Motivation, Positive Thinking and Life Skills

Session 1: The way to GreatnessYear 2013: The Way To Greatness

2Summary

Session 2: I fear Nothing.And I believe in myselffor everything.

Session 3: I will never give this world a chance to point fingers atmy character.Session 4:

I will be noble-hearted, andalso Able-minded.

Session 6:My relationships are my responsibility,. So, I will take You – turns.

Session 5: I am a Masterpiece, andI am proud of I.

I deserve the BEST. I want to make it very very big in LIFE. I want to be a LEGEND. I want to be GREAT.

Session 7:I will settle for nothing but thebest, because I deserve the best.

Session 1Enthusiastic about anything andExcellence in everything.

3

Session 1: The Way to Greatness

• Gas Balloon

• The way to Greatness

• Change is the changeless law

• Realizations from Dragonfly Story

• Enthusiasm is life

• Excellence in everything

• Key Takeaways

Enthusiastic about anything and Excellence in everything.S1

4

Session 1: Gas Balloon

• It is not the outside of a balloon that takes it to the top, but it is the inside of

the balloon that takes it to the top.

• Every human being is made of the same inside stuff.

• The God who created Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa and Abdul Kalam is

the same God who created you.

S1Enthusiastic about anything and Excellence in everything.

5

Session 1: The way to Greatness

• You don’t become a Mahatma Gandhi and then develop Mahatma qualities.

• Simple human beings, when they are still simple human beings, develop

certain great qualities, which make them great.

• YOU, as you are, must develop certain great qualities, which will make you

great.


6

Session 1: Change is the Changeless law

• The most important quality of great people is the willingness to change.

• Change is the willingness to give up who you are in order to become what you

can be.

• That which does not change does not grow.

• Grow – you must. So, change – you must. Hence you cannot avoid

uncomfortable transitions. Growth and change are inseparable.


7

Session 1: Key Realizations from Dragonfly Story

• One of the Water Bug becomes Dragon Fly. Remaining Water bugs think,

“Why would anybody give up this comfortable life, great friends, and move

up in search of a new life?”

• This water bug to dragonfly story has THREE profound lessons to teach us:

– Realization 1: Great People never thought what is EASY for them. They

always thought what is GOOD for them.

– Realization 2: True growth is only when your own past seems like

someone else’s past.

– Realization 3: In that one water bug becoming a dragonfly, it will inspire

a lot of other water bugs to become a dragonfly.


8

Session 1: Enthusiasm is life

• The 1st change is to “Learn to live life enthusiastically”

• Put Enthusiasm into everything you do.

– Speak a little louder

– Walk a little faster

– Move a little quicker

– Laugh from your belly

– Maintain eye contact

• Be enthusiastic about life. Be enthusiasm on the move.

• As T.T.Rangarajan would always say, “Be excited to be alive.”

• Nothing great has ever been achieved without Enthusiasm.


9

Session 1: Excellence in Everything

• The next change “Excellence in everything”

• To simply put it, if you can dot every “i” and cross every “t” that is what Excellence is all about.

• Think Excellence. Breathe Excellence.

• The mantra is “Enthusiastic about anything and Excellence in everything.”


10

Session 1: Key Takeaways

• The God who created the Mahatma Gandhi, the Mother Terasa, the Abdul

Kalam, the Rajinikanth, the Viswanathan Anand, and the Saina Nehwal is

the same God who created you. If they can do it, you too can do it.

• When you are still Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, you develop certain

qualities, which make you a Mahatma Gandhi.

• Grow – you must. So, change – you must. So you cannot avoid the

uncomfortable transitions.

• Change is giving up who you are to become what you can become.

• The mantra is “Enthusiastic about anything and Excellence in

everything”


11

Session 2: “I fear nothing. And I believe in myself for everything.”

• The Power of One

• The metaphor of chess

• To live is to live fearlessly

• Believe in yourself

• Right and Wrong ways to feel like a hero

• Key Messages

S2I fear nothing. And I believe in myself for everything.

12

Session 2: The Power of One

• Power of ONE.

