Property Prices in Gujarat: The Worry Of Rising Property Costs
posted by Sudhin Choksey @ 4:20 AM
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Friday, November 17, 2006
Excellence: Excellence - Determination Against All Odds
posted by Sudhin Choksey @ 4:16 AM
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Excellence: Excellence - Courage & Determination To Succeed
posted by Sudhin Choksey @ 4:15 AM
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Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Excellence - Focus On The Goal
Firstly, our focus should not shift from customers to the competition. We must not constantly look at our competition and comparing as to how the competition is better than us. In the process, we are discouraging ourselves and not aiming at customers who can be served by us. The market is big and we have products for all segments and also better prices.
Look at the competition only when you are developing the product and pricing your product and also then compare the segment your product is targeted; else the comparison could be misleading. Please remember that a focus with blinkers only on our products and customers will bring the success..
This reminds me of the story of Mahabharat when Dronacharya was teaching Pandavas and Kauravas the art of archery. He taught them how to aim at the target successfully. Then the day of their examination came. All Pandavas and Kauravas failed except Arjun. Why ?? Dronacharya had asked all of them to target the bird’s eye. Each one came and took the aim and before they were to release the arrow, Dronacharya asked as to what each one of them has been seeing through their one eye. Everyone described everything about the bird, the branch of the tree, the leaves around the bird and the tree.
After hearing what each one was seeing, Dronacharya did not permit them to release the arrow. Whereas when Arjun was asked as to what he has been seeing, he said only the eye and he described the eye. Dronacharya then permitted Arjun to release the arrow and the arrow hit the eye of the bird. Dronacharya declared only Arjun to have passed the examination and all the rest failed. This was so because except Arjun everyone described everything around the bird and the bird itself but not the eye of the bird. Their aim was therefore not solely on the target whereas Arjun saw only the eye which was the target and he permitted him to shoot. That’s how Arjun succeeded and the rest failed.
The lesson to be learnt from the story is that be focused on the target and not on surroundings else our efforts shall go waste. Our focus should be solely on our goal-customer and to offer him solutions which we have.
This also reminds me of the story of David and Goliath. There was a giant who was bullying and harassing the children in the village. One day a 17 year old David came to the village and asked, “Why don’t you stand up and fight the giant ? The boys replied, “Don’t you see the giant is too big to fight ?” But the David said, “No, he is not too big to hit but he is too big to miss.”
The perception David took and the perception other boys took made all the difference and solution was found to hit the giant. Similarly, let’s take a positive view of the market and look for the spots where we can aim and succeed.
We must therefore change the focus from competition to customers. No sooner we become negative in our focus and attitude that we are defeated. Let’s not be pessimist. The pessimist people spend most of their time complaining about everything around them. They always look for cracks. They always expect the worst and also make the worst of everything they have. They forget their blessings and count their troubles. They do not believe in taking any kind of chances. They are the lot fearful by nature and hence they lack courage in trying out. There is a story of how such people look for negative in everything.
There was a hunter who bought a bird dog, the only one of its kind who could walk on water. He wanted to show off his new acquisition to his friend so he invited his friend for duck hunting. After sometime they shot few ducks and the man ordered his dog to run and fetch the birds. The dog ran on water and fetched the birds. The owner was expecting a compliment about the amazing dog from his friend. But the friend did not make any comment. Then in the evening when they were returning, the man asked his friend if he had noticed anything unusual about his dog. The friend replied, “Yes, I did notice that your dog can’t swim.”
The moral of the story is that the negative people will only look for the defects and shortcomings and they will not achieve anything.
Look at the competition only when you are developing the product and pricing your product and also then compare the segment your product is targeted; else the comparison could be misleading. Please remember that a focus with blinkers only on our products and customers will bring the success..
This reminds me of the story of Mahabharat when Dronacharya was teaching Pandavas and Kauravas the art of archery. He taught them how to aim at the target successfully. Then the day of their examination came. All Pandavas and Kauravas failed except Arjun. Why ?? Dronacharya had asked all of them to target the bird’s eye. Each one came and took the aim and before they were to release the arrow, Dronacharya asked as to what each one of them has been seeing through their one eye. Everyone described everything about the bird, the branch of the tree, the leaves around the bird and the tree.
