Why Technical Knowledge is Alone not enough for Career Success

Degrees may open opportunities, but skills, attitude, discipline, and personality determine how far you grow.

The future belongs to people who can:

👉Learn continuously,

👉Communicate effectively,

👉Lead confidently,

👉and inspire others.

Everything We Believe Marriage Is Wrong

✨What I was thinking is that Everything we Believe About Marriage Is Wrong;

1) You do not find the right person. You become the right person and then recognize them when they appear.
2) Most marriages do not fail because of big betrayals. They fail from a thousand small moments of neglect.
3) Marrying someone hoping they will change is just expensive disappointment with a ceremony attached.
4) The spark fades for everyone. What remains is either a foundation or an exit strategy.
5) Couples who never argue are not more compatible. They are more afraid of honesty than the average pair.
6) You cannot build a strong marriage while both people are running from themselves individually.
7) Most people are not looking for a partner. They are looking for a mirror that only shows good angles.
8) The person you marry is not who they are on the best day you have ever seen them together.
9) Children do not save struggling marriages. They accelerate every existing crack already present.
10) The most romantic thing in a long marriage is still choosing to show up on the completely ordinary days.
11) What you tolerate in the first year sets the standard for everything that follows every year after.
12) The biggest relationship mistake is waiting until things break completely before deciding to fix them..💞

The Fortune of a Shoeshine Dreamer

The CEO of a major Mumbai bank got his shoes polished every day from the shoeshine man at the street corner.

He would sit on a chair usually reading the Economic Times as he got his shoes polished.

One fine morning, the shoeshine man asks the CEO: "What do you think of the stock market situation?"

The CEO condescendingly inquires: "Why are you so interested in this subject?"

The shoeshine man replies: "I have 200 crore rupees deposited in your bank and I am thinking about investing part of the money in the stock market"

The CEO smirkingly says: "Yeah right! What is your name?"

Shoeshine man replies: "Asaf Kutty Chacko ”

Upon returning to his bank, the bemused CEO asks the Account Manager: "Do we have a customer named *Asaf Kutty Chacko*?"

The Manager replies: “We certainly do. He is an esteemed customer! He has 200 crore rupees in his account.” 

The CEO is shocked!

The next day, when getting a shoeshine, the CEO says to shoeshine man:

"Mr. Chacko, I want to invite you to be our guest-of-honour at our Board meeting next week and tell us your life story. I'm sure we will learn a lot.”

The following week, at the Board meeting, the CEO introduces shoeshine man to the board members:

"We all know Mr. Asaf Kutty Chacko, who makes our shoes shine like no one else. But he is also our valued customer with 200 crore  rupees in his account. 

I invited him to share his life story. I'm sure it will be inspirational. 

Please, Mr. Chacko, do tell".

Asaf Kutty narrates his life story: 

"I came to this state 30 years ago as a young boy from Kerala…. 

I wandered hungry and exhausted in search of a job without success….

Suddenly, I found a coin on the sidewalk and bought some apples….

I had two options: eat the apples to quell my hunger or start a business….

I sold the apples and bought more apples with the money….

This way I started accumulating money…

With the saved money, I managed to buy a set of used brushes and shoe polish and started a shoe shine businesss…..

I lived frugally and didn't spend any money on fun or worldly trappings. I lived like a monk and saved every paisa I could….

After a while, I managed to buy new brushes, variety of polish and a chair so that my clients could sit comfortably….

I continued living frugally and saving all I could…

Then, a few years ago, I was able to purchase this nice corner location from another colleague who decided to retire…

Finally, about three months ago, my brother, who was a drug-dealer in Kochi, passed away and left me 200 crores ….” 

This is just a campaign to promote reading. 

Reading stimulates the mind and imagination! So stop listening to unbelievable stories and start reading something of literary merit. 

Discipline and Strength Through Krishna's Wisdom

 🔆 Conversations for Inner Strength: The Power of Discipline

​1. Arjun: I always start with great enthusiasm (motivation), but after a few days, the fire dies out.

✅Krishna: Motivation is unreliable; it is like a spark that lasts only a moment. Discipline is the fuel that keeps the fire burning. Do not rely on how you feel; rely on what you do. Motivation gets you started; habit keeps you going.

​2. Arjun: But what should I do when I honestly just don't "feel" like working?

✅Krishna: That is the trap. You believe you need to "feel good" to act. A warrior does not wait for the right mood to fight. You must learn to separate your feelings from your actions. Do the work because it is necessary, not because it is easy.

​3. Arjun: Discipline feels like a cage. I want to be free to do what I want.

✅Krishna: That is an illusion. If you cannot control your own mind and impulses, you are a slave to your moods. True freedom comes from self-control. Discipline is not a prison; it is the key that unlocks your potential.

​4. Arjun: It is painful to force myself every day.

✅Krishna: Remember this truth, Arjun: "The pain of discipline weighs ounces, but the pain of regret weighs tons." You must choose your pain. Would you rather sweat now or cry later?

​5. Arjun: I try to change my whole life in one day, and I fail.

✅Krishna: You are trying to swallow the ocean in one gulp. Consistency beats intensity. It is better to do small things 100% of the time than to do a big thing once in a while. Small, boring, daily actions compound into massive success.

​6. Arjun: What is the secret to staying consistent?

✅Krishna: Stop negotiating with yourself. When the alarm rings, do not ask yourself, "Do I want to get up?" Just get up. When you start debating with your mind, your laziness will always win. Make the decision once, and then follow it blindly.

