Knowledge beings with acceptance and

one's ignorance

To succeed in the search for knowledge, one must begin by admitting one’s ignorance. This is not easy and is tantamount to an act of humility. Many people are so full of themselves that the joy of new knowledge is lost upon them through their own illusion of their all knowing nature.

A story illustrates this well. There was once a great scholar of the Bhagwad Geeta whose lectures were attended by thousands of people. They touched his feet and praised him as the best speaker they had ever heard. As time passed, his admirers were in such awe of him that they feared him. Therefore, none would venture to tell him that over the years, his speeches were becoming monotonous; there was no longer and edge of passion to his words and no new dimension to his thoughts. The crowds started thinning and soon, the audiences began to disappear. At this time, his closest friend and manger took him aside and told him gently that he needed to reinvent his style and knowledge. “What should I do?” said that scholar, “I have put before my listeners the whole of the Geeta. I am considered the best orator by all. What more do they want?” The friend told him that outside the city, in an isolated ashram lived a yogi who knew the secrets of the Geeta like none other. “Why don’t we visit him and get new insights into this wonderful book?” asked the friend. To get the huge audiences back as quickly as possible, the scholar acceded to this suggestion and both men rode in the scholar’s expensive limo to the ashram. Upon entering the presence of the yogi, the scholar said, “Sir, I have come to ask you for your insights on the Geeta. But you must forgive me – I am a busy man and have little time. Can you hurry up and give me some tips?” The yogi smiled and said,” Sir, I have heard so much about you. You are a great man. How can I let you go without some hospitality? I will give you a cup of tea and then we shall talk” The yogi disappeared inside and returned with three cups of tea. The cups were full of brew and the scholar was embarrassed. “Please can I have some milk?” he asked. The yogi replied, “Sir, your mind is exactly like this cup – too full to receive any new knowledge. Leave some room in you soul for new knowledge and your life will change miraculously.” The scholar understood the import of this statement and became a disciple of the yogi with total humility and gained infinite knowledge.

This story illustrates how a knowledge seeker should always be humble and curious. Knowledge has no boundaries. Every piece of information we receive through whatever means is an addition to the pool of learning and experience we collect throughout our lives. The intelligence we gather form our parents, teachers, self education, environment and other sources, when combined with our experience, becomes our wisdom, To be seeker, you need to ask questions, to find answers and to constantly be alert to new ideas, concepts, thoughts and solution to the situations we come across in our lives. A seeker learns from an ordinary blade of grass which bends down and lies prostrate in the face of a storm – only to rise and sparkle afresh the weather is sunny again.

Cherish the innocence of your soul

MANY people spurn this quality and lose it because they consider it disadvantage in the modern age of aggressive behavior, shrewdness and one-upmanship; Innocence is misunderstood to be foolishness! This is not true. The innocence of our souls helps us to be open to the wonders of divinity and nature. To see a beautiful sunset and feel completely at peace is a gift of this innocence. To see the gurgling of a mountain stream and feel refreshed is possible only when we have a patina of wonder. To enjoy trekking in lonely mountains, to see the lashing of a butterfly’s wings, to fly with the splendid birds and to discover the joy of gossamer fine expressions of nature – all these enable us to live beyond our pressing needs for money and the luxuries it can buy. The luxuries which nature offers us are free and or literature is an invaluable gift given to us by divinity. Once we begin to nurture the innocence of our souls, a thousand miracles of discovery bring us face to face with the talents and qualities of others. An innocent soul is filled with curiosity about the unfolding of nature and its myriad secrets, evident in natural phenomena, bird and animal life as well as human life. It prompts us to appreciate all that is wonderful around us and learn from it.

An anecdote about Albert Einstein, the world famous scientist, illustrates this quality well. It is said that Einstein was once invited to deliver and important lecture to the Academy of Sciences in New York, USA. He was given a magnificent room to stay in the professors’ colony, next to the home of a local professor who was in charge of his daily schedule. This local professor was responsible for Einstein’s comfort and for providing him hospitality. On one occasion, the local professor found that his young child was missing from him home. A hue and cry was raised but no one could locate the child. Finally, when the local professor and his friends heard squeals of laughter from Einstein’s suite, they knocked on the door with trepidation and the door was opened! What they saw inside stunned them. Lying on the floor, Einstein was showing pictures from a comic book to the young boy and both were rolling with laughter! Einstein had become a child in the company of an innocent child. Being a world famous scientist meant nothing at that moment! If you observe keenly, many great people have this quality of childlike innocence combined with profound wisdom. Examples are: the Dalai Lama, Mahatma Gandhi and Swami Vivekananda, all towering masters who have shared child like delights in the company of children.

Appreciating all that is good in other people and in the environment is an expression of the innocence of our souls. This enriches our personalities infinitely. People often suffer from deep-rooted jealously and envy when others do well or are endowed with more opportunities or blessing in life. This is probably why there is an urge in everyone to destroy or desecrate the achievements of others or cause hurt to other. Indeed jealousy and a vengeful attitude are supposed to be the predominant flavors of life in modern age. But carrying the burden of other people’s efforts and success makes our shoulders droop with fatigue and suffering. Only when we put our appreciation of others’ work and success on record do we become free and light-hearted enough to walk energetically ahead to find our goals and success.

Here, I would like to narrate my own experience to illustrate the point. A dear friend of mine, who was an expert textile designer, used to constantly encourage me to by my own car. I was nervous to do that because I knew little or nothing about the maintenance or repair of cars. I had nightmares about sudden breakdowns in the middle of the road and my insecurities about handling such problems. Still, she went on and even demanded that she would take the first ride in my new car when I bought it. In time, I bought my own car and invited her for her first ride in it. When she came, she stood quietly before the car, saluted it silently and then sat in it. I was surprised and asked here what was sacred abut a car that she had saluted it! Her reply is etched in my heart even today. She said, “I am not saluting the car. I am paying homage to your effort and hard work. Do you know that among the many names of the Lord is Kashta, which means hard work and constant effort. Only when I recognize him in everyone’s efforts, will I be free to achieve my own success. Only people who appreciate others’ efforts and accept that everyone has the right to opportunity and success, are happy in their own success! Those who rue the achievements of others, never have the time to learn from others or to walk freely and lightly ahead to achieve their own goals.”

The innocence of your soul bestows upon you the ability to see beyond the obvious. When you hear great musicians and vocalists like Pandit Ravi Shankar, Pandit Jasraj or Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, you not only appreciate their incomparable music but also ‘perceive and enjoy the years of relentless efforts they have put in to reach the level of reaching a meditation-like-state’ in music. When you see the paintings of masters like M.F.Husain or S.H.Raza, you do not think only of the money such art will fetch, but also of the patient years they have plodded, locked up in lonely studios with hardly anything to eat when they strove to achieve the excellence they show to the world today.

Life works on one sure principle – wherever there is action, there is reaction. Thus, whenever you radiate goodwill and friendship, the reaction you will receive will surely be goodwill and friendship in the long run. This must be your firm belief. This belief is the kernel of the innocence of your soul.

