A True Story - Ek Cup Chai ( One Cup of Tea)

Chotu...ek cup chai lana ( Chotu, Please bring one cup of Tea)

When Raju was 13, he came to Mumbai to support his family. In Mumbai, he used to serve tea in offices. One day, one of the companies where he served tea, hired him as an office assistant. 

He was a class 6th dropout so they assigned him works like serving tea and coffee in the office, opening the office, cleaning and other odd jobs. But, Raju got a spark to learn and improve his life. He studied after his work hours and gave exams for clearing Class Xth. He failed in first attempt but didn't lose hope and cleared the exam in 2nd attempt. After that he cleared 10+2 through distance education. 

Not only this, side by side, he also learned about web development and the company made the wise decision of promoting him as a Web Developer.  Now, he is pursuing his graduation in commerce from Mumbai University. He is happily married and has a one-year old son. He wants to give his son a better education. So, he still has the fire to keep learning and improve his quality of life.

This is the story of Mr. Raju Yadav who is a web developer for Shaadi.com. I read about him few months ago and you can find news articles about him by googling " Raju Yadav Shaadi.com"

This story has inspired me to encourage two of our office boys to continue their education. They were also inspired from his story. Let's hope we get many more Raju. It has been rightly said that

"Jinke honslo mein udaan hoti hai wo aasmaan ki uchayion se nahi darte  "

( Those who have strong determination are not afraid of the challenges ahead of them)

Read More

When is it advantageous to be disadvantaged?

Role models who turned adversities into opportunities

When I read this question, the name of two people who are having so-called physical disadvantage  came to my mind:

1. Virali Modi - Miss Wheelchair India 2014, Runner Up - I wanted to write about Virali Modi, but, does she needs an introduction. She is followed by 42K People on Quora. The number speaks all about her. 
   
   
2. Ira Singhal- UPSC Topper- 2015- She is differently abled lady who has rock solid determination. UPSC is the toughest competitive exam in India and those who get selected in this exam are going to serve the country in different senior positions as a Civil servant. The second lady is Ira Singhal. I watched her interview on the show “Prime Time” by Mr. Ravish Kumar of NDTV and became her ardent fan.
   
   

A so-called disadvantage turns into an advantage

• When someone is optimistic about Life:   I found these girls optimistic about life. They never look like a victim of the circumstances even when they have faced tremendous struggle as a person with special needs.
• When someone is determined to take on challenges: Despite getting a rank in UPSC and getting selected in Indian Revenue Service (IRS), Ira was denied a posting as they felt that she was not physically fit for it. But, she took her fight to the Central Administrative Tribunal and got a favorable ruling. Virali has been paralysed since 2006 but see the optimist in her outlook. I am sure she will soon say good bye to her wheelchair.
• When someone is engaged in meaningful pursuits: Ira is an avid reader. No, she is not a stereotyped topper. She reads a lot of novels and watches TV series of US/UK. According to her, one should study smartly by understanding and analyzing stuffs rather than being glued to books all the time. Virali is doing all the things that people normally do like dancing, pursue her hobbies, writing and inspiring people on Quora. Her life is truly amazing just because she is engaged in meaningful pursuits.
• When someone looks beyond one's own problem: We often feel that  we have the biggest problem in the world. I am glad that when we think that way we are wrong. Ira & Virali are doing great favour to the humanity by their rock solid determination.
• When someone is crystal clear about what they want in Life: I am happy to get a chance to see Ira's Interview. She feels so composed and resolved as a person. She know what she had to do in Life. No ifs or buts, no A, B, C... X, Y or Z plans. Same goes for Virali, she is determined to say bye bye to her wheelchair. I guess she is now shooting for a movie. She is already a model and just read her answers and you will get inspired by her.
• When someone redefines way of Living: I am touched by Ira & Virali's way of living. I feel they have transformed themselves into someone who is so much engrossed in learning, knowing and exploring what is around them that they have no time to bother about their physical condition or anything negative.
• When someone realize that Disability is the inability to identify ability: Ira & Virali made me realize how disable I am when I was feeling sad for their physical condition. We worry about getting in a good school and then we have to get into a good college. After that we need a plum job and God forbid if something is not happening as per our wish then we feel as if the whole world has come to a standstill.
• When someone is inspiring others:  Both Ira & Virali are an inspiration for me and many from my generation who often bother about petty things. I recommend everyone reading this to know more about these wonderful girls.
• When people Know the secret of Happiness and identify the myths that dictate their life-  As I am not that lucky to know Ira and Virali personally hence  I am sharing the lessons I have learned in life through failure, rejection, hardship, depression and tough times.  The Irony is that I always feel that I am a bit late in learning things. However, I console myself as there is never too late to make a comeback. I have touched upon some of my myths like I am not a hypocrite, I am good for nothing, I have wasted X years of my life, I don't have natural talent, I don't have zeal to learn, etc in my answer to What are the lessons people most often learn too late in life?  ( I cannot concise it further hence I have given the  link where you will learn from the lies I have been telling myself. I am sure that Ira and Virali must have learned all these lessons well ahead of time.)

