As we let our own light shine, we give others permission to do the same….

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

This inspiring quote by Marianne Williamson is from her book, A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles, Harper Collins, 1992. From Chapter 7, Section 3 (Pg. 190-191).

This quote was used by Late Dr. Nelson Mandela, at the inaugural of his presidency of South Africa, after over 25 years of incarceration under Apartheid.

Each one of us is a prisoner of our thought process and most of the humanity never takes that step towards what they really want to be. This quote is always in my thought process and I use this to keep pushing myself to push my boundaries and this helps me to push others too.

In the last fortnight, I came across two youngsters who accosted me at different places on my travels, to confess that they have been through a session or two of mine in different locations at different times, and these sessions have impacted their thoughts and actions. And that they did take the leap of faith and chose their own path in life, during the interim period; and are well on their way to realize their inner sheen, as they are letting their own light shine others in their lives….

I am glad Sachin and Nikhil accosted me to reinforce my purpose of life. Thanks to scores of youth who have made me resolve steadfastly to undertake more such journeys in life….

———— April 20th, 2018 ———–

I was on my way back after addressing a very large gathering of about 2000 parents, on “Enabling children in this era of disruption” at DPS, Ranchi. As always, I was on a high, since I get to learn as much in these sessions, as I part with. So ideas were running in my head when I heard someone calling my name at a food point where, I was just trying to grab a sandwich before I boarded the flight.

Sachin comes from behind at Birsa Munda Airport, Ranchi and asks, “Are you Sreeni?”. I smiled. Sachin continues, “I could figure out from distance, but had some hesitation, when I came near, saw the CL logo on your laptop bag and that confirmed that you are. Still..” and laughed.

I was glad, #Inspiring #SachinJha of #IIML @iimlucknowdiaries accosted me at #Ranchi #Airport to tell me that he was in a class of mine in 2012 in #Kolkatta. and felt good that Sachin chose to take the path less trodden! #Sustainability #SDG which will be the mantra in the future.

He is currently doing his work with a foundation of TATA steel in the space of #education during the summers. Delighted that he is working with #policymakers #IAS decision makers in #Jharkhand!! Choose the less trodden path to progress faster, by exciting and enthusing others!! I am sure he will be in the @UN soon!

I commented that we both are in complete contrast(look at the photo) in the way we were looking that day! and we had a good laugh!!

#education #educator #mentor #learner #student #changemaker #travel #parenting #workshop #career #careerchoices #careercoaching #Lifecoach #coach

————- April 27th, 2018 ————-

#Electrifying day it was; #TEDx style keynote on #Creating #Innovation #Ecosystem in Institutions to enable learners for the future;

@ #Vision2030EduConference @MMUMullana over 100 leaders of schools, colleges, universities participated,

Also I was on a panel that was discussing #TEACHERSofFUTURE

After my panel discussion, at my table I was observing an engrossed 4 year-old child sketching, oblivious to the happenings in the conference. Just then I felt a tap on my shoulder. Apologetically asks, whether he can talk to me.

@NikhilSheavaramani shared that he was wondering how to talk to me and that it took him some self-talk to talk to me. “I was in the first row in your 2011 session on #Entrepreneurship in #Varanasi; Inspired, wondered how? Today I am one, in Bhatinda.

I run an education institution in Bhatinda along with my wife helping many a class 8-12 children. She is missing meeting you as I have come alone, and will be delighted when I share about this meeting. Never thought you will be here.”

Feel blessed, for such moments. Each change-maker an inspiration. Life is Fruitful; It has a way of giving back! That’s what keeps one going – one spark ignited in a large gathering is good enough to set a community, town or a city on fire.

#education #educator #mentor #learner #student #changemaker #travel #Educational #Leadership #Transformational #workshop #Learning #Courage #Humility #career #careerchoices #careercoaching #Lifecoach #coach #Dynamism

@career_launcher @CLEducate @careerlaunchervns #SCBagla @satyaumanandu
———

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Empowerment to Excellence Program @ Dibrugarh University

The EMPOWERMENT TO EXCELLENCE Programme by CL Educate at Dibrugarh University has been a big learning experience for every active participant of the programme, including me in some sense. The impact in the four days has been no less than ‘transformational’, as most students shared. Of course, a 2-day outbound program preceding this would have been even more impactful and life-changing.

‘Empowerment to Excellence’ at Dibrugarh University was a four-day intense, interactive programme to initiate and facilitate every student of Engineering and Management faculty to –

• Understand one-self
• Create a vision for oneself, for one’s career and life
• write a “Statement of Purpose” : Set Long term and Short term goals
• Realize the elements of personal effectiveness, and plan to work on self
• Understand the secrets of an effective communicator
• Identify ones strengths and areas of concern for improvement
• Be a good participant and contributor in group discussions and group activities
• Be an effective presenter and communicator
• Reflect, introspect and realize areas for action, from ones participation in the program
• set an agenda and action plan for personal growth
• Commitment to one’s own development and also development of the entire group

The program schedule, session plan and process were as per the agreed frame work. We adhered to the schedule given, to a great extent. The session plan for GD / Communication underwent a little change due to change in the number of participants.

