Managing Transformation

In life, our role keeps changing. From being an innocent baby, one grows into an impulsive kid. Learning at home from parents and at school from teachers, we become students and nurture dreams about future. A day suddenly dawns when each individual begins a career to earn a living. I have vivid memories of standing in line and collecting my first salary - in hard cash! It was a wonderful feeling to earn one's own bread. Later in the growth phase, one acquires many other things such as a spouse, kids, new relatives, new friends, car, home etc.

A Challenge: Managing transformation of role especially in mid-life can be really challenging. In today’s fast-growth, high-pressure environment, expectations run high everywhere. I pondered over the big question -What exactly one should be doing to effectively manage transformation in life? The exact nature of the actions will be influenced by the magnitude, urgency, and nature of the transformation; the capabilities and the personal style an individual.

The most important and hardest part of managing transformation is “to convince people of what you believe in and in doing the right things". My observation is that many people often waste energy by "sweating around small stuff" leaving out more important ones. For example, personal health issues are often ignored at the cost of some frivolous pursuits. Some people nurse old grievances and allow these to injure their own moods besides impacting others. With a fast-changing environment, one needs to be clear on priorities.

Change Yourself: Remember the old adage "Charity begins at home". The best approach is to begin with yourself and lead by example. Every move you make, everything you say, is visible and makes an impact on those around you. Mahatma Gandhi once said, “For things to change, first I must change.” It is a process of reinventing oneself by making a short list of personal transformation objectives. In deciding objectives, one might include such items like - learn something new to advance your career/improve life, invest time wisely, avoid time wasters and whiners, keep watch on health issues, cultivate concentration and mental poise through self-analysis and nurturing positive open-minded thoughts. Sadhu Vaswani recommends laughing aloud atleast three times a day to release stress.

As I watch people, some people will go to any length to assert their own views even if ill-conceived with least concern to others. Fortunately, there is another class of people who talk measuredly, careful not to step on somebody's toes, and perform activities so smoothly and quietly. They reflect an inner peace and mental strength. It is often a pleasure to hear them because the words are tailored so beautifully. Such people do not fail to roll up their sleeves when it is needed.

Major part of our waking hours are spent either in talking with people or watching others talk. Effective conversation requires a well-structured agenda, and developing a healthy thought process. Typically it means spending ample time in personal reflection, reading appropriate material including our age-old scriptures like Bhagavad Gita, and interacting with the right people.

Find time to reflect on your new realizations, new ideas, and new insights into life. Then you will begin to see you are not the same person but someone who is better equipped to manage transformation.

GURU PURNIMA

With the birth of 'Ashadh' month in mid-July, the festival days are here again!

Guru Purnima will be celebrated on July 29th 2007. In Sanskrit, the day of full moon is known as Purnima. The full moon day in the Hindu month of Ashadh is traditionally celebrated as 'Guru Purnima'. It is also known as 'Vyaas Purnima' in remembrance of the great sage Ved Vyaasa, the divine guru who wrote the great epic 'Mahabharatha', the eighteen 'Puranas' and classified the 'Vedas' of the Hindu Dharma. On this day, all spiritual aspirants and devotees worship Sage Vyaasa and all disciples perform a 'puja' to their respective ‘Gurus’.

Who is a Guru? The Sanskrit root "Gu" means darkness or ignorance. "Ru" denotes that hich dispels darkness. Therefore one who removes darkness caused by our ignorance is a Guru. Students also refer to their school teacher as Guru. The Guru in this case is one who imparts knowledge that enlightens the students and therefore, worthy of respect.

In the Hindu tradition, the Guru is looked upon as an embodiment of God himself. For, it is through the Guru’s grace and guidance that one reaches the highest state of wisdom and bliss.

