Steve never graduated from college. He dropped out of Reed College after the first 6 months because he couldn't see the value in it. But he stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months. Steve slept on the floor in friends' rooms, he returned coke bottles for the deposits to buy food with, and he walked 7 miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple. It was pretty scary, but it turned out to be one of the best decisions he ever made. And much of what he stumbled into by following his curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on.
The minute Steve dropped out, he could stop taking the required classes that didn't interest him, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting. Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country. Throughout the campus every poster, every label on every drawer, was beautifully hand calligraphed. Steve decided to take a calligraphy class. He learned about serif and san serif typefaces, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great.
None of this had even a hope of any practical application in his life. But ten years later, when they were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer. And they designed it all into the Mac. If Steve had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. And since Windows just copied the Mac, it's likely that no personal computer would have had them.
Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when Steve was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards ten years later. We can't connect the dots looking forward; we can only connect them looking backwards. So we have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in our future. Every thing we learn adds a new dimension to our life. And life is best served when we develop new dimensions.
Different things that we do are dots that await connection…
Every new experience does “develop new dimensions”…
Regards
Pravin
Monday, March 26, 2007
Monday, March 19, 2007
A NEW YEAR… ALWAYS!
In India, workshops, seminars or meetings are generally inaugurated with the lighting of the traditional lamp. A lit candle or single wick oil lamp (match boxes & lighters, too) is used to ignite the multiple wicks of an impressive brass lamp. However, this simple ritual sometimes turns difficult for the "inaugurator" when the wick of the lamp does not light up despite the best of efforts. Whenever such a stalemate occurs, the "wise" in the audience offer solutions.... "Put the fan off", "check whether there is oil in the lamp", etc. etc....
My instinct is to check whether the wick has been soaked adequately in oil... whether it is truly absorbed by the oil... Just like the cotton wick needs to be "connected" by the oil, we too require to be "connected" to the opportunities around… We must immerse ourselves into understanding the multiple dimensions of opportunities. The more we are soaked, the greater will be our glow of our success. But too often, we wait for occasions to connect to opportunities.
A young man built a beautiful bungalow as a gift of love to his parents. Although it was ready he waited over two months for the auspicious day of Gudi Padwa to move into the new home. Sadly, his mother passed away a week before. The man still rues the fact that his mother never stayed in the home built for her, due to his unnecessary emphasis on waiting for the auspicious day!
New Year is when we do new things! Every moment can be the beginning of a new year in our lives only if we choose to add new dimensions to our attitude and approach. It is not the occasion that decides the action… it is the action that defines the occasion. If the action is good… so is the moment. So immerse yourself in oil of opportunities, develop new dimensions and initiate new actions…
Don’t wait for the coming of an auspicious occasion…
Create it yourself and “develop new dimensions”
Regards
Pravin
My instinct is to check whether the wick has been soaked adequately in oil... whether it is truly absorbed by the oil... Just like the cotton wick needs to be "connected" by the oil, we too require to be "connected" to the opportunities around… We must immerse ourselves into understanding the multiple dimensions of opportunities. The more we are soaked, the greater will be our glow of our success. But too often, we wait for occasions to connect to opportunities.
A young man built a beautiful bungalow as a gift of love to his parents. Although it was ready he waited over two months for the auspicious day of Gudi Padwa to move into the new home. Sadly, his mother passed away a week before. The man still rues the fact that his mother never stayed in the home built for her, due to his unnecessary emphasis on waiting for the auspicious day!
New Year is when we do new things! Every moment can be the beginning of a new year in our lives only if we choose to add new dimensions to our attitude and approach. It is not the occasion that decides the action… it is the action that defines the occasion. If the action is good… so is the moment. So immerse yourself in oil of opportunities, develop new dimensions and initiate new actions…
Don’t wait for the coming of an auspicious occasion…
Create it yourself and “develop new dimensions”
Regards
Pravin
Monday, March 12, 2007
CELEBRATE LIFE
Last week, one of my favourite persons turned 50. His family and friends organised a get-together aptly called “Celebration of Life”. True, Ashrafali Nizari’s life has been a dynamic festivity of making the most of every moment!
Ashrafali is a fine example of developing every dimension of one’s personality. As a leading businessman involved in hotels and real estate development, he is an integral part of many trade and tourism organisations. Actively involved in the organisation of Jaycees since 1976, Ashraf went to head Indian Junior Chamber as National President in 1992 and furthermore to be the Executive Vice President of Junior Chamber International. His handsome debonair looks may have won him many admirers, but it is his golden heart that makes Ashraf special. He is involved in schooling for “special” children and arranging “special” Olympics. And yet he finds time to be with his family, friends and his Jamaat!
The question is how one finds time to wear so many leadership hats and be passionately involved in such a wide spectrum of activities. The answer of course is that life is to be lived to its fullest or else it will be dwarfed in mediocrity. Isn’t it interesting to note that it is the busiest people, like Ashraf, who can make time for something extra! The same time is available to everyone, but it is all about the choices we make… whether we entangle in the singular vagaries or indulge in celebrating the multiple dimensions of our life.
