Let me start by saying that Slumdog Millionaire is outstanding; I can say this with conviction after I had the opportunity to see Slumdog Millionaire over the weekend. Being in Hong Kong the movies are not available on the same time frame as in the US and when Slumdog millionaire walked away with a whole heap of academy awards it was time to go see a movie. The story telling was well done and because it was so well done I waled away with several messages:
Persistence...Always
One of the first scenes of the movie that introduces the main character, Jamal, has him jumping through the latrine to get an autograph, something, most of us would never do but he did and it got him the autograph. The entire movie is a demonstration of persistence and overcoming life's challenges. As long as you persist you will achieve. Things may not always go the way you want them to but never giving up even when it all goes in a direction you had not wished for.
Others will Take Advantage of You
Right after Jamal got the autograph and while his mom cleaned him up his brother took the autograph and sold it for a "good price." As the movie progresses we learn that beggars who are blind singers get double the handouts; so the orphanage intentionally blinds them. Finally watch as Jamal's girlfriend is taken from him. Jamal does not let this hold back what he seeks for that matter it is core to the storyline. But each of us has felt that others have taken advantage of us. Unfortunately , this is part of what happens in life it is not a matter of if you will be taken but when. Thus there is no reason to be angered but rather learn from the lesson and the lesson of others. Which brings up the third point I learned.
Hold no grudge
I mentioned above that it is not a matter of if you will be taken but when and that this is part of life. When I watched Slumdog I struggled as I watched the pain and suffering of so many; but what stayed with me afterward was that being angry at the life you have will not help you. If you harbor hatred and a grudge you cannot move forward toward your goals but also you cannot appreciate the wonders of this life. Individuals will always act in their own self interest. This action may result in bad things happening to you, sometimes they will do things intentionally because there is a desire to pull others down. In each instance Jamal did not let a grudge or anger toward his persecutors hold him back from his desire, yes I am sure he had doubt but he did not give up.
Sometimes You Must Work with People you Don't Agree With
Jamal chose to stay with his brother even though he could never forgive him for what he had done. I agree his brother was not one worthy of forgiveness, however, Jamal wanted to find Latika. This desire necessitated staying with his brother. The Game show host lied and attempted to set Jamal up for failure, Jamal stayed on the show. Again he had a mission
This one I found the most interesting and difficult to deal with personally but the lesson is very important. There are times that you must swallow your principals and your pride so that you can accomplish what it is that you truly seek. Yes principals are important but do not let your principals be an excuse for failing to accomplish your goals.
Money is Not a Pure Motivator
While Jamal was on "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" he was presented with more money than he had seen in his lifetime. But he chose to continue the competition. He chose to continue because he was not there for the money but for the hope that Latika would see him and they would find each other. Yes, money is important however we all know from experience even if you are paid well it is not enough to put up with being miserable. For Jamal winning or losing the money was not his motive. We should look carefully at what it is we are doing and ask what are our motives?
You Make Your Own Happiness
Jamal grew up in the slums and overcame many difficulties: the torture, beatings, hunger, loss of love, and death of his mother. Wherever you are in life right now is exactly were you are supposed to be. It may not feel good to be there but you are. When you are dealing with difficulty you learn quickly that there is little that you can control. The question is what do you do now? Do you choose to be unhappy or will you choose to be happy. After all it is a choice within your control.
You are the sum total of your life experiences. These experiences are neither good nor bad they are just experiences. How you react to these experiences make you who you are. Jamal and his brother had many of the same experiences but they both responded differently to them. Jamal, as the movie depicts, chooses a path of non-violence; His brother, one of violence, that ultimately consumes him. I believe people can experience the same event differently and that is what makes us unique.
To conclude I recommend seeing the movie, "Slumdog Millionaire". The story telling is well done and the message of hope is there. I look forward to hearing of your Slumdog experience.
Showing posts with label Fulfillment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fulfillment. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Shoganai: Forgive, Let Go, Move On
Everywhere I look I see the signs that the economy is in dire straights, even our president elect Barack Obama is saying he needs TARP funds released before he gets into office. Just the other day I read in Penelope Trunk's blog that she has run out of funding for her start up company. A good friend shared that his company will run out of funds at the end of the January and any he is talking to investors in terms of months of payroll. With all of this bad news it becomes very difficult to focus and believe that we will come out of this. Yes, things are difficult but you or I cannot change the macro environment, however, we can change ourselves and our outlook.