Many of you may know the popular Sanskrit hymn that reads:

Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnu Guru Devo Maheswara; /
Gurur Sakshat Para Brahma Thasmai Sri Gurave Namaha //

"My salutations to the Guru who is Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara. The Guru is Parabrahma (God) incarnate"

Indian culture places 'Gurus' who impart knowledge, equivalent to God. Acquiring knowledge forms the basis to shape a person’s future. So worshipping a guru is like worshipping truth, knowledge and invaluable experiences. On this day, students visit their teachers in order to show respect to them and offer some gifts to express their gratitude.

Guru Purnima is the day we reflect on the knowledge imparted to us. The annual function of Guru Purnima presents an opportunity of introspection to monitor our progress in learning over the last one year, and take lessons from it to march faster in the current year.

Therefore, on the day of Guru Purnima, let us resolve to offer puja and reverence to the Guru in mind, action and speech; obey the Guru, and serve him as a worthy disciple who would bring glory to the Guru. The Guru helps our minds to grow. Let us show our gratitude and appreciation for all the wisdom, and blessings, that we constantly receive from our Gurus.

Only in America!

This morning I drove my dear wife to the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) office to get a state ID card for her. As I reached the DMV office, I got a parking slot within a few yards from the entrance door. We walked into a clean and spacious office space. At the counter, we were smilingly greeted by an elderly person who politely asked 'how may I help you?'. After hearing the purpose of our visit, he asked for some identification papers. He took just a few seconds to take a look at the documents and directed us to the lady at the next counter. The young lady quickly made some entries in her computer and directed my wife to pay the fees to the cashier. The cashier took the money, gave a receipt and asked my wife to proceed to the photograph counter. Within seconds, a snap shot was taken and signature taken. A little later, the ID card was delivered. The entire process took less than 10 minutes. No lengthy forms to fill, no hassles. This could happen only in America - may be in some parts of America but still only in America!

Later, I had to get some documents notarized. On the way, I stopped by at a notary office. It took less than 3 minutes for me to get the notary's signatures after verification of the necessary documents. I felt great - this is America!

There are many such trivial things that can happen so well only in this great country. Take for instance, the drive-in banks. Sitting in the comfort of my car, I can deposit/withdraw money within a few minutes. Senior citizens like me who face financial constraints, enjoy many privileges including lower fares for train and movie tickets.

Let me give you a few more examples of what are most comforting to many of us.

- Weeks after I buy a product, if I am not happy with it for any reason, I can return it to the store and get a refund.
- There is no bother of cigarette smoke in public places. The city I live in is almost a smoke-free zone.
- Despite drastic and abrupt changes in the weather, the forecasts are still fairly accurate.
- If there is an unfortunate accident on the road, cops and paramedics rush to the site within minutes.

Where else can all this happen so well?

Every nation has its own set of problems and the USA is not an exception. Of course, there are negatives in this country too but the common man here enjoys many positives - thanks to the ancestors of this country who worked hard and the people of current generation who continue to work hard to improve the quality of life. God bless America!

Amusing Laws

Do you hear the telephone ring when you are in the shower? Do you fret about things going wrong?

Authors like Parkinson, Peter, and Scott Adams have ferreted out some of the operating principles that govern the frustrating lives that we mortals live. Here is a small sampling of these amusing laws from my collection.

Parkinson's Laws by Prof. Cyril Northcote Parkinson.

Law One: "Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion."

Law Two: "Expenditures rise to meet income."

Law Three:"Expansion means complexity and complexity, decay."

The Peter Principle - formulated by Dr. Laurence J. Peter.

"In a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence."

Dilbert Principle — Coined by Scott Adams, author of the Dilbert comic strip.

"The most ineffective workers are systematically moved to the place where they can do the least damage: Management."

Murphy's Laws - Ascribed to Major Edward A. Murphy, Jr.

"If anything can go wrong, it will."
"If you perceive that there are four possible ways in which something can go wrong, and circumvent these, then a fifth way, unprepared for, will promptly develop."
"Left to themselves, things tend to go from bad to worse."
"Whatever has happened wrong, is bound to happen again ... maybe even worse."

Howe's Law

"Every man has a scheme that will not work."

