Chetan Bhagat - Spark Keep it Shining Speech! - What about the ACTION?

Summary: I liked the speech given by Chetan and they way he showed the 4 thunderstorms of disappointment, frustration, unfairness and isolation trying to thwart you. What I couldn't notice in his speech was the Umbrella or the Rain Coat to save yourself from these thunderstroms: THE ACTION. 

"Sincere ACTION is the Umbrella that can help you brave the thunderstrom!"

-Sachin Uppal, 1st August 2008

I was reading Chetan Bhagat's speech at the inaugural function of Symbiosis College in Pune, India. He spoke about a simple concept that keeps people kicking and striving to reach higher success. He likes calling it Spark, and urges to keep that Spark Shining. It is nothing but your will power and your passion to achieve something more in life and your continuous drive to reach it. 

Download the complete Speech in a PDF format along with comments here.

In my life I have learnt that this spark comes to you if you are passionate about something and that passion is driven from your goals. If you set your goals (short term and long term) you always have a direction and you can measure and strive harder to achieve the same. Some time back I wrote about Goal Setting and how it's important to achieve and bring a direction to your life.

When I look around I see a lot of talented people and see a lot of them with new ideas but what I fail to see is people taking action to fulfill their dreams. Having a long term and short term goal helps you get focused in your life and you can actually achieve what you have set out to achieve in your dream.

I liked the speech given by Chetan and they way he showed the 4 thunderstorms of disappointment, frustration, unfairness and isolation trying to thwart you. However, while saying that don't take life too seriously, instead sincerely, what he missed out was a BIG point: ACTION. 

What differentiates people from being Great and not good, is ACTION. Having dreams, living life sincerely and keeping yourself focused towards your goals need ACTION. Not taking life seriously shouldn't make you complacent and shouldn't make you lack in Action. Action comes to you from your passion. There are thousands of people out there who like to talk about doing something great, but how many take action to achieve it? These days with the competition increasing at such a fast pace, you are going to face one or more of these 4 thunderstorms.

Have you ever thought what's going to differentiate you? 

To SUM it up in a sentence:

"Sincere ACTION is the Umbrella that can help you brave the thunderstroms!"

For many people reading this the obvious question would be - How do you do that?

- Set up your goals.
- Be realistic or upgrade your self.
- Believe in yourself.
- Follow some dicipline.
- Breakdown your goals in small milestones.
- Congratulate yourself on achieving milestones. (get yourself a pair of new shoes, a tie, a watch, a perfume or whatever you think you like)
- Bring your passion to everything that you DO.
- Let your passion Permeate  amongst the people around you.
- Show the world that you are not just about the Talk, but you prove it with your small Actions.
- Small steps go a long way to achieve a goal.
- Influence people in believing your goals.
- Ask for help (don't feel ashamed).
- Give help - It's a 2-way road.
- Follow- Ethics and Integrity.
- LIVE your dream and don't give up. Even at a failure learn and stand up again and give your "passionate best shot".

Enough of talking. Let's DO!

Holi - Indian festival of colors brings freshness in Subways from Mumbai to New York!

Do you stink? Please take a bath this Holi ... :)

We casually joke in India, pointing at the lazy bums, “You take a bath from Holi-to-Holi?” Not sure how true that joke is, but with people stinking in sub ways and public transports, it sometimes looks like it is true.

Holi - for once in a year everybody takes a public bath, quite literally :). Holi is an Indian festival which is played with colors and water with a lot of enthusiasm. It has a rich cultural history, read more about it here. On the first day it’s celebrated by a bon-fire signifying burning the demoness Holika and on the second day (dulhendi) with colors and water. Even though it is a little dirty festival (as many people might say) it at least cleanses the dirt off your body and at the end you smell good. I would say it’s more of a mass cleaning operation :).

Why don’t people play holi every month in Mumbai and New York? I think it’s more important for people to adopt this festival considering the increased stink in the subway trains. Just a few days ago while I was talking to my friend in New York and he pointed that people stink in sub ways and it seems as if they haven’t had a bath in ages. It made me reminisce my days of travel in local DTC and Blue line buses in Delhi, and the journeys in local trains in Mumbai, even some of my early job days in Chennai, the stink on these public transport systems was so bad that I sometimes almost killed myself pressing my nose hard to escape the smell.

Our politicians don’t stink: They all love holi. In India, right from politicians to small kids, people of all ages, castes, creeds play holi. UP and Bihar have a unique style of playing holi called “Kurta Faad” holi. Our favorite railway minister, Laloo Prasad Yadav, is known for this style. Recently The Hindu reported that Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh and AB Vajpayee all enjoyed holi.