The Japanese have a saying, Shoganai ‘shoga-nai‘, It literally means “there’s nothing we can do about it.” The word implies: “It’s no-body's fault, it’s just nature’s course, we can’t do anything about it, so let’s forgive, let go, and move on.” To effectively apply Shoganai to your life, focus on the following ten things you can control:
1) Control what you think. Christina Merkley, The Shift-it coach, recommends in her post Tell a New Story in 2009 that you, "Make the effort to change your internal programming – even just cleaning up one little degree of resistance can have a huge impact on your overall trajectory" One technique Christina recommends is to FLIP IT, where you take your current thought and FLIP IT around to a positive. Do this with the US unemployment rate published at 7.2% and FLIP IT to the opposite and you have 92.8% of people are employed. Set a personal agreement to flip all of your negative thoughts.
2) Exercise More. I know this one is beating a dead horse but it really worked for me. There are numerous studies that show exercise provides better stress management, builds your immunity, and improves your sleep. I personally was able to drop 50 pounds and as an added benefit reduce my blood pressure, cholesterol, and manage stress much better with my regular exercise regimen. Taking care off your body will take care of your mind.
3) Learn Something New. Take a class a your local college that will add to your professional skills. Sign up for Toastmasters and improve your presentation and selling skills. This will make you more marketable and desirable to potential employers. Continuous learning and growth will exercise the mind and expand your creative ideas not to mention positive contributions to your current job.
4) Implement a 15 minute per day reading plan. See my post about reading daily. Spending 15 minutes of reading something positive can make immediate improvement in your personal outlook. Your subconscious mind processes the activities of the day and inserting a positive influence right before your sleep will channel this processing down the path of enlightenment.
5) Turn off the news. There is very little that you as an individual can do at this moment to make a change to what has already happened. The news is always reporting events after the fact. Listening to bad things that have already happened is depressing your outlook unnecessarily. Take the advice of Michael Hyatt and take a media break. This is not a recommendation to ignore what is happening or to hide from the truth, rather this is a recommendation to intentionally limit the amount and volume of bad news you are taking in. There are plenty of opportunities to be told about how the economy is doing by friends and associates; these conversations will happen whether you are watching the news or not. So reduce the negative inputs.
6) Spend more time with friends and family. If you stop watching TV you will have more time to spend with your friends and family. Take the time and renew your friendships and enjoy time spent together. If you enjoyed the time you spent idle then it was time not wasted. Living abroad as I do I find the times that I am most homesick are during the Holiday events that included big get together with friends and family: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Fourth of July. Spending time connecting with others is one of life's definitions of an individual.
7) Start a new project. Todd Henry from the accidental creative asks, "you DO have built-in unnecessary creating time, right?" One of the best uses of your time is to start a new project, whether it be a personal creative project that allows you to explore your talents outside of the office or a project within the office. Exploring your own creative side with breakthrough barriers that are holding you back spawning the discovery of new and interesting solutions and maybe even your next venture. Write a proposal and present it to your boss on how to improve office efficiency or a new market for your company's products. Even if it is rejected you will have gained valuable experience and practice for your next idea as well is valuable credibility within your organization.
8) Give back. I am an advocate for having a calling that drives who you are (A Job or a Calling ). I am not suggesting that we spend money to give back, rather it is about donating your time. There will always be people or organizations in need that cannot afford to pay for the skills they are in need of. By finding a way that you can use your considerable talent outside of the office contributing to the greater good you will find the ultimate satisfaction. Look at your job as a means to an end and that end is the opportunity to donate your time to helping others. You will find tremendous satisfaction and this satisfaction will empower you, your job does not define you, your calling will. Use your considerable talents for a greater good outside of the office.
9) Write a daily journal. The most powerful thing I did in late 2008 was to start writing in my journal on a daily basis. My aunt, and author of Daily Paintings, Elin Pendleton made this recommendation to me when I was 12 years old and some many years later, after reading the book,"Write it Down Make it Happen" I started this practice. This daily exercise of writing for a minimum of 20 uninterrupted minutes allows me to dump all the thoughts out of my brain, clearing up my thoughts and then improving my focus. This allows me to review all that is there and realize that much of what I was thinking was not focused on the priorities of the day; I write about goals, ambitions, letters to family, and even notes to others. Taking the time each day to write will clarify your ideas; this single activity has proven to be powerful therapy.
