Gems From Folk

GEMS FROM FOLK
Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
PREFACE
Love for Lord Krishna, connected me to International Society for Krishna
Consciousness (ISKCON). Though I have not actively participated in ISKCON
activities, I continuously follow ISKCON website. It allowed me to subscribe to
Friends of Lord Krishna (FOLK) newsletter.
FOLK sends regular mails to the subscribers that are highly motivating and
inspiring that are thought provoking and can change the human thinking.
I have been continuously collecting those mails, and have compiled some of
the best in this book. I strongly recommend everyone to read all the articles, which
are true GEMS of Wisdom.
The entire credit for the contents of the book is of FOLK and Lord Krishna.
This compilation is just a transfer of Wisdom from FOLK to everyone.
Dedicated to
Friends of Lord Krishna & Lord Krishna Himself
BY
NAGARAJ KARNAM
GEMS FROM FOLK
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE .............................................................................................................................. 1
1.
A LESSON FROM THE GEESE ................................................................................... 7
2.
ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR BLESSINGS.......................................................................... 8
3.
ALL OF LIFE IS IN A CONSTANT STATE OF CHANGE .............................................. 9
4.
ANATOMY DECODED ................................................................................................ 10
5.
AS WE RUSH THROUGH LIFE! ................................................................................. 11
6.
AS YOU TREAT OTHERS, SO SHALL YOU BE TREATED....................................... 13
7.
ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT ..................................................................................... 14
8.
ASK YOURSELF - WHAT HAVE I CONTRIBUTED TO THIS PROBLEM? ................ 15
9.
ATTITUDE! .................................................................................................................. 16
10. AVOID THE PHRASE: I HAVE TO GO TO WORK ..................................................... 17

11. AVOID THE TRAP OF REACTION SPIRALS ............................................................. 19
12. BANISH YOUR DOUBTS! ........................................................................................... 20
13. BE A GOOD LISTENER .............................................................................................. 21
14. BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR ......................................................................... 22
15. BE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU ................................................. 23
16. BE GRATEFUL WHEN YOUR MOOD IS HIGH AND GRACEFUL WHEN IT IS LOW 25
17. BE THANKFUL............................................................................................................ 26
18. BE WILLING TO APOLOGIZE .................................................................................... 27
19. BE WILLING TO SEEK OUT, LISTEN TO, AND TAKE ADVICE ................................ 28
20. BE WILLING TO TAKE ADVICE ................................................................................. 29
21. BE WILLING TO TAKE ADVICE 2 .............................................................................. 31
22. BE WORRY-FREE! ..................................................................................................... 32
23. BECOME LESS CONTROLLING ............................................................................. 33
24. BECOME LESS REACTIVE AND MORE RESPONSIVE ........................................... 34
25. BECOMING A BETTER LISTENER! ........................................................................... 35
26. BEING IMMORTAL ..................................................................................................... 37
27. BEYOND DARWINISM ............................................................................................... 38
28. BUILD A LARGE TRUST FUND ................................................................................. 39
29. BY FORCE YOU CANNOT ......................................................................................... 40
30. CALM A DISTURBED MIND BY... .............................................................................. 41
31. CENTER OF LOVE ..................................................................................................... 43
GEMS FROM FOLK
32. CHANGE WHAT YOU CAN & ACCEPT THE THINGS YOU CAN'T ........................... 44
33. CHANGE YOURSELF RATHER THAN TRYING TO CHANGE THE WORLD ........... 45
34. CHARACTERISTICS OF AN INTELLIGENT MAN ...................................................... 46
35. CONSCIOUS UNDERSTANDING .............................................................................. 47
36. CORRECT CALCULATION......................................................................................... 49
37. CORRECT TIMING TO TAKE WATER ....................................................................... 50
38. CREATE FROM THE INSIDE OUT ............................................................................. 51
39. CURE FOR MODERN JAUNDICE .............................................................................. 52
40. DEALING WITH PROBLEMS...................................................................................... 53
41. DELIGHT IN THE SUCCESS OF OTHERS ................................................................ 55
42. DETECTING LIFE SOURCE ....................................................................................... 56
43. DO NOT BE AGGRESSIVE DURING CONFRONTATION! ........................................ 57
44. DO NOT PANIC UNNECESSARILY ........................................................................... 58
45. DONT DRAW CONCLUSIONS UNTIL YOU KNOW ALL THE FACTS! ..................... 59
46. DONT KEEP PEOPLE WAITING ............................................................................... 61
47. DONT LET SUCCESS GO TO YOUR HEAD ............................................................. 62
48. DONT WORRY IF YOU DO NOT HAVE SOME FACILITY ........................................ 63
49. DONATE - WHILE YOU ARE STILL LIVING!.............................................................. 64
50. DRIVING AHEAD ........................................................................................................ 65
51. EACH PERSON VIEWS THE WORLD DIFFERENTLY .............................................. 67
52. EASE OFF YOUR EXPECTATIONS A LITTLE! .......................................................... 68
53. ENCOURAGE CREATIVITY IN OTHERS & HAVE FAITH IN THEM .......................... 69
54. EVER STRUGGLED TO FIND AN ANSWER? ........................................................... 70
55. EXCELLENCE............................................................................................................. 71
56. EXPRESS YOUR GRATITUDE TOWARD OTHERS .................................................. 73
57. FACING PROBLEMS IN LIFE ..................................................................................... 74
58. FATHER SENSE ......................................................................................................... 75
59. GIVE YOURSELF SOME APPRECIATION! ............................................................... 76
60. GOD IS ALWAYS AROUND US ................................................................................. 77
61. GOD PERSONALLY SAVES! ..................................................................................... 79
62. GRUMBLE, GRUMBLE, GRUMBLES ......................................................................... 80
63. HANDLING CRITICISM............................................................................................... 81
64. HANDLING SETBACKS & FAILURES ........................................................................ 82
65. HARD WORK .............................................................................................................. 83
GEMS FROM FOLK
66. HONESTY ................................................................................................................... 85

67. HOW TO REACT TO CRITICISM? ............................................................................. 86
68. HOW WE FEEL DEPENDS A LOT UPON ............................................................. 87
69. IF YOU FIND YOURSELF IN A HOLE, STOP DIGGING ............................................ 88
70. IF YOU WANT TO STOP CRIME... ............................................................................. 89
71. IGNORANCE IS NO EXCUSE .................................................................................... 91
72. ILLUSIONED COURAGE ............................................................................................ 92
73. IMPLICATIONS OF THINKING BIG! ........................................................................... 93
74. INFALLIBLE PROTECTOR ......................................................................................... 94
75. IT'S CALLED MINDSET .............................................................................................. 95
76. KEEP YOURSELF HEALTHY - PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY ......................... 97
77. LAW OF THE GARBAGE TRUCK .............................................................................. 98
78. LEARN THE MAGIC OF NONATTACHMENT ............................................................ 99
79. LEARNING FROM OUR GLORIOUS PAST ............................................................. 100
80. LESS YOU WORRY ABOUT YOUR PROBLEMS, THE EASIER THEY WILL BE TO
SOLVE ...................................................................................................................... 101
81. LET GO OF BATTLES THAT CANNOT BE WON .................................................... 103
82. LET GO OF FEARFUL THOUGHTS ......................................................................... 104
83. LET GO OF THE FEAR THAT IF YOU'RE RELAXED OR HAPPY, YOU'RE GOING TO
FALL .......................................................................................................................... 105
84. LIFE IS ACTUALLY A REFLECTION OF OUR THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS... ........ 106
85. LIFE ISN'T YOUR ENEMY, BUT YOUR THINKING CAN BE ................................... 107
86. LIFE PRODUCES CHEMICALS ................................................................................ 109
87. LIGHT A CANDLE INSTEAD OF CURSING THE DARKNESS ................................ 110
88. LOOK FOR THE EXTRAORDINARY IN THE ORDINARY ....................................... 111
89. TAKE SERVICE AN INTEGRAL PART OR YOUR LIFE ........................................... 112
90. MANY TIMES WE FEEL AS THOUGH WE ARE WORTHLESS .............................. 113
91. MIND A THOUGHT FACTORY .............................................................................. 115
92. MISTAKE IS NOT A MISTAKE IF WE LEARN FROM THE EXPERIENCE .............. 116
93. NEVER ENDING CRITICISM .................................................................................... 117
94. NEVER EVER BACKSTAB ....................................................................................... 118
95. NEVER EVER LET SUCCESS GO TO YOUR HEAD! .............................................. 119
96. NEVER GIVE UP! ..................................................................................................... 121
97. NEVER WRITE AN EMAIL WHEN YOURE MAD OR UPSET ................................. 122
98. OUSTING DIFFERENCES ........................................................................................ 123
GEMS FROM FOLK
99. PATH OF PERFECTION ........................................................................................... 124

100. PEACE FORMULA .................................................................................................... 125
101. PEOPLE YOU ASSOCIATE WITH WILL INFECT YOUR THINKING ....................... 127
102. PERFECT UNDERSTANDING ................................................................................. 128
103. PERFECTION OF LIFE ............................................................................................. 129
104. POWER OF ASSOCIATION ..................................................................................... 130
105. PRACTICE THOSE QUALITIES WHICH YOU BELIEVE IN ..................................... 131
106. PRAY REGULARLY .................................................................................................. 133
107. PROBLEM WITH ALWAYS SAYING YES............................................................... 134
108. PUT THE GLASS DOWN! ......................................................................................... 135
109. QUEST FOR HAPPINESS ........................................................................................ 136
110. REACTIVE V/S PROACTIVE PERSON .................................................................... 137
111. REAL AWAKENING .................................................................................................. 139
112. REAL PROBLEM IS DEATH ..................................................................................... 140
113. RECOGNIZING AN OPPORTUNITY ........................................................................ 141
114. RECOGNIZING PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR!........................................................... 142
115. RECOVER QUICKLY FROM YOUR MISTAKES! ..................................................... 143
116. RELEVANT ENQUIRY .............................................................................................. 145
117. REMEMBER TO ACKNOWLEDGE .......................................................................... 146
118. RESPONDING TO CRITICISM WITHOUT BEING DEFENSIVE .............................. 147
119. RUSHING TO GET THINGS DONE? ........................................................................ 148
120. SPIRITUAL; NOT RELIGIOUS ............................................................................... 149
121. SELF-CONFIDENCE ................................................................................................ 153
122. SMILE MORE ............................................................................................................ 154
123. SOMETHING OF THE PAST .................................................................................... 155
124. SPILLING OIL SPILLING LIFE .................................................................................. 156
125. STAY AWAY FROM THE BLAME GAME ................................................................. 158
126. STAY FOCUSED IN THE PRESENT! ....................................................................... 160
127. STAY OUT OF REVERSE ........................................................................................ 161
128. STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO EASE THE STING OF CRITICISM ............................. 162
129. STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES ...................................... 163
130. STOP WORRYING TOO MUCH ............................................................................... 164
131. STOPPING TO BLAME SOMETHING OR SOMEONE ......................................... 166
132. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH EXPERTS.............................................................. 167
GEMS FROM FOLK
133. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY BY CREATING AN IDEAL WORKING ENVIRONMENT .. 168

134. TAKE THAT FIRST STEP ......................................................................................... 169
135. TAKE YOUR BREAKS REGULARLY ....................................................................... 170
136. THE ANT PHILOSOPHY ........................................................................................... 172
137. THE KEY TO EFFECTIVE CONFRONTATION! ....................................................... 173
138. THE LAW OF THE SEED.......................................................................................... 174
139. THE MANUAL OF LIFE ............................................................................................. 175
140. THE PAINTING ON THE WALL ................................................................................ 176
141. THE STORY OF THE EAGLE ................................................................................... 178
142. THINKING "OUT OF THE BOX" ............................................................................... 179
143. THIS TOO SHALL PASS........................................................................................... 180
144. THREE LAST WISHES! ............................................................................................ 182
145. TRUE RELIGION ...................................................................................................... 183
146. TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT ............................................................................... 185
147. UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD REDEFINED ........................................................... 186
148. USE THE POWER OF REFLECTION ....................................................................... 187
149. VALUE OF FINGER .................................................................................................. 188
150. VITAMINS COME BY GODS DESIRE ..................................................................... 189
151. WARMTH IN HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS .................................................................. 191
152. WATERING THE ROOT............................................................................................ 192
153. WE MUST BE THANKFUL FOR... ............................................................................ 193
154. WHAT IS MATURITY? .............................................................................................. 194
155. WHEN PEOPLE COME TO YOU TO PRESENT THEIR PROBLEMS ................. 195
156. WHEN SOMEONE GIVES YOU AN ANSWER THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT
YOU EXPECT ........................................................................................................ 197
157. WITH COMPLAINING OUT OF THE WAY ............................................................... 198
158. YOU CATCH MORE FLIES WITH HONEY ............................................................... 199
159. YOUR BELIEF WINDOW .......................................................................................... 200
160. YOUR SELF-DEFEATING BELIEFS ......................................................................... 201
GEMS FROM FOLK
1. A LESSON FROM THE GEESE

Have you ever wondered why migrating geese fly in a 'V' formation? As with most animal
behavior, God had a good reason for including that in their instincts. As each bird flaps its
wings, it creates uplift for the bird following. In a V formation, the whole flock adds at least 71%
more flying range than if each bird flew alone.
Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of
trying to fly aloneand quickly gets back into formation. Like geese people who share a
common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier
than those who try to go alone.
When a goose gets tired, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies at the
point position. If people had as much sense as geese, they would realize that ultimately their
success depends on working as a team, taking turns doing the hard tasks, and sharing
leadership.
Geese in the rear of the formation honk to encourage those up front to up their speed. It
is important that our honking from behind be encouraging.
When a goose gets sick or wounded, two other geese drop out of formation and follow it
down to help and provide protection. They stay with the unhealthy member of the flock until it is
either able to fly again or dies. Then they launch out again with another passing flock or try to
catch up on their own.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A SCIENTIST...To learn from Gods marvelous creation;
you only need to stop long enough to observe and let God reveal His wonders to you.
Ask the beasts, and they will teach you; and the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or
speak to the earth, and it will teach you; and the fish of the sea will explain to you. Who among
all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?
GEMS FROM FOLK
2. ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR BLESSINGS

I dreamt that I went to Heaven and an angel was showing me around. We walked sideby-side inside a large workroom filled with angels.
My angel guide stopped in front of the first section and said, 'This is the Receiving
Section. Here, all petitions to God said in prayer are received.' I looked around in this area, and
it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on voluminous paper sheets
and scraps from people all over the world.
Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section. The angel
then said to me, 'This is the Packaging and Delivery Section. Here, the graces and blessings
the people asked for are processed and delivered to the living persons who asked for them.' I
noticed again, how busy it was there. There were many angels working hard at that station,
since so many blessings had been requested and were being packaged for delivery.
Finally, at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the Door of a very small
station to my great surprise, only one angel was seated there, idly doing nothing. 'This is the
Acknowledgment Section,' my angel friend quietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed
'How is it that there is no work going on here?' I asked. 'So sad, the angel sighed. 'After people
receive the blessings that they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments.'
'How does one acknowledge the blessings?' I asked. 'Simple,' the angel answered. Just
say, 'O Lord! Let me be grateful to You for all Your blessings upon me.
Stop complaining about your circumstances
Its extremely rare to find a successful person who whines, complains, and frets about his
circumstances. This is despite the fact that he may have overcome great obstacles to achieve
his level of success. On the other hand, its extremely common for struggling individuals to
continually blame their circumstances for their lack of joy and happiness. The real question is,
what came first the attitude or the success? The answer, in virtually all cases, is that the
winning, positive attitude came first, followed by a lifetime of success.
All it takes is a simple decision; the decision to stop yourself from falling into the habit of
complaining about your circumstances. At first it may be difficult even funny to observe how
often you complain. Habits can be hard to break. But in this case, its well worth the effort. As an
excuse of complaint comes to mind, gently shoo it away. Dont worry about it too much. Youll
quickly get used to the nicer feelings that come from a life without complaints.
GEMS FROM FOLK
3. ALL OF LIFE IS IN A CONSTANT STATE OF CHANGE

Everything has beginning and everything has an end. Every tree begins with a seed and
will eventually transform back into earth. In our modern world, this means that every car, every
machine, every piece of clothing is created and all will wear out and crumble; its only a matter
of time. Our bodies are born and they will die. A glass is created and will eventually break. All of
life is in a constant state of change.
When you expect something to break, youre not surprised or disappointed when it does.
Instead of becoming immobilized when something is destroyed, you feel grateful for the time
you have had.
The easier place to start is with the simple things, a glass of water, for example. Pull out
your favorite drinking glass. Take a moment to look at and appreciate its beauty and all it does
for you. Now, imagine that same glass as already broken, shattered all over the floor.
Obviously, no one wants their favorite drinking glass, or anything else, to be broken. This
philosophy is not a prescription for becoming passive or apathetic, but for making peace with
the way things are. When your drinking glass does break, this understanding allows you to
maintain your perspective. Rather than thinking, Oh my God, youll find yourself thinking, Ah,
there it goes.
Lord Krishna tells in Bhagavad Gita As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this
body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A
sober person is not bewildered by such a change.
GEMS FROM FOLK
4. ANATOMY DECODED
Formerly leaves and twigs were growing from this dead tree. Why are they not growing
now? Can the scientists answer this question? Scientists say that the chemicals are the cause
of life. But all the chemicals that were there when the tree was living are still present. And life
energy is also there. There are thousands of microbes in the tree, and they are all living entities.
No one can claim that life energy is lacking in the body of this tree.
The living force is individual, and the particular individual living entity which was the tree
has left. This must be the case, since all the chemicals that are necessary to support life are still
there yet the tree is dead.
Here is another example: suppose I am living in an apartment, and then I leave it. I am
gone, but many other living entities remain thereants, spiders, and so forth. It is not true that
simply because I have left the apartment, it can no longer accommodate life. Other living entities
are still living there. It is simply that I, an individual living beinghave left. The chemicals in the
tree are like the apartment; they are simply the environment for the individual living forcethe
soulto act through.
GEMS FROM FOLK
10
5. AS WE RUSH THROUGH LIFE!

In Washington, DC, at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, this man with a violin
played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2,000 people
went
through
the
station,
most
of
them
on
their
way
to
work.
About 3 minutes:
The violinist received his first dollar. A woman threw money in the hat and, without
stopping, continued to walk.
At 6 minutes:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and
started to walk again.
At 45 minutes:
The musician played continuously. Only six people stopped and listened for a short
while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a
total of $32.
After 1 hour:
He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed and no one applauded. There
was no recognition at all. No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest
musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin
worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theater in Boston where the
seats averaged $100 each to sit and listen to him play the same music.
This is a true story. Joshua Bell, playing incognito in the D.C. Metro Station, was
organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and
people's priorities.
This experiment raised several questions:
1. In a common-place environment, at an inconvenient or inappropriate hour, do
we perceive beauty?
2. If so, do we stop to appreciate it?
3. Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?
Learning: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in
the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful
instruments ever made... how many other things are we missing as we rush through life?
GEMS FROM FOLK
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GEMS FROM FOLK
12
6. AS YOU TREAT OTHERS, SO SHALL YOU BE TREATED

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. What are some other ways of
saying this magical formula? Lets see. What goes around, comes around. As you treat others,
so shall you be treated. If you dont have something nice to say, dont say anything at all. There
are many variations of this.
All you have to do to ensure that you will be treated fairly, respectfully, and with kindness
and to ensure that others will reach out to help you and praise you is to do these things
yourself.
Become a thoughtful person. Offer assistance. Be nice. Reach out to others. Become
even more generous. Say Thank you. These, and hundreds of other similar little gestures, are
the ways you can reach out and tell the world you care.
Giving and receiving are two sides of the same coin. Ultimately, what you offer to the
world is exactly what you get back. So, if your goal is to be Krishna Conscious, the most
important thing you can do is help others be Krishna Conscious.
Dont make the mistake of becoming upset or frustrated if your acts of kindness dont
come back immediately. The universe has its own set of rules and its own sense of timing. Be
patient and loving.
GEMS FROM FOLK
13
7. ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT

It is astonishing what you can accomplish by simply asking for what you want help,
forgiveness, an idea, another chance, a break, or whatever. And not only can you get what you
want by asking for it, but often the person you are asking will thank you for taking the initiative.
If its so obviously helpful and important to ask for what we want, why do so few of us do
it? Once again, the answer is fear. We worry about the outcome. Were afraid of rejection or a
negative response. We might be worried about offending someone or being perceived of as
weak, or of taking advantage of our relationship. We may feel we dont deserve help.
For a multitude of reasons, we allow past negative experiences and/or our own made-up
fears to taint our present opportunities.
Its actually quite arrogant and self-righteous to assume that others arent as willing to
help. Im not the only nice guy around. The key in asking for something, large or small, is to be
sincere in your beliefs that, deep down, others want to help you. You must approach your
request by assuming that the person you are asking is just like you he or she has an inner
longing to be of help to someone.
Once you remove the fear of asking for help, your wisdom and common sense will
instruct you when and how to ask.
GEMS FROM FOLK
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8. ASK YOURSELF - WHAT HAVE I CONTRIBUTED TO THIS PROBLEM?

