Wednesday, 5 November 2014
What I do when I fail
Monday, 3 November 2014
Think about your life goals
Do it today, if you haven't yet. It could take as little as 10 or 20 minutes, and it could make all the difference in the world.
And it's not that hard. You probably already have a good idea of what you want to do, but you may not have written down. Or maybe you've done this exercise before, but you haven't updated your goals for awhile. Now's the time to do it.
1. How to start? First, think about what you'd like people to say about you at your funeral.
This comes from Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly effective people- the habit called "Begin with the end in mind." It's also very effective. Imagine you are at the end of your life, looking back. What would you like to have accomplished? What kind of person would you like to have been?
Now here's the key: start living your life so that you will eventually get to that point.
2. Now that you've given that a little thought, jot down some ideas for life goals you'd like to achieve before you die.
They can be in many areas, but here are few to start with: professional, education, family, spiritual, travel, recreation, hobbies, community, charity. You can probably think of more, and you don't need to have goals in all these areas. Just some topics to get you started.
3. Refine your list, or expand it.
After your initial brainstorm, you may want to trim it down. But you may also want to expand: sometimes it's fun, and worthwhile, to dream big.
4. Now break it down.
What should you accomplish in the next 10 years for each of these goals? How about 5 years? How about two years? One year? And this month?
Once you've planned out each goal for 10 years, 5 year, 2 year, 1 year and 1 month periods, you've got yourself a solid plan.
5. Take action!
I like to take my monthly goals, and make a to-do list for this week. What can I do today to further my goals? And if I can get just one thing done, I've done a lot to make those dreams a reality!
Take a step towards your dreams today by writing them down, and making a plan.
The Empty Container
Tuesday, 28 October 2014
How Indians view people from North East part of India?
Yesterday an incident happened, that shook me. For the first time I felt ashamed for being an Indian. The girl who belonged to the North-Eastern part was being eve-teased in public.
People call them with different names: 'Chinky', 'Chini', 'Nepali' etc. They ask them stupid questions: 'How do you see things?', 'Are you Chinese?' etc
Is this how the youngest country in the world treat its fellow citizens?
There are a lot of North-East Indians who travel to the mainstream India for job opportunity, higher education or in a hope to live a better life. What do we do? We kill, rape, harass, kidnap or mentally torture them. Aren't they Indians? Doesn't this country belong to them as it belongs to us?
Well people from North Eastern part are also taught the same states and their capital as it was taught to us. While I've not personally met many Indians from the northeast, I think the situation can be summed up pretty well by a dialogue from the 2007 film "Chak De India!":
Two female athletes arrive in Delhi from Manipur and Mizoram to play for the Indian national hockey team. The coordinator says something like:
"Welcome! We are glad our guests from the farthest corners of India could join us".
The girls stare in silence and the man asks "What's wrong? Aren't you happy?"
And the girls reply, "How can we be happy if we are regarded as guests within our own country?"
Reason why North-East Indians are better and different from the mainstream Indian:
1. They have great fashion sense. They like to wear some fabulous dresses not to reveal their body, not to excite you. If you are outraged by the dresses they wear, either you are culturally less educated or you are mentally sick.
2. When it comes to music they have awesome taste. They like Jason Mriaz, Taylor Swift, Rihanna and obviously don't like Himesh Reshamiya or Yo Yo.
3. They are fun filled persons. You can never get bored with them.
4. If it comes to their smile, I bet nothing can beat them.
5. If you are food lover you will definitely enjoy their company.
6. Yeah, they have beautiful eyes, beautiful hairs, all natural.
7. They are kind, polite and full of humanity. If she smiles at you it doesn't mean that she is gonna sleep with you. Grow up. She smiles because they believe in dignity for all.
8. Parents, they love their children in the very same way as in other parts of India. Father is always passionate about his wards dream. Mother, Even infinite numbers of words will not be enough for me to explain a northeastern mother.
9. THEY ARE INDIANS. How can anyone call them Nepali, Chini or Chinky? They also serve this motherland.
10. When it comes to natural beauty Sikkim can't be beaten.
I found subtle racism in people from mainstream India on this issue.
Most of us are ignorant about the sensitivity of the issue and consider calling N-E Indians as "Chinky".
Do I blame the entire nation?
NO.
I blame our Education Curriculum that hasn't mentioned even a single word about the history, culture of about 40 million INDIANS.
