QUOTES THAT I LOVED READING - 2015.04.10

I love the things money won't buy....
Money bought me a nice house, won't by me a home.
Money will buy me a companion, won't by me a friend.
Money will buy  me a good time, won't by me a peace of mind.
Money will buy me a bed, won't buy me a good nights sleep.
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You're what you are and where you are because of 
What's gone into your mind.
You can change where you are by changing what goes into your mind.
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You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.
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"Do not confuse motion with progress,
a rocking chair moves but never makes progress."
- Alfred A. Montapert
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For a brilliant thinking you need to be in the right state of mind.
An optimum state where your brain can function at a hugh level.
'Be a chess player, not a chess piece'
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You want to know the difference between a master and a 
beginner?
The Master has failed more times than the beginner has tried.
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You get a job, so you can afford to have a life. But then, you spend all your time at work and end up with no time to live the life you're working for. Any questions?
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The greatest prison people live in is the fear of what other people think.
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The quieter you become the more you can hear.
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The things I find most beautiful about a person are almost never physical.
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How you make others feel about themselves says a lot about you.
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Difference in school & life?
In School, You're taught a lesson and then given a test.
In life, You're given a test that teaches you a lesson.
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As soon as you die, your identity becomes a "Body".
People use phrases like: "Bring the Body", "Lower the Body in the Grave", "Take the Body to the Grave yard", etc...
People Don't Even call you by your Name, whom you tried to Impress whole Life....
Live a Life to Impress the Creator not the Creation.
Take chances..
Tell the truth...
Learn to say NO...
Listen to your Heart...
Spend money on the things u love...
Laugh till ur stomach hurts...
Dance Even if u are too bad at it...
Pose stupidly for photos...
Be child-like....

Moral: Death is not the greatest loss in life...
Loss is when life dies inside u while u are alive...
Celebrate this event called LIFE... Enjoy life...
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You need power, only when you want to do something harmful,
Otherwise Love is Enough to get everything done.
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the only way to Buy HAPPINESS is to Give HAPPINESS

http://bringinghumanityback.com/

I liked what Actor Varun Pruthi does for the society.

And videos he has uploaded are amazingly wonderful to watch.

Life With / Without Mobile Phones - How Much Has Changed ?

The key to overcome procrastination

1. Do things in small steps and by beginning with a fun task. For example, if it's a report, start by designing the cover or by doing any part that's easier. If it's a goal to shape up with hours of exercising, that seems like a daunting task that you're putting off and not getting started in the first place, then maybe start by just doing the warm up instead.
   
2. You need to plan and overcome your own habits, have a NOW attitude and completely erase the word LATER from your vocabulary. Remind yourself that now is the best time for anything and everything you need to do.
   
3. Have a 30 day plan to beat your procrastinating pattern by taking a planner and writing down one item for each day for you to complete, then following through on them. It can be small things that you have been putting off but it will get you on a routine that will benefit you in the long term.
   
4. If you're delaying a task that takes days, then simply make a schedule with breaks each time you complete a section of your task and reward yourself with something you like. By doing this, you will feel good about your step by step accomplishments and feel more motivated to finish the next step, while you zero in on your task with minimum stress and avoid the last minute panic.

