Daam To Na De Sakoon

Sat Sri Akal (Greetings in Punjabi Language)

I chose to write the salutation in Punjabi today as I have something to write about Sikh culture. I recently bought a CD by Bhai Sadhu Singh which had a Shabad - "Daam To Na De Sakoon", which I used to listen when I was in my early teens. My father used to play this a lot. I never understood the depth of this Shabad at that time. Now, I DO.

If one listens to the sacrifices made by Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji as recited beautifully by Sadhu Singh ji, it's very difficult to stop oneself having tears in your eyes and bow down with deep respect to the majestic tenth Guru of sikhs. You may listen here http://music.punjabcentral.com/album/?album=3382&page=1&sort=4

In today's world, I cannot see anyone making those kind of sacrifices. Sacrifice of both parents, sacrifice of 2 elder sons fighting the battle of Chamkaur Sahib, sacrifice of 2 younder sons being buried alive in a wall at Sirhind.

Some one said such deep words about Guru Gobind Singh Ji

Qila chorr ghar tak bhi apna lutaya, bachpan mein apne pita ko kataya,
Akela hi firta raha woh janglon mein, Woh bharat pe aashiq fida ho raha hai.

When Guruji's 2 sons and mother lost their way and disciples asked to trace them, Guruji said

...Bichhar gaye sri mata bache pyare,
...The ghabraye sikh aa hazoori pyare;
...Kya fikar karte ho ai jaan nisaro,
...Yeh un bachon ka imtihan ho raha hai.

Foreseeing battle for day ahead, Guru ji said about two elder sons,

...Katayoonga kal tak yeh baaki ke jaakar,
...Akela reh jayoonga ghar ko lutakar;
...Kabhi bete waare kabhi waara walid,
...Yeh kishton se karza ada ho raha hai.

In Deep Respect.
~ Navjot Singh Sohanpal

Future is DARK

Greetings,

Amidst the IT outsourcing blitzkreig across the world, I contribute my cents working for a company in India. With 8+ years in this industry, i can't call myself a veteran but seasoned enough to observe and understand the industry trends and outlook.

When i meet my friends and/or colleagues over weekends and tea breaks, typically the conversation starts with "how and what they are doing". 9 times of 10, I will hear *kat rahi hai* (Just passing time) or "vehla hoon bhaaji" (I am idle). After that, for next 20-30 mins, we will keep jabbering about
+ This guy switched N jobs
+ That guy got N% raise
+ ABC bought a flat and made heck of money
+ How liquidity in indian stock market creating new bubble.
+ ABC quit because of onsite aspiration
+ Manager of ABC doesnt give good raise.
+ How this company is making me do a job much below my potential
.............and so on.

Well, the point I wish to make is that in this entire hoopla, hardly anybody is *working* in true sense. At the risk of being killed by Fixed Bid project teams, I can say that Most are under-utilized, have nothing much to do but run their minds scheming about second/third source of income. Many people actually use the company's telephones to run their business, use the company's network to trade on stock exchange or look ot propert portals etc.

People don't have enough work. If they have the work, mostly it's work much below the man's potential (which was judged at the time of hiring). In the end, fix this, document that, send report. Period.

Now, the (b)million dollar question is that where is this industry heading? I have couple of ideas but let's put that on hold for next blog of mine.

5 Masteries of Family Wisdom

Now that I have read this new book by Robin Sharma. I also wanted to do exactly the same what Julian did -- Share the wisdom or knowledge, which I have gathered by reading it, with everybody.

The book is all about restructuring your thoughts to focus on the Things that really count in your life. *Most* will agree that the most important thing in life is FAMILY. This book gives you 5 principles that you can adopt in your life to bring out the best in your family.

Mastery 1 - Leadership in life begins with leadership at home.
+ Build a vision for your family.
+ Commit it to the paper.
+ Discuss with your family; get their buy in.
+ Make your action plan and execute it.

Mastery 2 - Don't scold the children. Mould the leader within.
+ Create human moments, then live them.
+ Praise the kids on jobs well done.
+ Stop condemning, start commending because good parents reward excellent failures.
+ Build the trust
...+ Keep your promises
...+ Be meticulous with your words
...+ Be an aggressive listener
...+ Be fanatically honest with your kids. Well, this doesnt mean you have to be rude to them.

Mastery 3 - Focus your child on greatness, not weakness.
+ Know thyself. The purpose of life is to have life of purpose.
+ Be a specialist. Be jack of as many things but be master of atleast one.
+ Bring special strengths and true talents out.
...+ Envision daily. Sit for 5 mins; your eys closed; try to visualize what change you wish to see.
...+ Set goals weekly
...+ Walk with giants. Read biographies, watch documentaries, visit places that had great impact on this world.
...+ Give graciously. What you gives; returns manifold.

Mastery 4 - To be an excellent parent, Be an excellent person.
+ Self renewal
...+ Rise early. I know many don't like it. But try waking it up at 5am (okay 6..) one day, you will feel top of the world.
...+ Keep a journal. Pen down your important life events. Do deep thinking on them.
...+ Take sabbatical. It's not selfish to find time for yourself. You need some private time.
...+ Care for your temple i.e. body. More fit is your body; more energy you will have.

Master 5 - Gift your child immortality through the gift of legacy.
+ Do one thing in your life that your kid can look upto.

Monk, Ferrari & Sivana

I recently read another, so-called, self-help book. It is called The Family Wisdom.

I don't really grasp what all these self-help authors are trying to achieve in their lives. First, there are so many of them. Second, every alternate book seems to be trying to tell you the same. Only one thing changes -- the story or the tale of the fable. Even authors from HBS has turned to this story telling exercise. If you don't know what I am talking about, do read Our iceberg is melting.

Anyway, I am not here to scold these guys. They are doing good job in telling stories and minting hell lot of money by having *one monk travelled to India and publish many books*. What I wish to talk about is story-telling business.

I think the entire self-help business is turning out to be - "I am a better story-teller". There are 2 key elements in these stories. It has to be simpler (like a children story) and it has to be interesting (like a fiction).

I think it is working like a charm as proven by the fact that all these books are selling like hot cakes across the world. There are 2 reasons to this..
1. Life, professional or personal, is getting complex day by day. Last thing they want is some heavily worded, complex dose of discourse to show them a way to come out of the grind.
2. People like stories.

Stories are fun. Stories are touchy. People tend to link themselves to one of the characters in the story. That helps people to remember the story for long. How may stories do you remember that you read in your childhood? Now, compare that to number of theorems, formulas, geography lessons. Bingo!! You GOT it.

Now, if someone comes across some problem; it is intuitive for human mind to link that to the knowledge base he has already acquired through previous learnings. If a person remembers a story, probability is very high that he would also remember "how that character in that story handled that situation".

So, in nutshell, all these authors, who are evidently more close to basic human needs are making hell of money by telling stories to those, who have somehow got rapidly booted in complex, high flyer lifestyle, but still found themselves unhappy.

--Navjot Singh Sohanpal