Thursday, November 15, 2007
What this blog is...
I don't know what this blog is.... Is it a preaching ground where I preach fundas? Is it a blog where I write articles?I don't know.But from now onwards I'm going to use this blog as a journal - a diary..... maybe.To write out articles that can make a difference in my life and the lives of others in the world, I have started a new site - meghufreepd.blogspot.com.....So Happy Birthday Mr Journal....
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
What are goals?
Goals are dreams with deadlines. I want to achieve something. I write it down. I look at it everyday. I work towards it. I intend it to happen. I set a deadline for its achievement. And I achieve it. I have then achieved a goal.
Special Goals
HABIT BASED
GOALS to achieveThis could be the standard meaning of a goal. But if I face one fear a day – that is a goal too. It has no set deadline, but it is a goal. If I condition a habit, the aim to condition that habit s a goal too. And of course working hard towards something is a goal anyway. So I have general goals – habit based goals and special goals.
Habit based and special goals can be part of the action plan of goals to achieve or they may be separate interesting goals to test, experiment and let go.
I define long term goals as goals that are aimed at the next 3-5 years. Then there are medium term goals that are aimed at the next one year. Then of course I have short term goals aimed at 3 month intervals. It is not necessary that short term goals flow out of medium term goals which flow out of long term goals. But it is necessary for all goals to have some kind of link with my personal mission statement.
Long term
Medium Term
Short term
Personal Mission Statement
All habit based and special goals are essentially sort-of mini goals, for they are not intended for months or years.
Each type of goal (long term, short term) may lead to new and exciting habit based and special goals.
Now how do I go about implementing these goals?
I create a word document titled – long term goals. I have no prior experience so let us say I review my long term goals every week. I review them every week because I think it will be difficult to review so much every day and they are long term goals anyway. I review my short term goals and my habit based and special goals everyday. My habit based and special goals are tabulated in a word document. My medium and short term goals are tabulated in separate word documents too. All these goals are tabulated under the following categories:
Social – How I can lessen the influence of what society thinks of me in my life.
Physical – Fitness, health.
Mental/Academic, Technical – As long as I am involved in technical work – how I can do that work to the best of my ability.
Spiritual – Meditation, being.
Personal Development
Etc.
Of course all those goals which require time to be allocated for them will be allocated time by the Quadrant II time manager.
Also the word document that lists particular long term goal (say) will list every thing – all details and all habit based and special and short term goals etc. associated with that goal. They will also list whether certain tasks need to be added unto the weekly time manager.
Special Goals
HABIT BASED
GOALS to achieveThis could be the standard meaning of a goal. But if I face one fear a day – that is a goal too. It has no set deadline, but it is a goal. If I condition a habit, the aim to condition that habit s a goal too. And of course working hard towards something is a goal anyway. So I have general goals – habit based goals and special goals.
Habit based and special goals can be part of the action plan of goals to achieve or they may be separate interesting goals to test, experiment and let go.
I define long term goals as goals that are aimed at the next 3-5 years. Then there are medium term goals that are aimed at the next one year. Then of course I have short term goals aimed at 3 month intervals. It is not necessary that short term goals flow out of medium term goals which flow out of long term goals. But it is necessary for all goals to have some kind of link with my personal mission statement.
Long term
Medium Term
Short term
Personal Mission Statement
All habit based and special goals are essentially sort-of mini goals, for they are not intended for months or years.
Each type of goal (long term, short term) may lead to new and exciting habit based and special goals.
Now how do I go about implementing these goals?
I create a word document titled – long term goals. I have no prior experience so let us say I review my long term goals every week. I review them every week because I think it will be difficult to review so much every day and they are long term goals anyway. I review my short term goals and my habit based and special goals everyday. My habit based and special goals are tabulated in a word document. My medium and short term goals are tabulated in separate word documents too. All these goals are tabulated under the following categories:
Social – How I can lessen the influence of what society thinks of me in my life.
Physical – Fitness, health.
Mental/Academic, Technical – As long as I am involved in technical work – how I can do that work to the best of my ability.
Spiritual – Meditation, being.
Personal Development
Etc.
Of course all those goals which require time to be allocated for them will be allocated time by the Quadrant II time manager.
Also the word document that lists particular long term goal (say) will list every thing – all details and all habit based and special and short term goals etc. associated with that goal. They will also list whether certain tasks need to be added unto the weekly time manager.