Many people rarely, if ever, ask this critical question. Instead, they automatically assume
that any problem they are having must be someone elses fault. If there is a disagreement or
argument, its the other persons fault. If something went wrong, someone else made a mistake.
It simply never occurs to many people that something is their fault. Or, at the very least,
that they may be partly responsible. On the surface, it might seem nice to believe that youre
never to blame. The problem, however, with this never blame me philosophy is that youll
rarely be able to pinpoint the one aspect of problem solving that is truly solvable: your own
contribution. Once you eliminate the fear associated with admitting that you are, at times,
responsible for the parts of your life that arent working minor annoyances and larger problems
you open a whole new door of possibilities.
Once youre willing to accept responsibility for the problems in your life, you will see
obvious solutions that take very minor adjustments to change.
Obviously, Im not suggesting that everything is your fault, or that you should spend an
exorbitant amount of time and energy thinking about your faults and drawbacks. To do so would
be a different type of negative habit. Its critical, however, that youre honest about your
contribution to your problems. Dont bury your head in the sand. If you truly want to excel in your
life, you must be willing to look in the mirror and, with humility and honesty, reflect on your
contributions to whats not going right in your life. That way, you can do something about it.
GEMS FROM FOLK
15
9. ATTITUDE!
How we react, what we do or say, all depends on our attitude. It determines whether
we'll be happy or sad. Attitude can help, or hinder us in all areas of our lives.
If your thoughts are constantly of doom and gloom, you will receive the same in return.
Your thoughts and your perception of the world influences all that you do, and all that you
are, and all that you can be.
Changing your attitude is really changing the way you see things. To begin the change,
you must start looking for the good in every situation, rather than the negative.
So, you see the choice is yours. If we compare attitude to swimming, which are you
doing?
Are you swimming - even against the currents and the waves, you keep going, you see
your destination and you are taking action to reach it.
Are you floating - just allowing the waves to carry you, you end up where ever the water
takes you.
Are you drowning - you see the waves and the currents as difficulties you cannot
overcome.
GEMS FROM FOLK
16
10.
AVOID THE PHRASE: I HAVE TO GO TO WORK
This article has to do with six of the most common words in the English language: I have to go
to work.
In all probability, its absolutely true that you do have to got to work. Nevertheless, these
particular words carry with them some really negative baggage that, I believe, is self-destructive.
Other than your thoughts, your words are your primary entry point into your experience.
When you have to do something, it implies that its not a choice that you would rather be
somewhere else, doing something different. This, in turn, implies that your heart isnt fully into
what you are doing, which makes living up to your potential extremely difficult and enjoying your
experience near impossible.
So, when you say, I have to go to work, you are in a subtle way setting yourself up for a
bad day. This doesnt mean youll always have a bad day but it certainly increases the
likelihood.
Beyond that, however, there is a more subtle negative message you send to yourself and
to others. It seems that deep down, what youre really saying is, I dont like my work. Im not
capable of choosing work that I enjoy. What a horrible message to say to yourself (or to
someone else) about something you spend most of your time doing! Think about it. If you really
loved your work, why would you be saying, I have to go to work? Do you ever say, I have to
start my weekend now?
GEMS FROM FOLK
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GEMS FROM FOLK
18
11.
AVOID THE TRAP OF REACTION SPIRALS
Its a rare person who can avoid the trap of reaction spirals. This is the dangerous
tendency to overreact to something and then compound the problem by over analyzing it.
Here is a typical example: someone criticizes some aspect of your work. You overreact to the
criticism and become defensive. Then you spend the next half hour analyzing the critical
comments, convincing yourself they are incorrect. A whirlwind of thoughts passes through your
mind. You focus on the criticism. The more you do, the worse you feel, and the more tired you
become.
The truth is, in a negative state of mind, we expend unnecessary energy, make very poor
decisions, and lose our creativity and sense of joy. Wouldnt it be wonderful if you could nip
these reaction spirals in the bud?
You can! The trick is to see them coming and to commit, in advance, to short circuiting
them. With every negative reaction comes a negative feeling a feeling of irritation, annoyance,
or impatience. We often use these feelings to justify further negativity. For example, we say to
ourselves something like, I have a right to be angry. Now that were focused on our anger, we
think about other instances that make us angry, and so on. This fuels our negative feelings and
creates a negative spiral.
If, instead of compounding our negative feelings, we used them as a signal to alert us to
potential trouble, we would be in a much better position to stop the cycle before it got out of
hand.
GEMS FROM FOLK
19
12.
BANISH YOUR DOUBTS!
Most of us spend a great deal of energy every day of our lives doubting our abilities to
our great detriment. We doubt ourselves at practically every turn; we doubt our abilities to write
well, speak to a group, come up with a new idea or solution, overcome an obstacle, market a
product or service, or negotiate with a difficult person.
Many times, we question our self-worth, how much we deserve to be paid, or how
valuable or talented we are to an organization. We doubt our ability to overcome rejection, start
over, or confront a challenge.
Banish doubt from your life all of it. This doesnt mean you should start doing foolish
things or making childish decisions. It means you should start trusting in yourself. True obstacle
lies within the doubt itself and all doubt lies within your own thoughts.
Its silly to hold on to any doubt in your life. It does no good. All doubt is a waste of
energy and interferes with your natural ability to do things. Whatever doubts are lingering in your
mind, let them go.
GEMS FROM FOLK
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13.
BE A GOOD LISTENER
A slight improvement in our listening skills can pay enormous dividends in the way of
better relationships, enhanced performance, and yes, even stress reduction!
Take a moment to reflect on your own listening skills. Do you truly listen to your
colleagues? Do you let them finish their thoughts before you take your turn? Do you sometimes
finish sentences for other people? In meetings, are you patient and responsive or are you
impatient and reactive? Do you allow words from others to sink in, or do you assume you know
what the person is trying to say, so you jump in?
There are a variety of reasons why effective listening is very important. First of all, people
who listen well are highly respected and sought after. Truly great listeners are so rare that when
you are around one, it feels good, it makes you feel special.
Good listeners are easy to be around, so, quite naturally, you want to reach out and help
them. Therefore, when you become a better listener, there will probably be plenty of people in
your corner to offer assistance. People tend to be loyal to good listeners because they feel
acknowledged and respected.
Effective listening helps you to understand what people are saying the first time they say
it, thus allowing you to avoid a great number of mistake and misinterpretations which, as you
know, can be very stressful. If you ask people what frustrates them and makes them
angry, many will tell you that not being listened to is right near the top of their lists so, being
more attentive to what others are saying also helps you avoid many, if not most, interpersonal
conflicts.
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14.
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR
Many of us spend a great deal of time wishing things were different. We dream of a
better job, less of this, and more of that. Sometimes, the things we spend our energy longing
for actually do (or would) improve the quality our life. Other times, however, the very things we
wish for are hardly worth the trade-offs, or the effort. For this reason, I suggest you be really
careful what you ask for.
Carefully think through what it is that you want, because you just might end up getting it,
which is often more frustration, more grief, more travel, more conflict, more demands on your
time, and so forth. When you think in these terms, it often helps you reconnect with your
gratitude and realize that perhaps things arent as bad as we sometimes make them out to be.
Ive met plenty of people who spent years focused on how much better their lives were
going to be when certain things occurred i.e. when they were finally promoted to various
positions so much so that they took for granted the good parts of the position they already
had. In other words, they were so focused on what was wrong with their careers that they failed
to enjoy and appreciate the gifts they were enjoying all along.
Keep in mind that a better paying position might make you feel more financially secure
and it might be worth it but you may give up other things that you havent yet considered, or
that you simply take for granted. Remember; be careful what you ask for, because you might
just get it and more.
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15.
BE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU
How grateful would you say you are? Did you know that your gratitude level can directly
affect your happiness? Now that may sound little strange.
Even financial experts agree that gratitude is a vital component for increasing wealth and
success. This basic premise of gratitude is to acquire a more positive and receptive state of
being. Here is how it actually works. You begin by being grateful for the smaller and more
immediate things like having a place to live, food to eat, etc. By placing yourself in a positive
frame of mind through gratitude, you open yourself to all the good things the universe has to
offer.
That is when you can actually begin to attract good things to you. And as you become
more comfortable with the positive things that basic gratitude brings, you will likely find yourself
feeling grateful for even bigger things like being alive, learning hard lessons, your past mistakes,
the freedom to make choices in life, and more. This type of gratitude catapults you even further
along the path to a successful and happy life.
Once you reach the point where you remain in a constant state of gratitude, you will
become a magnet that attracts the good things to you.
Take some time every day this week to note those things that you are grateful for, from
the smallest to the biggest.
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16.
BE GRATEFUL WHEN YOUR MOOD IS HIGH AND GRACEFUL WHEN

IT IS LOW
Moods are one of those unavoidable, mysterious parts of life that must be dealt with by
everyone. Our understanding of moods greatly affects not only our wisdom and perspective but
our overall level of satisfaction as well. Generally speaking, when our mood is high, our spirits
are up. When our mood is low, our spirits are down. Moods are like the weather, constantly
changing.
When we are in low mood, we think of our dissatisfactions more than when we feel good.
We worry!
The fascinating thing about moods is that, to a large degree, we only believe these
negative, fearful, and self-defeating thoughts when our mood is low. When our mood is high, we
think very differently. We dont worry as much.
The trick is to be grateful when your mood is high and graceful when it is low. Try to keep
in mind the effect your mood is having on the way you are thinking and feeling. Your
understanding of moods allows you to keep your perspective and not take so seriously the
thoughts you are having when you are low. Rather than believing in your negative and fearful
perceptions, you can dismiss them as being mood related.
When you are in a low mood, dont make important life decisions. Your thinking and
wisdom are not as sound as they will be in a higher state of mind.
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17.
BE THANKFUL
Be thankful when you don't know something ... for it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for the difficult times ... during those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations ... they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge... which will build your strength and character.
Be thankful for your mistakes ... they will teach you valuable lessons.
It's easy to be thankful for the 'good' things ... yet, a life of rich fulfilment comes to those
who are thankful for the setbacks.
Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive ... find a way to be thankful for your troubles
and they can become your blessings!
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18.
BE WILLING TO APOLOGIZE
Whenever you are in some service or when you are taking risks, making things
happen, interacting with others, or in the public eye you are bound to make mistakes. At times
you are going to use bad judgment, say something wrong, offend someone, criticize
unnecessarily, be too demanding, or act selfishly. The question isnt whether you will make
these mistakes we all do. The question is, can you admit to them? If so, the question
becomes, can you apologize?
Many people never apologize. They are either too self-conscious, self-righteous,
stubborn, or arrogant to do so. The unwillingness to apologize is not just sad; it is a serious
mistake as well. Almost everyone expects others to make mistakes and with a humble and
sincere apology, almost everyone is willing to forgive. However, if you are a person who is either
unable or unwilling to apologize, you will be branded a difficult person to work with. And over
time, people will avoid you, speak behind your back, and do nothing to help you.
The ability to apologize, to admit mistakes, is a beautiful human quality that brings people
closer together and helps us succeed. By simply acknowledging our humanness and saying I
am sorry when appropriate, we bond with others and increase their trust in us. Obviously, you
must never apologize as a tool of manipulation, to try to get a response like this or to get
something out of it.
When you apologize from your heart, you keep most of your existing doors open.
Occasionally, you may even open doors that had previously been closed.
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19.
BE WILLING TO SEEK OUT, LISTEN TO, AND TAKE ADVICE
I believe that if someone has worked hard, achieved some measure of success, and is
willing to help, Id be a fool not to listen! Plus, as you probably already know, almost everyone
loves to give advice.
Unfortunately, many people miss out on one of the surest shortcuts to success: to seek
out, listen to, and take advice. So often, when a person struggles, he or she is very close to a
major breakthrough. They are literally an inch away from achieving their goals and dreams. If
they would just open their eyes to a blind spot, see something they are doing in a slightly
different or new way, their success would be phenomenal and certain.
I believe there are many incredibly talented people who are on the verge of possible
greatness, or on the verge of improving their life in a meaningful way. Yet this one tiny flaw the
unwillingness to listen to anyone else and the absolute unwillingness to take advice
consistently gets in their way. Dont let this minor obstacle get in your way.
The advice is out there. People want to help you. Allow yourself to receive help and the
quality of your life will soar.
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20.
BE WILLING TO TAKE ADVICE
Once upon a time, there were three people who went to watch drama together. One of
them was far-sighted, another one had a hearing problem, and the other had a twisted head.
After the show, they were judging the drama.
Todays show had great singers, but the costume design was poor, said the person who
had farsightedness.
The costume was perfect, but the sound was too low, said the person who had hearing
problem.
The sound was loud and the costume was fine. Everything was great, but the
performance stage was lopsided, said the person who had twisted head.
From the story above, most people do not admit their shortcomings. Its because the
person, who had farsightedness, cannot see things in clarity, but complains about the costume;
the one, who had hearing problem, cannot hear things clearly, but complains about the music;
the one, who doesnt admit his twisted head, but complains about the performance stage.
According to statistics, the vocabulary most often used in our daily communication is
either I or me. Aren't conflicts among human and disputes among nations, the results of
over-emphasizing one's opinion?
Accept sincere advice and the reality of truth given by others. One who is willing to take
advice and relinquish ones ego can work well with others.
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21.
BE WILLING TO TAKE ADVICE 2
Generally speaking people dont take advice, even good advice. This is true even when
the advice is free and when its offered with love. Think about yourself. How often do you really,
honestly take someone elses advice? How often do you say to yourself, or out loud, Thats a
great idea. Thats a much better way of doing it than the way I have been doing.
In order to grow, we need to see things differently. We dont want to do the same things
over and over if theyre not working well. Instead, we want to open our eyes to new and
improved ways of doing things. But how can we see things differently if we refuse to take to
heart the suggestions from others?
Sometimes, the reason we dont take advice is pure stubbornness. We want to do things
our own way even if its not working! Other times, we avoid advice out of fear. We might be
frightened that were going to look bad in the eyes of someone else, or that were going to seem
incompetent. Or we might be fearful that the advice we get isnt going to help. Sometimes weve
received bad advice or too much advice, and we vow to not repeat that same mistake.
Life is so much simpler when you involve the strengths and expertise of others. After all,
if you absolutely knew what to do to make your life better or more successful, youd be doing it
already. But if youre struggling in any aspect of your life (and we all do), you need advice. So
take the advice.
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22.
BE WORRY-FREE!
When we are happy and worry-free, we not only enjoy our lives more, but we are also
more competent, creative, wise, and productive. We bring out the best in others and in
ourselves. Without the internal distractions of stress, anger, frustration, and worry, our
relationships flourish, stress is diminished, new doors are opened, and our lives run smoothly.
We worry about all sorts of things; some obvious, others more subtle. We worry, for
example, about making or repeating mistakes or looking foolish. We worry about what others
will think if we ask for help or ask for a raise. We worry about speaking to groups, about our
future, and about the past.
What well does worry really do us? Some would argue that its wise to worry, that it
somehow proves that youre able to anticipate problems. Yet while being able to anticipate
problems is certainly useful, I disagree that doing so requires worry.
Worry is actually a dream-snatcher. It takes an enormous toll on your spirits and on your
emotions. Worry adversely affects your decisions and your judgment, keeping you on-edge,
uptight, and heavyhearted.
If you know successful people in any field, youll find a thread of consistency that runs
through virtually everyone they dont worry much. Interestingly enough, however, the lack of
worry preceded their success and was not a by-product of it. Successful people share an inner
unshakable confidence that is free from excessive worry.
Part of overcoming worry is to see it as a distraction rather than as a necessity. As
worries enter your mind, try to give them less significance and less of your attention.
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23.
BECOME LESS CONTROLLING
Controlling refers to unhealthy attempts to manipulate the behavior of others, having the
need to control your environment, and becoming defensive or anxious when other people dont
behave to your specifications the way you think they should be.
To be controlling means you are preoccupied with the actions of others and how those
actions affect you.
Controlling is highly stressful both to the controller and to those who are being
controlled. A person who is controlling carries with him a great deal of stress because;
occasionally we can influence another person, but cant force him to be a certain way. To
someone who is controlling, this is highly frustrating.
What hurts the controlling person is what goes on inside ---- his feelings and emotions.
The key element seems to be a lack of willingness to allow other people to fully be themselves,
to give them space to be who they are, and to respect really respect the fact that people
think differently. Deep down, a controlling person doesnt want other people to be themselves,
but rather the image of who they want them to be. But people arent an image of who we want
them to be they are who they are.
The only way to become less controlling is to see the advantages of doing so. When you
can make allowances in your mind for the fact that other people see life differently than you do,
youll experience far less internal struggle.
In addition, as you become less controlling, youll be a lot easier to be around. You can
probably guess that most people dont like to be controlled. Its turnoff. It creates resentment
and adversarial relationships. As you let go of your need to be so controlling, people will be
more inclined to help you; they will want to see you succeed. When people feel accepted for
who they are rather than judged for who you think they should be, they will admire and respect
you like never before.
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24.
BECOME LESS REACTIVE AND MORE RESPONSIVE
In life, we have essentially two psychological modes that we are in most of the time:
reactive and responsive. The reactive mode is the one that feels stressful. In it, we feel
pressured and are quick to judge. We lose perspective and take things personally. Were
annoyed, bothered, and frustrated.
Needless to say, our judgment and decision making capacity is severely impaired when
we are in a reactive state of mind. We make quick decisions that we often regret. We annoy
other people and tend to bring out the worst in them. When an opportunity knocks, we are
usually too overwhelmed or frustrated to see it. If we do see it, were usually overly critical and
negative.
The responsive mode, on the other hand, is our most relaxed state of mind. Being
responsive suggests that we have our bearings. We see the bigger picture and take things less
personally. Rather than being rigid and stubborn, we are flexible and calm. In the responsive
mode, we are at our best. We bring out the best in others and solve problems gracefully. When
an opportunity comes our way, our mind is open. We are receptive to new ideas.
Once you are aware of these two drastically different modes of being. You will begin to
notice which one you are in. Youll also notice the predictability of your behavior and feelings
when you are in each mode. Youll observe yourself being irrational and negative in your
reactive mode and calm and wise in your responsive state of mind.
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25.
BECOMING A BETTER LISTENER!
People love to be listened to. So much so, that they will pay therapists enormous fees to
listen to their stories and complaints. Consumers love to be listened to as well. They will happily
pay good amount for those people who are smart enough to understand that this is what they
want and what they demand.
Unfortunately, only a tiny percentage of persons do understand, or are willing to
implement, this important understanding.
When you listen in this manner, you may be shocked at the positive response. When
people feel that they are listened to, they also feel appreciated and valued. Feeling listened to is
such a rare experience that when someone does feel listened to, they tend to tell others about
it.
Listening is like a magic formula that turns ordinary people into loyal, happy customers.
One final tip: If you want a closer relationship with your friends or colleagues, the best place to
start is by becoming a better listener!
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26.
BEING IMMORTAL
Matter changes in six phases: birth, growth, maintenance, production of by-products,

dwindling, and death. But the life within matter, the spirit soul, is eternal; it goes through no such
changes. Life appears to be developing and decaying, but actually it is simply passing through
each of these six phases until the material body can no longer be maintained. Then the old
body dies, and the soul enters a new body. When our clothing is old and worn, we change it.
Similarly, one day our bodies become old and useless, and we pass on to a new body.
As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age,
the soul similarly passes into another body at death. This means that only the material body of
the indestructible and eternal entity is subject to destruction. This material body is perishable,
but the life within the body is nitya, eternal.
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27.
BEYOND DARWINISM
We living entities are innumerable; there is no limit to our number. God, however, is one.
He is also living, as we are but we are minute particles of that living force. For example, a
particle of gold is the same in quality as a gold mine. If we chemically analyze the ingredients in
a small drop of water, we will find all of the ingredients that are to be found in the vast ocean. In
a similar way, we are one with God, being His part and parcel. This godly particle, the soul, or
the living force, is transmigrating from aquatics to trees and plants and then from trees and
plants to insect life, then to reptile life, then to the bodies of birds and beasts. Darwin's theory of
evolution is but a partial explanation of the transmigration of the soul. The difference is that the
soul is transmigrating from aquatic life to plants and trees, then to insect life, then to bird life,
then animal life, then human life, and within human life he moves from uncivilized life to civilized
life, etc. The civilized life of a human being represents the culmination of evolution. Here is a
junction: from this point we can again slide down into the cyclic process of evolution, or we can
elevate ourselves to a godly life. The choice is up to us.
This human form of life actually means developed consciousness; therefore we should
not waste our lives like cats, dogs, and hogs. That is the injunction. Although this body is
perishable like a dog's or cat's body, it is different in that one can attain the highest perfection in
this life. We are part and parcel of God, but somehow or other we have fallen into this material
existence; now we have to evolve in such a way that we can go back home, back to Godhead.
That is the highest perfection.
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28.
BUILD A LARGE TRUST FUND
Every one of us has a trust fund that really matters: the trust of other people. The only
question is, how large is it? Many people, not knowing how important a trust fund is to their own
success, are practically bankrupt in this critical account.
The way to build a large trust fund is simple and straightforward. It involves being
accountable for your actions, however large or small, doing what you say you are going to do,
delivering on your promises, being on time, and so forth. Anything and everything you do that
reinforces your own trustworthiness is like money in the bank. Accountability is derived in both
small and large doses. For example, if you tell someone you are going to call them at three
oclock, or pick them up at the railway station, and you do so on time, as you say you are going
to do, you earn small credits toward your trust fund.
Likewise, if you tell someone that youll send them a copy of a book youve been
discussing, and you actually do it, you earn credibility with that person. If you dont do exactly
what you say youre going to do, while any individual action or inaction may not seem like a very
big deal, it decreases your credibility and reduces the size of your trust fund.
Obviously, no one is perfect. We all make mistakes, show up late, and occasionally
forget appointments. Its far easier and wiser to avoid making commitments that we cant keep
than it is to make promises, however small, that may eventually reduce the size of our trust
fund.
Starting today, speak and behave with your trust fund in mind. Before you say you are
going to do something that someone else is going to depend on, check in with yourself. Ask
yourself, will I be able to keep this commitment? Remember, the size of your trust fund depends
on it.
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29.
BY FORCE YOU CANNOT
Just like a person is diseased. He is advised by the doctor that "You shall not take such
and such things." So he is starving or he is fasting. Suppose in the typhoid fever the doctor has
advised him not to take any solid food. So under the instruction of the doctor, he is not taking
any solid food. But suppose his brother is eating some bread. Oh, he likes that "If I could eat."
That means within himself he has got the tendency for eating. But out of fear that "If I eat, there
will be very bad reaction of taking solid food," therefore, by force, he is not eating. Similarly,
there are so many things which you are refrained from doing by force. That sort of abstinence
will not make you progressive in spiritual life, because you have got little independence. So
anything cannot be done by forcing you. You cannot force even a child. He'll revolt. By force,
you cannot train a person that "You must be refraining from all these things. One may be
refraining from enjoying materially by somehow or other, by force but one who is spiritually
advanced, he is not forced. He is voluntarily giving up. That is the difference. How voluntarily
giving up? That is by vishayavinivartante, the higher taste. He has found something sublime, so
sublime that he doesn't care for material enjoyment. If you simply try to make it zero, that is not
possible. If you get better engagement, to try to engage yourself always in the better
engagement, then these material activities will be zero. That is the criterion of spiritual life.
When we get a taste of spiritual pleasurepleasure in Krishna consciousnesswe can give up
all material pleasure.
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30.
CALM A DISTURBED MIND BY...
Once a sage was walking from one town to another town with a few of his followers.
While they were traveling, they happened to pass a lake. They stopped there and sage told one
of his disciples, "I am thirsty. Do get me some water from that lake there."
The disciple walked up to the lake. When he reached it, he noticed that right at that
moment, a bullock cart started crossing through the lake. As a result, the water became very
muddy, very turbid. The disciple thought, "How can I give this muddy water to my master to
drink!"
So he came back and told his master, "The water in there is very muddy. I don't think it is
fit to drink." After about half an hour, again master asked the same disciple to go back to the
lake and get him some water to drink. The disciple obediently went back to the lake.
This time too he found that the lake was muddy. He returned and informed the master
about the same. After sometime, again master asked the same disciple to go back. The disciple
reached the lake to find the lake absolutely clean and clear with pure water in it. The mud had
settled down and the water above it looked fit to be had. So he collected some water in a pot
and brought it to his master.
Master looked at the water, and then he looked up at the disciple and said," See what
you did to make the water clean. You let it be.... and the mud settled down on its own - and you
got clear water. Your mind is also like that! When it is disturbed, just let it be. Give it a little time.
Chant Hare Krishna! Do not worry too much. It will settle down on its own.
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31.
CENTER OF LOVE
If you throw a stone into the middle of a pool of water, a circle will expand to the limit of
the bank. Similarly, radio waves expand in a circle, and when you capture the waves with your
radio you can hear the message. In the same way, our loving feeling can also expand.
At the beginning of our life, we simply want to eat. Whatever a small child grabs, he
wants to eat. He has only personal interest. Then, when the child grows a little, he tries to
participate with his brothers and sisters: "All right. You also take a little." This is an increase in
the feeling of fellowship. Then, as he grows up, he begins to feel some love for his parents, then
for his community, then for his country, and at last for all nations. But unless the center is right,
that expansion of feelingeven if it is national or internationalis not perfect.
So the center of our national feeling or our international feeling is not fixed on the proper
object. If the center is right, then you can draw any number of circles around that center and
they'll never overlap. They'll simply keep growing, growing, growing. They'll not intersect with
one another if the center is all right. Unfortunately, although everyone is feeling nationally or
internationally, the center is missing. Therefore your international feeling and my international
feeling, your national feeling and my national feeling, are overlapping and conflicting. So we
have to find the proper center for our loving feelings. Then you can expand your circle of
feelings and it will not overlap or conflict with others'. That center is Krishna.
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32.
CHANGE WHAT YOU CAN & ACCEPT THE THINGS YOU CAN'T
There is prayer that says: Lord, grant me the strength to change the things I can, the
serenity to accept the things I cannot, and the wisdom to know the difference.
In life there are things we must deal with. There are things we can change, that we have some
power to control. There are other things that are absolutely beyond our control. Yet how often
do we spend our time and energy doing absolutely nothing about the things we do have some
control over, while whining and complaining about those things we cant do anything about?
Often, because we have our priorities twisted in the wrong direction, we end up chasing our tails
and wasting time. Once we change gears, and focus only on those things that we have some
capacity to control, its easy to get back on track.
Its tempting to focus on aspects of life that are beyond our control. How often do you
hear people complaining about taxes? While no one likes to pay taxes, and certainly no one
should pay any more than he or she is legally required to pay, there is a great deal of wisdom in
spending your time creating more wealth rather than complaining about taxes.
Go ahead and lobby for lower taxes if you must. Voice your opinion if you choose to do
so. But once you have done what you can do, let go of it. Know when to quit. Expend your
energy doing what you can do focus on creation, creativity, positive ideas, and solutions. Stop
complaining about taxes; focus, instead, on making so much money that taxes will seem
irrelevant!
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33.
CHANGE YOURSELF RATHER THAN TRYING TO CHANGE THE

