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Live Well

How to deal with failure

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Let’s be honest: nobody looks forward to failing at anything. We talk about the virtues of failure, but the truth is that failure is painful.
I have been contemplating on whatever has happened in the last 24 hours. We have seen one side enjoying the accolades for a thumping victory and the other side being trolled and hurled for their not so poor performance.
To all of you, who’d have faced failure, here’s the best wisdom to remember, remind and rework yourself at all times:
We fail.
When we fail we hurt.
When we hurt we learn.
When we learn, we heal.
Healing brings wisdom.
Wisdom brings fortune.
If you can deal with the fortune, you can bring fortune.

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डरो मत

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“हमारे संदेह गद्दार हैं। हम जो सफलता प्राप्त कर सकते हैं, वह नहीं कर पते, क्योंकि संशय में पड़कर प्रयत्न ही नहीं करते। ” शेक्सपियर
अभी कुछ दिनों पहले राहुल गाँधी ने सारे देवी देवताओं के प्रतिमाओं के वरदहस्त रूप के ओर इशारे करते हुए कहा की वे हमें कहते हैं कि “डरो मत।”
वास्तव में भविष्य में उत्पन्न होनेवाली चिंता और कठिनाई के बारे में सोचकर काफी लोग कुछ निर्णय ही नहीं लेते है।बीते हुए कल का पश्चात्ताप और आने वाले कल की चिंता कइयों को अकर्मण्य बना देती है।
जीवन बहूत सुन्दर है, बहूत शानदार है और असीम संभावनाओं से परिपूर्ण भी है। हममे वो सारी खूबियां मौजूद है जिसके बूते हम कुछ भी थान लें तो उसे पूरा कर सकते हैं। जरूरत यह है हम भविष्य में आनेवाली संकट की परवाह न करें और प्रसन्न रहें।
जबतक दुर्गम रास्ते पर करने की नौबत न आये, उसके बारे में व्यर्थ चिंता न करें, यह मत सोचें कि रास्ता कैसे पर होगा। भगवान् पर भरोसा रखें, प्रसन्न रहें, मन में विश्वास को ओजस्वित रखें और अपना कर्म करते रहें।
जीवन एक ईश्वरीय उपहार है, जीवन सुन्दर है, जीवन शानदार है। हमारा उद्देश्य इसे और सुखी और शानदार बनाना है। हम दासता और भय को दूर करें तो सुख, समृद्धि और सफलता हमारे पाँव चूमेगी।

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यूँ घूर घूर कर मुझे देखा न करो

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कुछ दिन पहले  एक कॉलेज स्टूडेंट से बात हो रही थी तो वो कह रही थी कि किस तरह पुरुष वर्ग लड़कियों पर तंज कसते हैं, उन पर अभद्र व्यंग करते हैं, ललचाई नजरों से घूरते हैं और कभी कभी तो अश्लील हरकतें भी करने को उन्मादित होते हैं। इसे लड़की ताड़ना कहते हैं।
मैं जब भी ऐसे वाक़या के बारे में सुनता हूँ या ऐसा करते हुए युवकों को देक्ठा हूँ  मुझे रामचरित मानस की एक चौपाई और राम लक्ष्मण के जनकपुर भ्रमण वाली प्रसंग याद आ जाती है। प्रसंग कुछ ऐसे है
हियँ हरषहिं बरषहिं सुमन सुमुखि सुलोचनि बृंद।
जाहिं जहाँ जहँ बंधू दोउ तहँ तहँ परमानन्द।।
राम विश्वामित्र के संग मिथिला पँहुचते है। शाम के समय विश्वामित्र जी राम और लक्ष्मण के साथ सत्संग के लिए बैठते हैं। लक्ष्मण जी का मन सत्संग में नहीं लग रहा क्योंकि उनके मन में अयोध्या घूमने की कौतुहलता है। राम यह भांप लेते हैं और गुरु जी से शहर देखने जाने के अनुमति का अनुग्रह करते हैं। गुरु जी यह जान लेते हैं की भगवन की इच्छा अपने गुण शील और ज्ञान युक्त मिथिला के भक्तों को दर्शन देने की है तो उन्हें आज्ञा दे देते हैं।
राम लक्ष्मण नगर की ओर चल देते हैं। बच्चे उनके पीछे पीछे, पुरुष सड़क के दोनों ओर और नगर की नारी वर्ग अपने घरों के छत से भगवान् के दर्शन के लिए उमड़ पड़ते हैं। उनके मनोहर छवि की एक झलक पाने को सब लालायित हैं। राम और लक्ष्मण बिना इधर उधर देखते हुए नगर भ्रमण कर रहे हैं । स्त्रियों को भगवान के मुख का दर्शन नहीं हो पा रहा और इसलिए वो थोड़े उदास हैं, वो आपस में उपाय सोच रही है कि किशोर राम और लक्ष्मण के मुख का दर्शन कैसे किया जाए।
फिर एक स्त्री उपाय बताती है – “अरे सखी अपने अपने बेनी के फूल निकालकर हम उनके ऊपर फेंकते है ताकि वो नजर ऊपर की तरफ करें और हमें उनका दिव्य दीदार हो जाए। सारी स्त्रियाँ ऐसा ही करती हैं भगवान् के ऊपर सुन्दर और सुगन्धित पुष्पों की वर्षा होती है और भगवान् अपनी नजर ऊपर के तरफ करते है और उनके मुखावलोकन से नारियाँ मन्त्र मुग्ध हो जाती है।
तो अगर आपको किसी को आकर्षित करना है तो अच्छे गुण शील और ज्ञान की शक्ति स्वयं में ओजश्वित करो। छिछोड़ेपन से खुद को कलंकित क्यों करते हो।

