While the country basks, vicariously, in A.R. Rahman's and Resul Pookutty's glory, the achievement almost seemed to be a reflection of a train of thought that has been running through my head for a while; the fruit of dedication.
Often, when I introspect and attempt to examine my life objectively, one of the most interesting observations I've made is the effect dedicated effort has on me, the actor i.e. the person propagating the action whomsoever it may be.
Whether it's my work, running, playing football or relationships, dedication and giving my best has always made a world of a difference. When I don't give my best, there are three things that happen:
1. I think about the fruit of the action more than the action itself.
2. The action/effort lacks that edge.
3. I feel unhappy because deep down I know I haven't given my best.
On the other hand, when I do act with dedication and my 100%, those same three reactions turn the other side of their respective coins as it were:
1. Because I derive joy from the action itself my mind doesn't need to go to the fruit in search of more happiness.
2. The action/effort is incisive, effective and more often than not, achieves its objective.
3. There is a sense of calm because I know I have given my everything.
The more I think about it, the more it makes sense. Even the most insignificant actions performed dedicatedly give immense satisfaction. The very satisfaction that I seek every moment of my life. The difficulty though, is being able to perform at that high level thought after thought, action after action.
I realise I'm not writing anything extraordinary or hitherto undiscovered, but it's a thought that's been playing in my head for a while now.
Showing posts with label learning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label learning. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
A Long Time Coming
It's been a long time coming, this post. There's been too much happening through the week and on weekends, I don't feel like coming back to a screen. More than anything, I think my blogging suffered a brief dip in motivation.
The marathon this year was challenging. I don't think I was fit enough or motivated enough. I found running an effort. I missed playing football, so while heart was on the football pitch, my legs were on Marine Drive. I guess it reflected in my time for the 21 km run, I managed 2 hours 11 minutes and 48 seconds. That's about 11 minutes slower than last year so it hurt my ego initially. At the end of the race though, I felt good I had kept my promise to myself to run the race and complete it. I don't know if I'll run the marathon again next year or ever again. I'll make that decision when I need to.
Otherwise, work is going reasonably well. Interesting projects, a lot of work for me and a fair bit of multi-tasking, something that is new to me. Nothing to complain about in these times of global economic gloom.
As for married life? So far, so good. :) That's my verdict. The happiness and the challenges it offers you are incomparable really. Exhilarating at times, frustrating at others... but definitely worth it. :)
I can say one thing for sure, marriage has done my football a lot of good! :) I'm just loving being out on the ground 3-4 times a week, running all over the place and scoring more than the odd goal. ;) I don't know what it is, but I'm just super motivated to play football these days. My long-term football objective is to get on the amateur team at my neighbourhood park next year. We'll see how that comes along.
I've been away too long to pack in all that's happened into this post but I think I will be more regular with posts. I feel like writing.
The marathon this year was challenging. I don't think I was fit enough or motivated enough. I found running an effort. I missed playing football, so while heart was on the football pitch, my legs were on Marine Drive. I guess it reflected in my time for the 21 km run, I managed 2 hours 11 minutes and 48 seconds. That's about 11 minutes slower than last year so it hurt my ego initially. At the end of the race though, I felt good I had kept my promise to myself to run the race and complete it. I don't know if I'll run the marathon again next year or ever again. I'll make that decision when I need to.
Otherwise, work is going reasonably well. Interesting projects, a lot of work for me and a fair bit of multi-tasking, something that is new to me. Nothing to complain about in these times of global economic gloom.
As for married life? So far, so good. :) That's my verdict. The happiness and the challenges it offers you are incomparable really. Exhilarating at times, frustrating at others... but definitely worth it. :)
I can say one thing for sure, marriage has done my football a lot of good! :) I'm just loving being out on the ground 3-4 times a week, running all over the place and scoring more than the odd goal. ;) I don't know what it is, but I'm just super motivated to play football these days. My long-term football objective is to get on the amateur team at my neighbourhood park next year. We'll see how that comes along.