WORLD
Once upon a time, there was a king who ruled a prosperous country. One day, he went
for a trip to some distant areas of his country. When he came back to his palace, he complained
that his feet were very painful, because it was the first time that he went for such a long trip, and
the road that he went through was very rough and stony. He then ordered his people to cover
every road of the entire country with leather carpet.
Definitely, this would need thousands of cows skin, and would cost a huge amount of
money. Then one of his wise servants dared himself to tell the king, Why do you have to spend
that unnecessary amount of money? Why dont you just cut a little piece of leather to cover your
feet?
The king was surprised, but he later agreed to his suggestion, to make a shoe for
himself.
There is actually a valuable lesson of life in this story: to make this world a happy place to
live, you better change yourself - your heart; and not the world.
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34.
CHARACTERISTICS OF AN INTELLIGENT MAN
A small child walking with his father goes on inquiring constantly. He asks his father so
many odd things, and the father has to satisfy him with proper answers. When I was a young
father in my householder life, I was over flooded with hundreds of questions from my second
son, who was my constant companion. One day it so happened that a bridegroom's party was
passing our tramcar, and the four-year-old boy, as usual, inquired what the big procession was.
He was given all possible answers to his thousand and one questions regarding the marriage
party, and finally he asked whether his own father was married! This question gave rise to loud
laughter from all the elderly gentlemen present, although the boy was perplexed as to why we
were laughing. Anyway, the boy was somehow satisfied by his married father.
The lesson from this incident is that since a human being is a rational animal, he is born
to make inquiries. The greater the number of questions, the greater the advancement of
knowledge and science. The whole of material civilization is based on this originally large
volume of questions put by young men to their elders. When elderly persons give the proper
answers to the questions of the youngsters, civilization makes progress, one step after another.
The less intelligent make lesser inquiries, but the questions of those who are more intelligent go
higher and still higher. The most intelligent man, however, inquires about what happens after
death.
Be enthusiastic, when we are enthusiastic about what we do, success will follow!
Enthusiasm is a critical element of success. Enthusiasm is a virtually unstoppable, attitudinal
force that generates energy, creativity, and productivity. When you love what you do, its difficult
not to succeed. Your enthusiasm is obvious to everyone around you and contagious.
Its important to ask yourself: How safe is it really, spending your time doing something
you dont enjoy? How well can you perform a task you dread? How creative and original is your
thinking?
The answers to each of these questions are clear: Without enthusiasm, your odds of
success are minimal. You will either struggle or burn out completely. But the opposite is just as
true when enthusiasm for your work fills your heart.
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35.
CONSCIOUS UNDERSTANDING
Undoubtedly the soul is present in the heart of the living entity, and it is the source of all
the energies for maintaining the body. The energy of the soul is spread all over the body, and
this is known as consciousness. Since this consciousness spreads the energy of the soul all
over the body, one can feel pains and pleasures in any part of the body. The soul is individual,
and he is transmigrating from one body to another, just as a person transmigrates from
babyhood to childhood, from childhood to boyhood, from boyhood to youth, and then to
advanced old age. Then the change called death takes place when we change to a new body,
just as we change our old dress to a new dress. This is called transmigration of the soul.
When a soul wants to enjoy this material world, forgetting his real home in the spiritual
world, he takes this life of hard struggle for existence. This unnatural life of repeated birth,
death, disease, and old age can be stopped when his consciousness is dovetailed with the
supreme consciousness of God.
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36.
CORRECT CALCULATION
We cannot simply accept that part of the scripture we like, and reject what we don't like,
and still expect to get the result. If you miss one point, there is a mistake in your calculation.
Regardless of what you add or subtract after that, the mistake is already in the calculation, and
everything that follows will also be faulty.
For example, a hen lays eggs with its back part and eats with its beak. A farmer may
consider, "The front part of the hen is very expensive because I have to feed it. Better to cut it
off." But if the head is missing there will be no eggs anymore, because the body is dead.
Similarly, if we reject the difficult part of the scriptures and obey the part we like, such an
interpretation will not help us. We have to accept all the injunctions of the scripture as they are
given, not only those that suit us.
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37.
CORRECT TIMING TO TAKE WATER
Two (02) glasses of water - After waking up

Helps activate internal organs
One (01) glasses of water - 30 minutes before meal
Helps digestion
One (01) glasses of water 60 minutes after meal
Helps digestion
One (01) glass of water - Before taking a bath
Helps lower blood pressure
One (01) glass of water - Before sleep
To avoid stroke or heart attack
Overall we should drink minimum of 8 to 10 glasses of water daily
Brush your teeth before you sleep & drink 2 glasses of water without washing your mouth in the
morning.
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38.
CREATE FROM THE INSIDE OUT
You can work long and hard, be creative, clever, talented, and insightful but if you fail to
understand the importance of your own thoughts in the process of creation, it will all be for
naught.
One very important factor of success, abundance, and the creation of prosperity comes
from within yourself your thoughts. A particular train of thought persisted in, be it good or bad,
cannot fail to produce its results on the character and circumstances. A man cannot directly
choose his circumstances, but he can choose his thoughts, and so indirectly, yet surely, shape
his circumstances.
If you could look into the minds of successful men and women you would discover a
wealth of positive energy thoughts of success and abundance, and a complete lack of doubt.
A wise man said: Let a man radically alter his thoughts, and he will be astonished at the
rapid transformation it will effect in the material conditions of his life.
Ive known many successful people in many different fields. Although they have vastly
different talents, temperaments, skills, work ethics, and backgrounds, they all have one thing in
common: their success originates in the mind and translates into the material world. It doesnt
work the other way around, as so many seem to believe. Successful people know that the one
aspect of life that they do have control over is their own thinking. All of us have this same
advantage, so lets all start there!
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39.
CURE FOR MODERN JAUNDICE
If a man is suffering from jaundice and you give him a piece of sugar candy, he will say
that it is very bitter. But is sugar candy bitter? No, it is very sweet. And the medicine for jaundice
is that sugar. Modern science prescribes this, and it is prescribed in the Vedic literature also. So
if we take a great quantity of this sugar candy, then we will be relieved from jaundice. And when
there is relief, then one says, "Oh, this is very sweet." So the modern jaundice of a godless
civilization can be cured by this chanting of Hare Krishna. In the beginning it may appear bitter,
but when one advances, then he will see how pleasing it is.
We are so full of miseries because we have identified ourselves with the material world.
Therefore we are unhappy. Anxieties and fearfulness are due to our misidentifying with the
material world. As soon as one understands his identity, his relationship with God, then
immediately he becomes happy.
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40.
DEALING WITH PROBLEMS
Most people assume that the only way to solve problems is to work on, or struggle, with
them. I have found, however, that focusing on problems is one of the key ways of keeping them
alive as well as preventing you from moving past them. Focusing on problem is also a key
ingredient keeping people stuck in worry.
I can assure you that there is a way to get from where you are to where you want to be
without focusing on problems. Its natural, virtually effortless, yet far more effective alternative to
the usual roll up your sleeves and solve this problem manner of dealing with issues.
Recently I knelt down to clean up some glass and a piece got stuck in my knee. I ended
up at the urgent care center getting ten stitches. We all know that the worst thing I could
possibly do to the healing process would be to poke or pick at my scab. A wiser method is to
treat the wound gently, creating the best possible healing environment. Miraculously, the wound
will heal all by itself.
Most problems can and should be dealt with in a similar manner. The thoughts we have
around our various issues create and trigger emotional reactions. What usually happens is that
we spend our time and energy dealing with these reactions instead of the actual issue. Simply
put, when we are frightened, angry, or impatient, we lose our bearings and get in our own way.
Instead of bringing out the best in ourselves and others, we bring out negativity and squeeze
out creativity.
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41.
DELIGHT IN THE SUCCESS OF OTHERS
Lets be honest here. Have you ever found yourself secretly wishing someone else would
fail? I dont mean you wish them any serious bad luck, only that they dont become more
successful than you? Sometimes its hard to wish others well, particularly those you know well
friends, colleagues, neighbors, family members. Its hard to see a colleague get the promotion
you worked so hard for. Its difficult to see your friend on television, or your neighbor able to
purchase a new car. Were human; we get jealous.
While it can be seductive, or at least habitual, to secretly desire to keep others at your
level, its absolutely not in your best interest. The way to rise to the top is to wish everyone well,
to hope with all your heart that everyone can expand to their greatest potential, to wish that the
people you know, and those whom you dont know, can all realize their dreams and achieve
greatness.
When you wish someone well, it creates a momentum within you, an inner environment
of success. It reminds your spirit of your loving and deserving nature. It creates the atmosphere
within you to help you succeed and create abundance. When you delight in the success of
others, its as if you are sprinkling the seeds for a garden of success.
As you wish others well, notice how good it feels. When your wishes are sincere, they will
serve as a reminder that giving and receiving are two sides of the same coin. Truly, it feels as
good to see someone else succeed as it does to succeed yourself. Start delighting in the
success of others and watch your own level of greatness soar!
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42.
DETECTING LIFE SOURCE
If you inject just one grain of deadly poison into someone, he immediately dies. No one
can see the poison or how it acts. But the poison is acting nevertheless. In the same way, the
Vedas say that because the minute particle called the soul is within the body, the whole body is
working nicely. According to the Vedas, the measurement of the soul within the body is one tenthousandth part of the tip of a hair. It is too small to see. Where is such seeing power?
If I pinch myself, I immediately feel it, because I am conscious all over my skin. But as
soon as the soul is absent, which is the case when my body dies, you can take this same skin
and cut it and chop it, and no one will protest. This is the way for detecting soul.
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43.
DO NOT BE AGGRESSIVE DURING CONFRONTATION!
Its hard to imagine people working together without at least some degree of
confrontation. After all, we live in a world of conflicting interests, desires, and preferences. We
have different standards and expectations. There are so many issues and people to deal with,
that an occasional confrontation seems inevitable. At times, you may have to confront someone
in order to achieve a desired result, shake someone up or make things happen.
While confrontation may be inevitable, they dont necessarily have to seem like a war or
lead to hurt or angry feelings, stress, or disappointment. Instead, its possible to confront
someone (or be confronted) in a gentle, effective way that leads not only to your desired result,
but also in a way that brings the two of you closer together personally or professionally.
It seems to me that most people are too aggressive and defensive during confrontations.
They lose their humanity and their humility. They approach the issue in hostile way, as if they
are right and the other person is wrong. Its me against you, or Im going to teach you. The
assumption seems to be that confrontations are by definition confrontational, and that being
aggressive is the best approach.
If youre too aggressive, however, youre going to seem adversarial to others, thus
encouraging them to become defensive. The people you confront will see you as difficult, as if
you are the enemy. When people are defensive, they become poor listeners, incredibly
stubborn, and seldom change their point of view or see their contribution to a problem. They
dont feel respected and they lose their respect for you. So, if you are confronting someone in
an aggressive way, chances are youre going to run into a brick wall.
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44.
DO NOT PANIC UNNECESSARILY
People panic about practically everythingmissed deadlines, orders not received,

comments by others, fear of mistakes, negative trends. You name it and someone has panicked
about it. Yet Ive never seen even a single instance where the panic actually helped to solve the
problem. Instead, panic is neutral at best and greatly interferes at worst. Panic tends to bring out
the worst in everyone. It makes others (and you) feel tense and fearful. It increases the
likelihood of mistakes, missed opportunities and miscommunications.
Nothing interferes with the creation of success and abundance like panic. When you
make the commitment to stop panicking, youll notice some incredible things happening. First,
youll notice that a vast majority of what you are most worried about will never happen, or it
wont be as bad as you first thought. It was Benjamin Franklin who said, Some terrible things
happened in my lifetime a few of which actually happened.
By avoiding the panic, you wont waste time, anxiety, and energy trying to solve what
probably doesnt need solving. Second, when you learn to keep your bearings, your wisdom will
come forth. In the absence of worry, answers will emerge. Instead of a head full of concerns,
youll create a head full of solutions. Finally, when you stay calm, you really do bring out the
best in others. Many people react to the feelings of others. If you can maintain your bearings,
chances are the people you work with will, too.
To bring forth your greatest potential, eliminate panic altogether from your thinking..
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45.
DONT DRAW CONCLUSIONS UNTIL YOU KNOW ALL THE FACTS!
One old man was sitting with his 25 year old son in the train. Train is about to leave the
station. All passengers are settling down their seat. As train started, young man was filled with
lot of joy and curiosity.
He was sitting on the window side. He put out one hand and feeling the passing air, he
shouted, "Papa see all trees are going behind".
Old man smiled and admired sons feelings. Beside the young man one couple was
sitting and listening to all the conversation between father and son.
They were little awkward with the attitude of 25 years old man behaving like a small child.
Suddenly the young man again shouted, "Papa see the pond and animals. Clouds are moving
with train". Couple was watching the young man in embarrassment. Now it starts raining and
some of water drops touch the young man's hand.
He is filled with joy and he closed the eyes. He shouted again, "Papa it's raining, water is
touching me, see papa".
Couple couldn't help themselves and ask the old man.
"Why don't you visit the Doctor and get treatment for your son."
Old man said, Yes, We are coming from the hospital as today my son got his eye sight
for first time in his life".
Moral: Dont draw conclusions until you know all the facts!
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46.
DONT KEEP PEOPLE WAITING
Time is precious to everyone. Its a bad habit to keep other people waiting. Almost
everyone feels that one of their most valued commodities is their time. This being the case, one
of the ultimate slaps and most sure way to annoy someone is to keep them waiting. While most
people are somewhat forgiving, keeping them waiting is a sign of disrespect. The subtle
message is, My time is more important than yours.
Deep down, we all know that no one likes to be kept waiting. Therefore, its highly
stressful to keep other people waiting because you know you are disappointing someone. In the
back of your mind, you know well the person is looking at his watch, wondering why you are
late. You may be keeping him from personal or professional commitments and that could make
him angry.
There are obviously exceptions to the rule times when factors beyond your control
prevent you from being on time. Things happen to all of us, and no one has a perfect record.
Truthfully, however, a vast majority of the time, being late is preventable by planning ahead,
allowing a little extra time, or making allowances for unexpected problems.
Many times we compound the problem by making excuse like traffic was horrible, when,
in reality, traffic is virtually always horrible. The problem wasnt traffic but the fact that we
didnt factor enough time in our schedule for the traffic. Its likely the case that, even if traffic was
horrible, or you got off to a late start, or whatever the excuse, the other person isnt going to be
interested or impressed.
I wouldnt underestimate the negative impact of making someone wait. It drives some
people crazy. And, even if they dont express their frustration to you directly, it can show up in
other ways not taking you seriously, avoiding you when possible, being disrespectful,
choosing to spend their time with others instead of you, showing up late to your future
appointments, etc.
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47.
DONT LET SUCCESS GO TO YOUR HEAD
Theres an alarming trend: People who have had some degree of good fortune and
success tend to lose their humility and become at least slightly arrogant. This is very unfortunate
for many reasons. First, and most obviously, no one really wants to be around someone who is
arrogant or self-absorbed. Its boring, and its annoying! Arrogance implies a lack of gratitude.
The assumption is, I did this all by myself; its all about me.
Factors such as our good karma, Lords blessings and so on are forgotten or
disregarded.
In addition, when you allow success to go to your head, your stress levels skyrocket and
your quality of life gradually disappears. People will stop liking you, and eventually, youll stop
liking yourself.
Friendships slip away; obsessive busyness and a lack of time take over. Someone who
was happy and relatively easy to please is now impossible to satisfy.
There are many celebrities, athletes, and business people who have done really well
their talent, timing, hard work, luck, and all the rest of it kicked in at just the right time. Yet,
rather than being grateful and keeping a sense of perspective, they act as if they are somehow
better or more important than others simply because theyre good at something and have
enjoyed some success.
Dont let success go to your head!
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48.
DONT WORRY IF YOU DO NOT HAVE SOME FACILITY
A jobless man applied for the position of 'office boy' at Microsoft. The HR manager
interviewed him then watched him cleaning the floor as a test. 'You are employed' he said. Give
me your e-mail address and I'll send you the application to fill in, as well as date when you may
start.
The man replied 'But I don't have a computer, neither an email'. 'I'm sorry', said the HR
manager. If you don't have an email that means you dont exist. And who doesn't exist, cant
have the job.'
The man left with no hope at all. He didn't know what to do, with only $10 in his pocket.
He then decided to go to the supermarket and buy a 10Kg tomato crate.
He then sold the tomatoes in a door to door round. In less than two hours, he succeeded
to double his capital. He repeated the operation three times, and returned home with $60.
The man realized that he can survive by this way, and started to go every day earlier,
and return late. Thus, his money doubled or tripled every day. Shortly, he bought a cart, then a
truck, and then he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles.
5 years later, the man is one of the biggest food retailers in the US. He started to plan his
family's future, and decided to have a life insurance.
He called an insurance broker, and chose a protection plan.
When the conversation was concluded the broker asked him his email. The man replied,
I don't have an email.'
The broker answered curiously, 'You don't have an email, and yet have succeeded to
build an empire. Can you imagine what you could have been If you had an e mail?!!' The man
thought for a while and replied, 'Yes, I'd be an office boy at Microsoft!'
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49.
DONATE - WHILE YOU ARE STILL LIVING!
A rich man who once asked his priest, "Why does everybody call me stingy when
everyone knows that when I die I will leave everything I have to this temple?"
The priest said: There once was a pig and a cow. The pig was unpopular and the cow
was loved by all in the village. This puzzled the pig.
The pig said to the cow, "People speak warmly of your good nature and your helpful
attitude. They think, You are very generous because each day you give them milk, butter and
cheese.
But how about me?
I give them everything I have.
I give them the famous sausages, bacon and ham i.e. my entire body.
Yet no one likes me. Why is that?"
The priest continued:" Do you know what the cow answered?
The Cow said, "Perhaps it's because I give while I am still living."
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50.
DRIVING AHEAD
Suppose I am driving a very nice car, but I am simply absorbed in the machine only. I
have forgotten my destination, where I have to go, and I am busy studying the car. What is the
use? You may be driving a good car, but you must know how to reach your destination. That is
your main business. Knowing how the car works is secondary. Your main business is knowing
how to utilize the car so you can reach your destination. That is intelligence.
So, we have fallen into this material condition, and we are occupying various forms. As
long as we are in the bodily conceptthinking "I am this 'car'"that is ignorance. What is
wanted is to think, "I am not this body. I am spirit soul, and I have to utilize this body to go to my
destinationthe spiritual worldwhere I can meet the supreme spirit, God, and live in His
association." Human life is meant for understanding what the Supreme Lord is, where He lives,
what He does, and what our relationship with Him is. To seek to understand these things is
called inquiry into the Absolute Truth. That is actual education.
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51.
EACH PERSON VIEWS THE WORLD DIFFERENTLY
When someone acts in a way that seems strange to you, rather than reacting in your
usual way, such as, I cant believe they would do that, instead say something to yourself like I
see, that must be the way she sees things in her world. Very interesting.
When you are genuinely curious about the way someone reacts or the way they feel
about something, its unlikely that you will be annoyed.
When you are interested in other perspectives, it doesnt imply, even slightly, that youre
advocating it. It just means that there are many perspectives of looking at the same thing.
Each person views the world differently. Each person reacts and feels differently based
on their beliefs, paradigms, upbringing, experiences, values etc.
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52.
EASE OFF YOUR EXPECTATIONS A LITTLE!
Life just isnt neat and trouble-free. We all have bad days. Sometimes people are rude or
insensitive. Phone lines and computers occasionally break down.
When I met Ravi, he worked for a software development company. He described it as his
first real job. He was young and had exceptionally high expectations. The problem was, many
of his expectations werent being met. He wasnt being treated with the degree of respect he
wanted (or expected), and his ideas werent being taken seriously. He felt under-appreciated
and taken for granted. He was frustrated and burned-out.
I suggested he lower his expectations and consider thinking of his job in a new way. I
asked him to see his job as a stepping stone to bigger and better things later on. He took the
suggestion to heart, and his world began to change for the better.
Make room in your heart for bad moods, mistakes, errors, and glitches. Instead of
spending so much time being annoyed about the way things unfold, take most of them in stride.
This will conserve your energy and, ultimately, make you more productive.
No matter how hard you try, life still isnt always going to go as planned. One of the best
ways to deal with this inevitability is to stop expecting it to be otherwise. So ease off your
expectations a little. Then you wont be easily disappointed.
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53.
ENCOURAGE CREATIVITY IN OTHERS & HAVE FAITH IN THEM
Most people, given the right environment, are hard-working, talented, creative, and
productive. They want to please others just as you and I want to. Unfortunately, however, most
people are hardly ever exposed to an ideal working environment.
When you encourage creativity in others and have faith in them, its like creating the ideal
conditions for a garden.
You are planting the seeds for an environment where success is most likely to occur.
When you plant a garden, you want to have the right type of soil, moisture, and sunshine. When
you build people up instead of pushing them down you create the psychological equivalent.
The same principle applies whether you are hiring a housekeeper, an accountant, or
anyone else. It also applies to your children, your spouse, your friends, and your neighbors. It
always works.
When you believe in someone and when that person knows that you believe in him / her,
magical things can happen. Do your part by creating the ideal working conditions. Be kind,
patient, and supportive. Then, sit back and watch what happens.
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54.
EVER STRUGGLED TO FIND AN ANSWER?
Have you ever struggled to find an answer? You think and think, rack your brain, and
analyze the data. You go over and over the same sets of facts, yet nothing seems to happen.
When you think in this manner, you often feel insecure, frightened, and quite stressed.
Youre easily bothered because youre trying so hard to figure everything out. Youre trying hard,
exerting effort, and tiring easily. Theres a part of you that isnt sure youll be able to find an
answer.
Then for whatever reason you stop thinking you quiet your mindyou forget about
whatever is occupying your mind and, like magic, an answer appears. And not just any answer,
a perfect answer!
The next time you find yourself mentally struggling, try quieting down your mind. You may
be surprised at how quickly and easily the answer you need will come to you.
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55.
EXCELLENCE...
A German once visited a temple under construction where he saw a sculptor making an
idol of God. Suddenly he noticed a similar idol lying nearby. Surprised, he asked the sculptor,
"Do you need two statues of the same idol?" "No," said the sculptor without looking up, "We
need only one, but the first one got damaged at the last stage."
The gentleman examined the idol and found no apparent damage. "Where is the
damage?" he asked. "There is a scratch on the nose of the idol." said the sculptor, still busy with
his work. "Where are you going to install the idol?"
The sculptor replied that it would be installed on a pillar twenty feet high. "If the idol is
that far, who is going to know that there is a scratch on the nose?" the gentleman asked. The
sculptor stopped his work, looked up at the gentleman, smiled and said, "I will know it."
The desire to excel is exclusive of the fact whether someone else appreciates it or not.
"Excellence" is a drive from inside, not outside. Excellence is not for someone else to notice but
for your own satisfaction and satisfaction of God.
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56.
EXPRESS YOUR GRATITUDE TOWARD OTHERS
The people we remember to thank, in person, with a thoughtful note or gesture, or a

