“It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.” - Mahatma Gandhi
Now-a-days, people give so much of importance to materialistic considerations rather than to health. They earn a lot but unfortunately they shell out a lot to medical expenses. Besides, they don’t enjoy blissful life due to health complications although they have lot of money. They are subject to fatigue and mental tension. When people focus too much on materialistic and worldly pleasures they tend to neglect their health. As a result, they suffer at the end. For instance, the pop star, Michael Jackson had lot of wealth but unfortunately he had poor health and it cost his life. A few celebrities suffer with several health complications despite being blessed with lot of wealth. In this context, given below are a few tips for maintaining good health.
Tips for Good Health:
“The first wealth is health.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
• Hit gym regularly. A regular exercise enhances life expectancy and longevity and keeps agile and active.
• Involve in physical activities wherever it is possible. Prefer to climb stairs rather than to escalators or elevators.
• Avoid alcoholism. Excessive drinking is always unhealthy.
• If you lead a sedentary lifestyle then it is time you need to exercise your body. Those who work with computer systems should take break at regular intervals of time and walk around for lifting their energy levels.
• Go for swimming regularly as entire body gets worked out during swimming resulting into overall physical fitness.
• Drink lot of water as it energies body and hydrates the system.
• Always take nutritious food especially fruits and salads. Avoid junk food. And also oily and fatty food.
• Consume a diet that is rich in carbohydrates just before and after a heavy work out for better health.
• Take food at regular intervals of time for better digestion.
• Go either for yoga or meditation.
• Go to a serene place and spend time as solitude is fortitude.
• Say no to drugs and tobacco.
• Go to bed at regular time everyday.
• Go for regular medical check up.
• Never brood over the unpleasant past as it not only disturbs peace of mind but also wastes time.
• Go for a stroll with family members once in a while as it promotes better understanding among the family members as well as relaxes your mind.
Conclusion:
"He who has health has hope, and he who has hope has everything." -Arabian Proverb
Although technology has brought several comforts to mankind it has also brought out several health hazards. Life has become highly challenging with lot of uncertainty and complexity. People should realize the importance of health and spend some time daily on health oriented activities. Spending time on regular fitness should not be treated as an expense rather an investment. You can achieve anything and everything if health is good. To sum up, health is more important than wealth.
The End
Friday, September 4, 2009
“YSR – A Leader Par Excellence” – Prof.M.S.Rao
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” - Winston Churchill
Yeduguri Sandinti Rajasekhara Reddy who was popularly called as YSR was born in Pulivendala of Kadappa district of Andhra Pradesh on 08 July 1949. After completion of his course in medical science, he set up a hospital named after his late father Raja Reddy. At the age of 28, he successfully contested elections and entered state assembly. He was blend of both tenderness and fierceness. He was loved by friends but envied by enemies.
He was elected six times from Pulivendula assembly and four times from Kadappa Lok Sabha seats which is a record for any politician in his lifetime. He developed an insatiable appetite for challenges.
In the initial stage, he was an angry young man and later on he reinvented himself as per the changing times and finally evolved as a successful politician. He shrewdly mixed progress with politics. He launched several innovative programs for the benefit of farmers and he was pro-poor. He was one of the most powerful regional satraps. He was noted for strong fighting skills. He was an early riser with lot of self-discipline.
He had differences with late P.V.Narasimha Rao as the latter did not appreciate the background of the former. Probably Narasimha Rao knew the potential of YSR and kept him at a bay.
He was a great leader, visionary and a true human being. He was a self-made political leader. He was filled with energy and enthusiasm. He has passion to serve people. He walked the length and bread of the state for 1,500 kilometers in 2003 to connect with the common man. He had compassion for the poor and downtrodden.
YSR’s Leadership Style:
YSR can be called as a servant leader as he connected with the common man. He was a good listener and was cheerful. He always had vision and mission at heart. He was son of soil. He had friends cutting across political spectrum. He had the uncanny ability to hold the Congress party together. Congress party in the state of Andhra Pradesh was always beset with factionalism and he quelled through his dynamic leadership. He put an end to the concept of musical chairs being played by the Congress high command with his persuasive and confidence building exercises. He was a sympathizer and empathizer. He had tenacity and resilience. He missed the post of Chief Minister by a whisker due to his differences with late P.V.Narasimha Rao. He was a master strategist with political acumen.
Conclusion:
“Great leaders are not born in the minds of the people but they are born in the hearts of the people.”