I've been away too long to pack in all that's happened into this post but I think I will be more regular with posts. I feel like writing.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Glad
In these times when so many people are losing jobs or sitting in office idle, I'm really grateful for having a job I enjoy. I guess that's the advantage of being in a services industry to an extent.
That's besides the point. I think you're extremely fortunate if you wake up to a job that you enjoy and challenges you almost everyday. I happen to be one of those and I'm really deeply grateful to whatever it is out there that led me to where I am now.
Every now and then, I guess we make decisions in life which, at the time of making them, we're unsure of and come good. Glad to have made one of them.
That's besides the point. I think you're extremely fortunate if you wake up to a job that you enjoy and challenges you almost everyday. I happen to be one of those and I'm really deeply grateful to whatever it is out there that led me to where I am now.
Every now and then, I guess we make decisions in life which, at the time of making them, we're unsure of and come good. Glad to have made one of them.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Kabir's Dohas
I've always loved hearing Kabir's dohas. Especially Shekhar Sen's rendition of them. The problem though was that I could never fully understand the dohas because of my limited knowledge of the dialect in which they are spoken. I'd get an idea of what they were saying, but never the exact meaning.
I found a site this morning that explains these dohas. They're just wonderful to read. Simply constructed, yet with such deep messages. A soothing balm for our often troubled souls.
Click here to read them along with their explanantions.
I found a site this morning that explains these dohas. They're just wonderful to read. Simply constructed, yet with such deep messages. A soothing balm for our often troubled souls.
Click here to read them along with their explanantions.
Friday, October 31, 2008
The Road to Recovery
It's been a sad couple of weeks. Last Wednesday, I had my first real sports injury, a partial hamstring tear and on Friday, I lost my mum-in-law to be.
The hamstring injury keeps me away from running for about 3 weeks, just when I was beginning to get some rhythm after a considerable break from long-distance running. And poof! My hamstring goes bust. In the midst of dealing with it, and it is a HUGE deal to me to miss marathon prep, my fiancee's ma passed away.
That took the wind out of my sails. And it was so sudden! Everything happened in a day, just like when Papa passed away over two years ago. It was really sad, even more so because she'll miss the wedding in a couple of months.
I'll be honest here. I didn't get to know her as well as I'd liked to, but we got on well. We'd make fun of my fiancee together, talk about cricket a little and exchange pleasantries. She was extremely warm and treated me like a son. I'll miss not having her around.
My fiancee's been very strong about it and I'm proud of her, but I won't write more about that here to respect her privacy. I think people's feelings on the loss of someone very dear should be kept private unless they volunteer to speak/write about it.
We've spent the last week dealing with the loss as a family and it's been tough. Like all such losses, I know this is one we will never fully get over. That's just the way death is. It leaves you wondering what just happened. Especially when it hits you so suddenly.
You wonder if everything you shared was a big dream. Those family holidays, the day your parent slapped you for doing something wrong, the surprisingly good report card you turned in every once in a while (read, 5 years in my case)... it feels like a different life. Surreal.
Where did they all go...
The hamstring injury keeps me away from running for about 3 weeks, just when I was beginning to get some rhythm after a considerable break from long-distance running. And poof! My hamstring goes bust. In the midst of dealing with it, and it is a HUGE deal to me to miss marathon prep, my fiancee's ma passed away.
That took the wind out of my sails. And it was so sudden! Everything happened in a day, just like when Papa passed away over two years ago. It was really sad, even more so because she'll miss the wedding in a couple of months.
I'll be honest here. I didn't get to know her as well as I'd liked to, but we got on well. We'd make fun of my fiancee together, talk about cricket a little and exchange pleasantries. She was extremely warm and treated me like a son. I'll miss not having her around.
My fiancee's been very strong about it and I'm proud of her, but I won't write more about that here to respect her privacy. I think people's feelings on the loss of someone very dear should be kept private unless they volunteer to speak/write about it.
We've spent the last week dealing with the loss as a family and it's been tough. Like all such losses, I know this is one we will never fully get over. That's just the way death is. It leaves you wondering what just happened. Especially when it hits you so suddenly.