– In the way he walked this planet, millions attained freedom and the world

has never been the same again - Mahatma Gandhi.

• That’s the power of man.

• That’s the power of one man.

• And, that power is sleeping inside each one of you.

• You can change your life, and in turn change the world.

• You can lift yourself, and in turn lift the world.

• You don’t have to be one IN the crowd. You can be the one ABOVE the crowd.


13

Session 2: The Metaphor of Chess

• William Shakespeare said -

– Some are born great. King on the chessboard. No capabilities.

– Some achieve greatness (Pawn), and

– Some have greatness thrust upon them (The queen, the pair of bishops).

• Pawn is just a pawn in the beginning.

• It appears so insignificant.

• Yet, it is just a few squares away from achieving greatness.


14

Session 2: To live is to live fearlessly

• One quality to be developed during adolescence is to become fearless.

• You have to conquer fear. In fact, to live is to live fearlessly.

• Fear stops man. Nothing stops man as fear does. Fear is a major self-hurdle.

• You won’t speak in public because you fear facing people. Fear of facing public will hinder your leadership possibilities, as there is no leadership without communication.

• Suggestions to overcome fear:

– Repeatedly flirt with fear.

– Never do a thing that you think you will have to hide from your parents or teachers.

– Have the courage to be honest.

– Have the courage to say ‘Sorry’.


15

Session 2: Believe in Yourself

• It is equally important that you believe in yourself for everything. • It does not matter whether your parents / teachers / friends, believe in you or

not… What matters is, Y-G-B - You Got to Believe in yourself.• Being blind didn't stop Stevie Wonder from winning the Grammy. • Being short didn't affect Sachin Tendulkar from being legendary cricketer. • In spite of poor eye sight, Abinav Bindra won the Olympic gold. • Dhirubhai Ambani started with 15,000 Rupees and N R Narayana Murthy with

10,000 Rupees. Yet today, Reliance and Infosys are world famous organizations. How?

• The message from the life of all these world movers is that they practiced the Y-G-B mantra - they believed in themselves.

• Let the mantra be “I fear nothing. And, I believe in myself for everything”


16

Session 2: Right and Wrong ways to feel like a hero

• You build your self-belief by getting the direction of your intelligence right.

• You can either use your intelligence to choose the wrong ways to feel like a

hero

OR

• You can direct your intelligence to choose the right ways to feel like a hero.


17

Session 2: Key Messages

• You don’t have to be one IN the crowd. You can be the one ABOVE the

crowd. Direct your intelligence on positive ways.

• Respect everybody. Fear nobody.

• Avoid fear – it grows. Face fear – it goes.

• When there is nothing to avoid and nothing to hide, there is nothing to fear.

• Have the courage to be honest. Have the courage to say sorry.

• To live is to live fearlessly.

• YGB – Even if no one believes in you, You Got to Believe in yourself.

• The mantra is “I fear nothing. I believe in myself for everything.”


18

Session 3: “I will never give this world a chance to point a finger at my character.”

• You are a Sleeping Potential

• Certain lives are born out of certain speeches

• The wake-up call

• The fragile adolescent years

• Where is the problem?

• What’s the solution?

• Key Messages

S3I will never give this world a chance to point finger at my character

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Session 3: You are Sleeping Potential

• Thousands of horsepower is sleeping inside each of us

• Raring to go - Wanting to be ignited…

• Endowed with the seeds of greatness,

• Engineered for VERY big things in life…

• Each one of us are a sleeping potential,

• Ready to be awakened


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Session 3: Certain lives are born out of certain speeches

• Certain speeches are born out of certain lives.

• Certain lives are born out of certain speeches.

• Once we become great, speeches will be born out of our lives.

• Till then, we need speeches to help us to become great.