Secondly I blame so called "NATIONAL MEDIA" according to whom 'National' means Delhi, Mumbai and other metros. North-East stories rarely comes in the media.
Third, There is lack of Public Apathy. India is not limited to Delhi, UP, Mumbai or Punjab.
I was personally told by a girl from Mizoram that she doesn't feel safe living in my city! She's being followed by people, commented for her short dresses, she was sexually harassed. Why are we being so In-Human? Why can't we give them a world they deserve? STOP JUDGING PEOPLE!
Monday, 27 October 2014
Lie to me
Sunday, 26 October 2014
Planet Earth is You..
Maybe we will never understand it, but it seems that our only mission is to continue with its destruction.
Have you ever considered that this planet does not belong to us? Either way, its care is in our hands. They (Plants and Animals) were here before us, we are nothing but their guests. We came and invade their territory and we are destroying their home. They have been tolerant, we've been forgiven countless times, but we keep ignoring their situation.
We've been their kidnappers, their killers, however, they accept us as their owners. We are the only specie that attacks, destroys, annihilates, contaminates and extinguish just for ambition, just to live better.
The world is yours, it's ours, it's for all of us, remember it's their world too and we have to understand that they give to anything to save their lives, much less to save their Planet. Planet Earth is dying, we are destroying it in a savagely way, but it's hungry for love, it's getting weak and despite it all, it keeps giving us generously the best experiences since we arrived on it.
The Planet has been the best host for the specie, does it need no recognition? If we were giving the capacity to speak, think, create, build and help, why do we remain silent, ignoring, destroying and killing?
Open your eyes, you are dying too, along with your planet, the only Planet in our Solar System that we were given the privilege to live. We are billions on this Planet, we are thinking race, rational, dominant, why we haven't noticed it yet?
We are capable of conquering countries, the moon, even planets, however, we are not capable of conquering our own heats. Touch your heart, feel what it is trying to say, listen to what is yearning for, and let's understand that we have to coexist on the same Planet.
Start by changing yourself, engage yourself, make sure your children know it, and remind those who have forgotten. When the day Humanity stops existing and another specie finds this planet, they will see that our specie failed, fell down but got up and fixed our mistakes.
The Planet is not the same anymore and we cannot wait any longer. Everybody knows what we have to do, our time is now. The future of the Planet is still in your hands, help it, let's help it... because PLANET EARTH is YOU.
Saturday, 25 October 2014
How do you know you are on a right path in your life?
- You don't need someone else to make you happy. You find your own company most comforting and complete.
- You have identified your passion and are constantly working towards achieving it.
- You have made your books your best friends.
- You are not at all worried or concerned about what society and the people in it think of you. You are not afraid of pursuing your dreams.
- You find yourself happy and content during most of the times.
- Your IDOLS have turned into your RIVALS.
Friday, 24 October 2014
Three question every would be Entrepreneur should ask themselves
1. Is higher education for me?
As I have written before, while education is very useful, it cannot replace the day-to-day experience gained as an entrepreneur.
As you consider whether or not to return to studies, think about what can be gained by doing so, and what can be lost. Simply make lists of the positives and negatives, then tally up which one looks like the better option. If you are going back to further develop your knowledge base and spend more time building on your plan for the future, great. However, if you are thinking about returning to school in order to put off making some tough choices, them think again. Now is the time to act, and the months that you waste deciding what to do could be better spent getting your business off the ground.
2. Would I like to have a boss?
I could never imagine having a boss. I have always wanted to forge my own path. Many people only realize it much later in life, so an early zeal for entrepreneurialism and independence should stand you in good stead. Nevertheless, you will only make the grade if you hone in on one particular passion. Spreading yourself too thin at the outset of your career as an entrepreneur and trying to break into several markets at once is a recipe for disaster.
3. What those around me think?
If you still can't decide, ask your loved ones for their opinions. They'll give you honest appraisals and can help to set your mind at ease. They could also be the people to help you with initial market research and every other aspect of setting up a business. And keep in mind that business is a lot more fun when you work with people you love.
For further inspiration try to locate a mentor who has been there and done it and can pass on their know-how.
How do you know you are on a right path in your life? Email your answers at sanghvi.rishabh@aol.com
Wednesday, 22 October 2014
Wishing you all a very Happy Diwali
When you shop and come back avoid talking
about your purchases in the rick / taxi in
which you travel. The driver will feel bad
because he can't buy the same for his kids.
When you burst firecrackers, give some to
your watchman so he can give it to his
kids. You don't need so many anyways.
