The Whole New Begining...!

So that’s it…! The 100th Day or The Judgment Day…?!? Well, whatever you would like to call it, one thing is for sure, it is the last day of our Platinum Plan. So let us quickly take a revision of what we are going to do on this BIG BIG Day of celebrations and resolutions. (Click on the title to read a great article)

First and foremost gather your being to make a whole new beginning and Prepare for the journey-en-route. This will help in making most of the other activities at large.

Once you are prepared, before moving on, spend some time for Celebration of the Golden Moments of the gone year. Don’t worry about the nature or size of them; just make them a tool to feel triumphant.

Next WRITE DOWN the Action Plan in form of a DAILY ROUTINE for the entire New Year i.e. 12 Months.

365 Days x 12 Hrs = 4380 Productive Man Hours that should be spent Creatively, Sensibly and Whole-heartedly. Can you see the potential now or should I break it further – 4380 x 60 = 262800 Minutes…!

Now it’s time for back-to-school. Whatever degree you hold and however genius you are presumed never forget that you are always an eternal student of life and life has enormous to offer each day. Try to learn from everything you interact and think of some abilities, skills, techniques and proficiencies that you need to master for the self-improvement, professional betterment, or just for your own gratification, if nothing. But make it a point to start learning something new on the New Year’s Eve…!

As said earlier, without your involvement you can’t succeed, with your involvement you can’t fail, remember to get deep into whatever you do. The things at surface are not only shallow but they are also bound to get swept off with a stroke of wind which represents distraction. Skin-deep is not the way of anything to attempt unless it is for that purpose only…!

While doing all this never ever underestimate the value of time. You might have heard ‘every penny saved is every penny earned’. But here’s a new doctrine - ‘Every moment wasted is every moment removed’. Always set deadlines for everything including the daily chores.

And finally be aware…! Train your mind to be attentive, alert and aware at each and every moment, even in the sleep. It’s hard, I know, but only practice makes everything possible, neither brainstorming nor chewing philosophy. Practice – Practice – Practice. You might not be perfect but who wants to be perfect. We are just trying to be human by realizing our being. That is enough for this life…!

Today I will wind it up little early to allow myself and all of us to prepare for the New Year Eve and to conclude I will like to offer my heartiest and genuine New Year Wishes to one and All!

Happy New Year and May this New Year Mark the Beginning of Your Whole New Being and It Would Be the Most Wonderful Year of Your Life…! All the best and GOD bless you!

Every Saint has a PAST...

Every Sinner has a FUTURE...!

I am Aware...!

We are almost there as we explore this 99th day of our plan. It is about delivering according to the designed plan by playing both player as well as umpire for self; to enforce the rules and progress towards the objective. And what that exactly means…? Well it simply means –

Being awake, being aware, being attentive and being alert of the objective, of the plan, of the resolutions and of the journey, every single moment. (Click on the title to read 'Practice Instructions for Awareness') It is not easy, I know, with so much distractions and an apelike mind within. But then remember the old metaphor ‘No Pain No Gain…!’ Easy come and easy go will never take you anywhere but downwards. Is it still hard to understand? Alright then, listen to this story…

Buddha was passing through a village. The people of that village were against him, against his philosophy, so they gathered around him to insult him. They used ugly words, vulgar words. Buddha listened. Ananda, Buddha’s disciple who was with him, got very angry, but he couldn’t say anything because Buddha was listening so silently, so patiently, rather as if he was enjoying the whole thing.

Then even the crowd became a little frustrated because he was not getting irritated and it seemed he was enjoying. Buddha said, “Now, if you are finished, I should move – because I have to reach the other village soon. They must be waiting just as you were waiting for me. If you have not told me all the things that you thought to tell me, I will be coming back within a few days, then you can finish it.”

Somebody from the crowd said, “But we have been insulting you, we have insulted you. Won’t you react? Won’t you say something?”

Buddha said, “That is difficult. If you want reaction from me, then you are too late. You should have come at least ten years ago, because then I used to react. But I am now no longer so foolish. I see that you are angry, that’s why you are insulting me. I see your anger, the fire burning in your mind. I feel compassion for you. This is my response – I feel compassion for you. Unnecessarily you are troubled.