​7. Arjun: How do I become the master of my own will?

✅Krishna: By keeping the promises you make to yourself. If you say you will read 5 pages, read 5 pages. Every time you break a promise to yourself, you weaken your soul. Every time you keep it, you build an iron will.

​💡 A Small Tip

​The "Don't Break the Chain" Method:

Get a calendar. Every day you complete your specific task (e.g., studying for 4 hours), mark a big X on that day.

After a few days, you will have a chain. Your only goal is: Don't break the chain.

The visual pressure of seeing the chain grow will push you to do the work even when you feel lazy.

#rajarlaoriginals

Life Lessons from 2025

 A few lessons learned from 2025:

1) Life has a way to give you what you want after you give up on chasing it directly.

2) Never open up about your financial issues with anyone. That may change their perspective of looking at you.

3) The best conversations happen serendipitously between people with no agenda.

4) If you are not becoming more humble as you get older, you are running in the wrong direction.

5) Always try to get married to someone thoughtful who genuinely cares and who is committed to building a better life together, you’ve already won the lottery.

6) My sisters have kids and when I look at my sisters I realise that , Kids completely change your routine, but it doesn’t mean you will be less productive, you just need to be more efficient with your time and focus on the right things.

7) If your environment doesn’t reflect your vibes, the faster you have the courage to move on, the earlier you will start getting lucky.

8) You can always take a good guess at how much time you have left with your loved ones, it’s up to you to make the most of it, for them but also for you.

9) People who don’t grow much are just people with too much pride and not enough humility to question their methods.

10) Everyone should have one hobby that forces them to be the healthiest and physically strongest version of themselves, and another hobby that forces them to maintain mental sharpness and bold creativity.

11) Lack of courage to speak your mind ruins all relationships regardless of your intentions.

12) The most talented people don’t take themselves seriously, otherwise, they wouldn’t have made all the necessary mistakes to get where they are.

13) Being well-dressed and aesthetically pleasing is underrated, for yourself but also for others; most people who claim it’s narcissistic just don’t have the discipline to make the efforts.

14) People with clear and ambitious goals, and a loving family, don’t have the time or the energy for any unnecessary drama.

15) Introducing people who might get along great with each other is an underrated habit.

16) You are more resilient than you think, especially when you do things for people you genuinely love.

17) Nomatter how much you love someone, you can't be their choice and expecting it to be is also not correct. 

#rajarlaoriginals

#2025 #2026

Life's Unfairness

In Mahabharat, Karna asks Krishna-

“My mother left me the moment I was born. Is it my fault I was born an illegitimate child?

I did not get the education from Dhronacharya because I was considered not a Kshatriya.

Parshu-Raam taught me but then gave me the curse to forget everything when he came to know I was  Son of Kunthi belong to Kshatriya.

A cow was accidentally hit by my arrow and its owner cursed me for no fault of mine.

I was disgraced in Draupadi's Swayamvar.

Even Kunthi finally told me the truth only to save her other sons.

Whatever I received was through Duryodhana's charity.

So how am I wrong in taking his side ???"

**Krishna replies,

“Karna, I was born in a jail.

Death was waiting for me even before my birth.

The night I was born I was separated from my birth parents.

From childhood, you grew up hearing the noise of swords, chariots, horses, bow, and arrows. I got only cow herd's shed, dung, and multiple attempts on my life even before I could walk!

No Army, No Education. I could hear people saying I am the reason for all their problems.

When all of you were being appreciated for your valour by your teachers I had not even received any education. I joined Gurukula of Rishi Sandipani only at the age of 16!

You are married to a girl of your choice. I didn't get the girl I loved rather ended up marrying those who wanted me or the ones I rescued from demons.

I had to move my whole community from the banks of Yamuna to far off Sea shore to save them from Jarasandh. I was called a coward for running away!!

If Duryodhana wins the war you will get a lot of credit. What do I get if Dharmaraja wins the war? Only the blame for the war and all related problems...

Remember one thing, Karna. Everybody has Challenges in life to face.

LIFE IS NOT FAIR and EASY ON ANYBODY!!!

But what is Right (Dharma) is known to your Mind (conscience). No matter how much unfairness we got, how many times we were Disgraced, how many times we Fall, what is important is how you REACTED at that time.

Life's unfairness does not give you license to walk the wrong path...

Always remember, Life may be tough at few points, but DESTINY is not created by the SHOES we wear but by the STEPS we take...

#rajarlaoriginals 

Challenge..... Activity..... Life

The Japanese have always loved fresh fish But the water close to Japan has not held many fish for decades. So to feed the Japanese population, fishing boats got bigger and went farther than ever. The further the fishermen went, the longer it took to bring the fish ,If the return trip took more time, the fish were not fresh.

To solve this problem, fish  companies installed freezers on their boats.

They would catch the fish  and freeze them at sea.Freezers allowed the boats to go farther and stay longer.

However, the Japanese could taste the difference between fresh and frozen fish and they did not like the taste of frozen fish

The frozen fish brought a lower price.So, fishing companies installed fish tanks.

They would catch the fish  and stuff them in the tanks, fin to fin. After a little thrashing around, they were tired, dull, and lost their fresh-fish taste.

The fishing industry faced an impending crisis! But today, they get fresh-tasting fish to Japan.

How did they manage...?