When you ask your maid to clean the house
stand beside her and help her with her
work, she will be cleaning two houses this
Diwali.
When you make some sweets give it to the
kachra vala who come to your house, so he
may have something nice to hold for a
change.
We will surely have a Happy and a
Prosperous Diwali, there are other people
less fortunate than us, who won't. Don't
make them feel that. Include them in your
love.
This Diwali don't just increase Diabetes,
pollution and your credit card bills.
Increase smiles.
Wish you and your family a very Happy Diwali!"
Tuesday, 21 October 2014
15 Reasons why you should STOP bursting crackers this DIWALI
1. They cause air pollution
2. It takes time for the harmful gases to go away
3. Did I forget to tell you about the ailments and diseases that are caused by these gases?
4. You are helping to increase global warming
5. Noise Pollution
6. Garbage
7. Babies, pregnant women, old people get affected
8. Animals get scared
9. Underage kids make crackers
That’s true, you are promoting child labour.
10. People get injured
11. They cause fires
12. This isn’t how we celebrate Diwali traditionally
13. You are wasting your hard earned money or your parents money
14. Bursting fancy crackers has become a status symbol
15. In case you are very religious, I want to tell you that people are blowing the gods and goddesses
Sunday, 19 October 2014
Awakening!
HOW TO BAKE AN ENTREPRENEUR -First take one Intrapreneur
I've come to find the term 'Belonger' amazingly powerful. When a nation embraces its own as 'belonging here', as opposed to just living there, it breeds a wholly different form of loyalty. It reminds us that this is where we belong, and so, our efforts are not just on our behalf, but also to benefit to the community.
This set my mind to wondering how such little, seemingly semantic details apply to the business world: what if companies had belongers rather than employees? Does what we call each other make a difference in other contexts?
Over the years I've been called a lot of things, many of which are not fit to repeat here! The handle I get most often these days is 'entrepreneur'. I remember having to look the word up in the dictionary when I read an article about a 'budding entrepreneur'. At the time it sounded pretty cool- 'a person who initiates and organizes new commercial enterprise, usually involving considerably risk', according to my dictionary.
These days all kind of people claim the title 'entrepreneur'. On the other hand, a title that hasn't received nearly the amount of attention it deserves is entrepreneur's little brother, 'intrapreneur': an employee who is given freedom and financial support to create new products, services and systems, who does not have to follow the company's usual routines or protocols'.
While it's true that every company needs an entrepreneur to get it under way, healthy, innovative growth requires a smattering of intrapreneurs who drive new projects and explore new and unexpected directions for business development.
One example that springs to my mind was at Sanghvi Ispat Industries, about 3 years ago. One of our iron cutting machine broke out, the estimated time to replace was about 10 days, but our new young manager, volunteered to fix it. We set him loose, and the within a span of 3 days he fixed it with an 'outside the box' creativity. How to unleash the power of intrapreneurs like him? The key is to enable them to pursue their vision.
But people don't always think of leaders within a company - the managers, the executive and the CEO as people who enable others. As I learned back, 'The CEO of a major corporation might only make a couple of decisions a year, but those decisions can affect the lives of million'. What a terrible way to run a company!
So since this seems to be true throughout the business world, clearly it's time for a major shake-up in the nomenclature of business. What if CEO stood for 'chief enabling officer'? What if CEO's primary role were to nurture a breed of intrapreneurs who would grow into tomorrow's entrepreneurs?
Perhaps the greatest thing about this form of enabled intrapreneurship is that often everyone becomes so immersed in what they're doing that they feel like they own their companies. They don't feel like employees working for someone else, they feel much more like... well, I think the only word to describe it is 'belongers'.
Saturday, 18 October 2014
THE PERFECT PITCH- 'Have a Plan- Need money!'
1. What's in for them?
Occasionally, an entrepreneur hoping to launch their first business puts so much thought into the concept that he or she neglects the financial and legal plan - and unfortunately, this often becomes apparent early in a meeting, when an investor can lack clarity in what exactly the proposed deal is going to look like.
Before you set up any meetings, gather your team and decide on your foals for your business and how much capital you need to inject to achieve them.
Will you accept money in exchange for a stake in the business, or does it make more sense to take out loan? What conditions are you willing to have tied to those investments? How much in terms of shares of the company or of its future profits would you be willing to give up in return for start-up financing? Your potential financiers will likely ask these question, so be ready to give clear, well reasoned answers.