phone call, are infinitely more likely to help us again than those we take for granted or neglect to
thank. Its so obvious, yet so few people really understand how this works.
People love to be acknowledged, admired, and thanked. People love to be thanked, not
out of any selfish need but simply because it feels good to be acknowledged. And when we are
sincerely acknowledged, the acknowledgment acts as reinforcement that we have done the right
thing. Thus, we want to do it again.
The next time you do something really nice or helpful for someone and they thank you,
take note of how it makes you feel.
Its true that there are many instances where you would help someone again without
expecting any thanks. However, youll find yourself even more willing to help someone who
expresses their gratitude and acknowledged your help.
By engaging in constant gratitude, youll be guaranteeing success, happiness and better
relationships.
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57.
FACING PROBLEMS IN LIFE
You can be annoyed by problems in life; think about how unfair and awful they are,
complaining about them with others. You can remind yourself, over and over again, how difficult
life is and how this problem is yet another justification for why you have a right to be upset!
You can tighten up. Unfortunately, this is the way many people approach their problems.
When you think of your problems as speed bumps on a road, however, they begin to look
very different. Youll begin to expect a number of speed bumps to present themselves during a
typical day. Like riding a bike, bumps are simply a part of the experience. You can fight and
resist, or you can relax and accept.
As a problem shows up during your day, you can begin to say to yourself, Ah, heres
another one. Then, like the bump on your bike ride, you begin to relax into it, thereby absorbing
the shock, making it seem less significant. Then you can calmly decide what action or decision
is likely to get you over this hurdle in the most effective, graceful manner. The calmer and more
relaxed you remain, the easier it is to remember & depend on the Lord. Lord will then guide
what best you can do in a given situation or circumstance.
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58.
FATHER SENSE
We know that there is something which distinguishes a dead body from a living body.
That we can understand. Suppose your father dies. You will lament, "Oh, my father is no more!
He has gone away." But where has he gone? Your father is lying on the bed. Why do you say
that your father has gone away? "No, he is dead and gone." This shows you understand that the
body lying on the bed is not your real father.
So, actually, you have no eyes to see your real father. During the lifetime of your father
you did not know who he was. Therefore, when the actual father goes away, you cry, "My father
is gone!" The actual father is the spiritual soul within the body. And when the soul goes away
from the body, that is known as death.
At the present moment everyone is acting according to the bodily conception of life. But
we are not the body. So we are acting for something that we are not. Therefore, we are in maya,
or illusion. Our whole existence is a phantasmagoria. And because we are working for
something that we are not, we are confused and unhappy. We work day and night for the body,
and still we are not happy. We are trying to satisfy the senses (body means "senses"), repeating
the same activities again and again, but we are finding no happiness. We cannot find happiness
by trying to satisfy the material body, because we are not the material body. We are spiritual
souls. So if we are serious, if we actually want to be happy, we must take to the cultivation of
spiritual understanding, an understanding of Krishna consciousness.
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59.
GIVE YOURSELF SOME APPRECIATION!
For most of us, there are times when we feel underappreciated, as if no one understands
how hard we work and how much we are sincerely trying.
At times, its important to stop what you are doing and give yourself sincere appreciation.
Take a few moments to reflect on what youve been doing and on the nature of your intentions
and actions. Mentally review your accomplishments.
Almost everyone loves to be patted on the back by others. It feels good. However, when
its not happening, dont let it get you down or adversely affect your attitude. Praise from others
is never a certainty, and making it a condition of your happiness is a really bad idea.
What you can do is praise yourself and pat yourself on the back. Be honest and genuine
regarding your compliments. If youre doing a good service, give yourself some credit. If youre
making life a little better for even one person, or making any type of contribution to society, give
yourself some credit.You deserve to be recognized. Actually take the time to do so.
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60.
GOD IS ALWAYS AROUND US
A man whispered, "God, speak to me" and a cuckoo bird sang. But, the man did not
hear.
So the man yelled, "God, speak to me" and the thunder rolled across the sky. But, the
man did not listen.
The man looked around and said, "God, let me see you." And a star shined brightly. But
the man did not see.
So, the man cried out in despair, "Touch me God, and let me know you are here."
Whereupon, God reached down and touched the man. But, the man brushed the butterfly away,
and walked on.
The man cried, "God, I need your help!" And an e-mail arrived reaching out with good
news and encouragement.
But, the man deleted it and continued crying. Don't miss out on a blessing because it isn't
packaged the way that you expect.
I found this to be a great reminder that God is always around us in the little and simple
things that we take for granted.
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61.
GOD PERSONALLY SAVES!
One day Akbar said to Birbal, "I marvel at some of the fantastic beliefs that you Hindus
hold. You believe that the Lord comes to this earth in the garb of a human being - what an
absurd notion this is!" "What is so absurd about it, sire?" asked Birbal. "The Creator of the
cosmos is also the Father of us all. Is it so fantastic that the Father should come down to earth
to save His children?" "Of course it is fantastic and absurd," Akbar insisted. "Why should the
Creator of the cosmos soil His Divine Form and plunge into the samsara sagara - the ocean of
material existence?" Birbal made no reply.A few days passed. Akbar and Birbal were taking a
leisurely stroll along the banks of the Yamuna. A pleasure boat was sailing on the river; the
Emperor's infant son sat on the knees of his nurse, and was enjoying this leisurely boat ride.
When the nurse saw Akbar and Birbal on the bank of the river, she was so startled that she tried
to stand up in the boat and the child on her knees fell into the river! Emperor Akbar was
astounded! Without a moments hesitation he plunged into the cold waters of the river to save
his son. Swimming fast, he reached the child - only to realize that it was but a doll that had
been thrown into the waters! Birbal swam after the king to meet him mid-river. "Even as an
earthly father, sire, you plunged into the waters and did not in the least bother about your royal
robes getting soiled and wet." he said to Akbar."Does our Heavenly Father not love us a million
times more than we love our children? Would He not plunge into the murky waters of the
samsara-sagara to save His children?"The Emperor made no attempt to answer his Minister.
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62.
GRUMBLE, GRUMBLE, GRUMBLES
Grumble, grumble, grumble. Someone who takes himself, others, and everything else
very seriously. The primary focus is on problems, always critical, frowning, angry, hurried,
frustrated, and stressed. Someone who is waiting for life to get better, for things to be different.
Is this you?
You had your chance to experience and explore life and its many facets the beauty as
well as the hassles. But in a way, you took it for granted. You spent your time grumbling,
wishing life was different.
We all get too serious at times. Perhaps its human nature. Yet there is an enormous
difference between someone who gets serious from time to time, and someone else who is
constantly in the grumble mode. The good news is, its never too late to change. In fact, once
you see how ridiculous it is, you can change quickly.
A grumbler will blame life for his sour attitude. He will validate his negativity by pointing to
the problems and hassles that he must face. He will justify his position by pointing out the
injustices of life and the flaws of others. He hasnt a clue that his vision of life stems from his
own thoughts and beliefs.
The world has become too serious. If youre part of this sad trend, its time to change.
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63.
HANDLING CRITICISM
Rather than trying to avoid criticism, expert performers welcome it. They seek out
coaches and advisors who can give them constructive, sometimes even painful feedback. They
then use this feedback as a guide for steady improvement.
Here are some steps you can take to handle criticism effectively:
1. Acknowledge Your Error - Acknowledging a mistake is not the same as acknowledging
that you are an inferior person/a failure. If you believe the criticism is accurate, take full
responsibility. Dont blame something or someone else and dont make excuses. If appropriate,
offer a diplomatic apology: Im sorry that my actions led to that result. It certainly was not my
intention. Again, if appropriate, ask for suggestions on how you can improve your performance
the next time.
2. Take Corrective Action - After youve heard the other person out completely, and
listened to any suggestions for improvement, state/communicate your eagerness to improve in
the future. If appropriate, describe any actions you will take at his time to counterbalance your
previous error.
3. Acknowledge the other persons motive - Thank the other person for the feedback and
make sure to state how valuable you consider it. This demonstrates your ability to use criticism
as a way to improve an essential quality of a leader. In addition, let the other person know that
you are open to receiving his or her feedback in the future.
Even when you dont care for the style in which criticism is presented, be thankful that the other
person is willing to give you feedback, and along with it, an opportunity to improve.
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HANDLING SETBACKS & FAILURES
The question isnt whether or not we will have setback, disappointments, and failures in
life we will. Rather, the question is, how will we deal with them? Will we become upset,
immobilized, frustrated, and hopeless or will we take a more positive approach and depend on
Lord in such situations?
In other words, setbacks and failures can seem significant, even insurmountable in the
moment. Yet, once we get through them, we look back at them as a necessary, even important
part of our success. A number of people have told me that some major failures were the best
thing that ever happened to them. Sure, it was painful while it was happening, but it woke them
up and taught them some important lessons in life.
Few people are successful immediately, never rejected, perfectly placed the first time
around. Its usually just the opposite --- trial & error, rejection, setbacks, failures, & so forth.
If you are defeated over and over again, you can focus on the fact that things arent
working out, beat yourself up mentally, and feel hopeless or you can learn from your mistakes,
improve your skills, let go of the past, and move on.
All the frustration in the world isnt going to change what has already happened so why
make a big issue out of it?
The trick, I believe, is being able to use not only our past setbacks, but the current ones
as well, to help us grow and move on. In other words, when something doesnt work out well,
rather than dwelling on it and feeling badly, we let it go, see what we can learn, make any
necessary adjustments, and move forward.
Learning to stop making a big issue of our setbacks is a powerful way to live a better life.
Without the ongoing nagging and heaviness of self-directed criticism and worrisome thoughts,
we free up energy to be creative, hardworking, and successful.
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65.
HARD WORK
Why is a highly posted government officer given better facilities for a comfortable life than
an ordinary clerk? The answer is very simple: the important officer has to discharge duties of a
more responsible nature than those of an ordinary clerk. Similarly, the human being has to
discharge higher duties than the animals, who are always busy with filling their hungry
stomachs. But by the laws of nature, the modern animalistic standard of civilization has only
increased the problems of filling the stomach. When we approach some of these polished
animals for spiritual life, they say that they only want to work for the satisfaction of their
stomachs and that there is no necessity of inquiring about the Godhead. Yet despite their
eagerness to work hard, there is always the question of unemployment and so many other
impediments incurred by the laws of nature. Despite this, they still denounce the necessity of
acknowledging the Godhead.
We are given this human form of life not just to work hard like the swine or dog, but to
attain the highest perfection of life. If we do not want that perfection, then we will have to work
very hard, for we will be forced to by the laws of nature. In the closing days of Kali-yuga (this
present age) men will have to work hard like asses for only a scrap of bread. This process has
already begun, and every year the necessity for harder work for lesser wages will increase. Yet
human beings are not meant to work hard like animals, and if a man fails to discharge his duties
as a human being, he is forced to transmigrate to the lower species of life by the laws of nature.
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66.
HONESTY
There was a farmer who sold a pound of butter to the baker. One day the baker decided
to weigh the butter to see if he was getting a pound and he found that he was not. This angered
him and he took the farmer to court.
The judge asked the farmer if he was using any measure. The farmer replied, "Your
Honor, I am primitive. I don't have a proper measure, but I do have a scale."
The judge asked, "Then how do you weigh the butter" The farmer replied "Your Honor,
long before the baker started buying butter from me, I have been buying a pound loaf of bread
from him. Every day when the baker brings the bread, I put it on the scale and give him the
same weight in butter. If anyone is to be blamed, it is the baker."
What is the moral of the story? We get back in life what we give to others.
Honesty and dishonesty become a habit. Some people practice dishonesty and can lie
with a straight face. Others lie so much that they don't even know what the truth is anymore. But
who are they deceiving? Themselves more than anyone else.
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67.
HOW TO REACT TO CRITICISM?
Do you make the most of criticism? Or do you overreact, missing out on any opportunity
to benefit from the feedback?
Theres no question that, for most of us, receiving criticism is not easy. Even when its
well-intentioned constructive feedback, listening to someone point out an error that you made or
a flaw that you have can be very tough to take.
While learning how to accept criticism graciously, and even thankfully, may not be at the
top of your list right now, learning how to deal with negative feedback could make a big
difference in your ability to advance rapidly in your life.
Research in Expert Performance psychology reveals that top performers in every field
learn to view criticism differently than the rest of us.
They see it as valuable feedback and as an opportunity to improve.
Rather than trying to avoid criticism, expert performers welcome it. They seek out
coaches and advisors who can give them constructive, sometimes even painful feedback. They
then use this feedback as a guide for steady improvement.
To become a top performer, youll need to open yourself up to feedback from those
around you.
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68.
HOW WE FEEL DEPENDS A LOT UPON
How we feel depends a lot upon what aspects of life we focus on and how we
characterize our experience. In other words, when we describe our day, we might feel very
justified in saying, Oh God, it was awful. I was stuck in horrible traffic with millions of other
angry people. I spent my day in boring meeting, always scrambling a few minutes behind. There
were arguments and almost constant conflict to deal with!
The identical day might be thought of differently. You might describe it like this: I drove
to work and spent much of my day meeting with people. It was a challenge, but I did my best to
stay as long as possible at one meeting without being late for the next one. The art of my work
is bringing together people who, on the surface, dont seem to be able to get along very well. Its
a good thing Im there to help.
Can you feel the difference? And its not a matter of one description being realistic and
accurate and the other being wishful thinking. The truth is, both are absolutely accurate. It all
depends on the well-being of the person doing the thinking.
You can create a more interesting life, by re-characterizing your day and your
responsibilities in a healthier way. As your mind is focused in a more positive direction, and as
youre looking for the gifts of your day instead of the hassles, youll begin to notice aspects of
your life that may have been invisible to you. Youll actually see things differently. Everywhere
you look, youll see opportunities for personal and spiritual growth. Youll see more solutions
and fewer problems, as well as plenty of ways to enhance and maximize your experience.
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69.
IF YOU FIND YOURSELF IN A HOLE, STOP DIGGING
A great football coach once said, Just because youre doing something wrong, doing it
more intensely wont help.
Yet, how often do we do just that? We are making a mistake, getting ourselves into
trouble and, instead of backing off, reflecting, and doing it differently, we roll up our sleeves
and do the very same thing even more intensely!
The same pattern exists in many areas of our lives. Many people have a great deal of
conflict to manage. Whenever a potential new conflict arises, or the environment or
circumstances seem to be encouraging that development, instead of backing off and looking for
new ways to defuse the situation, they charge straight ahead, as always repeating their
identical patterns and responses, taking the adversarial approach and, once again, find
themselves in the middle of another drama or conflict. Then, frustrated and stressed, they
assume the world is to blame, or that they need to find more effective and more aggressive
ways to deal with things. This is the essence of being in a vicious circle. The same essential
problems come up over and over again, unless and until you see your own contribution and
vow to do something differently.
The solution is simple, but not always very easy. The trick is to recognize when your part
of the pattern is being repeated; for example, Here I am, arguing again, or Im upset by the
very same things this sure feels familiar. Then, rather than clenching your fists, feeling
frustrated, filing your mind with stressful thoughts, and trying the same old thing, you instead
relax, back off, and empty your mind. Soften and try to see the situation in a whole new way.
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70.
IF YOU WANT TO STOP CRIME...
The difference between a pious man and a criminal is that one is pure in heart and the
other is dirty. This dirt is like a disease in the form of uncontrollable lust and greed in the heart of
the criminal. Today people in general are in this diseased condition, and thus crime is very
widespread. When the people become purified of these dirty things, crime will disappear.
The simplest process of purification is to assemble in congregation and chant the holy
names of God. This is called sankirtana and is the basis of our Krishna consciousness
movement. So, if you want to stop crime, then you must gather as many people as possible for
mass sankirtana. This congregational chanting of the holy name of God will dissipate all the
dirty things in everyone's heart. Then there will be no more crime.
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71.
IGNORANCE IS NO EXCUSE
At present everyone is suffering due to ignorance, just as one contracts a disease out of
ignorance. If one does not know hygienic principles, he will not know what will contaminate him.
Therefore due to ignorance there is infection, and we suffer from disease. A criminal may say, "I
did not know the law," but he will not be excused if he commits a crime. Ignorance is no excuse.
Similarly, a child, not knowing that fire will burn, will touch the fire. The fire does not think, "This
is a child, and he does not know I will burn." No, there is no excuse. Just as there are state
laws, there are also stringent laws of nature, and these laws will act despite our ignorance of
them. If we do something wrong out of ignorance, we must suffer. This is the law. Whether the
law is a state law or a law of nature, we risk suffering if we break it.
The guru's business is to see that no human being suffers in this material world. No one
can claim that he is not suffering. That is not possible. In this material world, there are three
kinds of suffering. These are miseries arising from the material body and mind, from other living
entities, and from the forces of nature.
The guru sees that suffering is due to ignorance, which is compared to darkness. How
can one in darkness be saved? By light. The guru takes the torchlight of knowledge and
presents it before the living entity enveloped in darkness. That knowledge relieves him from the
sufferings of the darkness of ignorance.
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72.
ILLUSIONED COURAGE
When rabbits are being attacked by bigger animals, they close their eyes and think, "I am
not going to be killed." But they are killed anyway. Similarly, we may deny the existence of God
and the law of God, but still God and His law are there. In the high-court you may say, "I don't
care for the law of the government," but you will be forced to accept the government law. If you
deny the state law, then you will be put into prison and be caused to suffer. Similarly, you may
foolishly decry the existence of God"There is no God" or "I am God"but nevertheless you
are responsible for all your actions, both good and bad.
There are two kinds of activitiesgood and bad. If you act nicely and perform pious
activities, then you get good fortune, and if you act sinfully, then you have to suffer.
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73.
IMPLICATIONS OF THINKING BIG!
The implications of thinking big are widespread and impressive. Thinking big is a magic
door opener that broadens your perspective and allows you to see new opportunities. Thinking
big makes life easier and a lot more fun.
Ive been repeatedly reminded by successful people in virtually every field that thinking
big is one of the keys to success. Lets consider a few examples. Successful insurance
salespersons insist that it takes the identical amount of time to speak to someone about a
million-dollar policy as it does a one-thousand-dollar policy.
The bigger your visions, the larger your potential for success. If youre trying to sell
homes for a living, as an agent, it takes the same amount of energy to ask a wealthy person for
their listing as it does a low-end homeowner. You can think small, or you can think big.
As usual, the primary reason many people think too small is fear. Thoughts like, I cant
speak to a room full of people, I cant risk taking on a larger project, and I couldnt ask the
boss to have lunch with me fill the mind and are taken too seriously. When fearful thoughts
enter the mind, try to banish them. The fear you are experiencing is almost always self-created
and usually unnecessary.
Could you be thinking in larger terms? In most cases, the answer is yes! There may be
ways that you can reach more people with the same amount of effort. Regardless of the
business you are in, the first step is to eliminate any fear or worry that is getting in your way. As
your worrisome thoughts gradually disappear and become less appealing, new ideas and
insights will begin to emerge.
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74.
INFALLIBLE PROTECTOR
Recent times have been quite mourning times. Terrorism and natural calamities are at its
worst. Apart from these there are certain situations which are beyond ones control, and it
becomes life threatening. In these kinds of situations we depend on our quick decision making
skill or the immediate family or friends to bail us out of the problem. Sometimes we use our
position or money to get us out of tough times. So generally the four things, money, youth,
relatives and intelligence are depended upon. However the scriptures call these are fallible
soldiers.
Money, youth and relatives are not dependable as they dont guarantee safety. The
recent crash of the Libya bound aircraft which killed more than a 100 people onboard, nothing
could save them. Neither their money nor their relatives! They simply could not escape
depending on their physical or intellectual prowess. And moreover these soldiers are
themselves fallible. Our relatives are themselves in grip of cruel laws of nature. They can perish
any time, so what is the question of them saving us from perishing.
The life is like a drop on the leaf of Lotus. It may roll off from the surface of the leaf into
the lake. So the best advisable solution is to make a principle in life to worship the lotus feet of
Lord Sri Hari. Only by devoting oneself to Krishna and surrendering to him, can we get the gift of
fearlessness from the miseries of the material world. Because Lord Krishna personally asked
Arjuna to proclaim to the world, that he gives protection to his devotee and that His devotee
never perishes.
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75.
IT'S CALLED MINDSET
As I was passing by the elephants, I suddenly stopped, confused by the fact that these
huge creatures were being held by only a small rope tied to their front leg.
No chains, no cages. It was obvious that the elephants could, at anytime, break away
from the ropes they were tied to but for some reason, they did not. I saw a trainer nearby and
asked why these beautiful, magnificent animals just stood there and made no attempt to get
away.
"Well," he said, "when they are very young and much smaller we use the same size rope
to tie them and, at that age, it's enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to
believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to
break free.
"I was amazed. These animals could at any time break free from their bonds but because
they believed they couldn't, they were stuck right where they were.
Like the elephants, how many of us go through life hanging onto a belief that we cannot
do something, simply because we failed at it once before?
Wise say, Your attempt may fail, but never fail to make an attempt.
With complaining out of the way
If youre black or white; a woman or a man; or if you were abused, taken advantage of, or
bankrupt these facts cannot change. If your parents couldnt afford to send you to college or if
you had to work your way through school, or walk ten miles to school these are all things in
your past. Its time to get over them and move on.
Youll find that life will be a lot easier when you make the decision to drop your
complaining. All it does is make you feel sorry for yourself sad, angry and victimized. When
you argue for your limitations, your thoughts and words merely get in your way and greatly
interfere with your ability to create.
With complaining out of the way, youll create the space for an explosion of creativity and
brilliance. Instead of focusing on problems, youll begin to see solutions. Instead of maintaining
an I cant attitude, youll quickly develop a more positive vision for yourself.
Stop complaining!
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76.
KEEP YOURSELF HEALTHY - PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY
Many times people say things like, I dont have time to exercise, what they really should
be saying is, I dont have time not to exercise.
If you lose your health and sense of well-being, you wont make it to work at all. In the
long run, it takes far less time to take care of yourself than it does to lose your ability to function
well.
One should eat well, exercise, get plenty of rest, have regular physical checkups, and
partake in other healthy habits. In addition to the obvious problems associated with ignoring
these commonsense health habits, you can see that its also a horrible waste of time in the long
run. Each cold or flu costs you days of productive work time. Who knows how many years of
time you will save by simple taking care of yourself?
Take care of yourself physically and emotionally. You can let go of your fear that youll
fall behind because, in fact, youll be more productive and have a longer, happier life. So keep
yourself healthy physically and emotionally.
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77.
LAW OF THE GARBAGE TRUCK
One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right
lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us.
My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches!
The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just
smiled and waved at the guy. He was really friendly and smiling.
So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the
hospital!'
He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage,
full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a
place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally.
Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to
other people at work, at home, or on the streets. Successful people do not let garbage trucks
take over their day.
Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't. Life is ten percent what
you make it and ninety percent how you take it! Pray to Lord for garbage-free day!
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78.
LEARN THE MAGIC OF NONATTACHMENT
Being attached to an outcome, holding on, takes an enormous amount of energy, not
only during an effort but often after an effort is complete, after youve failed, or been let down, or
were dealt a bad hand. Being nonattached, however, creates emotional freedom. It suggests
trying hard, really caring, but at the same time being completely willing to let go of the outcome.
Attachment creates fear that gets in your way: what if I lose? What if the deal doesnt go
through? What if Im rejected? What if, what if, what if your belief that everything must work
out exactly as you want it to with no glitches creates enormous pressure!
Nonattachment, on the other hand, works like magic. It allows you to have fun in your
efforts, to enjoy the process. It helps you succeed at whatever you are doing by giving you the
confidence you need. It takes the pressures off. You win regardless of the outcome. The act of
not worrying helps you focus and stay on purpose. It helps you stay out of your own way.
You know in your heart that, even if things dont work out the way you hope they will,
everything will be all right. Youll be okay. Youll learn from the experience. Youll do better next
time. This attitude of acceptance helps you move on to the next step in your path. Rather than
being lost or immobilized in disappointment or regret, you simply move on with confidence and
joy.
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79.
LEARNING FROM OUR GLORIOUS PAST
We are all more or less proud of our past Indian civilization, but we actually do not know
the real nature of that civilization. We cannot be proud of our past material civilization, which is
now a thousand times greater than in days gone by. It is said that we are passing through the
age of darkness, the Kali-yuga. What is this darkness? The darkness cannot be due to
backwardness in material knowledge, because we now have more of it than formerly. If not we
ourselves, our neighbors, at any rate, have plenty of it. Therefore, we must conclude that the
darkness of the present age is not due to a lack of material advancement, but that we have lost
the clue to our spiritual advancement, which is the prime necessity of human life and the
criterion of the highest type of human civilization.
Throwing of bombs from airplanes is no advancement of civilization from the primitive,
uncivilized practice of dropping big stones on the heads of enemies from the tops of hills.
Improvement of the art of killing our neighbors by means of machine guns and poisonous gases
is certainly no advancement from primitive barbarism, which prided itself on its art of killing by
bows and arrows. Nor does the development of a sense of pampered selfishness prove
anything more than intellectual animalism. True human civilization is very different from all these
states, and therefore in the Katha Upanishad there is the emphatic call "Please wake up and try
to understand the boon that you now have in this human form of life. The path of spiritual
realization is very difficult; it is sharp like a razor's edge. That is the opinion of learned
transcendental scholars."
Thus, while others were yet in the womb of historical oblivion, the sages of India had
developed a different kind of civilization, which enabled them to know themselves. They had
discovered that we are not at all material entities, but that we are all spiritual, permanent, and
indestructible servants of the Absolute. But because we have, against our better judgment,
chosen to completely identify ourselves with this present material existence, our sufferings have
multiplied according to the inexorable law of birth and death, with its consequent diseases and
anxieties. These sufferings cannot be really mitigated by any provision of material happiness,
because matter and spirit are completely different elements. It is just as if you took an aquatic
animal out of water and put it on the land, supplying all manner of happiness possible on land.
The deadly sufferings of the animal are not capable of being relieved at all until it is taken out of
its foreign environment. Spirit and matter are completely contradictory things. All of us are
spiritual entities. We cannot have perfect happiness, which is our birthright, however much we
may meddle with the affairs of mundane things. Perfect happiness can be ours only when we
are restored to our natural state of spiritual existence. This is the distinctive message of our
ancient Indian civilization, this is the message of the Gita, this is the message of the Vedas and
the Puranas, and this is the message of all the real acaryas.
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80.
LESS YOU WORRY ABOUT YOUR PROBLEMS, THE EASIER THEY

WILL BE TO SOLVE
Deep down, we all know that for every problem there is a solution. Many times, the
solution is obvious to a dispassionate observer, which is the primary reason corporations as well
as entrepreneurs hire outside consultants.
Often, the reason we cannot see these obvious solutions is that we are trapped in our
emotional reactions and habitual ways of seeing life.
The alternative to dealing head on with problems is to clear your mind instead of filling it
with painful, confusing details. Quiet down, reflect, and listen.
Allow your wisdom, that softer part of your thinking, to surface. More often than not,
seemingly out of nowhere (actually from Supersoul the Lord in the heart), you will have an
insight, an answer to your problem.
The less you worry about your problems, the easier they will be to solve!
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81.
LET GO OF BATTLES THAT CANNOT BE WON
One of the major contributing factors to self-created stress is the tendency that most of
us have to hold on to battles that we have virtually no chance of winning. For whatever reason,
we keep alive unnecessary arguments and conflicts, we insist on being right, or we try to get
someone to change when there is almost no possibility that we will succeed.
Many times, we bump up against stone walls, but instead of backing off and taking the
path of least resistance, we keep on struggling.
Suppose youre driving to work when some aggressive driver tries to overtake you. You
get annoyed and bothered. You focus your attention in the mirror. If you get mad enough, you
might even accelerate just to retaliate. You think to yourself how awful the world has become
and how road rage is a sad fact of life.
Even though your assessment of this driver may be correct, this is clearly a battle that
you cannot win. By participating in the battle, the best that can happen is that youll end up
frustrated. At worst, you may even contribute to the cause of an accident. Its not worth it
because either way you lose. By recognizing that this is a battle not worth fighting, you can
calmly move to a different lane and allow the driver to go.
Wise have said, When youre doing something wrong, doing it more intensely isnt going
to help. Learn to differentiate between a battle worth fighting and one that is better left alone.
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82.
LET GO OF FEARFUL THOUGHTS
If you gathered up all the fearful thoughts that exist in the mind of the average person,
looked at them objectively, and tried to decide just how much good they provided that person,
you would see that not some but all fearful thoughts are useless. They do no good. Zero. They
interfere with dreams, hopes, desires, and progress.
Fearful thoughts take many different forms. Sometimes they sound reasonable: Im just
being careful, so Im taking my time. Other times they are tied to your past: Ive tried that
before and it didnt work. Occasionally, fears are cleverly disguised as being realistic: Most
people fail, so I want to be absolutely sure before I get started. I could fill page after page with
other examples. Yet when you take a close, honest look at every fearful thought, there are
threads of similarity. All of them are explanations or rationalizations for why something shouldnt
or cant work. They are usually justifications for quitting, or for not getting started.
Fearful thoughts hold you back, not some but all of the time.
A critic, especially a fearful one, will look at this advice and say its unrealistic, simplistic,
and/or foolish. The problem with overcoming these objections is that, on the surface, they sound
reasonable. Let me assure you that Im not suggesting you ignore the facts and take
unnecessary and/or foolish risks.
What Im talking about here are the fears that clearly and directly interfere with your
dreams the fear of rejection, the fear of failure; thoughts like What will everyone think of me? I
might look foolish, or I dont think I can do it, I dont have the time, or the experience, or the
confidence. These common, ongoing fearful thoughts are the dream snatchers of our own
making.
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83.
LET GO OF THE FEAR THAT IF YOU'RE RELAXED OR HAPPY,