YSR knew the pulse of the people. He was a man of masses and messiah of farmers. He evolved as a true mass and tall leader in the history of Andhra Pradesh. The void created due to the tragic death of YSR in chopper crash on 02 September 2009 cannot be filled easily. Andhra Pradesh lost a great leader and it is very difficult to replicate his phenomenon in the state.
The End
Yeduguri Sandinti Rajasekhara Reddy who was popularly called as YSR was born in Pulivendala of Kadappa district of Andhra Pradesh on 08 July 1949. After completion of his course in medical science, he set up a hospital named after his late father Raja Reddy. At the age of 28, he successfully contested elections and entered state assembly. He was blend of both tenderness and fierceness. He was loved by friends but envied by enemies.
He was elected six times from Pulivendula assembly and four times from Kadappa Lok Sabha seats which is a record for any politician in his lifetime. He developed an insatiable appetite for challenges.
In the initial stage, he was an angry young man and later on he reinvented himself as per the changing times and finally evolved as a successful politician. He shrewdly mixed progress with politics. He launched several innovative programs for the benefit of farmers and he was pro-poor. He was one of the most powerful regional satraps. He was noted for strong fighting skills. He was an early riser with lot of self-discipline.
He had differences with late P.V.Narasimha Rao as the latter did not appreciate the background of the former. Probably Narasimha Rao knew the potential of YSR and kept him at a bay.
He was a great leader, visionary and a true human being. He was a self-made political leader. He was filled with energy and enthusiasm. He has passion to serve people. He walked the length and bread of the state for 1,500 kilometers in 2003 to connect with the common man. He had compassion for the poor and downtrodden.
YSR’s Leadership Style:
YSR can be called as a servant leader as he connected with the common man. He was a good listener and was cheerful. He always had vision and mission at heart. He was son of soil. He had friends cutting across political spectrum. He had the uncanny ability to hold the Congress party together. Congress party in the state of Andhra Pradesh was always beset with factionalism and he quelled through his dynamic leadership. He put an end to the concept of musical chairs being played by the Congress high command with his persuasive and confidence building exercises. He was a sympathizer and empathizer. He had tenacity and resilience. He missed the post of Chief Minister by a whisker due to his differences with late P.V.Narasimha Rao. He was a master strategist with political acumen.
Conclusion:
“Great leaders are not born in the minds of the people but they are born in the hearts of the people.”
YSR knew the pulse of the people. He was a man of masses and messiah of farmers. He evolved as a true mass and tall leader in the history of Andhra Pradesh. The void created due to the tragic death of YSR in chopper crash on 02 September 2009 cannot be filled easily. Andhra Pradesh lost a great leader and it is very difficult to replicate his phenomenon in the state.
The End
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Is Humility the Hallmark of Great Leaders?
“I believe the first test of a truly great man is his humility. I do not mean by humility, doubt of his own power, or hesitation in speaking his opinions; but a right understanding of the relation between what he can do and say, and the rest of the world’s saying and doings.” – John Ruskin, Modern Painters (1843)
When there is storm the strongest and biggest trees get uprooted but a simple grass survives by changing its direction in tune with the storm and comes back to normal position after the storm goes away. The tree is very strong with its roots and not in a position to change its direction. As a result, it gets uprooted. But a simple grass changes its direction through its flexibility and survives from storm. In fact, the simple grass stands taller than a tree. It demonstrates its humility and survives successfully from storm. The people those who are successful in the world have one of the greatest virtues i.e. humility.
What is Humility?
“Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself than of other people, nor does it mean having a low opinion of your own gifts. It means freedom from thinking about yourself at all.” - William Temple
People often think assertiveness either as aggressiveness or submissiveness although it does not mean the same. Similarly humility is neither inferiority nor superiority complex. It is neither submissiveness nor aggressiveness. It is neither undervaluing oneself nor overvaluing oneself. It is neither talking low of oneself nor blowing one’s trumpet. To put it succinctly in the words of Charles Haddon Spurgeon, “Humility is to make a right estimate of one's self.”
Humility is all about modesty. People often confuse between humility with timidity. Both are poles apart. Humility is all against pride while timidity is absence of courage. Humility is admitting that you don’t know everything and asking others for help. You must be able to consult and seek help from your subordinates, or peers who are experts in a particular area. It is treating others with respect without any arrogance. It is about listening to others. It is being courteous with others whether you need help or not. It is also about allowing the wrong doers to save their face in the presence of all. Humility is the hallmark of great people and it is one of the greatest virtues of all.
True Humility Vs False Humility:
“True merit, like a river, the deeper it is, the less noise it makes.” - Edward Frederick Halifax
When people submit so as to gain something from others by way of promotions, perks, or recognition, we may call such behavior as false humility. However, when people demonstrate their simplicity and humility through thick and thin without expecting anything in return we may call the behavior as true humility. Therefore, both true humility and false humility are poles apart and it is always the true humility that alone triumphs in the world.
