader by advertiser, as the core mission of newspapers and TV.
Indian government recently announced a new policy on foreign direct investment in print media. Move comes after years of discussion and debate in media and political circles on whether print media should be opened to foreign capital. While the well-entrenched print media houses opposed the entry of foreign newspapers, liberals felt there was no point in keeping print media out of bounds to foreign investment when foreign companies own and operate television news networks in India.
As a first step, the government 2 years back allowed foreign direct investment up to 26% of equity in Indian newspaper companies.
Now, institutional investors and non-resident Indians can also invest in Indian newspaper and magazine companies, but the limit on total foreign investment will remain 26% of paid-up equity capital.
New policy says permission will be granted only to organizations in which the largest Indian shareholder holds at least 51% of paid-up equity. The idea is to ensure management control remains in Indian hands.
In addition, foreign newspapers can launch facsimile editions of their international editions after incorporating local subsidiaries in India. Here again, these facsimile editions will not be allowed to carry any locally generated content or India specific content, which is not simultaneously published in the original edition of foreign newspaper and advertisements aimed at India's readers. Ministry for information and broadcasting has ruled out permitting Indian editions of foreign newspapers because of apprehensions that Indian Newspapers would not be able to withstand competition.
The International Herald Tribune launched its facsimile edition in May, 2004 from Hyderabad, in south India, taking advantage of loopholes in regulations existing then. It is only now that facsimile editions have been legally allowed. Yet another important aspect of the new policy is a hike in the foreign investment limit for non-news publications from 74% to 100%. The cap for foreign syndication in newspapers has also been raised from 7.5% to 20% of total editorial content.
FDI or no FDI, the Indian press is on a roll. Circulations and readership are booming at a time when American and European newspapers are reporting declines in sales. With nearly 80 million copies sold daily, India is next only to China, where about 93 million copies are sold daily, according to latest data released by the Seoul-based World Association of Newspapers. Readership figures are even more impressive. Country has 200 million newspaper readers, a large number of them in Indian languages, according to National Readership Survey 2005. The highest read daily 'Dainik Jagaran' in Hindi language commands a readership of 21 million. Still there is huge potential over 310 million people who can read and understand a language but do not yet read a publication.
In Asia, India commands the largest market for English-language newspapers. The overall Indian print market is set to grow at the compounded annual growth rate of 6.9% (compared to a growth rate of 2.7% for the Asia-Pacific region) and will be worth $2.4 billion in 2008 from $1.8 billion in 2004, according to a Pricewaterhouse Coopers' study. Besides the growth projections, the Indian press is much more vibrant, competitive and free compared to China and Southeast Asian countries.
So, it is obviously an interesting market that international publishers cannot afford to ignore. After the policy was relaxed 2 years back, United Kingdom's 'Financial Times' acquired a stake in 'Business Standard' and 'Henderson Global' bought a 20% stake in 'Hindustan Times'. Some technical and scientific publications, including 'Scientific American', have also made their entry. BBC Magazines bought a 50% stake in the magazine business of the 'Times of India' last year. BBC says the venture will provide a base from which to launch BBC titles in India in the future.
However, media experts see the new policy as not going very far. International news media may take a strategic stake for access to local printing capacity and distribution. There will be little interest beyond this, they feel. The overall impact of new regulation will only be marginal, said Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, media commentator and director, School of Convergence, New Delhi. ''Most of the large Indian newspapers are family-owned businesses and FDI can come in only for specific projects. As far as technology is concerned, they are already using the best available.'' At best, he said, international companies can hope to ride piggyback on successful Indian companies by taking minority stakes in them.
While sales and readership are booming, there are areas of concern as well. Since cover prices are low, newspapers have to make up with advertising revenues. And these revenues are under threat because of the growth in satellite and cable television. In addition, newsprint costs are rising. In such a scenario, the influence of the market on news is growing. Advertising is creeping into news and editorial space is up for sale. All over the world, consumers are losing their respect for the press as they deliver consumers to advertisers. Credibility and believability of media in general is being lost through displacement of the reader by advertiser, as the core mission of newspapers and TV.
Thinking Out of the Box
By Joe Gracia
Imagine you're in London's Heathrow Airport. While you're waiting for your flight, you notice a kiosk selling shortbread cookies. You buy a box, put them in your traveling bag and then you patiently search for an available seat so you can sit down and enjoy your cookies. Finally you find a seat next to a gentleman. You reach down into your traveling bag and pull out your box of shortbread cookies.
As you do so, you notice that the gentleman starts watching you intensely. He stares as you open the box and his eyes follow your hand as you pick up the cookie and bring it to your mouth. Just then he reaches over and takes one of your cookies from the box, and eats it! You're more than a little surprised at this. Actually, you're at a loss for words. Not only does he take one cookie, but he alternates with you. For every one cookie you take, he takes one.
Now, what's your immediate impression of this guy? Crazy? Greedy? He's got some nerve?! Can you imagine the words you might use to describe this man to your associates back at the office? Meanwhile, you both continue eating the cookies until there's just one left. To your surprise, the man reaches over and takes it. But then he does something unexpected. He breaks it in half, and gives half to you. After he's finished with his half he gets up, and without a word, he leaves.
You think to yourself, "Did this really happen?" You're left sitting there dumbfounded and still hungry. So you go back to the kiosk and buy another box of cookies. You then return to your seat and begin opening your new box of cookies when you glance down into your traveling bag. Sitting there in your bag is your original box of cookies -- still unopened.
Only then do you realize that when you reached down earlier, you had reached into the other man's bag, and grabbed his box of cookies by mistake. Now what do you think of the man? Generous? Tolerant? You've just experienced a profound paradigm shift. You're seeing things from a new point of view.