YOU'RE GOING TO FALL
When you eat too much, the energy that is usually directed toward normal body functions
healing, cell division, metabolism, and all sorts of other good stuff must go toward digestion.
This makes you feel sleepy and lethargic. You lose motivation and energy.
There is an emotional equivalent. You can extend this same metaphor to your tendency
to be overly serious and immobilized over little things. When you are angry, bothered, and
annoyed, virtually all the mental and emotional energy that could otherwise be used for
creativity, spontaneity, and mental ambition is taken away.
When you focus on things that irritate you, it interferes with the process of creation. It
keeps you down, stuck, focused not on the wonder and mystery of life and its many possibilities
but on whats lacking, whats wrong, and all that makes you mad and frustrated.
As you lighten up, relax, and unwind, you open the doors of creativity and joy that were
previously hidden. So, starting today, remind yourself that its okay to relax in fact, its more
than okay, its downright important.
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84.
LIFE IS ACTUALLY A REFLECTION OF OUR THOUGHTS AND

ACTIONS...
Long ago in a small, far away village, there was place known as the House of 1000
Mirrors.
A small, happy little dog came to know of this place and decided to visit. When he
arrived, he bounced happily up the stairs to the doorway of the house.
He looked through the doorway with his ears lifted high and his tail wagging as fast as it
could. To his great surprise, he found himself staring at 1000 other happy little dogs with their
tails wagging just as fast as his.
He smiled a great smile, and was answered with 1000 great smiles just as warm and
friendly. As he left the House, he thought to himself, "This is a wonderful place. I will come back
and visit it often."
In this same village, another little dog, who was not quite as happy as the first one,
decided to visit the house. He slowly climbed the stairs and hung his head low as he looked into
the door. When he saw the 1000 unfriendly looking dogs staring back at him, he growled at
them and was horrified to see 1000 little dogs growling back at him. As he left, he thought to
himself, "That is a horrible place, and I will never go back there again."
All the faces in the world are mirrors. Just observe what kind of reflections do you see in
the faces of the people you meet...
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85.
LIFE ISN'T YOUR ENEMY, BUT YOUR THINKING CAN BE
At times, it can seem like life is our enemy, as if things never quite pan out the way we
would like them to, as if theres a secret conspiracy against us. However, its critical to
remember that, in reality, life isnt our enemy. There is no conspiracy. Life is just life. It is what it
is. The factor that can make life seem like our enemy, however, is our thinking.
As obvious as this insight may seem, the implications are enormous. The truth is, life isnt
going to accommodate any of us by giving us fewer demands, less traffic, people who are
easier to get along with, or a smoother path toward success. If we want a different experience of
life, a more peaceful outlook, we are the ones who must change.
If youre angry, youre the one having angry thoughts. If youre stressed, youre the one
having stressful thoughts. If youre feeling sorry for yourself, again, youre the one having
thoughts of self-pity. The good news, of course, is that while you cant alter life very often to suit
your needs, you do have a fair measure of control over your own thinking. You can change the
way you think, and you can change your reactions to life. Its entirely up to you. You can go on
hating the many inconvenient aspects of life or you can relax and commit to changing your
reactions to them.
Its very helpful to remind yourself (daily) that your life isnt your enemy. While youre at it,
remind yourself of the tremendous power of your own thinking that your world is shaped by
those thoughts you choose to focus on the most.
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86.
LIFE PRODUCES CHEMICALS
The so-called scientists say that life begins from chemicals. But the real question is,
"Where have the chemicals come from?" The chemicals come from life. For example, an orange
tree contains many oranges, and each orange contains chemicalscitric acid and others. So
where have these chemicals come from? Obviously they have come from the life within the tree.
The scientists are missing the origin of the chemicals. They have started their investigation from
the chemicals, but they cannot identify the origin of the chemicals. Chemicals come from the
supreme lifeGod. Just as the living body of a man produces many chemicals, the supreme life
(the Supreme Lord) is producing all the chemicals found in the atmosphere, in the water, in
humans, in animals, and in the earth. And that is called mystic power. Unless the mystic power
of the Supreme Lord is accepted, there is no solution to the problem of the origin of life.
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87.
LIGHT A CANDLE INSTEAD OF CURSING THE DARKNESS
Instead of complaining about whats wrong we should take positive, solution-oriented

steps (however small) toward improving a situation. It means being more a part of the solution
rather than a reminder or reinforcement of the problem.
While were working, its easy to fall into the trap of spending our time and energy taking
note and complaining about the way things are, the economy, negative people, greed, lack of
compassion, bureaucracy, and so forth. After all, if we are looking for verification that the world
is full of problems, we dont have to look far to prove our assumptions.
If you take a careful look, youll notice that in most cases, thinking excessively about the
problems at work, only serves to increase your own level of stress, thus making it even more
difficult to do anything about the very things that are bothering you.
As we focus on the problem and discuss it with others, it can reinforce our belief that life
is difficult and stressful, which, of course, it can be.
When we focus too much on whats wrong, it reminds us of other things we disapprove of
or wish were different, which can lead us toward feelings of discouragement and being
overwhelmed.
Its interesting, however, to notice that in many instances you cannot only make a dent in
a problem, but actually reduce your own stress level in the process by simply choosing to light
a candle. Simply put, this means making a suggestion or taking a positive step toward
improving a source of stress. It means putting increased emphasis on a potential solution and
less emphasis on cursing the problem.
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88.
LOOK FOR THE EXTRAORDINARY IN THE ORDINARY
Two workers were approached by a reporter. The reporter asked the first worker, What
are you doing? His response was to complain that he was virtually a slave, an underpaid
bricklayer who spent his days wasting his time, placing bricks on top of one another.
The reporter asked the second worker the same question. His response, however, was
quite different. Im the luckiest person in the world, he said. I get to be a part of important and
beautiful pieces of architecture. I help turn simple pieces of brick into exquisite masterpieces.
They were both right.
The truth is, we see in life what we want to see. If you search for ugliness youll find
plenty of it. If you want to find fault with other people, your service, or the world in general, youll
certainly be able to do so. But the opposite is also true. If you look for the extraordinary in the
ordinary, you can train yourself to see it. This bricklayer sees cathedrals within pieces of brick.
The question is, can you?
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89.
TAKE SERVICE AN INTEGRAL PART OR YOUR LIFE
I begin my day by asking myself the question, How can I be of service to someone? I
have found this to be useful in reminding me of the multitude of ways that I can be helpful to
others. When I take the time to ask this question, I find answers popping up all day long.
If one of your goals is to be of help to others, you will find the most appropriate ways.
Your chances to be of service are endless. The key, I believe, is to remember that being of
service isnt a one-time effort. Its not doing something nice for someone and then wondering
why others arent being nice too, or doing things for us. Instead, a life of service is a lifelong
process, a way of thinking about life. Does the trash need to be taken out? If so, go ahead and
take it out even if its not your turn. Is someone you know being difficult? Maybe they need
someone to listen to them.
I have learned that the best way to be of service is often very simple its those little,
quite, often unnoticed acts that I can choose on a daily basis.
I know that I have a long way to go toward my goal of becoming a more selfless person.
However, I also know that as I have attempted to integrate service into my life, I have felt better
and better. There is an ancient saying, Giving is its own reward. Its really true. When you give,
you also receive. In fact, what you receive is directly proportional to what you give. Everyone
wins, especially you.
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90.
MANY TIMES WE FEEL AS THOUGH WE ARE WORTHLESS
A well-known speaker started off his public speech in a strange manner by holding up a
Rupee 1000 Note! Holding up the Note high in the air in one of his hands, he addressed the
curious audience, "Who would like this Rupee 1000 Note?"
With great cheers almost all of them raised their hands with the shout, "I want it", "I want
it!! He said, "Oh! Thats nice. Well, I am going to give this Note to one of you... But, first let me
do this." Then, he crumpled the Note in his hands vigorously & now showed the awkwardly
wrinkled 1000 Rupee Note by holding up high in his hand. He then asked, "Who still wants it?"
The same hands went up in the air this time too.
"Well", he replied, "What if I do this?" and he dropped it on the ground and started to
grind it into the floor with his shoe like a mad man. It seemed he is deriving great merriment in
his unusual act. He picked it up, now all crumpled and dirty. It was so smudgy that no one could
recognize it now as a 1000 Rupee Note. "Now who still wants it?" Strangely, now also, all the
hands were up in the air with equal cheers & spirit.
Now he addressed his audience with great feeling. "My friends," said he, "You have all
learned a very valuable lesson today. No matter what I did to this valuable Rupee Note, all of
you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth the same - Rs.1000/Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt of shame &
insult by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come in our way. We feel as though
we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose
your value. In the eyes of God, you are the same "most precious jewel of His".
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91.
MIND A THOUGHT FACTORY
Your mind is a thought factory. Its a busy factory, producing countless thoughts in one
day. Production in your thought factory is under the charge of two foremen, one of whom we will
call Mr.Triumph and the other Mr.Defeat. Mr. Triumph is in charge of manufacturing positive
thoughts. He specializes in producing reasons why you can, why you're qualified, why you will.
The other foreman, Mr. Defeat, produces negative, depreciating thoughts. He is your
expert in developing reasons why you can't, why you're weak, why you're inadequate. His
specialty is the "why-you-will-fail" chain of thoughts.
Both Mr. Triumph and Mr. Defeat are intensely obedient. They snap to attention
immediately. All you need do to signal either foreman is to give the slightest mental beck-andcall. If the signal is positive, Mr. Triumph will step forward and go to work. Likewise, a negative
signal brings Mr. Defeat forward.
To see how these two foremen work for you, try this example. Tell yourself, "Today is a
lousy day." This signals Mr. Defeat into action and he manufactures some facts to prove you are
right. He suggests to you that it's too hot or it's too cold, you may get sick. Mr. Defeat is
tremendously efficient. In just a few moments he's got you sold. It is a bad day. Before you
know it, it is a bad day. But tell yourself, "Today is a fine day," and Mr. Triumph is signaled
forward to act. He tells you, "This is a wonderful day. The weather is refreshing. It's good to be
in Krishna Consciousness." And then it is a good day.
Now the more work you give either of these two foremen, the stronger he becomes. If Mr.
Defeat is given more work to do, he adds personnel and takes up more space in your mind.
Eventually, he will take over the entire-thought-manufacturing division, and virtually all thoughts
will be of a negative nature.
The only wise thing to do is fire Mr. Defeat. You don't need him. Use Mr. Triumph 100 per
cent of the time. He'll show you how you can succeed.
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92.
MISTAKE IS NOT A MISTAKE IF WE LEARN FROM THE EXPERIENCE
It is so easy to beat yourself up over mistakes you've made. Many amongst us live in the
past rather than loving the present and building a brilliant future. Some people stay stuck for
years over something they did or a failure they've experienced. A life is a terrible thing to waste.
But let me ask you a question: "Is there really such a thing as a mistake?" First of all, no
one tries to fail or mess things up. Every one of us wake up in the morning, walk out into the
world and do the best we can do based on what we know and the skills we have. But even more
importantly, every so-called "mistake' is actually a rich source of learning. A mistake is an
opportunity to build more awareness and understanding and gain precious experience. This
experience will help us do, feel and be even better.
Mistake is not a mistake if we learn from the experience and grow with it. Just maybe
what we could call failures are actually growth lessons in wolf's clothing. And just maybe the
person who experiences the most wins.
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93.
NEVER ENDING CRITICISM
Once there was an old man and a young boy who were traveling with a donkey. The
young man was leading the donkey and the old man was riding on the donkey. When they
passed through a small village, some of the townspeople yelled abuse, "Look at this old man
taking advantage of this poor young boy! What a rascal!" After they had passed through the
village, the old man said, "We had better swap over, otherwise they will abuse us in the next
village." So then they swapped with the old man leading and the young boy riding. But in the
next village also they got criticized, "Look at this selfish boy, taking advantage of his
grandfather. He should let the old man ride on the donkey." So then they both got off and led
the donkey, but in the next village the people yelled out, "Look at these two stupid people! They
have a donkey, but they are choosing to walk instead!" Then the old man concluded, "Actually,
it doesn't matter what you do, people will always be critical."
Similarly the devotees try to educate us in science of God, Krishna, but we end up only
criticizing all their ways.
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94.
NEVER EVER BACKSTAB
There are many good reasons why we should never backstab. First of all, it sounds
terrible and makes us look really bad. When I hear someone slamming someone behind his
back, it says nothing about the person they are referring to, but it does say a great deal about
the person who is backstabbing. To me, someone who slams a person behind his back is
hypocritical or two-faced.
A person in a habit of backstabbing will put on a smile and say nice things to people but,
behind their backs, he would act in a completely different way. To me thats not fair play.
But aside from being a mean-spirited and unfair thing to do, backstabbing creates other
problems as well. It causes stress, anxiety, and other negative feelings.
How does it feel to say nasty, offensive, and negative things about someone else who
isnt even there to defend themselves? Obviously, answer is so obvious that its almost
embarrassing to discuss. I know that when I have backstabbed in the past, my words have left
me with an uncomfortable feeling. I remember asking myself the question, How could you
stoop so low? You simply cant win this way.
Finally, its absolutely predictable that if you backstab someone, you will lose the respect
and trust of the people you are sharing with. Remember, most of the people youre sharing with
are your friends or colleagues. Its important to realize that, even if they appear to enjoy what
you are saying, and even if they too are participating in the gossip, there will always be a part of
them that knows that you are capable of backstabbing. Theyve seen it firsthand. Its inevitable
that they will ask themselves the question, If he will talk behind someone elses back, wouldnt
he be capable of doing the same thing to me? Whats more, they know that the answer is YES.
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95.
NEVER EVER LET SUCCESS GO TO YOUR HEAD!
Theres an alarming trend taking place: People who have had some degree of good
fortune and success tend to lose their humility and become at least slightly arrogant. This is very
unfortunate for many reasons. First, and most obviously, no one really wants to be around
someone who is arrogant. Its boring, and its annoying! Arrogance implies a lack of gratitude.
The assumption is, I did this all by myself; its all about me. Factors such as Lords blessings,
good fortune, and so on are forgotten or disregarded.
In addition, when you allow success to go to your head, your stress levels skyrocket and
your quality of life gradually disappears. People will stop liking you, and eventually, youll stop
liking yourself.
Friendships slip away; obsessive busyness and a lack of time take over. Someone who
was happy and relatively easy to please is now impossible to satisfy.
Ive read articles about celebrities, athletes, and business people who have done really
well their talent, timing, hard work, luck, and all the rest of it kicked in at just the right time. Yet,
rather than being grateful and keeping a sense of perspective, they think that they are somehow
better or more important than others simply because theyre good at something and have
enjoyed some success.
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96.
NEVER GIVE UP!
Its madness
To hate all roses, because you got scratched by one thorn.
To give up all your dreams, because one did not come true.
To lose faith in prayers, because one was not answered.
To give up on your efforts, because one of them failed.
To condemn all your friends, because one of them betrayed.
Not to believe anyone, because someone was unfaithful.
Remember that, another chance may come up.
Never give up!
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97.
NEVER WRITE AN EMAIL WHEN YOURE MAD OR UPSET
The Internet specifically, e-mailhas done wonders to increase our capacity to

communicate. With lightening speed, we can now write letters, share ideas and even close
deals. The benefits are astonishing.
Theres a downside to e-mail, however, thats important to be aware of. The problem is,
its tempting, when youre mad or upset; to fire off an e-mail that you might very well live to
regret.
In a reactive or upset state of mind, or when youre lacking judgment or perspective, its
easy to act impulsively rather than with composure and wisdom. In the blink of an eye, you can
confuse someone, hurt their feelings, enrage them, or even destroy a relationship.
The good news is, the flip side of this issue is also true. If youre mad at someone and
are tempted to share your feelings via e-mail but you manage to resist your restrain can pay
enormous dividends.
Who knows how many relationships are ruined, or at least adversely affected, every day,
by someone clicking send instead of simply walking away?
Some practical advice is this: Whenever possible, when youre upset, refrain from
sending e-mails. Its dangerous territory. Instead, wait until you cool off. In the long run, youll
maintain good relationships, and avoid unnecessary conflict.
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98.
OUSTING DIFFERENCES
God is the Father of all species and forms of life. Besides that, we take this body as a
dress. For example, your white shirt is not you. You are different from the white shirt. Similarly,
one may have a body, white or black, but he, as spirit soul, is different from the body. Now, we
are taking account of the person who is possessing the dressnot the dress but the person. I
am talking with you; I am not talking with your shirt. I dont look to see whether you have put on
a white shirt or black shirt. That is not my concern. I am concerned with you as a living being.
This is our philosophy. We dont take account of the outward shirt and coat. This body, this
gross body, is just like a coat, and within this gross body there is a subtle bodymind,
intelligence and ego. Within that subtle body, the spirit soul is there. And we are trying to deliver
the spirit soul from these two kinds of entanglement, subtle and gross. That is our mission.
National and religious movements are more or less on the basis of the outward dress. One is
Christian because he is born of a Christian father. Is it not? One is American because he is born
in the land of America. We say that we are neither Christian nor American, Hindu, Muslim or
Indian. We are eternal servants of God. Try to understand this fact and mold your life in this
way; then your life will be successful. This is our program. Simple.
A really educated man does not look over the fleshy tabernacle of a living being but he
introspects the spirit within the body. A sane man does not see the dress of another man but he
sees the man of whom dress is a covering only.
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99.
PATH OF PERFECTION
At the present moment our consciousness is designated. Someone is thinking, "I am an