More facts on Holi: Holifestival.org gave tips on how to make natural colors (I hope these colors take the stink off the subways). Also I saw a holi calendar till 2021 which tells you when holi is (you can visit here). I was wondering if I can rewrite the calendar and celebrate Holi every month. More facts about holi can be found here.

BTW: For social service I do play holi and here is the proof!

Festival of Lights-Joy-Fun- Diwali 2007 Well Enjoyed

This is a little late though, a great Diwali festival celebration in the heart of India, Delhi. Wow what a great fun festivals are in India.

A full entertaining day it was, this diwali. And it's amazing to watch how Delhi celebrates Diwali, it's an episode in itself. With all the markets full of glitter, lights, people eating, shopping and more.... you can see the women folk enjoying to get their hands decorated with some elaborate mehndi designs in local market roadside sitting arrangements.

And yes the day rocked for me coz of many other reasons:

Watched Om Shanti Om - SRK and Deepika starrer movie. Full entertainment and fun movie. Enjoyed SRK's performance as always, though he looks a little old now even with his 6-pac abs. And deepika is a pure stunner. She looks amazing and a very fair acting performance for a movie debutant.

And offcourse how can you forget the home decoration and fire crackers and all that lighting...this all lights up your home, surroundings and you feel esctatic.

All this and more makes India and Indians to enjoy their lives and lead with those happy hearts. As I get to talk to people all over the world I have realized, indians are by far the happiest lot of people. With their own ways of facing the difficulties and still keeping that smile on face and acually getting satisfied and still craving for more and always ready for that extra mile to make things happen. I am proud being an Indian!

Day Occasions

Friendship Day (I call it another Day Occasion) celebrations take place on the first Sunday of August every year. The tradition of dedicating a day in honor of friends began in US in 1935. Gradually the festival gained popularity and today Friendship Day is celebrated in large number of countries including India. On this day people spend time with their friends and express love for them. Exchange of Friendship Day Gifts like flowers, cards and wrist bands is a popular tradition of this occasion.

Though I am not a great follower of all these days, still I don't mind remembering my friends and colleagues on this day. I anyways keep in touch wth them and I believe in the spirit of friendship which should kindle always! However such days give you another opportunity to do so. I feel all the marketeers would feel happy on such "Day Occasions", as they get an opportunity to sell more. Fair enough, sympathy, empathy, emotions and more always are well exploited by marketeers and they would love to take on such occasions.

Anyways, no more story....My celebration Idea:
"Send a SMS or Email to all your friends and let them know that they are special to me. Friends are the relatives I have made by choice! And may be a quick meet-up."

To all my friend's, lets keep in touch!

When???

Ok lemme start this with an engineer’s life....

RE-Wind....

School days...A smart intelligent guy generally likeable by all...popular among teachers and friends...njoying his life...

Suddenly one day the career light beacons on him after his 10th standard exams and he takes up the Science field as he is gud at that!

Now 11th std and 12th Std just pass by with no GFs in picture and just study and njoyment in mind...as the parents and teachers and all in family tells that these two years make or break ur life...

Sad story starts he din't get into IITs hmm then has to take up engineering in a Pvt Engineering collig...Was that sad??? Probably was when his friends got into IIt and other gud colligis...

Then this guy is again told u have to b serious in this 4 yrs as these will make or break his life...he has to get Honors in his degree and he has to get a nice Job...

This guys gets the whole gist that this is the time to build on his skills and he started building his communication skills to the extent that he can stand a massively audience alone! he tries to find a nice balance between Studies and Friends...studies go fine...but the friendship scene goes sad...as d gal don want any commitments as very far so can't b wid that gal for more time so...sad story...no relation…

But this guy gets honors in his degree and finally light of wisdom beacons on him saying that this in engineering field technical stuff is not for him...So he better get into management...and that crappy CAT paper he cudn't crack...and takes up a job in a nice company...Even after not liking the work he is managing the stuff!

But this time also he has a hard luck in getting a nice GF y??? Coz he is away from his friend circle...no known ppl in here....again sad story for him...

Now he has a gud paying job…most things he aspire for in place…and probably in the coming time he would be having whatever he has aspired for…his management dreams will also come true coz he is very focused….But the question is

When will he get a nice GF???

When??????

God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called!

To encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother took the small boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her.

Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored his way through a door marked: "NO ADMITTANCE."

When the house lights dimmed, and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that her son was missing. Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."

At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy's ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing." Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a running obbligato.

Together, the old master and the young novice transformed a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. The audience was mesmerized.

That's the way it is with God. What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the results aren't exactly graceful flowing music. But with the hand of the Master, our life's work truly can be beautiful.