“Even if I am wrong, why should you get so irritated? That is not your business. If I am wrong I am going to hell, you will not go with me. If I am wrong I will suffer for it, you will not suffer for it. But it seems you love me so much and you think about me and consider me so much that you are so angry, irritated. You have left your work in the fields and you have come just to say a few things to me. I am thankful.”

Just when he was leaving he said, “One thing more I would like to say to you. In the other village I left behind, a great crowd just like you had come there and they had brought many sweets just as a present for me, a gift from the village. But I told them that I don’t take sweets. They took the sweets back. I ask you, what will they do with those sweets?”

So somebody from the crowd said, “What will they do? It is easy, there is no need to answer. They will distribute them in the village and they will enjoy.”

So Buddha said, “Now what will you do? You have brought only insults and I say I don’t take them. What will you do? I feel so sorry for you. You can insult me, that is up to you. But I don’t take it, that is up to me – whether I take it or not.” Buddha said, “I don’t take unnecessary things, useless things. I don’t get unnecessarily burdened. I feel compassion for you.”

This is response. Response is always good, reaction is always bad. Response is always beautiful, reaction is always ugly. Avoid reactions and allow responses. Reaction is from the past, response is here and now. Just remember this and put your best foot forward.

We will conclude this Platinum Plan tomorrow with learning more about being Mindful…! Stay tuned…!

Just a Moment...!

I just heard somewhere

“It's About TIME...Track It, Save It, Turn It into Money…!”

Today, on the 98th Day of our Platinum Plan we will try to understand why numbers are so important i.e. why you should have a stringent timeline in terms of hours, days, weeks, months whatever that has a rock-hard deadline. (Click on the title to read a beautiful article about 'Time is Money')

Well to understand this concept we will assume a case of Mr. X who wants to be a billionaire…

One fine morning Mr. X got up with a dream of being a billionaire. Mr. X said to himself

“I want to be a billionaire…”

And closed his eyes, waited for a minute expecting to find himself in his Rolls Royce accompanied by Mr. Bill Gates, heading to his own Royal Palace for an exclusive pre-premiere of Steven Spillberg’s yet to be released movie…

Now can you guess what he saw when he opened his eyes…?!? A yelling wife in front of him, scolding him for being lazy and useless, as usual…!

What’s the morale…? It’s a crime to dream…? It’s foolish to visualize yourself as a Royalty…? Nah... Not at all! In fact everybody borne human has a potential to become a rich and successful person before dying. Then what’s wrong with Mr. X? Nothing! Let’s just get back to his dream…

Any wish is a dream unless it is written down, then it becomes a goal…!

So merely “I want to be a billionaire” is quite a foolish and childish DREAM. Let’s make a GOAL out of it…

“I shall be a billionaire…” Is that OK? Well, it’s better. But just better not how it should be…! So what is that still missing? Two things –

First – the tense – why shall, why future? It automatically keeps that thing on a hold in the list of ‘Things-to-be-done’ (At some point of time). Whatever is kept for future with a prefix of shall, will, would remain there forever – untouched. Fix this tense, once and for all, by using a continuous present tense as if that thing is already happening for all the goal setting things.

What Mr. X should say to himself is

“I am being a billionaire…” That sounds good but not good enough.

An important part is still missing which is the subject matter of this post! When…?!? Now rephrase the dream of Mr. X by converting it to a SMART goal and he will say… (What is SMART? Well we'll see to it later)

“I am being a billionaire by the end of 2015…”

See, how that sounds… Great, awesome, perfect…! This could be considered as a good plan. That number of 5 years made all the difference by giving the goal a dimension of a plan, isn’t it?

And it’s not only about time, apply this principle to anything that has a number and you will find out for yourself it is always ‘Cheaper by the dozen’…! By the way, have you read it yet? If not, include that in your list of things-to-do-at-the-earliest…!

Get your math right and I shall see you tomorrow…! Stay tuned…!

Involve...!

Without your involvement you can’t succeed...

