Monday Blues: 5 Quick Productivity Tactics

From Robin Sharma's notes.

1. Work in 90 minute bursts of productivity then take 20 minutes to recover and renew. Then work 90 minutes. Then renew. The clients I've helped to install this practice have reported off-the-chart results.
2. Take a full day off from technology every week. Non-stop stimulation prevents you from doing your deepest thinking and achieving your greatest results.
3. Block out negative influences so you stay at your best in uncertain times
4. Learn to elegantly and politely say no (to unimportant activities)
5. Exercise first thing in the morning for a day of peak energy and fierce stamina

Education is fun... if you want it to be

7 Traits Managers Find Irresistible by Steve Tobak

Sarah sent me this and it applies.

1. You do what it takes to get the job done. This is, or should be, number one on every manager’s list of things they value most in employees. This was one of the first lessons I learned early on and it made a huge difference in my career.

2. You meet your commitments. When you say you’re going to do something by a certain date, you’ll find a way. When you say it’ll cost $x, your boss can take that to the bank. You hold yourself accountable so your boss doesn’t have to. Just knowing you’re there reduces your boss’s stress.

3. You’re brave. You realize that business is a full-contact sport and you’re going to take some body blows. You can take some punishment. Competition doesn’t freak you out. Confrontation doesn’t scare you. You don’t shy away from visibility. Rather, you get a charge out of it.

4. You challenge the status quo. You’re genuine, direct, confident, and comfortable in your own skin. You tell it like it is and say what’s on your mind. You don’t drink the Kool-Aid or sugarcoat the truth. You don’t BS; when you don’t know, you say so. Authority doesn’t scare you so you don’t treat your boss or the CEO like some demon from the underworld.

5. You’re an innovative problem solver. You look at things from different angles and turn problems on their side to come up with unique solutions. The harder the problem, the greater the challenge, the more you dig in to find the answer. You live to solve problems.

6. Your razor-like focus. You don’t lose it at the first sign of trouble or complexity. Instead, you’re calm and steady. You stay focused when everyone else is running around like chickens with their heads cut off. You’re an island of order in an ocean of chaos.

7. You’re low maintenance. You don’t whine and complain. You don’t need to have your hand held for every little thing. You don’t take things personally. You’ve got reasonably thick skin. Folks don’t have to walk on eggshells around you and worry about offending you.

Have you shared too much?

With ever increasing global presence and growing population base that chooses to be online, it is important to stand up and take notice of what you have posted and what you really want to post. Not that I assume someone would stalk me but it is good to be diligent. What do you think?

Customer Service: Do It from the Inside Out

The sun beat down on the back of my neck. It was a scorching heat most people in Brazil have learned to accept, but I couldn’t bare it. I had just finished making a presentation to a room full of executives at an annual retreat. I couldn’t wait to jump into a taxi, rip off my coat, and breathe some cool air conditioning. A line of taxis were waiting; some looked new, others a little worse. One stood out like a beacon of pure refreshment—a shiny coat of sparkling blue paint made it appear perfectly maintained.

I jumped into the taxi and asked the driver to crank the air conditioning full blast. He did, but only hot air and dust came blowing through the vents. Then the engine sputtered and clunked as warning lights flashed on the dashboard. The driver explained the air conditioning didn’t work, and he nervously turned off the fan. I had been wooed by a shiny coat of paint.

Now let me ask about your company’s service. Is it just a shiny coat of paint that looks good on the outside but sputters and clunks when you really need it?

TIDYING UP THE SURFACE

Ask any doctor to cure a disease with a bandage. Ask any accountant to make bad numbers look good. Or ask an advertising agency to create beautiful packaging for a horrible product. It seems silly, a waste of time, a false and futile effort. Yet, as I travel the world meeting with some of the largest companies, I find that many approach their service with a shiny coat of paint.

They seem to be thinking only on the surface. Isn’t service what the customers see—the smiley faces and polite gestures? Can’t we just tell the front lines to do a better job and raise their level of service? Or can’t we simply hang some big posters with slogans that tell everyone we’re really committed to service? The answer is no.

Many organizations want to be service leaders. They want to turn their customers into evangelists. They want people to tell legendary stories about their service. They want referrals, recommendations, repeat orders, bigger market share. Yet too many of these would-be leaders try to fix their service problems or build a service culture by simply slapping on a fresh coat of paint or placing a meager bandage of advertising over the truth. Well, that’s not going to work, and that’s not how the companies recognized for outstanding service got there in the first place.

Consider this. Amid a crushing economic recession, while many famous names in finance collapsed, a client of mine in Singapore became the largest insurer in the country for life, motor, and health insurance. How did they do it? They transformed their approach to service starting from the inside of the organization and working out. Before asking their agents, brokers, and distributors to give customers and prospects better service, they built a stronger service culture inside the organization.

How do you boost your service from the inside out?

1. Declare Service a Top Priority: A business has many objectives: Sell more, cut costs, go faster, ship now, beat the competition. But all these can be sustained only if you satisfy those you serve and they come back for more. You must declare service a top priority and keep it there, especially when it might be forgotten. Make your declaration publicly to those you lead and keep it at the forefront in all that you do.
2. Everyone Serves Someone: It doesn’t matter if you lead a front-facing sales team, a back office operation, or a shared services function. Your purpose is to serve someone else. If you don’t make that clear to everyone on your team, you’re enabling a breakdown in service. All employees must understand who they serve and how to create value for colleagues or paying customers.
3. Enable Service Leadership from All Levels: If you’re going to ask people to give better service, you must empower them to become service leaders. Leading service from all levels means every employee takes personal responsibility for providing better service in every situation the position empowers him or her to reach. Service leadership must come from the top—but it can also be embraced at the bottom and encouraged and enabled everywhere in between.
4. Don’t Be Wooed By Shiny Things That Don’t Work: Building an uplifting service culture from the inside out is not an easy or overnight task. And although you may find it alluring, especially in the heat of the moment, to leap into a short-term solution, jump on a new mantra, or approve a new advertising campaign, you must do the real work of educating yourself and those around you, ensuring you have the tools to build a successful service strategy for the long haul. Otherwise, you’ll end up like I did, asking the taxi driver to turn around so I could start the process all over again.