• Words of wisdom - Take the suggestions of others, implement it

• Unwanted Advices - When there is resistance to others suggestions


21

Session 3: The wake-up call

• A young sculptor - A young man - Model as King

• 30 years later - Same Sculptor - Same Model - But now as a Beggar

• In-between the Model squandered his life

• 90 out of 100 people have lost a sense of direction

• Take complete responsibility for your own life in your secondary formative

years


22

Session 3: The fragile adolescent years

• Crave for identity

• Body has gone through some hormonal changes

• Lack maturity and exposure to be man-enough or lady-enough

• Temptations of life during adolescent years are like the thorns. Life during

this phase is like a piece of cloth. It is better to ensure it doesn’t fall on the

thorns at all.


23

Session 3: Where is the problem?

• Decisions are driven more by pain and pleasure than right and wrong

• Decisions born out of pain and pleasure will definitely mislead you in life.

• Decisions have to be born out of right and wrong and that is what character

is all about.

• Get the grounds of your decision-making to Right and Wrong

• You don’t have to fall to rise.

• You don’t have to pay any price to learn the lessons.


24

Session 3: What’s the solution?

• I will only choose the right ways to feel like a hero.

• Quality of your life is your responsibility and yours alone.

• Strong willpower and a strong value system are the foundations for a life of

character

• Develop creative habits, instead of destructive ones

• Friends have the power to make you or break you


25


• “Why should I be good?” You should be good, because, the greatest gift

you can ever give yourself is to be able to say, “I will never give this world a

chance to point a finger on my character.”

• I know you will make it very very big in life, but I also want you to be a very

very good human being.

• Your life and your death is in your own hands

• Be good and make your parents/teachers/school/country/god proud

• The mantra is : “I will never give this world a chance to point a finger

on my character.”


26

Session 4: “I will be noble-hearted, and also able-minded.”

• A good human being should also be competent

• Multiple Intelligence

• Education makes all the difference

• Expand your thinking

• It is never too late to begin

• What’s your learning style?

• How to get more out of studies?

• What to do on the day of examination?

• Key Messages

S4I will be noble-hearted, and also able-minded.

27

Session 4: A good human being should also be competent

S4

• Neither being a good human being, but not being competent is accepted;

• Nor being competent, but not being a good human being is accepted;

• Need is for a good human being who is also competent;

• Let the mantra is, "I will be noble-hearted and also able-minded."

Noble

I will be noble-hearted, and also able-minded.

28

Session 4: Multiple Intelligences

S4

• Every Human Being has Multiple Intelligence

• People who make it to the top are those who develop themselves in Multiple

Intelligences.

• Extra-curricular activities play big role in developing Multiple Intelligence.

• One of the most important aspects of Multiple Intelligence is Academic

Intelligence


29

Session 4: Education makes all the difference

S4

• The difference between the Indians who go abroad as 'White-Collar

Employees' and 'Blue-Collar Workers‘ is Education.

• It doesn't matter whether you like it , enjoy it , happy about it or not - You

must focus on Education.

• Work hard, systematize, and take help from your parents and teachers. Do

whatever it takes to become good in studies.

• Hold on to this belief, Education makes all the difference.


30

Session 4: Expand your thinking

S4

• Unless one dares to think BIG, one cannot become BIG.

• Your results in life will only match the size of your thinking.

• Irrespective of how you have been till now, decide to bounce big in life. It is

never too late to begin.

• Expand your thinking.

• Average can become good, the good can become better, the better can be

the best and even the best can scale higher standards.


31

Session 4: It is never too late to begin

S4

• The harder you press the spring and when you release it, the faster it will

bounce back.

• Decide to bounce big in life and see how life will turn around.


32

Session 4: What’s your learning style?

S4

• Three common types of learning styles: Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic.

– Visual : They learn best what they see.

– Auditory : They learn best what they hear .

– Kinesthetic : They learn best what they feel.

• No one learning style is better than another. Each has its own advantages

and drawbacks, depending on what you're trying to learn.


33

Session 4: How to get more out of studies?

S4

• Learning Tools to get more out of your studies– Learning Methodology : Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic– 50-minute hour : Average attention span of most human beings 50 min– Study as a unit : Break down syllabus into units– Key point notebook : Write down all key points in a notebook– Make learning pleasurable : Maintain Flow Charts– Peak Hours : Identify Peak Hours– Dedicated study space : Separate space for studying– A ritual before you begin : Practice ritual before beginning to study


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Session 4: What to do on the day of examination?