With your involvement you can’t fail...~!~

- Dr. ABDUL KALAM.

(Click on the title for some more insightful quotes by Dr. Abdul Kalam)

Day 97 – To develop, improve and evolve a new beginning of your being, involve your body, mind and soul in the process and don’t just be a dreamer, thinker or observer.

Today we will get into the action by making ourselves engaged and involved in whatever plans we have drafted. This is the most crucial step of the Platinum Plan as it will mark the beginning of the actual progress towards our goal. This first and small step would eventually lead to the manifestation of the dream we are viewing. Pull up your socks, get ready for the action and march towards your goal.

To succeed with goal setting you must first establish a goal-setting routine that is based on proven principles, which will keep you motivated and progressing forward towards a success you define. Once you have learned this effective goal-setting process, you must continue with it and regularly review your goals, and your routine, in order to stay focused. A regular review increases your ability to make your goals a reality, because you are more capable of performing actions you are familiar with than actions that are unfamiliar. It will keep your goal-setting routine in focus, familiarize you with the success life you desire, and keep you on the path to that success.

The practice of goal setting is really an art. It is a learned human skill that can be extremely powerful and rewarding. Mastering goal setting will prove invaluable as you work towards every achievement, whether large or small, throughout your life. Once goal setting is mastered it becomes a way of life. You will pursue your goals with confidence, and literally control your destiny. No longer will you wonder what the outcome will be – you will be in control…!

And always remember…
It's not the critic that counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled or whether the doer of deeds could have done them better...The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust, and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and often comes up short again and again. Who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy cause. And who, if at best in the end, knows the triumph of higher treatment and high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly so that his soul shall never be with those cold and timid ones, who know neither victory nor defeat.

- Theodore Roosevelt

All the best and stay tuned for the number game tomorrow…!

Training

"Everybody talks about changing the world but nobody talks about changing oneself…"

Today is the 96th day of our plan that we have marked for the Training. It is quite simple as we have already discussed the big picture. Now we will just fill in the blanks with the missing links and threads wherever necessary. (Click on the title to learn about some interesting methods of Training)

To start with we will define and design a Training plan for self only. As we cannot change anybody else, we will try to change modify, improve our own being to make it more sustainable…!

There are three types of training we should get into
1. Learning from the individuals – Trying to cultivate the values of our idols and inspirations into ourselves
2. Learning from the incidences – During or after any incidence, analyzing it for an insight
3. Learning from the resources – Newspaper, Books, Internet, Media and course materials

This indeed is a tough job as we are not supposed to just learn it as sitting in a classroom but you are supposed to play the student, the teacher, the instructor and the evaluator. Not only that but once the lesson is learned it needs to be engraved and for the skills part they need to be exploited, sharpened and updated on almost daily basis.

Start this step with conducting a very stern and neutral SWOT analysis of yourself. (SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) The results would point to the areas that need immediate attention and appropriate action. This automatically will cast your Training Plan. Take a sheet of paper and title it ‘My Training Plan for 2011’ or ‘Things I need to Learn in 2011’ if you like using vivid colors. List each and every thing that you realized in the past 12 months that you must, brainstormed for this purpose and as a result of the SWOT test. If necessary take additional sheets of papers and take as long as you need to finish it but do not restrain or truncate the list for any excuse. This list would mark you Road Ahead for 2011…!

Don’t freeze or lock this list or plan considering it comprehensive. Always keep it open and flexible so that you can add or take out items from it as your being evolves on a minute-to-minute basis. For a better understanding of this always remember the nature’s law of impermanence. Not only you but everything in this universe, however tiny or voluminous, is changing every moment demanding flexibility and acceptance of CHANGE – the only permanent thing…!

Tomorrow we will get into action by INVOLVING ourselves into the ACT physically, mentally and spiritually…! Stay tuned…!

Merry X'mas...!

Alright, so today is 95th Day of our last 100 days of this year. We have marked this day for Aspiration and coincidently it is Christmas…! What an apt occasion for making new plans and viewing fresh dreams! Christmas, as it is, is the festival of renewal, revival, regeneration and reincarnation. We will not find a better time in the entire year, than this day to plan for the future while celebrating the present…!

