Pursuit of Happiness – Rainbow Creators
Jonathan Haidt’s book will make you understand more about the pursuit of happiness. According to him, there are several different “happiness hypotheses”. The message is that the purpose of our existence seems obvious. Since we are born with only one certainty, death, and since we cannot take our achievements with us when we go, being happy while we’re here is surely the best way for us to spend our limited time on Earth. But how? Where does happiness come from?
Happiness comes from getting what you want, but we all know (and research confirms) that such happiness is short-lived. A more promising hypothesis is that happiness comes from within and cannot be obtained by making the world conform to your desires. Author of The Happiness Hypothesis, Haidt’s writing makes you believe there are benefits to striving for external things. Buddhists and Stoic philosophers counsel people to break emotional attachments to people and events — which Haidt’s view is these are always unpredictable and uncontrollable. He suggests we cultivate instead an attitude of acceptance. More details http://www.thetimes.co.za/Entertainment/Article.aspx?id=792273
Rainbow Creators look for happiness from within. We will be releasing in partnership with Advantage Publishing, USA our revised edition of Creating Your Own Rainbow. More details carynn@smrhrgroup.com
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Saturday, June 14, 2008
A film with the children
This morning I decided not to get into the office. We only work five days a week even though I work seven. At about eight in the morning I went to our training centre to open the Interviewing Skills course for our young managers. Felix was there right on time to conduct the course.
Right after that I decided to see the new Tamil film Dasavatharam acted by the Indian legend Kamalhassan. The story was about a Rainbow Creator. A scientist who decides to work for the right purpose rather than money. The journey filmed in a beautiful manner and acted exceptionally well with lots of positive social messages made my day.
While I did get irritated and became impatient for a little while in the afternoon, I spent the entire evening with my family in the park and play centre.
Watching a film about a Rainbow Creator Kamalhassan I think made me one too.
Even if I am blogging at 1200 mid night, I think it was a pleasant day.
Right after that I decided to see the new Tamil film Dasavatharam acted by the Indian legend Kamalhassan. The story was about a Rainbow Creator. A scientist who decides to work for the right purpose rather than money. The journey filmed in a beautiful manner and acted exceptionally well with lots of positive social messages made my day.
While I did get irritated and became impatient for a little while in the afternoon, I spent the entire evening with my family in the park and play centre.
Watching a film about a Rainbow Creator Kamalhassan I think made me one too.
Even if I am blogging at 1200 mid night, I think it was a pleasant day.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Personal Responsibility
Are you personally responsible?
Do you realize it is all about YOU?
You are where you are because of who you are.
Grow Up
Brian Tracy says that thought that is all about YOU is like a parachute jump: It is scary and exhilarating at the same time. It is one of the biggest and most important ideas that can ever occur to you, or anyone else. The acceptance of personal responsibility is what separates the adult from the child. It is the great leap forward into maturity.
Fully functioning human being
Responsibility is the hallmark of the fully integrated, fully functioning human being. Responsibility goes hand in hand with success, achievement, motivation, happiness and self-actualization. It is the absolute minimum requirement for the accomplishment of everything you could ever really want in life.
Accepting that you are completely responsible for yourself and realizing that no one is coming to the rescue is the beginning of peak performance. There is very little that you cannot do or have after you accept that? If it is to be, it is up to YOU, the individualI had a personal situation recently and all I can say in a nutshell is that the person, who had everything going well, was totally irresponsible. To me, Rainbow Creators are those who are personally responsible. If only we could have every person be personally responsible and accountable, 90% of the problems we see in the world today will not be there.
YOU can make a difference
The first chapter in my book: Creating your own Rainbow – Recognising YOU can make a difference emphasizes this point. As Brian Tracy says everything that exists in your life exists because of you, because of your behavior, words and actions. Because you have freedom of choice and because you have chosen each and every circumstance of your life, you are completely responsible for all of your success and failure, your happiness and unhappiness, your present and future.