Why I did not get up today at 5 AM
What is the impediment to any person getting up at 5 AM?
The impediment is his thought process.
If I am motivated to get up early, say, I have something really important to do – then I will certainly get up. This is because as soon as I get up thoughts about that thing to do will make me get up.
But if I want to get up and run and meditate and all… cool. But when the alarm rings, the thought that comes up is what am I going to gain by so much discomfort ? Will I have to run? Why do I have to implement this scaffold.
One way out is to have no thoughts whatsoever while getting up. No thoughts. The alarm rings. I get up. Alarm ringing…. I get up. That’s it. Pavlov’s dog.
But thoughtlessness is not a piece of cake. As a matter of fact, It may take me – the persisting me – 3-4 days to register one success using the thoughtless method. The method is good, but too error prone.
There must be some motivation to get up.
Earlier one motivation was to test how it felt to get up at 5 AM for 30 days. It does not matter whether I do anything productive or not. It does not matter whether I need to get up or not. This is simply a 30 day test of my discipline and the change that can be brought about by getting up at 5AM.
The key motivator here is the fact that this is a 30 day test. There is no other motivating fact. I get up because I have vowed to get up for 30 days. I get up to keep that vow. To experience what happens when I get up at 5 AM simply because I have decided I will for 30 days.
Because, simply put – there never can be enough motivation to convince the sleepy Meghu to get up at 5 AM regularly. Anything that can be done at 5AM can be done in the evening too. So there is no point providing false motivation, back-humping motivation.
So I want to get up at 5 AM for 30 days. That’s it. I intend to get up at 5 AM for 30 days. No reason. No justification. Nothing. Just to test whether the habit of getting up early is worth it. After this first 30 day trial of mine, I can use it to test habits. After all some guy saying that it is good to get up at 5 AM is not reason enough to believe it blindly. Let me try it out for 30 days.
Of course since getting up is the main thing, running etc. don’t come into the picture as yet.
Cool. Journaling is fun J
The impediment is his thought process.
If I am motivated to get up early, say, I have something really important to do – then I will certainly get up. This is because as soon as I get up thoughts about that thing to do will make me get up.
But if I want to get up and run and meditate and all… cool. But when the alarm rings, the thought that comes up is what am I going to gain by so much discomfort ? Will I have to run? Why do I have to implement this scaffold.
One way out is to have no thoughts whatsoever while getting up. No thoughts. The alarm rings. I get up. Alarm ringing…. I get up. That’s it. Pavlov’s dog.
But thoughtlessness is not a piece of cake. As a matter of fact, It may take me – the persisting me – 3-4 days to register one success using the thoughtless method. The method is good, but too error prone.
There must be some motivation to get up.
Earlier one motivation was to test how it felt to get up at 5 AM for 30 days. It does not matter whether I do anything productive or not. It does not matter whether I need to get up or not. This is simply a 30 day test of my discipline and the change that can be brought about by getting up at 5AM.
The key motivator here is the fact that this is a 30 day test. There is no other motivating fact. I get up because I have vowed to get up for 30 days. I get up to keep that vow. To experience what happens when I get up at 5 AM simply because I have decided I will for 30 days.
Because, simply put – there never can be enough motivation to convince the sleepy Meghu to get up at 5 AM regularly. Anything that can be done at 5AM can be done in the evening too. So there is no point providing false motivation, back-humping motivation.
So I want to get up at 5 AM for 30 days. That’s it. I intend to get up at 5 AM for 30 days. No reason. No justification. Nothing. Just to test whether the habit of getting up early is worth it. After this first 30 day trial of mine, I can use it to test habits. After all some guy saying that it is good to get up at 5 AM is not reason enough to believe it blindly. Let me try it out for 30 days.
Of course since getting up is the main thing, running etc. don’t come into the picture as yet.
Cool. Journaling is fun J
20 Ways to improve
I can work more. Well whatever it is, but I think I spend 0-30 minutes on serious undisturbed work in a day. Working this less certainly will not lead to the achievement of concrete goals. So I think I need to work more.
I think I can implement the “cultivating intense desire strategies” recommended by steve pavlina.
I can become more committed to doing whatever I have thought of doing – unless I have to do something important during that time.
I can become more disciplined in terms of completing the 30 day trials I have set out to complete.