Okay, so to go ahead with this, we again will use the same pattern as for the review and celebrations. We will breakup our objective (Click on the title to learn more about Objective) into three, instead of four, segments for Aspiration.

1. Personal – Under this write down all the things you need to accomplish in next 12 months on a personal level. This list would be titled as ‘Personal Objectives for 2011’. It should include things like
a. Attaining a perfect physique in pink of health with the help of a complete health-check, appropriate clock-work, balanced and healthy diet, regular exercise and workout. Make it a point to understand the messages from your different metabolic systems and act accordingly. Healthy mind resides in a healthy body, so make sure you are physically healthy to start with.
b. Your brain is to your persona what your heart is to your body. It cognizes, analyzes, stores and repulses all the knowledge or information that contributes to your unique identity. Exercising of brain is equally or even more important as exercise of body. No person could be considered Alive and Aware if either the heart or the brain is not performing normally and nobody could be a Genius or even Excellent if the brain is not outperforming the other brains in the vicinity. Take deliberate efforts to keep your brain updated, smart, sharp and creative…!
c. When the body and the mind are perfectly aligned and working in the right direction the burden on the soul is already lessened at large. Still you need to engage yourself in regular mediation activity of your choice and belief to progress on the spiritual or nonmaterial path. This not only provides you with the ultimate, unconditional peace of mind but also boosts your attitude and energy levels to outperform everybody else as you have surpassed the misery of attachment and enlightened with the wisdom of uncertainty.

2. Professional – If you got the first one right the remaining two are quite simple and could be stated in a single line. Once you attain the realization and control of your being, you have already mastered the present and sown the seeds of success. Nature, in its course, is bound to nurture and cultivate those seeds and the future will flourish almost naturally. Just write down a one line ‘Professional Objective for 2011’ in form of where you want to be at the end of 2011. Use all your imagination and creativity to describe this ‘where’ and don’t forego the slightest detail and you are done…!

3. Social – This is the third corner of the triangle and it is ought to fit in place when the other two are well-placed. This would be the shortest ‘Social Objective for 2011’ as you are already doing well personally and professionally. All that is required to finish writing this is a little generosity, a good amount of nobleness and reflective awareness. Only these three will spell the social aspect of your aspiration for the next 12 months.

Well, as they say, it’s easier said than done and everything looks great and impeccable on paper. It’s of no use having a well-formatted and presentable ‘Objective’ document unless you work accordingly. That is exactly what we will discuss tomorrow, the step-by-step execution of our P-L-A-N…! Stay tuned...!

Celebration of Gratitude...!

Okay, so today is the 94th day and according to our Platinum Plan it’s the Day for a review and recall. We will collect the triumphant moments from last 12 months to celebrate our excitement...! (Click on the title to experience Celebration)

Well, again we will make four departments for these golden celebration moments

1. Personal – For over last 12 months, make a note of each and every, however tiny or great, improvement or materialization/realization of anything that gave you a feel of pure contentment and proud of being yourself even for fraction of a second. Don’t miss out anything by assuming it as irrelevant or insignificant. Just think of things that made you feel triumphant on a personal level in terms of physique (Body), intellect (Mind) and spirit (Soul). It may include a regular morning exercise you have taken up lately OR a school/class you’ve joined for learning/mastering a skill/technique OR philosophy you started to explore and might found answers to your eternal questions to some extent. Anything! Don’t waste time in analyzing/weighing and scrutinizing such things on any parameter other than your approach, intention and action towards it. It’s enough even if you did your first day exercise for only 15 minutes. Never mind the length of it just take the note of inspiration that manifested.

2. Professional – This should be simpler compared to personal as it is more gross than subtle! The yardstick for the measurement of professional accomplishment is based on three simple factors – the amount of job satisfaction you were able to increase, the level of appreciation of your jobs done by others and financial freedom/stability you have progressed towards. Even a single small, baby step on any of these paths should be considered as achievement on the professional front. If you find yourself in a better control of your timetable and managing the time well, consider it as a bonus and award yourself with three stars…!