The opposite of this is being a Rainbow Chaser – finding good excuses and blaming everyone else for their mistakes. The opposite of accepting responsibility is making excuses and blaming people and things for what are going on in your life. Everything we do is a matter of habit. If we get into the habit of making excuses, we get into the habit of evading responsibility at the same time.
Are you happy with your job? Are you happy with the amount of money you are earning? Are you happy with your level of responsibility and your activities each day? If you are not, you need to accept that YOU are completely responsible for every aspect of your job and your career.
Levels of irresponsibility
If we set a goal or objective and we create an excuse to hold in reserve just in case the accomplishment of the goal is too difficult or requires more self-discipline and persistence than we had thought, then we are Rainbow Chasers. As soon as things start to go poorly, irresponsible people give good excuses and let themselves off the hook. But that will not get them anywhere in the long run.
In fact, a good definition of insanity is total irresponsibility, to the point of needing a straitjacket and a padded cell. Thomas Szasz, the great psychoanalyst, once wrote, there is no such thing as insanity. There are only varying levels of irresponsibility.
Authentic Change
You took the job, you assumed the responsibilities, and you accepted the compensation by choice. You were free to do what you wanted. . If you are not happy with any of them, for any reason, then it is up to you to do something different. YOU need t o change.You are earning today exactly what you are worth-not a dollar more, not a dollar less. In life, we tend to get exactly what we deserve. There is a famous saying that it is insanity to expect another result if you are doing the same thing again and again.
If you are not satisfied with your salary, job or environment, look around you, at people who are doing the kind of work you would like to do and earning the kind of money you would like to earn. Ask them what they are doing differently from what you are doing.
Once you know what they are, accept complete responsibility for your situation, apply your wonderful mind and abilities, back them with willpower and self-discipline, and get busy making the changes you need to make to enjoy the life you want to enjoy. The changes must be authentic. Look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself – have you changed to grow up.
Say I am responsible
Brian Tracy says your great aim in life is to develop character. Character is composed of self-esteem, self-discipline, the ability to delay gratification, and the willingness to accept full responsibility for your life and everything in it. The more you say to yourself, I am responsible, the stronger, better and finer a person you become.
And every part of your life will improve at the same time. YOU will become a Rainbow Creator.
Visit my Google Groups http://groups.google.com/group/rainbow-creators?hl=en
Do you realize it is all about YOU?
You are where you are because of who you are.
Grow Up
Brian Tracy says that thought that is all about YOU is like a parachute jump: It is scary and exhilarating at the same time. It is one of the biggest and most important ideas that can ever occur to you, or anyone else. The acceptance of personal responsibility is what separates the adult from the child. It is the great leap forward into maturity.
Fully functioning human being
Responsibility is the hallmark of the fully integrated, fully functioning human being. Responsibility goes hand in hand with success, achievement, motivation, happiness and self-actualization. It is the absolute minimum requirement for the accomplishment of everything you could ever really want in life.
Accepting that you are completely responsible for yourself and realizing that no one is coming to the rescue is the beginning of peak performance. There is very little that you cannot do or have after you accept that? If it is to be, it is up to YOU, the individualI had a personal situation recently and all I can say in a nutshell is that the person, who had everything going well, was totally irresponsible. To me, Rainbow Creators are those who are personally responsible. If only we could have every person be personally responsible and accountable, 90% of the problems we see in the world today will not be there.
YOU can make a difference
The first chapter in my book: Creating your own Rainbow – Recognising YOU can make a difference emphasizes this point. As Brian Tracy says everything that exists in your life exists because of you, because of your behavior, words and actions. Because you have freedom of choice and because you have chosen each and every circumstance of your life, you are completely responsible for all of your success and failure, your happiness and unhappiness, your present and future.
The opposite of this is being a Rainbow Chaser – finding good excuses and blaming everyone else for their mistakes. The opposite of accepting responsibility is making excuses and blaming people and things for what are going on in your life. Everything we do is a matter of habit. If we get into the habit of making excuses, we get into the habit of evading responsibility at the same time.