To keep the fish tasting fresh, the Japanese fishing companies still put the fish in the tanks but with a small shark

The fish are challenged and hence are constantly on the move.

The challenge they face keeps them alive and fresh!

Have you realized that some of us are also living in a pond but most of the time tired and dull....?

Basically in our lives, sharks  are new challenges to keep us active. Your challenges keep you energized.
Put a shark  in your tank and see how far you can really go....

#rajarlaoriginals 

Challenge..... Activity..... Life

The Japanese have always loved fresh fish But the water close to Japan has not held many fish for decades. So to feed the Japanese population, fishing boats got bigger and went farther than ever. The further the fishermen went, the longer it took to bring the fish ,If the return trip took more time, the fish were not fresh.

To solve this problem, fish  companies installed freezers on their boats.

They would catch the fish  and freeze them at sea.Freezers allowed the boats to go farther and stay longer.

However, the Japanese could taste the difference between fresh and frozen fish and they did not like the taste of frozen fish

The frozen fish brought a lower price.So, fishing companies installed fish tanks.

They would catch the fish  and stuff them in the tanks, fin to fin. After a little thrashing around, they were tired, dull, and lost their fresh-fish taste.

The fishing industry faced an impending crisis! But today, they get fresh-tasting fish to Japan.

How did they manage...?

To keep the fish tasting fresh, the Japanese fishing companies still put the fish in the tanks but with a small shark

The fish are challenged and hence are constantly on the move.

The challenge they face keeps them alive and fresh!

Have you realized that some of us are also living in a pond but most of the time tired and dull....?

Basically in our lives, sharks  are new challenges to keep us active. Your challenges keep you energized.
Put a shark  in your tank and see how far you can really go....

48 Laws of Power — Titles Only

48 Laws of Power

1. Never outshine the master

2. Never put too much trust in friends

3. Conceal your intentions

4. Always say less than necessary

5. So much depends on reputation

6. Court attention at all costs

7. Get others to do the work for you

8. Make other people come to you

9. Win through your actions, never through argument

10. Infection avoid the unhappy and unlucky

11. Learn to keep people dependent on you

12. Use selective honesty to disarm your victim

13. When asking for help, appeal to self-interest

14. Pose as a friend, work as a spy

15. Crush your enemy totally

16. Use absence to increase respect and honor

17. Keep others in suspended terror

18. Do not build fortresses to protect yourself

19. Know who you are dealing with

20. Do not commit to anyone

21. Play a sucker to catch a sucker

22. Use the surrender tactic

23. Concentrate your forces

24. Play the perfect courtier

25. Re-create yourself

26. Keep your hands clean

27. Play on people’s need to believe

28. Enter action with boldness

29. Plan all the way to the end

30. Make your accomplishments seem effortless

31. Control the options

32. Play to people’s fantasies

33. Discover each man’s thumbscrew

34. Be royal in your own fashion

35. Master the art of timing

36. Disdain things you cannot have

37. Create compelling spectacles

38. Think as you like but behave like others

39. Stir up waters to catch fish

40. Despise the free lunch

41. Avoid stepping into a great man’s shoes

42. Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter

43. Work on the hearts and minds of others

44. Disarm and infuriate with the mirror effect

45. Preach the need for change but never reform too much at once

46. Never appear too perfect

47. Do not go past the mark you aimed for

48. Assume formlessness

You start dying slowly - By Pablo Neruda (A Spanish poet won Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971)

You start dying slowly

if you do not travel,

if you do not read,

If you do not listen to the sounds of life,

If you do not appreciate yourself.

You start dying slowly

When you kill your self-esteem;

When you do not let others help you.

You start dying slowly

If you become a slave of your habits,

Walking everyday on the same paths…

If you do not change your routine,

If you do not wear different colours

Or you do not speak to those you don’t know.

You start dying slowly

If you avoid to feel passion

And their turbulent emotions;

Those which make your eyes glisten

And your heart beat fast.

You start dying slowly

If you do not change your life when you are not satisfied with your job, or with your love,

If you do not risk what is safe for the uncertain,

If you do not go after a dream,

If you do not allow yourself,

At least once in your lifetime,

To run away from sensible advice…

UPSC Journey - Courage & Determination

Rohan, a UPSC aspirant, who like many, would go to bed each night with grand promises to himself.

“Tomorrow will be different,” he’d whisper.

“10 hours of study, 1 mock, 2 hours of revision”

But when the sun rose, so did his old bad habits.

He’d reach for his phone, saying, “Just 10 minutes, I will see if there’s something important on telegram”, and end up scrolling through YouTube shorts, 10 minutes turned into an hour. Then two.

The library got delayed. The study plan collapsed.

Books went untouched. The guilt piled up.

And so did the belief that maybe… he just wasn’t good enough.

But despite the self-doubt, he’d never give up entirely. Even in his worst phases, he’d still read a page or two—a tiny act of something productive against the laziness that had chained him.

Then one morning changed everything.

Rohan stood frozen outside his parents’ room and heard his father say,

“We should stop hoping… he won’t crack it.”

His mother, silently broken, still replied,

“Maybe… but one more chance? I still see something in him.”

That fragile hope of his mother cut deep.

He realized his inaction wasn’t just burying his dream but it was breaking theirs too.

With teary eyes and trembling hands, he grabbed a marker and scribbled on his wall:

“No More Excuses.”

And from that day on, rohan changed his habits- 

1) No phone after 12 noon. Not even for 5 minutes.