S4

• Practice BADAM

– B – Breakfast. Don’t Skip Breakfast

– A – Add more Color to Diet. Like Fruits, Vegetables

– D – Drink at least 6 glasses of water

– A – Avoid junk food.

– M – Moderation is key.

• While writing the examination start with what you know.

• After the exams never discuss your answers with others.


35


S4

• Resolve to be a good human being who will also be competent.

• Resolve to develop yourself in Multiple Intelligence.

• Remember “Education makes all the difference. “

• The Mantra is, "I will be noble-hearted, and also able-minded."


36

Session 5: “I am a Masterpiece, and I am proud of I.”

• The three relationships• I am born to win• I am a blessed human being• I have the courage to be different from the crowd• I will appreciate• I will take the initiative• I am a Masterpiece• Key Messages

S5I am a Masterpiece, and I am proud of I.

37 S5

Session 5: The three relationships

• Life primarily hinges on three relationships:

– Intra relationship: Your relationship with yourself.

– Inter relationship: Your relationship with others.

– Transcendental relationship: Your relationship with the force above.

• Swami Vivekananda said, your belief in the creator can’t help you much, unless you also believe in his creation – that’s yourself.

• How the world sees you will make only a small difference to you, but how you see yourself will make all the difference to you.

I am a Masterpiece, and I am proud of I.

38 S5

Session 5: I am born to win

• Out of 700 million sperms from father, racing towards 1 egg in mother ; only

1 emerges as Winner.

• YOU are that Winning Sperm.

• Your very birth is a symbol of victory. You are born to win.

• Your very beginning was winning.

• I am proud of I - because I am born to win.


39 S5

Session 5: I am a blessed human being

• It is a great blessing to be born as a human being.

• It is a great blessing to be born to such wonderful parents who have always

given you more than what they have for themselves.

• It is a great blessing to get a proper education in a proper school.

• I am proud of I, because I am a blessed human being


40 S5

Session 5: I have the courage to be different from the crowd

• Never lose yourself to gain someone else.

• You are here to be you… just you.

• It is easy to be one in the crowd.

• It needs courage to be different from the crowd.

• I am proud of I, because I will develop the courage to be different from the

crowd.


41 S5

Session 5: I will appreciate

• Most people cannot appreciate others that easily and they also cannot

handle it, when others appreciate them.

• How can you feel proud of yourself, if you cannot even accept the

appreciation of others?

• Learn to feel good about yourself.

• Learn to appreciate. Learnt to enjoy it when you are appreciated.

• I am proud of I, because I will no more miss a single opportunity to

appreciate.


42 S5

Session 5: I will take the initiative

• People who feel proud of themselves always take the initiative.

• People who refuse to take the initiative keep rejecting themselves.

• If you want to be proud of yourself, you must always take the initiative.

• I am proud of I, because I will always take the initiative.


43 S5

Session 5: I am a Masterpiece

• Stop comparing yourself with others - that’s negative comparison.

• Strive to make every today of yours better than yesterday - that’s positive

comparison.

• The feeling “I can” is achieved by C.A.N.I, which is

Consistent And Never-ending Improvement.

• YOU are a unique, original, rare masterpiece, specially designed by God.

Then, why at all compare yourself with anybody else.

• Simply strive to make every today of yours better than your yesterday.

• I am proud of I, because I am a Masterpiece.


44 S5


• Remember, you are born to win.

• Remember, you are a blessed human being.

• Have the courage to be different from the crowd.

• Always appreciate. Also, gracefully accept appreciations.

• Always be the first to take the initiative.

• The Mantra is “I am a Masterpiece, and I am proud of I.”


45

Session 6: “My relationships are my responsibility. So, I will take the You-turns.”

• TEAM• Your relationships are your responsibility• You-Turn• Make people feel respected• Do not laugh at other’s expense• Will not speak bad but will speak all the good• Admit it immediately when you are wrong• Will first listen and only then speak• Will communicate in questions• Will clarify my expectations• Expectations fulfilled and unfulfilled• Key Messages

S6My relationships are my responsibility. So, I will take You-turns.