And as you prepare your presentation, remember that your future backers will want to know how soon they can expect to see a return on their investment as well as possible 'exit strategies'.
2. Be concrete
Winning the trust of an investor means demonstrating a thorough knowledge of your concept or industry and laying out your step-by-step plan for offering something that's new, innovating and will deliver healthy returns on their investment aka 'ROI'.
Explain how you will turn your great idea into a terrific service or lay out your manufacturing plans in detail. Demonstrate how your approach will provide this for less than people are willing to pay, therefore covering your costs and turning profits.
Look them in the eye and inject lots of positive language like, 'we will deliver' and avoid whisy-washy phrases like, 'it is hopes that', 'this should be the luck' or 'could well result in'.
3. Be unapologetically disruptive
Emphatically explain how your new company will give your customers a better deal than your competitors. And if you think you don't have any competitors, think again. If there is true potential for your concept then you can count on someone else rapidly jumping in to try and exploit the same opportunity.
If a bank or other investor is looking at your business they have almost certainly looked at your competitors as well. In your presentation, therefore, it's imperative that you understand your competition and irreverently explain why your business will do better. Blow them away! Avoid being overly negative. At best, you will seem humourless and self-important, and at worst, like you don't take your competitors seriously enough.
4. Prove that growth is sustainable
There will forever be new markets and new sectors emerging as things change and old business reach the end of their life-spans. Nothing stays the same for long, so explain how you plan to tackle the inevitable technological changes and market shifts that are heading your way.
Infinite growth may be impossible in a world of finite resources: so discuss your challenges in terms of resources and waste, and present a plan that inspires confidence in your new venture's ability to sustain the community and the environment.
5. Demonstrate bench strength
Do you have the team in place to take your business forward for the next decade, and do their CV's suggest that they'll be up to the job? Show prospective investors that you have founded the right people to work at your new company. Your backers will want to know their money will be in good hands. You also need to show that you have someone on the team who can take over from you the day you decide to move on to your next brave new venture.
The gloom about the global economy means your competitors may be scrambling to hold onto their customers. This is a great time to offer innovative approach. There are investors and banks that realise this and, if pitched the right way, are still willing to take risks.
So be assertive, keep your pitch confident, concise and clear and you may soon be seeing that unforgettable first investment cheque. Good luck!
Friday, 17 October 2014
BE A LEADER NOT A BOSS
Not surprisingly this carried forward into classrooms and workplaces where teachers and bosses simply replaced the parent as authority figures whose word was law. Even I grew up in a household where healthy debate was certainly seen once in a blue-moon.
Once one of my school teacher said I was never destined to be anything than my owns boss. It was offensive for me. Perhaps, therefore, it is odd that if there is any one phrase that is guaranteed to set me off it's when someone says to me, "Okay, fine. You're the boss". What irks me is that in 90 per cent of such instances what that person is really saying is 'Okay, then, I don't agree with you but I'll roll over and do it because you're telling me to. But if it doesn't work out I'll be the first to remind everyone that it wasn't my idea.'
I compared it to today's business world and I see a classic image of 'the boss' as a total anachronism. It may work in certain connotations like 'organised crime boss', 'union boss' or 'pit boss', but being bossy in itself is not an attribute that I have ever seen as desirable in a manager or anyone else for the matter.
Some might say this is only a matter of semantics, but I truly believe that forward thinking workplaces benefit from a pronounced absence of traditional hierarchical labeling systems. Much of it starts with the image of 'the guy in the corner' office, something that is perpetuated throughout much of the corporate world by bricks and mortar.
I always wanted to create a healthy environment with the employees be it at Sanghvi Ispat or my own online venture Fylis. I personally believe in avoiding the glass and concrete headquarters where the bosses lodged in upper level corner office. I'd prefer working from a house, hammock or even pool clubs rather than those high-octane headquarters. A business owner's major part of life is spent in offices so why can't it be fun?
I have long been a big fan of open-plan offices with lots of communal brainstorming spaces, lounges, play areas, pool tables and kitchen areas where co-workers naturally come together and chew fat. Office walls, doors, desks and counters are nothing but barriers to communication.
But back to the trouble with 'the boss': the old militaristic image of the general bossing his troops from far behind the front line, as opposed to leading them into battle, is not that different from the way many companies are running today. Make no mistake: a leader is a very different animal from a boss.