After hearing what each one was seeing, Dronacharya did not permit them to release the arrow. Whereas when Arjun was asked as to what he has been seeing, he said only the eye and he described the eye. Dronacharya then permitted Arjun to release the arrow and the arrow hit the eye of the bird. Dronacharya declared only Arjun to have passed the examination and all the rest failed. This was so because except Arjun everyone described everything around the bird and the bird itself but not the eye of the bird. Their aim was therefore not solely on the target whereas Arjun saw only the eye which was the target and he permitted him to shoot. That’s how Arjun succeeded and the rest failed.
The lesson to be learnt from the story is that be focused on the target and not on surroundings else our efforts shall go waste. Our focus should be solely on our goal-customer and to offer him solutions which we have.
This also reminds me of the story of David and Goliath. There was a giant who was bullying and harassing the children in the village. One day a 17 year old David came to the village and asked, “Why don’t you stand up and fight the giant ? The boys replied, “Don’t you see the giant is too big to fight ?” But the David said, “No, he is not too big to hit but he is too big to miss.”
The perception David took and the perception other boys took made all the difference and solution was found to hit the giant. Similarly, let’s take a positive view of the market and look for the spots where we can aim and succeed.
We must therefore change the focus from competition to customers. No sooner we become negative in our focus and attitude that we are defeated. Let’s not be pessimist. The pessimist people spend most of their time complaining about everything around them. They always look for cracks. They always expect the worst and also make the worst of everything they have. They forget their blessings and count their troubles. They do not believe in taking any kind of chances. They are the lot fearful by nature and hence they lack courage in trying out. There is a story of how such people look for negative in everything.
There was a hunter who bought a bird dog, the only one of its kind who could walk on water. He wanted to show off his new acquisition to his friend so he invited his friend for duck hunting. After sometime they shot few ducks and the man ordered his dog to run and fetch the birds. The dog ran on water and fetched the birds. The owner was expecting a compliment about the amazing dog from his friend. But the friend did not make any comment. Then in the evening when they were returning, the man asked his friend if he had noticed anything unusual about his dog. The friend replied, “Yes, I did notice that your dog can’t swim.”
The moral of the story is that the negative people will only look for the defects and shortcomings and they will not achieve anything.
posted by Sudhin Choksey @ 12:01 AM
0 comments
Monday, September 18, 2006
Excellence - Courage & Determination To Succeed
We all must therefore find ways to inspire ourselves and make the best attempt for an achievement
I read the book – NUTS - and I found lots of encouragement. I would strongly recommend each one of you to read this book and see for yourselves as to how a regional based American Airline Company, made it to the top of the American Airline Industry inspite of all the difficulties they faced in the market place from the bigger players and that too after the financial disaster.
I will share couple of incidents out of the book to make a point as to what courage; determination, a focused approach and also unconventional methods can do to an enterprise in being successful.
A Banker, an Advocate and a small Airline Operator in the Texas State started the South West Airlines in 1967. The objective of the company was to start a regional based intra-state airlines operating between only three locations namely Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. There were already large airline companies operating in and out of Texas from all the three locations as a hub but point-to-point services between these locations were not being provided.
The promoters therefore formed the company named South West Airlines and raised share capital worth $ 500,000 from the market. Though the requirement of fund for such a regional based company was only $ 250,000 but they raised a large capital that was double of what they really needed. Then they applied for the certificate to fly their planes. While, the government was in the process of considering their application for issue of certificate to fly, the competitors did not want the new player to enter the market. So the major competitors got together to form a cartel and brought a restraining order for not issuing the certificate to fly to South West.
The company therefore had to fight a legal battle. South West lost the battle at a Lower Court. Then, they went in for an appeal to the High Court and lost it too. Subsequently, they went to the Supreme Court. At the end of four years, South West won the legal battle at the Supreme Court. But at what cost??? Firstly, they had lost the valuable time period of 4 years. Secondly, not only they lost their entire share capital of $500,000 but were also in the debt of $80,000.
It was a tragedy that when Southwest had money, they had no certificate to fly and when Southwest had certificate to fly they had no money to start the operation. At this point any other company would have closed down the operation. But the Southwest decided to start the operation and hired people and planes.
From that point in 1971, Southwest has grown to become today the number one airline company in USA. Today, South West is considered to be the safest airlines in the world and it ranks first for services and on time performance. South West has the lowest employee turn over and is rated twice as one of the ten companies to work for in America. South West is the only airline to be profitable each year since 1973 when many of other airlines have lost billions of dollars and posted loss.