Life is all about People. We all can learn from Ira and Virali to value our life and help others even when we are going through a difficult phase in our life. I am trying to add value for those who are reading this. Let us together make this world a little more beautiful. 

I run a blog Life is Beautiful with a hope that may be 10-15 years down the line, it will grow into something really inspiring. Thanks for your time :)

Read More

What are the Life Lessons most people learn too Late in Life?

There are many lessons that I want to share with you but the following are my favorites:

Invest In Yourself

• Health is wealth- There is no fun in life if we are seriously unwell. All money we have accumulated in our life also fails to get back our health.
• Less is more- Life is all about quality not quantity. You are lucky even if you have few true friends as when the adversities come then you got to know who are your true friends.
• Work hard Party Harder- No matter how hard you are working, always find some time to do things that makes you happy.
• Cultivate good Hobbies- A person who has a hobby is never alone. I love reading books, writing and analyzing difficult situations and these habits I have developed in the college.
• Utilize your College Time- It is the time when we figure out what we want to do in life. Whether we would like to startup a company or we would like to work for a MNC or a small upcoming company. It is not just about the degree you will earn.
• People- Life is all about People. So, wherever you go value people. Respect them, add value to their life through your association. I am trying to add value for those who are reading this. Thank you for being patient to read me.
• Network- Nowadays, it is more important that whom you know. It is not about buttering or greasing someone's palm. I am bad at networking because I considered this as bad. How stupid I was? It is the best thing you can do for yourself.
• Positive Attitude- Once a CEO asked two people whether they can do a job. It was an impossible task that the CEO was entrusting on them. The First person was honest about his feelings and told that it is not possible to get it done in the given time. The CEO called another person and asked the same question. He  answered that although it seems difficult but I am sure that I can do it with your support. The CEO nodded in affirmation. The second person asked for more resources and more authority to get the work done. The CEO agreed. Later, the second person really get that work done and the CEO informed everyone that the second person was having a Positive attitude and hence he trusted him more than the first one.

Some Myths

• We are not Hypocrites- No one is 100 % hypocrite but Everyone is a Hypocrite to a certain degree. It is pretty human. I often say that I am indifferent to appreciation or criticism but that is not 100% true. However, it is definitely true that I am less influenced by criticism or appreciation with respect to many who are in and around me. So, do check if any of your behavior is similar to me.
• Our Problems are terribly difficult- Our problems are not as difficult as it seems to us. Let me support this with justification. Time travel to your childhood and you would find that your biggest problems were doing homework, taking permission from Mom to go out to Play, Get a Candy, etc. Are they significant today? Ofcourse not. You will love to remember all those problems and it will make you smile. Similarly, 20 years down the line it will hardly matter if you got a plum job after college or you are jobless, if you have a gf/bf or not in college, if you have failed in the exams or have topped it. Meet me after 20 years and we will discuss your current problems over coffee.
• I am Good for Nothing-  Everything in this universe is for some purpose. Even the stone at the top of the mountain has some purpose. We are humans; maybe we have done something good in our previous lives and hence have been rewarded. So, never believe that you are Good for Nothing.    
  