I don’t think I am facing enough of my fears. I need to face more of my fears by identifying situations both on and off the field and acting.
I can become physically fit.
I can write more.
I can conduct more experiments with my life.
I can be freer with my parents.
I can interact more frequently with all the girls in campus and with all my girl = friends on Orkut. J J (Now what is that supposed to mean?)
I can take myself less seriously.
I can read more books in a week.
I can stay more in the now.
I can concentrate more in the class.
I can set more goals pertaining to college.
I can play more tennis and volleyball.
I can study more in the hostel.
I can dress in a better way.
I can eat lesser in the canteen.
I think I can implement the “cultivating intense desire strategies” recommended by steve pavlina.
I can become more committed to doing whatever I have thought of doing – unless I have to do something important during that time.
I can become more disciplined in terms of completing the 30 day trials I have set out to complete.
I don’t think I am facing enough of my fears. I need to face more of my fears by identifying situations both on and off the field and acting.
I can become physically fit.
I can write more.
I can conduct more experiments with my life.
I can be freer with my parents.
I can interact more frequently with all the girls in campus and with all my girl = friends on Orkut. J J (Now what is that supposed to mean?)
I can take myself less seriously.
I can read more books in a week.
I can stay more in the now.
I can concentrate more in the class.
I can set more goals pertaining to college.
I can play more tennis and volleyball.
I can study more in the hostel.
I can dress in a better way.
I can eat lesser in the canteen.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
What would I do if I had all the money in the world
Well, this is really an exciting concept, isn’t it?
Let me get objective and consider A’s situation.
Assumption 1: A has enough money to last 10 lifetimes.
Assumption 2: A is interested in reading, writing, quizzing, personal development, and public speaking.
What does A do? He studies a course in pulp and paper engineering.
Why on earth does he do that? He is certainly not interested in paper is he?
No he isn’t but at the time of choosing the course, poor A didn’t really think on his own. He was way too influenced by what others thought was better for him. So A joins a paper course. But why do the people who make him join a paper course make him join a paper course?
Because they think this will fetch him a good job.
And what does A do with a job – a software job at that? He earns money. He works for money.
But according to assumption 1, A has enough money to last a lifetime. Then why work for money?
So when A completes the paper course, he realizes that since he has money to last a lifetime, he need not work for a company.
Now people around A – the same people who want him to study paper now want him to study chemical engineering in the USA.
But A is wiser this time. He knows first and foremost that he is not interested in chemical engineering. Nor in any science course.
He is, in fact interested in writing, quizzing, reading, personal development, and public speaking. But why would he pursue a post graduate course in writing? A loves to write but he does not need to study a writing course just because he loves writing. He is interested in writing, not in selling his writings. He does not love learning about the nuances of writing, so he surely won’t take a writing course.
Will A take a quizzing course? Well that seems pretty odd. What would they teach in a quizzing course? Quizzing is fun you ask and answer questions, participate in quizzes. Surely you don’t need a course for that.
Reading – a course would be too much. J
And coming to personal development. I don’t know about A but I think it would certainly be foolish to pursue a graduate course in personal development. After all wouldn’t it be better to pursue small – interesting, essential courses – say 1 month courses or 2 day courses – as and when required if required at all. I guess A would think this way too. A is sane, right?
So now we come to speaking. Well, Mr A. If you love speaking, go ahead take a course. But a two year course? I would say no. That would be too much. Indeed too much.
So here we are there is not an iota of doubt that if A does not need to work for money, A would certainly not do a professional course in the US! That’s clear and obvious.
Well then what would A do? Would he do a management course. That would teach him how to run a company and how to manage people + how to keep accounts – wouldn’t it? Well, as a matter of fact it will teach him all this and more. But the question is, why would A want to start a company in the first place? Why?
A is certainly not interested in managing people. A is certainly not interested in manufacturing products like soaps and steel. Assumption 2 takes care of that. It lists A’s interests, right?
So if A is sane ( Well they didn’t mention assumption 3 and I seriously doubt it J), he would certainly pursue his interests. Why wouldn’t he? He has all the money in the world!
A would continue writing. Maybe he would reach out to a wide audience by writing on the internet. Maybe he would write a book and make a difference in the lives of some people. After all, he is interested in writing.
He could conduct quiz competitions: He is interested in speaking. So why not organize quizzes. He could lecture at Universities where personal development is taught. Of course, if they allow him toJ He could conduct workshops. Yes he could.