You wonder if everything you shared was a big dream. Those family holidays, the day your parent slapped you for doing something wrong, the surprisingly good report card you turned in every once in a while (read, 5 years in my case)... it feels like a different life. Surreal.
Where did they all go...
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Exciting Times!
I've really missed writing here for a while. It's been, mainly, because I've been busy getting my fledgling company off the ground. Hiring people, getting the website up, trying to get business... the works.
It's been excellent learning. Irrespective of how it eventually ends up, I'm so so soooo glad I've taken the chance to pursue my dream. There seems to be a romance to life now. I can feel the idealism and belief, dormant for so long, creeping back into my life. There's no better feeling than stepping out of my comfort zone and into the realm of the unknown.
Everyday begins with hopes or recovering from the previous day's disappointments. It's a roller-coaster. I guess it teaches you to enjoy life for what it is, not what you want it to be.
If there's one lesson I've learnt in these past few weeks, it's this, don't take anything for granted. The new hire who says he'll join in 3 days but doesn't turn up, the potential client who promises you a lot but comes up with nothing... the list is endless. I'm not being cynical here, just realistic. There's many a slip betwixt the cup and the lip. :)
The more I think about it, the more I feel that we're little players in this humungous play of destiny. No matter how much we may want something and work hard for it, if it isn't in your destiny, there's really nothing you can do about it. I think it's acceptance that has taught me to love life as it is.
It's a big change from where I was four years ago, but I think it's a change for the better.
It's been excellent learning. Irrespective of how it eventually ends up, I'm so so soooo glad I've taken the chance to pursue my dream. There seems to be a romance to life now. I can feel the idealism and belief, dormant for so long, creeping back into my life. There's no better feeling than stepping out of my comfort zone and into the realm of the unknown.
Everyday begins with hopes or recovering from the previous day's disappointments. It's a roller-coaster. I guess it teaches you to enjoy life for what it is, not what you want it to be.
If there's one lesson I've learnt in these past few weeks, it's this, don't take anything for granted. The new hire who says he'll join in 3 days but doesn't turn up, the potential client who promises you a lot but comes up with nothing... the list is endless. I'm not being cynical here, just realistic. There's many a slip betwixt the cup and the lip. :)
The more I think about it, the more I feel that we're little players in this humungous play of destiny. No matter how much we may want something and work hard for it, if it isn't in your destiny, there's really nothing you can do about it. I think it's acceptance that has taught me to love life as it is.
It's a big change from where I was four years ago, but I think it's a change for the better.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Don't Get First Class...
...Be first class!
That's what a teacher at school would say to us. Unfortunately he passed on before we got to senior school, but in many ways, his teaching has outlived him.
He taught English Literature, did Mr. Joe Sheth. One of those aristocratic teachers, he had an aura about him. An air of class and panache. His leisurely afternoon smokes in the Gent's Staffroom were commonplace, much to the chagrin of fellow teachers and most certainly the school principal. His faults notwithstanding, the man left an impression on you.
I only wish he had taught us Julius Caesar like he did for the batches 3 or 4 years senior to us. I love the play even without him teaching it to me and I can only imagine the effect his interpretation of the play would have had on me.
I loved school life, the rowdy lunch breaks in an all-boys school, playing dodge-ball, this sometimes painful game called abba doobi, volleyball, cricket, football... the works. The days we got detention for making nuisances of ourselves, the few classes that I enjoyed, art, physics (at times), english literature and a few others.
But one of the things I'll be grateful to my alma mater for is the times spent with a few wonderful teachers who were also outstanding characters.
While I may have taken the first part of Joe Sheth's quote ("Don't get first class, be first class.") a bit too seriously, it is the second part of the quote that will always be an aspiration and an inspiration for me. I didn't learn very much academically throughout my education. I was an average, or at best a slightly-above-average student. But I remember the little lessons that our teachers taught us that never there in books. And those are the lessons that I find help you through life the most. The good times and the bad. Not some Pythagorean equation to find the hypotenuse length of a right-angled triangle.
Of the many many important lessons I've learned in school, the one that is reverberating through my head these days is... Don't get First Class, be first class.