My reflections at the end of the programme –

1. “Awakening”: Managed to infuse energy and purposefulness among the participants
2. Every participant has been shaken, active ones have woken up to his or her potential and the possibilities; they are charged to push themselves to give their best
3. Many have started working on their “Statement of Purpose”; the dialogue is on regularly in the whatsapp groups
4. The barriers between the departments have been broken; For the first time they got to know about the students from other departments as they worked in cross-functional teams in various sessions. By the end of the programme they gelled as if they all are one.
5. The realization among the students that the campus has enough resources within to create productive interactions and activities to sharpen their skills; They have promised to engage themselves at least once a month
6. The participants realized how they can effectively use the social media platforms to further their career goals; They shared about these as the sessions progressed

At the end of this program, and with my experience at IWSB and other universities, I am convinced that –

1. “Empowerment to Excellence” programme should be preceded by an outbound program, where the participants have to challenge themselves in many situations, mostly physical or strategic in nature; that helps every student push boundaries and realize his or her immense capabilities.
2. “Empowerment to Excellence” should be integral to every university programme, especially every university that we are facilitating. All our other programmes will be immensely effective if we take student through this programme.
3. This program should be in the second year of the four-year undergraduate program (like BE/BTech) and in the first year of Post-grad programme; We should have this before the academic year commences. And must be a compulsory programme, as it is beyond imagination of any student, how it can really impact.

With such a series of initiatives, students will become very purposeful and it will become integral to every students thoughts and actions. This could make a huge difference to their journey in the university, with student working towards his/her goal, empowering oneself with all that he or she needs to excel in career and life.

Student’s Presentations, Reflections and Feedback

A. Kindly watch the videos of a few presentations and reflections of the participants at the end of the programme, uploaded on the youtube channel of CL Educate, under

Dibrugarh University : Empowerment to Excellence playlist –

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYIF2mj1kyOCmToc2rx3pJsgw3qMI-3dx

Presentation sample – Most of them were presenting for the first time ever in front of a couple of hundred audience from across the departments of the University

Reflection of learning – Sample –

These set of videos also showcase the effectiveness and impact of the programme through

– The reflections of shifts made by the participants and

– Commitment of participants for their own future and that of the group

Delighted to see the feedback of students on SURVEYMONKEYt –

– Over 80% of the students have rated the conceptual sessions ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Very good’

– Over 70% have rated the Drills / Group Activities / Presentations sessions ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Very good’. We made sure that every one got a couple of drills, still that is not enough. More and more practice needed here. Unfortunately we had time constraint. I have asked the students to do their own drills. Shall continue to push them through Whatsapp.

– Over 90% have rated the facilitators ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Very good’

Of course we can always be better than what we are. Hope we will continue on that path.

In another post, I shall share part of the PDF with detailed feedback that a few students shared. Their delight in their personal growth through the four days comes through these sharing.

A winner is not one who never fails, but one who NEVER QUITS!

Our capabilities are ‘Ananth’ – boundless, infinite; It is for us to explore – who we are and what we can be… The Journey of our life is all about digging deeper within and discovering that much more.. that is the essence. What else can life be…

Here are a few stories……of extraordinary self-belief..

A candidate for a news broadcasters post was rejected by officials since his voice was not fit for a news broadcaster. He was also told that with his obnoxiously long name, he would never be famous.
He is Amitabh Bachchan.

————————————————————————–
A young boy – the fifth amongst seven siblings of a poor father, was selling newspapers in a small village to earn his living. He used to pick up newspapers from the station at 4am every morning, when he was seven. He was not exceptionally smart at school but was fascinated by religion and rockets. The first rocket he built crashed. A missile that he built crashed multiple times and he was made a butt of ridicule. He is the person to have scripted the Space Odyssey of India single-handedly
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.

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In 1962, four nervous young musicians played their first record audition for the executives of the Decca recording Company. The executives were not impressed. While turning down this group of musicians, one executive said, “We don’t like their sound. Groups of guitars are on the way out.”
The group was called The Beatles.

————————————————————————–
In 1944, Emmeline Snively, director of the Blue Book modeling Agency told modeling hopeful Norma Jean Baker, “You’d better learn secretarial work or else get married”  She went on and became Marilyn Monroe.

————————————————————————–
In 1954, Jimmy Denny, manager of the Grand Ole Opry, Fired a singer after one performance. He told him, “You ain’t goin’ nowhere….son. You ought to go back to driving a truck.”
He went on to become Elvis Presley.