Set your goals clearly and wisely

SUCCESS is the infallible mantra of the present century. It is the crown which ultimately decides who wins and who loses in present day society. A successful person can open many doors and create unprecedented opportunities for himself/herself at the flick of a finger. He/she becomes a brand and commands his/her price for work. Success thus is the most desirable goal in today’s frenetic lifestyle. Most successful people define success as a combination of hard work, a winning personality, sheer staying and surviving power and lastly, the Grace of God. Many people are ambitious and want success. But they do not know how to set their goals and pursue them relentlessly until they are realized. Setting up a goal needs a careful examination of one’s skills, inclination, likes and dislikes as well as strengths and weaknesses. Once a goal has been identified, the best and shortest route to achieving it must be charted out. Goals and the manner of achieving them change from time to time. Hence, a certain element of fluidity must be allowed while a determined effort is made to reach them. Sometimes, a great deal of energy is wasted when unnecessary interests and activities take up the ambitious person’s time. The correct and balance use of time must therefore be cultivated as a fine art. Time and energy are the sacred gifts of God to human beings. They must be used with good sense and constant awareness of one’s goals.

An interesting example illustrates the point. A traveler was once bound for Delhi from Mumbai. He walked for days and did not know how he had reached. So when he noticed tow other co-travelers, he stopped them and asked, “Am I on the right road to Delhi? How far am I from my goal?” The listeners said, “If you go along the road you have taken, it will take you two years to reach. But if you turn around and follow the path we show you, you will reach there in one month.” The point made by this story is that the path to a goal must be checked from time to time. When the path is found, unnecessary turns and roundabouts must be avoided so that energy is conserved to reach the goal.

Doing an audit of your goals helps in achieving them systematically. It is necessary to list long term and short term goals in a systematic manner. Then check these goals and weed out those that are unattainable or put them on the back burner. Prioritize the remaining goals and write down the strategies for attaining them. Set out time limits and the resources needed to reach them. Then, with peace and an unhurried pace, go towards each one of them or several of them simultaneously, but with care and patience. Concentrate on one goal at a time when you are working to achieve it and don’t confuse one goal with another unless they are linked by their own nature.

Work to earn big money

an achieve a luxurious lifestyle for yourself.  But remember that happiness comes from working side by side for yur nation and your community

WANTING more out of life is a natural urge. Today, opportunities come knocking on all doors almost every day. With the explosion in the media, the world has become a smaller globe than ever before and people are networking so fast that within a foreseeable future, there could be a ‘world culture’ which impacts the lives people in all countries. Naturally, with life opening a new window each day, you would want to participate in the buzz around and achieve your financial goals early in life. What people wanted to achieve at forty just a few decades ago, is now achievable at twenty-five or even less. Therefore, knowing the art of making and multiplying money is important today. Money, for most people, is of three kinds. A: Inherited, B: Self-earned and C: the interest earned through the investment of both A and B. The numbers of people who inherit large amounts of money or property are still in the minority in India. The huge upwardly mobile middle class depends upon self-earned wealth and its multiplication through a regular study of the money market.

There are some ground rules for managing money, which can help even the smallest earner.

1. Money is meant for creating a happy lifestyle. So do not save at the cost of necessities like food, education or health.

2. Remember wealth grows by bits and pieces. Even the world’s richest billionaires have a habit of saving wisely and respecting money. Learn about good investments and do not touch your savings as long as you are earning enough for your needs.

3. Be organized in handling your money. Track it regularly by keeping elementary accounts and check where you can cut down foolish expenditure. Keep your portfolio well recorded so that your wealth-accumulation rate can be checked at a glance.

4. Learn to spend wisely. But the best wherever you can afford it. Buy collectibles which will appreciate. Apart form you family’s and personal needs, you will need money to buy a home and to make it a delightful haven of joy for you and your family. Whenever you have dispensable funds, buy things, which give you happiness and sense of achievement. These could be paintings, jewellery, crystal, hi-end crockery, porcelain etc. Make sure that most of these are of a kind, which will appreciate with time or become heirlooms for your children.

5. Do not be tempted to borrow large sums of money to buy luxuries that you cannot afford or maintain. Keep track of your credit card expenses and your loan repayments. Be aware of the future and provide maintenance funds for everything you won. Unreasonable debt situations are a source of worry and unhappiness.

6. Be a regular saver. Money saved in money earned is a truism that applies to life even today. Every thousand you earn can earn you more money if you invest it wisely. Every billionaire in the world has said that his journey started by saving the smallest sum and earning interest on it. So wise expenditure and creative saving can multiply even a reasonable amount of money into good personal wealth over a period of time.

7. Use your earnings to reach milestone goals of your life. Money earned for fulfilling dreams brings not only success, but also happiness.

8. Don’t live with insatiable greed. Enjoy the possessions you acquire and the lifestyle you design for yourself form your earnings. The fact that an industrialist’s wife or a film star you read about in the society pages of a paper wears priceless solitaires is of no serious concern to you. What concerns you is that you are enjoying a small cluster of diamonds or gold ornaments which you have bought because you wanted them and made them specifically for your enjoyment. Never buy a white elephant you cannot afford. Aim at staying totally in control of your money and its management. Controlling money doesn’t mean only enhancing your income; it also means handling money cleverly.

9. Never let someone else control your money, not even your own children or spouse unless you are clear why you are doing so. Learn enough to manage your money and only let go of it when you write you will. Share the information about your savings and investments with your spouse if you are in a happy relationship with him/her. This applies to elders and women.

10. Plan lateral growth. List all your skills and translate the smallest of them into money. Multi-tasking is the order of the future. Look for opportunities to enhance your skills and earnings.

11. Aspiration and imagination form the key to earning more. Invest your money without pinching your pocket and track your money till you are satisfied that you are getting the best grown rate from it.

Goals of making money; Remember, all goals must be set for the good of all and not selfishly for yourself alone. Goals become more achievable when you invoke a co-operative spirit in the environment and people around. The co-operative spirit in the environment and people around. The jeejeebhoys, the Cowasji, Jehangirs, the jagannath Sunkersetts, the Premchund Roychands, the David Sasoons, the Tatas, the Birlas, the Ambanis and Godrejs like thusands of walthy people around the world, have built business empires and served innumerable social, educational and artistic causes through their funds and efforts. Working for your nation and your community, while earning your personal wealth brings success and happiness to you without doubt.

An interesting story illustrates this point well. A grandfather was in the habit of collecting the seeds of excellent quality mangoes he had eaten. At the end of the summer, he would wrap each seed lovingly with soil and put it in a flimsy cotton bag. When the first rains came, he would throw the seeds from the window of his car or bus as he traveled. Seeing him, his grandson asked him why we was planting seeds when he would never be able to eat the fruit. The grandfather answered, “I have eaten the fruits of trees planted by generations before me. I owe a debt to this land. This is my way of providing fruit for those who will come after me”.

Respect your infrastrasture and support sytems

IN your journey towards the achievement of your goals, you will come across many people who offer you support education, experience and opportunities. Remember to respect and value their contribution to your life. First in the list of such people are your parents and family. The world’s leading psychologists say that people who have enriched their relationship with their parents are the most balanced individuals in the world. Those who carry lifelong chips on their shoulders about what their parents did to them or what they did not give them, often become dysfunctional people. Most parents do their best in the given circumstances to nurture, caring and support their offspring. But parents are human and are as fallible as anyone. They may not be able to fulfill all your dreams. But acknowledging whatever they have done for you is the first step to happy success. Next come your teachers –from school and college to your gurus in every skill you have developed. Respect their willingness to part with useful knowledge that has formed your personality. Treat those who look after you or your family – especially children – while you work and earn with special kindness. There are innumerable people to whom you owe a debt of gratefulness. From your employer, your colleagues, your employees, those who provide every kind of service for money or for friendship are the infrastructure’ or ‘trapeze net’ in your life. Remember to hold the helping hand that is offered to you in support or friendship and to offer support and friendship in return. In this world, ninety eight percent of people could not care if you are alive or dead. You are nobody to them. One percent of people is sensitive and may wring their hands in empathy when you fall and are hurt. Only the last one percent will offer you a hand to rise and walk again, to heal yourself and go on. Make the trust friends have shown in you. Appreciate your spouse’s co-operation and support in difficult times. Express your appreciation to all of these people both by word and deed.