How did they make it happen?
Their mission was to give ordinary people a chance to fly and open up the skies for the larger population. Therefore they decided to keep the fares low and consequently keep costs low. They were the first to introduce two-tier pricing structure. Peak time fare and off-peak time fares that other airlines then followed. They also introduced many unconventional methods to keep costs low and improve revenues. They are like:
· Decided that their competition was not with other airlines but their competition was with the ground transport. Therefore the fare on their airline used to be something like $ 15 instead of $ 62 priced by the other competitors.
· Fly lots of short trips. Keep the airplanes as much as possible in the air so as to keep the productivity high.
· Ten minute turn around – “ Don’t walk but run”
· Don't follow the crowds. Avoid bigger and heavy traffic airports and instead serve smaller airports.
· Not serving any in-flight meals like breakfast, lunch and dinner and instead serve only peanuts.
· No to diversify and stay with a single model of aircraft 737 so as to keep all operational costs low viz. spares inventory, training, back ups, higher efficiency since everyone is familiar with single model.
I read the book – NUTS - and I found lots of encouragement. I would strongly recommend each one of you to read this book and see for yourselves as to how a regional based American Airline Company, made it to the top of the American Airline Industry inspite of all the difficulties they faced in the market place from the bigger players and that too after the financial disaster.
I will share couple of incidents out of the book to make a point as to what courage; determination, a focused approach and also unconventional methods can do to an enterprise in being successful.
A Banker, an Advocate and a small Airline Operator in the Texas State started the South West Airlines in 1967. The objective of the company was to start a regional based intra-state airlines operating between only three locations namely Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. There were already large airline companies operating in and out of Texas from all the three locations as a hub but point-to-point services between these locations were not being provided.
The promoters therefore formed the company named South West Airlines and raised share capital worth $ 500,000 from the market. Though the requirement of fund for such a regional based company was only $ 250,000 but they raised a large capital that was double of what they really needed. Then they applied for the certificate to fly their planes. While, the government was in the process of considering their application for issue of certificate to fly, the competitors did not want the new player to enter the market. So the major competitors got together to form a cartel and brought a restraining order for not issuing the certificate to fly to South West.
The company therefore had to fight a legal battle. South West lost the battle at a Lower Court. Then, they went in for an appeal to the High Court and lost it too. Subsequently, they went to the Supreme Court. At the end of four years, South West won the legal battle at the Supreme Court. But at what cost??? Firstly, they had lost the valuable time period of 4 years. Secondly, not only they lost their entire share capital of $500,000 but were also in the debt of $80,000.
It was a tragedy that when Southwest had money, they had no certificate to fly and when Southwest had certificate to fly they had no money to start the operation. At this point any other company would have closed down the operation. But the Southwest decided to start the operation and hired people and planes.
From that point in 1971, Southwest has grown to become today the number one airline company in USA. Today, South West is considered to be the safest airlines in the world and it ranks first for services and on time performance. South West has the lowest employee turn over and is rated twice as one of the ten companies to work for in America. South West is the only airline to be profitable each year since 1973 when many of other airlines have lost billions of dollars and posted loss.
How did they make it happen?
Their mission was to give ordinary people a chance to fly and open up the skies for the larger population. Therefore they decided to keep the fares low and consequently keep costs low. They were the first to introduce two-tier pricing structure. Peak time fare and off-peak time fares that other airlines then followed. They also introduced many unconventional methods to keep costs low and improve revenues. They are like:
· Decided that their competition was not with other airlines but their competition was with the ground transport. Therefore the fare on their airline used to be something like $ 15 instead of $ 62 priced by the other competitors.
· Fly lots of short trips. Keep the airplanes as much as possible in the air so as to keep the productivity high.
· Ten minute turn around – “ Don’t walk but run”
· Don't follow the crowds. Avoid bigger and heavy traffic airports and instead serve smaller airports.
· Not serving any in-flight meals like breakfast, lunch and dinner and instead serve only peanuts.
