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When I talk about positive leadership, it is powerful, real, and practical but depends on the way a person is groomed from early adulthood.

Those who missed the opportunity to learn how to become a good team player and a leader found that by joining Rotary they were able to be humble and learn the ways to lead a highly motivated band of volunteers who did not expect any benefits. 

Rotary offers a level playing field for everyone to shape up into leaders and even visionaries. Rotary has produced leaders who handled many challenging situations in the world which included negotiating for peace, eradicating polio, helping children with education, reducing infant mortality rates, caring for aged, bringing affordable or even free health care to many communities and uniting people around the world. These were, what I call as ‘Positive Leaders.’

Positive Leaders Provide Love and Accountability and I have seen that the greatest leaders are able to lead with the right amount of both love and accountability. 

You have to love your people. You have to make them know you care about them. But you also have to hold them accountable to the values, principles, culture and standards.  Too much of love with no accountability will make your team love you but they won’t perform. Too much accountability and not enough love will initially strive to be great but will eventually disengage and fall short of their potential greatness. It has to have in proper proportion.

Positive Leaders are demanding without being Demeaning. Many people feel that positive leaders are people who smile all the time and don’t care about winning. The truth is that positive leaders always work to win. They are very competitive. They challenge people to pursue excellence. They are demanding. They just aren’t demeaning. Instead of calling people out, they call out the greatness within them.

Positive Leaders Create Clarity and Generate Focus – The more clarity an organization, team and individuals have the more focused they will be. Positive leaders remove clutter, eliminate confusion, simplify, and create clarity that lets everyone know what they are supposed to do so they can take focused action. Everyone knows their job so they can do their job well.

Rotary is such a fine organisation with about 1.2 Million volunteers who are also leaders in their chosen vocation. The need of the hour is to see that all these leaders become positive leaders who can bring about a change in the community they live and probably blossom into national and global leaders who can bring about peace. 

When I talk about positive leadership, it is powerful, real, and practical but depends on the way a person is groomed from early adulthood.

Those who missed the opportunity to learn how to become a good team player and a leader found that by joining Rotary they were able to be humble and learn the ways to lead a highly motivated band of volunteers who did not expect any benefits. 

Rotary offers a level playing field for everyone to shape up into leaders and even visionaries. Rotary has produced leaders who handled many challenging situations in the world which included negotiating for peace, eradicating polio, helping children with education, reducing infant mortality rates, caring for aged, bringing affordable or even free health care to many communities and uniting people around the world. These were, what I call as ‘Positive Leaders.’

Positive Leaders Provide Love and Accountability and I have seen that the greatest leaders are able to lead with the right amount of both love and accountability. 

You have to love your people. You have to make them know you care about them. But you also have to hold them accountable to the values, principles, culture and standards.  Too much of love with no accountability will make your team love you but they won’t perform. Too much accountability and not enough love will initially strive to be great but will eventually disengage and fall short of their potential greatness. It has to have in proper proportion.

Positive Leaders are demanding without being Demeaning. Many people feel that positive leaders are people who smile all the time and don’t care about winning. The truth is that positive leaders always work to win. They are very competitive. They challenge people to pursue excellence. They are demanding. They just aren’t demeaning. Instead of calling people out, they call out the greatness within them.

Positive Leaders Create Clarity and Generate Focus – The more clarity an organization, team and individuals have the more focused they will be. Positive leaders remove clutter, eliminate confusion, simplify, and create clarity that lets everyone know what they are supposed to do so they can take focused action. Everyone knows their job so they can do their job well.

Rotary is such a fine organisation with about 1.2 Million volunteers who are also leaders in their chosen vocation. The need of the hour is to see that all these leaders become positive leaders who can bring about a change in the community they live and probably blossom into national and global leaders who can bring about peace. 

A little difference makes a big difference. That little difference is Attitude. What really matters is not what life brings to you, but what you bring to life.