Use your resources correctly

WE inherit many resources by birth. We are born to parents we do not choose, with readymade families. We get a readymade nation of our birth. We are also born in a city, town or village which becomes our birthplace. We are born to a religion and culture. Sometimes, we inherit homes and money earned by our forefathers. These are our inherited resources. The financial status, education, social standing and culture of our birth family is also our inheritance.

But there are a larger number of resources that we create from our own observation, travel, work and experience throughout our lives. We choose our education – or should do. We choose our profession and design our careers. We choose our friends and acquaintances. We choose the events which influence our lives profoundly. We choose our political and social leanings. We choose the place we want to live in and most important, we choose how to practice our religion, how to earn and spend our money, whom to marry and how many children we should have. We also choose our behavior patterns, the kind of culture which prevails in our homes, the language we prefer to speak and how we would like to express ourselves before different people.

The degree of success and happiness you achievement in life often depends upon how you use these inherited and acquired resources. Misuse of resources invariable leads to sorrow unhappiness and often, loss of things which are precious in our lives. Further, correct use of resources has acquired great importance in today’s age of fundamentalism, violence, rank materialism, lack of social responsibility, rampant greed and disregard for environment. Look around and you will find that instead of using one’s religion for self-realization, most people use its sacred spaces for condemning others, for using violence to prove the superiority of one religion over others, for promoting criminal activities and worst of all, for political mileage. Religion – the word itself – mans rejoining with the supreme divinity. If this is the meaning, can there be any place for violence and self-aggrandizement in religion? Money is the next resource we commonly use. When you use it to showoff your status and belittle others, or to assume that you are entitled to be arrogant and unkind to people around you because of your wealth, or to acquire destructive habits like alcoholism, tobacco smoking or chewing, over indulgence in sex, sexual exploitation of women, gambling etc. you are certainly misusing your money. Money is meant for creating a happy lifestyle which includes devotion, richness, love and compassion, combined with security for yourself and your dependents. Your wealth should spread the message of security around you, not of fear and instability. Wealth is not a weapon to be used against anyone. It is the balm which soothes genuine wants of people. When properly used, it can be translated into prosperity and plentitude around you – in you country, community and your community. The definition of prosperity has been defined in Indian culture in the most wonderful manner in the following traditional prayer:

Kale Varshatu Parjanyah, prithivi Sasya Shalini,

Deshoyam Kshobah Rahito, Dnyaniah Santu Nirbhayah

Andhanah Sadhanah Santu, Jeevantu Shardama Shatam

Aputrah Putrinah Santu, Putrinah Santu Poutrinah

Swamin, Sarve Janah Sukhino Bhavantu

Roughly translated to suit modern times, this prayer means:

May the rains come on time. May the earth bend with rich harvests, may my country be free of disease and scourge. May the learned and wise be fearless. May the poor become rich. May everyone live a hundred autumns. May hose who have no children, have progeny. May those who have progeny become grandparents. Lord, may all people be happy and contented.

Culture is the next victim of our greed. Defining culture, the Dalai Lama once said that human societies make the worst mistake by confusing culture with religion. One has nothing to do with the other. “Even birds and animals have a culture,” he said, “they do not grab each other’s nests. Nor do they sexually harass their females or ill-treat their little ones. They abide by the law of the jungle and respect their environment. Human beings can learn from them.” Your culture decides how you will perceive the world and how the world will look at you. Ti defines how you will treat other people and how you will build your relationships. It says what kind of a host you are and what variety of guest you will be. Culture decides what kind of a seeker you will be and what you will seek. Culture, when determined by the yardstick of self –improvement, will earn for you limitless happiness and contentment.

Relationships within your family and in society are the next resource. When you enrich your family life with love, caring, nurturing and constant efforts, you enrich your own life. Your happiness and success grows in direct proportion to how you treat your parents, siblings, spouse, children, extended family, guests, colleagues and people you meet during the course of your work or leisure. The way you decorate your home, the way you offer hospitality – all these indicate your culture and your prosperity. You have every right to avoid people who set you back on your path to progress but take care that you do not abuse them or hate them forever.

Health is the most important resource. It is vital that you take care of your body and mind being aware of your health at all times, Right food, right thoughts, right attitudes – all these build the foundation on which your life is built. Similarly, every resource must be respected for its place in your life and use to your best advantage.

A simple story illustrates this point: A man was suffering from fever as well as from a cut on his knee. When he visited his doctor he gave him a medicine for his fever and on ointment of his wound. When the man came home, he ate the ointment and applied the medicine on the wound! The result? Neither ailment was cured. Had he used the right remedy for the right ailment, he would have recovered from both very soon.

Be a leader by example

WHEN you expect others to behave in any particular manner, be sure to set an example by sticking to the rules yourself. An irresponsible attitude can never bring you loyalty and devotion from your subordinates. Set an example to your children by working hard at your goals, by being a caring and nurturing apparent and support their legitimate desires. By cultivating leadership qualities in yourself, you will make more money and pave your path to lasting happiness. A leader’s qualities are: fearlessness, courage to stand up of his principles and beliefs, caring for the welfare of his subordinates, creating the desire for excellence in them, admitting his/her own mistakes and leaving room for the fallibility of others. He/she knows that one can improve only when one admits one’s mistakes and decides to correct them. A leader does not define excellence as being ‘better than the next man/woman’. He/she believes in doing the best and then improving upon the best by making further efforts. He/she is relentless in his/her efforts to improve past performance and inspires all around him/her to do the same.

The Bhagvad Geeta eloquently describes a leader as a person “who is devoted to his/her own duty, a person who works hard to attain perfection. He/she is the true yogi, who does what he/she ought to do by listening to his conscience”.

Communicate with compassion and understanding

TO be meaningful, communication has to have three qualities. It must be clear, concise and its continuity must be evident to all. Confusion of ideas, intents, thoughts and words leads to misunderstandings, and loss of energy. Communication must be non-combative and non-patronising to be effective. It must be attractive and its content must be soothing to the listener. We live in an upfront, aggressive society, where a ‘winner’ is advised to be demanding, assertive and clear in stating what he/she wants. While this is so today, it is important that you dress your ideas in words which are persuasive rather than commanding. An old proverb says: “If you cannot afford sugar, can’t you use sugar language?” This does not mean that you should pretend to be friendly or patient when you have little time or interest in what the other person is saying or proposing. It only means that under the given circumstance, you should find the best way to communicate your feelings or thoughts to the person conversing or networking with you.

Further, in today’s media-dominated, globalised world, it is important to learn the language of communication well. If you hear popular orators, speakers or conference debate leaders, you will immediately realize that their skill in using correct words, phrases and content are what makes them masters of their subjects. In communication your ideas, it is important to master the subject, choose the right language and achieve crystal clarity of expression. Language is a tool for communication and conversation. The way you speak or write tells people a great deal about you. Learn the language of your communication with passion and keep abreast of the current style of expression. Write letters, presentations and reports after proper homework and with a focused mind. Prepare your talks, speeches well and pepper them with interesting examples to drive home your points. Learn as many languages as possible because India is a land of diverse cultures and regional languages. Knowing as many as possible out of these, as well as at least one foreign language other than English – which is taught in most Indian schools – is useful in enhancing your career and your personality.