Englishman," and another is thinking, "I am an American." Actually,we do not belong to any of
these designations. We are all part and parcel of God; that is our real identity. If everyone
simply comes to that consciousness, all the problems of the world will be solved. Then we shall
come to know that we are one the same quality of spirit soul. The same quality of spirit soul is
within everyone, although it may be in a different dress. This is the explanation given in the
Bhagavad-Gita.
Krishna consciousness is actually a purificatory process. Its purpose is to make people
free from all designations. When our consciousness becomes purified of all designations, the
activities we carry out with our purified senses make us perfect. Eventually, we reach the ideal
perfection of human life. Krishna consciousness is also a very simple process. It is not
necessary to become a great philosopher, scientist, or whatever. We need only chant the holy
name of the Lord, understanding that His personality, His name, and His qualities are all
absolute.
Krishna consciousness is a great science. Unfortunately, in the universities there is no
department for this science. Therefore we invite all serious men who are interested in the
welfare of human society to understand this great movement and, if possible, take part in it and
cooperate with us. The problems of the world will be solved.
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100.
PEACE FORMULA
The great mistake of modern civilization is to encroach upon others' property as though it
were one's own and to thereby create an unnecessary disturbance of the laws of nature. These
laws are very strong. No living entity can violate them. As a state is protected by the department
of law and order, so the state of Universe, of which this earth is only an insignificant fragment, is
protected by the laws of nature.
This material nature is one of the different potencies of God, who is the ultimate
proprietor of everything that be. This earth is, therefore, the property of God, but we, the living
entities, especially the so-called civilized human beings, are claiming God's property as our
own, under both an individual and collective false conception. If you want peace, you have to
remove this false conception from your mind and from the world. This false claim of
proprietorship by the human race on earth is partly or wholly the cause of all disturbances of
peace on earth.
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101.
PEOPLE YOU ASSOCIATE WITH WILL INFECT YOUR THINKING
Once, there was a pristine green field that was alive and lush, amidst the extraordinary
bloom of springtime. Next to it happened to sit another field. This one was full of weeds, dirt and
rough edged stones. This field was a testament to mediocrity and an acute lack of care.
Through the operation of nature's laws, the seeds of the weeds from the mediocre field
were slowly blown over to the lush field. And so, day by day, the once stunningly beautiful one with once awesome potential - succumbed to the influence of its low-grade next door neighbor.
Before the season was through, there sat two fields. Both completely overcome by
weeds.
Important lesson:
Your influences and environments matter. The content of what you read/watch/listen will
affect your thinking, feeling and willing. The people you associate with will infect your thinking.
John F Kennedy said, You are the same today as you will be in five years except for two
things, the people you associate with and the books you read.
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102.
PERFECT UNDERSTANDING
If a boy wants to know who his father is, the simple process is to ask his mother. The
mother will then say, "He is your father." This is the way of perfect knowledge. Of course, one
may speculate about one's father, wondering if this is the man or if that is the man, and one may
wander over the whole city, asking, "Are you my father? Are you my father?" The knowledge
derived from such a process, however, will always remain imperfect. One will never find his
father in this way. The simple process is to take the knowledge from an authorityin this case,
the mother. She simply says, "My dear boy, here is your father." In this way our knowledge is
perfect. Transcendental knowledge is similar. Spiritual world is not subject to our speculation.
God says, "There is a spiritual world, and that is My headquarters" In this way we receive
knowledge from Krishna, the best authority. We may not be perfect, but our knowledge is
perfect because it is received from the perfect source.
Although the understanding of God is a difficult subject, God explains Himself in the
Bhagavad-gita. He says, "I am like this, and I am like this. The material nature is like this, and
the spiritual nature is like that. The living entities are like this, and the Supreme Soul is like that."
Thus everything is completely described in the Bhagavad-gita. Although understanding God is
very difficult, it is not difficult when God Himself gives us His own knowledge. Actually that is the
only process by which we can understand God. To understand God by our own speculation is
not possible, for God is unlimited and we are limited. Our knowledge and perception are both
very limited, so how can we understand the unlimited? If we simply accept the version of the
unlimited, we can come to understand Him. That understanding is our perfection.
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103.
PERFECTION OF LIFE
When one goes to prison he has to put aside his usual dress and take the prison dress.
Similarly, anyone who comes into this material world has to take a material body. This is the
law. Unless you have this material body, how can you feel pleasure in material sense
enjoyment? It is just like performing on stage: if you are going to play a certain part, you have to
dress accordingly. Therefore, this material body is compared to a dress. For example, every
lady and gentleman; every one of us; has a different dress.
But our dress is superficial. As human beings we are one. Similarly, each one of us has a
different bodily dress, but spiritually we are one. And this is true of all living entities: they are in
different bodily dresses only.
The dresses are calculated to total 8,400,000 different forms. In the water there are
900,000 different dresses, and there are 2,000,000 different types of trees and plants. There are
1,100,000 species of insects, 1,000,000 types of birds, 3,000,000 types of beasts, and 400,000
forms of human beings. In this way, the living entity is passing through different dresses.
And the best dress is this human form, because in this dress you can understand what
God is, what you are, and what your relationship with God is. Then you can act in that
relationship and go back home, back to Godhead. In this human form of dress you have
developed consciousness.
But if you miss this opportunity to understand God, then again you will be put into the
cycle of the evolutionary process. We should not, therefore, misuse this human form. We should
utilize it properly to understand the unlimited God and our relationship with Him, and to act on
this knowledge. That is the perfection of life.
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104.
POWER OF ASSOCIATION
There are two parts to influence: First, influence is powerful; and second, influence is
subtle. You wouldn't let someone push you off course, but you might let someone nudge you off
course and not even realize it.
Attitude is greatly shaped by influence and association.
Don't spend most of your time on the voices that don't count. Tune out the shallow voices
so that you will have more time to tune in the valuable ones.
"No"
puts
distance
between
you
and
the
wrong
influence.
You must constantly ask yourself these questions: "Who am I around?" "What are they doing to
me?" "What have they got me reading?" "What have they got me saying?" "Where do they have
me going?" "What do they have me thinking?" And, most important, "What do they have me
becoming?" Then ask yourself the big question: "Is that OK?"
Don't join an easy crowd; you won't grow. Go where the expectations and the demands
to perform are high.
Some people you can afford to spend a few minutes with, but not a few hours.
Get around people who have something of value to share with you. Their impact will
continue to have a significant effect on your life.
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105.
PRACTICE THOSE QUALITIES WHICH YOU BELIEVE IN
If kindness, patience, honesty, and generosity are qualities that you believe in, you make
every effort to practice those qualities at work.
Treat people with kindness and respect. If someone is late or makes a mistake, you try to
be patient. Even if its your job or appropriate to reprimand someone, you do so from a
foundation of love and respect.
In a given day, you have so many opportunities to practice patience, acts of kindness,
and forgiveness. You have time to think loving thoughts, smile, embrace others, and practice
gratitude. You can practice being non-defensive and a better listener.
You can try to be compassionate, particularly with difficult or abrasive people. Practice
the way you greet people and deal with conflict. You can practice in virtually everything that you
do.
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106.
PRAY REGULARLY
There is a story of about a sea captain who in his retirement skippered a boat taking daytrippers to Shetland Islands. On one trip, the boat was full of young people.
They laughed at the old captain when they saw him say a prayer before sailing out,
because the day was fine and the sea was calm.
However they weren't long at sea when a storm suddenly blew up and the boat began to
pitch violently. The terrified passengers came to the captain and asked him to join them in
prayer.
But he replied, "I say my prayers when it's calm. When it's rough I attend to my ship."
Here is a lesson for us:
If we cannot and will not seek God in quiet moments of our lives; we are not likely to find
Him when trouble strikes. We are more likely to panic. But if we have learnt to seek Him and
trust Him in quiet moments, then most certainly we will find Him when the going gets rough.
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107.
PROBLEM WITH ALWAYS SAYING YES
Many times we commit to too many things and fail to say no. We say, Sure, Ill do it, or
No problem, Ill take care of it, when deep down, we know we dont really want to, or that we
already have too much on our plates.
The problem with always saying yes is two-fold. First, the end result is almost always
feeling overwhelmed, stressed and tired. There is simply a point when enough is enough; a
point of diminishing return when our attitude, spirit and even our productivity begins to suffer. By
saying yes too often, we begin to feel victimized and resentful that we have so much to do.
Because we tend to feel guilty when we say no, its often difficult to see that we were the ones
who got ourselves into this mess by failing to say no more often.
The second major problem with failing to say no when its appropriate to do so is that you
end up with a slightly insincere attitude. In other words, you are doing things you really dont
want to be doing or shouldnt be doing but you are acting, on the surface, as if everything is
just fine. For example, youll agree to perform a task by saying, Oh, its all right, when what
you really need is a day off to yourself. Then because you dont get your much-needed rest, you
feel victimized or angry that so many people ask favors of you!
Again, you played a key role in the creation of your own stress, but you believe the stress
is caused by outside forces, or that its inevitable.
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108.
PUT THE GLASS DOWN!
A professor began his class by holding up a glass with some water in it. He held it up for all to
see and asked the students,' How much do you think this glass weighs?'
'50gms!'.... '100gms!'.....'125gms'...the students answered.
What would happen if I held it up like this for a few minutes?
'Nothing' the students said.
'Ok what would happen if I held it up like this for an hour?' the professor asked.
'Your arm would begin to ache' said one of the students.
You're right, now what would happen if I held it for a day?'
'Your arm could go numb, you might have severe muscle stress and paralysis and have
to go to hospital for sure!' ventured another student and all the students laughed.
'Very good. But during all this, did the weight of the glass change? asked the professor.
'No'
'Then what caused the arm ache and the muscle stress?'
'Put the glass down!' said one of the students.
'Exactly!' said the professor.' Life's problems are something like this.Hold it for a few minutes in
your head and they seem OK. Think of them for a long time & they begin to ache. Hold it even
longer and they begin to paralyze you.'
It's important to think of the challenges (problems) in your life, but EVEN more important to 'put
them down' at the end of every day before you go to sleep. That way, you are not stressed, you
wake up every day fresh and strong & can handle any issue, any challenge that comes your
way!
So, when you leave office today, remember to 'PUT THE GLASS DOWN TODAY!'
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109.
QUEST FOR HAPPINESS
Suppose a man is thrown into the ocean. He may be an expert swimmer, but he cannot
be happy in the ocean because he is out of his natural condition of life. The only way he will
become happy is if someone picks him up from the ocean and places him on the land.
So if we are serious, if we actually want to be happy, we must take to the cultivation of
spiritual understanding, an understanding of Krishna consciousness. Of course, in every country
of the world there is some religious system, some system for understanding spiritual life. But
unfortunately, almost nobody is interested in spiritual life because people have been induced to
become addicted to material, or sensual, activities. They are going further and further away from
spiritual life and becoming more and more confused. Disappointment is rising all over the world.
So to mitigate this disappointment and confusion, one has to take to Krishna
consciousness. Try to understand the philosophy of Krishna consciousness, and act
accordingly. Then you will be happy.
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110.
REACTIVE V/S PROACTIVE PERSON
As human beings, we are responsible for our own lives. Look at the word responsibility -"response-ability" -- the ability to choose your response. Highly proactive people recognize that
responsibility. They do not blame circumstances, conditions, or conditioning for their behavior.
Their behavior is a product of their own conscious choice, rather than a product of their
conditions, based on feeling.
Reactive people are often affected by their physical environment. If the weather is good,
they feel good. If it isn't, it affects their attitude and their performance. Proactive people can
carry their own weather with them. Whether it rains or shines makes no difference to them. They
are value driven; and if their value is to produce good quality work, it isn't a function of whether
the weather is conducive to it or not.
Reactive people are also affected by their social environment, by the "social weather."
When people treat them well, they feel well; when people don't, they become defensive or
protective. Reactive people build their emotional lives around the behavior of others,
empowering the weaknesses of other people to control them.
Reactive people are driven by feelings, by circumstances, by conditions, by their
environment. Proactive people are driven by values -- carefully thought about, selected and
internalized values.
As Eleanor Roosevelt observed, "No one can hurt you without your consent. They cannot
take away our self respect if we do not give it to them."
It is our willing permission, our consent to what happens to us, that hurts us far more than
what happens to us in the first place.
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111.
REAL AWAKENING
What is spiritual life? Complete freedom. And an eternal, blissful life full of knowledge.
That is spiritual lifea life distinct from material life, which is based on the bodily concept.
Spiritual life means an eternal, blissful life of knowledge, while material life means a nonpermanent, miserable life full of ignorance.
The body is impermanent, and it is always full of miserable conditions. There is no
blissfulness in the material world; we are always suffering some kind of distress.
Simply we have to chant the Hare Krishna mantra. It is not very difficult. And if we chant this
mantra, our heart will gradually be cleansed and we will understand spiritual life in Krishna
consciousness. The whole problem is that due to material association our consciousness is now
contaminated; therefore we cannot understand spiritual life. But if we take advantage of
chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, our heart will gradually be cleansed and we shall be able to
understand, "I am not my body: I am a spiritual soul." Then real awakening will come.
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112.
REAL PROBLEM IS DEATH
The Bhagavad-Gita is a book of authority, is acknowledged in every part of the world. Not
just Indians or Hindus are interested but many scholars, philosophers, religionists, scientists
throughout the whole world are interested. Even Professor Einstein was reading it daily. So wise
man means one who understands Krishna. So if one is not God conscious, in spite of all his
education, he will create havoc in the world because he is hovering over the mental plane. His
education will be utilized for his sense gratification, and he will not care for anything. Just like
great scientists have discovered the atom bomb. What is the effect? Now by one drop you can
kill many millions of people. Instead of inventing something beneficial to human society they
invent something to accelerate death, which is already assured to every man. They cannot
show their meritorious power by inventing something which can save man from death; instead
they invent weapons which accelerate the process of death. You create some medicine that
"Take this tablet and no death, at least, no disease." That is not possible. There is development
of different kinds of disease, and they are discovering different kinds of medicine. There is one
problem, and you are creating some antidote. This is struggle for existence. That is not scientific
improvement. But how one can be stopped from repetition of birth and death? Birth and death is
in relationship with this body so, If you don't have a material body, then there is no question of
birth, death, old age and disease. So this is the process of Krishna consciousness. If you simply
try to understand Krishna and if you perfectly understand, then immediately you can stop your
birth and death process. You are eternal. That is intelligence.
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113.
RECOGNIZING AN OPPORTUNITY
When the great library of Alexandria burned, the story goes, one book was saved. But it
was not a valuable book; and so a poor man, who could read a little, bought it for a few coppers.
The book wasn't very interesting, but between its pages there was something very interesting
indeed. It was a thin strip of vellum on which was written the secret of the "Touchstone"!
The touchstone was a small pebble that could turn any common metal into pure gold.
The writing explained that it was lying among thousands and thousands of other pebbles that
looked exactly like it. But the secret was this: The real stone would feel warm, while ordinary
pebbles are cold.
So the man sold his few belongings, bought some simple supplies, camped on the
seashore, and began testing pebbles.
He knew that if he picked up ordinary pebbles and threw them down again because they
were cold, he might pick up the same pebble hundreds of times. So, when he felt one that was
cold, he threw it into the sea. He spent a whole day doing this but none of them was the
touchstone. Yet he went on and on this way. Pick up a pebble. Cold - throw it into the sea. Pick
up another. Throw it into the sea.
The days stretched into weeks and the weeks into months. One day, however, about
mid-afternoon, he picked up a pebble and it was warm. He threw it into the sea before he
realized what he had done. He had formed such a strong habit of throwing each pebble into the
sea that when the one he wanted came along, he still threw it away.
So it is with opportunity. Unless we are vigilant, it's easy to fail to recognize an
opportunity when it is in hand and it's just as easy to throw it away.
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114.
RECOGNIZING PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR!
No matter where you work or what you do, becoming an expert in recognizing patterns of
behavior can help you reduce the stress in your life by eliminating many of your unnecessary
interpersonal conflicts. When you learn to recognize patterns of behavior, youll be able to
detect problems before they have a chance to get out of hand, nip certain arguments in the bud,
and prevent hassles that might otherwise manifest themselves.
If you take a careful look at the people you work with, youll probably agree that most
people (you and I too) have a tendency to repeat patterns and engage in habitual reactions. In
other words, we tend to be bothered by some things, irritated by the same set of circumstances,
argue over the same sets of facts, and act defensively toward certain types of behavior. Indeed,
for most of us, our reactions to life, particularly stress, are fairly predictable.
This being the case, its enormously helpful to take careful note of the people you work
with and recognize any negative or destructive patterns of behavior that are likely to repeat
themselves. You might notice, for example, that if you take on or challenge a member of your
team, he will become defensive and tend to argue. This doesnt mean its never appropriate to
challenge him there will certainly be times when it is. What it means is that when you
recognize, with relative certainty, whats going to happen if you engage in certain types of
interactions, you might determine that its not worth getting into. In this way, you can avoid
unnecessary conflict and spend your time and energy in more efficient ways.
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115.
RECOVER QUICKLY FROM YOUR MISTAKES!
There will be times when you make mistakes, sometimes big ones. There will be times
when you overreact, offend someone, overlook the obvious, say something you shouldnt have,
and so forth. Ive yet to meet a person who is exempt from these oh-so human facts of life. So,
perhaps the most important question isnt so much whether or not you will mess up, but rather
how quickly you can recover when you do.
We can turn a relatively minor setback or mistake into a much bigger deal by
overanalyzing our actions (or someone elses), or being too hard on ourselves Or we say
something wrong and cant let go of it, or we become defensive of our actions and refuse to
apologize.
When Im able to see my mistakes, admit them, and move on I recover quickly. The
result seems to be that when someone Im working with offers a suggestion, or some type of
constructive criticism, rather than feeling defensive or struggling to point out how Im right and
they are wrong, I try to keep an open mind and remain receptive to growth.
In most cases, the person making the suggestion has at very least a grain of truth or
some wisdom in their suggestion. The trick seems to be the willingness to forgive yourself and
othersfor being human and for making mistakes.
Once you recognize the truth of the old adage, To err is human, to forgive is divine, you
create the emotional climate to recover from practically any mistake and move on.
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116.
RELEVANT ENQUIRY
As long as a man is in the full vigor of life, he forgets the naked truth of death, which he
has to meet. Thus a foolish man makes no relevant inquiry about the real problems of life.
Everyone thinks that he will never die, although he sees evidence of death before his eyes at
every second. Here is the distinction between animalism and humanity. An animal like a goat
has no sense of its impending death. Although its brother goat is being slaughtered, the goat,
being allured by the green grass offered to it, will stand peacefully waiting to be slaughtered
next. On the other hand, if a human being sees his fellow man being killed by an enemy, he
either fights to save his brother or leaves, if possible, to save his own life. That is the difference
between a man and a goat.
An intelligent man knows that death is born along with his own birth. He knows that he is
dying at every second and that the final touch will be given as soon as his term of life is finished.
He therefore prepares himself for the next life or for liberation from the disease of repeated birth
and death.
A foolish man, however, does not know that this human form of life is obtained after a
series of births and deaths imposed in the past by the laws of nature. He does not know that a
living entity is an eternal being, who has no birth and death. Birth, death, old age, and disease
are external impositions on a living entity and are due to his contact with material nature and to
his forgetfulness of his eternal, godly nature and qualitative oneness with the Absolute Whole.
Human life provides the opportunity to know this eternal fact, or truth. Thus the very
beginning of the Vedanta-sutra advises that because we have this valuable form of human life,
it is our duty-now-to inquire, What is Brahman, the Absolute Truth?
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117.
REMEMBER TO ACKNOWLEDGE
You can acknowledge others in many ways. When someone calls you, acknowledge the
call. When they send you something, remember to say thank you. When someone does a good
job, say so. When they apologize, acknowledge that too.
Its especially important to acknowledge acts of kindness doing so reinforces the act
and encourages more of the same. We all benefit.
Almost everyone loves to be acknowledged. We love to have our phone calls returned, to
be told we are doing a great job, to be thanked for working so hard, to have our creativity
appreciated.
People remember acknowledgment and they appreciate it. When you need a favor, or
advice, the fact that you have previously taken the time to acknowledge someone often comes
back to help you. It makes others want to help you and to see you succeed.
Also, people who have been acknowledged genuinely and with love are very forgiving.
They will see beyond your mistakes and failures and forgive you freely. Needless to say, all of
this makes your life easier and far less stressful.
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118.
RESPONDING TO CRITICISM WITHOUT BEING DEFENSIVE
In an actual war, to be attacked means to have our survival threatened. Thus, we might
choose between surrender, withdrawal, or counterattack.
When we feel attacked (criticized or judged) by others in conversation, we often move
into that same kind of survival mentality and automatically defend ourselves. But conversation is
different than war. When we defend against criticism, we give more power to the criticism and
the person dishing it out than is warranted.
I think we often ward off criticism far too soon, discarding anything that is valid, as well as
what is invalid. The person's words may hurt, but they will hurt less, I think, if we ask questions,
decide which pieces we agree with (if any) and which ones we don't agree with.
We can just think about it, we don't have to fight it as if we were being attacked with a
lethal weapon.
I watch people's self-esteem increase simply from becoming less defensive in the face of
criticism and judgment. Besides, we may find a priceless gem in with some junk.
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119.
RUSHING TO GET THINGS DONE?
For many people, there are essentially only two speedsfast and faster. It seems that,
most of the time, we are moving very quickly, doing three or four things at once. Often we are
only paying partial attention or half listening to the people we are working with. Our minds are
cluttered and overly busy.
Perhaps the reason so many of us spend so much time moving fast is that we fear falling
behind or losing our edge. Our competitors, and everyone else around us, seem to be moving
so fast that we feel we must do the same.
Its important to note that, in this hyper, frenetic state of mind, our concentration suffers.
We waste precious energy and have tendency to make mistakes. When were in a hurry, its
difficult to determine whats truly most relevant because we are so preoccupied with getting
everything done. Because we are moving so quickly, its easy to get stressed out, nervous, and
agitated. And because we are so on edge, things get on our nerves easily and often.
See if you can make a conscious effort to slow down- both your thinking and your
actions. If you do, I think youll be pleasantly surprised to discover that, despite the slower
speed, youll become more relaxed and far more effective.
Youll regain your composure and be able to see the bigger picture.
Your stress level will drop dramatically and it will even seem like you have more time.
Your thinking and listening skills will become sharper. Youll be able to anticipate problems
rather than finding yourself in the middle of them so often.
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120.
SPIRITUAL; NOT RELIGIOUS
Spirit is undying (eternal), internal and Gods fingerprint. Religion is temporary, external
and mans concoction. The Vedas teach Sanatan Dharma which eclipses religion and can
restore the eternal soul to its pure original condition.
The impersonalists have come up with yet another catchy formula to bolster up their own
radically independent concepts of what Spirituality consists of. The latest euphemism for
promoting ones own hybrid version of Do It Yourself Religion is to declare yourself Spiritual;
NOT Religious.
If you punch this three words string into your favorite search engine you will discover a
plethora of commentary and videos on this new-age mantra. There you will find several serious
attempts to explain just exactly what it means when someone says they are Spiritual; Not
Religious.
One of the most common themes in those explanations is that Spiritual is concerned
with the spirit, (Which is Cool,) while Religious implies a reference to a boring, dogmatic,
ritualistically entrenched church. (This assertion also implies that the Church has nothing to do
with spirit which is Un-Cool!)
There are various ways people justify their independent concepts of what consists of a
transcendent lifestyle. To simply declare oneself Spiritual; Not Religious has become one of
the most popular ways to do that. What makes all this hyperbole so attractive is that virtually all
these explanations share the common fact that they remove the individual out of any peer
accountability or commitment to a structured form of discipline. In this way even the word
Spiritually becomes perverted to fit into the idea that I Am Perfect & Divine Just the Way I am
and the Its all about me mentality.
Hard core Mayavadis who promote this line of thinking are starting to appear all over the
Western world. They may follow their own made up routines and dub them as spiritual, but there
is usually little or no connection to what the Vedas recommend as spiritually beneficial.
Spiritualists might engage in any combination of: Lighting ceremonial candles; positioning
crystals; practicing some type of daily physical stretching; burning sage; or ritualistically focus
on some aspect of ones anatomy such as the breath; the third eye; the heartbeat; or the
resurgence of ones own ever erupting thoughts. But what is the purpose behind these made-up
cherished
rituals?
It is not uncommon to find that the do it yourself spiritualists will often elevate the consumption
of wine, tobacco, hallucinogenics, sex, and even anger, rage, sloth or greed into what they
declare are legitimate rituals for enhancing ones own spiritual evolution. These Spiritualists
feel they are above the fact that virtually all bona-fide scriptures, and the behavior and
comments of respective sages from all traditions, clearly eschew these traits as potentially lethal
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to the effort of an aspiring transcendentalist. Those who are only able to fanaticize about how
spiritual their beer, cigarettes and other personal foibles are will naturally shun institutions who
challenge the foolishness of their own ill formed conclusions.
In extreme cases the Spiritual but not Religious folks will even dismisses any form of
yoga, meditation, sadhana, or sacred scripture as completely irrelevant to their spiritual
development. Those folks insist that all one needs to do is just Be. They are the ones who love
to remind us that we are referred to as Human Beings, not Human Doings. Very cute. Isnt it?
The prevalence of this little ditty is yet another way the less serious student will justify their own
spiritual immaturity.
The idea of being Spiritual but NOT Religious is as absurd as claiming one is:
Perfect but NOT Practiced:
Fit but NOT Exercised;
Healthy but NOT Well Fed;
Wise but NOT Learned;
Stable but NOT Reliable;
Clean but NOT Well Groomed;
Responsible but NOT Law Abiding;
Trustworthy but NOT Honest;
Talented but NOT Accomplished;
In each of these cases the accolades of the first term are sought without following the
process required by the second term to actually achieve them. A person can declare
themselves any way the wish, but no matter how Respectable one declares themselves to be,
if they are NOT well Mannered they are simply deluding themselves.
The point is that if one is unwilling to voluntarily accept the structure of good training and
discipline, then it is ridiculous to expect that one will automatically become a respected in any
discipline regardless of if they aspire to be an athlete, musician, scientist, craftsman, or
Spiritualist etc.
Training and discipline from a senior mentor is so essential in regards to everything we
do that even Lord Krishna, Lord Ramachandra, and Lord Chaitanya all attended spiritual
training in the school of their own spiritual master known as the gurukula. Krishna specifically
states in the Gita that He sets this standard Himself, very intentionally, so everyone will follow
his example:
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Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow in his footsteps. And
whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.
So the bottom line is we can prance around and tell everyone how we are aspiring to Be
Spiritual without Doing Religion but the only people who will respect these type of cute play
on words are the less discretionary folks who stand for nothing and are willing to accept
anything. They are the same people who think Non-Judgment is a symptom of spiritual maturity
or that surrender means to the NOW! Both of these concepts are more myths promoted by the
New age movement specifically designed to rationalize why they need not engage their own
God given intelligence to seek out and surrender to a properly trained guru who is actually
capable of dispelling the darkness of ignorance with the torchlight of flawless Vedic knowledge.
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121.
SELF-CONFIDENCE
The business executive was deep in debt and could see no way out. Creditors were
closing in on him. Suppliers were demanding payment. He sat on the park bench, head in
hands, wondering if anything could save his company from bankruptcy.
Suddenly an old man appeared before him. "I can see that something is troubling you,"
he said. After listening to the executive's woes, the old man said, "I believe I can help you."
He asked the man his name, wrote out a check, and pushed it into his hand saying,
"Take this money. Meet me here exactly one year from today, and you can pay me back at that
time." The business executive saw in his hand a check for $500,000, signed by John D.
Rockefeller, then one of the richest men in the world!
"I can erase my money worries in an instant!" he realized. But instead, the executive
decided to put the un-cashed check in his safe. Just knowing it was there might give him the
strength to work out a way to save his business, he thought.
With renewed optimism, he negotiated better deals and extended terms of payment. He
closed several big sales. Within a few months, he was out of debt and making money once
again.
One year later, he returned to the park with the un-cashed check. At the agreed-upon
time, the old man appeared. But just as the executive was about to hand back the check and
share his success story, a nurse came running up and grabbed the old man.
"I'm so glad I caught him!" she cried. "I hope he hasn't been bothering you. He's always
escaping from the home and telling people he's John D. Rockefeller."And she led the old man
away.
The astonished executive just stood there, stunned. All year long he'd been wheeling and
dealing, buying and selling, convinced he had half a million dollars behind him.
Suddenly, he realized that it wasn't the money that had turned his life around. It was his
newfound self-confidence that gave him the power to achieve anything he went after.
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122.
SMILE MORE
A research done in England found that a baby smiles 400 times a day, an adolescent 17
times and an adult doesn't smile at all! The more successful one keeps a very stiff face. Is
roughness a sign of success? Is being stressed a sign of prosperity, growth or dignity?
You should smile more. Every day, every morning, look at the mirror and give a good
smile to yourself. You know what happens when you smile? All the muscles in your face get
relaxed. The nerves in your brain get relaxation, and you get the confidence, courage and
energy to move on in life.
You know, your smile is so fragile! Just one telephone call is enough to take it
away! Just see why your smiles go away? It may be because somebody said something stupid
to you. And why did they say a stupid thing? Because they had some garbage they needed to
throw out and you were there, ready to catch it! And once you have caught it, you hold on to it
so passionately!
Wake up! Don't let your smile be snatched away by anybody!
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123.
SOMETHING OF THE PAST
Anytime you are fixated, immobilized, absorbed in, or even overly concerned with
something that is over whether it happened this morning or ten years ago constitutes
reverse gear.
The reason people find it so difficult to get out of reverse gear is that they can so easily
justify being there. In other words, they argue for their right to be in reverse by saying things
like, But he did sabotage the deal, or She did criticize me in public. People will use the fact
that events actually took place as evidence to support their anger and frustration. What they
usually fail to see, however, is that right now, in this moment, the event they are frustrated about
is over. The only factor keeping it alive is their memory, their own thinking.
Obviously, its important to learn from our past, from our mistakes. I can assure you;
however, that being in reverse gear will not help you do so. To learn from our past experiences,
its helpful to gently reflect on the way we have done things. Reverse gear isnt gentle. In fact,
its harsh.
The way out of reverse is to notice how it feels to be in reverse. If you can observe
yourself your mind, your thoughts, your attention focused on past events, or past
frustrations, you can gently bring your attention back to the present. Training your mind to stay
out of reverse can be a little like training a puppy to stay at your side. The puppy will stay for a
minute, and then dart away. Your mind is like that, too. It can stay focused for a minute or two,
then dart backward to an annoyance from this morning or a frustration from yesterday. The most
effective way to train your puppy is to gently lead him back to your side. The same approach
works with your mind as well. As you notice your thoughts drifting backward, remind yourself
that the past is over and done with. Then, gently and easily, guide yourself back to the here and
now. All it takes is a little patience and some practice. Pretty soon, your tendency to be in
reverse gear will be a part of your past.
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124.
SPILLING OIL SPILLING LIFE
An oil spill is a bulk release of petroleum products into the environment. Marine oil spills
have been in the limelight recently owing to the accidental Oil spill from a British Petroleum
refinery into the Gulfof Mexico.
This spill has caused deleterious effects on the Biodiversity of that region. Many aquatics
have been killed till now due to the intake of contaminated waters. Trade of the region has been
severely affected, especially the population that is dependent on the fishery industry. Tourist
travel to beaches that were affected has nearly stalled.
A famous personality once said that nature has enough to supply to a mans need but not
to his greed. The creation with all its flora and fauna was so designed that everyone could live in
harmony with one another. For e.g. trees are very valuable to the human existence. They give
food, oxygen, shelter, raw material and many things more. They also act like carbon sinks for
capturing green house gases like Co2 and thus reducing pollution. In the same way various
other species of life also has its influence on the environment. This variety in life forms is called
biodiversity. We can therefore deduce that any harm to the Biodiversity leads to negative
impacts on the environment. Oil is extracted to be used as a fuel. It is the prime necessity of the
human population. There are projections that the earths oil reserves can supply oil till the next
50 years only. Thus its necessary that we check the way we use oil.
This world is a creation of God or Krishna. He is the energetic source and everything we
see is his energy. We fall into the classification of superior energy as we are living, while the
dead matter is his inferior energy. The superior energy thus holds the power to manipulate
inferior energy therefore we should be more responsible in our activities. Someone who uses
others belonging is called a thief, in the same way we commit theft by injudicious use of
Krishnas energy without acknowledging his proprietorship over everything. Krishna made the
world for us to purify ourselves from the material attachments we have. This implies that we are
spirit soul, part and parcels of Lord Krishna and when we misidentify ourselves with the material
non-living body we develop material contaminations. We lead our entire life misidentifying our
real selves and are therefore subjected to miseries. Just as fish doesnt live outside water in the
same way we cant live happily in the material world for long. What is required is a spiritual
program that reinstates us in our real position of a servant of Krishna. On the contrary we are
making it difficult for ourselves as well as other species to live in harmony with each other.
SrilaPrabhupada once said The floating of the planets in the weightless air is due to the inner
constitution of the globes, and the modernized drilling of the earth to exploit oil from within is a
sort of disturbance by the modern demons and can result in a greatly harmful reaction to the
floating condition of the earth. What he said years back is clearly visible now. We are having
tectonic disturbances as well as problems in the environment. The world wildlife federations,
Marine Living Planet Index track populations of 274 marine species. The comparison was done
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with the 1970 data for the number of species. The results show a greater than 27 % plunge in
the biodiversity index.
As referred above that the world is Krishnas energy it can only be controlled by him. We
may have created problems by our wanton living, but this doesnt mean that we dont have a
solution to address these problems. Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita: This divine energy of
Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who
have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.
The process of surrendering culminates in developing love for Krishna. Sri
ChaitanyaMahaprabhu appeared in this age to teach us this program of surrender. He is an
incarnation of Krishna. He urged everyone to chant: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna
Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
By chanting these names the heart is cleansed of baser qualities such a lust, anger and
greed. In the proportion one is purified in that very same proportion one realises his real spiritual
identity and starts developing surrender. Eventually one reaches the stage where he feels
spontaneous love for Krishna and his creation. In love he doesnt exploit the energy of Krishna
but uses the same for his service. In this relationship of loving service he feels blissful and
happy. Oil spills would keep occurring but lets not spill this valuable life. Lets love Krishna and
feel the Bliss that we all are hankering for. Many have tried and were benefitted by chanting
Krishnas name. Dont be left behind!
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125.
STAY AWAY FROM THE BLAME GAME
One of the most insidious tempting habits is the habit of blaming others or external
conditions for our failures, mistakes, problems, and lack of success. You might call it the blame
game.
Blaming others is a very easy thing to do. It creeps into our lives in subtle, as well as not
so subtle ways. It shows up in our thoughts and in our conversations. We might, for example,
think to ourselves, Id be more successful if the products I were selling were of better quality,
or Id make more money if I had taken a different career direction. We might attribute our lack
of fulfillment to changing times, recession, a missed opportunity, or too little education. Or, we
might complain I cant help it, no one ever taught me how to close a deal. The habit of blaming
can and does happen in almost any situation we blame our competitors, employer, the
government, our personal history, our age, even our parents or current family responsibilities.
Its not that our tendency to blame is without any merit. There usually is a grain or truth in
our complaints. But thats part of the problem. We can almost always justify to ourselves why
our version of the blame game is valid. But all that does is keep the game going. And in doing
so, we move away from the solution. Its really easy to blame our lack of exercise on our
schedule
its
little
tougher
to
admit
that
we
are
not
prioritizing.
Most of the time blaming isnt blatant. Its far more subtle. And thats precisely why its
hard to identify and put an end to. Yet, if you can have the humility to admit that you, too, fall
into this habit from time to time and you can identify those instances you will have opened
the door to success in life.
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126.
STAY FOCUSED IN THE PRESENT!
So often, our attention wanders off into the future. We think (and worry) about many
things all at once deadlines and potential problems. We anticipate objections and hassles and
things that are likely to go wrong. We often convince ourselves how difficult something is going
to be, well in advance of the actual event.
Or our attention is drawn to the past we regret a mistake we made last week, or an
argument we had this morning. We sometimes fret about last quarters poor ratings, or relive a
painful or embarrassing event. And whether its in the future or the past, we usually find a way to
imagine the worst.
A great deal of this mental activity is about things in the future that may or may not ever
happen. And even if they do, the anticipation of it is usually worse that the actual event, and is
rarely helpful. Or its about past activities that are over and done with; things that may have
actually happened, that we no longer have any control over.
Get completely absorbed in what you are doing. Be in the present!
Practice those qualities which you believe in
If kindness, patience, honesty, and generosity are qualities that you believe in, you make
every effort to practice those qualities at work.
Treat people with kindness and respect. If someone is late or makes a mistake, you try to
be patient. Even if its your job or appropriate to reprimand someone, you do so from a
foundation of love and respect.
In a given day, you have so many opportunities to practice patience, acts of kindness,
and forgiveness. You have time to think loving thoughts, smile, embrace others, and practice
gratitude. You can practice being non-defensive and a better listener.
You can try to be compassionate, particularly with difficult or abrasive people. Practice
the way you greet people and deal with conflict. You can practice in virtually everything that you
do.
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127.
STAY OUT OF REVERSE
Reverse, in a psychological sense, works the same as the reverse gear in your car it
takes you backward. And, like your car, if you want to change direction and begin moving
forward, you must shift gears completely. Its impossible to move forward in reverse gear.
The way reverse sounds in day-to-day living is this: "Can you believe what happened
yesterday? Those guys were jerks. Every time I work on something, it gets messed up. Thats
the sixth time this week our deliveries were delayed. Im still mad at what she said to me." There
are an unlimited number of possible examples. Anytime you are fixated, immobilized, absorbed
in, or even overly concerned with something that is over whether it happened this morning or
ten years ago constitutes reverse gear. I challenge you to take an honest look at how often
you (and probably most people you know) are focused in reverse. You may be shocked.
The way you can tell if you are in reverse gear is simple. It will feel heavy and serious.
You wont be moving forward; you might even be moving backward. Youll be complaining about
things, people, circumstances, events, rules, problems, and concerns that are, for the most part,
over and done with. Being in reverse saps the joy out of whatever you are doing. Its boring,
unforgiving and counterproductive.
As you notice your thoughts drifting backward, remind yourself that the past is over and
done with. Then, gently and easily, guide yourself back to the here and now. All it takes is a little
patience and some practice. Pretty soon, your tendency to be in reverse gear will be a part of
your past.
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128.
STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO EASE THE STING OF CRITICISM
To become a top performer, youll need to open yourself up to feedback from those
around you. Here are some steps you can take to ease the sting of criticism and begin to make
it work for you, instead of against you.
1. Hit the Pause Button - Its important to maintain your composure and not lash back or
respond defensively to criticism. Take a breath. Dont do or say anything. This brief pause not
only helps you compose yourself and prepare to listen to what the other person has to say, it
demonstrates your poise and self-confidence. Maintaining your composure when criticized
shows that youre in control.
2. Turn On Your Brain and Turn Off Your Emotions - Its important to disconnect your
automatic emotional response to criticism. Otherwise you wont be able to objectively consider
the value of the information. Focus on the words and facts, not on the feelings they generate
within you. Regardless of how undiplomatic the other person is in delivering the feedback, tell
yourself that it is designed to help you improve, not to tear you down.
3. Listen Carefully - Listen intently to what the other person is saying. If youre busy
formulating your rebuttal, you may miss some valuable information that can help you avoid
errors in the future or improve your overall performance.
While any criticism can be discouraging, its important to keep in mind that negative feedback
can contribute significantly to faster growth and higher performance.
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129.
STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES
Its extremely rare to find a successful person who whines, complains, and frets about his
circumstances. This is despite the fact that he may have overcome great obstacles to achieve
his level of success. On the other hand, its extremely common for struggling individuals to
continually blame their circumstances for their lack of joy and happiness.
The real question is: what came first the attitude or the success? The answer, in
virtually all cases, is that the winning, positive attitude came first, followed by a lifetime of
success.
All it takes is a simple decision; the decision to stop yourself from falling into the habit of
complaining about your circumstances. At first it may be difficult even funny to observe how
often you complain.
Habits can be hard to break. But in this case, its well worth the effort. As an excuse of
complaint comes to mind, gently shoo it away. Dont worry about it too much. Youll quickly get
used to the nicer feelings that come from a life without complaints.
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130.
STOP WORRYING TOO MUCH
Recently I saw a survey that says:

40 percent of the things we worry about never happen,
30 percent are in the past and can't be helped,
12 percent concern the affairs of others
10 percent are about sickness--either real or imagined
8 percent are worth worrying about.
I would submit that even the 8 percent aren't really worth the energy of worry.
Did you know that the English word worry is derived from an Anglo-Saxon word that
means to strangle or to choke? That's easy to believe. People do literally worry themselves to
death leading to heart disease, high blood pressure, ulcers, nervous disorders and all sorts of
other diseases. Is it worth it?
We just need to find a way to keep it from ruling our lives.

Try this:
Analyze the situation honestly and figure out what is the worst possible thing that could happen.
Prepare yourself mentally to accept the worst, if necessary.
Then calmly try to improve upon the worst, which you have already agreed mentally to accept.
You know what you have to do; it's just a matter of doing it. Without worrying.
The point is, you can't saw sawdust. A day of worry is more exhausting than a day of work.
People get so busy worrying about yesterday or tomorrow, they forget about today. And today is
what you have to work with.
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131.
STOPPING TO BLAME SOMETHING OR SOMEONE
When someone is doing something or is about to do something, in a way we dont want it

to be done and when we are not able to accept it, we become angry.
However, When someone is doing something or is about to do something, in a way we
dont want it to be done - and we are able to accept it- we remain tolerant.
When someone has something which we dont have, or someone is able to produce the
results which we are not able to produce- and we are not able to accept it we become jealous.
When someone has something which we dont have, or someone is able to produce the
results which we are not able to produce and we are able to accept it we get inspired.
Then emotional equation is quite simple.
Something + Acceptance = Positive Emotion
Something + Non Acceptance = Negative Emotion
So, it is not something or someone who is making us feel positive or negative, but it is
our acceptance or non acceptance of something or someone, which is making us feel
positive or negative.
It isnt the world but the quality of our response to the world that determines the quality of
our emotions. Next time we feel disturbed with a negative emotion, instead of asking who or
what is disturbing us, we will examine who or what we are resisting (not accepting) that is
causing this disturbance in us. We will replace resistance (non acceptance) with acceptance,
and the negative emotion will turn into a positive one.
Emotional management begins by stopping to blame that something or someone and
starting to take the responsibility to respond life with acceptance.
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132.
SURROUND YOURSELF WITH EXPERTS
Many people surround themselves with successful people and experts. Many are
frightened that people who are more successful wont be willing to spend time or share their
ideas with us. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The reality is, accomplished people love it
when someone takes an interest in their success; they love to share their wisdom, good ideas,
or business secrets. It makes them feel wanted and needed.
Ive worked on projects with some very famous, successful people. When people ask me,
How in the world did you convince them to participate, they are often shocked at the simplicity
of my answer. I respond honestly by saying, I just asked them. Youll be amazed at the
number of people who are more than willing to help, whether its the owner of a successful
grocery store, a top-producing insurance salesperson, a well known author, a physician, a
lawyer, or an excellent teacher.
Most want and are willing to offer advice. In fact, asking someone you admire and
respect for their feedback and ideas is the greatest compliment you can offer them. Not all, but
most highly successful people (in any field) are available to help others. Usually, its the people
fighting to climb to the top who are the most frightened, insecure, or unwilling to offer guidance.
If you do ask for help or advice and are turned down, you can bet that the next person
you ask will be more than willing. If you want great advice and you want to avoid big mistakes,
seek help. Surround yourself with winners.
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133.
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY BY CREATING AN IDEAL WORKING

ENVIRONMENT
Youd be amazed at what people can (and will) do if you not only give them a chance but
also believe in their potential. Its important to know that everyone has unique gifts and talents.
Its your job to assist in bringing those gifts and talents out into the world.
What happens to someone when she is insecure, resentful, or frightened? Very simply,
she loses most of her motivation and other positive work-related qualities.
Consider the following example: You have an assistant. Every day when we walk in the
door, you remind him how incompetent he is. You point out his weaknesses and flaws. You
belittle him in front of other people. The question is how does your assistant feel? Its hard to
know for sure, because people react differently to the same set of facts. But its a good bet that
hes frightened, insecure, resentful of you, or, most likely, all of the above.
Most people, given the right environment, are hard-working, talented, creative, and
productive. They want to please others just as you and I want to. Unfortunately, however, most
people are hardly ever exposed to an ideal working environment.
Rather than sitting back and waiting for people to be perfect and being frustrated when
they are not take some responsibility in the process by creating an ideal psychological working
environment.
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134.
TAKE THAT FIRST STEP
Every journey, however long it may be, begins with a single step. But you must take that
first step. Once you do, each step takes you closer and closer to your goal.
Sometimes, when you consider taking on a new venture whether its writing a book,
beginning a new project, or anything else the task can seem overwhelming. Its as though
youll never be able to arrive at your final destination, as if the first step isnt going to help. When
you look too far out toward the horizon, it can seem too difficult. You might even wonder where
to
begin.
The trick to success sounds very simplistic, because it is very simple: Just begin. Take a
single step, followed by another, and then another. Dont look too far out into the future, and
dont look too far back either. Stay centered in the present moment as best you can. If you
follow this simple plan, youll be amazed at what you can accomplish over time.
Over and over again people plan about the book they are going to write, the project they
are going to start, or the charity they are planning to help. But, in many instances, these plans
and dreams keep getting put off until the conditions are right.
You will agree, in almost all cases, the conditions you are waiting for will not be
significantly different next week or next year. Dont worry that the conditions have to be perfect.
The truth is, you are still going to have to take that first step!
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135.
TAKE YOUR BREAKS REGULARLY
There was a time when I felt that breaks were a waste of time. I assumed that by
skipping my breaks unless it was absolutely necessary, I would be able to save a great deal of
time and get more done I would have an edge. I would work through lunch and rarely take
breaks throughout the day.
In recent years, Ive learned that a failure to take regular breaks is an enormous mistake
that not only wears you down over time, but actually makes you less productive. While you may
not even feel it at the time, slowly but surely your frustrations will sneak up on you. Youll
become less patient and attentive, and your concentration and listening skills will suffer.
I believe that the cumulative effects, over time, are also significant. Youll burn out much
more
quickly,
and
your
creativity
and
insights
will
slowly
fade
away.
Your breaks dont have to be disruptive or last very long. Usually, all you need is a few
minutes to clear your head, take some deep breaths, stretch your arms, or get some air. When
you take this time every couple of hours, or so youll return to your work more enthusiastic,
focused, and ready to go. Its almost as though you push a reset button and you provide
yourself with a fresh start.
I feel that by working a few less minutes each couple of hour and by taking regular mini
breaks, I will work smarter, more efficiently and actually get more work accomplished.
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136.
THE ANT PHILOSOPHY
Over the years, Ive been teaching kids about a simple but powerful concept: the Ant
Philosophy. I think everybody should study ants. They have an amazing four-part philosophy.
Here is the first part: Ants never quit. Thats a good philosophy. If theyre headed
somewhere and you try to stop them, theyll look for another way. Theyll climb over. Theyll
climb under. Theyll climb around. They keep looking for another way. What a neat philosophy
to never quit looking for a way to get where youre supposed to go.
Second, ants think winter all summer. Thats an important perspective. You cant be so naive as
to think summer will last forever. So ants gather their winter food in the middle of summer.
An ancient story says, Dont build your house on the sand in the summer. Why do we
need that advice? Because it is important to think ahead. In the summer, youve got to think
storm. Youve got to think rocks as you enjoy the sand and sun.
The third part of the Ant Philosophy is that ants think summer all winter. That is so
important. During the winter, ants remind themselves, This wont last long; well soon be out of
here. And the first warm day, the ants are out. If it turns cold again, theyll dive back down, but
then they come out the first warm day. They cant wait to get out.
And heres the last part of the ant philosophy. How much will an ant gather during the
summer to prepare for the winter? All he possibly can. What an incredible philosophy, the allyou-possibly-can philosophy.
Moral: Never give up, look ahead, stay positive and do all you can.
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137.
THE KEY TO EFFECTIVE CONFRONTATION!
The key to effective confrontation is to be firm yet gentle and respectful. Approach the
confrontation with the assumption that there is a solution and that you will be able to work things
out. Rather than assessing blame and assuming fault, try to see the innocence in yourself as
well as in the other person. Rather than using phrases that are almost guaranteed to elicit a
defensive response such as: Youve made a big mistake and we need to talk, try instead to
say things with a little more humility, something like, Im a little confused about something. Can
you help me out?
More important than the words you use, however, are your feelings. Try to avoid
confrontation when youre angry or stressed out. Its always best to wait a little while until you
get your perspective, or until your mood rises. Keep in mind that most people are reasonable,
respectful, and willing to listen when dealing with a calm, collected person who is speaking
honestly from his heart.
When you approach your confrontations in a gentle manner, it not only produces more
effective results, but it keeps your own stress level down as well. There is something very
comforting about knowing that youre going to keep yourself cool regardless of what you must
do. In addition, youll have fewer battles to fight, and those that you do have will be shorter and
less severe. Youll receive more cooperation and respect from others and, perhaps most
importantly, your own thoughts and feelings will be much nicer.
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138.
THE LAW OF THE SEED
Take a look at an apple tree. There might be five hundred apples on the tree, each with
ten seeds. That's a lot of seeds!
We might ask, "Why would you need so many seeds to grow just a few more trees?"
Nature has something to teach us here. It's telling us: "Most seeds never grow. So if you
really want to make something happen, you better try more than once."
This might mean:
You'll attend twenty interviews to get one job.
You'll interview forty people to find one good employee.
You'll talk to fifty people to sell one house, car, vacuum cleaner, insurance policy, idea...
And you might meet a hundred acquaintances to find one special friend.
When we understand the "Law of the Seed", we don't get so disappointed.
We stop feeling like victims. Laws of nature are not things to take personally.
We just need to understand them - and work with them.
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139.
THE MANUAL OF LIFE
Vedas means, just like this dictaphone machine is manufactured along with one literature
is also compiled. So customers, they are given the delivery of the machine as well as the
literature how to use it. That is the Vedas. Therefore Krishna says that vedanta-krit, "I am the
compiler of the Vedas." Because if He does not give the literature, then how he will use the
machine. The manufacturer of the machine, he knows how to use it, what for it is, how to
manipulate it. Everything is there. The Vedic knowledge means that. We have come to this
material world. So just like we have purchased this machine for some enjoyment, similarly, we
are fallen down to this material world for some material pleasure. So Krishna has given, God
has given a literature. If you'll be guided by the literature, that, your propensity to enjoy this
material world, will be fulfilled, at the same time you'll again be able to go back home, back to
Godhead. So now you discuss this point that why we have come to this material world, what is
the purpose. These things are mentioned in the Vedas. Vedas gives you knowledge about your
relationship with God. That is the first knowledge. And then, according to that relationship, if you
act, then you are rightly directed, and ultimately the goal is to go back home, back to Godhead.
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140.
THE PAINTING ON THE WALL
There was a king who was a great admirer of art. One day an artist came and said to the
king, Oh King! Give me a blank wall in your palace and let me paint a picture on it.
The artist was given the job. Just then, another young man said, Oh King! Please allow
me to work on the opposite wall. I too am an artist. The king said, What would you like to
make? The man said, My Lord, I shall make exactly what that man will make on the opposite
wall. Moreover, I shall do so, without looking at his work. I would even request you to have a
thick curtain put up between the two walls so that either of us cannot see the other.
Everyone in the kings court, including the king was intrigued. He decided to give the
young fellow a chance. The following day a thick curtain was put into place and both the artists
got to work. The first artist brought in a regular supply of paint, oil, water etc. The second one
worked with some cloth and a bucket of water. After a month the first artist told the king that his
work was complete. The king sent for the second artist and asked him, Young man, when
would your work be ready? I am coming to see the first wall this evening. The man said, My
Lord, my wall is ready too!
The king went to see the first artists wall. He was very, very impressed with the painting
and gave a hefty sum as a reward to the artist. He then asked for the curtain to be opened up.
Lo and behold! The same painting was to be seen on the opposite wall too! Amazing! But true!
Each line, each minor detail was exactly as it was on the first wall. But this man had not been
seeing what was going on, on the other side of the curtain. So how had he done it?
The king wanted to know the secret. He gave a double reward to the fellow. Then he
said, Young man, I am indeed very happy with your work. But you must tell me; how did you do
it?
The lad said simply, Its very easy! I just polished the wall every day till it shone like a
mirror! It was a wall made of white marble! The reflection of the painting across the room,
showed up in it!
That is what it means to polish yourself. World is a reflection of you. Whatever you are,
the world will seem to be that too. If you are happy, the world will look to be happy. If you are
sad; jealous; angry; restless... that is what the world will seem to be to you!
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141.
THE STORY OF THE EAGLE
The eagle has the longest life-span among birds.