यूँ घूर घूर कर मुझे देखा न करो Read More »

Billionaire Entrepreneur Charlie Munger’s Strategy to Success

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I always thought the key to success was creating a vision, setting goals, and working hard toward them every day. If I failed, I thought I did one of these steps wrong.
Today, I read a quote by Charlie Munger, Berkshire Hathaway vice chairman: “He shows another equally important path to success: thinking through what can go wrong no matter how smart and hardworking you are. Realising this, Munger continuously and methodically considers every way a plan could go wrong and plots out how to avoid each obstacle.”
“Invert, always invert: Turn a situation or problem upside down. Look at it backwards. What happens if all our plans go wrong? Where don’t we want to go, and how do you get there? Instead of looking for success, make a list of how to fail instead–through sloth, envy, resentment, self-pity, entitlement, all the mental habits of self-defeat. Avoid these qualities, and you will succeed. Tell me where I’m going to die so I don’t go there.” Munger says.
Munger’s approach tells me to avoid roadblocks and be more prepared when I inevitably encounter one. Furthermore, a growing body of academic studies on the topic backs up the idea of combining goal setting and obstacle avoidance. When people only ‘fantasise’ about the future, they take less action than they would if they also thought about what could go wrong and made plans to avoid it.
To summarise the key message, “Being both pessimistic and optimistic is better than just being optimistic. One of the best ways to win is not to lose.”
To apply this principle, test your plan with this three-step premortem process developed by Meathead Movers CEO and cofounder Aaron Steed:
1) List the ways the project could fail
2) Assign a probability to each possibility
3) Prioritize actions that can be taken to avoid failure
Rather than adding new procedures to help those projects succeed, he developed the pre-mortem process to remove the barriers preventing them from failing.

Billionaire Entrepreneur Charlie Munger’s Strategy to Success Read More »

The Joy Of Service: A Life-changing Story

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In Conversation with God Krishna, I asked: “Why am I always in the want mode? When I don’t get what I want, I feel miserable, and when I exactly get what I want, I still feel bad because I feel I have limited my want so little.”
God Krishna said, “It’s because you are always in “I” mode. I want a house. I want a beautiful spouse. I want a car. I want success. You are no worth more than a beggar. Even if you have enough, you always want, want, and want. It’s because you have not experienced the joy of service. For all such want-mode people, they suffer bigger hardships.”
I further asked, “Joy of Service? What can I serve when I don’t have enough?”
God said, “There are four ways that people feel the joy of service: Some give their work to the divine, which is doing your work and surrendering it to the feet of God. Some give their life, surrendering their bodies to the holy feet of the divine; some offer their wealth to serve the common good, and the ultimate man gives their soul to the service.
You look at nature; all of them are always offering their service without any want of their own. Just try to live like nature to experience the joy of service.
March forward with a common goal. March forward with open-mindedness and working together in harmony. March forward to sharing your thoughts on integrated wisdom. March forward following the example of our ancestors, who achieved higher goals by virtue of being united.”
श्री कृष्ण अर्पणमस्तु।