In communicating your ideas, presentation is very important. This needs rehearsal in the mind or in action as needed, preparation with all possible facts and figures and a master plan on how to present these in a clear manner. Exchanging information is the kernel of communication and this must be imbued with dynamism at all times. Presentation of ideas must exude energy, vision and be stamped with your specific personal style to be memorable. Remember, through your ideas, you are presenting your thinking to the outside world Your listeners must feel an urgent desire to experiment with your ideas because they tweak their imagination and creativity.

Communicating with compassion and understanding with friends and family is also an important aspect of success and happiness. In spite of the endless stress of your working life, find time to talk to your friends, to keep in touch and share moments of connecting with them. Similarly, whatever your workplace or career demands, be sure to find time for your spouse, children, parents and family. Just as watering a plat regularly keeps it alive and encourages it to flower, relationships flourish and grow stronger with regular and happy communication. Friendships that are built on a foundation of love and trust last for a lifetime and are a great source of joy and pride. So are strong family bonds. Never underestimate the power of friendship and family support. In your worst downhearted times, these will help you to rebuild your life and reinvent your path towards success and happiness.

Manage your time well

live forthy - eight hours in every twenty four hours

SUCCESSFUL people never say the words: “I have no time” or “I am exhausted” when it comes to doing worthwhile work or inculcating good ideas. They somehow make time for everything they want to do or have to do. Watch how women who have achieved their career and family-life goals, set examples in managing time, Great musicians, scholars and researchers wake up before dawn to get to their work of mastering knowledge and remain as fresh as dew through out the day despite their punishing schedule of activity. Learn the art of getting things done without feeling tired. Overcome your impatience and inclination to lose your temper when things don’t work your way. Tiredness and fatigue comes from negative feelings of disappointment, frustration and anger rather than physical exertion. It is not working long hours that take the toll of your health, but the attitude with which you work. Try to include variety in the activities you engage in every day. Whenever you find your attention wandering from the tasks you are doing, get away and try to do something else for a while. Then come back to your earlier activity with a fresh mind. Drink lots of water to keep cool while you work and crate a cool environment around yourself-with plants, flowers and other attractive accessories which you like – to inspire you to work with joy. Remove all clutter of thoughts and thing around your work area. As a preference, and increasingly when you are able, choose the work you love or at lease like doing, so that nothing seems ‘drudgery’ in your work. Thinking that work is ‘monotonous’, ‘boring’ or ‘full of drudgery’ creates mental exhaustion and physical pain.

A beautiful ‘manta’ given to me by a friend said this: Look at one step at a time. Negotiate work step by step to accomplish it well. Do not look at or worry about the vast amount of activity stretching in front of you. That very thought will tire you even before you start your work. Think how you will tire you even before you start your work. Think how you will relax and enjoy yourself when your work is done. Better still, acquire the habit of thinking of your work as your relaxation and you will accomplish more in a shorter time. Make a list of all that you would like to do in a day and systematically tick off each item as you finish it. The very action of ticking off each item rejuvenates your mind and body. Take short relaxing breaks to reduce the monotony or stress of work. Lie down for a few minutes, listen to music or talk to a friend briefly to rejuvenate yourself.

Medical science says that small children have limitless energy because they do not think of any activity as boring. They neither think of yesterday not of tomorrow. They are eternally curious, playful and innocent in their approach to life. They are constantly on a voyage of discovery. Emulate them to conserve your energy and do not let negative words like ‘tiredness’ have you in their clutches. Remember that energy is a very stretchable concept. The more you use it, the more it recreates itself. Of course, to work with focus and a relaxed frame of mine, to use time as priceless gift of time is possible only when you have taken every precaution to ensure that you are in good health. Health of the body and the spirit is what you have to achieve to make your twenty-four-hour day stretch into a forty-eight hour journey of success and happiness.

Make time for everything you want to do. Save segments or nuggets of time by paying bills on time, doing routine or mundane work ahead of time, keeping records in an organized manner, meeting deadlines most of the time, investing in goodwill and encouragement for assistants to earn their support so that your time is saved and by deleting un-necessary, meaningless activities from your workaday. Add systems to your work and leisure wherever possible. Build spare time brick by brick till you have enough to introduce a new activity you like into your life. Treat time as a precious gift – just like money. And as you save money by small amounts at a time, save time and bank it to create a wealth, which you can use as you need. Develop the art of doing several tasks simultaneously by compartmentalizing you mind and energies for each one. Do not let tension become a block in your path to multi-tasking.

Most of all, be patient with yourself and do not look at back-breaking work as punishment. Remember, you’re human and entirely fallible!

Acquire administrative skills

Success and happiness often come to people whose lives are organized in the best possible manner. They almost always have enough time, money and resources to make their lives a worthwhile experience. Administrative skills, which help in saving time and adding a zing to your life are:

1. Keeping most things in their appointed place so that valuable time is not lost in searching for books, papers, documents and precious possessions. Keeping updated lists of your important papers and possessions, which are your assets. Keeping the documents of your property handy and safe.

2. Paying all taxes and outgoings on time. Remember, a clean conscience is the best pillow in the world.

3. Keeping a constant track of your assets and seeing that they are enriching your life or enhancing your wealth.

4. Keeping your team of workers inspired to do their best.

5. Making time for acquiring new skills, new knowledge. Acquire superior knowledge and set an example.

6. Keeping in touch and staying connected with your family, friends and colleagues.

7. Making sure that your life is rich with not only money, but also by travel, music, dance, art, books and enduring friendships.

8. Making sure your loans, if any, are on track.

9. Looking for new kind s of opportunities in work to add energy to your work goals. Opening new windows of skills and knowledge.

10. Creating the best ‘plans of action’ for every activity so that each assignment – personal or professional – is done in the best and most effective way.

11. Set aside time for creative breaks, which rejuvenate your spirit and energy

12. Lead a disciplined life of hard work so that you an inspire others to do the same.

Be creative in everything you do

add passion to your life

A random quotation found scribbled on many public spaces says: Work as if you don’t need the money! This is the essence of putting passion and being creative in your work. Even a mundane, routine job can become enjoyable if you add spice to it by trying to do it in different ways. Passion comes when you give your work a larger perspective and purpose. Energy comes when you include more people in your goals and work jointly towards achieving your aims. Every jobs offers opportunities to be creative.

The world has two kinds of people: The performers and the watchers. Those who perform take the lead and set trends. Those who watch, work at mundane, dreary jobs without an iota of excitement in their work. The former kind of people work not only to earn money but also to bring an edge of passion and excitement into their lives. The latter sit with their eyes popping, enviously watching those who seem to lead rich, wonder-filled lives.

For instance, in every profession, there are plodders who walk with bent backs till they retire. They fall prey to the exigencies of old age. But there are those few who look of innovations, develop people-management skills and bring a sense of creativity to their work. They stand heads above their colleagues. You can observe this phenomenon in society in day-do-day life. Some doctors are famous not only for their surgical or medial skills but also for the pioneering research or techniques they develop. Most lawyers do routine work and return home to hand their black coats till the court opens next day. The outstanding ones challenge obscurantist laws and help investigations to bring out the truth in the cases they handle. Some architects are happy to build box-style residences and pocket the money. But there are a few who look at buildings as works of art and put in their best to create memorable edifices. Some even choose to become specialists in conservation architecture to show how heritage buildings and sites can be resurrected to provide a glimpse of our past. Some journalists and media persons do their standard news reports or features and spend the rest of their time in the ‘enjoy’ mode. Others are remembered because they support a cause and prove that media is a profession through which they can help the nation to progress and society to become more equitable.