Ron Kaufman is a global consultant who specializes in building service cultures. He is the author of UP! Your Service and 14 other books. His firm, UP! Your Service, has offices in Singapore and the U.S.

Lessons In Forgetting: A book review

What happens is that if she a woman starts asserting her individuality then the transition (from something else to her own identity) is easy. But someone who subsumes herself into the identity of her husband and allows her other roles to contain her will find it difficult and wouldn't even know how and where to begin.

I know so many women in their mid-30's and sometimes even in their late-20's who start getting this restless feeling and think 'what have I done with myself and where do I begin?' Some of them are even forced to start afresh, alone, like Meera.

I want to be honest with you here. I was knocked out of my slumber when I read Lessons in Forgetting and once I finished reading, I felt I was in the same room as Meera. Never in the recent times have I been touched, amazed, met not imagined as strong a character who remains to be cheerful. I had to re-read certain passages to actually understand if what I felt was true or not.

Anita Nair has a charm for writing and am very impressed with the range of topics she chooses to write about like female infanticide, widow remarriage, empowering women which are a strict no-no for the modernized Indian who loves to stay out of the so called avoidable areas. It takes guts to stand out and write such topics and address them to the audience and yet be commercially successful. It takes a tremendous commitment to come out with such a wonderful rendition to make the characters acceptable in all their blemishes and past and yet be endearing.

Lessons in Forgetting starts with Meera and how her life is set to a timetable, a calender that involves a methodic phase of setting to and how it revolves around the characters in her life her mother, granny, her daughter and son and husband who seem to take her for granted. Now if you think the character of Meera is very similar to a typical housewife whose life is resigned to socialite principles, then you are mistaken. Meera is like the sea - calm, composed and proud but just like the sea, there is a huge chaos of emotions and commotion that is concealed in herself. All hell breaks loose when her husband leaves her for another younger woman and her children start blaming her for it.

At another junction is Jak or J.A. Krishnamoorthy, a professor and expert in cyclones who is in search of some answers about his paralysed daughter who is just a shadow of the cheerful Smriti who met with a near fatal accident. All that JAK knows is that his daughter met with a freak accident in a remote coastal town in Tamil Nadu called Minjikapuram. Police and doctor’s investigations all point fingers at Smriti.A determined JAK decides to trace his daughter’s path on the days that lead to her accident.

Thus starts JAK’s journey to know his daughter which leads him to three of her best friends, friends with their own confused understanding of this girl who outwardly looked confused yet had her own stand on everything. Smriti comes across as an very strong opinionated individual who joins a small theatre group and in all her naivete looks towards changing society and its mores which her friends could never come to terms with. But then, at one point JAK’s search for truth reaches a dead end.

If you are strong enough to realise life isn't as rosy as it looks and can get turbulent in a jiffy just like the sea, then you got to read Lessons In Forgetting. May be you would be able to look at the warnings and predict the cyclone and be better prepared if not prevent it. Or is it all just a myth and you cannot do anything? Lessons in forgetting is not a sad story. It celebrates human spirit and shows how you can be victorious even in life's worst cyclones. All you need is just a cajoling support, few kind words and a determination not to let yourself give up. Life may not always be as colorful as you dreamt of but all you need is just a tinge of white hope to paint on a dark canvas.

Rating: 4/5.

Why this kolaveri kolaveri kolaveri di?

Tamil music directors amaze me time and again and I have to agree the world is dancing to their tunes or at least humming in sync. Ever since RA.ONE decided to go the Tamil way it is quite obvious that the Tamil music industry has a lot of sympathizers to its dance and fast numbers across the world. Here is another gem. Even before the film 3 is released, this song is a rage on Youtube and other social media sites.

Releasing it on Youtube is an excellent marketing game and having Danush sing the catchy tune with some excellent screenplay and mixing the song seeps in to the viewers and have them humming. Did they anticipate this? Don't know. But this was a good try and if it is a hit then why not! Having a good product is the least of your strategy. Having a great marketing plan is the ace. The combination always manages to hit the chord.

Don't listen

That is a negative title to start with and the post if very positive :)

Click on the image to enlarge and it is from Dr. Dave's site.

Done is better than perfect

Done is better than perfect.

Think about it. Done is better than perfect. Most of the times I see work being postponed is because people tend to say that they would come back to it later as they aren't satisfied with what is there. I realize the need for accuracy and perfection in what I do and I would always love to be proud of what I goes out of my inbox. I have seen meetings get postponed because the designs aren't as perfect as they should be. But the fact that deadlines are to be met and seeking perfection, if it delays and stretches the deadlines, is defeatist. There are several things that might lead you to believe you need to relook at the work, but I suggest meeting the deadlines as more important. For if I don't meet a deadline, the beauty and perfect piece of work I create is of no use! A medicine packed however well is of no use if the patient passes away as the doctor was busy to create a great effect while forgetting the basic need of the medicine itself. Not though that is just a analogy I am talking about the presentations and mails that you read and re-read and make alterations before you send it out. Before you look at the mails, ppts, etc., and some times to an audience that just needs to get an update, just think if all the editing you are going to do is of any value to the content in the message.

Now I will take it one step further.

Perfection is the enemy of completion! Now ponder.

