Geek's Love

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Why geeks gail in love ! 

True Vs Perceived Limitations

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"I had to understand what were my true limitations Vs my perceived limitations. Once i understood my true limitations, the next challenge was what choices i could create"

- Sheena Iyengar 
Professor, Columbia Business School
& Author of "The Art of Choosing"

said this in an interview with Times of India
Download the complete interview from here

You can watch another interesting interview of her at bigthink.com



Did you know she is blind? Despite that limitation, look at her accomplishments. Absolutely Inspiring !
If you have 18 more minutes, enjoy this interesting & cheerful talk at TED. It brings new perspectives on life



Her book "The Art of choosing" is on my wish list. Will read it soon

Famous Failures

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Lucille Ball
Dismissed from drama school with a note that read "Wasting your time", she is too shy to put her best foot forward

• One of the most popular and influential stars in America during her lifetime
• One of Hollywood's longest careers

The Beatles
Turned down by the Decca recording company who said "We don't like their sound and their guitar music is on the way out"

• One of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music
• The group came to be perceived as the embodiment of progressive ideals, seeing their influence extend into the social and cultural revolutions of the 1960s.

Ulysses S. Grant 
A failed soldier, farmer and a real estate agent, at 38 years old went to work for his father as a handy man

• 18th President of United States
• military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America

Michael Jordan
Cut from the high school basket ball team, he went home locked himself in his room and cried

• By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time

Thomas Alva Edison
A teacher told him he was too stupid to learn anything and he should go into a field where he might succeed by the virtue of his pleasant personality

• American inventor, scientist, and businessman who developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb
• Edison is considered one of the most prolific inventors in history, holding 1,093 U.S. patents in his name, as well as many patents in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany
• Founded the company Edison Electric which is now General Electric (GE)

Walt Disney
Fired from a newspaper because he lacked Imagination and had no original ideas

• American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur,entertainer, international icon and philanthropist
• He and his staff created a number of the world's most famous fictional characters including Mickey Mouse
• He has won 26Academy Awards out of 59 nominations (highest by any individual)

Abraham Lincoln
His fiance died, he failed in business twice, he had a nervous breakdown and he was defeated in 8 elections

• 16th President of the United States
• He successfully led his country through its greatest internal crisis, the American Civil War, preserving the Union and ending slavery

If you have never failed, you have never lived !

Song a Day

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There is this guy, Jonathan Mann who
1. Writes a new song
2. Composes it
3. Sings it
4. Shoots it
5. Edits the Video
6. Uploads it to Youtube
Every single day !

Inspiring, isn't it?
If you think otherwise, You will be definitely inspired after you watch this video



I came to know about him after this video was shown at the start of Apple's recent press meet
I love the following lines in the song

" Hey! I've got an idea. Let's all sing this song
   Those of you who don't want an iphone 4, don't buy it
   If you bought one and don't like it, bring it back
   But you know, you won't ! "

After learning about this guy, I have got an idea ! 
How about writing a post on the blog everyday? Atleast every week?
The latter one should be easy. Let me start there :)

P.S - I am an Apple fan boy !

Long Gap !

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There has been a long gap in blogging

The following things have kept me busy

1. Co-founded and built a non-profit organization Jwalamukhi

2. Moved to a new & challenging role at work which demanded more time and attention

3. Spent more time with family and less time with computer

Best days for the blog lie ahead. Look forward to my further posts !

Lincoln's Letter to his son's Teacher

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He will have to learn, I know,
that all men are not just,

all men are not true.

But teach him also that

for every scoundrel there is a hero;

that for every selfish Politician,

there is a dedicated leader…

Teach him for every enemy there is a friend,

Steer him away from envy,
if you can,

teach him the secret of

quiet laughter.

Let him learn early that
the bullies are the easiest to lick…

Teach him, if you can,

the wonder of books…

But also give him quiet time

to ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky,

bees in the sun,

and the flowers on a green hillside.

In the school teach him
it is far honourable to fail

than to cheat…

Teach him to have faith

in his own ideas,

even if everyone tells him

they are wrong…

Teach him to be gentle

with gentle people,

and tough with the tough.

Try to give my son
the strength not to follow the crowd

when everyone is getting on the band wagon…

Teach him to listen to all men…

but teach him also to filter

all he hears on a screen of truth,

and take only the good

that comes through.

Teach him if you can,
how to laugh when he is sad…

Teach him there is no shame in tears,

Teach him to scoff at cynics

and to beware of too much sweetness…

Teach him to sell his brawn

and brain to the highest bidders

but never to put a price-tag

on his heart and soul.

Teach him to close his ears
to a howling mob

and to stand and fight

if he thinks he’s right.

Treat him gently,

but do not cuddle him,

because only the test

of fire makes fine steel.

Let him have the courage
to be impatient…

let him have the patience to be brave.

Teach him always

to have sublime faith in himself,

because then he will have

sublime faith in mankind.

This is a big order,
but see what you can do…

He is such a fine little fellow,

my son!

If You Can

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It has been a long time since i posted on the blog. I have been extremely busy, building a non-profit start-up.

Today morning, i read this famous poem by Rudyard Kipling and felt like sharing it on the blog.

Read it many a times? But, still read on. Because it is worth it !

If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you; If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies, Or, being hated, don't give way to hating, And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise; If you can dream - and not make dreams your master; If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with triumph and disaster And treat those two imposters just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to broken, And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools; If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breath a word about your loss; If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on"; If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch; If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you; If all men count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds' worth of distance run - Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!