What I learnt from Bruce Lee: How to set a goal

In January 1969, Bruce Lee wrote a letter to himself (My Definite Chief Aim) - the letter read thus:

I, Bruce Lee, will be the first highest paid Oriental super star in the United States. In return I will give the most exciting performances and render the best of quality in the capacity of an actor. Starting 1970 I will achieve world fame and from then onward till the end of 1980 I will have in my possession $10,000,000. I will live the way I please and achieve inner harmony and happiness. Bruce Lee, Jan 1969

Bruce lived just for 3 years after he made the laudable pronouncement. But you know, he achieved his goals.

I liked the fact that he was very specific about what he wanted to achieve, he included a deadline and above all, he wrote what he would have to give to achieve his goals. You can't set a goal and not be ready to commit to it - that's recipe for failure.

Read More

What Are Your Life Goals? John Goddard: A life example.

The LA Times called him - "The real life Indiana Jones" and one of his expeditions, "the most amazing adventure of this generation."

“to dare is to do… to fear is to fail” - John Goddard

In 1972, Life magazine published a story depicting the adventures of John Goddard. His story was one of undying determination filled with personal purpose. When he was fifteen, he heard his grandmother say, 'If I had only done this when I was young.' Determined not to spend his life playing the 'if only' game, John Goddard sat down and decided what he wanted to do with his life.

When he finished writing, 127 goals came to being; he called it his Life List.

John Goddard decided there were ten rivers he wanted to explore, along with seventeen mountains he wanted to climb. He decided to become an Eagle Scout; Visit every country in the world; Learn to fly an airplane; and dive in a submarine. He wanted to retrace the travels of Marco Polo and ride a horse in the Rose Parade. And this was just the beginning.

John Goddard committed himself to reading the Bible from cover to cover, reading the entire works of Shakespeare, Plato, Dickens, Aristotle, Socrates and several other classic authors. He planned to read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica and yet have time to learn to play the flute and violin.

Marriage? Yes! Children? he has six, and his plans also included a stint with church missions, along with a career in medicine.

At forty-seven, 1972, John Goddard, had accomplished 103 of his 127 goals and according to the speakers source book by Glenn Van Ekeren,

“Goddard exemplifies the excitement of determining a purpose in life, setting goals, and pursuing them with determination"

At 84, John Goddard still hopes to achieve his remaining goals. He has just 18 more to go.

You may not have much interest in exploring rivers and climbing mountains, but how would you answer the question:

"What are your life goals?"

Read More

The Peaks and Valleys Philosophy: A Philosophy with Skills

“The secret to happiness is to truly appreciate and enjoy each time for what it is while you are living.”

Spencer Johnson, M.D., the No. 1 bestselling author of “Who Moved my Cheese” in his new book, “PeAks and Valleys: Making Good and Bad Times Work For You – At Work And In Life” tells the story of a young man who lived unhappily in a Valley, dissatisfied, he headed for the Peak where he met an old man that told him the story of the Peaks and Valleys approach to managing good and bad times. Read the publisher’s note here.

You may ask, what are these Peaks and Valleys? Peaks and Valleys are not necessarily the physical peaks and valleys that we observe, but are rather the high and lows of life, or the good and bad times and the way we feel about them. They are not just the good and bad times that happen to us, they are also how we feel inside and respond to outside events. It is natural for everyone everywhere to have peaks and valleys at work and in life. Peaks are moments when you appreciate what you have, valleys are moments when you long for what is missing.

I discovered, just like the young man in the book, that it doesn’t matter where a person lived – whether in a fertile valley or on a magnificent peak, like the old man described in the book, what matters is how a person lives. ‘Peaks and Valleys’ teaches us how to work through the ups and downs of life and live in a more peaceful and successful way in both good and bad times. Highs and lows should be seen as normal occurrences in life… and just like the author said “A joyful rich life is a naturally changing landscape of Peaks and Valleys”. I think we can all master this Philosophy of Skills by choosing a better belief today to look and do things differently by creating a SENSIBLE VISION – which makes us get to our destination sooner… before you reach your destination, you would have been there in your mind.