Your attitude decides the size of your dreams and influence your willpower when faced with new challenges.

The soldier cries out, ‘Sir, we are surrounded by enemies on all sides.”  To which the Major responds, “Excellent!  We can now attack in any direction!”  It is not what happens to you, but how you react that counts.

Your attitude is the one solitary factor over which you have total control. You alone can decide what meaning you give to events that occur.

Most people tend to let their circumstances decide their attitude.  As a result, they run the risk of developing negative attitudes because situations don’t always adhere to their expectations.   

Be conscious of your attitude, moment by moment. Choose to be positive, more often.  With practice, you will experience remarkable changes in your life!

In their relentless pursuit of Peace, Rotarians must re-invent the pathways. Rotary must draw a blue print of service that will stand the test of time and promote global peace.The Rotary Foundation is at the forefront of this movement. World leaders have realized that if Peace initiatives are to be effective, these efforts must come from service organisations and the collective force of the community. The Rotary Foundation, through its service activities in Seven Areas of Focus stands tall in this field. It acts through our hands and hearts. We must contribute, support and promote The Rotary Foundation, which through its multiple projects, permits Clubs and Rotarians to undertake projects that bring people closer together, and closer to World Peace. The Foundations needs two things – Financial resources and Human resources. Rotarians are the Human resources. The Financial resources need to be raised. Dip a little into the pockets; your own as also of those around you who are blessed with wealth. Every dollar contributed makes it possible for TRF to increase its impact where it is needed most.The hands that serve are more effective than the lips that pray. Lend your hands now. Lift The Rotary Foundation to greater heights.

As a ace swimmer Michael Phelps chose to challenge himself and proved that no hurdle is too high for a determined and focused individual to cross over. His steadfast commitment for excellence in his chosen sports career made him a hero and even today sportsperson continue to draw inspiration from his achievements.

This is what is expected from a Rotarian. A Rotarian is expected to be an inspiration for others to do good in this world. Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, “What are you doing for others?” Every sportsperson, every musician, every artist and everyone who has excelled in their vocation is setting an example for others to follow, if not the whole world, at least within their community. Service to humanity is the highest form of activity a person can choose and they are called Rotarians when they join the movement. You are expected to inspire, lead and make your community a better place for others.

When faced with a difficult challenge in front of you, it is natural for you to think that you are not strong enough toovercome. However, you must remember that  a problem remains as a hurdle only till the moment you decide to face it head on using all the resources available to you . In other words, a problem serves as an impetus to discover your innate but hidden capabilities and bring them to the fore.

It is time to replace your sense of confusion or fear in the face of challenges in life with strong self-belief, fear with indomitable courage, and negativity with positivity. “Impossible is just a word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they have been given than to explore the power they have to change it,” says Muhammad Ali.

Your destiny is not to go through life passively without leaving your footprints on the sands of time, but to be impactful and irreplaceable with your uniqueness and insurmountable spirit.Every Rotarian is expected to honour the legacy of the change makers who led the organisation in the earlier years by taking steps to make positive collective impact on the world. Remember, you can opt out of the act of serving humanity, but you cannot opt out of the outcome that will result when there is distrust, disharmony and strife in the world. Bringing people together has far-reaching effects. You, as a Rotarian, can do this by turning every hurdle into a stepping stone for progress.

Every part of nature inspires me in its own way . The Sun, the Moon and the Stars teach me to be always punctual. Rivers teach me to march toward my goal overcoming all hindrance. Rocks inspire me to be firm,  determined and tolerance. I learn from the bees to work hard and remain constantly active. Trees give me the message of humility and sacrifice. Birds and flowers keep me cheerful. Nature teaches me that life has a limit, love , patience, sacrifice and courage live forever.