  Crocodile cannot fly and Butterfly cannot swim- There is no point for the crocodile to feel bad that he cannot fly or the butterfly to feel bad for not being also to swim. Doesn't it makes sense. Same is with all of us. We just need to identify things which makes us happy.  
• I have wasted X years of my life- We feel that we have wasted our life but you know, nothing is wasted in this world. Do you know the story of bamboo tree?  It doesn’t show sign of growth in first four- five years. But, in the next one year it will grow rapidly. Now, the reality is that the growth doesn't occur only in one year, it happens over a period of 5-6 years. 
  
  During the first 5 years the growth of roots is happening and the foundation is getting stronger which let the bamboo to grow rapidly in last one year. Same is with all of us. We just need six months to a year to have a visible growth. All the years before that are definitely not wasted. Believe me.  Good experience gives you joy, bad experience build your character and personality. So, they both are equally important.  
• I don't have Natural Talent-  Galileo told that the earth moves around the sun. But at that time, Everyone  felt that he was wrong and people wanted to kill him. Everyone knew that  Earth was fixed and sun revolved around the earth, which was later proved wrong . Galileo was considered as a mad man all his life. The poor chap got all the recognition after his death. Even today all our textbooks are full with works of  Galileo. 
  
  You  can't do much about others  but can make Galileo your role model. Not only him, Abraham Lincoln was unable to win even a local election, all his life he failed in whatever he did. He failed more than us for sure and see one day he became the president of US. It was not luck but hard work. Remember the bamboo story. See it's working.   
• I am waiting for the perfect moment- There is nothing called perfect moment. Try to get the maximum out of whatever you have. Minimize Procrastination, and never wait for the perfect moment. Life happens when we wait for the perfect moment.
• I don't have zeal to learn- Larry Page invented Google and it became a dream company for many.  He just followed his passion. may be he was also not having the zeal to learn or work on the traditional subjects. So he created something new.
• It will not work out- Follow your heart and chase your dreams as they are worth it. There is nothing which can't work out even when the idea looks ridiculous to others. The key is that you must believe in the idea, that’s it. 
   
  In India, almost everyone loves cricket and is a cricket commentator. But, that doesn't stopped Harsha Bhogle from becoming a full time Cricket Commentator after his post graduation from IIM Ahmadabad. He must have been mocked for his choice of profession but he had passion for it and he pursued something he loved doing.
   
  If you are a Movie Buff - You can be an expert reviewer and can also earn and get paid for watching movies and writing reviews.

Secret Of Happiness

• There is no secret ingredient.
• Don't chase happiness as you can never achieve it. Rather, Chase your dreams, Follow your heart, Slow down a bit and smell the roses, Smile at a stranger, Make a pen friend, Call you Mom/Dad/loved ones and you will find happiness instantly.
• Saying that you don't have time to improve your thoughts is like saying you don't have time to stop for fuel because you are too busy driving. 
• The secret of Happiness is to find out what you love and then directing all your energy towards doing it.

PS- The inspiration for this answer is from a pen friend on Quora. We don't know much about each other but we share our thoughts and counsel each other. Thank you  for sharing your problem with me which helped me write this. :)

Please feel free to ping me if you have anything to ask. You can also check out various life lessons in the form of my quora answers and articles at the webpage Career Advice & Guidance

Read More

How to stay motivated at all times?

Motivation doesn't lasts for 2-3 days...so does food, exercise, bath, sleep and many other things

Photo via  https://www.blendspace.com/lessons/Z9n-GtRud1jCAw/motivation

I would be glad if even a single person who reads it feels good about themselves. 