Though the laws are satirical, I found them valid in many situations. Arising from my personal experience, I can perhaps add one more law of my own.

Subi's Law: "Clutter expands itself to fill up the space available"

"New World" Expressions

Often new expressions are introduced into the English language by foreign countries specially America. Some of these expressions are new to the Indian diaspora who may otherwise be well-versed in English language.

Here are a few common expressions used in the "New World" with their meanings:

Airhead, Dumb, Dope: All meaning a stupid person
Aisle: Gangway
Attorney: Lawyer
Bill: Paper money, Federal Reserve Banknote
Butterflies in stomach: Nervous with feeling of fear
Candy: Sweets
Check: Bill (in restaurants), Invoice
Con: Deceive
Correctional Facility: Prison, Jail
Couch Potato: Lazy person
Drug Store: Chemist shop
Doll: Girl, woman
Dude: Man
Flagstaff: Flag pole
Flight attendant: Air hostess
Geek: Technical expert, unlettered slob
Grub: Food
Go bananas: Go crazy
I need: I want, or wish to have
Kick ass: Reprimand, punish lightly
Kiss and Ride: Passenger drop off area
Last name: Surname
Latino: humans of Mexican, Spanish, or Portuguese descent
Movies: Cinema
Overpass: Fly over
Rest room: Toilet
Senior Citizen: Elderly person, above 60 yrs
Solicitor: beggar, house-to-house canvasser
Take a hike: Go away, do not bother me
Youth-Challenged: Old person
Zee: The letter Z

The Number 7

Good morning everybody! What is so special about today?

Today is 07.07.07. The triple seven date is a rare combination.

If a string of seven brings luck, this might be the best day. In the U.S., thousands of couples have chosen this date for their wedding. I am not sure how the planets and stars are on this date but certainly it is an easy anniversary date to remember.

Seven is considered by many as a lucky number and is symbolic in religion and numerology. Here are some sevens:

- In the musical scale, we have the 'Saptaswaras', the seven fundamental notes.

- There are seven days of the week.

- In Indian astronomy, the number of Rishis appearing in a constellation is called "Saptharishi Mandalam".

- In Hindu weddings, the couple take the 'Sapthapati', the seven holy steps.

- Christianity refers to seven virtues and seven deadly sins.

- Lord Venkateswara's abode is known as 'Sapthagiri' , meaning seven hills.

- We have seven wonders of the world.

- In the casino slot machines, the numbers 7-7-7 hits the jackpot.

- 7-Up is a popular soft drink. Some of you may remember 77 cola drink that was launched in 1977 in India following the withdrawal of coco-cola.

- In North America, phone numbers have seven digits, besides the area code.

- 7 AM is considered a good time to begin the day. Remember 7'O Clock razor blades?

Everybody knows about 007 - the famous James Bond. Any more on 'sevens' ?

The Art of Self-Management - 5

Do not worry if others do not understand you. Worry if you do not understand them. - Confucius

One of the discoveries in my life is that nothing is more important than healthy human relationships. God has made each human being a unique individual. Managing people is perhaps the most complex of all activities. Take your own family as an example. Is everybody same in terms of attitudes, habits, intelligence, likes and dislikes? -probably not. Think of the large numbers of your friends, neighbours, co-workers and community members. Each one is different and may not respond to your expectations.

A common problem is - how do you deal with all types of people around
you and effectively manage situations? The hard truth is, if you ever want to manage others/situations, you first need to know and manage yourself. One has to be attuned to the art of self-management before attempting to manage others.

Suggestion # 4 Know thyself.

Very often, we don't really look at ourselves at all. We tend to offer excuses. Take a hard look at yourself. Some things to observe include:

- The ease or difficulty of getting out of bed in the morning.
- The posture of your body at work, while talking with others, while walking.
- The way our moods swing - ideally, one should have no wild swings.
- How comfortable you are when talking with your boss, peers, friends and strangers.
- The level of concentration at work - do you get easily distracted?
- Are you able to express your thoughts and feelings articulately when needed?