2) 2 hours of revision every day—no matter what. If skipped, he had to write the reason and stare at it the next day. That guilt became discipline.

3) He made a realistic schedule & not a fancy one.

4) Started waking up at the same time daily.

5) Every study session was timed. No aimless reading.

That year, he gave his second attempt.

The results came.

His name wasn’t there.

It broke his heart yet didn’t break his spirit. Because deep down, he knew:

“He’s close so damn close.”

When he saw the disappointment in his parents eyes again, he didn’t cry.

He looked them in the eye and said,

“One more year. Just one more. I’ll make it. I swear.”

And this time, he gave it everything .

He didn’t need motivation videos anymore—his why was strong enough.

There were still bad days, but never a wasted one. He’d not just count the number of hours he studied but would ask himself what new he learned. 

And then came the third list.

‘AIR 29’

Rohan ran to his parents, breathless.

Tears in his eyes.

Voice cracking.

“I made it.”

His father broke down. His mother held him like he was five again.

That boy who once couldn’t get off his phone…

That boy who once believed he wasn’t good enough…

Had just become an officer 👮‍♀️ .

Moral:

You don’t need a perfect start.

You just need one honest promise to yourself and the courage to keep showing up ✨💫

💟Hero, You’re Running Out of Time.

☘️How long have you been telling yourself “one day”? How many times have you said, “I’ll start tomorrow”? How many years have you wasted living the same day over and over again, making the same excuses, sinking deeper into a life you don’t even want?

☘️You know exactly what you need to do. You know what’s holding you back. And yet, you sit there, watching your life rot away, numbing yourself with distractions, drowning in comfort, wasting time like you have an unlimited supply.

☘️But here’s the truth that should tear you apart:

You don’t.

☘️One day, you’re going to wake up, and it will be your last day. No warning. No second chances. Just silence.

☘️And when that moment comes, you’ll look back at your life—the dreams you abandoned, the goals you never chased, the person you could have been—and you’ll feel it: regret so deep it will burn through your soul.

☘️But by then, it will be too late.

☘️No one is coming to push you. No one is coming to save you. No one cares about your excuses. You either get up and fight for your life, or you sit back and let it rot.

☘️Look around you. This is it. This is your life. The same habits, the same failures, the same stagnant, pathetic routine. You tell yourself you’ll change, but you never do. You want success without sacrifice, results without struggle. You pray that someday, things will magically be different—yet you do nothing to make it happen.

☘️And the worst part? No one will remember you.

☘️In a few generations, your name will be erased, just another forgotten soul who lived, existed, and died without making a dent in the world. You will be another gravestone in a cemetery full of wasted potential. And when that moment comes—when you’re gasping for your last breath, looking back at the years you squandered—the weight of regret will crush you. You will beg for more time. You will beg for another chance. But life doesn’t care. It never did.

☘️So stop lying to yourself. Stop waiting for motivation, stop hiding behind fear, stop pretending you have forever. You don’t.

#rajarlaoriginals #rajarla7 

You think YOUR plans didn’t work out?

Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore thought they were going to space for 8 days.

They ended up being stuck for 286 days.

They were LITERALLY stranded in space.

Imagine this:

👉🏾 You pack for a short trip, but instead, you’re gone for almost a year.

👉🏾 No fresh air. No real food. No way out—just waiting in the void of space.

👉🏾 No clear answer to when (or even if) you’ll make it back home.

And here we are, losing patience when:

- A 10-minute traffic jam ruins our day.

- A deal gets delayed by a few months.

- A rejection email makes us want to quit.

Perspective.

These astronauts had no control over their situation.

They couldn’t just book a return flight. They had to adapt, stay calm, and trust the process for 286 days of uncertainty.

And they made it.

If THAT isn’t the ultimate lesson in patience, endurance, and problem-solving—I don’t know what is.

Hats off to these legends for not just surviving, but making history. 

Next time life throws unexpected delays at us… let’s remember:

At least we’re not stranded in space.

Life will throw curveballs. Your plans will go sideways. Things will take WAY longer than expected.

But if these astronauts can survive nine months in space instead of eight days, you and I can handle a few detours in life.

#rajarlaoriginals #rajarla7

Short Inspirational Story …~ Osho

I have heard about a man who remained unmarried his whole life, and when he was dying, ninety years old, somebody asked him, “You have remained unmarried your whole life, but you have never said what the reason was. Now you are dying, at least quench our curiosity. If there is any secret, now you can tell it, because you are dying; you will be gone. Even if the secret is known, it can’t harm you.”

The man said, “Yes, there is a secret. It is not that I am against marriage, but I was searching for a perfect woman. I searched and searched, and my whole life slipped by.”

The inquirer asked, “But upon this big earth, so many millions of people, half of them women, couldn’t you find one perfect woman?”

A tear rolled down from the eye of the dying man. He said, “Yes, I did find one.”

The inquirer was absolutely shocked. He said, “Then what happened? Why didn’t you get married?”

And the old man said, “But the woman was searching for a perfect husband.

~ Osho

Power of Listening

Viktor Frankl, one of the great psychiatrists of the twentieth century, 

survived the death camps of Nazi Germany. 

His little book, "Man’s Search for Meaning", is one of those life-changing books that everyone should read.

Frankl once told the story of a woman who called him in the middle of the night to calmly inform him she was about to commit suicide. 

Frankl kept her on the phone and talked her through her depression, 

giving her reason after reason to carry on living. 