Monday Blues: Why you wake up in the morning

Having a sense of purpose and choosing to live for it and with it is very important!

Have a great Monday!

Let your light shine

Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate,

but that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us.

We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,

gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking

so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.

It is not just in some; it is in everyone.

And, as we let our own light shine,

we consciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our fear,

our presence automatically liberates others.

Let your light shine by Marianne Williamson

Thomas Suarez & funding local schools

Found this via MJ and it is worth a watch. I like his spirit and motives. Making a change isn't easy. But the first step is the will to do.

What is the real value of service education?

From UP Your Service.

Richard Whiteley’s blog post – ‘Six reasons why ‘customer centricity’ initiatives fail’ – highlights how often initiatives fail due to inadequate education.

He wrote: “While mindset matters, great service needs great skillsets too… Proper training is required”

This stirred up memories of my early experiences working in a retail company.

Most new frontline staff joined the company with a very positive mindset and uplifting attitude – but as they regularly encountered situations they were not prepared for, their enthusiasm started fading.

They got stressed and frustrated when they were caught unprepared and uneducated in new situations.
Confidence levels dipped.  It was hard to ‘feel good’ about a job when they didn’t know how to do it well.
I vividly remember one particular young lady I hired and trained – let’s call her May.  She did not have any prior retail experience and seemed very quiet and shy. My colleagues didn’t think she would last more than a few weeks. But I felt she was more like a rough gem waiting to be polished – and I believed the right education would help.

However, when May was in my product and service training class, I wondered if I had made a mistake in recruiting her after all. I asked her if she thought she was a good fit for a frontline position in a retail outlet. She was not sure herself. She told me she just desperately needed the job for financial reasons. She was then sent to an outlet where further training would be done on-the-job with the store manager.

When I walked into this outlet two months later, I wasn’t expecting to see her there.

Yet, there she was – attending to customers, speaking confidently, demonstrating products, etc. There was no semblance of what I remembered her to be. The store manager told me he was very pleased with May’s performance – sales had gone up and customers regularly complimented her.

I congratulated May and reminded her of our last meeting. She shared how her store manager had played a big role in coaching her, developing her skills and appreciating her achievements. She said she had been well-educated, and the more she learned the more assured and confident she felt. She even sent notes of appreciation to everyone who had trained her, sharing how their attention and support helped her discover an aptitude she didn’t think she had – to be of service to others.

Many such examples remind me daily of the uplifting value of service education. It is myopic to view training and education as ‘nice-to-have’ or a cost-center with no clear Return on Investment. Of course it is important to measure and ensure a strong ROI, but the benefits of continuous education, and the value of developing life-long learners in your organization, are beyond mere financial calculations.

What can cat videos do for your business?

The title of this post says 'your' business because they can't sell my products. Given that some of the products I help sell include sexual enhancers and weight loss supplements. Looking at the loops of Catvertise on Youtube last night I couldn't stop but watching the videos and some of the brands have made their way to my mind. Looks like a good idea to me as of now. At least the early brands ones to come out with ads should benefit. What do you think?

Monday Blues: When in distress...

Happy Children's day.

Celebrating innocence, warmth, love and affection.

Click on the image to enlarge.

Are you hungry?

There are good ads. Then there are ads. Then there are worse. It doesn't matter which ad you are going to make until it manages to grab my attention and convey the brand or message you want me to remember. Here is one that stretches your imagination to a different level altogether.

The beginning of wisdom

Me and MY kids

(I write this on the recommendation of Vamshi Krishna and am indebted to him. It didn't occur to me that I should simply pen my feelings regarding this but when I did, it felt very nice)

"Didiiiii, Didiiiiiii.......hum aa jayein?" [Sister, sister....can we come?]

Every Saturday and Sunday, the doorbell of my home starts ringing since 4:00 PM. The time when I teach these kids is 5, but they are always so high on energy and excitement that it doesn't really matter what the needles in the clock say. Probably coz they feel, if they get that extra time with me, I can show them some videos on my laptop or talk to them about their careers.

Before I start, let me introduce these kids to you. They are (starting from the eldest) Pooja, Soni, Anshu, Komal, Shikha, Nisha, Anu, Amit, Shivam, Mukesh and Bitto. The 7 sisters (pooja to anu) belong to the same family (yeah, we all know why). Their father is a tailor and mother works as a maidservant. while Shivam to Bitto belong to another family. Their father is the Chowkidar (colony security guard). Amit belongs to a different family. I don't know what his father does because his occupation keeps changing. Amit works at a shop from 10 in the morning to 4 in the evening (7 days a week). And yes, Amit is mere 9 year old. So basically, I teach 3 families.

So how did I meet these kids?

There is a huge tree outside our home on which these kids had put a Jhoola (swing). They used to play on it when I used to come back, they would smile at me and I used to smile back. One day, while I was returning, I randomly asked one kid..."Padhai karoge? Agar main padhaaon to?" (will you study, if I teach you?) And in 10 mins there were 8 kids at my door.

So, did I have to convince my parents?

A big YES. The sentences I got to hear were" You can't teach", "they will get attached to you", "Don't act too benevolent, you anyway have no time for home", you leave at 7:30 in the morning and come back at 9:30..when will you teach?"...followed by a big NO. My mother was still soft but papa and dadi were very clear. Do you know what melted their hearts? The smile of these kids.

As I went back to the gate to shoo them away, my father and grandmother saw them from our balcony. The kids looked up and said "unclejee, namaste...hum padhne aayein hain". And the job was done (btw, my father is like a coconut...harsh on the outside and too soft inside)

So, how do I feel?