Next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully. You can hear the voice of the Master, whispering in your ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing. "Feel His loving arms around you. Know that His strong hands are playing the concerto of your life.

Remember, God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called.

Focussed on Goals...

Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there...to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson or help figure out who you are or who you want to become. You never know who these people may be but you lock eyes with them, you know that very moment that they will affect your life in some profound way. And sometimes things happen to you at the time that may seem horrible, painful and unfair, but in reflection you realize that without overcoming those obstacles you would never realize your potential, strength, will power or heart. Everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens by chance or by means of luck. Illness, love, lost moments of true greatness and sheer stupidity all occur to test limits of your soul.Without these small tests, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere safe and comfortable but dull and utterly pointless. The people you meet affect your life. The successes and downfalls that you experience can create whom you are, and the bad experiences can be learned from. In fact they are probably the most poignant and important ones. If someone hurts you, betrays you or breaks your heart, forgive them because they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious to whom you open your heart.If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you, but also because they are teaching you to love and open your heart and eyes to little things. Make every day count. Appreciate everything that you possibly can, for you may never experience it again.Talk to people whom you have never talked to before, and actually listen. Let yourself fall in love, break free and set your sights high. Hold you head up because you have every right to.Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself, for if you don't believe in yourself, no one else will believe in you. Create you own life and then go out and live it.
"If you take your eyes off your goals, all you see is obstacles."

Hang Onto Each Other

Too often we feel alone. But there is always someone ready to take our hand. There is a beautiful story of an overworked nurse who escorted a tired, young man to her patient's bed -side. Leaning over and speaking loudly to the elderly patient, she said, "Your son is here."
With great effort, his unfocussed eyes opened, then flickered shut again. The young man squeezed the aged hand in his and sat beside the bed.

Throughout the night he sat there, holding the old man's hand and whispering words of comfort. By morning's light, the patient had died. In moments, hospital staff swarmed into the room to turn off machines and remove needles.
The nurse stepped over to the young man's side and began to offer sympathy, but he interrupted her. "Who was that man?" he asked. The startled nurse replied, "I thought he was your father!" "No, he was not my father", he answered. I never saw him before in my life."
"Then, why didn't you say something when I took you to him?" "I realized he needed his son and his son wasn't here", the man explained. "And since he was too sick to recognize that I was not his son, I knew he needed me."

Mother Teresa used to remind us that nobody should have to die alone. Likewise, nobody should have to grieve alone or cry alone either. Or laugh alone or celebrate alone. We are made to travel life's journey hand in hand. There is someone ready to grasp your hand today. And someone hoping you will take theirs.

Remember To Hang On To One Another!

Only God Can Make a Perfect Heart!

Only God Can Make a Perfect Heart!

One day a young woman was standing in the middle of the town proclaiming that she had the most beautiful heart in the whole valley. A large crowd gathered and they all admired her heart for it was perfect. There was not a mark or a flaw in it. Yes, they all agreed it truly was the most beautiful heart they had ever seen. The young woman was very proud and boasted more loudly about her beautiful heart

Suddenly, an old woman appeared at the front of the crowd and said "Why your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine." The crowd and the young woman looked at the old woman's heart. It was beating strongly, but full of scars, it had places where pieces had been removed and other pieces put in, but they didn't fit quite right and there were several jagged edges. In fact, in some places there were deep gouges where whole pieces were missing. The people stared---how can she say her heart is more beautiful, they thought?

The young woman looked at the old woman's heart and saw its state and laughed. "You must be joking," she said. "Compare your heart with mine, mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars and tears."

"Yes," said the old woman, "Yours is perfect looking but I could never trade with you. You see, every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love---I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them, and often they give me a piece of their heart which fits into the empty place in my heart, but because the pieces aren't exact, I have some rough edges, which I cherish, because they remind me of the love we shared.

Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away, and the other person hasn't returned a piece of their heart to me. These are the empty gouges---giving love is taking a chance. Although these gouges are painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I have for these people too, and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting. So now do you see what true beauty is?"

The young woman stood silently with tears running down hers cheeks. She walked up to the old woman, reached into her perfect young and beautiful heart, and ripped a piece out. She offered it to the old woman with trembling hands. The old woman took her offering, placed it in her heart and then took a piece from her old, scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young woman's heart. It fit, but not perfectly, as there were some jagged edges.

The young woman looked at her heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, since love from the old woman's heart flowed into hers. They embraced and walked away side by side.

Love cannot be wasted. It makes no difference where it is bestowed, it always brings in big returns!

"It's all in your attitude."