When faced with a towering challenge, it is natural to think that it is too big to overcome. You are overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the problem and feel helpless. However, a problem remains a hurdle only until the moment you decide to face it head on. 
This decision brings out your innate but hidden capabilities. You replace your old panic with new patience, your old doubts with new self-belief and courage.
For every old door that shuts, a new door opens.  “Impossible is just a word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they have been given than to explore the power they have to change it,” says Muhammad Ali. 
Rotary teaches us live a life of action, to take on challenges and surmount them,  leaving our footprints on the sands of time.

Father of our nation Mahatma Gandhi suffered tremendous persecutions and unimaginable miseries from the British in order to win freedom for us. He sacrificed his bright future and selflessly worked with single minded total focus to liberate our motherland from the clutches of slavery. Even so many years after his death, we all thankfully remember and recognize his sacrifice and service to the nation. 

Individuals who sacrifice their present for the sake of humanity’s future through their noble, generous and selfless deeds continue to occupy enviable place in the heart of those people whom they served. They successfully leave behind their permanent footprint on the sand of time.

Paul Harris was one such person who thought that the true essence of freedom is enjoyed only when people are able to live a life free from poverty, illiteracy and hunger. He founded Rotary and if this institution is living and flourishing in the hearts and minds of over 1.2 million members in nearly 200 countries after his death, it shows that the man really did something wonderful for the humanity.

During this time of pandemic, doctors and nurses are risking their lives to save ours. Volunteers taking to the streets to demand that we live up to our highest ideals. Workers, who have always been essential, maintaining critical parts of our infrastructure and economy—keeping shelves stocked, lights on and vital operations open are working daily. Rotarian volunteers putting  masks and donating blood. Researchers racing to find treatments. Artists sustaining us with new creations. Musicians writing soothing songs to make us peaceful and people everywhere around the world calling and marching for change. All these are extraordinary people who make a difference.

Every act you perform is a definite choice, and every choice generates an outcome. It is up to each one of you to choose actions that are meaningful, purposeful, helpful and can effect positive change in the lives of individuals and the world at large . It is unfortunate that those who have the great potential and resources to do something meaningful and make the world a better place to live in , go through life so emotionlessly  and passively that they fail to leave behind their Mark . 

Life may not offer you opportunity to perform great things all the time , but there is always a chance to perform great things with great passion and love in the lives of less fortunate people , provided you have tuned your eyes to see the suffering around you and heart conditioned to empathise . Don’t simply exist but co exist and pro exist. Life is not about getting but it is about giving as well.

It is up to you and you alone to take control of your life and lead yourself to where you wish to be. Become more sensitive to the needs of others, for it is the only way that you become a person with a difference.

You are born to win. So you should do everything that will make you live and enjoy the fruits of your victory. When I say that you should win, it does not mean that you should win over some other human being by putting them down or going to war with them over issues that have no permanent significance. Winning means you should win over your greed, your ego, your fear and hatred.

When we were young and playing in the house as a child, we did not know fear. You would have seen a child trying to touch a fire or even pulling a fierce looking dog’s tail or attempting to run in the street when the traffic is crazy. The child did not know the consequence of being hurt if something went wrong while doing any of the things mentioned above.

As we grew up, the knowledge that was imparted to us by our parents, teachers and others made us distinguish between taking a hasty decision or venturing into untested areas. This has proved to be a bane for many of us because the very essence of adventure is lost and the thought, “What will happen if I fail?” has crept into our system. 

The fear of losing is further escalated by those around you who portray the negative things of failure and do not highlight failure as a path to success. We are seeing this frequently in our lives. Our friends, relations, colleagues and even some advisor to whom we go, give us a bleak picture of what can happen to your self-esteem if you fail and what can happen if you are broke monetarily.

But understanding the fact that we are born to win and that to be a winner we must plan to win, prepare to win and expect to win will help us clear the hurdles easily. It is a fact that the world recognizes only winners, but every winner did not win at the first attempt.

In Rotary we have winners of elections and those who lost out. But the winner knows that the opportunity to lead a team is there and that the team must include those who lost and those who do not want to win anything but just serve the community along with others. In civil society there are winners who become leaders of nations, organisations and defence services because they choose that path. None of the winners were guided by those who cautioned them beyond a point but took their own decision to fulfill their destiny.