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Essential Morning Mantra to live blessed and blissful every day

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Today, tomorrow, forever and more, start your day with these peace mantras and make your every day a blessed and blissful day.
Om Santi Santi Santih!
Sarvesham Svasti Bhavatu
Sarvesham Santir Bhavatu
Sarvesham Purnam Bhavatu
Sarvesham Mangalam Bhavatu
May auspiciousness be unto all;
May peace be unto all;
May fullness be unto all;
May prosperity be unto all.
Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah
Sarve Santu Niramayah
Sarve Bhadrani Pasyantu
Ma Kaschid-Duhkha-Bhag-Bhavet
May all be happy;
May all be free from disabilities;
May all behold what is auspicious;
May none suffer from sorrow.
Asato Ma Sadgamaya
Tamaso Ma Jyotir-Gamaya
Mrityor-Ma Amritam Gamaya
Om Santi Santi Santih!
Lead me from the unreal to the Real;
Lead me from darkness to the Light;
Lead me from mortality to Immortality.
Om Peace! Peace! Peace!
Om Santi Santi Santih!
Carry out your daily duty with these thoughts in your mind, keep reminding yourself during the day about these positive energies and let your day be the best yet!

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Four Life Lessons by Mark Juckerberg as shared by Naomi Gleit, Meta’s Head of Product

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I listened to Lenny’s podcast with Naomi Gleit, Meta’s Head of Product (and 29th employee) working with Mark Zuckerberg. Describing Mark as a good friend, she referred to a specific time in her life when she was going through a breakup; Mark asked her if she was interested in joining her to conduct the entrepreneurship course for school kids.

Four life lessons Mark Zuckerberg wrote on the blackboard using chalk were: 

One, love yourself.

Two, only then can you fully serve others.

Three, Focus on what you can control. 

And four, for these three things, never give up.

I reflected on these points and wrote my understanding in my notebook. I am putting it together with the aim that it might help you as well.

“Lover yourself” came to me as a way of caring for an adolescent child. Just as parents create a safe, loving environment for their baby to grow, I need to create that same nurturing environment in my own mind for myself.  I deserve the same unconditional love, patience, and care that parents give to their newborn babies! 

“Only then can you fully serve others.” This makes me imagine a situation where I am with an empty bottle, trying to quench a thirsty person. How can I love or care for others if I am not staying healthy and fine?  It’s like putting on your own oxygen mask on an aeroplane before helping others with theirs.

“Focus on what you can control” is like playing a video game where you can only control your own character. I have no control over what other players do. I can only control things like what I learn, how hard I work, and how kind I am to others. However, I cannot control the weather, what other people think, or whether I win or lose every time.

“For these three things, never give up.”  The fourth life lesson drew me to reimagine how I learnt cycling. I fell off several times and got hurt with minor injuries, but I didn’t give up. There are days when I feel down and out, but I keep going by loving myself, serving others, and focusing on things I can control, which matters most.

Think of this like learning to ride a bike. You might fall off many times, but you keep trying because you know it’s important. These three lessons (loving yourself, helping others, and focusing on what you can control) are important skills that take practice. Some days will be harder than others, but keeping at it is what matters.

What did it remind you to?

Four Life Lessons by Mark Juckerberg as shared by Naomi Gleit, Meta’s Head of Product Read More »

The sound of drumbeat is always melodious from distance

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Mostly unhappiness is felt because you feel a little by looking at what other possess. While you are disappointed in life for something there are millions who aspire to reach at your spot.

A boy looking at flying aircraft in the sky always dreams to fly but, the pilot at e cockpit looks at earth and dreams to land their and enjoy the scenery and play carelessly.

In spite of you ordering your favorite food in the restaurant, when you see the platter at next table you start feeling that why you didn’t order the same dish.