Finally she promised she would not take her life, and she kept her word.

When they later met, 

Frankl asked which reason had persuaded her to live?

"None of them", 

she told him.

What then influenced her to go on living, 

he pressed?

Her answer was simple, 

it was Frankl’s 

*WILLINGNESS TO LISTEN* to HER in the MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. 

A world in which there was SOMEONE ready to listen to another's pain seemed to her a world in which it was worthwhile to live.

Often, it is not the brilliant argument that makes the difference. 

Sometimes the small act of LISTENING is the GREATEST GIFT we can GIVE.

*తండ్రి ఆశీర్వాద బలం*

ప్రాణం విడిచే ముందు ఒక తండ్రి తన ఏకైక కుమారుడైన ధరమ్ పాల్ ని పిలిచి, “బాబూ, నేను ఏ సంపదను ఇవ్వలేకపోయాను. గానీ జీవితాంతం ఎల్లప్పుడూ నిజాయితీగా, నా వ్యాపారంలో ఉన్నాను.

ఆ నిజాయితీ బలంతో నిన్ను ఆశీర్వదిస్తున్నాను, నీవు జీవితంలో ఎల్లప్పుడూ సంతోషంగా, విజయవంతంగా ఉంటావు. నువ్వు ఏది తాకినా అది బంగారం అవుతుంది ! " అని కుమారుడి తలపై చేయివేసి, సంతృప్తిగా, ప్రశాంతంగా తుదిశ్వాస విడిచాడు.

ధరమ్ పాల్ భక్తితో తన తండ్రి అంత్య క్రియలు పూర్తి చేశాడు.

ఇప్పుడు కొడుకు ధరమ్ పాల్  తోపుడు బండిపై స్వీట్ వ్యాపారం ప్రారంభించాడు. కొద్దిరోజుల లోనే తర్వాత, ఒక చిన్న దుకాణాన్ని కొన్నాడు. సరుకుల నాణ్యత వలన క్రమంగా, వ్యాపారం మరింత విస్తరించింది. మూడేళ్ళకు  నగరంలోని  ఐశ్వర్యవంతులలో ఒకడిగా గుర్తింపు పొందాడు. ఇదంతా తన తండ్రి దీవెనల ఫలితమని అతను పూర్తిగా విశ్వసించాడు.

తన తండ్రి ఎన్ని కష్టాలు పడినా సహనాన్ని విడిచిపెట్టలేదు, విశ్వాసం కానీ, ప్రామాణ్యతను కానీ  కోల్పోలేదు, అందువల్లనే ఆయన మాటలకు అలాంటి శక్తి ఉండి, ఆయన ఆశీర్వాదాలు ఫలించాయి.

ధరమ్ పాల్ ఎప్పుడూ అందరికీ ఇలా చెప్తూ, తన విజయానికి తన తండ్రి ఆశీస్సులే కారణమని చెబుతూ ఉండేవాడు.

ఒకరోజు ఒక స్నేహితుడు అతనితో “మీ నాన్న అంత శక్తిమంతుడైతే, ఆయన ఎందుకు వృద్ధి చెందలేదు, ఎందుకు సంతోషంగా జీవించలేకపోయాడు?”

ధరమ్ పాల్ మాట్లాడుతూ, "మా నాన్న శక్తివంతమైన వ్యక్తి అని నేను చెప్పడం లేదు, ఆయన ఆశీస్సులు చాలా శక్తివంతమైనవని నేను చెబుతున్నాను."

ఎప్పుడూ తన తండ్రి ఆశీర్వాదం గురించి మాట్లాడటం వలన, అందరూ అతనికి 'తండ్రి ఆశీర్వాదం' అని వెనుకగా గేలి చేసినా పట్టించుకోలేదు, తన తండ్రి ఆశీర్వాదాలకు అర్హుడిగా మారగలిగితే అదే తనకు గౌరవంగా ఉంటుందని చెప్పాడు.

మరికొన్ని సంవత్సరాల్లో తన వ్యాపారాన్ని విదేశాలకు కూడా విస్తరించాడు. ఎక్కడ వ్యాపారం చేసినా పెద్ద లాభాలు వచ్చేవి.

*నేను ఎప్పుడూ లాభాలను ఆర్జిస్తున్నాను, నేను ఒక్కసారి నష్టాన్ని అనుభవించాలి అని ఒకసారి ధరమ్ పాల్  కుతూహలపడ్డాడు*.

ఒక నష్టపోయే వ్యాపారాన్ని సూచించమని తన స్నేహితుడిని అడిగాడు. 

*ధరమ్ పాల్ విజయాన్ని, డబ్బుని  చూసుకొని చాలా గర్వపడుతున్నాడని,*  ఆ స్నేహితుడు ఖచ్చితంగా నష్టపోయే వ్యాపారాన్ని సూచించాలి అని అనుకున్నాడు.

భారతదేశం నుండి లవంగాలను కొనుగోలు చేసి, వాటిని ఆఫ్రికాలోని జాంజిబార్‌కు రవాణా చేసి విక్రయించమని సలహా ఇచ్చాడు.

ధరమ్ పాల్ కు ఈ ఆలోచన నచ్చింది. జాంజిబార్ లవంగాలకు చాలా ప్రసిద్ధి చెందింది. అవి అక్కడ నుండి భారతదేశంలోకి దిగుమతి చేయబడతాయి, ధర కూడా 10-12 రెట్లు అమ్ముడవుతుంది. వాటిని ఇక్కడ కొనుగోలు చేసి అక్కడ విక్రయిస్తే కచ్చితంగా నష్టమే. 

