Who would you bet on?

After Diwali celebration, it's time to connect with you once again.

This blog is for all of you my dear friends, especially those who missed my evening talk on 7th October either online or personally.

Although I was live on Facebook, I would like to share with you few important points from the session.

Do you want a life partner of your choice?

Do you want to create your right image?

Do you want to increase your intelligence?

Do you want to stick to your diet plan?

Do you want to increase your potential?

Do you want to achieve greatness in life?

If your answers are yes, read on!

Imagine you are offered this deal:

You give $ 10,000 and name of one person you know best personally. And for the rest of that person's life, you get 10% of his income every month.

Who would be that one person from all the people you have met?

Think.

What criteria would you use to bet on that one person?

Would that be his/her grades from school/ university?

Would that be your best friend?

How would you make this decision?

Warren Buffet makes this decision every day. And he uses 3 criteria.

But before that, let's have a look at a very important psychological test. This test can predict the future success of a child on every measure - wealth, quality of relationships, grades in school, length of relationships. Happiness measured on every scale - whether qualitative or quantitative.

The test is called 'Marshmallow Test'. (Please Watch video for description of test).

[ For those who can't/ couldn't watch video:

Marshmallow test is conducted on children of 3-5 years. Psychologist brings a kid in a room and gives him/her a marshmallow(a kind of sweet). He tells kid that, "This marshmallow is yours. You can use it any way you want."

He further says, "I need to go out for a while. If you wait for me to come back before eating this marshmallow, I will give you another marshmallow. But if you have used it, you won't get another." And psychologist leaves the room.]

- Result: 50% children eat marshmallow and 50% children don't.

- Analysis: 50% children that don't eat the marshmallow lead a qualitatively and quantitatively better life than those who eat the marshmallow.

- Lesson: Diet fails because the chocolate is there. So no need to buy the chocolate and then test your will-power.

Let us get back to the 3 criteria of Warren Buffet. He has made $ 60 billion by using these 3 criteria to bet on people/ group/ team/ company.

Criteria No-3 - Intelligence:

It doesn't mean chess intelligence but just adaptive intelligence.

For example, if you are running on a road and imagine a moving lamp-post is coming towards you, instead of taking the blow on your head, you take it on your shoulder and keep moving forward. Adaptive intelligence thus means avoiding major losses.

Criteria No-2 - Energy:

It means people with good health and immune system. People who sleep well.

Criteria No-1: Integrity:

It means saying 'No' more often to the things that matter least so that you can say 'Yes' to your values. Integrity means coherence between your actions and your plans. It is about matching your audio and video.

Imagine about these 3 criteria - Do they hold good?

What will happen if either of these is not there in that person on whom you are planning to bet?

Now when we are thinking about these 3 criteria to bet on someone else, wouldn't you want someone to bet on you? And don't you own your 100% income? (who spends it is altogether a different topic for a different day!)

Do you think you should improve these 3 criteria in your life?

Below are the ways to maximize them in your life:

3) How to improve Intelligence?

- Write stuff down. Your emotions, ideas, thoughts, feelings, opinions, quotes. Because when you write, after 6 months you will be the accumulated intelligence of 6 months' of ideas and thoughts and quotes.

2) How to maximize Energy?

- Observe and follow(not just online) high performance athletes like Josef Ajram, Kilian Jornet, Sir Ranulph Fiennes. They take one step at a time, just like horses. Horses have no concept of finish line. They run till they collapse. Ask yourself - Can I take this step? Yes? Take it. No? Pause. Yes? Take it. Yes? Take it.

1) How to enhance Integrity?

- Mahatma Gandhi has said - Action expresses priorities.

Kilian Jornet, Ultraman, has run 280 kms in 36 hours in Lake Tahoe Rim Run. Yes! 36 hours. His competitors say about him - "When Kilian runs, he is absolutely there - touching leaves as he runs past, smelling the fragrance of the flowers, feeling the feeling of track beneath his feet. It looks like he is enjoying. His mind is nowhere else."

So when you experience each moment of your life and make conscious decisions, you can match your calendar with your values.

Rule for success:

Don't stare at the marshmallow.

Lessons:

- Diet doesn't fail because of weakness of will. Diet fails because the chocolate is there.

- If you want to stop watching TV, stuff it in the box and put it in the store-room.

- It's about small-small changes, hundreds of little decisions that all sum up.

- Success in life is not one massive good decision or one marshmallow not eaten. And failure in life is not one poor decision or one marshmallow eaten.

- Failure is repeated bad decisions.

- Success is repeated, consistent good decisions.

So when we meet after 5 years from now and 10 - 20 years from now, I want you to have bet on yourself. I want you to have worked on maximizing your energy, intelligence and integrity. And 25 years from now, I'll be looking at one of the most successful person because you lived your life fully.