The real happiness is to enjoy what you have got. No money can buy the peace and happiness. Money alone isn’t a currency of happiness but being content is. Position alone does not bring power otherwise all leaders would be walking without security. Beauty alone does not guaranty relationship bonding otherwise celebrities would have had the most successful relationship – live well..do good…win hearts…

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अष्टादश पुराणेषु व्यासस्य वचनद्वयम् ।

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अष्टादश पुराणेषु व्यासस्य वचनद्वयम् ।

परोपकारः पुण्याय पापाय परपीडनम् ॥

इस संस्कृत श्लोक का अर्थ है कि महर्षि वेदव्यास ने अठारह पुराणों में जो सबसे महत्वपूर्ण बात कही है, वह यह है कि दूसरों का भला करना पुण्य है और दूसरों को अपनी वजह से दुखी करना ही पाप है।

यह श्लोक जीवन के बहुत ही मूलभूत सिद्धांत को सरलता से समझने और अपनाने में मदद भी करता है। 

परोपकार का अर्थ यहाँ अच्छे कर्म करना जैसे की जरूरतमंदों की मदद करना, समाज कल्याण की भावना को सर्वांगीण करना, आध्यात्मिक उन्नति करना तथा स्वयं एवं संसार के प्रति सकारात्मक दृष्टिकोण रखकर आध्यात्मिक उन्नति करने को ही जीवन का असली मकसद बताता है। 

अब हम यहाँ पाप को ठीक से समझें तो इसका मतलब सिर्फ धार्मिक दृष्टि से गलत कार्य ही नहीं बल्कि वे सभी कर्म भी शामिल हैं जो नैतिक रूप से, देश, काल और परिस्थिति के अनुसार भी अनुचित है और दूसरों को नुकसान या कष्ट पहुँचाने की मनसा से किये जाते हैं। 

यहाँ पीड़ा का मतलब शारीरिक, मानसिक, भावनात्मक, और आर्थिक पीड़ा भी है जिससे किसी की प्रतिष्ठा या किसी के अधिकारों का हनन करना भी हो सकता है। 

प्रेरणा:

  1. “परोपकाराय पुण्याय” हमें एक सच्चे और नैतिक जीवन जीने की दिशा में प्रेरित करता है।  
  2. “पापाय परपीडनम्” की अवधारणा हमें एक संवेदनशील, जागरूक और जिम्मेदार व्यक्ति बनने की प्रेरणा देती है। यह हमें याद दिलाती है कि हमारे हर कर्म का प्रभाव दूसरों पर पड़ता है, और इसलिए हमें हमेशा दूसरों की भलाई को ध्यान में रखते हुए कार्य करना चाहिए।

अष्टादश पुराणेषु व्यासस्य वचनद्वयम् । Read More »

A true friendship

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God Krishna says: “I am friend of one and all, it is upto you, whether you consider me as your father, mother, master, associate or friend.

For me, friendship comes first. I enjoyed my childhood with the cowherds of Vrindavan. I played with them like an ordinary boy. I went on to steal the butters from the house of the herdsmen. I killed Kaliya snake who was poisoning the Yamuna water and making the water undrinkable for cows and cowherds. You would have read about my friendship with Sudama. He was my best friend. When Sudama arrived at my home, I could not control myself even for a moment, and ran away to hug him. I treated him like myself with full of compassion and equanimity.

During the war of Mahabharata I was thrown in a peculiar situation. Kauravas’s blamed me for playing one sided. So, I offered them the solution. I asked them to visit my place and whomsoever I see first in the morning after I wake up, I will be part of their side. You know that Duryodhan came first and sit on my head assuming that when I wake up and open my eyes I will first look at him. However, Arjuna came and sat on my feet and I saw him first. I never discriminated with anyone. Arjuna was my ardent devotee. For him, I was the ultimate master ruler of his life.

You would have heard that Draupadi use to call me “Sakha” and I use to call her “Sakhi”. I always came to her rescue as she treated me as her ultimate friend and I always protected her whenever she remembered me for help.

I live in the heart of everyone in the form of consciousness. There are some  who’s forgotten me, and there’re some who constantly keep me in your mind.

I am committed to be the rescuer of all those who remember. You are what you are. I am what I am. We are the same-when you take the time to remember me. The only way you can conquer me is through love and there I am gladly conquered.”

A true friendship Read More »

Go where you are rare

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Success is being at right place at right time. Once upon a time, I refused a lucrative offer to join a leading IT company in Mumbai citing “I won’t shift to Mumbai.” I was well settled in Vadodara when I got an offer to join Sony Music in Mumbai. I asked a close friend for advice, and he said, “Ishwar, you should go there as you will get better opportunity to grow yourself.”