46

Session 6: TEAM

• TEAM - T.ogether E.verybody A.chieves M.ore

• Life is all about leadership

• Leadership is all about relationships

• TEAM is all about relationships


47

Session 6: Your relationships are your responsibility

• When your relationships get disturbed, it disturbs your happiness.

• Without happiness what is life?

• Blaming makes no sense

• The quality of your relationships is your responsibility and yours alone.

• In the road called life, in dealing with the traffic called relationships, it is not

the question of whose mistake, but it is question of whose life?


48

Session 6: You-Turn

• The ‘U - Turn’ road sign tells you ‘YOU - Turn’

• Teaches you the essence of relationship

• Don’t expect others to turn

• I got the man right and the world became right

• To get your relationships right, you have to get your approach to

relationships right

• Mahatma Gandhi said, “Become the change you wish to see”


49

Session 6: Make people feel respected

• The first You-Turn: I will make people feel respected.

• It is not the question of whether you respect people or not.

• THEY should feel respected and it comes from the way you relate with them.

• There must be respect in your words.

• There must be respect in the tone of your voice.

• There must be respect in your body language

• Make your parents, teachers, classmates, grandparents, siblings feel

respected


50

Session 6: Do not laugh at other’s expense

• The next You-Turn: I will not laugh at other’s expense.

• There is a huge difference between nicknames and pet names.

• Nickname - Don’t cut somebody’s leg for you to look tall

• Sarcasm is cheap humour.

• Laughing at other’s expense is cheap humour.

• Drop the habit of laughing at others.


51

Session 6: Will not speak bad but will speak all the good

• The next You-Turn: I will not speak bad about people, but will speak all the

good I can of people.

• Socrates - Filter Test.

– The first filter is Truth

– The second filter is Goodness

– The final filter is Usefulness

• Be a good finder and a good news spreader.

• People should feel, when you talk, something good will be discussed

• Every day, speak at least five good things about your family / teachers /

school / city / anything


52

Session 6: Admit it immediately when you are wrong

• The next You-Turn: I will admit it immediately when I know I am wrong

• You don’t have to carry the burden of your mistakes in your head

• Admit it immediately and feel liberated.

• Cowards hide their mistakes

• To err is human, but to admit it is being super human

• By admitting your mistakes when you know you are wrong - you win the trust

of people


53

Session 6: Will first listen and only then speak

• The next You-Turn: I will first listen and only then speak.

• Speak only after you listen completely.


54

Session 6: Will communicate in questions

• The next You-Turn: I will communicate in questions instead of giving direct

orders.

• Human ego feels offended when you communicate in orders.

• Orders and commands are only for the armed and the uniformed forces.

Not for happy relationships.

• Develop the art of communicating through questions than through direct

orders. It will make a lot of difference to your relationships.


55

Session 6: Will clarify my expectations

• The next You-Turn: I will clarify my expectations.

• The root trouble in relationship is that nobody will know what your

expectations are unless you tell them.

• You tend to assume that they will know your expectations, which leads to so

many disappointments in relationships.


56

Session 6: Expectations fulfilled and unfulfilled

• The most important You-Turn: I understand not all my expectations will be

fulfilled. I also understand not all my expectations will remain unfulfilled.

• You were created to serve the world and it is not the other way around. The

world was not created to serve you. If you understand this you will

understand all your expectations will not be fulfilled.

• Life will even out everything. If you can remember He is God and you are

not the God, you will understand, neither will all your expectations be

fulfilled, nor will all your expectations remain unfulfilled.


57


• The mantra is, “My relationships are my responsibility. So, I will take the You-Turns.”

• And the You-Turns you will take are:– You will make people feel respected.– You will not laugh at other’s expense.– You will not speak bad about people, but will speak all the good you can

of people.– You will admit it immediately when you know you are wrong.– You will first listen and only then speak.– You will communicate in questions instead of giving direct orders.– You will clarify your expectations.– You understand that not all your expectations will be fulfilled. You also

understand that not all your expectations will remain unfulfilled


58

Session 7: “I will settle for nothing but the best, because I deserve the best.”