తన తండ్రి ఆశీర్వాదాలు అతనికి ఎంతవరకు సహాయపడతాయో చూడడానికి ధరమ్ పాల్ దీనిని ప్రయత్నించాలని నిర్ణయించుకున్నాడు.

నష్టాన్ని అనుభవించడానికి, అతను భారతదేశంలో లవంగాలను కొని, వాటిని ఓడలో నింపి, స్వయంగా జాంజిబార్ ద్వీపానికి తీసుకెళ్లాడు.

జాంజిబార్ లో ధరమ్ పాల్ ఓడ దిగి, వ్యాపారులను కలవడానికి పొడవైన ఇసుక దారిపై నడవడం ప్రారంభించాడు. అవతలి వైపు నుండి సైనికులతో పాటు కాలినడకన వస్తూ, సుల్తాన్ లాగా కనపడుతున్న వ్యక్తిని చూశాడు. వారంతా భారీ జల్లెడలను తీసుకువెళ్తున్నారు.

ఎవరని వాకబు చేయగా ఆయన  స్వయంగా సుల్తాన్ అని చెప్పారు.

సుల్తాన్ కి ఎదురుపడి ధరమ్ పాల్ నమస్కరించి  "నేను భారతదేశంలోని గుజరాత్‌లోని ఖంభాట్ నుండి వ్యాపారిని, వ్యాపారనిమిత్తం ఇక్కడకు వచ్చాను."

సుల్తాన్ అతనితో తగిన గౌరవంతో మాట్లాడటం ప్రారంభించాడు.

సుల్తాన్‌తో  వినయంతో  వందలాది మంది సైనికులు జల్లెడలను ఎందుకు మోస్తున్నారు?” అని  అడిగాడు.

సుల్తాన్ నవ్వుతూ ఇలా అన్నాడు, “ నేను ఈ ఉదయం సముద్రతీరాన్ని సందర్శించడానికి వచ్చాను, ఇక్కడ ఎక్కడో నా వేలి నుండి ఉంగరం జారిపడిపోయింది. ఇప్పుడు, ఈ ఇసుకలో సరిగ్గా ఎక్కడ పడిందో గుర్తించడం కష్టం, కాబట్టి నేను నా సైనికులను వెంట తెచ్చుకున్నాను. వారు ఇసుకను జల్లించి నా ఉంగరాన్ని వెతుకుతారు.

ఆ ఉంగరం చాలా ఖరీదైనదని అయ్యుండాలి ధరమ్ పాల్ అన్నాడు.

అలా కాదని సుల్తాన్ ఇలా చెప్పాడు, “నా దగ్గర దానికంటే చాలా విలువైన, లెక్కలేనన్ని ఉంగరాలు ఉన్నాయి, కానీ ఆ ఉంగరం ఒక సాధువు యొక్క ఆశీర్వాదం.

ఆ సాధువు ఆశీర్వాదం వల్ల నా సల్తనత్  చాలా ధృడంగా, సంతోషంగా ఉందని నేను నమ్ముతున్నాను, కాబట్టి నా మనస్సులో ఆ ఉంగరం విలువ నా సల్తనత్ కంటే ఎక్కువ!”.

అప్పుడు, సుల్తాన్ మళ్ళీ వ్యాపారం గురించి మాట్లాడటం ప్రారంభించి, “అయితే, ఈసారి ఏ వస్తువులు తెచ్చావు?” అని అడిగాడు.

" లవంగాలు", అన్నాడు ధరమ్ పాల్.

అది విని సుల్తాన్ ఆశ్చర్యపోయాడు.

“ ఇది లవంగాల దేశం, మీరు ఇక్కడ లవంగాలు అమ్మడానికి వచ్చారా? మీకు అలాంటి సలహా ఎవరు ఇచ్చారు? ఖచ్చితంగా, ఆ వ్యక్తి మీ శత్రువు అయి ఉండాలి! ఇక్కడ, మీరు ఒక పైసాతో గుప్పెడు లవంగాలను కొనుక్కోవచ్చు. ఇక్కడ మీ నుండి లవంగాలు ఎవరు కొంటారు, ఇంక  మీరు ఏం సంపాదిస్తారు? ”

ధరమ్ పాల్, “ నేను అదే పరీక్షించాలనుకుంటున్నాను ప్రభూ ! నేను ఇక్కడ ఏమైనా లాభం పొందగలనో లేదో చూడాలి. నాన్నగారి ఆశీర్వాదంతో ఇప్పటి వరకు నేను ఏ వ్యాపారం చేసినా లాభసాటిగా సాగింది. కాబట్టి, ఇప్పుడు ఆయన ఆశీస్సులు ఇక్కడ కూడా పనిచేస్తాయో లేదో చూడాలనుకుంటున్నాను.”

సుల్తాన్ ఇలా అడిగాడు,  “తండ్రి ఆశీస్సులా ! అంటే దాని అర్థం ఏమిటి?!" 