Who would you bet on?

Don't forget to watch these videos of Kilian Jornet if your want some extra motivation.

Kilian on Mount Everest

Kilian on Everest - Again

Look forward to see your views and comments.

How to sound positive?

If this thought ever crossed your mind, and not for manipulative intentions, you are thinking in the right direction. You just need to take a step further. You have to BE positive, and not just think positive, to sound positive. Look, nobody achieved anything out of positive thinking, at least not for long term. Napoleon Hill could never get as rich as Henry Ford and he had written a book "Think and Grow Rich". So I wouldn't suggest you to just think positive.

It may sound contradictory now if I said that I believe in what Swami Vivekananda has said,

"We are what our thoughts have made us; so take care about what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live. They travel far. You become what you regularly think."

But this is not different from what I said earlier - You have to be positive, and not just think positive, to sound positive. Vivekananda said so because you cannot act on something what you have never thought of doing, unless, of course, you are instructed. But once you are aware of your thoughts and choose them consciously, then it becomes an action and not just thinking. With time, it gets easier. And one day, it becomes so natural that no efforts are required.

Now, the next important question - How to BE positive?

Answer is very easy and straightforward. We normally shy away from it and the challenge is to accept it. The answer is - "Doing". But just by doing, look what has happened to us. We don't have enough information about our ancestors' achievements, be it constructing pyramids or Ayurveda. We don't fully know the science behind our cultures and traditions. Our ancestors used to fly and we are crawling because of "just doing". Blindly following is for robots, not for humans. Otherwise you wouldn't have wanted to sound positive. So, I would say, the answer is - Doing with the intention of improving.

1. Work day and night.

2. Focus on improving continuously.

3. Discuss ideas. Discuss ideas of improvement.

4. Identify scopes of improvement and suggest solutions.

5. Learn about emotional intelligence. It makes you feel human. It's good to have feelings.

Further, I want to ask this:

- Have you ever controlled your anger? Yes!

- Have you controlled expressing love? Yes!

- How about frustration? Yes!

Out of above and all other feelings, which are good and which are bad? Do you want to get rid of bad ones?

See, it is very simple - Emotions are the result of chemical changes in the brain. And that happens because of the thoughts we think. And thoughts can be chosen by us. Everything drills down to doing.

Doing is becoming. You want to be financially independent, work for it. Because just thinking won't help. You want to improve fitness and health, now you know the answer! Get on with it and be. Start with your list of priorities. You should have a list if you have read former blog: You are Great. If you don't have a list, here, go through this one:

Able	Beautiful	Calm	Dashing	Eager	Fabulous	Generous	Painstaking	Schrewd	Talented
Adaptable	Boundless	Capable	Dazzling	Easygoing	Fair	Gentle	Passionate	Sedate	Terrific
Adept	Brave	Careful	Impartial	Effective	Faithful	Glorious	Peaceful	Seemly	Thoughtful
Adventurous	Bright	Cautious	Decent	Efficient	Fantastic	Good	Perfect	Selective	Thrifty
Affable	Brilliant	Charming	Decisive	Elated	Fascinating	Gregarious	Persistent	Self-assured	Tidy
Affectionate	Broad-minded	Cheerful	Decorous	Eminant	Fearless	Obedient	Philosophical	Self-confident	Tolerant
Agreeable	Rational	Coherent	Delightful	Enchanting	Fine	Offbeat	Pioneering	Self-disciplined	Tough
Alert	Realistic	Comfortable	Dependable	Encouraging	Frank	Optimistic	Placid	Sensible	Likeable
Alluring	Receptive	Communicative	Detailed	Endearing	Fresh	Outspoken	Plausible	Sensitive	Lively
Amazing	Relentless	Compassionate	Determined	Endurable	Friendly	Wacky	Pleasant	Sincere	Logical
Ambitious	Reliable	Confident	Devoted	Energetic	Fuffy	Warm	Plucky	Skillful	Lovely
Amiable	Resolute	Considerate	Dignified	Enterprising	Ideal	Warm-hearted	Powerful	Smiling	Loving
Amicable	Resourceful	Cooperative	Diligent	Entertaining	Magical	Whimsical	Practical	Splendid	Loyal
Amusing	Responsible	Couragious	Diplomatic	Enthusiastic	Mature	Willing	Pretty	Steadfast	Ultimate
Analytical	Rhetorical	Creative	Direct	Excellent	Modern	Wise	Proactive	Stimulating	Unassuming
Appeasing	Righteous	Credible	Discreet	Excited	Modest	Witty	Productive	Successful	Unbiased
Astounding	Romantic	Cultured	Divine	Exclusive	Mysterious	Wonderful	Punctual	Succint	Understanding
Nice	Kind-hearted	Vigorous	Dynamic	Exuberant	Happy	Jolly	Pursuasive	Superb	Unusual
Nifty	Knowledgeable	Vivacious	Quick-witted	Industrious	Harmonious	Joyous	Hilarious	Sympathetic	Upbeat
Zippy	Zamy	Quick	Quiet	Instinctive	Helpful	Heroic	Honorable	Imaginative	Debonair
									Trustworthy

We are in this together. Let's do it !