Many people work for NGOs and support causes like environment, elders and their rights, women and their welfare, animal rights, forest conservation, water harvesting, adventure sports or spiritual pursuits – all such activities help to give a direction to your life. Rather that just work for money to run your life, try working with passion for a cause you like. This will drive you to a higher sense of achievement and happiness.

Knowing is not enough; we must apply the knowledge, Willing is not enough; we must do.

Live with love! Love means

forgiveness, compassion, hard work, enthusiasm and co-operation

Great thinkers and seers of the world have repeatedly said that only living a life full of love can result in success and happiness. This is a recipe that has been tried and tested several times over by countless numbers of people through the past millennia and success has always crowned those who consider love as the foundation of life. When you love life or the world in general, you acquire these qualities:

1. You find it easy to forgive many misdeeds and acquire the ability to walk ahead rejoicing. Small obstacles, hurts, insults and acts of misbehaviour from people to not remain embedded in your mind for long. You do not harbour ill will or feelings of revenge against them. By practicing the path of love, your mind remains clean like a shining mirror and reflects the best that life offers.

2. You are a more compassionate person. Compassion is not to be mistaken with pity. Feeling pity for a person is equivalent to being patronizing and feeling superior. When you feel compassion, you are one with the suffering of the person at least for a short time. You stand in his/her place and experience the pain of the ‘other’. You understand the viewpoint of the ‘other’. Your are able to help in wherever way possible and to create self confidence in the ‘other’ to overcome his/her misfortune by your words and deeds.

3. When you love something or someone you work hard for the comfort or success of that concept or person. For example, if you love your motherland you will see that no action of yours maligns the name of your country. If you love your parents, you will respect them and comfort them whenever necessary. If you love your spouse and children, you will work hard to provide comfort and generate happiness for them. Most of all, if you love life, you will smile and generate a beautiful sense of security and happiness around you, wherever you are.

4. Love creates enthusiasm. When the negatives in your nature are washed away by love, your spirit is free to soar high. The very desire to rise from mundane circumstances generates energy which makes your life more full of activity and fun. Enthusiasm for things you want to do make your actions enjoyable and extraordinary.

5. When you love people, co-operation becomes a way of life. You empathise with everyone’s goals and needs and accommodate their goals within your own. You aim at achieving common goals, which pool in energy and strength when they are achieved. Sharing goals also leads to the enrichment friendships and relationships.

Keep a 'DREAM DIARY'

“TO do’ lists are the secret ladders to achieving dreams. Make it a practice to write everything you want in life – including simple things like seeing a movie or an art exhibition. Include also the big things like buying a house, planting trees, growing plants or flowers, baking cakes or pastries or an excellent meal for your family. Include some unusual travel plan, adventures like trekking or sea voyages, sitting by the edge of a lake and just relaxing – anything at all. You will be amazed how you begin to fulfill most of your dreams. Do not delete any item from your dream list till you have achieved and realized the dream. Look at the list every day with a quiet smile and remember to drive all your activities towards realizing them one by one. When you have achieved each one of them, circle it with pink for love and shower love on the dream that you have created – such as a home, a tress, a plant, an outfit or a holiday. Loving your dreams gives your personality a rare quality of radiance. Dreams add color and energy to your life and make it a wonderful experience.

Remember for doing everything

there is a right place, a right person, a right time, a right subject and a right manner

Very often, the best-made plans fall by the wayside because actions elated to them are taken at the wrong time or are done incorrectly. Success and happiness result when every plan you make is unfolded in a systematic manner:

1. See that you work in the right place to achieve a goal. Working in a crowded, dusty, smelly or unhygienic environment cannot lead to comfort and success.

2. Work with the right people. If your colleagues are grumpy, angry, obstinate and non-cooperative, your goals cannot be achieved without an unnecessary struggle, which is a waste of time.

3. Present your work plant to your family, teachers or boss at a time, which seems right. Go by your instincts and sense if the time is ripe to divulge your goals or expectations from them. Your listeners and empathizers should be relaxed and have the time to focus on your words.

4. The person with whom you are conversing should be comfortable with the subject you are discussing. If your explanations or statements do not interest the listener or are way beyond his/her comprehension, you are wasting your time. Be sure to address the right person to hear or comment upon the right subject of discussion or debate.

5. When you speak to or address a person, be aware that you do this in the right manner. Courtesy, humility and confidence in your presentation of thoughts, words and actions is important for success.

Study the money market

and see that your money works for your and not vice versa

Wise people say that making money is easy. But looking after it and making it work for you is truly difficult. This statement can be applied to all people who aspire for success today than ever before. The frenetic pace of life today can be compared with a rushing torrent of water. There is no stopping and resting in the modern system of working. Young people rush from home to workplace and come back home after nearly fourteen to sixteen hours competing with their colleagues, trying to show results in their work and trying to reach a higher rung of their career ladder. There is little time to stop and think of how to plan your earning and how to organize your savings. However, it is important while making money, to simultaneously master the skill of managing it and multiplying it to serve your future needs. It is important to remember that working frantically to earn more money is as important as making your earnings and savings work for you by procuring for you the lifestyle you desire to achieve, now and in the future.

Our business in life is not to get ahead of others but to get ahead of ourselves – to break our own records, to outstrip our yesterdays by our today, to do our work with more force than ever before.

Know the difference between mind and mindset

open your mind to to magic of life by discarding meaning mindsets

One of India’s most successful second-generation business tycoons, Narayana Murthy, chairman of Infosys says, “Progress is often equal to the difference between mind and mindset”. Because our culture is so ancient and rich, it brings us the heritage of a vast pool of data, beliefs, mindsets and ‘givens’, which means we read the meaning, we want into many words and actions. For example, even in the modern era, millions of Indian considers women as second class compared to men. Lakhs of female fetuses are killed every year, creating a scary situation for population experts in our country. As corollary of the second-class status of women, our society believes in depriving women of education, opportunity and equal status in matters of inheritance and wealth creation. Blind superstitions dog our footsteps at every turn of events. We believe that religion sanctions many meaningless rituals. We are governed by social regulations of caste and creed, which have become lost all relevance to modern life. Men often believe that holding on to their ego and strutting around with a false sense of authority is ‘manly’. They also believe that conquest over women comes through sexual aggression and oppression. Women believe themselves to be ‘incomplete’ without men to call their own. Women also suffer when they remain unmarried or childless by choice or circumstances. A whole lot of beliefs and customs govern our lives and worse still, regulate or bind them. Many of these strangle our growth and progress. Therefore when you choose your own lifestyle, be prepared to use your mind for sifting out outdated customs and traditions, which prevent you from taking your life forward. Break all rules that strangle and limit you. Get rid of the nonsense in your life and open the windows of your mind to let in fresh breezes of new ideas, new solutions.

Do not believe what others say about you. Exercise the right to define yourself. Forget the “What will people say?” syndrome and venture out to find your dream without fear or favour. It is your right to achieve the goals you set for yourself as long as they are not unethical or hurtful to your nation, community, family or yourself.