In its 40s..Its long and flexible talons can no longer grab prey which serves as food.
Its long and sharp beak becomes bent.
Then, the eagle is left with only two options: die or go through a painful process of
change which lasts 150 days.
The process requires that the eagle fly to a mountain top and sit on its nest.
There the eagle knocks its beak against a rock until it plucks it out.
After plucking it out, the eagle will wait for a new beak to grow back and then it will pluck
out its talons.
When its new talons grow back, the eagle starts plucking its old-aged feathers.
And after five months, the eagle takes its famous flight of rebirth and lives for 30 more
years.
Why is change needed? Many times, in order to survive we have to start a change
process. We sometimes need to get rid of old memories habits and other past limiting beliefs.
Only freed from past burdens, can we take advantage of the present. Our lives are not
determined by what happens to us but by how we react to what happens, not by what life brings
to us, but by the attitude we bring to life.
A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events, and outcomes. It
is a catalyst, a spark that creates extraordinary results. Lets change to make a change!!!
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142.
THINKING "OUT OF THE BOX"
Many hundreds of years ago in a small Italian town, a merchant had the misfortune of
owing a large sum of money to the moneylender. The moneylender, who was old and ugly,
fancied the merchant's beautiful daughter so he proposed a bargain. He said he would forgo the
merchant's debt if he could marry the daughter. Both the merchant and his daughter were
horrified by the proposal.
The moneylender told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an
empty bag. The girl would then have to pick one pebble from the bag. If she picked the black
pebble, she would become the moneylender's wife and her father's debt would be forgiven. If
she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her father's debt would still be
forgiven. But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail.
They were standing on a pebble strewn path in the merchant's garden. As they talked,
the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl
noticed that he had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag. He then asked the
girl to pick her pebble from the bag.
What would you have done if you were the girl? If you had to advise her, what would you
have told her? Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:
1. The girl should refuse to take a pebble.
2. The girl should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag and expose the
moneylender as a cheat.
3. The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order to save her father from his
debt and imprisonment.
The above story is used with the hope that it will make us appreciate the difference
between lateral and logical thinking. The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a
pebble. Without looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path where it
immediately became lost among all the other pebbles.
"Oh, how clumsy of me," she said. "But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one
that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked." Since the remaining pebble is black, it
must be assumed that she had picked the white one. And since the moneylender dared not
admit his dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an
advantageous one.
MORAL OF THE STORY: Most complex problems do have a solution, sometimes we have to
think about them in a different way.
GEMS FROM FOLK
179
143.
THIS TOO SHALL PASS
Once a king called upon all of his wise men and asked them, "Is there a suggestion
which works in every situation, in every circumstance, in every place and in every time. All wise
men got puzzled by the kings question.
After a lengthy discussion, an old man suggested something which appealed to all of
them. They went to the king and gave him something written on paper. But the condition was
that king was not to see it out of curiosity. Only in extreme danger, when the king finds himself
alone and there seems to be no way, only then hell have to see it. The king put the paper under
his diamond ring.
After a few days, the neighbors attacked the kingdom. It was a surprise attack by the
kings enemies. The king and his army fought bravely but lost the battle. The king fled on his
horse with the enemies following him. His horse took him far away in the jungle.
He could hear many troops of horses following him and the sound was coming closer and
closer. Suddenly the king found himself standing at the end of the road. Underneath there was a
rocky valley thousand feet deep. The sound of the enemys horses was approaching fast. The
king became restless. There seemed to be no way.
Then suddenly he saw the diamond in his ring shining in the sun, and he remembered
the message hidden in the ring. He opened the diamond and read the message. The message
was very small but very great. The message was "This too will pass."
The king read it. Again read it. Suddenly something struck him- Yes! It too will pass.
Only a few days ago, I was enjoying my kingdom. I was the mightiest of all the kings. Yet
today, the kingdom and all my pleasures have gone. I am here trying to escape from enemies.
However when those days of luxuries have gone, this day of danger too will pass. He became
calm.
After a few minutes king realized that the noise of the horses and the enemy coming was
receding. They moved into some other part of the mountains.
The king was very brave. He reorganized his army and fought again. He defeated the
enemy and regained his lost empire. When he returned to his empire after victory, he was
received with much fan fare. The whole capital was rejoicing in the victory. Everyone was in a
festive mood. Flowers were being thrown on the king from every house, from every
corner. People were dancing and singing. For a moment king said to himself, "I am one of the
bravest and greatest king. It is not easy to defeat me."
GEMS FROM FOLK
180
With all the reception and celebration he saw an ego emerging in him. Suddenly the
diamond of his ring flashed in the sunlight and reminded him of the message. He opened it and
read it again: "This too will pass" He became silent. His face went through a total change -from
the egoist he moved to a state of utter humbleness.
If this too is going to pass, it is not yours. The defeat was not yours, the victory is not
yours. You are just a watcher. Everything passes by. We are witness of all this. Life comes and
goes. Happiness comes and goes. Sorrow comes and goes.
Sit silently and evaluate your own life. Think of the moments of joy and victory in your life.
Think of the moment of sorrow and defeat. Are they permanent? They all come and pass away.
Life just passes away. There were friends in the past. They have gone. There are friends today.
They too will go. There will be new friends tomorrow. They too will go. There were enemies in
the past. They have gone. There may be enemies in the present. They too will go. There will be
new enemies tomorrow and they too will go.
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144.
THREE LAST WISHES!
Alexander, the great Greek king, after conquering many kingdoms, was returning
home. On the way, he fell ill and it took him to his death bed. So, the mighty conqueror lay
prostrate and pale, helplessly waiting to breathe his last.
He called his generals and said, "I will depart from this world soon, I have three wishes,
please carry them out without fail." With tears flowing down their cheeks, the generals agreed
to abide by their king's last wishes. "My first desire is that," said Alexander, "My physicians
alone must carry my coffin." After a pause, he continued, "Secondly, I desire that when my
coffin is being carried to the grave, the path leading to the graveyard be strewn with gold, silver
and precious stones which I have collected in my treasury." The king felt exhausted after
saying this. He took a minute's rest and continued. "My third and last wish is that both my
hands
be
kept
dangling
out
of
my
coffin."
Alexander's favorite general kissed his hand and pressed them to his heart. "O king, we
assure you that your wishes will all be fulfilled. But tell us why do you make such strange
wishes." At this Alexander took a deep breath and said: "I would like the world to know of the
three lessons I have just learnt. I want my physicians to carry my coffin because people should
realize that no doctor can really cure any body. They are powerless and cannot save a person
from the clutches of death. So let not people take life for granted.
The second wish of strewing gold, silver and other riches on the way to the graveyard is
to tell people that not even a fraction of gold will come with me. I spent all my life earning riches
but cannot take anything with me. Let people realize that it is a sheer waste of time to chase
wealth. And about my third wish of having my hands dangling out of the coffin, I wish people to
know that I came empty handed into this world and empty handed I go out of this world." With
these words, the king closed his eyes. Soon he let death conquer him and breathed his last.
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145.
TRUE RELIGION
At the present moment, no one actually knows the meaning of religion. Religion means to
abide by the laws of God, just as good citizenship means to abide by the laws of the
government. Because no one has any understanding of God, no one knows the laws of God or
the meaning of religion. This is the present status of people in today's society. They are
forgetting religion, taking it to be a kind of faith. Faith may be blind faith. Faith is not the real
description of religion. Religion means the laws given by God, and anyone who follows those
laws is religious, whether a Christian, a Hindu, or a Muslim.
The religious system might have been misused, but that does not mean that religion
should be avoided. Real religion should be taken. It does not mean that because religion has
not been properly executed by the so-called priests, religion should be rejected. If my eye is
giving me some trouble on account of a cataract, it does not mean that the eye should be
plucked out. The cataract should be removed. That is Krishna consciousness.
GEMS FROM FOLK
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GEMS FROM FOLK
184
146.
TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT
Most people are stuck right where they are. The reason theyre stuck, however, isnt
usually due to circumstances, incompetence, or lack of opportunity, but a simple unwillingness
to change, to try new things.
We can make smaller, inner changes on a day-to-day, moment to moment basis
changes in our attitude, reactions, and expectations. Im talking about being willing to take new
risks, and face old fears.
Over and over again I hear people saying things like Ive always done things that way or
Thats just the type of person I am. These things are said as if they are carved in stone. It is
amazing what you can learn by simply opening your mind and trying new things.
Starting today, tell yourself that you are going to do something, however small, a little
differently. Perhaps you can be more friendly to the people you work with. Maybe its not too late
to overcome your fear of asking others to help you, or for their advice whoever you are,
whatever you do, there is always something you can do a little differently.
You may find that you love the tiny changes you make and that you can open exciting
new doors by making relatively small adjustments. If youre okay with the changes, you might
want to try some other changes as well.
GEMS FROM FOLK
185
147.
UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD REDEFINED
Universal brotherhood is possible when one is a pure devotee. A pure devotee doesn't
see the outward dress of the body but sees the spirit soul. "Here is a spirit soul," he thinks "part
and parcel of Krishna." He does not think, "Here is a man, here is an animal, here is a cat, here
is a dog, here is a worm." He sees everyone as part and parcel of Krishna. He becomes a lover
of everyone in the universe." That kind of vision is the basis of universal brotherhood.
Brotherhood will not come by passing resolutions in the United Nations. That is not possible. It
is possible when one knows that Krishna is the common father of everyone. Suppose father has
got ten sons. Out of them one or two sons are useless. So those who are very capable sons, if
they say to the father, "My dear father, these two sons of yours, they are useless. So let us cut
their throat and eat." So father will say, "Yes, you do that"? No. The father will not tolerate. The
father will say, "Let them be useless, but let them live at my cost. You have no right to infringe
on their rights." This is common sense. But they think that animals are to be killed for the
satisfaction of the tongue of the human being. Just like if you are affectionate to your father,
then you naturally become affectionate to your brother. We should take into consideration that
even the worms are our brothers, what to speak of other living entities. Therefore, we should be
concerned about all living entities. They are preaching universal brotherhood, but "Where is the
father, sir?" "Oh, Father is missing." "Then where is the question of brotherhood?" If you don't
find your father, then how do you select your brother? These are the imperfectness.
GEMS FROM FOLK
186
148.
USE THE POWER OF REFLECTION
Often, when were looking for an answer, we turn up the volume of our thinking. This
might be called active problem solving. We think, think, thinkand then we think some more.
We get personally involved in the process.
For the most part, when we are actively thinking, were thinking about that which we
already know, that with which we are familiar. We try to solve a problem at the same level of
understanding that initially created it. And often we go around in circles.
Recently I was engaged in an interpersonal conflict with someone I was working with. In
my mind, I was blaming him for virtually all of our problems. The more I thought about it, the
more convinced I was that the problem was with him. It got so bad that I considered breaking up
the friendship, which, to that point, had been very pleasing.
Then another friend of mine suggested I stop thinking about it entirely and postpone
making any decisions. He suggested instead that I take it easy and spend some time in quiet
reflection. I took his advice.
As I quieted down, it became clear to me that a great deal of our problems were actually
coming from me. I could see how I was contributing to our poor communication and had many
unrealistic expectations.
GEMS FROM FOLK
187
149.
VALUE OF FINGER
A screw that is connected with a machine is valuable because it is working with the whole
machine. And if the screw is taken away from the machine, or if it is faulty, it is worthless. My
finger is worth millions of dollars as long as it is attached to this body and is serving the body.
And if it is cut off from this body, then what is its worth? Nothing. Similarly, our relationship is
that we are very small particles of God; therefore our duty is to dovetail our energies with Him
and cooperate with Him. That is our relationship. Otherwise we are worthless. We are cut off.
When the finger becomes useless the doctor says, "Oh, amputate this finger. Otherwise the
body will be poisoned." Similarly, when we become godless we are cut off from our relationship
with God and suffer in this material world. If we try to join again with the Supreme Lord, then our
relationship is revived.
We cannot have anything that is not in God. That is not possible. Therefore in the
Vedanta-sutra it is said that everything that we have is also found in God. It is emanating from
God. So our relationship is that because we are small, because we are minute, we are the
eternal servitors of God. In this material world also, in ordinary behavior, we see that a man
goes to serve another man because the other man is greater than he and can pay him a nice
salary. So naturally the conclusion is that if we are small, our duty is to serve God. We have no
other business. We are all different parts and parcels of the original entity.
GEMS FROM FOLK
188
150.
VITAMINS COME BY GODS DESIRE
There are so many scientists. They are discovering vitamin value from foodstuff. Now,
what is the vitamin value in the dry grass? If there is no vitamin value in dry grass, how the cow
is producing so much milk that is full of vitamins A and D? Nowadays the physician prescribes
some artificial vitamins for maintaining your body. It is God's wish. Is there any brain of the
human being who can produce fruits, grains, milk? They're very great scientist. Now let them
produce. By scientific process, why don't you transform grass into milk? Can any machine
produce milk from a little grass? The cow is eating grass and delivering the milk. So for
everything, the law of Krishna, or law of God, is working. If you think, "Oh, then a dry grass and
straw contain all vitamins. Let me eat," you will die. It is God's desire that the cow eats the dry
grass and it gives so nutritious, full of vitamins milk. But the same dry grass, if a woman eats,
she will die. Therefore it is the plan of the Supreme that the cow, by eating dry grass, she can
deliver nicely. It is not on the dry grass she is producing milk; it is the will of God that is
producing it. Dry grass is not the cause of vitamins; otherwise you could eat also the dry grass
instead of purchasing vitamin pills.
GEMS FROM FOLK
189

GEMS FROM FOLK
190
151.
WARMTH IN HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS
A boy was born to a couple after eleven years of marriage. They were a loving couple
and the boy was the gem of their eyes. When the boy was around two years old, one morning
the husband saw a medicine bottle open.
He was late for office so he asked his wife to cap the bottle and keep it in the cupboard.
His wife, preoccupied in the kitchen totally forgot the matter. The boy saw the bottle and
playfully went to the bottle fascinated by its color and drank it all. It happened to be a poisonous
medicine meant for adults in small dosages. When the child collapsed the mother hurried him to
the hospital, where he died. The mother was stunned. She was terrified how to face her
husband.
When the distraught father came to the hospital and saw the dead child he looked at his
wife and uttered just four words.
The husband just said, "I am with you."
The husband's totally unexpected reaction is a proactive behavior. The child is dead. He
can never be brought back to life. There is no point in finding fault with the mother. Besides, if
only he had taken time to keep the bottle away, this would not have happened.
No one is to be blamed. She had also lost her only child. What she needed at that
moment was consolation and sympathy from the husband. That is what he gave her.
If everyone can look at life with this kind of perspective, there would be much fewer
problems in the world. Take off all your jealousies, un-forgiveness, selfishness, and fears. And
you will find things are actually not as difficult as you think. Sometimes we spend time in asking
who is responsible or whom to blame, whether in a relationship, in a job or with the people we
know. By this way we miss out some warmth in human relationship.
GEMS FROM FOLK
191
152.
WATERING THE ROOT
Actually our position is that we are always rendering service to someone, either to our
family, country, or society. If we have no one to serve, sometimes we keep a pet cat or dog and
render service to it. All these factors prove that we are constitutionally meant to render service,
yet in spite of serving to the best of our ability, we are not satisfied. Nor is the person to whom
we are rendering that service satisfied. On the material platform, everyone is frustrated.
The reason for this is that the service being rendered is not properly directed. For
example, if we want to render service to a tree, we must water the root. If we pour water on the
leaves, branches and twigs, there is little benefit. Similarly if the Supreme Personality of
Godhead is served, all other parts and parcels will be automatically satisfied. Consequently all
welfare activities as well as service to society, family, and nation are realized by serving the
Supreme
Personality
of
Godhead.
It is the duty of every human being to understand his constitutional position with God and
to act accordingly. If this is possible, then our lives become successful. Sometimes, however,
we feel challenging and say, "There is no God," or "I am God," or even, "I don't care for God."
But in actuality this challenging spirit will not save us. God is there, and we can see Him at
every moment. If we refuse to see God in our life, then He will be present before us as cruel
death. If we do not choose to see Him in one feature, we will see Him in another. There are
different features of the Supreme Personality of Godhead because He is the original root of the
entire cosmic manifestation. In one sense, it is not possible for us to escape Him.
GEMS FROM FOLK
192
153.
WE MUST BE THANKFUL FOR...
We must be thankful for the offer and willingness to help, not the outcome
We must be thankful for the challenges, not just the successes
We must be thankful for our trials and tribulations, not just our glorious victories
We must be thankful to God for the money we might have today that we didn't have yesterday,
and let go of the fact that we did not get the thousand we wanted
We must be thankful to God for the meal we had today, and not dwell on the one we might have
dreamed of
We must be thankful to God for the service we have now, and let go of the fact that we did not
get the service we wanted or wished we had
We must be thankful to God for that friends that are with us and support us
We must be thankful to God for everything!
GEMS FROM FOLK
193
154.
WHAT IS MATURITY?
Maturity is the ability to control anger and settle differences without violence or destruction.
Maturity is to have patience.
Maturity is the willingness to pass up immediate pleasure in favor of the long-term gain.
Maturity is perseverance, the ability to sweat out a project or a situation in spite of heavy
opposition and discouraging setbacks.
Maturity is the capacity to face unpleasantness and frustration, discomfort and defeat, without
complaint or collapse.
Maturity is humility. It is being big enough to say, "I was wrong." And, when right, the mature
person need not experience the satisfaction of saying, "I told you so."
Maturity is the ability to make a decision and stand by it. The immature spend their lives
exploring endless possibilities; then they do nothing.
Maturity is the art of living in peace with that which we cannot change, the courage to change
that which should be changed -- and the wisdom to know the difference.
GEMS FROM FOLK
194
155.
WHEN PEOPLE COME TO YOU TO PRESENT THEIR PROBLEMS
An executive at a large publishing company was sick and tired of boring and
unproductive meetings marked by excessive hand-wringing. He enforced a rule that everyone
who wished to present a problem to him first had to submit a memo answering these four
questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
What's the problem?

What's the cause of the problem?
What are all possible solutions to the problem?
Which solution do you suggest?
He now rarely has to deal with problems anymore and he doesn't worry about them. He's found
that his associates have used the system to find workable solutions without tying up hours in
useless meetings.
He estimates that he has eliminated three-fourths of his meeting time and has improved his
productivity, health and happiness.
Is he just passing the buck? Of course not! He's paying those folks to do their jobs, and he's
giving them great training at decision-making.
GEMS FROM FOLK
195

GEMS FROM FOLK
196
156.
WHEN SOMEONE GIVES YOU AN ANSWER THAT IS DIFFERENT

FROM WHAT YOU EXPECT
A teacher teaching Maths to seven-year-old Arnav asked him, "If I give you one apple
and one apple and one apple, how many apples will you have?" Within seconds Arnav replied
confidently, "Four!"
The dismayed teacher was expecting an effortless correct answer (three). She was
disappointed. "Maybe the child did not listen properly," she thought. She repeated, "Arnav,
listen carefully. If I give you one apple and one apple and one apple, how many apples will you
have?"
Arnav had seen the disappointment on his teacher's face. He calculated again on his
fingers. His search for the answer was not for the correct one, but the one that will make his
teacher happy. This time hesitatingly he replied, "Four"
The disappointment stayed on the teacher's face. She remembered that Arnav liked
strawberries. She thought maybe he doesn't like apples and that is making him lose
focus. This time with an exaggerated excitement and twinkling in her eyes she asked, "If I give
you one strawberry and one strawberry and one strawberry, then how many you will have?"
Seeing the teacher happy, young Arnav calculated on his fingers again. There was no
pressure on him, but a little on the teacher. She wanted her new approach to succeed. With a
hesitating smile young Arnav enquired, "Three?"
The teacher now had a victorious smile. Her approach had succeeded. Once again she
asked him, "Now if I give you one apple and one apple and one more apple how many will you
have?" Promptly Arnav answered, "Four!"
The teacher was aghast. "How Arnav, how?" she demanded in a little stern and irritated
voice.
In a voice that was low and hesitating, young Arnav replied, "Because I already have one
apple in my bag."
"When someone gives you an answer that is different from what you expect. Don't think
they are wrong. There maybe an angle that you have not understood at all. You will have to
listen and understand, but never listen with a predetermined notion."
GEMS FROM FOLK
197
157.
WITH COMPLAINING OUT OF THE WAY
If youre black or white; a woman or a man; or if you were abused, taken advantage of, or
bankrupt these facts cannot change. If your parents couldnt afford to send you to college or if
you had to work your way through school, or walk ten miles to school these are all things in
your past. Its time to get over them and move on.
Youll find that life will be a lot easier when you make the decision to drop your
complaining. All it does is make you feel sorry for yourself sad, angry and victimized. When
you argue for your limitations, your thoughts and words merely get in your way and greatly
interfere with your ability to create.
With complaining out of the way, youll create the space for an explosion of creativity and
brilliance. Instead of focusing on problems, youll begin to see solutions. Instead of maintaining
an I cant attitude, youll quickly develop a more positive vision for yourself.
Stop complaining!
GEMS FROM FOLK
198
158.
YOU CATCH MORE FLIES WITH HONEY
When I see someone acting aggressively or intimidating someone, pushing their weight
around, or being manipulative, I feel like reminding them that, in the long run, you really do
catch more flies with honey. Simply put, it pays to be nice! Sure, there are times when being
pushy or aggressive will assist you in getting your way you can scare away, intimidate certain
people some of the time. But I believe that this type of aggressive attitude and behavior almost
comes back to haunt you.
When you are kind, loving, and patient when you are fair, a good listener, and when
you genuinely care about others your attitude comes across in all you do. As a result, people
love to be around you and will be comfortable and trusting in your presence. They side with you,
share their secrets of success, and want to assist you in any way they can. Very simply, they
delight in your success.
When you are gentle, people are drawn to you like flies to honey. They forgive you
easily when you make a mistake and are willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. When they
talk about you behind your back, their comments will be positive and upbeat. You will have a
notable reputation.
Its unfortunate, but the opposite is also true. When youre difficult or demanding, your
positive qualities are often overlooked, disregarded, or forgotten. In addition, you create a great
deal of stress for yourself with an adversarial, aggressive attitude. Youll be looking over your
shoulder wondering who, if anyone is on your side. When youre pushy, you actually push
people away. But when youre gentle and kind, people are drawn to your energy and sincerity.
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199
159.
YOUR BELIEF WINDOW
We dont see things as they are; we see things as we are. You may not be aware of this
little-known but highly important part of your person that affects many of the decisions you make
and how you behave in different situations. It is your Belief Window.
You cannot actually see your Belief Window because its invisible, but we all have one. It
is figuratively attached to your head and hangs in front of your face. Every time you move, that
window goes with you. You look at the world through it, and what you see is filtered back to you
through it.
Your Belief Window is always there with you, filtering what you see - the oceans of data
and information helping you make sense of the world around you. It influences the way you
perceive others, the way you read situations, and the feelings you have about yourself.
The tricky thing about the Belief Window is that you have placed perceptions on it which
you believe are absolutely true, whether they reflect reality or not. For example, your
experiences and social feedback may have caused you to believe that you are smart, stupid,
beautiful, ugly, competent, incompetent, creative, or dull - regardless of whether they are true.
And because you believe them you unquestioningly act as though they are. Thats why
changing our behavior is sometimes such a difficult task.
Until we realize that we view the world through our Belief Windows and that it constantly
filters our experiences, we will continue to think that we see life as it really is.
One of the most important things we can do is to make sure our Belief Window is as clear
as possible and truly reflects the reality. This may be the most difficult thing to do. You will
probably have to swallow your pride, and admit that you do have a Belief Window that affects
much of what you do, and recognize that some of the things youve placed on it are incorrect. In
doing so, you will have achieved the critical first step in freeing yourself from erroneous selfideas that may be impeding your progress.
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160.
YOUR SELF-DEFEATING BELIEFS
All of us have beliefs that get in our way. For me, it was my belief that I didnt have
enough time. Day after day, for most of my adult life, I would remind myself of this limiting
concept. Sometimes I would tell myself this many times in a single day.
What possible value could there be in telling yourself this or any self-created negative
belief? Consider the subtle message that go along with this idea. After all, if I believe that I
dont have enough time, I must also believe that Ill never get something done on time, as well
as other related, limiting ideas that directly interfere with my success and quality of life. Does
this belief help me get things done? Of course not! Does it bring me joy? No. Any effect this
belief has is strictly negative.
Whats your most self-defeating belief? Is it that you believe you arent good enough?
Maybe you believe you dont deserve success. Perhaps you believe that people are out to get
you, or that you are a victim of circumstance. Whatever it is, its not worth keeping and certainly
not worth defending. But each time you remind yourself by telling yourself of your limiting
belief, you are reinforcing an idea that directly interferes with your success. It puts a wall
between where you are where you want to be.
Each time I slip into my old habit of telling myself that I dont have enough time, I keep in
mind the damage I am inflicting on myself. I remind myself that there is zero value in this, or
any, self-defeating belief. You may be surprised, even shocked, at how often you repeat selfdefeating statements to yourself and/or to others. The good news is that youll be pleasantly
surprised at how easily you can rid yourself of their negative effects. Make a commitment to
yourself to stop reinforcing this and all negative beliefs by discussing them, or even thinking
about them. As familiar negatively comes to mind, gently dismiss it. Dont give it your valuable
attention. Save your energy for positive ideas and action.
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GEMS FROM FOLK

Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare

GEMS FROM FOLK

A LESSON FROM THE GEESE ................................................................................... 7

ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR BLESSINGS.......................................................................... 8

ALL OF LIFE IS IN A CONSTANT STATE OF CHANGE .............................................. 9

ANATOMY DECODED ................................................................................................ 10

AS WE RUSH THROUGH LIFE! ................................................................................. 11

AS YOU TREAT OTHERS, SO SHALL YOU BE TREATED....................................... 13

ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT ..................................................................................... 14

ASK YOURSELF - WHAT HAVE I CONTRIBUTED TO THIS PROBLEM? ................ 15

10. AVOID THE PHRASE: I HAVE TO GO TO WORK ..................................................... 17

GEMS FROM FOLK

GEMS FROM FOLK

66. HONESTY ................................................................................................................... 85

99. PATH OF PERFECTION ........................................................................................... 124

GEMS FROM FOLK

133. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY BY CREATING AN IDEAL WORKING ENVIRONMENT .. 168

GEMS FROM FOLK

1. A LESSON FROM THE GEESE

GEMS FROM FOLK

2. ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR BLESSINGS

GEMS FROM FOLK

3. ALL OF LIFE IS IN A CONSTANT STATE OF CHANGE

GEMS FROM FOLK

GEMS FROM FOLK

5. AS WE RUSH THROUGH LIFE!

GEMS FROM FOLK

Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare

GEMS FROM FOLK

6. AS YOU TREAT OTHERS, SO SHALL YOU BE TREATED

GEMS FROM FOLK

7. ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT

GEMS FROM FOLK

8. ASK YOURSELF - WHAT HAVE I CONTRIBUTED TO THIS PROBLEM?

GEMS FROM FOLK

GEMS FROM FOLK

AVOID THE PHRASE: I HAVE TO GO TO WORK

GEMS FROM FOLK

Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare

GEMS FROM FOLK

AVOID THE TRAP OF REACTION SPIRALS

GEMS FROM FOLK

BANISH YOUR DOUBTS!

GEMS FROM FOLK

GEMS FROM FOLK

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR

GEMS FROM FOLK

BE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU

GEMS FROM FOLK

Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare

GEMS FROM FOLK

BE GRATEFUL WHEN YOUR MOOD IS HIGH AND GRACEFUL WHEN

GEMS FROM FOLK

GEMS FROM FOLK

GEMS FROM FOLK

BE WILLING TO SEEK OUT, LISTEN TO, AND TAKE ADVICE

GEMS FROM FOLK

BE WILLING TO TAKE ADVICE

GEMS FROM FOLK

Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare

GEMS FROM FOLK

BE WILLING TO TAKE ADVICE 2