· No to diversify and stay with a single model of aircraft 737 so as to keep all operational costs low viz. spares inventory, training, back ups, higher efficiency since everyone is familiar with single model.
posted by Sudhin Choksey @ 11:59 PM
0 comments
Excellence - No Room For Complecency
Many of us tend to become complacent. We think that we have done our best and nothing more can be done. As a result, the greed to achieve more is missing. Even the urgency to do more is lacking. Instead, one must move as if tomorrow is not there. We must think that each day is the last day of our life and achieve as much as possible in a day. We can not sit on our past performances and get contented. We must continue to put up our best until the last. You never know we may miss the great reward.
This reminds me of the story of a contractor who built his last house.
There was a contractor who worked for a construction company for 25 years and he built some of the best houses for the company and its customers. He was then to retire.
The company’s president asked him to build the last house and told him to use the best of the material and gave him a complete freedom to design and build his dream house which he wanted to build but could not built. The president told him not to worry about the materials he needed and their cost since they wanted the best house to be gifted away to someone.
The contractor took the job but he did not put in his best. He felt that I have done my best over the past 25 years. Now, I am retiring and what difference does it make. And he somehow completed the house.
The president then invited all his staff and people from the town to gift the house. The contractor was also invited. The president then made the announcement that the house is being gifted away to the contractor in recognition of 25 years of excellent service put in by the contractor. The president gifted the house to the contractor his dream house to stay after the retirement. The contractor regretted and said to himself that if I knew in advance that the house was to be gifted to me I could have done much better job than what I did.
This reminds me of the story of a contractor who built his last house.
There was a contractor who worked for a construction company for 25 years and he built some of the best houses for the company and its customers. He was then to retire.
The company’s president asked him to build the last house and told him to use the best of the material and gave him a complete freedom to design and build his dream house which he wanted to build but could not built. The president told him not to worry about the materials he needed and their cost since they wanted the best house to be gifted away to someone.
The contractor took the job but he did not put in his best. He felt that I have done my best over the past 25 years. Now, I am retiring and what difference does it make. And he somehow completed the house.
The president then invited all his staff and people from the town to gift the house. The contractor was also invited. The president then made the announcement that the house is being gifted away to the contractor in recognition of 25 years of excellent service put in by the contractor. The president gifted the house to the contractor his dream house to stay after the retirement. The contractor regretted and said to himself that if I knew in advance that the house was to be gifted to me I could have done much better job than what I did.
The moral of the story is never become complacent. You never know who is watching you and what you shall miss by not giving your best.
posted by Sudhin Choksey @ 11:57 PM
0 comments
Excellence - Determination Against All Odds
Let me share with you one real story of excellence of a determined will to make it happen in spite of all the odds.
The Brooklyn Bridge in the USA is a very famous bridge for its uniqueness in its design and architecture. It’s one of the engineering marvels. It’s one of the first suspension bridge built over the length of 6000 feet with only 2 piers and suspended in air with steel cables. The Brooklyn Bridge is over a river between Manhattan Island in New York and Brooklyn. The construction of the bridge started in 1863 and it took 13 years to complete it. It is said to be a magical bridge not only because of its design and architecture but also because of its’ construction against all odds. What were those odds???
First of all, most of the leading bridge building experts then throughout the world had ruled out any possibility of constructing a bridge at the location on the technical ground. In fact many had told to forget the idea and find other solution to connect to Manhattan Island.
However, there was a creative engineer named John Roebling and he was inspired by an idea to build a spectacular bridge. He convinced his son Washington who was young and upcoming engineer that the bridge could be built. The two of them developed the concepts of how it could be accomplished and how the obstacles could be overcome. With all the excitement and inspiration they hired the workers and began to build the bridge.
The project was only few months under construction when a tragic accident took the life of John Roebling. The accident also severely injured his son Washington. Washington was left with permanent brain damage and was unable to walk and talk. Everyone felt that the project would have to be abandoned since Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge could be built.
Even though, Washington was unable to move or talk, his mind was as sharp as before and he still had a burning desire to complete the bridge. An idea hit him as he lay in the hospital bed and he developed a code of communication. All he could move was one finger so he touched the arm of his wife with that finger, tapping out the code to communicate to her what to tell the engineers who were building the bridge. For thirteen years, Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger until the spectacular bridge was finally completed.