The steps to effective self-management start with discovering yourself - your abilities, your limitations, your habits, your beliefs, and most importantly, your attitudes.

'Seek yourself' is the fundamental teaching in Hinduism. Our religion preaches 'You become what you think'. Believe that you have the power to shape your life and you will do well.

One should first practise hard before preaching and then preach what he practises. Look at the biography of a few world leaders - Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, Vivekananda, and many others. They were all people who had high self-discipline and strongly believed in themselves. A person with high self-esteem gets motivated easily and is able to inspire others too as a leader. Be a leader, not a master. Draw inspirations from our religious scriptures like Bhagawad Gita, and the Upanishads.

People don't grow old. When they stop learning, they stop growing, and then they become old.

I can keep writing more and more on this subject. Right now, I think it is adequate if one begins to see the value in my four suggestions and try to follow them. It will be a big step to learn the art of self-management. I would welcome your comments.

The Art of Self-Management - 4

Have you ever thought why some people age in failing health and sadness, while others grow old gracefully with vitality and happiness? Who you become is shaped by the choices you make, how you think, how you manage your life, and the ways you take care of yourself - not just when you are 65 but right from younger age.

I have already spoken about the importance of healthy nourishment and the need for efficient time management. Let me now turn to strengthening oneself with clear thinking and healthy attitudes.

Suggestion # 3 Develop Clear Thinking and Healthy Attitudes

Success or failure is often caused more by faulty mental attitudes than by mental capacities. Some people just refuse to see the benefits of developing open-minded attitudes. As an old saying goes -One can drag a horse to a pond but cannot make it drink. Do we not see people around us who have inflexible attitudes and closed views about many things in life? In contrast, look at young kids in the age group of 2-5. In general, they have carefree and open minds with curiosity to learn things. I feel delighted to watch the kids and love to learn from them. Believe me, there is more to living than just physical health. A combination of healthy functioning of your mind and healthy attitudes is a key ingredient to effective self-management.

Around us, there are millions things that can lure us to wrong paths, confuse us and upset our mental balance. One has to always remain alert and develop clear thinking. A strong body can be well utilized when it has a strong mind within.

One should have dreams and goals in life. A life without purpose is like a ship without a rudder. Your mind will work toward achievement only when it has a goal. Establish a goal worth working for. Your goal will keep you going in tough times.

Do what you can do well, and do well whatever you can do. In Sanskrit, there is a word called "Shraddha". I am not sure of it's exact equivalent word in English. Shraddha means a sincere interest that includes many things such as aptitude, attitude, application, ability and assimilation as well. A verse in Sanskrit reads -"Shraddhavan labhate jnanam; Shraddhavan labhate jayam; Shraddhavan labhate sarvam; Shraddhavan labhate moksham". It is only by Shraddha one can have knowledge, wealth, strength, success and everything including self-realisation. A-shradda or disinterest could lead to failures.

Surround yourself with positive-minded, enthusiastic friends and relatives - avoid the whiners. Develop positive attitudes. Whenever you start a new activity with a purpose in mind, do not ever think of failure. Think of success, plan and work hard towards your goal.

In life, one cannot avoid problems and failures. The ability to face the problems and take appropriate corrective actions is the first benefit of mental strength. It is not the fall that matters. What matters is how you get up after the fall and work again towards success. People who have a "can do" attitude and who engage themselves in various activities as they grow older are far more likely to retain their mental abilities.

We have a lot to learn about positive thinking from our ancient scriptures, especially the Upanishads. Read them with meanings to the Sanskrit verses. The popular Shanti Mantra says "Sanno Astu Dvipade, Sanchatushpate" meaning "Let the bipeds (human beings) and the quadrapeds (four-legged animals) be well". Another example is "Lokah Samasta Sukino Bhavantu" that means 'Let everybody in the world be happy'. Wishing others well is a way to look at life positively!