Are you happy with your job? Are you happy with the amount of money you are earning? Are you happy with your level of responsibility and your activities each day? If you are not, you need to accept that YOU are completely responsible for every aspect of your job and your career.
Levels of irresponsibility
If we set a goal or objective and we create an excuse to hold in reserve just in case the accomplishment of the goal is too difficult or requires more self-discipline and persistence than we had thought, then we are Rainbow Chasers. As soon as things start to go poorly, irresponsible people give good excuses and let themselves off the hook. But that will not get them anywhere in the long run.
In fact, a good definition of insanity is total irresponsibility, to the point of needing a straitjacket and a padded cell. Thomas Szasz, the great psychoanalyst, once wrote, there is no such thing as insanity. There are only varying levels of irresponsibility.
Authentic Change
You took the job, you assumed the responsibilities, and you accepted the compensation by choice. You were free to do what you wanted. . If you are not happy with any of them, for any reason, then it is up to you to do something different. YOU need t o change.You are earning today exactly what you are worth-not a dollar more, not a dollar less. In life, we tend to get exactly what we deserve. There is a famous saying that it is insanity to expect another result if you are doing the same thing again and again.
If you are not satisfied with your salary, job or environment, look around you, at people who are doing the kind of work you would like to do and earning the kind of money you would like to earn. Ask them what they are doing differently from what you are doing.
Once you know what they are, accept complete responsibility for your situation, apply your wonderful mind and abilities, back them with willpower and self-discipline, and get busy making the changes you need to make to enjoy the life you want to enjoy. The changes must be authentic. Look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself – have you changed to grow up.
Say I am responsible
Brian Tracy says your great aim in life is to develop character. Character is composed of self-esteem, self-discipline, the ability to delay gratification, and the willingness to accept full responsibility for your life and everything in it. The more you say to yourself, I am responsible, the stronger, better and finer a person you become.
And every part of your life will improve at the same time. YOU will become a Rainbow Creator.
Visit my Google Groups http://groups.google.com/group/rainbow-creators?hl=en
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Self Esteem
One of the key things that a Rainbow Creator does is to be happy with Self. Rainbow Creators have a great self esteem, they are happy with who they are. I happened to read this story by Novoneel Chakraborty from India who details about a conversation between the sun and the wind about a rose and a thorn. It is a great story about Self Esteem.
What Are You Looking At?
"It always happens this way', the Sun told the Wind."What does?" The Wind, as usual, was curious."Thorns and roses - they always co-exist.""But their outer self is in such irony to the inner self."The Sun gave the Wind a blank look.Surmising the hint, the Wind chose to clarify further.
"Yesterday when I was blowing, I overheard the rose talking to itself…
"THE ROSE: "I don't know why the hell people smile when they see me. I look so pathetic. All my life I simply exist being a sharp and pointed thing, good for nothing except hurting people. Or maybe they feel better about themselves after seeing my silly and ugly existence!"The Wind sighed and continued. "I overheard the thorn too..
"THE THORN:"I don't know why people are afraid of me. Some even ask their children to maintain a safe distance from me whereas I think I am one of the most beautiful things ever created. My petals, my design, my color, my softness, my aura, my romance...where else would they get such an austere mix? And yet...still, I thank God for the way he made me and no matter what others think or do to me, I would rather prefer to remain happy forever as in the end there are so few things in this world which are as beautiful as I am."
"So", this time the Sun sighed, "the rose is unhappy for it assumed itself - probably looking at the thorn all its life - to be just a thorn and thus ignored the happiness that it deserved all these years. While on the other hand the thorn assumed itself to be a rose and thus enjoyed happiness ever since."The Wind nodded."It always happens this way", the Sun said."What does?" asked the Wind.
"Happiness can definitely follow us wherever we go and whatever we do ... only if we know what we are and what actually we are looking at." -
What Are You Looking At?
"It always happens this way', the Sun told the Wind."What does?" The Wind, as usual, was curious."Thorns and roses - they always co-exist.""But their outer self is in such irony to the inner self."The Sun gave the Wind a blank look.Surmising the hint, the Wind chose to clarify further.