I don't feel anything....but I just looooove spending time with them. As I teach them on the blackboard, they randomly get up to write something on it. Not because they want to show their knowledge but they want to hold the chalk and write on the blackboard. Komal is always standing next to the blackboard. When I scold her to get back to her seat she says..."Didi..pleeeeeez. Mujhe yahaan acha samajh aata hai" :D:D

My class is dominated by girls, and Oh! they DO dominate the boys big way. There are some stories (which are too odd/painful to narrate here) I have heard from their innocent mouths which make me shiver. But all in all, my class has recitation and currently we are studying division. It's a hard task to teach them multiplication tables but they oh-so-love watching animated nursery rhymes on my laptop. They once showed me the dance on desh rangeela. The song describes India with its various colors and watching them dance on that song made me feel nice (when was the last time you danced on a patriotic song? :D:D )

Every weekend, when they come and go, they enthuse me with such energy that my mother tells me calm down. I am jumping around with them, laughing like them and telling mom what all the kids taught me today. (like having "OM" sign tattooed on your hand saves you from evil spirits) :P:P

So, why exactly am I doing this?

Frankly speaking, I got tired. Tired of so much of artificiality, competition, comparison. I wanted to be happy... just happy. Not the happy where my neighbours think I am happy or my mother thinks I am happy. Not the happy who shops for branded clothes and then grins at the mirror (though on second thoughts I wont mind that). And not the happy which you get sitting in a big car thinking about the job you've bagged. Tomorrow, if everything is taken from me.... My job, my branded stuff, my status.... I will still remain. My beliefs, ideals, thoughts, experiences will still remain. Me and my kids love each other. There are so many times when Nisha or Shikha have held my hand and said "Didi....aap humein bahut ache lagte ho" (Didi, we really like you). Trust me, when a 7 year old tells you this, your day gets made. And I am lucky to hear this every weekend. I have given them books, pencils, erasers and sharpeners. My boyfriend (and soon to be fiance) encourages me a lot and has also provided financial help and I respect him for this.

I don't know what will happen when I leave from here. Who will teach them and whether they will become a doctor or pilot like they want to become. They had once asked me, when will I get married...and when I get married, will I keep coming on weekends to teach them. I had no answer. All I could say was, keep your spirits high and don't let anyone tell you that you're inferior. If you work very hard and study hard, you can become anything you want to. All I hope is, they do achieve their dreams. Amen.

Know-ember!

I love November or Know-ember! You are almost at the end of the year and lots of celebration for Christmas and new year. This know-ember at Consumer Psyche, we look at learning a lot of things, at least 30 things which are new and can help you and me to be better human beings. The first is a post by Niyati which speaks about the joy sharing your knowledge can bring to your life. I love the concept of blackboard and how simple it is to transform someone's life just by showing some care , compassion, love and extra-time. These kids might not grow and become a pilot or a doctor as they aspire but definitely they can be better than destined because of Niyati. YOU can make a change in someone's life too and guess what it will make you better and happier.

If you think you know something that would fit in here, feel free to mail or add. Keep reading, watching, learning or stay stale!

Monday Blues: Have a heart

I love good ads, even with some sting. Here is an disgusting way to garner some publicity by Micromax. Is it a good marketing vehicle? Yes! Is it right? I don't think so. I feel that marketing comes with a responsibility and good spirit. What am I taking about? Watch this...

Beating Monday Blues is easy. Treat someone way below your rank and position in your office, home or wherever today with real, genuine affection and gratitude. See how it unfolds joy and happiness in the person! Busy with our daily schedules and month end pressures we tend to behave as if normal people do not have problems like us. Everyone, however low his/her cadre is, has their problems. Share some love and no wonder it brightens their day up!

Have a happy Monday! God bless!

Let God Arise!

Can Facebook help you live longer?

I read a lot. That means I chose what to read and what not. And if I am exceptionally impressed with something only then I re-post. Here is one such gem of an article from Dr. Jame Abraham. Read on...

It was about 8.30 p.m. Darkness was spreading its wings outside the hospital window. The evening nurses were busy charting the patients assigned for the night. The corridors, which are usually bustling with resident doctors and consultants, were almost empty except for the cleaning crew with their noisy and heavy equipment. The smell of bleach and cleaning solution pervaded the atmosphere.
Room 854 was dimly lit and very quiet.

Mrs Payton was sleeping peacefully. She had an internal fixing of right femur the previous night and had not fully recovered from the sedatives that were used for the procedure. Her husband was slumped in a chair holding her hand and in deep sleep. His head was resting on the side of the bed. The silence in the room was only interrupted by the soft dripping sounds of the IV Fluid. Muted scenes from the old popular show MASH danced across the TV screen. I am sure; one of the nurses must have pressed the mute button when she saw them sleeping so peacefully.
A beautiful bouquet of fresh red roses and their wedding photo resting on the side table were the silent witnesses in the room. They were probably in their twenties in the picture. She looked so radiant and happy in her long flowing white wedding gown. He was in his military uniform. He fought in the Korean and Vietnam wars. They were high school sweet-hearts.

I almost felt guilty waking them up. A hospital is a horrible place to rest. Often in the middle of the night, when you are fast asleep, the nurses might come and ask, “Are you sleeping?” and then stick a cold thermometer into your mouth.
“Good, you have no fever. Now you can go back to sleep.” It is a cruel joke.
Reluctantly, I followed “the rules” of the hospital.
“Mr Payton, sorry to wake you up.” I touched his wrist gently. His fair skin revealed prominent blue veins.

He jolted out of the chair. “Sorry, I could not keep myself awake.” He rubbed his eyes with both hands.
“Finally, my age is catching up with me.” His paunch moved rhythmically with his laugh. Payton is nearly 84 years old now.
“We spent all night at the emergency room. They took her for surgery only early in the morning.” Payton was not complaining. He was just stating the facts. I have never heard him complain.