Winning is a long term activity and gone are the days when the Maharaja chose a successor by letting an elephant roam around and garland a person in the crowd. Whether it is in Rotary or elsewhere, if you want to win and lead a team, listen and be guided only by your inner voice that will be forcefully telling you to move ahead.

The goals you have cannot be understood by many and hence you cannot be diluting your efforts by changing horses midstream.  What you see is what will make you win and that needs a vision.

Of course winning has its benefits and glory. But if you have to sustain and bask in that for a long time, you must be humble in your victory and realise that your time as a winner is not in your hands but with someone else above you.

Rotary thrives today only because of men and women committed to SERVICE.At the HEART of every SERVICE,there is commitment. Commitment is vital to the success of any SERVICE project.Rotarians commit to others, to Rotarians, to leadership and to the community.They thus commit to God.They commit to their dreams. There is difference between interest and commitment. When you are interested in doing some thing , you do it when it is convenient.When you are committed you accept no excuse–you only want results.
COMMITMENT IS VITAL TO SUCCESS.

A Spark of Kindness Starts a Fire of Love
St Mother Teresa of Kolkata began her charitable mission among the poorest of the poor in the slums of Kolkata with barely any resources. Often she had to beg to feed the scores of destitutes she picked up from the streets. On one such mission, a trader was so annoyed with Mother Teresa that he rudely spat on her outstretched hand. Without any anger in her eyes, she wiped the spittle and said to the man, “Brother, you have given me what is meant for me. Now please give me something else for my suffering brethren.” The man was so taken up by her attitude that he supported her cause for many years.
Kindness makes a person place others before self. It is not a fancy luxury we allow ourselves but a fundamental responsibility as humans. In a world torn apart due to conflict, an act of kindness can make a world of difference. There is no tranquiliser more effective than a kind word and a good deed. You may not be able to make a difference to the whole world in your lifetime; but an act of kindness can definitely make a difference to one person.
The best thing about kindness is that it is always paid forward. The recipient of kindness will show kindness to others. Therefore, decide now that whoever comes to you will go away happy. 
Rotary teaches us to do exactly that in our thoughts, words and deeds. From the smallest project at the club level to the largest endeavours of The Rotary Foundation, Rotarians perform acts of kindness to others.

Life is not a bed of roses for people. It is easy to be cowed down by the negativity around us. Positive thinking requires effort and constant practice. This easily comes only when you grow up in a family which has values to teach for the children. It is clear that you are the result of your surroundings and upbringing. 

Negative thinking comes easily as the atmosphere in the world is charged with hatred and jealousy. To stay clear of these negativeinfluences that can impact you consciously or otherwise, you have to train your mind every day. Prayer, meditation and exposure to people who think about peace, welfare and prosperity to the humanity are needed constantly.

You may wonder how to get into this wonderful circle of great and noble people. Just join Rotary. You will find that the people around you are as vulnerable as you are to the negative forces around them, but take steps to counter that by training their minds to work for the community. Service to society is the way your mind can be constantly active positively and Rotary shows the way.

If you believe that you are going to fail, you might unconsciously sabotage every opportunity to succeed. If you crowd your mind with pessimistic thoughts as dictated by your negative surroundings, you will radiate negative energy into the surrounding world, resulting in more negativity, failures and disasters.

It is high time that you take notice of this mental dynamics and replace your negative attitudes with positive ones thus to become shining example of someone who fought all odds in life influencing positively the lives of others who may be going through the same struggles as yours.

It is no use saying that others should change. Have you changed? As Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to see.” Rotary helps you to change and change the society.

Having lived in Mumbai all my life, a city which never sleeps and where lights are always burning, I did not pay much attention to the sky and stars. Occasionally a look upwards is all what I did and saw few stars twinkling. 