Advantages of Humility:
“We come nearest to the great when we are great in humility.” - Rabindranath Tagore
There are endless advantages with humility. You can expect friendly and warm relations from others thus improving your relations with others. You can command respect from everyone. It presents and projects you in a positive light in front of others. It minimizes anxiety and maximizes performance at the workplace. It eliminates the conflicts arising out of ego clashes. The pleasure you get out of humility is truly immense.
Leaders with Humility:
“To become truly great, one has to stand with people, not above them.” - Marleen
Charles de Montesquieu
One of the greatest traits of great leaders is their humility. It keeps leaders rise above the rest. It makes them totally different and distinct from others. It requires humility to accept failures. It requires humility to give credit to the deserving people rather than swallowing. In case of a failure, a good leader says, “We have failed because of my mistake”. In case of a success a good leader says, “We have succeeded because of the efforts of our team”. It requires not only courage but also humility to accept the debacles and failures. To put it in the words of Eisenhower, “A sense of humility is a quality I have observed in every leader whom I have deeply admired. I have seen Winston Churchill with humble tears of gratitude on his cheeks as he thanked people for their help to Britain and the Allied cause. My own conviction is that every leader should have enough humility to accept, publicly, the responsibility for the mistakes of the subordinates he has himself selected and, likewise, to give them credit, publicly, for their triumphs.”
Jim Collins in his Level 5 leadership mentions that the leader should have both professional will and personal humility. It becomes obvious that one of the key ingredients of leadership is extreme humility. The level 5 leaders are so passionate about their goals that they don’t mind who get credit for their efforts and energies. They are karma yogis. Jesus Christ, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Mother Theresa, to name a few, are indeed the leaders with great humility. They may belong to different spectrum but they stand unique, different and tall from others because of their humility. At times, leaders remain as unsung heroes due to their humility.
How to Practice Humility:
“Wash out your ego every once in a while, as cleanliness is next to godliness not just in body but in humility as well.” - Abbe Yeux-verdi
• Solitude is fortitude. Go to a serene place where there are no external distractions or disturbances. Analyze yourself. Find out your strengths and weaknesses. Look at the ways and means to overcome your weaknesses.
• Practice fasting. Fasting not only cleans the internal system but also enhances inner energies and iron will to become strong and humble.
• Go for meditation. Meditation is the best method of realizing oneself without any external influence. It makes one to think about oneself honestly and helps in bringing the desired changes.
• Always be humble to your superiors, be courtesy with your peers and be kind to your subordinates. This attitude will transform you as a humble person over a period of time.
• Be a karma yogi. Do your duty. Don’t expect rewards for your efforts. Let people judge what you are.
• Remember the slogan, ‘Empty vessels make much noise’. speak less and listen more. The more you listen to others the more you learn and respect others’ knowledge and ideas. It reminds you of the right place you actually belong vis-à-vis others resulting into behavioral changes for refinement and improvement.
• Continuous feedback is essential to know where you stand. Take the feedback honestly without any false ego. It helps you assess yourself how far you are reaching towards humility.
Conclusion:
“Humility is the solid foundation of all virtues.” - Confucius
Humility is a virtue found in the great people. When people achieve one success after another they become more humble. Humility is also possible as one gets older. The humility index goes up when you reach higher positions.
We can learn through the lives of great leaders about the humility. The common thread connecting across all great leaders irrespective of their areas of interest in the world is humility.
Humility is a learned skill. It is essential for everyone to cultivate this skill for gaining acceptance with others and for achieving all round success in life and for making a difference to the world.
The End
When there is storm the strongest and biggest trees get uprooted but a simple grass survives by changing its direction in tune with the storm and comes back to normal position after the storm goes away. The tree is very strong with its roots and not in a position to change its direction. As a result, it gets uprooted. But a simple grass changes its direction through its flexibility and survives from storm. In fact, the simple grass stands taller than a tree. It demonstrates its humility and survives successfully from storm. The people those who are successful in the world have one of the greatest virtues i.e. humility.
What is Humility?
“Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself than of other people, nor does it mean having a low opinion of your own gifts. It means freedom from thinking about yourself at all.” - William Temple
People often think assertiveness either as aggressiveness or submissiveness although it does not mean the same. Similarly humility is neither inferiority nor superiority complex. It is neither submissiveness nor aggressiveness. It is neither undervaluing oneself nor overvaluing oneself. It is neither talking low of oneself nor blowing one’s trumpet. To put it succinctly in the words of Charles Haddon Spurgeon, “Humility is to make a right estimate of one's self.”