Well, it’s a very valid question which sometimes come to our mind that why our motivation doesn't last. It is so because Motivation is like fire, you have to put conscious effort to stay motivated. We need food everyday and that too for 3-4 times, then we will have snacks, tea, coffee, Burgers, or other things which satisfies our taste buds. 

The food we eat nourishes our body and similarly our motivation is the food for our soul. Is it fair to feed our body several times in a day but keeping our souls starving?

What is motivation? 

It is a state of mind wherein we feel positive about events, people and our self. 

How we get motivation?

It is a subjective topic. Different people get the kick or motivation by different things or incidents. Some get motivated by watching an motivational movie or video, some read inspirational books or blogs, some talk to their friends who are extremely motivating and the list is endless.

Want to stay motivated at all times. Then Read on...

I know it is extremely difficult to stay motivated at all times. There are incidents when you get frustrated with something or someone. But, you have to keep practicing the skill of staying motivated mostly. Its all about Practice and an willingness to make a change in your life and creating positive impact on the life of others.

1. I get motivation by reading books like The Monk who sold his Ferrari. I have prepared a summary of my   Learning from the Monk who sold his Ferrari  for others to learn and get motivated to read inspirational books to lift their morale.
2. I am passionate about blogging at Life is Beautiful and loves to encourage, motivate and remind others that Life is Beautiful. Many of you must be doing so in your immediate friend circle.
3. I keep doing things that make me happy more often. In fact I have made a list of   19 Things that make me happy, you can see my list and then make one for yourself as per your interests. I will be glad to know how many items are common on our list.
4. What are the things that fascinate you? Do the things that fascinate you and I guarantee you that you will stay motivated.  22 things which fascinate me  will give you an idea about how to explore your interests.
5. Staying motivated is a lifelong continuous process. If you are a believer, do your best in whatever endeavor you take up in life and have faith in the almighty. Like we have to bath daily to stay fresh physically, similarly stay connected with the divine to stay focused and on purpose.
6. Our life is short and we can do very little to increase our life span. But, we can definitely Live life to the fullest without any regrets to increase the depth of our life. Think about it.
7. Think beyond yourself. There is more to life than worrying about our own life problems.  Also, we can learn so much from others and can help others to literally improve our own self esteem. 

BY- Rohan Sinha

Read More

Challenged myself to write 111 beautiful blog posts in 30 days

Photo Credit: Unknown source 

Hello Everyone,

I am a simple person who always tries to push his limits.  Easy stuffs do not motivate me. I am driven by quality, passion and purpose in life.  I have challenged myself in front on my blog reader that I will write 111 beautiful blog posts in 30 days i.e. by 10^th July 2015.

I have also prepared an indicative list of things on which I would like to write to keep me focused on my goal. Hope to delight you with my blog posts whose underlying theme is that Life is beautiful and we are here to make it more beautiful.

Readers, your encouragement can fuel my enthusiasm and will help me reach my goal in the time frame. Please comment and provide your feedback if you feel my initiative is worth your appreciation. You can also rate my blog on a scale of 1 to 5 (A poll gadget is attached on the right side of my blog). It will help me know that people who are visiting to my blog are reading the posts.

I will keep you posted of the updates on my goal here. You can follow my blog on Google plus or can subscribe through email.  Enjoy this blog  Life is Beautiful !!

CHALLENGE : To publish 111 beautiful blog posts in 30 days!!

UPDATE          : 43/111 Completed- 30 Days!!!

OUTCOME     : I aimed for 111 posts in 30 days but could write 43 posts in that time. I am very happy with the experience as this challenged encouraged me to write regularly. I am looking forward to keep writing.