That's what a teacher at school would say to us. Unfortunately he passed on before we got to senior school, but in many ways, his teaching has outlived him.
He taught English Literature, did Mr. Joe Sheth. One of those aristocratic teachers, he had an aura about him. An air of class and panache. His leisurely afternoon smokes in the Gent's Staffroom were commonplace, much to the chagrin of fellow teachers and most certainly the school principal. His faults notwithstanding, the man left an impression on you.
I only wish he had taught us Julius Caesar like he did for the batches 3 or 4 years senior to us. I love the play even without him teaching it to me and I can only imagine the effect his interpretation of the play would have had on me.
I loved school life, the rowdy lunch breaks in an all-boys school, playing dodge-ball, this sometimes painful game called abba doobi, volleyball, cricket, football... the works. The days we got detention for making nuisances of ourselves, the few classes that I enjoyed, art, physics (at times), english literature and a few others.
But one of the things I'll be grateful to my alma mater for is the times spent with a few wonderful teachers who were also outstanding characters.
While I may have taken the first part of Joe Sheth's quote ("Don't get first class, be first class.") a bit too seriously, it is the second part of the quote that will always be an aspiration and an inspiration for me. I didn't learn very much academically throughout my education. I was an average, or at best a slightly-above-average student. But I remember the little lessons that our teachers taught us that never there in books. And those are the lessons that I find help you through life the most. The good times and the bad. Not some Pythagorean equation to find the hypotenuse length of a right-angled triangle.
Of the many many important lessons I've learned in school, the one that is reverberating through my head these days is... Don't get First Class, be first class.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Cycle
In my commitment to live eco-friendly, I've borrowed a friend's old cycle and now use it for short distances in the early mornings. The cycle's a bit rusty and old, but it runs well and is basically a very good bike. A Raleigh.
It feels good to do these little things that I've always wanted to do. I'm passionate about the environment and conserving it and I do small things in my everyday life to stay eco-friendly.
The little things that I do do (I love it when that happens inadvertently, the do-do):
1. Cycle short distances or long ones on a holiday
2. Refuse to take plastic bags when checking out of stores
3. Stuffing my pockets with litter instead of trashing public/private spaces
4. Try and use public transport more often than I did earlier
I know it's not much, but I think if everyone makes a commitment to make small changes in their lifestyles, the deterioration of the environment might just slow down. That change will only come when we truly accept that the universe wasn't just made for humans and when we learn to live within our means.
Often, I wish we could all go back to being an agrarian society. We seemed so much more in touch with Nature and with ourselves. Now, it feels like we're a bunch of shadows in our urban jungles. Has our "evolution" really helped us? All our technological prowess, breakthrough research... what has it brought us to? A place that's definitely better than a century or two ago? I don't know anymore.
I'm rambling. Should get back to work now.
It feels good to do these little things that I've always wanted to do. I'm passionate about the environment and conserving it and I do small things in my everyday life to stay eco-friendly.
The little things that I do do (I love it when that happens inadvertently, the do-do):
1. Cycle short distances or long ones on a holiday
2. Refuse to take plastic bags when checking out of stores
3. Stuffing my pockets with litter instead of trashing public/private spaces
4. Try and use public transport more often than I did earlier
I know it's not much, but I think if everyone makes a commitment to make small changes in their lifestyles, the deterioration of the environment might just slow down. That change will only come when we truly accept that the universe wasn't just made for humans and when we learn to live within our means.
Often, I wish we could all go back to being an agrarian society. We seemed so much more in touch with Nature and with ourselves. Now, it feels like we're a bunch of shadows in our urban jungles. Has our "evolution" really helped us? All our technological prowess, breakthrough research... what has it brought us to? A place that's definitely better than a century or two ago? I don't know anymore.
I'm rambling. Should get back to work now.
Friday, July 11, 2008
A Life is Lived in an Instant
Just came across this super article about how life must be lived for the now. I often balk at these modern ideas of retiring at 40 and early retirement to move to this fancy house on the beach you've built for yourself.