————————————————————————–

When Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876, it did not ring off the hook with calls from potential backers. After making a demonstration call, President Rutherford Hayes said, “That’s an amazing invention, but who would ever want to see one of them?”

————————————————————————–
When Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, he tried over 11000 experiments before he got it to work. A young reporter asked him how it felt to fail so many times. He said, “I never failed once. I invented the light bulb. It just happened to be a 11000-step process.”

————————————————————————–
In the 1940s, another young inventor named Chester Carlson took his idea to 20 corporations, including some of the biggest in the country. They all turned him down. In 1947 after seven long years of rejections! He finally got a tiny company in Rochester, New York, the Haloid company, to purchase the rights to his invention — an electrostatic paper-copying process. Haloid became Xerox Corporation.

————————————————————————–
A little girl – the 20th of 22 children, was born prematurely and her survival was doubtful. When she was 4 years old, she contracted double pneumonia and scarlet fever, which left her with a paralysed left leg. At age 9, she removed the metal leg brace she had been dependent on and began to walk without it. By 13 she had developed a rhythmic walk, which doctors said was a miracle. That same year she decided to become a runner. She entered a race and came in last. For the next few years every race she entered, she came in last. Everyone told her to quit, but she kept on running. One day she actually won a race. And then another. From then on she won every race she entered. Eventually this little girl – Wilma Rudolph, went on to win three Olympic gold medals.

————————————————————————–
A school teacher scolded a boy for not paying attention to his mathematics and for not being able to solve simple problems. She told him that you would not become anybody in life.
The boy went on to become Albert Einstein.
——————————————————————

Over sixty of the Nobel prize winners never went to school or dropped out of it!

There are numerous stories of human endeavors, each one driven by self-belief.

A winner is not one who never fails, but one who NEVER QUITS!

Everything Happens For The Good – From the world of Akbar and Birbal

When I was going through the email that Rakesh, a friend, sent across, I thought of blogging it.

In every motivational session of mine – Dream It Do It! – I keep saying ‘Look ahead, leap ahead; Do not live in the past”. Most of us want to run ahead, but live in the past. We are full of all those negative thoughts that prevented us from achieving our goals. How can you run ahead, looking behind! Have you learnt the lessons from those incidents to be better in the future? We can change the future, and not the past.

Let us give our best, without compromising on the effort; Whatever happens, it happens for the good..

—————-

“I have heard this statement couple of months ago. This statement got struck in my head. I started to think about it a lot. I analyse every situation to see whether this statement holds some truth. I found mixed answers when I analyse all my past and current situations. But as time goes by, I realise that yes, this statement is correct. My senior colleague Mr. Sunil Tiku made ​​me understand the worth of this statement via the world famous Akbar Birbal story.” – Rakesh
—————-

Whatever happens, Happens for good

Here is a ‘story’ from the times of Emperor “Akbar” who had a wise Advisor “Birbal”. Birbal followed Akbar everywhere, and his favorite advice was, “Everything happens for the good”.

One day Akbar went hunting and had a little accident. He shot an arrow at his own foot and was injured. He asked Birbal what he thought about the accident, to which Birbal replied, “Everything happens for the good”. This time Akbar was really upset and ordered for Birbal to be put in a well. Akbar asked Birbal, “Now, what do you think?” The Birbal again replied, “Everything happens for the good”. So Birbal remained in prison.

The emperor Akbar went on a hunting trip yet again, this time without Birbal. Akbar was captured by the Tribes, who decided to offer him as a sacrifice to “Goddess Kali”. Just before chopping his head off, one of them saw the wound on the Akbar’s foot and decided to throw him back into the jungle, as per their customs they cannot offer an imperfect body to Goddess Kali as “Bali”.

Akbar realized Birbal’s words and repented for leaving him in the well and went back to get him. When Akbar explains what happened and apologizes to Birbal for his act, Birbal says “Jahapana, good that you left me, else they would have killed and offered me to kali instead of you”.

Success Principles

It is true that everything in life happens for a purpose, and always for our own good. If you think about it, all our past experiences actually happened to bring us to where we are today, and it is always for the good. All the past experiences make us a better person. So, whatever challenges that we may face today, consider it happening to bring us to the next level.

“When you go through a hard period,
When everything seems to oppose you,
When you feel you cant bear even one minute,
Fight the urge to give up
Have faith in self and keep forging
You are about to turn the corner,
Your course is about to change the plane,
New summit is within your reach….keep going!”

Believe in Self, the world will be at your feet – Swami Vivekananda
Karmanye-vadhikaraste Maa phaleshu kadachana – Bhagavadgita

Do not think about the results, just give your best! Wishing you the very best for all your endeavours. Go and hoist your flag!