MAIN POINTS TO NOTE:
It is not enough to simply know about Peaks and Valleys in your head, and talk about it, you need to Live the Peaks and Valleys Philosophy. And the more you do, the more you learn and grow and the more calm and successful you become.

• Both the good and bad times in life are truly gifts, and that each has great value, if you manage them well.
• Humility enables you to remain more on your peak longer.
  Our fear keeps us trapped – you can change a Valley into a Peak by letting go of your fear and getting outside of yourself.
• To get to your next Peak, create and follow your Sensible Vision – one that makes sense to you and is realistic and attainable.
• Valleys will definitely come your way (work and life would always be a series of Peaks and Valleys), but whenever you get confused about how to get out of a Valley, remember that
• Peaks and Valleys are opposite, so look at what you did that put you in the Valley.. and when you do just the opposite, you are bound to get opposite results.
• As we grow, we will be able to pass through our Valleys with increasing grace and serenity.
• It’s never too soon to make good and bad times work for you.
• Avoid Comparison and stop believing things are better than they really are when you are on a peak, or worse than they really are, when you are in a valley. Make reality your friend.
  

QUESTIONS TO ALWAYS ASK IN ANY SITUATION (Relevant for Individuals and Companies):

• What is the truth in this situation?
• How can we use the good that’s hidden in this bad time to our advantage?
• Do I/we want to create a sensible vision – a picture of a better future that makes sense to me/us?
  

USING YOUR PEAKS AND VALLEYS AT WORK AND IN LIFE:

• To manage your good and bad times: make reality your friend. Whether you are temporarily up on a Peak or down in a valley, ask yourself: what is the truth in this situation?
• To get out of a valley sooner: find and use the good hidden in a bad time. Relax, knowing that valleys end. Do the opposite of what put you in the valley. Get outside of yourself: be more of service at work and more loving in life. Avoid comparisons. Uncover the good that is hidden in a bad time, and use it soon to your advantage.
• To stay on a peak longer: appreciate and manage your good time wisely. Be humble and grateful. Do more of what got you there. Keep making things better. Do more for others. Save resources for your upcoming valleys.
• To get to your next peak: follow your sensible vision. Imagine yourself enjoying a better future in such specific, believable detail, that you soon enjoy doing what takes you there.
• To help people: share it with others! Help people make good and bad times work for them, too.

BRINGING IT HOME: some lessons for the individual, businesses and for managing our relationships.

For the Individual:

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” – Proust

• When you aspire for the Peak, you would be discouraged by people around you from going where they themselves had never been.
• It is absolutely alright to have feelings that there is different way of life outside what you are currently experiencing.
• You only get to the Peak through self-discovery… when this is done, you would gain a better view of the world and feel a sense of freedom that we all desire.
• Overcome your FEARS by moving beyond them. Beware of fearful vision when attempting to reach your peak.
• Until you change your methods or position you won’t see new opportunities. While you are in a valley, imagine seeing things you might see if you were on a peak.
• You don’t have to be old to gain wisdom.
• It is important that in our journey to go higher, we seek and gain insights into deeper truths of our own by listening to our hearts and thoughts while recalling real moments in our work and life.

Advice for Businesses:

• Never let success get into your heads.
• Continue to do the things that made you successful.

“To stay on a peak longer: be humble and grateful. Do more of what got you there. Keep making things better. Do more for others. Save resources for your upcoming valleys.”

• Never loose that sense of urgency and curiosity.
• Never stop being of service to others.

Advice for managing relationships:

• Decide to grow into a more loving and attractive person.
• By becoming more loving – replacing fear with love – you are more likely to be loved and attract truly fulfilling relationship into your lives.

Your thoughts on this Summary are greatly appreciated. If you've found this piece interesting, please share it.

Read More

PeAks and Valleys: Making Good And Bad Times Work For You - At Work And In Life

I guess many of us are familiar with the book "Who Moved My Cheese". Here's another interesting title from the author (Spencer Johnson, M.D.) - "PeAks and Valleys: Making Good And Bad Times Work For You - At Work And In Life".