Teacher Debbie Moon's first graders were discussing a picture of a family. One little boy in the picture had a different color hair than the other family members. One child suggested that he was adopted and a little girl said, "I know all about adoptions because I was adopted." "What does it mean to be adopted?" asked another child. "It means," said the girl, "that you grew in your mommy's heart instead of her tummy."
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Whenever I'm disappointed with my spot in life, I stop and think about little Jamie Scott. Jamie was trying out for a part in a school play. His mother told me that he'd set his heart on being in it, though she feared he would not be chosen. On the day the parts were awarded, I went with her to collect him after school. Jamie rushed up to her, eyes shining with pride and excitement. "Guess what Mom," he shouted, and then said those words that will remain a lesson to me: "I've been chosen to clap and cheer."
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A lesson in "heart" is my little 10 year old daughter, Sarah, who was born with a muscle missing in her foot and wears a brace all the time. She came home one beautiful spring day to tell me she had competed in "field day" that's where they have lots of races and other competitive events. Because of her leg support, my mind raced as I tried to think of encouragement for my Sarah, things I could say to her about not letting this get her down, but before I could get a word out, she said "Daddy, I won two of the races!" I couldn't believe it! And then Sarah said, "I had an advantage." Ah. I knew it. I thought she must have been given a head start...some kind of physical advantage. But again, before I could say anything, she said, "Daddy, I didn't get a head start...My advantage was I had to try harder!"
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An Eye Witness Account from New York City, on a cold day in December: A little boy about 10 years old was standing before a shoe store on the roadway, barefooted, peering through the window, and shivering with cold. A lady approached the boy and said, "My little fellow, why are you looking so earnestly in that window?" "I was asking God to give me a pair of shoes," was the boy's reply. The lady took him by the hand and went into the store and asked the clerk to get half a dozen pairs of socks for the boy. She then asked if he could give her a basin of water and a towel. He quickly brought them to her. She took the little fellow to the back part of the store and, removing her gloves, knelt down, washed his little feet, and dried them with a towel. By this time the clerk had returned with the socks. Placing a pair upon the boy's feet, she purchased him a pair of shoes. She tied up the remaining pairs of socks and gave them to him. She patted him on the head and said, "No doubt, my little fellow, you feel more comfortable now?" As she turned to go, the astonished lad caught her by the hand, and looking up in her face, with tears in his eyes, answered the question with these words: "Are you God's Wife?"
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Most Important Part of body!

My mother used to ask me what is the most important part of the body. Through the years I would take a guess at what I thought was the correct answer.

When I was younger, I thought sound was very important to us as humans, so I said, "My ears, Mommy." She said, "No. Many people are deaf. But you keep thinking about it and I will ask you again soon."

Several years passed before she asked me again. Since making my first attempt, I had contemplated the correct answer. So this time I told her, "Mommy, sight is very important to everybody, so it must be our eyes." She looked at me and told me, "You are learning fast, but the answer is not correct because there are many people who are blind."

Stumped again, I continued my quest for knowledge and over the years, Mother asked me a couple more times and always her answer was, "No. But you are getting smarter every year, my child."

Then last year, my grandpa died. Everybody was hurt. Everybody was crying. Even my father cried. I remember that especially because it was only the second time I saw him cry. My Mom looked at me when it was our turn to say our final good-bye to Grandpa. She asked me, "Do you know the most important body part yet, my dear?"

I was shocked when she asked me this now. I always thought this was a game between her and me. She saw the confusion on my face and told me, "This question is very important. It shows that you have really lived in your life. For every body part you gave me in the past, I have told you were wrong and I have given you an example why. But today is the day you need to learn this important lesson."

She looked down at me as only a mother can. I saw her eyes well up with tears.

She said, "My dear, the most important body part is your shoulder." I asked, "Is it because it holds up my head?"

She replied, "No, it is because it can hold the head of a friend or a loved one when they cry. Everybody needs a shoulder to cry on sometime in life, my dear. I only hope that you have enough love and friends that you will always have a shoulder to cry on when you need it."

Then and there I knew the most important body part is not a selfish one. It is sympathetic to the pain of others.

Essence of trust is not in its bind, but in its bond

A little girl and her father were crossing a flimsy bridge.
The father was kind of scared so he asked his little daughter
"Honey, please hold my hand so that you don't fall into the river. "
The little girl said,
"No, Dad. You hold my hand."
"What's the difference?" asked the puzzled father.
"There's a big difference," replied the little girl.
"If I hold your hand and something happens to me, chances are that I may let your hand go. But if you hold my hand, I know for sure that no matter what happens, you will never let my hand go.

" Moral of the story: In any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind, but in its bond. So hold the hand of the person whom you love rather than expecting them to hold yours.