“Dr Abraham...” Mrs Payton woke up with a smile. Her memory was fading, but her smile was not.
“Have the children left?” She scanned the room. “I don’t know when I fell asleep, they were still here, I guess,” she looked at Payton.
“Yep, they left around 8 when the visiting time was over.” Their whole family was with them all day.
“What happened, Mrs Payton? How did you fall?” I pulled a chair and sat close to her bed.

“Oh, I don’t know, I think I tripped on the carpet,” she looked at Payton.
“Honey, you missed the step to the patio. I didn’t know that she was going to break her bone!!”
“I am glad she did not hit her head.” Mrs Payton looked pleasantly confused.
“Her head is too hard. It does not crack that easily doc,” Payton had not lost his sense of humor. “I have been married to her for 60 years. I know how hard-headed she is,” he laughed.
“Mrs Payton, you have been married to the same man for too long. I think you should think about finding a new man.” Mrs Payton laughed at my joke.
“Dr Abraham, I have been thinking about that for the past 50 years. I am afraid that no good woman in her right mind will take him,” she looked at his face and then at their wedding picture. He was still holding her hand.
She had an early stage breast cancer. She was on an anti-oestrogen treatment, which can potentially cause thinning of the bone or osteoporosis. I wondered if her fracture was caused by that.

“We may have to stop the pills for cancer and assess your bones carefully with a scan.”
“Doctor, whatever you say.” They echoed simultaneously.
“We just had another great granddaughter last week,” he pulled a picture from his smart phone.
We talked about their grandson graduating from college and great grandson playing basketball.
As I drove back home, I thought about the Paytons and their secret to happiness and longevity. Are both concepts intertwined? Do happy people actually live longer?

A Canadian study titled, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy: Positive Affect and Reduced Ten Year Incident of Coronary Heart Disease,” crossed my mind. The study followed 1,739 adults in their mid-forties over ten years. On a one-to-five scale, trained nurses rated the subjects for “positive affect”—defined by the authors as “the experience of pleasurable emotions such as joy, happiness, excitement, and contentment”. Each one-point increase in positive affect was linked to a 22 per cent reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease (such as heart attack). I thought that was pretty amazing.
Emotion such as happiness is your reaction to the environment. Two people can live through the same experience and react in totally different ways. Is the glass half full or half empty? I am pretty sure that the Paytons always looked at life as half full. Even after spending long hours at the hospital emergency room, they were not upset with the world.

According to a Danish twin study, about 10 per cent of how long an average person lives depends on his genes and 90 per cent is dictated by his lifestyle. But what is the perfect formula for the ideal lifestyle. Dan Buettner, who lead the Blue Zone Project, learned some fascinating tips about longevity from various corners of the world. He went to Sardinia Island of Noro Province in Italy, and Okinawa, Japan, which have 10 times more centenarians than the average US population.
He identified factors like low-intensity physical activity, a vegetable-based diet and wines as important ingredients for long life. But the social connectivity of these communities was extremely strong. In these communities, the social equity of a person increases as you grow old.

Another amazing aspect of the Paytons’ story is that they are so connected. They have a large family and they are very much part of the community they live in. Probably, happy people are more connected, too. He still plays golf with his buddies several times a week. She volunteers at the local church. Their social support and connectivity are amazing.
I have never seen Mrs Payton come to an appointment by herself. I wonder how Payton will cope if anything happens to her or vice-versa. The concept of “dying from a broken heart is not just a myth”. The chances of dying when a partner dies is about 50 per cent and it is called the widowhood effect.

Isolation kills; social connectivity is important for longevity. A Denmark study showed that, the feeling of loneliness was found to be associated with increased cardiovascular mortality, especially in males.
Social media, especially Facebook, has revolutionised the concept of social connectivity. More than 750 million people are connected through Facebook. If Facebook is a country, it will be the third most populous in the world after China and India. An average person has about 130 friends on Facebook. It is almost a new measure of social equity.
What draws people to Facebook and other social media? Is it a fear of open communication? It definitely provides an outlet and avenue for people to live in a social world of their choice.

But is that going to help us live longer? I don’t have the answer to that. Facebook has more traffic than Google. One in every 13 people on Earth is on Facebook. Almost 50 per cent of the 18-34-year-olds check Facebook right when they wake up. In 20 minutes almost of 2 million friend requests are accepted. The study of impact of Facebook “Facebookology” is in its infancy. But I think its social impact is definitely worth studying.
The Paytons’ keep it very simple. Their definition of social interaction is probably limited to within a 50-mile radius of their birthplace. It must have expanded slightly when their grand kids moved out of the state for college education and jobs. But their core group of support still remains close to the place they have lived all their lives. It is personal and tangible. But it is going to be different for their grand kids who prefer to build their social equity through social media from within their bedroom walls. Can they still reap the health benefits enjoyed by the Paytons?

As I opened the garage door, the digital clock on the dash board showed 9.30 p.m. Yet another day of coming home late from work. I am not sure if that is helping with my social connectivity. Adith came over and gave me a hug with a sweet smile. His older brother, Abel, was busy on his Facebook page, nurturing his virtual connectivity!

Dr Jame Abraham, MD, FACP, is Bonnie Wells Wilson Distinguished Professor, chief of oncology and medical director of Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center, West Virginia University, USA. jameabraham@hotmail.com

Pointing mistakes vs Helping to improve

Got this as a forward...

Once upon a time there was a painter who had just completed his course. He took 3 days and painted beautiful scenery. He wanted people's opinion about his caliber and painting skills. He put his creation at a busy street-crossing. And just down below aboard which read – “! I have painted this piece. Since I'm new to this profession I might have committed some mistakes in my strokes etc. Please put a cross wherever you see a mistake.”