1.    Things I learnt when I started Blogging  - Completed

2.    Reading books/ Books Reviews

3.    Social Networking

4.    Self Help

5.    The good old Childhood days- “Happy Days”

6.    School Time

7.    What not to do at College

8.    Self Dependent

9.    Talking

10. Mentoring

11. HR Interview

12. People management

13. Soft skills

14. Public Relation

15. Personal & Professional Goals

16. Health Tips

17. Wealth Tips

18. Continuous learning- Self education

19. Food ,cloth and shelter for all

20. Birthdays

21. Festivals

22. Ways to keep your mind busy

23. Idea Lab

24. What I want to do in Life?

25. How to in

26. Vedic Village & Life in digital age.

27. Connect with yourself

28. Flashback

29. Aatm-Chintan- Introspection

30. Best of Behaviors

31. Life Purpose

32. Memorable incidents- grand viva,

33. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,

34. Activities I love doing- Hobbies & Interests

35. My First Salary

36. Change Management- Transfer orders

37. Dilemmas

38. Photography

39. Want to do if money is abundant?

40. How to Improve my life

41. How to stuffs

a.    Switch job/industry

b.    Crack your Interview

42. Life achievement @ Funeral

43. Jotting down – random thoughts

44. Rat Race- What are you chasing?

45. Reading Novels- Review Books

46. Nature Lovers

47. Things which makes me happy?

48. Self Learning Tutorial

49. Topics of Interest

50. My dream roles?

51. Things to do daily so they mould into a habit- Show the list

52. Power of Visualization

53.  Writing Journals

54. Challenges I overcame at my workplace

55. Thoughts that I am having for past few days (Originally written in my Journal on 30^th Oct,11)

56. 10 Best Ideas for wedding anniversary celebration.

57. 12 things worth learning

58. Our Family Trip of 2008

59. Our Foreign Trip

60. Articles written on flight in Bangkok (Reference Pocket diary)

61. Mini Projects

62. Self talk

63. Book Rich Dad Poor Dad

64. Meaningful life

65. Rituals – Morning and other habits of successful people

66. Reflection on my life and lessons for all

67. What is life?

68. Life without Money? Is money overhyped? Money is like petrol. We are the Car

69. My Life My Dreams

70. Tips to Improve as a writer.

71. Movie Review- I am Kalam

72. Soul Searching; My soul is shouting

73. Beat the fears

74. How I want to Live Life?

75. Connecting with old friends, relatives.

76. Child- Parents Relationship

77. 17 Questions that will catch your attention

78. Introspection-part 2

79. Purpose/Aim in Life

80. Slow Campaign- Slow Food, Slow travel, slow city

81. 13 things I learnt in my life

82. Self Improvement

83. 7 ways to be more energetic (prevent dissipation of energy)

84. Goals- Career, Life, Health, Personal, Professional

85. Financial Literacy

86. Insurance- Is it required or not?

87. Who will use the phone? – Thoughts ahead of time

88. Childhood memories

a.    Playing cricket

b.    Eating food together

c.    Electricity problem

d.    Individual houses-not apartment

e.    Playing with siblings

f.     Learning poems

g.    Life at Ara-11.05.12

h.    Chess, Carom, Ludo

89. Watching documentaries/videos

90. Home Decoration,

91. Cooking

92. Vocational Training

93. 15 things which makes me believe that Life is beautiful

94. Simple Living

95. Confused about your career? 11 Things which will help you succeed in your career

96. 13 things to do once I retire? They are the things you should be doing.

97. 7 values that will help you grow in your career.

98. 5 most important things which I learned at my workplace

99. Words of Wisdom

100. Getting motivated in the means not the goal

101.  Importance of Prayers

102.  At the railway station on a chilly winter morning.

103. The Casualty of Migration: Having seven children, more than a dozen grandchildren and still alone

104. 7 things I learned from a ninety year old man

105. 10 things to learn from a kid.

106. My wish list

107. Analysis of my thought through my journal

108. A day in office

109.  Is sleep a luxury?

110. An evening worth remembering

111. Random Thoughts

Read More