10) Appreciate the moment. Times may be difficult and there is no easy way to say this but feel the experience. You are more alive today than you have ever been, feel alive and appreciate this very moment. Once the moment has passed it will be gone for ever so appreciate what you do have. Then look to the future; opportunities are available and no matter what will happen in 2009; the economy will recover.
Shoganai, "It’s no-body's fault, it’s just nature’s course, we can’t do anything about it, so let’s forgive, let go, and move on.” You are defined by the people you meet, the places you have been, and the books you have read. Focus on what you can control, let go and take back your life.
The Japanese have a saying, Shoganai ‘shoga-nai‘, It literally means “there’s nothing we can do about it.” The word implies: “It’s no-body's fault, it’s just nature’s course, we can’t do anything about it, so let’s forgive, let go, and move on.” To effectively apply Shoganai to your life, focus on the following ten things you can control:
1) Control what you think. Christina Merkley, The Shift-it coach, recommends in her post Tell a New Story in 2009 that you, "Make the effort to change your internal programming – even just cleaning up one little degree of resistance can have a huge impact on your overall trajectory" One technique Christina recommends is to FLIP IT, where you take your current thought and FLIP IT around to a positive. Do this with the US unemployment rate published at 7.2% and FLIP IT to the opposite and you have 92.8% of people are employed. Set a personal agreement to flip all of your negative thoughts.
2) Exercise More. I know this one is beating a dead horse but it really worked for me. There are numerous studies that show exercise provides better stress management, builds your immunity, and improves your sleep. I personally was able to drop 50 pounds and as an added benefit reduce my blood pressure, cholesterol, and manage stress much better with my regular exercise regimen. Taking care off your body will take care of your mind.
3) Learn Something New. Take a class a your local college that will add to your professional skills. Sign up for Toastmasters and improve your presentation and selling skills. This will make you more marketable and desirable to potential employers. Continuous learning and growth will exercise the mind and expand your creative ideas not to mention positive contributions to your current job.
4) Implement a 15 minute per day reading plan. See my post about reading daily. Spending 15 minutes of reading something positive can make immediate improvement in your personal outlook. Your subconscious mind processes the activities of the day and inserting a positive influence right before your sleep will channel this processing down the path of enlightenment.
5) Turn off the news. There is very little that you as an individual can do at this moment to make a change to what has already happened. The news is always reporting events after the fact. Listening to bad things that have already happened is depressing your outlook unnecessarily. Take the advice of Michael Hyatt and take a media break. This is not a recommendation to ignore what is happening or to hide from the truth, rather this is a recommendation to intentionally limit the amount and volume of bad news you are taking in. There are plenty of opportunities to be told about how the economy is doing by friends and associates; these conversations will happen whether you are watching the news or not. So reduce the negative inputs.
6) Spend more time with friends and family. If you stop watching TV you will have more time to spend with your friends and family. Take the time and renew your friendships and enjoy time spent together. If you enjoyed the time you spent idle then it was time not wasted. Living abroad as I do I find the times that I am most homesick are during the Holiday events that included big get together with friends and family: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Fourth of July. Spending time connecting with others is one of life's definitions of an individual.
7) Start a new project. Todd Henry from the accidental creative asks, "you DO have built-in unnecessary creating time, right?" One of the best uses of your time is to start a new project, whether it be a personal creative project that allows you to explore your talents outside of the office or a project within the office. Exploring your own creative side with breakthrough barriers that are holding you back spawning the discovery of new and interesting solutions and maybe even your next venture. Write a proposal and present it to your boss on how to improve office efficiency or a new market for your company's products. Even if it is rejected you will have gained valuable experience and practice for your next idea as well is valuable credibility within your organization.
8) Give back. I am an advocate for having a calling that drives who you are (A Job or a Calling ). I am not suggesting that we spend money to give back, rather it is about donating your time. There will always be people or organizations in need that cannot afford to pay for the skills they are in need of. By finding a way that you can use your considerable talent outside of the office contributing to the greater good you will find the ultimate satisfaction. Look at your job as a means to an end and that end is the opportunity to donate your time to helping others. You will find tremendous satisfaction and this satisfaction will empower you, your job does not define you, your calling will. Use your considerable talents for a greater good outside of the office.