Right or Wrong!

Do you know there is a doctrine that argues that pleasure and happiness are the primary aims of human life? And that only pleasure has worth or value and pain or displeasure has dis-value or worthlessness? This belief system is called "Hedonism". Plato and Aristotle had argued for this belief. However, interestingly enough, it is very challenging to achieve happiness when we have defined feelings of pain with more than 50 varieties whereas that of pleasure in just 15-20! After all, what are the chances? 1/3rd? My concern here is, however, what should be the way of achieving happiness. Next question comes to mind is, who is to decide that the chosen way is right or not? And even if we all agree for something being right, or wrong, we know that knowledge changes, time change, perspective change, needs change, abilities change and what is right today may become wrong tomorrow or vice versa and again the opposite the day after! So how to decide?

Let me tell you what happens in the industries. Management Guru Peter Drucker, in his book "The Effective Executive", has said - " The first rule for the concentration of executive efforts is to slough off the past that has ceased to be productive. If leaders are unable to slough off yesterday, to abandon yesterday, they simply will not be able to create tomorrow."

He is absolutely right with this philosophy. But he must have meant this for technologies, systems, methods and mindsets. But, American industries took him so religiously that they applied this philosophy on employees as well. Sloughing off "low-performing" employees became a style when 'neutron' Jack Welsh argued for laying off "bottom" 10% every year. Funny that Forbes website is showing him quote - "When you became a leader, you were not given a crown but were given responsibility to get the best out of others". I had to reread the quote because in the first time I read, "You were given responsibility to get others out." Anyway, in contradiction to American style, Japanese companies believe in retaining their employees for lifelong and yet Japanese economy is growing at a good enough pace. So who is right?

My opinion is, "What is" differs totally from what both the Right and Left believe "ought to be". It is only a collision between the delusions of the decision maker if he thinks that only his way is right and that only pleasure has worth and value and pain or displeasure has not. You have to make something completely different out of yourself to understand the concept of Right and Wrong.

Let us take a simpler example.

Suppose one day you did something and felt good about it. And next day someone told you that what you did was wrong. You did it because you believed in it. And now it is wrong! Even if it is by someone else's perspective. What would be your response(s)? Normally, I think, there are two easy ways to face this situation:

1. Continue believing that you were right and try to convince the other person that he is wrong. (Terrorist     train and get trained with this thinking)

2. Get convinced that the other person is right and repent.

And then there is a third, mature, way to respond:

Listen and understand to other person's opinion while staying assured that you did right. Because you do something when you believe that it is a right thing to do. Isn't it? And as today you have more knowledge and information than yesterday, and since you are brave enough to embrace your shortcomings and improve yourself, you are going to work upon it. I call it a mature way because this keeps our conscience clear and I think our conscience decides whether something is right or not.

We can experience this in our routine life - finding mistakes and blaming others. You see, it is easy to blame parents for their children's mistakes. But one thing is necessary to understand that most of the time, people give their best based on the knowledge, skill, information, awareness and maturity they have. If they would have had these qualities better, they would have done better. So, understand that, parents are right, even if they are wrong. Same goes for every individual. Either you are a boss or a subordinate, husband or wife, same philosophy applies.

So, if you notice someone's wrongness, pause and tell yourself that he is giving his best. And then, with the right manner, you can share your opinion, if necessary. After all the truest challenge is being a decent human being and not being right.

Believe. Be. Live.

What if someone spills sugar in your coffee? You can drink it. And what if someone spills cyanide in your coffee? You will die! Now, what if your best friend, by accident, spills cyanide in your coffee? You'll still die! Similarly, we come by both kind of experiences in life, through friends, family, acquaintances, colleagues, news, movies, etc. That is why it is very important to watch your coffee. Become your thought-guard. What you take in should be your choice. Because, there will be times when everyone will be around and yet neither counting on you, when odds won't be in your favor, when the wind will be blowing against your face and time will be standing in front of you like a huge mountain- in such times of crisis only, you will need someone to have your back. But remember that struggles of the mind are fought alone. You will have to become your motivator, your guidepost and your light house. You will have to become your compass to stay consistent to your right direction. I believe, the only time of crisis for anyone is when a person doesn't believe in himself.