40 is too late. What if I don't make it to 40? I don't mean to be fatalistic but it's a possibility. It's a lot of thoughts like this that have changed the way I live my life. I live for the "now". Earlier, I would spend hours and hours thinking about whether I should say something to someone, labour over how the other person would react, what the other person would think of me if I said what I wanted to and all kinds of other useless thoughts. Today I ask myself one question, 'If I were to die the next moment, would I say/do what I wanted to?'. The answer isn't always yes. But it makes my life a lot simpler. No doubt, there are times when I look back and think how stupid it was to say or do what I did, but people make mistakes. I try and learn from them. No regrets.
I'll shut up now. Go read.
40 is too late. What if I don't make it to 40? I don't mean to be fatalistic but it's a possibility. It's a lot of thoughts like this that have changed the way I live my life. I live for the "now". Earlier, I would spend hours and hours thinking about whether I should say something to someone, labour over how the other person would react, what the other person would think of me if I said what I wanted to and all kinds of other useless thoughts. Today I ask myself one question, 'If I were to die the next moment, would I say/do what I wanted to?'. The answer isn't always yes. But it makes my life a lot simpler. No doubt, there are times when I look back and think how stupid it was to say or do what I did, but people make mistakes. I try and learn from them. No regrets.
I'll shut up now. Go read.
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
The Secret
I was rained in yesterday so I decided to watch 'The Secret' movie.
I'd read about the law of attraction a little earlier but the movie was quite interesting. I'm not entirely convinced about it, but it has certainly got me thinking.
Basically, the movie/book says that you attract whatever happens to you with your thoughts. So if you're thinking of good things happening, chances are that they will happen. Likewise with bad stuff. What you "feel" is feedback on your thoughts.
Another very interesting point in the movie was that we should focus more on asserting what we want rather than thinking about things that we do not want. For example, instead of thinking 'I don't want to get stuck in a jam today.', I could probably think 'I'd like my ride to work to be smooth and quick.'
Why am I not fully convinced about all this? Mmm... I think my main question is what about all the people who think good things will happen to them or want good things to happen to them and they never happen. For some people, it could be earning lots of money. For others, it could be a dream holiday. I don't know. What about all those people?
My counter-question to my doubt is 'How do I know exactly what all those other people were thinking? Suppose they were just saying it on the outside but had some negative thoughts in their heads?'
The solution to this is to experiment with this Secret thing myself. I haven't really paid attention to my thoughts like this. But let's see how it goes. I think it's worth a shot.
Do you have any thoughts on The Secret? Have you experimented with it?
I'd read about the law of attraction a little earlier but the movie was quite interesting. I'm not entirely convinced about it, but it has certainly got me thinking.
Basically, the movie/book says that you attract whatever happens to you with your thoughts. So if you're thinking of good things happening, chances are that they will happen. Likewise with bad stuff. What you "feel" is feedback on your thoughts.
Another very interesting point in the movie was that we should focus more on asserting what we want rather than thinking about things that we do not want. For example, instead of thinking 'I don't want to get stuck in a jam today.', I could probably think 'I'd like my ride to work to be smooth and quick.'
Why am I not fully convinced about all this? Mmm... I think my main question is what about all the people who think good things will happen to them or want good things to happen to them and they never happen. For some people, it could be earning lots of money. For others, it could be a dream holiday. I don't know. What about all those people?
My counter-question to my doubt is 'How do I know exactly what all those other people were thinking? Suppose they were just saying it on the outside but had some negative thoughts in their heads?'
The solution to this is to experiment with this Secret thing myself. I haven't really paid attention to my thoughts like this. But let's see how it goes. I think it's worth a shot.
Do you have any thoughts on The Secret? Have you experimented with it?
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Tinkering
I spent a good part of yesterday tinkering on the Internet. Here's what I discovered through my Internet guru, Mandar:
1. Foxmarks: If you use Mozilla, you can save your Bookmarks (a.k.a. Favorites for IE users) online using Foxmarks. What that means is that you can import your bookmarked links from your office computer to any other computer (or vice-versa) without having to visit any of the many many bookmarked links again. Basically, you're Bookmarks are accessible no matter which computer you work on. Such a boon! Sorry if you're already familiar with this stuff, I'm a bit of a novice here.