Humility is all about modesty. People often confuse between humility with timidity. Both are poles apart. Humility is all against pride while timidity is absence of courage. Humility is admitting that you don’t know everything and asking others for help. You must be able to consult and seek help from your subordinates, or peers who are experts in a particular area. It is treating others with respect without any arrogance. It is about listening to others. It is being courteous with others whether you need help or not. It is also about allowing the wrong doers to save their face in the presence of all. Humility is the hallmark of great people and it is one of the greatest virtues of all.
True Humility Vs False Humility:
“True merit, like a river, the deeper it is, the less noise it makes.” - Edward Frederick Halifax
When people submit so as to gain something from others by way of promotions, perks, or recognition, we may call such behavior as false humility. However, when people demonstrate their simplicity and humility through thick and thin without expecting anything in return we may call the behavior as true humility. Therefore, both true humility and false humility are poles apart and it is always the true humility that alone triumphs in the world.
Advantages of Humility:
“We come nearest to the great when we are great in humility.” - Rabindranath Tagore
There are endless advantages with humility. You can expect friendly and warm relations from others thus improving your relations with others. You can command respect from everyone. It presents and projects you in a positive light in front of others. It minimizes anxiety and maximizes performance at the workplace. It eliminates the conflicts arising out of ego clashes. The pleasure you get out of humility is truly immense.
Leaders with Humility:
“To become truly great, one has to stand with people, not above them.” - Marleen
Charles de Montesquieu
One of the greatest traits of great leaders is their humility. It keeps leaders rise above the rest. It makes them totally different and distinct from others. It requires humility to accept failures. It requires humility to give credit to the deserving people rather than swallowing. In case of a failure, a good leader says, “We have failed because of my mistake”. In case of a success a good leader says, “We have succeeded because of the efforts of our team”. It requires not only courage but also humility to accept the debacles and failures. To put it in the words of Eisenhower, “A sense of humility is a quality I have observed in every leader whom I have deeply admired. I have seen Winston Churchill with humble tears of gratitude on his cheeks as he thanked people for their help to Britain and the Allied cause. My own conviction is that every leader should have enough humility to accept, publicly, the responsibility for the mistakes of the subordinates he has himself selected and, likewise, to give them credit, publicly, for their triumphs.”
Jim Collins in his Level 5 leadership mentions that the leader should have both professional will and personal humility. It becomes obvious that one of the key ingredients of leadership is extreme humility. The level 5 leaders are so passionate about their goals that they don’t mind who get credit for their efforts and energies. They are karma yogis. Jesus Christ, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Mother Theresa, to name a few, are indeed the leaders with great humility. They may belong to different spectrum but they stand unique, different and tall from others because of their humility. At times, leaders remain as unsung heroes due to their humility.
How to Practice Humility:
“Wash out your ego every once in a while, as cleanliness is next to godliness not just in body but in humility as well.” - Abbe Yeux-verdi
• Solitude is fortitude. Go to a serene place where there are no external distractions or disturbances. Analyze yourself. Find out your strengths and weaknesses. Look at the ways and means to overcome your weaknesses.
• Practice fasting. Fasting not only cleans the internal system but also enhances inner energies and iron will to become strong and humble.
• Go for meditation. Meditation is the best method of realizing oneself without any external influence. It makes one to think about oneself honestly and helps in bringing the desired changes.
• Always be humble to your superiors, be courtesy with your peers and be kind to your subordinates. This attitude will transform you as a humble person over a period of time.
• Be a karma yogi. Do your duty. Don’t expect rewards for your efforts. Let people judge what you are.
• Remember the slogan, ‘Empty vessels make much noise’. speak less and listen more. The more you listen to others the more you learn and respect others’ knowledge and ideas. It reminds you of the right place you actually belong vis-à-vis others resulting into behavioral changes for refinement and improvement.
• Continuous feedback is essential to know where you stand. Take the feedback honestly without any false ego. It helps you assess yourself how far you are reaching towards humility.
Conclusion:
“Humility is the solid foundation of all virtues.” - Confucius
Humility is a virtue found in the great people. When people achieve one success after another they become more humble. Humility is also possible as one gets older. The humility index goes up when you reach higher positions.
We can learn through the lives of great leaders about the humility. The common thread connecting across all great leaders irrespective of their areas of interest in the world is humility.
Humility is a learned skill. It is essential for everyone to cultivate this skill for gaining acceptance with others and for achieving all round success in life and for making a difference to the world.
The End
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