"Yesterday when I was blowing, I overheard the rose talking to itself…
"THE ROSE: "I don't know why the hell people smile when they see me. I look so pathetic. All my life I simply exist being a sharp and pointed thing, good for nothing except hurting people. Or maybe they feel better about themselves after seeing my silly and ugly existence!"The Wind sighed and continued. "I overheard the thorn too..
"THE THORN:"I don't know why people are afraid of me. Some even ask their children to maintain a safe distance from me whereas I think I am one of the most beautiful things ever created. My petals, my design, my color, my softness, my aura, my romance...where else would they get such an austere mix? And yet...still, I thank God for the way he made me and no matter what others think or do to me, I would rather prefer to remain happy forever as in the end there are so few things in this world which are as beautiful as I am."
"So", this time the Sun sighed, "the rose is unhappy for it assumed itself - probably looking at the thorn all its life - to be just a thorn and thus ignored the happiness that it deserved all these years. While on the other hand the thorn assumed itself to be a rose and thus enjoyed happiness ever since."The Wind nodded."It always happens this way", the Sun said."What does?" asked the Wind.
"Happiness can definitely follow us wherever we go and whatever we do ... only if we know what we are and what actually we are looking at." -
Friday, May 16, 2008
China and Myanmar
Tragedies in both countries.Watching the television made me very sad. Chinese officials have responded very well but in Myanmar, the aid work has not been great.Hope we can all pray for speedy relief and God's kindness to the affected people.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Image
By design NOT by accident
I have been reading this book by Clive Chajet and Tom Shachtman. Dr. Venkata Majeti was kind enough to let me have it and I have been enjoying the book very much.
There is always a question I am asked - can we live our life by design and not by default.
I have been reading this book that shows us how we can shape corporate image by design. A company’s image is indeed a vital corporate asset and can make all the difference in a competitive marketplace. We live in a world full of business images. McDonalds, Apple, IBM, Dell, Singapore Airlines.
A Company’s image is what is perceived by its various audiences. A Company’s identity is what it chooses to shape those perceptions. One learning point from the book – corporate images must reflect reality not distort reality, if they are to positively impact its audiences.
I am sure we can shape our life but that is always going to be the reult of our actions, what we chhose to DO.
I have been reading this book by Clive Chajet and Tom Shachtman. Dr. Venkata Majeti was kind enough to let me have it and I have been enjoying the book very much.
There is always a question I am asked - can we live our life by design and not by default.
I have been reading this book that shows us how we can shape corporate image by design. A company’s image is indeed a vital corporate asset and can make all the difference in a competitive marketplace. We live in a world full of business images. McDonalds, Apple, IBM, Dell, Singapore Airlines.
A Company’s image is what is perceived by its various audiences. A Company’s identity is what it chooses to shape those perceptions. One learning point from the book – corporate images must reflect reality not distort reality, if they are to positively impact its audiences.
I am sure we can shape our life but that is always going to be the reult of our actions, what we chhose to DO.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Akbar - the Rainbow Creator
I saw the Hindi film Jodha Akbar starring the Hrithik Roshan and Aiswarya Rai Bachan. Ironically it was a Bahraini friend who had asked me to see the film. It was well worth it.
Set in the sixteen century, the film is the story of the greatest Mughal emperor Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar and the fiery young Rajput princess, Jodhaa. The epic romance begins as a marriage of alliance between two cultures and religions for political gains.
Little does the great Emperor know that this political journey transforms into a journey of love, one of understanding the human spirit and the common man. In the current context where it is increasingly becoming difficult to find politicians who understand what public service is, the great emperor Akbar shows what greatness is all about – respecting diversity – different cultures, religions and ethnicity.
His success despite his inability to read or write is clearly attributed to emotional intelligence. That one single competency that led him into the history books as one of the greatest Mughal emperors of Hindustan. He was a devout Muslim but still was the favourite among the largely Hindu population. The story of love with music by legendary A.R. Rahman is beautifully filmed, needless to say I learned so much from this film.
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