If I’d have refused, Sony Music won’t have happened. Opportunity to write 100s of articles won’t have happened. Joining the league of youngest CEO of Digital at Zee won’t have happened. Traveling the around the globe won’t have happened. Speaking, mentoring and guiding 100s of entrepreneurs won’t have happened. And meeting 1000’s of beautiful people won’t have happened.

“Go where you are rare.” is a great sentence. Being rare positions you as an extraordinarily excellent. It brings the power to you. Things work differently. That ‘rare’ position gives you the opportunity to discover, justify, explain, convince, and win over hundreds of people aiming to grab the spot you are enjoying. You’re at the spotlight.

If you have spotted that ‘rare’ position, the only word of precaution: Don’t solely rely on your talent to draw an extraordinary result out of your situation; push your limits, empathy and your desire to serve.

Keep honoring the purpose of your being that ‘rare’ person, and do more of those things to serve the people around you.

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Die a hero… so that, people show up on your funeral day

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Lots of time, many people would have asked you one common question, “What I want to be when I grow up?”
You’d have answered many things under the pretext that you’d not show that you are here for a small bet.

Today, I want to tell you something more valuable, “Never grow up. Period.” Because your life is not one chapter. To complete your life book, you will have to write many chapters. Instead, live like a “blank piece of paper and beginners mind.”

When you are like a blank piece of paper, you can do many things – you can draw, write poetry, sketch a picture, make a paper boat, fly a paper plane, etc. etc. Only one warning: Don’t dirty yourself by accumulating the bad and the blemish on your life.

And while you are on your flow to write your living story; from time to time:
– Assess your life to find out where you are.
– Decide what area to take action on, and start gathering options.
– Keep prototyping your future self 5 – 10 years from now. Remember that there’s no failure, just continuous progress towards your destination.
– Choose to think and live in ways that focus on living your life like a hero does.
– Maintain a mindset of joyous life in which you learning, growing and having fun.

Die a hero… so that, people show up on your funeral day Read More »

Bhagavad Gita: 10 Commandments to win over conflicts

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The Bhagavad Gita starts with a conflict that arises when Arjuna is on the battlefield, fighting to win the most of his life. When I read Chapter 1 of the Bhagavad Gita, I found it intriguing how to handle conflicting situations. Here are ten commandments I learned from Chapter 1 to eliminate important wars or conflicts with your leadership values.

  1. Always stand firm in your beliefs, no matter the challenge. Your values are your guiding light.
  2. Choose integrity over popularity, making the right choices even if they upset others, including those you care about.
  3. Leadership is about knowing yourself and staying disciplined, not controlling others.
  4. Prioritise the greater good, making tough decisions to uphold what’s right, even if it causes conflict.
  5. Recognise your strengths and weaknesses, and don’t hesitate to seek expert help when needed.
  6. Never let personal feelings for family and friends influence your judgment—stay fair.
  7. Consider material success and align your decisions with spiritual and moral principles.
  8. Face challenges with courage, embracing difficult situations as part of your leadership duty.
  9. Resolve inner conflicts by prioritising what’s most important, guided by wisdom and a deep understanding.
  10. Draw lessons from the timeless wisdom of the Gita to navigate modern dilemmas with clarity and purpose.

Bhagavad Gita: 10 Commandments to win over conflicts Read More »

Life, by it’s very nature is brave

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I was standing firm with both shoulders widespread on the rock near the sea face. Cold breeze air was enchanting my soul and the sea from the wave was challenging me to roar ahead with the flow.

It felt like this is the life, bold and true, standing proud of the sky, lapping up a chance to catch a glimpse of moonlight in a dark cloudy sky.

I asked, “Why am I just living?  Why I couldn’t belong here? I realised, that life, by its very nature is brave. It’s us that get trapped in limiting beliefs, limiting values and limiting circumstances. It’s one life to live. It’s one life to love. It’s one life to be brave.”

If not now, when?

Life, by it’s very nature is brave Read More »

Painstakingly painful pain

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My observation of the worst of pain isn’t what felt at night  when you’re alone, it’s felt during the day when you’re surrounded by your so called loved ones.

It is when your loved ones hit you so hard that you’re knocked off your feet. When you realise that everything you believed was all a lie.

When that warm heart which you prided in most was just a hole lacking in positivity and joy. Because that’s when you know, your life has no meaning.

Painstakingly painful pain Read More »