Insights to help you fly

By Robin Sharma

1. Success has less to do with hard work and more to do with massive focus on your few best opportunities.
2. Why resist change when it’s the main source of your growth?
3. The more you invest in growing and developing your mindset and way of seeing the world, the more everything you touch transforms in a breathtakingly positive way.
4. Pursuing perfection really does matter (in a world highly accepting of mediocrity).
5. Spending full days with zero technology to refuel or do important work is a game-changer.
6. Doing something super-nice for at least one stranger a day gives them a gift and an even larger one to yourself.
7. Adore your parents. You’ll miss them when they’re gone.
8. The smartest thing you can do to grow a great company is to first sweat getting A-players only onto your team and then sweat training and developing them so they play their A-game.
9. Most tv is toxic.
10. Have the discipline to clean out all the energy-draining people in your life. You really do rise or fall to the level of your associations.
11. Doing huge dreams we have never done can be frightening. Yet when we push to the edges of our limits, our limits expand.
12. If you don’t make the time for yourself to get inspired, no one around you will ever be inspired.
13. Your diet affects your moods. Eat like a superstar.
14. Talk less. Do more.
15. Integrity is more valuable than income.
16. Model Mandela and you’ll find at the end of your life you lived an awesome one.
17. Learn to love yourself. It’s the great rule for being loving with other people.
18. When your dominant business focus is to deliver outrageous amounts of value to your customers every time they do business with you, they become fanatical followers who tell the world about what you do.
19. Money invested in personal development and professional growth generally has a 30X plus return on investment (I went to more high-level seminars and programs than ever before and the ROI made them all free).
20. Real leaders have the guts to have the hard conversations.
21. Your environment (your home, your office, the magazines you read etc.) dramatically affects your levels of achievement.
22. The quality of your practice affects the caliber of your performance.
23. Reviewing your Big 5 annual goals every morning and working on your plan every day is an exceptionally powerful way to breed unbeatable focus and drive.
24. Measure your success via your influence and impact versus only by your income and net worth.
25. To become successful, first learn how to be happy. Too many think that the route to happiness is to get successful. Untrue.
26. Getting ultra-fit lifts every other area of your life.
27. Self-belief is so incredibly important. Because if you don’t believe you can achieve a vision/goal, then you won’t even start to do the work needed to achieve that vision/goal.
28. Our biggest enemy is our own self-doubt. We really can achieve extraordinary things in our lives. But we sabotage our greatness because of our fear.
29. Drink more water.
30. Watch the documentary “Searching for Sugarman”.
31. Join a mastermind group. It’s just remarkable what being in a room full of people who are smarter than yourself does for your performance.
32. Related to the above, remember what Dennis Kimbro once said: “If you’re the smartest one of your friends, you need new friends.”
33. Dopamine is the elite performers best friend. [I really dug deep into the neurobiology of high-achievement in this past year and discovered that this neurotransmitter is the key to motivation...and it is released when we push our envelopes and do things that are difficult].
34. You rarely go wrong when you trust yourself.
35. Writing learning down works so much better than typing things down on a computer.
36. If you try to do it all yourself you get very little done. The most productive people set the dream and then hand it over swiftly to a project manager to execute with precision.
37. Become one of the rare people who don’t know how to quit (unless it really is time to quit).
38. Smile. It truly makes a difference to the people around you.
39. Just because excellent manners are not so common doesn’t mean that excellent manners are not incredibly important.
40. Always remember that there’s food on your table thanks to the customers you are privileged to serve.
41. It’s so much better to fail trying than to not even get into the game.
42. Music just makes life a whole lot better.
43. You can change the world or you can worry about fitting in but you just can’t do both.
44. Change is hard at first, messy in the middle and beautiful at the end.
45. The real key to getting great things done is stop doing so many good things.
46. Small little details done excellently and consistently stack up into something the world sees as Mastery.
47. Spend time in nature to renew and refuel.
48. Less entertainment, more education.
49. Gratitude is the antidote to misery.
50. We become happier not by accumulating more things but by creating richer experiences.
51. Your self-identity is what really determines your income, influence, impact and lifestyle. Retrain that and your bigness comes out to play.
52. The more you serve, the more joyful you’ll become.
53. Life’s short. Have fun.

- See more at: http://www.robinsharma.com/blog/12/the-53-greatest-lessons-2013-taught-me/#sthash.sDvSvpYr.dpuf

Navaliyuran Selladurai By Channa Daswatte

Navaliyuran Selladurai
By Channa Daswatte

(A felicitation ceremony organised by a group of Old Boys for Mr N. N. Selladurai is to be held on October, 11 2014 in the Trinity College Hall at 10.00 am.)

To write a tribute to an old teacher is always a daunting task. After all, our teachers are the ones who knew us during a time when we were still discovering ourselves - replete with all our faults and our occasional strengths!. Teachers like Mr. Selladurai touched our young lives in so many different, but wonderful ways, that even today, the values they taught us live in us through the special way we Trinitians relate to the world around us. Trinity College, with its long tradition of a boarding school associated with it, was blessed with many kind and generous teachers who lived and taught among us during our formative years. Navaliyuran Selladurai was one such person that we will never forget.

Having studied at Jaffna College and later at the Colombo Cathedral College, Mr. Selladurai got his degree at the Government Arts College in Chennai. Here he was duly recognized for his prowess in acting when he was given first prize in Drama for acting and directing. Indeed, it is in the field of Drama and literature that Mr. Selladurai was to make his greatest cultural contribution to the boys of Trinity and to the country at large. During his tenure at Trinity College, between 1959 and 1984, he directed over 75 dramas! He also acted joyfully in many of these, and remembers with amusement an incident during a play called Ketta Kumaran, in which a student actually injured him with a drawn sword during a fight scene! Our Navliyuran continued acting as though nothing was wrong, even though he was bleeding from the sword - inflicted wound! In addition to writing numerous scripts and directing Drama, Mr. Selladurai also published 7 books between 1978 and 2013, including Sillappadhigarathil Silai Eduththa Seran, published in India in 2008. This erudite and prolific man also wrote volumes of Poetry, many of which he shared with generations of students.

In appreciation of his many literary contributions, Mr. Selladurai was honoured with various well-deserved awards and accolades, including: Sangitha Mandala Viridhu-1969; Mudhu Kalaigner Viridhu-1984; Kalabooshanan-1999; Kalai Gnach Chudar Viridhu-2002; Matale Tamil Sagithya Viridhu-2002; and Aalunar Viridhu-2009.