Thus the Brooklyn Bridge was built because of the determination and enthusiasm of Washington against all the odds
The Brooklyn Bridge in the USA is a very famous bridge for its uniqueness in its design and architecture. It’s one of the engineering marvels. It’s one of the first suspension bridge built over the length of 6000 feet with only 2 piers and suspended in air with steel cables. The Brooklyn Bridge is over a river between Manhattan Island in New York and Brooklyn. The construction of the bridge started in 1863 and it took 13 years to complete it. It is said to be a magical bridge not only because of its design and architecture but also because of its’ construction against all odds. What were those odds???
First of all, most of the leading bridge building experts then throughout the world had ruled out any possibility of constructing a bridge at the location on the technical ground. In fact many had told to forget the idea and find other solution to connect to Manhattan Island.
However, there was a creative engineer named John Roebling and he was inspired by an idea to build a spectacular bridge. He convinced his son Washington who was young and upcoming engineer that the bridge could be built. The two of them developed the concepts of how it could be accomplished and how the obstacles could be overcome. With all the excitement and inspiration they hired the workers and began to build the bridge.
The project was only few months under construction when a tragic accident took the life of John Roebling. The accident also severely injured his son Washington. Washington was left with permanent brain damage and was unable to walk and talk. Everyone felt that the project would have to be abandoned since Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge could be built.
Even though, Washington was unable to move or talk, his mind was as sharp as before and he still had a burning desire to complete the bridge. An idea hit him as he lay in the hospital bed and he developed a code of communication. All he could move was one finger so he touched the arm of his wife with that finger, tapping out the code to communicate to her what to tell the engineers who were building the bridge. For thirteen years, Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger until the spectacular bridge was finally completed.
Thus the Brooklyn Bridge was built because of the determination and enthusiasm of Washington against all the odds
posted by Sudhin Choksey @ 11:53 PM
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Excellence- Determination to Compete
We also see that few of us give up the spirit of fighting back with the competition. We loose our courage with every move of the competition. We feel that we are handicapped. Our products are not best priced and we feel helpless. The inner drive to succeed recedes. The determination to persist under difficult circumstances gets lost. A winner who wants to succeed will display the stubborn spirit to fight irrespective of whatever handicap he or she may have.
This reminds me of the story of Wilma Rudolph.
Wilma was born in a large but very poor family in USA in 1940. She was the 20th of 22 children. Her parents were honest, hardworking people but black. Her father worked as a porter and mother worked as a maid in the rich white family. In 1940, millions of Americans were poor, out of work and homeless because of the depression. Her parents managed to make both ends meet by doing things like making their children’s dresses out of sacks.
Wilma was born prematurely and weighed only 4.5 pounds. Because of racial discrimination, Wilma and her mother were not permitted to be cared for at the local hospital. It was for the whites only. There was only one black doctor and Wilma’s family could not afford the budget. So Wilma’s mother had to nurse Wilma at home through household medicines. Wilma was unfortunate that during her infancy she had to suffer illness after illness. Illnesses like measles, mumps, scarlet fever, chicken pox and double pneumonia.
But, she had to be taken to the doctor when it was discovered that her left leg and foot were becoming weak and deformed. He told that Wilma had a polio a crippling disease that had no cure. The doctor told her mother that Wilma would never walk. Wilma was four then. But her mother refused to accept the doctor’s verdict. She did not give up and found that she could be treated at black hospital which was 50 miles away. Mother took Wilma three times in a week for two years until she could walk with the help of metal leg brace. Then the doctors taught how to do the physical therapy at home. All her brothers and sisters helped Wilma and they did everything to encourage her to be strong.
Her mother told Wilma that with persistence and faith she could do anything she wanted. Wilma told mother that she wanted to be the fastest woman on the track on this earth. At the age of nine against the advice of her doctor she removed the brace and took the first step on the earth without the help of the brace.
At the age of 13 she took part in the first race and came last. She again entered her second race and third and fourth and came last until a day came when she came first. At the age of 15 she went to the university and met a coach. She told him that, “I want to be the fastest woman on the earth.” The coach said that with her attitude and spirit nobody can stop her and he would be too willing to help her. He coached for a year.
The day came when she was at Olympics in 1960. At the Olympics one is matched with the best of best in the world. With her was another woman named Jutta who was never beaten in her life in any competition. The first event was 100 meter race. Wilma beat Jutta and won her first gold medal. The second event was 200 meter and Wilma beat Jutta and won her second gold medal.