I am currently reading the book and would be glad to share the basic lessons as soon as I am done. So watch out.

In the meantime, here is the Publisher’s note:

"Peaks and Valleys" is a story of a young man who lives unhappily in a valley until he meets an old man who lives on a peak, and it changes his work and life forever.

Initially, the young man does not realize he is talking with one of the most peaceful and successful people in the world. However, through a series of conversations and experiences that occur up on peaks and down in valleys, the young man comes to make some startling discoveries.

Eventually, he comes to understand how he can use the old man's remarkable principles and practical tools in good and bad times and becomes more calm and successful himself.

Now you can take a similar journey through the story and use what you find to your advantage in your own work and life.

Read More

Tim Ferriss: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich”

Today I came across Timothy Ferriss’ (Tim Ferriss) website, the author of the Best Selling title “The Four Hour Work Week: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich”

Many of us want to live our dream life wishing we had more time and more money… from learning a new language, cruising through Europe and going on holiday in a chateau in France.

Tim offers a no-regret guide to what it takes to change your life. I have found the book fascinating because it tells you how to live like a millionaire today.

But who is Tim: A graduate of Princeton University, born 1977 and has amassed a diverse roster of credentials and experience:

• Princeton University guest lecturer in High-Tech Entrepreneurship and Electrical Engineering
• First American in history to hold a Guinness World Record in tango
• Advisor to more than 30 world record holders in professional and Olympic sports
• National Chinese kickboxing champion
• Glycemic Index (GI) researcher Political asylum researcher and activist
• MTV breakdancer in Taiwan
• Hurling competitor in Ireland
• Actor on hit TV series in mainland China and Hong Kong

To learn more about Tim and his book click here

Read More

Going Nowhere Very Fast

I always loved this quote "Going No where very fast, the more we change the world, the more we stay the same." I came across this quote in 2002 and it’s been in my heart ever since. Today, I am concentrating on the first part of the quote, "going no where very fast", the other part, we can leave for future discussions.

Going No where very fast? Where am I going with this quote?

Time and time again, we all think of quitting our job one day. Infact, I learnt from a recent research by a USA Software Firm (Intuit - http://www.intuit.com/) that 67% of people think about quitting their jobs regularly or constantly. I did a simple quick survey, and the majority of the poeple I surveyed look forward to better opportunities, better working conditions, flexible work schedule and so on.

Be it as it may, it takes courage to quit the dreaming camp. And indeed, while many dream, only a very few actualize their dream of becoming a professional job quitter.

So where are we going very fast? Many of us are on the wrong path. Even when we are able to secure another job within a short space, we begin to think of quitting again. Why? Because we are simply on the wrong path and we do not find fulfillment in what we do. We are merely going nowhere very fast.

The very first step, therefore, to taking the leap and to have that exclusive first big crush is to have a look at the path you're on and ask yourself if it will take you where you want to go.

This is not going to be easy. Of course, it's tough to quit a job that sounds and appears glamorous, interesting and impressive to the people around you. It involves boldness, clarity and giving up the money, the security and many more that you have and a special combination of your strengths and weaknesses.

Do you have what it takes? Have you thought about a failure plan? What if things just don't go right? How much do you know yourself? If you are not ready to make the sacrifices, you can as well stop thinking of quitting and stay put.

If you take the leap, be rest assured that in the end, you will be happier, fulfilled and motivated because you know where you are going.

Where do you want to go today? "You have to give up to go up"

Read More

Putting Value First : Living a Value Driven Life

Values are fundamental beliefs that guide and motivate our attitudes and actions and they determine the way we behave. As individuals, we need to establish what our values are, what is important and what is desirable, what our desired end results are whenever we want to embark on any action, we have to establish standards and principles that are going to drive the way we act and do things.

Putting value first in all our life's endeavours would ensure that our motivation in life is not mainly economic but rather a mission to achieve results that will be sustainable for a lifetime.