A closed mind is the worst enemy of good sense.

Develop your persnal life by learning new skills, hobbies, friends, travel and patmimes

Here are a few suggestions to add a zing to your life:

1. Learn one new skill every year: Learning new skills, howsoever unimportant they are, brings added confidence. Learn to speak a new language; learn an art like glass painting; cooking special dishes; computer games; public speaking; a course in script writing; a workshop in knowing flowering trees. This will also bring new and like-minded people into your life. Sharing interests with no eye on money or competition is a wonderful part of our lives. Don’s miss out on it!

2. Make new friends who add excitement to your life: Be open to new friendships. When you go to the gym for your workouts, for walks in the gardens, on tours or trips for work or leisure, try to meet new people with different lifestyles and different views. Enrich your knowledge of your own country and other countries by conversing with as many people as you can on a one to one basis, without a sense of superiority or inferiority. Accept that even the humblest of people can add to your knowledge. Even tribal people who live in jungles have and uncanny knowledge of nature by which they can predict rainfall or migration of animals and birds.

3. Audit your life every three years and improve your performance. Your dream diary is a valuable document for you to check how far you have succeeded in realizing your wishes. Change the diary to be somewhat realizing your wishes. Change the diary to be somewhat realistic now and then and make your dreams achievable. Then get down to work and see that you tick as my dreams as possible by turning them into reality.

4. Add variety to your work by using all your skills. Variety is the spice of life, as the old proverb says. Doing different kinds of work – some for fun, some for money and some for the general good – keeps you in good spirits and rejuvenates your energy. Try to accomplish more that one goal while doing one activity. For example, while on you routine walk in the gardens, notice flowers, colours and learn about the seasons in which different flowers grow with their botanical and common names. You will be surprised when a desire to visit a nursery takes root in your mind, adding one more joyous interest to your life.

5. Widen your horizon through new experiences and breaking useless barriers. Break all moldy, obscurantist rules and regulations, which bind you to a meaningless pattern of behaviour. Never lose your dignity, correct values or ethics. But in our ancient traditions, there are many blind superstitions, outdated social mores and mindsets that need to be thrown out of the window for a freer, more global way of thinking. Expand your views with your own and other’s experience. Use the knowledge to enrich your mind. Break old myths and replace them with modern, ambitious thinking, which brings progress and happiness.

6. Include as much traveling in your life as possible. Seeing new places and meeting different kinds of people gives you new glimpses of life into new cultures and exciting concepts of life. Absorb as many new sights and sounds as you can to add work or leisure- a learning experience. If there is a historical or cultural or pilgrimage center near your city of business where you go on an official tour, take some time out to see it and learn its place in your culture or knowledge. Soon, you will find that you are a well-travelled and knowledgeable person!

7. Create new hobbies for yourself. Gardening, nature watching, painting, music, dancing, writing – and many more skills bring you into contact with experts or enthusiastic people who are willing to share their expertise and happiness. Hobbies add fun to your solitary hours. Prepare for your solitude by learning to enjoy activities by yourself.

8. Meditate regularly for joy. Learn to enjoy silence and solitude. Soon, you will begin to seek these beautiful activities because they help you to achieve success and happiness.

Learn to keep secrets

Keep these nine traditional secret subjects of your conversation with all people except your very close family and friends.

1. Age: Never discuss anyone’s age in public, nor divulge your age unless required by law or occasion.

2. Wealth or earning: never ask anyone how much they earn or possess in terms of wealth and property. So also, do not crib about or boast about your earning or wealth.

3. Never discuss anyone’s family problems publicly even though you happen to know them. Keep your family problems to yourself or discuss them with counselors or close friends only. Advertising the holes in your family fabric can make you a laughing stock in your community. Worse still, your detractors may use the knowledge to insult you or ridicule you at the wrong place or time.

4. Keep your intimate relationship with your spouse/partner out of common discussion unless you wish to invite trouble. Discuss it only with a counselor or within your family if they have goodwill and support for you. Do not discuss someone else’s marital problems in an open forum.

5. Keep your health problems to yourself except when you are with your doctor. Do not discuss the medicines you are prescribed or invite advice on how to deal with your illness, similarly, do not discuss anyone else’s disease or ailment threadbare till the patient is embarrassed.

6. Keep your spiritual pursuits close to your heart. What your guru teaches you, what mantra you chant or what religious practices you observe are no concern of anyone other than yourself and your family. Do not criticize others for their faith or different way of practicing religion or culture.

7. Do not boast about the honours you have won, the adulation you have received from the media or people around you.

8. Do not show your anguish about insults and hurts you have suffered in the presence of people other than your trusted ones. You will invite curiosity about your angst and give onlookers a chance to feel good at your downfall.

9. Never reveal others confidence given to you in good faith.

Learn the following ten qualities of successful people

Remember these ten qualities work together as a combination to create success and happiness. These qualities together give a definite advantage to successful people over others because they are constantly learning and seeking solutions. They build strong personal relationships. They accept the right advice when given by a well-wisher. They have a reservoir of goodwill for the world at large. Interestingly, these are not inherited qualities. They can be cultivated by any one determined to be successful and happy!

1. Hard work : People who constantly pursue success, work hard for the laurels they win

2. Curiosity: They constantly ask questions. They are not scared to seek knowledge and to renew their understanding of the world around them. They reinvent lives by applying the knowledge they have gained from whatever source, however humble. Success is not only about gaining knowledge; it is about shifting the knowledge gained, refining it and using it in ever-new ways to improve one’s life.

3. Successful people are ‘people based’. They make friends easily and are able to give generously of themselves to their friends. They know innumerable people and are able to remember them with warmth and kindness. They are inveterate listeners and can patiently listen not only to scholars, but also to waiters in restaurants or children in playground. Their interest knows no boundaries of age, place, education or financial status. They make gentleness and courtesy an inherent part of their nature.

4. Successful people create their aura over a period of time. They are not mushrooms which spring up with the first rain and die out with the last shower. They are survivors and bend around problems to come up winners. They do not become arrogant like the ‘mushrooms of success’ because they work for every step of their success. They work to enrich their management skills, leadership qualities, and relationship inputs. They work on details which are not noticed by others. They are determined to do better with the next opportunity when they fail in an endeavor. Successful people never quit – they correct all flaws in themselves and walk ahead with more confidence.

5. Successful people question the givens. They push the envelope that much further to achieve greater heights in whatever they choose to do. They questions traditions, customs, mindsets, rules and regulations and treat the chinks in the armour of society as opportunities and challenges. They constantly meditate on new ideas and accept others contribution to their thinking processes. They are always seeking improvement, solutions, and speed in action. They are creative beyond measure.

6. Successful people are not scared to accept blame for a failure. They do not whine and cry and plant the guilt on someone else. They decide to improve and move on. They are self-reliant and are willing to take the initiative in all activities. They always accept responsibility for their actions.

7. Successful people master the art of relaxing in the midst of stressful situations. They know the balance between hectic serious task and have immense patience with their work and with people. They develop the ability to make good decisions even whey they are under tremendous pressure. They can keep a right perspective of things in trying times.

8. ‘Just now’ is the mantra of successful people’s lifestyles. They control the present with energy and purpose. They look everyone straight in the eye because they expect hard work from others visibly in hurry. They can play with energy and work with concentration. They can adapt to any circumstances because they live in the present moment.

9. When trends change and offer opportunities, successful people are the first ones to arrive on the scene. They put their ears to the ground and sense the coming of events, which others can barely perceive. They always have their eyes trained to see beyond the horizon into the future.