The third event was 400 meter relay and she was racing against Jutta once again. In the relay, the fastest person always runs the last lap. The first three persons ran and changed the batons easily. When it came to Wilma’s turn, she dropped the baton. But Wilma saw Jutta shoot up, she immediately picked up the baton and ran like a machine and beat Jutta a third time and won her third gold medal. It has become a history: That a paralytic woman became the fastest woman on this earth at the 1960 Olympics.
We all must believe that the mind is the most powerful computer and we can achieve what we program in the mind. What we need is Wilma’s stubborn determination, Wilma’s courage, Wilma’s attitude and Wilma’s hard work.
This reminds me of the story of Wilma Rudolph.
Wilma was born in a large but very poor family in USA in 1940. She was the 20th of 22 children. Her parents were honest, hardworking people but black. Her father worked as a porter and mother worked as a maid in the rich white family. In 1940, millions of Americans were poor, out of work and homeless because of the depression. Her parents managed to make both ends meet by doing things like making their children’s dresses out of sacks.
Wilma was born prematurely and weighed only 4.5 pounds. Because of racial discrimination, Wilma and her mother were not permitted to be cared for at the local hospital. It was for the whites only. There was only one black doctor and Wilma’s family could not afford the budget. So Wilma’s mother had to nurse Wilma at home through household medicines. Wilma was unfortunate that during her infancy she had to suffer illness after illness. Illnesses like measles, mumps, scarlet fever, chicken pox and double pneumonia.
But, she had to be taken to the doctor when it was discovered that her left leg and foot were becoming weak and deformed. He told that Wilma had a polio a crippling disease that had no cure. The doctor told her mother that Wilma would never walk. Wilma was four then. But her mother refused to accept the doctor’s verdict. She did not give up and found that she could be treated at black hospital which was 50 miles away. Mother took Wilma three times in a week for two years until she could walk with the help of metal leg brace. Then the doctors taught how to do the physical therapy at home. All her brothers and sisters helped Wilma and they did everything to encourage her to be strong.
Her mother told Wilma that with persistence and faith she could do anything she wanted. Wilma told mother that she wanted to be the fastest woman on the track on this earth. At the age of nine against the advice of her doctor she removed the brace and took the first step on the earth without the help of the brace.
At the age of 13 she took part in the first race and came last. She again entered her second race and third and fourth and came last until a day came when she came first. At the age of 15 she went to the university and met a coach. She told him that, “I want to be the fastest woman on the earth.” The coach said that with her attitude and spirit nobody can stop her and he would be too willing to help her. He coached for a year.
The day came when she was at Olympics in 1960. At the Olympics one is matched with the best of best in the world. With her was another woman named Jutta who was never beaten in her life in any competition. The first event was 100 meter race. Wilma beat Jutta and won her first gold medal. The second event was 200 meter and Wilma beat Jutta and won her second gold medal.
The third event was 400 meter relay and she was racing against Jutta once again. In the relay, the fastest person always runs the last lap. The first three persons ran and changed the batons easily. When it came to Wilma’s turn, she dropped the baton. But Wilma saw Jutta shoot up, she immediately picked up the baton and ran like a machine and beat Jutta a third time and won her third gold medal. It has become a history: That a paralytic woman became the fastest woman on this earth at the 1960 Olympics.
We all must believe that the mind is the most powerful computer and we can achieve what we program in the mind. What we need is Wilma’s stubborn determination, Wilma’s courage, Wilma’s attitude and Wilma’s hard work.
posted by Sudhin Choksey @ 11:52 PM
0 comments
Excellence - Internal Motivation
Let me share one more story on internal motivation and inspiration. The story is about how different things motivate different people.
There was a young boy who used to go for regular practice but always played in the reserves and never made it to the soccer eleven. While he would practice, his father used to sit at the far end waiting for him.
The matches had started and for four days, he didn’t show up for practice or the quarter or semi finals.
All of a sudden he showed up for the finals, went to the coach and said, “Sir, you have always kept me in the reserves and never let me play in the eleven. But today please let me play in the finals.” The coach said, “Son, I’m sorry. I can’t let you play.” There are better players than you and besides it is the final, the reputation of the school is at stake and I cannot take chance.”
The boy pleaded, “Sir, I will not let you down. I beg of you, please let me play.” The coach had never seen the boy plead like this before. He said, “OK, son, go and play. But remember, I am going against my better judgment and the reputation of the school is at stake. Don’t let me down.”