3. Family and Friends – The audit of near and dear ones is always a difficult and complicated task owing to its ever-changing nature and number of contexts and governing factors. Having said that the moments from last 12 months to be celebrated from this area needs to be handpicked meticulously. Consider every peaceful, harmonious, fruitful, enriching and soothing interaction with any of the family member, friend or relative as happy and successful. Don’t get into details for analyzing the nitty-gritty of the incidences if they qualify the basic criteria of being successful. First we will celebrate those moments on the ending notes of the current year and then only we will proceed to think of improving/bettering them so that we don’t lose what we already had.

4. Society – This will cover the entire spectrum surrounding you excluding the above mentioned elements. It will start from the lane or road in your residential address where you are dwelling and then will expand to encompass the surrounding area, the city, the state, the country, the continent, the globe and finally the universe or cosmos. Try to remember every single thing you did that made a difference in terms of betterment to any of the above list. It could be a little philanthropy, it could be a small act of awareness, it could be an initiative that has a noble cause, it could be helping hand extended to anything for any reason, it could be being just when and where needed or it could just be listening patiently to an old person… Whatever small deed towards the mankind or planet you find gratifying put it on the list.

Once your list is complete, no matter how short or long it is, start celebrating by offering gratitude to each of those moments and feel free to allow as many last-minute additions to the list as possible to multiply the thrill and gratefulness…

Merry X'mas and continue partying till we think about 'OBJECTIVES' tomorrow… Stay tuned...!

Just 8...!?!

Dear All,
Long time no see…! I admit I was kind of derailed for some time as I was going through the biggest, most voluminous and decisively significant transformation process of my life. I was quite swept away with the happenings that almost caught me unprepared and shaken my fundamental beliefs and faiths. Anyway, I am out of those transformation blues finally, which occurred for my betterment I believe, and decided to get over it and move on. From today you can expect a post from me on daily (almost) basis…!?!

Anyway, if you remember my ‘100 Days’ post on 23 Sept 2010and followed the timeline by keeping track of countdown, you would be well aware of the fact that today, 23 Dec 2010 is the 92nd day of those 100 days…! Just 8 more days to go…!

(Click on the title 'Just 8' to watch a Vlog by Robin Sharma on Making Best of Next 12 Months)

Don’t’ worry; starting today, we will try to make most of these 8 days before the calendar transition takes place. However busy and preoccupied you might find yourself with all that holiday and festival preparations, take out time for the steps I am going to share for next week if you are really resolute to make the next year the best one of your life…!

Well, we have got exactly 7 days to be precise as today and the 31st would be of little use as today will be mainly invested in digesting the action-plan and 31st would be quite light and freaky to mind anything serious by keeping vigilant.

So our Platinum plan goes like this –

1. P – Preparation – (Day 93) Today we will prepare ourselves by reading and examining the plan
2. L – Logbook – (Day 94) Study the diary of last year for achievements and successes to celebrate.
3. A – Aspiration – (Day 95) Define the Objectives in terms of ambition for the next 12 months.
4. T – Training – (Day 96) Resolve on things that need to be learnt in the next 12 months on all three fronts – Personal, Professional and People. Design a plan to train yourself.
5. I – Involve – (Day 97) To develop, improve and evolve a new beginning of you being involve your body, mind and soul in the process and don’t just be a dreamer, thinker or observer.
6. N – Number – (Day 98) Design a plan based on numbers i.e. having a stringent timeline in terms of hours, days, weeks, months whatever that has a rock-hard deadline.
7. U – Umpire – (Day 99) Deliver according to the designed plan by playing both player as well as umpire for yourself. Enforce the rules to progress towards the objective.
8. M – Mindful – (Day 100) Be attentive, aware and alert for every moment so that you don’t get carried away by diverting from the game-plan and reach the destination of your dreams.

From tomorrow we will discuss in detail the step for that day…

By the way, thanks a zillion for your love, support and appreciation expressed in your lovely mails that are overflowing in my mailbox. And don't forget to check out my redefined new web-symbol on the right side for Profile link. Need I say your comments and suggestions would be greatly appreciated...?!?

Stay tuned...!