And A can read and read and then proceed to read some more. Who’s stopping him?
And now we come to a very special portion of this article.
Here’s a beautiful statement.
"Assumption 1 is false but A and all of us have the potential to live our life as if it were true at the same time earning enough money to make it true."
There’s no point working for money, as someone has said – if you can make money work for you.
Let me get objective and consider A’s situation.
Assumption 1: A has enough money to last 10 lifetimes.
Assumption 2: A is interested in reading, writing, quizzing, personal development, and public speaking.
What does A do? He studies a course in pulp and paper engineering.
Why on earth does he do that? He is certainly not interested in paper is he?
No he isn’t but at the time of choosing the course, poor A didn’t really think on his own. He was way too influenced by what others thought was better for him. So A joins a paper course. But why do the people who make him join a paper course make him join a paper course?
Because they think this will fetch him a good job.
And what does A do with a job – a software job at that? He earns money. He works for money.
But according to assumption 1, A has enough money to last a lifetime. Then why work for money?
So when A completes the paper course, he realizes that since he has money to last a lifetime, he need not work for a company.
Now people around A – the same people who want him to study paper now want him to study chemical engineering in the USA.
But A is wiser this time. He knows first and foremost that he is not interested in chemical engineering. Nor in any science course.
He is, in fact interested in writing, quizzing, reading, personal development, and public speaking. But why would he pursue a post graduate course in writing? A loves to write but he does not need to study a writing course just because he loves writing. He is interested in writing, not in selling his writings. He does not love learning about the nuances of writing, so he surely won’t take a writing course.
Will A take a quizzing course? Well that seems pretty odd. What would they teach in a quizzing course? Quizzing is fun you ask and answer questions, participate in quizzes. Surely you don’t need a course for that.
Reading – a course would be too much. J
And coming to personal development. I don’t know about A but I think it would certainly be foolish to pursue a graduate course in personal development. After all wouldn’t it be better to pursue small – interesting, essential courses – say 1 month courses or 2 day courses – as and when required if required at all. I guess A would think this way too. A is sane, right?
So now we come to speaking. Well, Mr A. If you love speaking, go ahead take a course. But a two year course? I would say no. That would be too much. Indeed too much.
So here we are there is not an iota of doubt that if A does not need to work for money, A would certainly not do a professional course in the US! That’s clear and obvious.
Well then what would A do? Would he do a management course. That would teach him how to run a company and how to manage people + how to keep accounts – wouldn’t it? Well, as a matter of fact it will teach him all this and more. But the question is, why would A want to start a company in the first place? Why?
A is certainly not interested in managing people. A is certainly not interested in manufacturing products like soaps and steel. Assumption 2 takes care of that. It lists A’s interests, right?
So if A is sane ( Well they didn’t mention assumption 3 and I seriously doubt it J), he would certainly pursue his interests. Why wouldn’t he? He has all the money in the world!
A would continue writing. Maybe he would reach out to a wide audience by writing on the internet. Maybe he would write a book and make a difference in the lives of some people. After all, he is interested in writing.
He could conduct quiz competitions: He is interested in speaking. So why not organize quizzes. He could lecture at Universities where personal development is taught. Of course, if they allow him toJ He could conduct workshops. Yes he could.
And A can read and read and then proceed to read some more. Who’s stopping him?
And now we come to a very special portion of this article.
Here’s a beautiful statement.
"Assumption 1 is false but A and all of us have the potential to live our life as if it were true at the same time earning enough money to make it true."
There’s no point working for money, as someone has said – if you can make money work for you.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Can a man change the Universe?
A man can change the thoughts that people have. He can change the things that people do and thus change their thoughts. He can make them happier. He can stop the actions of other men that stem from undesirable thoughts. But can he actually change the world. Depends on what "world" means! If world means the physical world, he can. If world means the minds of men, he can to some extent – he can change the minds of some men. If world means the Universe as a whole, he cannot. From what I have read and to a very small extent experienced, I can say that a man can only change himself and by doing so and in no other way can he change the world. I can heal myself. I can change the way I see the world. I can alleviate the poverty in some people’s lives. But that wil not make the Universe better. That is the most important thing to note. That can expand my consciousness and make me better.
My mind’s a bit clearer. Journaling works ! J
My mind’s a bit clearer. Journaling works ! J
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