While he came back in the evening to collect his painting he was completely shattered to see that whole canvass was filled with Xs (crosses) and some people had even written their comments on the painting. Disheartened and broken completely he ran to his master's place and burst into tears.

This young artist was breathing heavily and master heard him saying “I'm useless and if this is what I have learnt to paint I'm not worth becoming a painter. People have rejected me completely. I feel like dying” Master smiled and suggested “My Son, I will prove that you are a great artist and have learnt flawless painting. Do as I say without questioning it. It WILL work.”

Young artist reluctantly agreed and two days later early morning he presented a replica of his earlier painting to his master. Master took that gracefully and smiled. “Come with me.” master said. They reached the same street-square early morning and displayed the same painting exactly at the same place. Now master took out another board which read –“Gentlemen, I have painted this piece. Since I'm new to this profession I might have committed some mistakes in my strokes. I have put a box with colors and brushes just below. Please do a favor. If you see a mistake, kindly pick up the brush and correct it.” Master and disciple walked back home.

They both visited the place same evening. Young painter was surprised to see that actually there was not a single correction done so far. Next day again they visited and found painting remained untouched. They say the painting was kept there for a month for no correction came in!

Moral: It is easier to criticize, but difficult to improve! There are lot of people around us who just wait for an opportunity to critics us. Don't get carried away or judge yourself by someone else’s criticism and feel depressed. Be Yourself.

God is good. Period.

Super Bass! Super Boss!!

Onika Tanya Maraj or Nicki Minaj is a sensation alright. I saw her songs(with > 300 million collective hits) Super Bass and saw it rise up the charts and swing teen-music-choices and paint the world pink. Here is the original song with over 170 million hits! If you think it is the best then I have something better. Two kids, Sophia and Rosie, Eight and Five sing to her song and have about 25 million hits between them in less than a month!

A lot of channels found them and get them on air but Ellen takes it a step further. Watch the video below to see.

That is wonderful. I know the kids are too good but am talking about the power of the Internet! The ease with which technology can take you so fast from something so small to something so enormous and sensational. Good luck Sophia and Rosie.

If only we can understand and fathom the mechanics of internet and use them to better reach our target audiences... but isn't that another story?

Packing it right

We have all learnt our lessons in marketing and sales right from childhood. Some of us have been taught in business schools and on job! It all boils down to what to say, how to say and when to say so the listener can comprehend and understand the message without any disturbance.

The intent is to give a maximum desired impact on the subject. Sometimes marketers(even common people) go overboard to give out the message in an excellent packaging which in turn damages the actual message and the intent goes awry. Sometimes it is the opposite. The message is given too much importance where it gets boring and uninteresting. Very few actually get it right. Here is a good example.

Call it good packaging! I would love some feedback on what you think. What am I thinking? Guess...

Monday Blues: Bury and Move on

Monday morning again....

Do you learn with time or just get dumber? I think the latter happens most often. What makes you think you are better? What makes you think you evolved over the last few years, months and days and you think you can handle things better? Why am I being so direct? People tend to look at their pain as an addiction and love to be afflicted time and again. What makes them tick to the pain and tolerate it while they have always tried to get away from it?

This happens most often in relationships and that too in broken ones. Happens to both the sexes and yes, you go, revisit and get smacked more for the same and swear that you will never go back again only to return a few days later. The reason is that I tend to think that I am much better off managing this situation and hope I can do better and deliver all those dialogues and come-backs I wanted to last time. Trust me, most of these adventures prove to be fatal and hurt you even more. The best way is to accept that you have been an idiot once and make sure you don't need to validate that time and again. Walk away and improve but don't go back to the relationship that had already hurt you, especially if you are sure you will not be happy there.

This Monday, I want you to come out and ditch the stupidity and stop convincing yourself that you are smarter. Alas, very few are, especially in the matters of the heart. So what next? This Monday, cheer up and try something else, some one new... Our population hit 7 billion the last I heard. Talk about choice!

Pic is from here.

All I need is YOU!

Way of Christ!

As a student of psychology, I learn every day and from almost everyone I see, meet or speak to. What makes someone stick to something or not? What motivates someone more than anything else? Can everything be analysed and allocated to the confines of a simple pyramid designed by Maslow? Don't think so. Traditional marketing gurus would fit what I am going to say in to one of the top chambers of the pyramid though! The more I learn, I know there is more that is unknown!

Something I envisioned and started with a good friend Peter some two years back during my graduation has snowballed in to a community. I am very happy and proud with the result as this was unexpected and frankly hardly anytime was spent on it. Skipping the marketing and behavioral discussion, Way of Christ has > 2100 followers as of today. Join if you would like to get good verses, thoughts and you can also post prayer requests, verses, etc.

Thank you Lord!

Yes! At the Cross, there's room!

Maximizing the power of your brain

Impressive and interesting! Visit www.ThinkBuzan.com for more.

Aliens - The Truth

I have written a good post about aliens some three years ago. I have researched a lot and am more enlightened, read, learnt and wiser now and here is my view now. I will try and put it in as subtle a way as I can be and here it is.

I have a bowl with fish in it. There are two fighter fish, one turtle and few guppies. There is plankton, artificial grass, some white and colored stones. I make sure there is food available all the time and that they exercise enough to earn it so they wont get sick. Once in a while I change the water and clean the bowl. If these fish think they are the only fish and that this is the only place with fish in the world then they are sadly mistaken. If they think they are too smart and know everything then again they are mistaken.

Compare our solar system and the blue planet to the bowl. Get the drift?

Take it raja!

