Tag: learning

Life Journey

Life – A Quest (Part 2 of 2)

 

Do not miss out the first part. Read it here.

 

Develop:

Nothing is good or bad unless we compare. This comparison could be a good beginning. You learn about yourself but develop based on the comparison with your surroundings. You may be good but you can only feel it if you know what ‘bad’ is all about.

Many people learn and understand but few try to develop. For example you learn that your patience and tolerance level is an issue. The question remains are, you taking actions to enhance these qualities within yourself. If you are making a conscious effort to do so you are developing. Development is when as opposed to ignoring it you do something to improve it.

Grow:

You learn about who you are and develop based on the comparisons you make. The next step is growing yourself – including development as part of your system.

Do at least one thing a day, which makes you feel uncomfortable. Push yourself; you will be amazed how far you can go. Remember: on the other side of fear is freedom. To remain stagnant is not to grow. To reach your full potential, you must rise above the fray and soar like an eagle.

Mature:

The final stage of life is to apply what we have gained, in a timely manner. Life teaches that there are no rights and wrongs. There is heavy dependence on situation, circumstances, ulterior motives and many more dynamics. If you have truly learnt about yourself, developed your strengths, grown your capacity, it is time to apply. The way with which you apply is maturity. By now you would have learnt that not everything is to be used in all situations. You would have discovered that anger is as critical as patience.

To sum it all the quest of life must be to Learn, Develop, Grow and Mature, the rest are indicators of performance. If you have truly “LDGM”, leaving a legacy is inevitable. Good work and intent spreads – irrespective.

Here is an interesting quotation that will hopefully leave a quest in your mind from American Author Leo C. Rosten (1908-1977):

“I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be honorable, to be compassionate.  It is, after all, to matter: to count, to stand for something, to have made some difference that you lived at all.” Continue reading “Life – A Quest (Part 2 of 2)” →

Advertisements
Life Journey, Uncategorized

Life – A Quest (Part 1 of 2)

 

“Limited time. Continuous journey.” This is how one participant of my recent session defined life. The thought is profound; it is insightful and leaves an intense question. What is my legacy?

The legacy line is not new. Most people know leadership is all about having a vision and leading the path. But is that it? People are born and will die. Is it as simple as this?

The purpose of a human being is beyond just his/her vision in life. The vision we have and the process, through which we reach to it, is merely a KPI (Key Performance Indicator) to have lived. Legacy is a higher standard it shows that we actually did something with our lives.

Individuals working in organizations have job descriptions. Life in itself is an organization. There are many people involved and we are the CEO of our life. To be successful in this organization and leave a legacy behind, following four are critical.

Learn:

Life is all about learning. However, here it is not about technical skills or soft skills like communication, negotiation and team work. For life one needs to learn of oneself. ‘Who am I?’ is a useful question to begin with. Most people are disconnected in this area of self-awareness. Learning about oneself is like doing a ‘Training Needs Assessment’ of one’s own behaviors, attitudes, values, principles and mindsets.

Many people go through the learning process once and PERIOD! They fail to take it a step further. These are brilliant minds with rigid mindsets. They have learnt one thing but refuse to accept, learn or for that matter unlearn anything more than what they have already digested in themselves. Greatest learning comes from observing our behaviors in different situations. This is why people say we learn from experience. On the other hand one experience repeated over 20 years simply fixates that learning and handicaps development and growth.

 

Continue reading Part 2

Inspirational

Leaders: Born or Made?

 

The question whether leaders are born or made is rational. Tucker for a good classroom or a dinner party debate.

So the answer of course we are talking about real life here, is not so simple. But in fact, some leadership traits are inborn, while on the other hand, some key leadership traits can be developed with training and experience (a must!).

Before we answer the question, let us enumerate the traits of being a leader. Integrity is a requirement, while intelligence is a ticket in today’s challenges and emotional maturity. These three characteristics are standard, meaning they should be “givens”.

The first essential trait of leadership is he must possess a positive energy, the capacity to endure with a healthy vigor and an optimistic approach through good times and bad.

Second would be the ability to energize others, releasing their positive energy, to reach new altitudes as a team.

Next trait would be the edge, or the ability to make tough calls, to say yes or no, not maybe.

Fourth trait is the ability to execute. To get things done.

Finally, leaders have passion. They care, deeply; they work, hard; they believe, wholeheartedly.

Positive energy and ability to energize others are hardwired. Basically, personalities. The same as passion. All of them are inborn. Some people naturally loaded with intensity and curiosity, for they naturally love people, life, and work. It is in them. It is them.

Edge and the ability to execute are different. They can be learned. Trench warfare is the best teacher for these two traits, for they are largely a function of self-confidence. You can say yes or no a lot better when you have done it a number of times and seen how well decisiveness works. Likewise, only the real-world challenges can leaders truly feel the power of moving quickly, demanding accountability, and rewarding results. They can say from their experience how damaging it is not to execute – a mistake effective leaders don’t make twice.

So, are leaders born or made? The answer is both.

Always remember, that not everyone was meant to be a leader. But as long as you are one yourself, it is your job to find and build those who can be.

Inspirational

HOW TO STAY YOUNG

 

Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height.
Let the doctor worry about them. That is why you pay him/her.


Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.


Keep learning. Learn more about crafts, gardening, or a new software or whatever. Never let the brain idle. “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” And the devil’s name is Alzheimer’s.

Enjoy the simple things.

Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.

Surround yourself with what you love, whether it’s family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

Don’t take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, to the next county, to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.

Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity. AND ALWAYS REMEMBER: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

Life Journey, POEMS

I’ve Learned

 

I’ve learned

…that life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

 

I’ve learned

…that we should be glad God doesn’t give us everything we ask for.

 

I’ve learned

…that money doesn’t buy class.

 

I’ve learned

…that it’s those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

 

I’ve learned

…that under everyone’s hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.

 

I’ve learned

…that the Lord didn’t do it all in one day. What makes me think I can?

 

I’ve learned

…that to ignore the facts does not change the facts.

 

I’ve learned.

 

I’ve learned

…that the less time I have to work, the more things I get done.