10. Successful people respond instantly. They take money decisions, investment opportunities and business responsibilities instantly. They reply to letters or messages quickly and call back all important and meaningful callers immediately. Their responses are positive and energizing. They respond to the technological changes and financial adjustment quickly.

Develop Healthy habits and correct character flaws

1. Give up alcohol and smoking as far as possible. Don’t let these habits take control of your life.

2. Eat right by balancing your food intake and choose the right varieties of food to suit your lifestyle. Drink lots of water. When in doubt, consult your doctor or a dietician

3. Work in an orgainsed manner and divide time between your career, family and leisure to lead a full life.

4. Find some time to indulge yourself now and then. Exercise and meditate with joy.

5. Write down your best thoughts and dreams regularly. You can begin to live them when they are in front of you every day.

6. Be positive and see the better side of things of that your spirits do not droop often. Depression is a disease of the modern world. Keep away from it by being active and happy.

7. Don’t allow others to use you without your consent or at least be aware when people use you. Do not feel ‘use’ and lose energy in negative thinking.

8. Check your health and look after minor ailments before hey become big-plan an energy diet.

9. Be everybody’s well-wisher- this frees you from tension and fatigue. Forgive everybody their trespasses so that you are free to walk on to your goals.

10. Learn one new skill every year and see the magic in your life.

11. Audit your life every three year and check where you can improve your performance.

12. Make new friends who add luster to your life.

13. Avoid habits that destroy relationships.

14. Accept that you cannot always be ‘right’.

15. Do not let resentment and anger rule your life.

16. Do not act like a faultfinding mission.

17. Express regret when you have made a mistake or hurt someone.

18. Don’t radiate worry and fear.

19. Don’t be intolerant of other religions, cultures, ways of thinking and lifestyles. Accept the good and learn from all of the.

20. Do not see yourself as a victim of circumstances or people. Change your perception of yourself. Believe that you are going to be a winner.

21. Do not carry stories about people enjoy gossip.

22. Cut out the habit of lying

23. Cut out your feeling of inadequacy and build your confidence brick by brick.

24. Think rich and discard the notion of poverty. Most people feel ‘poorer’ that they really are. This is because they always compare themselves with others and feel deprived of the ‘goodies’ of life. Create your own happiness and security from what you have and own. Work hard to achieve more if you desire more – this is the key to a contented life.

Cultivate purity of Heart

A pure hearted person radiates luster, which is perceivable to all. His/her skin shines with a rare luminescence and there is a smile on his/her face. When you come into contact with such a person, you automatically brighten up because the aura of the person energises you. A beautiful scene in the film Siddharth made by Conrad Rooks – starring Shashi Kapoor and Simi Garewal – describes how you can achieve purity of heart. In this film, the Buddhist monk, who has earlier been in love with the beautiful courtesan, visits her on here deathbed. When she sees his shining face, she asks him how he could accept the pain of life and still remain pure and unsullied. His reply is: “When you work hard on your own character, you develop a beautiful sanctuary within the core of your heart. Whenever the affairs of the world becomes too much for you, you retire for a while to your wondrous sanctuary of illumination to refresh yourself and come back to face thw world and its myriad, wayward ways, some of which you do not even understand fully.”

This dialogue states an eternal truth. The pure of heart create a sanctuary of beauty in the core of their beings and it becomes their secret, magical world, where they can recreate their energies and reinvent themselves. They remain pure in the face of all exigencies of life.

Steadfastness in achieving knowldege

A man or woman who wants success and happiness is on a relentless search for knowledge. Nothing is unimportant for him/her. Knowledge increases your understanding of the world and its ways. It brings your arrogance and self-importance into control. Many professionals these days believe that knowledge of one’s own work or general knowledge about the world around is enough to live a fruitful life. While this is so for an ordinary person, the extraordinary person seeks to rise above the mundane levels of knowledge and consistently adds his observation, his perception and his discerning power to his bank of awareness. He/she heightens his/her intuition, perception and tuning with every source of knowledge so that his/her mind is a rich tuning with every source of knowledge so that his/her mind is a rich treasure of superfine nuances of all kinds of knowledge. Knowledge is not to be used for earning money or for leading your everyday life well. It is a treasure of gems for lifelong enjoyment. It is the best company, which never fails to entertain and enrich you. It is your companion as long as you live. It is the only treasure, which grows with you and pays you rich dividends.

A knowledge seeker discards his/her ego; he/she enjoys contentment of a rare kind; he/she approaches truth as the ultimate goal.

Help everyone who needs your support

Generosity is also a purifying quality. It encourages you to share the bounty of life, which you have been blessed to receive. Generosity is not limited to giving money or things money can buy. It also includes giving encouraging words, support in difficult times, doing whatever is needed to alleviate the suffering of others; making the world a better place of everyone; helping the rejuvenation of nature and all living beings.

However, in day-to-day life, the way you can express your generosity is by avoiding hurtful language, by being courteous and kind in your communications and giving appreciation whenever it is deserved.

Indian tradition requires us to give food to the hungry, support to the needfy and opportunities to the deserving. Follow these principles as far as you can and you will find that you are doing charity truly to yourself. Each time you give part of what you have earned by way of money, comfort, sustenance, knowledge and courage, you multiply your own wealth – both terrestrial and spiritual. Giving is a holy act, which originates in the divine. Divinity gives your all blessings free, without you making any effort or contribution to earn them. When you have received so much from divinity, nature, people and the environment around you, it is your duty to return whatever you can back to life. The famous Dhauli rock edict of Emperor Ashoka, whom historians describes as ‘one of the greatest men to ever have walked on this earth’, spells out a simple four way path to moksha.

This pat lists the following four rules for achieving salvation:

1. Respect all life. Be kind to birds and animals. Nurthure them because they have an equal right to inhabit the earth as you.

2. Respect seekers of knowledge because they are collecting rich heritage for you. Nurture them because they are the fonts of wisdom.

3. Care for and nurture your elders because they have worked hard to make your life fulfilling and rich.

4. Give back to nature what you have taken from it so that it can continue to give to future generations.

This famous edict was created after Emperor Ashok regretted the abominable bloodshed which he caused in the Kalinga war in 236 BC and accepted Buddhism as his creed. The edict stands in Dhauli near Bhubaneshwar, Orissa. It is truly secular in spirit and gives us a simple way of living a successful and happy life. The Dhauli edict is one of over thirty surviving rock inscriptions left behind by Ashoka and all of them decree that peace and non-violence are the everlasting strategies for a king who wishes to bring the best to his subjects. As history has proved, Emperor Ashoka changed the very face of Buddhism by making it a worldwide religion from a local cult in Eastern India. Ashoka’s rock edicts are spread all over India and are a great archeological heritage of the nation today.

Control your senses

Indian tradition mentions six qualities as the arch-enemies of success and happiness. These are : Arrogance, greed, lust for sensual pleasures, anger, jealousy and attachment to indulgence. Even in your working life, you will find greater success and effectiveness if you control these fatal attractions.

While self-assurance and a noble style of living are necessary for every individual, arrogance is a negative quality. An arrogant person loses friends and suffers loneliness in the end. His family comes close to him for comfort and courage. He is abhorred by his subordinates and colleagues of his rudeness and combativeness.

Wanting legitimate benefits and the wish to satisfy one’s needs in life is natural. But o turn these needs into avarice or greed is dangerous. A greedy person cannot be ethical. He/she will do anything to get money or advantages which he/she has not earned. Greed has no end if you let it rule your life.