When we go to sleep at night, millions did so too… But, all don’t wake up next morning… Some die in their sleep. Let’s ponder whether we recognise the biggest opportunity of them all – being alive. If we don’t, we may only end up existing. Every new day brings along a new dawn that invites a fresh resolve to add meaning and purpose to our lives! When we celebrate the many dimensions of life, life celebrates us, too!
Don’t merely exist… May every moment be worthy of many celebrations…
Engage every occasion and opportunity to “develop new dimensions”
Regards
Pravin
Ashrafali is a fine example of developing every dimension of one’s personality. As a leading businessman involved in hotels and real estate development, he is an integral part of many trade and tourism organisations. Actively involved in the organisation of Jaycees since 1976, Ashraf went to head Indian Junior Chamber as National President in 1992 and furthermore to be the Executive Vice President of Junior Chamber International. His handsome debonair looks may have won him many admirers, but it is his golden heart that makes Ashraf special. He is involved in schooling for “special” children and arranging “special” Olympics. And yet he finds time to be with his family, friends and his Jamaat!
The question is how one finds time to wear so many leadership hats and be passionately involved in such a wide spectrum of activities. The answer of course is that life is to be lived to its fullest or else it will be dwarfed in mediocrity. Isn’t it interesting to note that it is the busiest people, like Ashraf, who can make time for something extra! The same time is available to everyone, but it is all about the choices we make… whether we entangle in the singular vagaries or indulge in celebrating the multiple dimensions of our life.
When we go to sleep at night, millions did so too… But, all don’t wake up next morning… Some die in their sleep. Let’s ponder whether we recognise the biggest opportunity of them all – being alive. If we don’t, we may only end up existing. Every new day brings along a new dawn that invites a fresh resolve to add meaning and purpose to our lives! When we celebrate the many dimensions of life, life celebrates us, too!
Don’t merely exist… May every moment be worthy of many celebrations…
Engage every occasion and opportunity to “develop new dimensions”
Regards
Pravin
Monday, March 5, 2007
LET’S TALK!
Last week, at a public interaction at the Xavier Centre for Historical Research, Remo Fernandes put forth his views on various subjects. Goa’s leading music maker was articulate and candid. He chose to look at various concerns from the perspective of introspection… by looking inwards. One of the issues he dwelled upon was the collapse of intrapersonal communication.
Remo cited his own example to explain how divergence in view points with his father did not result in a disconnection in their relationship. As a teenager, Remo was a rebel… a non-conformist… keeping away from Church, growing his hair, trying out all things frowned upon… Nevertheless, he would talk across the table to his father about what he did and why he did it. They would have massive disagreements and fights. Remo stated that it was dialogue that sustained the bond between them, never mind the tension created by the conflicts.
Problems that are kept hidden don’t heal… they fester. Too often, we steer clear of discussion when we know that it will result in confrontation. Actually, this crisis of confidence in our relationships is seen to directly increase with the nature of intimacy. Which means it is easier for us to be honest in our interactions with a relative stranger than with a close relative. But then, every communication is about sharing personal perspectives… individual dimensions of the situation.
If two people share two different dimensions, both are exposed to two diverge aspects. They may not become agreeable, but knowing the other person’s viewpoint helps sustain the relationship. And more often than not, the persons involved develop new dimensions to their association. Every time, I argue and fight with my wife, mother, daughter or friend, I get to learn about, not only, their viewpoints but also discover other dimensions to their thinking… and the same hold true for them, too!
Don’t you shy away from the conflicts concealed in communication
Speak your mind and listen as well, to “develop new dimensions”!
regards Pravin
Remo cited his own example to explain how divergence in view points with his father did not result in a disconnection in their relationship. As a teenager, Remo was a rebel… a non-conformist… keeping away from Church, growing his hair, trying out all things frowned upon… Nevertheless, he would talk across the table to his father about what he did and why he did it. They would have massive disagreements and fights. Remo stated that it was dialogue that sustained the bond between them, never mind the tension created by the conflicts.
Problems that are kept hidden don’t heal… they fester. Too often, we steer clear of discussion when we know that it will result in confrontation. Actually, this crisis of confidence in our relationships is seen to directly increase with the nature of intimacy. Which means it is easier for us to be honest in our interactions with a relative stranger than with a close relative. But then, every communication is about sharing personal perspectives… individual dimensions of the situation.
If two people share two different dimensions, both are exposed to two diverge aspects. They may not become agreeable, but knowing the other person’s viewpoint helps sustain the relationship. And more often than not, the persons involved develop new dimensions to their association. Every time, I argue and fight with my wife, mother, daughter or friend, I get to learn about, not only, their viewpoints but also discover other dimensions to their thinking… and the same hold true for them, too!
Don’t you shy away from the conflicts concealed in communication
Speak your mind and listen as well, to “develop new dimensions”!
regards Pravin
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