Is it time to change your point of view?
Now, think of this story as it relates to your life . Seeing things from a new point of view can be very enlightening. Think outside the box. Don't settle for the status quo. Be open to suggestions. Things may not be what they seem.
Imagine you're in London's Heathrow Airport. While you're waiting for your flight, you notice a kiosk selling shortbread cookies. You buy a box, put them in your traveling bag and then you patiently search for an available seat so you can sit down and enjoy your cookies. Finally you find a seat next to a gentleman. You reach down into your traveling bag and pull out your box of shortbread cookies.
As you do so, you notice that the gentleman starts watching you intensely. He stares as you open the box and his eyes follow your hand as you pick up the cookie and bring it to your mouth. Just then he reaches over and takes one of your cookies from the box, and eats it! You're more than a little surprised at this. Actually, you're at a loss for words. Not only does he take one cookie, but he alternates with you. For every one cookie you take, he takes one.
Now, what's your immediate impression of this guy? Crazy? Greedy? He's got some nerve?! Can you imagine the words you might use to describe this man to your associates back at the office? Meanwhile, you both continue eating the cookies until there's just one left. To your surprise, the man reaches over and takes it. But then he does something unexpected. He breaks it in half, and gives half to you. After he's finished with his half he gets up, and without a word, he leaves.
You think to yourself, "Did this really happen?" You're left sitting there dumbfounded and still hungry. So you go back to the kiosk and buy another box of cookies. You then return to your seat and begin opening your new box of cookies when you glance down into your traveling bag. Sitting there in your bag is your original box of cookies -- still unopened.
Only then do you realize that when you reached down earlier, you had reached into the other man's bag, and grabbed his box of cookies by mistake. Now what do you think of the man? Generous? Tolerant? You've just experienced a profound paradigm shift. You're seeing things from a new point of view.
Is it time to change your point of view?
Now, think of this story as it relates to your life . Seeing things from a new point of view can be very enlightening. Think outside the box. Don't settle for the status quo. Be open to suggestions. Things may not be what they seem.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Q&A: Root Canal Treatment
WHAT YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT ROOT CANAL TREATMENTS!
Q. What is Root Canal Treatment?
A. When the cavity in a tooth penetrates the top (enamel) and middle layer (dentine) to reach the innermost layer (pulp/nerve layer), it infects the nerve of tooth. This nerve passes from the center of tooth through the canals into the root of tooth. When the nerve of tooth gets infected, the dentist has 2 options- (a) Save the tooth by removing infected nerve. This is called root canal treatment, and, (b) Remove/extract the tooth itself, saving the natural tooth is the best possible treatment option as no artificial tooth can match the natural tooth.
Q. Is Root Canal Treatment painful?
A. A recent survey showed that patients who have experienced Root Canal Treatment are 6 times more likely to describe it as painless than patients who haven't it. Pain during Root Canal Treatment which could be mild, moderate or severe (in few cases) depends upon severity of infection. With the latest available technologies, anesthetics and antibiotics a root canal is as comfortable as getting a filling done in a tooth.
Q. What symptoms should a patient keep in mind for a tooth which needs Root Canal Treatment?
A. (a) Sensitivity/pain in a tooth on having something cold especially drinking something chilled/cold.
(b) Pain in tooth while applying pressure to eat/chew something. (patient avoids eating on the side where the infected tooth is)
(c) A pimple near the gum of the infected tooth which comes and goes (may or may not have pus). This tooth may or may not have pain.
Q. Is it mandatory for a root canal treated tooth to have a cap/crown?
A. Yes, it is mandatory for a root canal treated tooth to have a cap/crown as the tooth though now healthy is brittle (because the nerve and blood supply has been removed). If not capped or crowned the tooth fractures on eating something hard like toast, nuts or bones. Then it has to be removed or extracted.
(Courtesy: Dr. Supriya Bhatia, Dentist on panel for Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd.)
Q. What is Root Canal Treatment?
A. When the cavity in a tooth penetrates the top (enamel) and middle layer (dentine) to reach the innermost layer (pulp/nerve layer), it infects the nerve of tooth. This nerve passes from the center of tooth through the canals into the root of tooth. When the nerve of tooth gets infected, the dentist has 2 options- (a) Save the tooth by removing infected nerve. This is called root canal treatment, and, (b) Remove/extract the tooth itself, saving the natural tooth is the best possible treatment option as no artificial tooth can match the natural tooth.
Q. Is Root Canal Treatment painful?
A. A recent survey showed that patients who have experienced Root Canal Treatment are 6 times more likely to describe it as painless than patients who haven't it. Pain during Root Canal Treatment which could be mild, moderate or severe (in few cases) depends upon severity of infection. With the latest available technologies, anesthetics and antibiotics a root canal is as comfortable as getting a filling done in a tooth.
Q. What symptoms should a patient keep in mind for a tooth which needs Root Canal Treatment?
A. (a) Sensitivity/pain in a tooth on having something cold especially drinking something chilled/cold.
(b) Pain in tooth while applying pressure to eat/chew something. (patient avoids eating on the side where the infected tooth is)
(c) A pimple near the gum of the infected tooth which comes and goes (may or may not have pus). This tooth may or may not have pain.
Q. Is it mandatory for a root canal treated tooth to have a cap/crown?
A. Yes, it is mandatory for a root canal treated tooth to have a cap/crown as the tooth though now healthy is brittle (because the nerve and blood supply has been removed). If not capped or crowned the tooth fractures on eating something hard like toast, nuts or bones. Then it has to be removed or extracted.
(Courtesy: Dr. Supriya Bhatia, Dentist on panel for Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd.)
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