9) Write a daily journal. The most powerful thing I did in late 2008 was to start writing in my journal on a daily basis. My aunt, and author of Daily Paintings, Elin Pendleton made this recommendation to me when I was 12 years old and some many years later, after reading the book,"Write it Down Make it Happen" I started this practice. This daily exercise of writing for a minimum of 20 uninterrupted minutes allows me to dump all the thoughts out of my brain, clearing up my thoughts and then improving my focus. This allows me to review all that is there and realize that much of what I was thinking was not focused on the priorities of the day; I write about goals, ambitions, letters to family, and even notes to others. Taking the time each day to write will clarify your ideas; this single activity has proven to be powerful therapy.
10) Appreciate the moment. Times may be difficult and there is no easy way to say this but feel the experience. You are more alive today than you have ever been, feel alive and appreciate this very moment. Once the moment has passed it will be gone for ever so appreciate what you do have. Then look to the future; opportunities are available and no matter what will happen in 2009; the economy will recover.
Shoganai, "It’s no-body's fault, it’s just nature’s course, we can’t do anything about it, so let’s forgive, let go, and move on.” You are defined by the people you meet, the places you have been, and the books you have read. Focus on what you can control, let go and take back your life.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
15 Minutes a Day Can Change Your Life
One simple trick applied for 15 minutes a day can change your life. That simple trick is reading something positive or uplifting 15 minutes right before you go to bed. Turn off the TV set a timer and read. That is all there is to it. So why is something so simple so difficult to do? Well to be effective you need to apply the rule everyday regardless of how tired you are, this is a commitment to yourself and you will need to work at it to keep up even when you are so tired all you want to do is go to bed.
I have a regular queue of books that are lined up for reading rotating then in the order listed:
- An uplifting book. Usually in the self help genre that will provide some tool set that I can apply to my life right away.
- An industry book. part of my personal commitment to continuous learning requires that I spend time building my industry specific skills and new skills
- A fiction book for pleasure, I do stay away from the horror genre.
According to the Helpguide.org REM sleep or dream sleep is the stage that is associated with processing emotions, retaining memories and relieving stress. Giving your mind something positive to think about all night long will leverage this processing period during your sleep. Michael Hyatt has a great post on taking a break from the news that essentially comes down to what you are putting into your head impacts your view of the world.
Loren taught this 15 minute reading technique to me over ten years ago and he explained that if he is too tired to read he actually stood up and read until the 15 minute timer went off. The level of commitment to the goal is as important as material you are reading. If you want to see a change happen that will open a new world of opportunities and ideas make a daily 15 minute commitment to yourself.
I have applied this tool for years with excellent results and when, like Oprah, I do revert backward it is a simple step to get back on track. This simple solution allows me to keep my goals for continuous learning, an escape from the world, and positive reinforcement. A simple 15 minutes a day plan can change your life.
I have a regular queue of books that are lined up for reading rotating then in the order listed:
- An uplifting book. Usually in the self help genre that will provide some tool set that I can apply to my life right away.
- An industry book. part of my personal commitment to continuous learning requires that I spend time building my industry specific skills and new skills
- A fiction book for pleasure, I do stay away from the horror genre.
According to the Helpguide.org REM sleep or dream sleep is the stage that is associated with processing emotions, retaining memories and relieving stress. Giving your mind something positive to think about all night long will leverage this processing period during your sleep. Michael Hyatt has a great post on taking a break from the news that essentially comes down to what you are putting into your head impacts your view of the world.
Loren taught this 15 minute reading technique to me over ten years ago and he explained that if he is too tired to read he actually stood up and read until the 15 minute timer went off. The level of commitment to the goal is as important as material you are reading. If you want to see a change happen that will open a new world of opportunities and ideas make a daily 15 minute commitment to yourself.
I have applied this tool for years with excellent results and when, like Oprah, I do revert backward it is a simple step to get back on track. This simple solution allows me to keep my goals for continuous learning, an escape from the world, and positive reinforcement. A simple 15 minutes a day plan can change your life.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