" If you see Nirvana as somewhere outside the mind, you're deluding yourself. "

                                                                                                                        - Bodhidharma

You'll be doing everything right - making plans, organizing, prioritizing, maintaining discipline with dedication and determination, and yet there won't be visible fruits of your actions. Understand that such times are here to pass by. You have courage to withstand such times of dilemma. You have patience to go through such tough and unpleasant situations. Hang on, or rather keep moving forward. Stay with your plans and you'll become more deserving of your dreams. Besides, will you be really living a life if you'd give up on your dreams? So keep working on yourself and your goals. Remember that you can enjoy the air in your hair when the wind blows against your face, of course, if you are not bald. Live the challenges and don't bother right now about the final goal. Be in this moment and rest will fall in place.

" You're conditioned to be in desperate need of a future. "

                                                                                    - Alan Watts

Focus on this moment. Life is not only success or happiness but it is living in this very moment fully. It doesn't matter whether you feel happy or sad or angry or blissful as long as you are true to yourself in this moment. Trust your soul and live truly. Stay a lifelong learner. Never let your brain settle with a thought pattern. Don't let your thoughts crystallize; keep them fluid. It keeps mind open to new ideas. That is one way to live interestingly.

Let me share an example of out-of-box-thinking - A farmer was much troubled by trespassers during the nutting season. After consulting with a botanical friend, farmer placed notice at conspicuous points. The place was unmolested that year. Notice was - "Trespassers, take warning! All persons entering this wood do so at their own risk, for, although common snakes are not often found, the Corylus Avellana (scientific name of hazel nut plant) abounds everywhere, and never gives warning of its presence."

When you know there is more than one way to handle situations, it is easier to believe in yourself. You just need to put a right message in your mind.

It's time to get out of the shell.

The road is yours. Rise and Shine.

Presence leads to Improvement

Having read "Eat that frog first", a friend said, " I am now convinced that one should first finish up the challenging task and then handle the easier ones." I couldn't help asking him, " How is it not a commonsense?" When I was about 8-9 years old, or rather young, I used to help my mother wipe the floor clean at our home. Naturally, I had ended up at first cleaning the places with difficult approach or access and where things needed to be moved, and then I used to quickly wipe the remaining places clean. I had never given this a thought but that got converted into a habit. And it stayed with me during and after graduation and even after marriage. [ If you know what I mean ;) ] Just kidding!

Anyway, point is, with this habit, one can plan his hour, day, week, month, year and even whole life and get positive results. This increases effectiveness and enthusiasm along with efficiency. Ready tools like Pareto Principle and MoSCoW, which are available online, can be used to learn how to prioritize. You can choose the one that is suitable to you and plan further. It could be the case that even after prioritizing, you end up doing differently. How to improve continuously when you don't have this habit imbibed in you?

Important is, to understand how we work, how human mind works. Let me ask you this - How did German technology reach at such a level of excellence that we now blindly trust it? Or how an improvement tool like "Lean Manufacturing" developed when there was nothing to refer to about Lean Manufacturing? How did an extraordinary medical science called "Ayurveda" come into existence? You see, human mind craves novelty. It's difficult to focus on one task for longer period of time. Look at the children and you will realize this. But answer to the above questions is - this cannot be a result of efforts of few years! It takes decades and decades of commitment, focus, passion, courage and perseverance to stick to what you are doing, and then improving continuously. In India, there is a saying which means - peeling off the skin of a hair. This is used when you want to say that someone has such a nasty habit of asking too many questions for getting more and more details that it ultimately frustrates you. I think this saying is being used unjustifiably. Because the people who question the current situation only can generate the idea for improvement. German technology has evolved because dedicated people have spent their lives to improve a single component or an assembly. Lean manufacturing must have been an outcome of continuous refinement of existing processes. It must have taken painstaking efforts to explore the number of medicinal uses of various herbs for Ayurveda's existence. This is why great people keep saying that improvement is a never-ending process.

To improve, let me suggest a simple idea - Be there. Attend yourself. Attend your activity.

One improves when the mind is 100% present in the moment. You can't stop this from happening if you are 100% there. Mind has to do it. Also, you might agree with me that looking for the problems is also a way of improvement. This is why consultants observe the process when you call them up for improvement. So mind will keep pioneering alternatives. A simple idea can make a huge difference and give you a scope of improvement. Some ideas will come to you when you are focused and some will come when you are at leisure. That is why Einstein used to play violin. You should just keep trying.

Bill Gates has said - " The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency."

What we can take from this is - as long as we are here in this moment, we are fine with the magnification of efficiency or inefficiency. Both cheers us up. Right? After all, our business is improvement.

Let us be here and in now. Let us get better.

And do let me know YOUR improvement stories.

Cheers!