My own association with Mr. Selladurai began when he was appointed House Master of Napier in 1980; and Mr. Selladurai is remembered with affection, and not without a touch of amusement, by the boarders of Napier. It was difficult not to always be aware of his presence through the tones of his violin playing Carnatic music during any free time. Although most of us young ones at that time did not appreciate this great passion for Carnatic violin that Navaliyuran had, now, however, as I enjoy the melifluous music of Carnatic maestros M.S Subhalaxshmi and D.K Pattamal, I am certain that the lovely music that emanated from the violin of this passionate musician every night through the windows of Napier House, had much to do with kindling in me an interest in this special musical form. I must add that this is a cherished interest and an appreciation that I have enjoyed in my later life, that if not for Mr. Selladurai, I may never have discovered! I am sure that I was not the only schoolboy during that time that was in some special manner moved by Navaliyuran’s music!

During his tenure as housemaster, Mr. Selladurai was a strict disciplinarian, but he was never inhumane. Most memorable for us Napierites was when we had to pull our weight at the Inter -House Drama Competition, held that year in Tamil. Mr. Selladurai was determined to stage a play that he himself had written, reflecting the unity of all religious and philosophical teaching. Napier, of course, reflecting the typical linguistic proportions of the time, had a minority of Tamil speaking students. But, like all of the houses, we had to make do with the talent (or lack thereof :- ) that we could muster! What followed, i.e, the effort expended to pull together a cast worthy of Navaliyuran’s great creation, would have put Cecil B. de Mille to shame! It was an endeavor for which, under Mr. Selladurai’s tutelage, most of us non-Tamil speaking boarders learned to speak, act, and indeed appreciate, those crucial bits of the Tamil language which most of us would remember and cherish for a lifetime. And, with a large chorus required for the singing parts, we even learned to sing in Tamil to the tune of Mr. Selladurai’s Violin. I am sure all the Napierites of that time remember this "grand production" with great delight and even some amusement, although we didn’t win. Another play, also directed by Mr. Selladurai - "Veera Pandiya Kattapomman," with a redoubtable actor from Lemuel House in the title role, won that year!

The enthusiasm with which Mr. Selladurai encouraged all of the various extra-curricular activities in the boarding house, including sports, and the many cultural events, regardless of what language they were conducted in, was remarkable. Events that he presided over such as our end of year Grand Finales and House anniversary celebrations in both 1981 and 1984 will be remembered with affection by all those who participated in them.

When I was appointed a school monitor and later House prefect of Napier, I had the privilege of working with Mr. Selladurai rather closely, and even occupied a room right next door to his. Between being lulled to sleep by his violin and dealing with administrative matters of the dormitory, I came to know with much gratitude the gentle person who resided within the tough exterior persona that Mr. Selladurai often projected to the outside world. Although most students in the Tamil medium classes that he taught may remember him for his strict imposition of discipline, he was by nature a gentle, concerned, and deeply spiritual man, who was an ever willing father figure to many a boy - supportive of all students who needed advice or help, particularly as a house master. When he called every ward within his care by the endearing term ‘Son,’ we all knew that he meant it, and that he would put us first if our well being depended on his actions. This universal concern for everyone that he was called to look after was evident most on that unforgettable night in 1983 when Sri Lanka’s history changed forever. I will never forget the deep compassion that Mr. Selladurai demonstrated for all the students in the hostel who had stayed behind at Trinity even in the face of threats to their personal safety and rumors of attacks upon the school. Even in that time of terrible need, his concern for his boys was greater than his concern for his own safety, even though he himself was likely more in harm’s way by being a Tamil teacher, than anyone else.

With his retirement after the events of 1983, Mr. Selladurai returned to his beloved Jaffna, and to his wife Maheswari, herself a teacher who had continued to work in Jaffna during the latter part of his time in Kandy. We thank you Mrs. Selladurai for taking care of our beloved teacher for so many years when we could do nothing, and for being his strongest supporter throughout his life. An unfortunate and horror-filled war cut you both off from much of your former life at Trinity, for which you gave so much of yourselves, and for which we will forever be grateful! We have missed you Sir, for almost 30 years, but thank you for coming back home. We are privileged to reconnect with you in these your golden years, and to remember with affection once more, the huge part you played in our lives. We wish you both a long and healthy life full of joyful surprises and God’s choicest blessings!

(The writer is one of Sri Lanka’s leading architects. Having trained under Geoffrey Bawa, Sri Lanka’s most prolific and influential architect, he is considered by many to be Bawa’s spiritual successor.He graduated from the University of Moratuwa in 1987, after which he obtained a postgraduate diploma in architecture from University College London followed by a Master of Architecture from the University of London in 1991. After graduation, he joined Geoffrey Bawa’s architectural consultancy firm before being made a partner of Geoffrey Bawa Associates in 1997. He is currently the owner and partner of MICD Associates. He also writes frequently for international and local journals and magazines and has written the book, ‘Sri Lanka Style’ with Dominic Sansoni.)