The game started and the boy played like a house on fire. Every time he got the ball, he shot a goal. Needless to say, he was the best player and star of the game. His team had a spectacular win.
When the game finished, the coach went up to the boy and said, “ Son, how could I have been so wrong in my life. I have never seen you play like this before. What happened? How did you play so well? ” The boy replied, “ Sir, my father is watching me today.” The coach turned around and looked at the place where the boy’s father used to sit. There was no one there. He said, “Son, your father used to sit there whenever you came for practice, but I don’t see him today.” The boy replied, “Sir, there is something I never told you. My father was blind. Just four days ago he died. Today is the first day he is watching me from above.”
The moral of the story is that the internal motivation comes from within from an urge to perform for the sake of pride or a sense of achievement or for discharging responsibility and from the belief.
There was a young boy who used to go for regular practice but always played in the reserves and never made it to the soccer eleven. While he would practice, his father used to sit at the far end waiting for him.
The matches had started and for four days, he didn’t show up for practice or the quarter or semi finals.
All of a sudden he showed up for the finals, went to the coach and said, “Sir, you have always kept me in the reserves and never let me play in the eleven. But today please let me play in the finals.” The coach said, “Son, I’m sorry. I can’t let you play.” There are better players than you and besides it is the final, the reputation of the school is at stake and I cannot take chance.”
The boy pleaded, “Sir, I will not let you down. I beg of you, please let me play.” The coach had never seen the boy plead like this before. He said, “OK, son, go and play. But remember, I am going against my better judgment and the reputation of the school is at stake. Don’t let me down.”
The game started and the boy played like a house on fire. Every time he got the ball, he shot a goal. Needless to say, he was the best player and star of the game. His team had a spectacular win.
When the game finished, the coach went up to the boy and said, “ Son, how could I have been so wrong in my life. I have never seen you play like this before. What happened? How did you play so well? ” The boy replied, “ Sir, my father is watching me today.” The coach turned around and looked at the place where the boy’s father used to sit. There was no one there. He said, “Son, your father used to sit there whenever you came for practice, but I don’t see him today.” The boy replied, “Sir, there is something I never told you. My father was blind. Just four days ago he died. Today is the first day he is watching me from above.”
The moral of the story is that the internal motivation comes from within from an urge to perform for the sake of pride or a sense of achievement or for discharging responsibility and from the belief.
posted by Sudhin Choksey @ 11:49 PM
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Excellence - Burning Desire To Succeed
Excellence is all about dreaming. Excellence is about having an enthusiasm to make it happen. Excellence is about drawing up effective strategies to make it happen. Excellence is about having a focused drive to work hard in a single direction of the goal. Excellence is about having a determined will to overcome all the hurdles that come between our goal and us in achieving Success.
Talking about success, it reminds me of the story of Socrates. As you all know, Socrates was a great thinker and philosopher.
A young man asked Socrates the secret to success. Socrates told the young man to meet him near the river next morning. They met at the river next morning. Socrates asked the young man to walk with him into the water of the river.
When the water got up to their neck, Socrates took the young man by surprise and ducked him into the water. The young man struggled to get out but Socrates kept him under the water until the young man started to turn blue. Socrates pulled his head out of water and the first thing the young man did was to gasp and take a deep breath of air.
Socrates asked, “what did you want the most when you were under the water?” The young man replied, “Air”. Socrates said, “That is the secret to success. When you want success as badly as you wanted air, then only you shall get success.”
The moral of the story is that a burning desire is the starting point of all accomplishments. Just like a small fire cannot give much heat, a weak desire cannot produce great results.
A young man asked Socrates the secret to success. Socrates told the young man to meet him near the river next morning. They met at the river next morning. Socrates asked the young man to walk with him into the water of the river.
When the water got up to their neck, Socrates took the young man by surprise and ducked him into the water. The young man struggled to get out but Socrates kept him under the water until the young man started to turn blue. Socrates pulled his head out of water and the first thing the young man did was to gasp and take a deep breath of air.
Socrates asked, “what did you want the most when you were under the water?” The young man replied, “Air”. Socrates said, “That is the secret to success. When you want success as badly as you wanted air, then only you shall get success.”
The moral of the story is that a burning desire is the starting point of all accomplishments. Just like a small fire cannot give much heat, a weak desire cannot produce great results.
posted by Sudhin Choksey @ 11:43 PM
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