అప్పుడు ధరమ్ పాల్ అతనికి వివరించాడు, *“మా తండ్రి ఆయన జీవితమంతా నిజాయితీ, చిత్తశుద్ధితో పనిచేశారు, కానీ డబ్బు సంపాదించలేకపోయారు. మరణ సమయంలో నా చేతిపై చేయివేసి, నీ చేతిలోని ధూళి కూడా బంగారంగా మారాలని ఆశీర్వదించారు"*,  అని ఆ మాటలు మాట్లాడుతూ, ధర్మపాల్ వంగి నేల నుండి గుప్పెడు ఇసుక తీసుకున్నాడు.

ఇసుకను తన వేళ్ళ మధ్య జారిపోనిస్తూ, సుల్తాన్ ముందు గుప్పిటను తెరిచేసరికి,  ధర్మపాల్, సుల్తాన్ ఇద్దరి కళ్ళు ఆశ్చర్యంతో పెద్దవయ్యాయి. 

ఇసుక మొత్తం జారిపోయిన తర్వాత ధరమ్ పాల్ చేతిలో వజ్రం పొదిగిన ఉంగరం మిగిలిఉంది.

సుల్తాన్ వెతుకుతున్న ఉంగరం ఇదే. అతను ఉంగరాన్ని చూసి చాలా సంతోషించాడు. 

“ఇది మహాద్భుతం ! ఓ అల్లా , చాలా కృతజ్ఞతలు, మీరు ఒక తండ్రి ఆశీస్సులను నిజం చేసారు! ” .

అదే భగవంతుడు సాధువు ఆశీస్సులకు కూడా శక్తిని ప్రసాదిస్తాడని ధరమ్ పాల్ అన్నాడు. 

అది విన్న సుల్తాన్ మరింత సంతోషించాడు. అతను ధరమ్ పాల్ ని కౌగిలించుకొని, " ఇవాళ నువ్వు ఏది కోరుకుంటే అది ఇస్తాను" అన్నాడు. 

ధరమ్ పాల్ ఇలా అన్నాడు, “నువ్వు 100 ఏళ్లు జీవించి, నీ ప్రజలను బాగా చూసుకోగాక ! ప్రజలు సంతోషంగా ఉండాలని నేను కోరుకుంటున్నాను, నాకు మరేమీ అక్కర్లేదు."

సుల్తాన్ అది విని ఉప్పొంగిపోయి, “నేను ఈరోజు మీ వస్తువులన్నీ కొంటాను. మీరు కోరుకున్నంత ధర ఇస్తాను”, అన్నాడు.

కాబట్టి, ధరమ్ పాల్ తండ్రి ఆశీర్వాదం అక్కడ కూడా అతనిని విఫలం చేయలేదు.

*తల్లిదండ్రుల ఆశీస్సులకు అపారమైన శక్తి ఉందని, వారి ఆశీస్సుల కంటే గొప్ప సంపద మరొకటి లేదన్నది వాస్తవ సత్యం.* 

వారి సేవలో గడిపిన ప్రతి క్షణం ఫలాన్ని ఇస్తుంది. మన పెద్దలను గౌరవించడమే భగవంతునికి మనం చేసే ఉత్తమమైన సేవ.

*ఈ  ప్రపంచం అంతా అనేకమైన అవకాశాలతో నిండిఉంది. సాధ్యమయ్యే సంఘటనకు అవకాశం ఎలాగూ ఉంటుంది, కానీ అత్యద్భుతమైన విషయం ఏమిటంటే, అసాధ్యమైన సంఘటన సాధ్యమయ్యే అవకాశం కూడా ఉంది.*

Robbery

During a robbery in Zimbabwe, the bank robber shouted to everyone in the bank: "Don't move. The money belongs to the State. Your life belongs to you."

Everyone in the bank lay down quietly. This is called the

"Mind Changing Concept" Changing the conventional way of thinking.

When a lady lay on the table provocatively, the robber shouted at her: "Please be civilized! This is a robbery and not a rape!"

This is called "Being Professional" Focus only on what you are trained to do!

When the bank robbers returned home, the younger robber (MBA-trained) told the older robber (who has only completed Year 6 in primary school): "Big brother, let's count how much we got."

The older robber rebutted and said: "You are very stupid.

There is so much money it will take us a long time to count.

Tonight, the TV news will tell us how much we robbed from the bank!"

This is called "Experience." Nowadays, experience is more important than paper qualifications!

After the robbers had left, the bank manager told the bank supervisor to call the police quickly. But the supervisor said to him: "Wait! Let us take out $10 million from the bank for ourselves and add it to the $70 million that we have previously embezzled from the bank".

This is called "Swim with the tide." Converting an unfavourable situation to your advantage!

The supervisor says: "It will be good if there is a robbery every month."

This is called "Killing Boredom." 

Personal Happiness is more important than your job.

The next day, the TV news reported that $100 million was taken from the bank. The robbers counted and counted and counted, but they could only count $20 million. The robbers were very angry and complained: "We risked our lives and only took $20 million. The bank manager took $80 million with a snap of his fingers. It looks like it is better to be educated than to be a thief!"

This is called "Knowledge is worth as much as gold!"

The bank manager was smiling and happy because his losses in the share market are now covered by this robbery.

This is called "Seizing the opportunity." Daring to take risks!

So who are the real robbers here?

✍️Lessons from T20 WORLD CUP Win✍️

And this WC win has many lessons for all of us as individuals & as aspirants.

Let us go through some of these:

1. The situations are not planned according to our comfort. Early wickets put Kohli on the backfoot. He played slow till 17th over and accelerated in the end. Try to play the situations. There won't come a day when everything will be in its place for you to perform. You have to perform and put effort in all situations. Just see where you stand and where you want to go. Plan according to the current situation. Reassess after some days and alter your plan.