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7 Tips to Help You Shift and Take Control of Your Life

If you’re ready to take control and lead rather than be led, here are seven tips you should follow: 

1. Stay optimistic and exude positive energy despite the surrounding negativity. 

2. Work on being happy and become known for it. 

3. Remember that there will be those who like you and those who won’t. Don’t waste your time running after the latter. Build yourself to become strong, and they’re bound to come to you. 

4. Become more intuitive and tap into opportunities that are all around you in the matrix.  

5. Operate with tacit knowledge, i.e., do what you do with confidence rather than just doing a task. 

6. Repel inferior energy, especially while you’re building your own, or it will drag you down.  

7. Remember that you may be lonely, but you’re never alone. The quicker you realize this, the less likely it will be for you to succumb to depression and other negative thoughts.

How I Became an Early Riser - By Leo Babauta

How I Became an Early Riser

By Leo Babauta

I’ve found that waking early has been one of the best things I’ve done as I’ve changed my life recently, and I thought I’d share my tips. I just posted about my morning routine, and thought you might like to know how I get up at 4:30 a.m.

For many years, I was a late riser. I loved to sleep in. Then things changed, because I had to wake up between 6-6:30 a.m. to fix my kids’ lunches and get them ready for school. But last year, when I decided to train for my first marathon, I decided that I needed to start running in the mornings if I was to have any time left for my family.

So, I set out to make waking up early a habit. I started by getting up at 5:30 a.m., then at 5 a.m. When that became a habit, and I had to wake up at 4 a.m. or 3:30 a.m. for an early long run, it wasn’t a problem. And last November, when I decided to participate in NaNoWriMo, I decided to get up at 4 a.m. to write for at least an hour a day. Now that I completed that novel-writing goal, I don’t need to wake that early anymore, but have settled on a happy compromise of waking at 4:30 a.m. Some days, when I’m really tired (if I go to sleep late), I’ll wake at 5:00 or 5:30, but that’s still earlier than I used to wake up.

Here are my tips for becoming an early riser:

• Don’t make drastic changes. Start slowly, by waking just 15-30 minutes earlier than usual. Get used to this for a few days. Then cut back another 15 minutes. Do this gradually until you get to your goal time.
• Allow yourself to sleep earlier. You might be used to staying up late, perhaps watching TV or surfing the Internet. But if you continue this habit, while trying to get up earlier, sooner or later one is going to give. And if it is the early rising that gives, then you will crash and sleep late and have to start over. I suggest going to bed earlier, even if you don’t think you’ll sleep, and read while in bed. If you’re really tired, you just might fall asleep much sooner than you think.
• Put your alarm clock far from you bed. If it’s right next to your bed, you’ll shut it off or hit snooze. Never hit snooze. If it’s far from your bed, you have to get up out of bed to shut it off. By then, you’re up. Now you just have to stay up.
• Go out of the bedroom as soon as you shut off the alarm. Don’t allow yourself to rationalize going back to bed. Just force yourself to go out of the room. My habit is to stumble into the bathroom and go pee. By the time I’ve done that, and flushed the toilet and washed my hands and looked at my ugly mug in the mirror, I’m awake enough to face the day.
• Do not rationalize. If you allow your brain to talk you out of getting up early, you’ll never do it. Don’t make getting back in bed an option.
• Allow yourself to sleep in once in awhile. Despite what I just said in the previous point, once in awhile it’s nice to sleep in. As long as it’s not a regular thing. I do it maybe once a week or so.
• Make waking up early a reward. Yes, it might seem at first that you’re forcing yourself to do something hard, but if you make it pleasurable, soon you will look forward to waking up early. My reward used to be to make a hot cup of coffee and read a book. I’ve recently cut out coffee, but I still enjoy reading my book. Other rewards might be a tasty treat for breakfast (smoothies! yum!) or watching the sunrise, or meditating. Find something that’s pleasurable for you, and allow yourself to do it as part of your morning routine.
• Take advantage of all that extra time. Don’t wake up an hour or two early just to read your blogs, unless that’s a major goal of yours. Don’t wake up early and waste that extra time. Get a jump start on your day! I like to use that time to get a head start on preparing my kids’ lunches, on planning for the rest of the day (when I set my MITs), on exercising or meditating, and on reading. By the time 6:30 rolls around, I’ve done more than many people do the entire day.
• Enjoy the break of dawn! As much as you can, look outside (or better yet, get outside!) and watch the sky turn light. It’s beautiful. And it’s quiet and peaceful. It’s now my favorite time of day. Getting up early is a reward in itself for me.