2. Del.icio.us: A great place to post links that are interesting, but may not be bookmark-worthy. Again, very very useful.
3. RSS Feeds: I finally understood, somewhat, RSS feeds and how I could use them. I'm currently experimenting with an RSS feed from the BBC Football website. You can see it in the column on the right below the hit counter. Quite interesting.
I am also a recent convert to Firefox and I love it! Three cheers for Firefox 3! :)
1. Foxmarks: If you use Mozilla, you can save your Bookmarks (a.k.a. Favorites for IE users) online using Foxmarks. What that means is that you can import your bookmarked links from your office computer to any other computer (or vice-versa) without having to visit any of the many many bookmarked links again. Basically, you're Bookmarks are accessible no matter which computer you work on. Such a boon! Sorry if you're already familiar with this stuff, I'm a bit of a novice here.
2. Del.icio.us: A great place to post links that are interesting, but may not be bookmark-worthy. Again, very very useful.
3. RSS Feeds: I finally understood, somewhat, RSS feeds and how I could use them. I'm currently experimenting with an RSS feed from the BBC Football website. You can see it in the column on the right below the hit counter. Quite interesting.
I am also a recent convert to Firefox and I love it! Three cheers for Firefox 3! :)
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Driving
One of things I've always thought about is the similarity between driving on the road and living life.
Just like driving, you need to know when to put on the brakes. Sometimes, it's because there's a bad driver in the next lane or it's because you realise you're going faster than you should be. Life's like that too. Sometimes I come across people who will test my patience, maybe someone really aggressive for example. That's when I try and slow down, be tactful and avoid unnecessary friction and confrontation. Sometimes, I realise I'm trying to live too fast. Pack everything into my day without doing justice to anything. Another instance when I need to pull the brakes.
In life, I also believe, you need to know when to step on the gas. Sometimes, it's in dealing with another aggressive person or it could even be dealing with someone who is too passive and being an impediment in the bargain. When I say aggressive, I don't mean it in the conventional way. I don't believe you have to be shouting from the rooftops and rubbing everyone the wrong way when you're aggressive. It's more of an attitude. It's manifestation may be quite different and depends on the situation. It's just like when you're on the road and there's this inordinately aggressive driver in the next lane trying to cut you off. Sometimes, I believe, it's important not to take nonsense from such drivers. You need to keep them in check. Or sometimes, there's this cabbie cruising at 20 km/h in the right-most lane. He needs to know he's being brainless! :)
The point I'm making is this - one of the most important things in life is knowing when to slow down and when to push yourself harder. It's something I believe I could improve on.
Just like driving, you need to know when to put on the brakes. Sometimes, it's because there's a bad driver in the next lane or it's because you realise you're going faster than you should be. Life's like that too. Sometimes I come across people who will test my patience, maybe someone really aggressive for example. That's when I try and slow down, be tactful and avoid unnecessary friction and confrontation. Sometimes, I realise I'm trying to live too fast. Pack everything into my day without doing justice to anything. Another instance when I need to pull the brakes.
In life, I also believe, you need to know when to step on the gas. Sometimes, it's in dealing with another aggressive person or it could even be dealing with someone who is too passive and being an impediment in the bargain. When I say aggressive, I don't mean it in the conventional way. I don't believe you have to be shouting from the rooftops and rubbing everyone the wrong way when you're aggressive. It's more of an attitude. It's manifestation may be quite different and depends on the situation. It's just like when you're on the road and there's this inordinately aggressive driver in the next lane trying to cut you off. Sometimes, I believe, it's important not to take nonsense from such drivers. You need to keep them in check. Or sometimes, there's this cabbie cruising at 20 km/h in the right-most lane. He needs to know he's being brainless! :)
The point I'm making is this - one of the most important things in life is knowing when to slow down and when to push yourself harder. It's something I believe I could improve on.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Hungry to Learn
Off late, I've been getting this crazy urge to study, to learn, to read new stuff. I'm not quite sure what to do with it. Will wait and see if it stays.
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