• Consistent Directed Self-Motivated Effort (CDSE)

• Time Management

• Energy on the move

• Learning, Earning and Returning

• Be a proud Indian

• Key Messages

S7I will settle for nothing but the best, because I deserve the best.

59

Session 7: Consistent Directed Self-Motivated Effort (CDSE)

• Law of Life ‘You do not get in life what you desire; you only get what you deserve’.

• You can turn your desires into deservingness, when desires are backed up with Consistent Directed Self-motivated Effort (C.D.S.E.)

• First is effort. – Put in the required effort.– Life is about 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.

• Second: This effort has to be self-motivated. – The spark has to come from within.

• Third: The self-motivated efforts need a direction.– Activity without direction is change. – Activity with direction is progress.

• Finally, there has to be consistency to the directed, self-motivated effort – Consistency is the hallmark of greatness.


60

Session 7: Time Management

• If there is one aspect of life where there is no partiality, it is with regard to

TIME.

• Everybody has only 24 hours in a day.

• If you know how to get the best out of your time, you can get the best out of

your life.

• TIMEPIECE LOST can be bought again; but TIME LOST stays LOST.

• If you know the VALUE OF TIME, you will know the VALUE OF LIFE.

• That on which you invest time, you will achieve

• Ensure that the right quantum of time goes to the right activities, you will get

your life right


61

Session 7: Energy on the move

• As great is the resource called time, so great is yet another resource called

energy.

• Great people bring a great amount of Energy into all their activities.

• Not much energy is required, if you want ordinary things in life

• For Achieving Greatness, you will have to be the ‘energy on the move’

– ‘Early to Bed and Early to Rise make a man healthy and wise’

– You have to be physically involved in a Dynamic Activity - 30 minutes a

day

– Eat Energy rich food – nothing to beat fruits, vegetables and nuts


62

Session 7: Learning, Earning and Returning

• Commit your life to Learning, Earning and Returning.

• All great people had been voracious readers.

• Schooling will stop, but let learning never stop

• Earn – we must. Earn a lot – we must

• Money in the hands of a good human being will create a new world.

• If you give, you will be given.

• The joy of having is in sharing.

• Learning, earning and returning are not separate phases of life, but they are

simultaneous and continuous.

• Learning, earning and returning are the ways to greatness.


63

Session 7: Be a proud Indian

• John F Kennedy said, “Ask what you can do for the country and not what

the country can do for you.”

– What can you do for India?

– What are you willing to do for India?

– What role will you play in making India a proud nation?

• Every Indian has the responsibility to make India proud.

• The greatness of a man is complete only when his contributions to his

motherland are greater than what he had consumed from his motherland.

• Always be a proud Indian, do India proud and never cease to answer this

questions, “What am I willing to do for India?”


64


• The mantra is “I will settle for nothing but the best, because I deserve the best.”

• Sir Edmund Hillary: Even as Mount Everest you can’t grow any further; but I,

as a human being can.

• There is no limit, whatsoever - no limit for Human Potential.

• So remember, Mount Everest will not grow any further,

• The Sun will get no farther,

• The Pacific will get no deeper,

• The earth will not grow bigger

But ‘YOU’, ‘YOU’ can keep growing endlessly,

‘YOU’ can grow limitlessly.


65Conclusion Summary

Session 2: I fear Nothing.And I believe in myselffor everything.

Session 3: I will never give this world a chance to point fingers atmy character.Session 4:

I will be noble-hearted, andalso Able-minded.

Session 6:My relationships are my responsibility,. So, I will take You – turns.

Session 5: I am a Masterpiece, andI am proud of I.

You should make it very big in Life. See you on the top.

Session 7:I will settle for nothing but thebest, because I deserve the best.

Session 1Enthusiastic about anything andExcellence in everything.

Motivation, Positive Thinking and Life Skills

Business

simple human

fragile adolescent

mahatma gandhi

remain unfulfilled

key messages

key takeaways

education

sleeping potential