If you aren't frequently out there in the front line, leading the charge in lockstep with your employees, you simply cannot stay in touch with the realities of your business. Sitting in the boardroom listening to even the most comprehensive reports from the front can never compare with being there to see it and hear it first hand.
One of my favorite latin word is 'educere'. I remember being greatly surprised to learn that the root of the word 'education' actually means 'to lead forth'. Until that moment I had thought of education as 'cramming in' but in reality it is supposed to be about 'leading out'. While a bad school teacher, like a bad boss, will indeed teach or manage by cramming their opinions into their charges, a good educator or corporate leader will do the opposite and draw opinions and ideas out of their students and associates.
So next time someone says to you, 'Okay, you're the boss' as they head for your office door, stop them in their tracks with 'Not really, we're all in this together. So come back here and tell me what you'd be doing with this if you were in my place?' Better still, next time go and visit them in their office or sit down with them in the canteen and week out their opinions on how things are going. Good examples of leadership can be infectious.
Perhaps the new corporate mantra should be 'bosses should be seen and not heard'.
Wednesday, 15 October 2014
5 Helpful Things To Do When You Think Life Sucks
“It isn’t what happens to us that causes us to suffer; it’s what we say to ourselves about what happens.” ~Pema Chodron
You know that foreboding fear we all have—that something will go terribly wrong and life will never be the same again?
Well, I always wanted to be an Entrepreneur and my parents wanted me to be an Engineering Graduate. A couple of months back I was admitted to one of those college. I tried to convince them but nothing was going in the way I wanted it to go. Then one day they blamed me for smoking a cigar, gambling etc, well that was just because I took some bad decisions while making friends. I tortured myself with fear that why was this happening to me?
I was frustrated, depressed and I even thought of running away. I couldn't help thinking that 'Right now My life sucks'.
And this wasn't the first time I'd thought that.
A few years back, I'd felt much worse when my life had no goal!
And before that when my best-friend was lost to insomnia and depression and wouldn't take any calls.
And when my high school result wouldn't be satisfying.
And a million more times.
Every single one of us has these moments. It’s just the way life is. It’s what we do in those moments that matters.
For the better part of my life, I've felt flustered and incapable of handling these moments. Over time, I feel like I've figured out a few things that I can start doing to bounce back.
I'm sharing these with the hope that some of you will find them as useful as I do,
1) REPLACE ""WHY ME?"" with ""WHAT NEXT?""
Its natural; when things go wrong, one of the first thought is likely to be; "why me?"
Here’s the thing though—“Why me?” is a weakening phrase. It only serves to increase our feeling of victimhood and makes us feel incapable of dealing with the situation.
By intentionally catching ourselves thinking “Why me?” and replacing it with “What next?” we not only gain back a feeling of control, but also figure out what we can actually do.
Rather than screaming, 'Why me? Can I please catch a break?' I'd try convincing myself to face it off.
2) Force yourself to practice Gratitude.
Rhonda Byrne the author of the famous book The Secret published one of its sister books The Magic. The first chapter of that book was to count your blessings.
Well, it is hard to feel grateful when you are dealt a blow—no matter how big or small it is.
I was devastated when the people I care the most were blaming me for things I hadn't. Every time I was asked whether I was a smoker. I'd thank I was lucky enough as it was just about smoking not dealing with drugs. I practically forced myself to practice gratitude.
3) Quit Blaming.
When you’re hurt, it is equally natural to look for someone to blame.
In my case, I was tempted to blame myself, my friends, God, parents, and so on.
But blame only serves to prolong the hurt. It makes it harder to let things go. It makes us angry and corrodes us from the inside. It brings negativity into our life.
So just stop.
If something is meant to be, it will happen. That’s it. Deal with it and move on.
4) Don't give in to Fear and Despair.
This is a tough one. It’s so much easier to just give in and surrender to the fear and grief. But we need to stand tall—even when we feel two feet too short.
It was very hard for me to mask my worries from my friends and family and project confidence. But I’m so glad I did.
Back then, for a while, I’d actually started to wonder if something was wrong. The foreboding fear that was my constant companion kept telling me that something bad was going on.
But slowly, fear gained from my projected confidence and grew more confident herself. And got back to its business.
And my worries started to fizzle.
When it comes to fear and despair, you have to fake it till you make it. And, sooner or later, you will make it.
5) Never give up.
No matter where you’re at or what you’re going through, don’t give up. Try just one more thing; maybe it’s just the thing that will resolve it for you.
It ain’t over, until it’s over.