Let me state at the outset that I love the way the team at Bingo has built a good brand and a better aura around it. Bingo ads many not be brilliant like the Zoo-zoos or have superstars selling it but have some insanely stupid logic and catches the viewers attention. This is precisely what makes people skip the Lays charisma and look at Bingo. The taste and flavor isn't much different but has a local touch and sympathizes with the person buying it.

The ads thus stand out among the clutter and manage to stay on the buyers mind long after he had watched it. Here is another brilliant ad. I am sure Bingo is going to stay for quite some time. So take it raja!

Patience

Sometimes when everything seems closed and you have reached the dead end, nothing you do works, the only solution is to keep trying and seek out options.

Book Review: Revolution 2020

Did you read the book? I finished reading it on 8th October, 2011 as I had pre-ordered it on Flipkart.com and got it delivered on 7th. A bit bulky from his other books and longer than usual, Chetan packs this one with a girl stuck between two boys who happen to be best friends and this is right from cover to cover. Written in a true bollywood style, I felt the story looks like a screenplay, fit more to the screen and a bit less oriented to a reader who is holding the book. Call it arrogance or the price of setting of high expectations after his Two States, I believe any book should be more oriented in engaging the reader rather than what happens next. I wouldn't give out much here as I think you should enjoy the book when you read it.

Now let's talk about the story.
Two friends from a small town engage in childhood as miscreants and end up becoming a good friend, obviously, a girl from a rich well to do family and as they grow fall for her and she falls for the boys too. Yes, for both of them. One of the boys, Raghav has a zeal to change the world and Gopal is pushed to the gutter due to his lesser IQ and poor financial condition which he simply blames on his parents genes. Fastforward a few years and Raghav is good at academics and Gopal is still in  gutter, only deeper. By a stroke of luck, Gopal gets a first hand taste at corruption and moves quickly high to set out something he never would have chosen otherwise and becomes successful while Gopal and the girl choose to stick to their dreams. How it all changes is when Gopal and Raghav have a face off with each other due to their ideals, principles and choices and how society responds to each of them. Yes, there are a couple of times where the 15-line-Chetan-Bhagat-style-love-scene come and go.

Themes: I liked this book for the treatment of its themes.

• Chetan looks at Love in a tangled way between emotions and corruption and how it cannot be bought or rather how it evolves over a period of time and how it can mean a lot even to people in their best or worst phases of life. R2020 seems to believe that how one manages a relationship is more inclined to what he believes in and how important his ideals are and I agree partially to that. Unfortunately many people do not believe in emotions when they have a choice and chose to misuse the word love and unfortunately 'moving on' seems to be the trend today. Chetan scores in this aspect.
• Corruption is something Chetan pitches in as casually as possible. There are hard core corrupt politicians, normal people who do everything or either pushed to, from breaking bones to kidnapping, land extortion, threatening to doing good. There is a government official who uses his official car for all personal reasons and still thinks he is honest. I think this is the pulse of the resent state! As long as I don't take a bribe and I don't bother about others taking I am not to be touched and as the book puts it, it is smart.
• Chetan has also done quite an amount of research on what happens in education system, politics, corruptions, cheating, misleading of both students and children and their hard earned money and how one can earn a lot by looking at a stake in education. Once considered sacred, education is the cash cow now, repeatedly milked and ill-treated and R2020 does justice when looking at this. The state of education, right from coaching centres to get into colleges, coaching to get in to coaching centres, exams, fees, choices, unfair, unrealistic expectations of the parents, confused students... Chetan gets brilliant here.

Would I recommend the book? Of course, yes! Why would you want to miss a good story written in simple English and is fun to read? Why would you not want to read the best selling author of Indian English literature till now? Get a nice mug of hot chocolate, cozy up in your favorite place, tune in to your i-pod and let Chetan take you away in his own style for a boat ride down the misty waves of Ganga. If you feel the stench which comes from the burnt bodies, it is only for a small stretch, you might get lost in the smokey dope or hear a lovely voice carried by the waves too.

Though I think the book could have been cut by 20-25 pages and it doesn't match the brilliance of Two States, R2020 would be a quantity seller than a quality seller.

Rating: 2.5/5.

Monday Blues: Start with a prayer

This Monday, start with a prayer and set out to reach your goals with more vigor and passion than what you actually want to and seek satisfaction in finishing the task you set out to.

I would not ask for earthly store — Thou wilt my need supply;

But I would covet, more and more, the clear and single eye,

To see my duty face to face, and trust Thee, Lord, for daily grace!

(J.J. Maxfield) 

Miracles, signs and wonders will be plenty when  you seek something and pursue with passion. Cheers!

ps: Yes, marketers believe in God too :)

Don't believe all that you read!

Human psyche is interesting. Very interesting. You can read, decipher and understand two things from the same source and yet come out with a different belief for each. When you read something related to things you don;t like, you feel it is false. When you read information matching your belief system, you think it is true. But most of us believe everything we read in papers, especially if it is related to health and wellness, and think just because it is reported in some foreign magazines or newspapers it might be true. Sometimes it is better to take information pitched in science journals about something studied comprehensively too with a pinch of salt. This becomes even more important when you see some self proclaimed gurus come out with claims on what you should eat, drink and do to be healthy on tv every morn. Watch out for the real data and not the spoofed up facts. How you can be cheating yourself when you read things and follow or best put, you self-medicate.

Why I think Anna should eat!

I am amazed and happy about the marketing success of Anna's agitation and how people, especially the Gen Y has connected to the vision of a corruption free India. How impressive is the ideal and the Lokpal bill is a pioneering step towards this direction. I am proud to be born in a country where a common man or a group of people could hold the government responsible and stop its functioning. Democracy is one of the least praised and understood blessings.