Reviews of Dream It, Do It! 2013 India motivation tour from Gorakhpur

The youth was transfixed for four hours and wanted more when the session finally ended. They would not leave sreeni. Many shared that it has been a life changing session. Quite a few were asking when would the next session be…

Hindustan carried this story…

Dainik Jagran shared their understanding…

Jansandesh Times…

Amar Ujala reporter carried more for parents for facilitating their children based on post session interaction that he had with me..

Based on the post-session interaction the education reporter created this story in Jansandesh Times

Dainik Jagran’s INEXT carried this story

Dream It, Do It! 2013 motivation tour of INDIA, a set on Flickr.

Radio mantra did an interview and message for their audience and a few more articles and intervies are expected this week in various education and career supplements. I shall add them here as and when they reach me..
Till then motivate yourself visiting Motivate yourself TAB on this very website…

Thanks and love.

“I know only one thing, to paint. I do what I love” : KEN HOWARD R A, by the pichola lake, UDAIPUR

I was on a quick trip to Udaipur on an interesting assignment which I will talk about in another article While in Udaipur, as is my want, I walked about in the city early mornings, to catch people getting ready for the day or capture them doing what they do the best. Rajasthan is a prominent destination in the itinerary of most visitors to India, and Udaipur the preferred destination for almost all of those who visit Rajasthan.

The alleys around the lake Pichola are full of life. The interplay between the residents and the visitors is very interesting, with the residents always greeting even strangers with an ‘intriguing’ Hello! The Lake Pichola witnesses a buzz of activity, from children diving and bathing to the ladies of the locality washing clothes early in the day. The flock of pigeons frolicking and whirring in circles, celebrating the advent of a new day, when you see many a visitor with a camera in hand capturing these special moments.

Every lane leading to lake Pichola will offer something new if you walk through. I was on one such walking expedition. I crossed one of the pedestrian bridges across Pichola and walked through an alley, that I had never been through before, towards one of the ghats that seemed to be calm and quiet.

KEN Howard R A in Udaipur, by lake Pichola

As I took a turn right and approached the ghat, just behind a large peepal tree that is worshipped (orange threads tied around), I was delighted to see an elderly gentleman painting a canvas. I sought his permission and sat on the steps behind him observing his working. He was looking at a visual frame that spanned across the lake – with a pillared dome on one side, a bridge going across and ending into a gate on the other side. His army of brushes quickly changed places in his hands, as he was capturing on canvas, with flurry of subtle strokes, a variety of hues he was seeing in the visual frame. The layers of colors emerged one over the other on the canvas, slowly revealing his observation and translation of the palette into combination of colors that truly reflects his visual frame. Stroke by stroke, hue by hue he was filling the canvas. As he was doing the work, he was nodding and making various sounds, that was reflecting his internal struggle as well as delight. It was fascinating to observe him work. Surely for me, a great lesson in the art of painting.

After a while, he broke his silence and spoke, “it is a frustrating experience capturing the vast hues of nature. This size canvas takes at least two sittings, not an easy one for my 80 year-old body. That is why I usually paint small sized canvases.”

Artist Ken Howard R A in Udaipur, by the lake Pichola

I got to know that he exhibits in London couple of times a year, each featuring the impressions of his travel. He came to India last year for the first time and fell in love. He has been here for the last three months and is heading back this weekend with a few canvases ready. His itinerary, for the next few weeks, include Morocco and Switzerland before he exhibits in the coming May. He does three or four exhibitions every year, and the earnings from the sale has paid off for his explorations of the world, in the last eighty years. It has been an exciting journey.

“I know only one thing, to paint, since my childhood. People told me to go to university, but, I found this is my calling. This is my university. Only thing I ever did was paint, whether inside the class or outside. I do what I love. Very few people are lucky to be doing that. It has helped me to discover myself and the world.” There is a great learning in what he said.

I captured him working, for my article and shared with him that I am going to write about this experience. The gentleman is known in the art-world by the name Ken Howard, and is a distinguished member of Royal Academy. I took leave of him with quite a few lessons to follow in my own life.

I searched for, “KEN HOWARD R A,” on professor GOOGLE, and found quite a few links, including the website of Ken Howard R A.

True to his sharing and my belief too, I realized how important it is “to do what I love, and I love whatever I do”.

Dream It Do It! – Anil, an inspirational golfer, from slums of Mumbai

A beautiful film on how an individual from a slum next door to the golf course, Bombay presidency golf club, in Mumbai is realizing his dreams…Every one can achieve whatever they want to, if one perseveres the way Anil is doing!

Thanks to the well-off golfer, Ashish Kacholia, at the golf course who has seen Anil for the last six years, and was so inspired by his passion and perseverance, he went ahead and made this movie on Anil.