Weekends

The weekends are loosing their meaning. Last few weekends have been non existing for me...I sang in that competition in Fine Arts Society in Chembur, Mumbai, which was simply great. This was the first time I was in a competition in Mumbai. In Dehradun, going to any competition meant, I knew many faces and I was very confident as the award and position have never appealed so muhcto me in my life. I believe in the sheer pleasure of experiencing the art and I just go there and perform. But this was a completely different game. I experienced a pang of jealousy on seeing those people of my age having learnt so much of music (all of them have been learning since childhood) purely because they were fortunate enough to be in a city like Mumbai and I not being that fortunate, At the same time I was feeling a sense of pride for being a part of Tamil Mandram, and knowing Maharishi Kavi Yogi Shuddhananda Bharati and having the opportunity to know, feel, and enjoy his songs. The greatness of his works is taking form of couple of websites, yahoo groups etc. I need not list his greatness here. My family has another group for it.. Anyway the Fine Arts Society thing went well. I decided to take part next time with a better song and prepare properly.

Then I read Paulo Coelho's book "Veronica decides to die". dunno how thisman manages to write a climax like that. Although you might expect that ending to happen, but still when you read the last page of his book, it makes you crazy and crave for some more pages. Its a feeling that cannot be explained with anything tangible. You need to read his Alchemist and this one to feeel it...Although this one is no where near Alchemist, still its good. Alchemist was simply awesome. I makes you think about your dreams, however dumbfully routine oriented a person might be...

Then i got hold of his another book Manual of Warrior of Light and another author's book called "Five point someone". I chose to take his book with me to office to read on my way. But to my utter disappointment, it is a MANUAL !!! sort of verses only ! no story and no novel....So the day was wasted without any reading :(((( huh.

Anyway tomorrow I'll start Five point Someone...Fine Arts Song competition results will be out on Sunday...Lets see if i make it to the second round :) it wont be a surprise to me if i dont though.

Ambition

Couple of days back I was just sort of demotivated by the fact that I was not realy studyign hard for past some time...I was in the idea that i am becoming incompetent and the thought was driving me crazy....However, I got this long needed motivation which I plan to read now and then to keep my motivation level at a decent place....Just came across a site that was saying things to make you feel better.....

....Don't get used to your weaknesses. Instead, use your dissatisfaction as motivation to succeed. Now success doesn't necessarily mean fame and fortune. Rather, it means the achievement of YOUR personal goals. Better to be a poor poet and happy than a rich businessman and frustrated. Here are some more points to keep in mind regarding ambition and success.
1. Lock in on your dream as a missile locks in on a target. Remain focused on it. Always keep it in mind. Take Abe Lincoln, for instance. While still unknown, his friends would hear him frequently say, "Some day I shall be President." Despite the enormous obstacles he faced and numerous failures he experienced, he remained steadfast. When you can see, taste, feel, smell, and hear your dream in your mind, you will inevitably bring it to pass.
2. Mark Twain (1835 ~ 1910) offers sage advice, "Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great." In their vain attempt to be great, those who belittle you grow small, so ignore what they have to say.
3. Don't depend on others. Stand on your own two feet. Don't be like those who complain, "No one is showing me the way. No one is guiding me. No one is helping me." Life is not about waiting for answers, but about discovering them on your own. Your true nature is that of an adventurer, so live like one.
4. Good negotiators always ask for more than they wish to receive. This way they can negotiate 'down' to what they really want. Take a similar stance when you set your goals. That is, try to achieve far more than you hope for. So, if you fail to obtain it, you will at least achieve your original goal.
5. Acknowledge that sacrifices and effort are necessary to reach your goal, and be willing to do whatever it takes. Or, as Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda said, "When you go in search of honey you must expect to be stung by bees." True, the path to success is not without pain, but it is without suffering; it is not without effort, but it is with the joy of accomplishment. So, face your fears and don't be afraid of taking risks.
6. Have a dream, but don't be a daydreamer. Be a visionary, but don't dwell in fantasy. Don't ignore many possible small successes while dreaming of an impossible achievement. Stretch yourself, but not to the extent that your limbs fall off and are made useless.
7. If you're out of work and can't find a job you're qualified for, what do you do? Some people refuse to take low paying jobs and prefer to wait for 'better' opportunities. This type of thinking is not a sign of ambition but of a lack of understanding that opportunity is found everywhere. After all, success is not to be found in a job, but in you. It is an attitude. It is a willingness to make the best of what you have. A friend of mine is an example. He fled his war torn country with his wife and children. Arriving with just a few suitcases and enough money to survive for a short period of time, he took the only job he could find, a low paying one. Today, several years later, he is still earning far less than he would in his native country. Yet, he now lives in his own condo, has a new car and computer, and both children graduated the university and have good jobs. My friend is successful, not in the sense that he has a 'good' job, but in the sense that he is happy. Instinctively he had followed the simple philosophy of Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 ~ 1882) who wrote, "Without ambition one starts nothing. Without work one finishes nothing."