I have to admit that I love the idea but being someone who likes to look at things in a practical way especially when it comes to buying into the Utopian ideas, I have to admit, I am a tough buyer. A great cause is great because it is very very difficult to achieve. If I were Anna(which I am not and might never be), I would accept the bill minus the PM and then get it to move as swiftly as possible to reality.

Let's face it. I have personally faced or have close friends who have seen corruption rampant in hospitals, police station, railway stations, restaurants, government offices, private offices, parents, children, friends, even autowalas and every other place imaginable. People cheat. That is their unchangeable character. If you find someone who doesn't, it is a rarity. Corruption is at all levels and cannot be routed out so easily with just one bill nor can it be changed with one single swipe. All the governments, since our independence, and on a larger scale since the beginning of history has had people who would do anything to earn some extra chai-money. Simple solutions might not be the way to look at it.

Let's think about it. Even if we bring back all the black money and use it to develop India, >80% of it will not reach the final beneficiary; Even if it did, >90% of all the money brought back will go back to the people who presently own it in another 10-15 years. I wish Anna would eat and live long enough to see a lot of changes.


Prompting ideals on a blog is easier but if our politicians are serious about it and want to support Anna, I mean really support him, let them come forward and declare they wouldn't accept anything which isn't theirs for the next five years. Can we get some 50 MPs, 50 MLAs, 50 IAS officers, 50 Railway TCs, 50 policemen who would do this? You know the answer.

Is corruption universal? I think so. However, there are exceptions to it. I have also seen many sincere officers who have lived within their means and have treated bribery or any other corruption like cancer and stayed away from it all their life. The result? One rented house or shanty with minimal access to health care and daily requirements or even worse. But you know what is the greatest asset they possess? A guilt free mind and Himalayan satisfaction that they have done the right thing. This probably is a rarity, may be only those of higher birth can afford to experience.

This world wont bargain for your simpleton principles Anna. They are so happy without the knowledge of their soul being traded to Mephistopheles while they admire the beauty of worldly riches. So for all practical purposes, Anna should happily eat.

Learn from Kardashian

There are 4 marketing attributes that small businesses can learn from Kardashian.

1. Exposure is critical: Every company needs a steady stream of exposure. Consumers will readily forget your name, products and services. It is important to remind them every day about your organization. You must have a clear message and be creative in your presentation. Kim Kardashian makes sure she is photographed at events, walking on the street or getting a manicure. 
2. Control the news: One of the best marketing tactics is to befriend others; groups, individuals and/or news organizations. Let people and organizations know what your business is about, how you benefit the community and upcoming events. Toot your horn so that the entire world may hear the music. Several weeks before Kris Humphries and Kim Kardashian became engaged, Kim was quoted in the news as saying "I want to get married." Translation – Attention Kris, I am expecting a proposal. Attention news organizations; get ready for a bidding war for the wedding photos. Kim definitely controlled the news.
3. Make consumers want more: All forms of positive publicity are important. Consumers are eager to be reminded of exciting events, have their minds taken off negative aspects of the economy and learn about savings or events that will benefit them. Vera Wang is rarely if ever photographed walking down the streets of NY. Wang did something unheard to promote the Kardashian wedding gown. About one week before Kim's wedding, Vera and Kim were photographed together walking down a NY street. The associated article discussed the upcoming wedding, Kim's dress designed by Wang and the star-studded event in general. The publicity stunt left consumers (i.e., readers of gossip magazines) wanting more.
4. Be creative in your marketing: Marketing a company may take many different formats. Just because you used electronic billboards in one location in the past doesn't mean they should be used in the future. Constantly examine the marketing goals with activities. Ask "are the efforts bringing in the desired amount of sales?" If not, make changes. The Humphries-Kardashian wedding is estimated to bring in a lot of money for the newlyweds. It was reported that People magazine paid $1.5 million for exclusive rights to the wedding photos. E! had exclusive rights to video the ceremony. E! is scheduled to the ceremony on two nights. The amount paid to the newlyweds was not disclosed. Kim certainly was creative in marketing her summer 2011 activities. I'm not saying that she became a bride for financial reasons; it simply was a bonus.  

Prayer

Reading: Acts 16:22-34

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,

and you will be saved and your entire household" (Acts 16:31)

"I am a wretched sinner; Jesus Christ is my Saviour.

                                                This is the greatest of all my discoveries!"

                                            (Sir James Simpson, Inventor of Chloroform)

 

Can you be positive?

Can you be positive? Well, then how much? How does it effect your life? How much does it change you and everything around you? Being positive is a challenge. Being positive is a change you should take. Positiveness is contagious and is a good way.

Try spreading some cheer, a lot of positiveness and smile a lot. It makes things better. Just a lot more better. For you, for your team, for your employees and most importantly for your consumers!

Now, can you be positive?

How great thou art!

Thank you Lord for everything I have got and for everything you have done.

Monday Blues: I love Mondays

I love Mondays. Here is why.

1. God loved Sunday and blessed it! 
2. She has a tough job to do
3. No one likes her and still she manages to turn up
4. No matter how good she can be, she is always compared to Sunday

Now that is called guts and determination. If we had half that attitude and courage...

I am moved!

Well, keeping the Live young spirit on, here is one more commercial for you to smile about. Love this team and their ads. Keep it up guys. Yes, I am moved!

Live Young

What is left for creating in advertising that will catch your world? Well there seems to be a lot more than what you think is left. 

Here is proof. Though it is a pretty old commercial, it caught my attention and couldn't stop posting it. Life is good when you live young and living young is an art, not for the faint-hearted, easily demotivated and give-up-along-the-way type of people.

Living young is a challenge, taking each day as it comes, learning, changing, improving, evolving. Life is a game, Each day being a lap. Keep running till you are the winner.

Good luck and God bless! Have a wonderful weekend!