2. Past is past. We shouldn't let the baggage from the past to take over our present. Dubey and Virat were in a bad form in the whole WC but when it mattered, they performed. Also, team India had reached many knockouts in past years but didn't win. It doesn't matter. Every attempt is a new chapter. You might not have cleared prelims in the last attempt but does it matter now? No. It is all about this attempt. So, believe in yourself.

3. It is not over till it is over. 30 needed in 30 and Indian fans already started accepting the fate. But then the belief and calmness shown by Indian players was a great lesson. If they would have let it slip, we wouldn't have won. But they didn't. Trying till the end is important as we can't predict the future. Many astrologers like the commentators and cricket pundits predicted a loss. Even the win predictor showed 3% chances of winning. But that's not the case. The team gave 200% and here we are.

4. One moment and things can change 180 degrees. Whether it was Klassen's wicket or Surya's catch, a moment can make things upside down. Our moment can also come any time.

5. Small targets. When Bumrah was asked about what he was thinking when bowling 16th and 18th overs. He simply said that one ball, one over at a time. Similarly, we should keep small targets in front. If you think about the final result, you will feel anxious and it will distract you. Instead think of daily, weekly and monthly targets. Keep realistic targets and try to achieve them.

6. Belief. It is something which keeps you going. After the 2023 WC final loss, it was very difficult for the team to keep going. But they had that belief. They believed that they are working really hard and it is just a matter of time. They kept believing and here we are. The same strategy shall be opted by an aspirant.

7. Acceptance. Sometimes, things do not happen. SA reached the finals but didn't win. It happens. Some things are not destined to be. Even after you work really hard, you don't win. It can be heart shattering but yes, it is also possible. Embracing and accepting a loss is also equally important as it gives you energy to start fresh. The destination may change but the energy to keep going is the same.

8. Humbleness. In the long run, nothing matters. Even if you win, you shouldn't be arrogant. Giving statements which can hurt others should be avoided. Measuring your opponents less can counter act as it gives them purpose and a purposeful act has more energy. Can be compared to Australia and Afghanistan case.

9. Confidence. People around you can criticize you for anything. Your own people may not support you but that's not the end. You have to keep going like Pandya. Keep going, keep struggling, keep doing your job and you will get what you want. People may be upset for sometime but when you prove it to them, they are forced to understand.

In the end, what matters is your intent and your approach. The situations may be bad or worse but you have to keep putting effort. Your effort matters the most, even more than the results. You should walk with your chin up irrespective of the results. No one can help you except yourself. Do not find anything outside. It is all inside. You have the potential to do everything on your own. Just keep trying. As I always say, "We never fail. Either we succeed or We learn."

🇮🇳📚👊✍️

The 10th apple effect !!

A hunter once lost his way deep inside the jungle while chasing a deer. He used all his navigation skills but neither did he find any way out of the jungle nor could he find any food to eat for 8 days at a stretch. He started feeling so damn hungry that he could eat an entire elephant at one go. Disappointed, he lost all hope. And that is exactly when an apple tree caught his sight. He collected a dozen apples to feed him for the rest of his search.

As he ate the 1st apple, his joy knew no bounds and he just couldn't stop feeling grateful and blessed. He thanked life. He thanked God. He could not believe his luck when he ate the 1st apple but he was less grateful while having the 2nd apple and even lesser grateful when he had the 5th apple. Somehow, with each passing apple, the hunger still kept on increasing and the joy kept on reducing drastically. He just could not enjoy the 10th apple. Why? He had already taken for granted the gift of having found an apple tree in the middle of a forest after 8 long days of wandering with hunger. When he took the 10th apple in his hand, he was still very hungry but he just did not feel like having it any more. Economics calls this diminishing marginal utility. I would like to call it diminishing gratitude, in simple words, taking things for granted. Or let’s just call it the 10th apple effect.

The 10th apple did not lack taste, it did not lack the potential to satisfy his hunger but the only thing lacking was his gratitude for finding food in the middle of the jungle.

The hunter represents us. And the apple represents the gifts that life gives us. The 10th apple represents our lack of gratitude for these gifts of life and our ‘take everything for granted’ attitude. As we continue receiving the gifts of life, our hunger, our greed keeps on increasing and the joy we get from these gifts diminishes.

Never let the ‘10th apple effect’ make you take these gifts of life for granted. Never let your gratitude for life fade away.

Appreciate the Brakes in your Life

Someone asked, "Why do we have brakes in a car"?

Varied answers were received, like,
"To stop",
"To reduce speed",
"To avoid collision" etc.,

but the best answer was,
"To enable you to drive faster"

Give it a thought. It's true but seldom such smart out of box thinking is done,  much less appreciated.

For a moment assume you have no brakes in your car then how fast will you drive your car?!

It's because of brakes that we can dare to accelerate, dare to go fast and reach destinations we desire.

 

At various points in life, we find our parents,teachers, mentors, friends and spouse etc. questioning your progress, direction or decision.

We consider them as irritants or consider such inquiries as "brakes" to our ongoing work.

But, remember, it's because of such questions (read periodical brakes) that you have managed to reach where you are today.

Without brakes, you could have skid, lost direction or gone astray or met with an unfortunate accident  !!!. 

Learn to appreciate the 'brakes' in your life.