Lust, when uncontrolled, leads you on a sure path of destruction. It fritters away your creative energies and corrodes your soul. Though desire is a natural part of human existence, it must not become a disease.

Anger, when misused, is the worst enemy of mankind. In today’s frenetic lifestyle, one sees the expression at every turn of life. Anger creates confusion; it could reason; it takes away your ability to discern between right and wrong; it destroys your ability to listen patiently and be just to all points of view. Anger is an expression of immaturity because it does not encourage you to do self-analysis and find the cause of your hurt or the cause of your anger. Often, your inner deprivation or insecurity makes you angry at the world and others in your environment become the targets of your impatience, rage or aggression. Anger and aggression cause oppression to those around you and isolate you in time. Needless to say, anger ruins your mental and physical health. However, anger against injustice, against misbehaviour or misconduct are natural for everyone.

Jealousy seems to be the flavour of the modern ager. Our media thrives on this quality among those who compete for social prominence, media presence, glamour, money, possessions and sex. While healthy competition is always with your own past performance. It is not good enough to be better that the next person. You have to be the best. Only the desire to do your very best and then to improve on yourself, can lead to success and happiness. Indulgence leads you to sure depression. Becoming the slave of any habit to the extent that you are totally dependent on something or someone for everything in life is equivalent to a disease. While everything created by divinity is for your enjoyment, be sure to regulate your life so that the ‘joys’ of life do not lead you to misery!

Indian tradition also names the five senses, which, when allowed to rule your life, can lead you into trouble. These are sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell. When these demand pleasures beyond all reasonable limits, they become your enemies. When you use the five senses for your own physical, mental and spiritual development, you come nearer to your goals. But when the senses become your guideposts and make you their slaves by demanding more and more pleasures in life, then you are stepping on dangerous grounds. When you pamper the senses, you spend your entire life satisfying their demands. Their endless demands corrupt your discerning power. A person who holds his/her senses in control and makes them strong agents for growth in life, becomes successful and happy.

Be prepared to sacrifice some things in the interest of the general good

When you find that your personal interest are against the good of the community, be prepared for giving in. If the society or community you live in is healthy, your health is easier to achieve. In a polluted, corrupt environment, you cannot flourish single handedly. Nor does the growth and wealth you obtain at the cost of the good of your community or your country give you any credit. When you see illiterate people, don’t be arrogant about your education. When you see people unexposed to the vistas of life, don’t be impatient with them. Take time to understand their view of things and respond with compassion and helpfulness. In our society, the arrogance of the powerful towards the powerless, the educated toward the illiterate, the rich towards the poor, the higher classes towards those born in the lowly strata of society, the knowledgeable towards the ignorant is absolutely shocking. Be careful you do not subscribe to any activities or views which treat human beings as chattel, women as objects of contempt and children as hindrances to a carefree lifestyle. Stand up and give time generously for those who need your support. Sacrifice at least some of your wealth, time and concern for those who are not as blessed as you.

Be straighforward in your dealings do not cheat anyone

The ability to look anyone straight in the eye and speak your mind is a great blessing of life. It proves that you are fearless and truthful and do not hesitate in facing anyone, howsoever powerful the person in front may be. Being straightforward does not, however, mean that you should hurt everyone’s feelings by speaking rudely or arrogantly. Straightforwardness is not always expressed in speech. It is evident in the manner in which you present your point of view, the body language you use and the clarity of your eyes. Straightforwardness is gentleness tempered with clear intent and goodwill. It aims at protecting all those who live by their values and ethical principles. In the modern age of frenetic business methods, it may seem all right to cheat to get ahead. It may seem an attractive short cut to your goal. But when you have achieved your goad with hard work and straightforwardness in your dealings, without unjustly snatching someone else’s share of success, then you are truly blessed.

Be Truthful

Truth has been enumerated as a godly quality by all religions. Being truthful makes you fearless effortlessly. However, Indian tradition spells out how you should adhere to truth. “Follow the path of truth. But take are that the truth you speak does not harm or hurt anyone. Do not speak falsehood, which is entertaining and is greatly enjoyed by your listeners too. Rishi Vyas says that truth is greatly enjoyed by your listeners too. Rishi Vyas says that truth is the symbol of a strong character. But the truly learned understand that more than truth, the welfare of all people is fare more important. A seeker of truth should always speak or act in the interest of everyone’s welfare and progress. Spiritual truth is that which serves the purpose of improving the lives of the majority of people. The best truth is no use to mankind if it does not spawn welfare and progress. This rule applies specially to those people who occupy leadership positions in all fields. They should be truthful in bringing about the progress of the nation for which they are committed. Those who are truthful in fulfilling their responsibilities are practicing the truth of divinity.

Don't allow anger to rule your life

Most people suffer from rage because of the stresses of life. From the waking moment to the time a person retires for the night, there is one desire or the other, which remains unfulfilled, causing disappointment and disgust! This constantly boiling cauldron of dissatisfaction boils over and occupies the mind, making it full of anger. Overwork, stressful relationships, unbridled ambition, greed and avarice for more and more material acquisitions – all these take away the peace of your mind. In fact, the learned say that anger and peace can never live in the same heart, As long as you allow anger and rage against the world to fill your heart, there is no room for peace and happiness in your life. Anger management is therefore a dire necessary for achieving success and happiness

Renounce whatever you need to with peace

Life often brings you to a crossroads, where you have to make difficult choices. You have to give up something that you have taken for granted; leave behind something that has given you comfort or surrender something over which you think you have a right. If this happens, be patient and think out the realities of the situation. Did you take something or someone so much for granted that your attitude soured the relationship? Were you grateful or did you become complacent in accepting service, love and loyalty? If, because of these reasons, you have come to a turning point in life, where giving up a relationship, a friendship or a position becomes inevitable, do this with grace and peace. Do you suddenly have to give up a career, a home or a place, which has been a source of comfort to you? Think why this has happened so that you can avoid similar circumstances in the future. But do not burn up your heart while giving up the comfort when you have to. Acknowledge hat whatever is happening, may be result of your own actions. Sometimes, you are forced to give up something over which you thought you had a right. But remember, rights can change over a period of time. Sometimes, even legitimate rights are snatched away from you by force or stealth. If you feel cheated, fight for your right till you are satisfied that you have done your best. But if you do not succeed, remember to do your best and leave the rest. Learn from the experience and take care that you are not cheated the next time. Renouncing a relationship, a valued possession or the fruits of one’s hard work is never easy. But burning yourself up mentally and emotionally forever after the loss makes your life a continuing hell. When the deed is done, it is better to forget and get on with life in the best possible manner.

Cultivate peacefulness as a habit

Peace come from a relentless practice of equanimity. On the one hand, sorrow, anger, greed, grief an lust create continuous disturbances in the mind. On the other hand, joy, happinesss, excitement and desire also create waves in the mind. When both these extremes rule the mind, there cannot be peace in your life. Facing the ups and downs of life with a practical attitude and acquiring at least a semblance of equanimity makes you a peaceful person. Peacefulness is a habit, which needs to be practiced till it is perfected. There has to be a constant prayer for peace in your heart, whatever activity you are engaged in. Peace is worth acquiring because it is the foundation of your health and well-being. Remember this one liner and meditate upon its contribution to your life in future: “Peace comes not from the absence of conflict in life but from the ability to cope with it creatively”.