Prof Muhammad Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank (the Bank for the poor) and Benjamin Carson, M.D. are examples of such leaders. They have both made the world’s history books and even though their births were not announced, when they die, they will forever be tagged as leaders who made history. They are motivated by the number of lives they would change, they have found a reason to be alive.

They have discovered the value in their actions and they have defined the reason why. Hard-work and commitment come naturally to them and if we all emulate such characters, it will be easy for us to fulfill the four basic human needs - To Live, To Learn, To Love and To leave a Legacy – (Stephen Covey, 8th Habit). Fame, honour will naturally come to us as our name will be glued to the hearts of many people (young & old) and the history books for a lifetime.

Quotes:

"The thing that really motivates me right now, to be honest with you, is the opportunity to get other people to understand what's important in life.” – Benjamin Carson, M.D.

“You have to make living a value driven life who you are and not what you do, it will empower you with the capacity to translate your vision into reality” – STB

Read More

The Crowd as the Untruth

Hello y'all, here is one piece that has always been on my mind for some years now.

Do not loose yourself in the crowd.
A crowd in its concept is the untruth, by reason of the fact that it renders the individual completely impenitent & irresponsible, it weakens his sense of responsibility by reducing it to a fraction. Being in a crowd in short unmakes one's nature as an individual by diluting the self.

THE CROWD IS THE UNTRUTH.

.... excerpts from the philosophy of Soren Kierkegaard

Read More

What’s in the Black Box?

Some of us may be familiar with this phrase (the black box) known to all avid readers of Jim Collins’ ‘Good to Great’. In his book, he affirmed that inside the black box is yet another black box – namely the inner development of a person to Level 5 Leadership. The Level 5 leader is one that builds enduring greatness through a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will. But I do not intend to talk about Jim Collins & Leadership, I am only challenging us all that inside us (may be in the inner black box) is that inherent ability to build enduring greatness, to change our own destiny, to move the unmovable, to step out of the usual and to be the person we are created to be.

I believe, in my years of living on this planet, getting to that point would begin through a process of self awareness, looking inside and discovering something that you are able to live and die for. Something YOU, something you love and would make you be at peace with yourself.

Read More

How to become a high performer: 7 point plan

1. Be You
2. Be Focused
3. Learn & Grow
4. Maintain your position
5. Be Kind
6. Fly high
7. Do not be Afraid

Read More

Self Improvement in 2007

A note from me:
Hello peeps, it’s easy to get lost in abstraction when discussing issues concerning personal development, but continued investment in ourselves hold promises of more prosperity. As such, I consider this write-up as an idea whose time has come and I deem it appropriate to speak of the potentials that exist within us in very simple terms. I wish you all a prosperous New Year. Please do not forget to make goals that will transform your life within the following months. Happy reading!

¨ thought of the day
“Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength” – Iss 40:31

¨ your career
Planning on jumpstarting your career: 3 things are key:
1.Discover your skills to achieve your potentials
2.Acquire requisite knowledge to develop it
3.Be willing to help others….

You are on your way to the top!

¨ the basics
Did you know that there is a Research Tool in all MS Office Suite, just right click any word and click on ‘look up’ in the drop down menu.

¨ get IT savvy
To Become a Techno:
Get the latest software update and be sure to look up the ‘What’s New” section of the Software. Visit the Internet regularly, Google any topic that comes to mind, it’s amazing what result you would get!

¨ political correctness
Don’t call that landball “FATTY”, the fellow is “PHYSICALLY EXPANSIVE & NUTRITIONALLY ENDOWED”

proverbs
“Humor is but another weapon against the universe” – Mel Brooks
“New ideas have the power to shape and entertain the future.” - STB

¨ English 101
Bespoke: past tense of ‘bespeak’. Meaning: Modified, tailored, adapted, made to order, personalized, custom-made, mass produced.

¨ Ol’ Saying … still relevant
“To be at peace with yourself, you must engage in what you love doing” Author Unknown

¨ feedback
Your suggestions and feedback are welcome. Is there something you want to see but not contained in here? E-mail achieversnest@gmail.com. PS: If you enjoyed reading this, please do not hesitate to refer this page to a friend, remember, ‘be willing to help others.

Read More