One day I was staying in a very small town and was chatting with my host in the terrace after dinner and I turned my head upwards towards the sky. I was dazzled to see millions and millions of stars in the sky – sight which I have never seen in a big city. I realised that lot of darkness is needed to see the stars in their numbers and from that day my vision of this galaxy changed.

In our lives we dwell in certain comfort and do not see the big picture in which we are living. But suddenly life can take a spin and while groping in the darkness we see brilliant people who shine like stars and who have always been there to help us and guide us. They are the Rotarians who are all over the world, but to the ordinary man who lives amidst dazzling artificial lights, these extraordinary people are hidden from their view.

Once we see Rotary and the amazing men and women in the organisation who are willing to assist you, life becomes less of a burden. By joining the movement you also realise that you can also be a shining star to thousands of people who want your guidance for health, education, nutrition and peace.

You cannot defeat darkness by running from it, nor can you conquer your inner demons by hiding them from the world. In order to defeat the darkness, you must bring it into the light.

When you overcome stumbling blocks in your life you become stronger and wiser as you discover hidden resources within you which you never knew you had. 

There is no denying that there is evil in this world but the light will always conquer the darkness. You may encounter many challenges, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter some setbacks which will make you know your potential. 

Life never hands out situations that you cannot handle. Your approach towards them will make you know how you come out of them. You have the choice of playing the role of permanent victim and feel sorry for yourself or you can reach into the essence of your existence and find your inner strength.

Constantly tell yourself that you are able to face your hardships head on, you are powerful, inspirational, strong and amazing. Always remember that through darkness comes light, through fear comes courage and through pain comes triumph. This of course is the victory of the human spirit, not only in a select few, but it is in every one of you. If you have seen the millions of shining stars when the sky was dark and realised the beauty of this galaxy, become a star today. Join Rotary.

It will be a great tragedy if you go through life behaving like a chicken when in reality you are an eagle, having the ability to conquer the sky. 
People are often afraid to look within and appreciate their own potential. They tend to compare themselves with others and underestimate their own capabilities.
Unfortunately, it results in being satisfied with the bare minimum in life when they are actually endowed with the potential to achieve the unimaginable.
The starting point of the journey towards actualizing your true potential is to become aware of your true self . If you don’t appreciate your true self no one else will ever do it for you. If you try to become someone else, you lose your individuality and uniqueness. 
You are the architect of your life! Therefore, be courageous in taking calculated risks. If you wish to unleash the greatness hidden within you , you will have to challenge  yourself. Remember, you are planted in the garden of life to bloom fully, spreading fragrance and beauty around. 
Dare to be yourself and conquer the world.

Peace is not just the absence of war. Peace can be achieved through Rotary’s efforts to fight disease, malnutrition, illiteracy and unemployment.
Rotary can show the way by taking many steps forward towards others to convince them that Rotarians only ask for a friendly hands to join theirs in ‘doing good in the world.’ When even a fraction of the community becomes part of our endeavour, the first chapter of “Success to Peace” would have started. Soon this chapter would be written and one day, we hope, the complete book will be in our hands. 
The only way to peace is be peaceful, tolerant and ever ready to offer your hand first with a sincerity that cannot be misunderstood. Peace is never just a matter of thought, desire or conviction only. Peace required concerted action with total commitment. Anything less would result in depression and loss of faith. Commitment will push us to try again and never allow failure to deter us from our efforts. 
Rotary has committed itself to peace and therefore we will, one day, see the light of serenity and tranquility that are precursors of peace.LET THERE BE PEACE EVERYWHERE.

Rotary’s only product is Service. When we joined Rotary, we gave up our right to say “NO” when asked to help someone in need. We all have dreams within – dreams of health, prosperity, peace and happiness. These dreams propel us to actions that will result in obtaining some, if not all dreams. However, we forget that others have dreams too. There are millions who dream of a good meal a day or assistance to overcome poverty or relief from ill health. Their dreams may be small – they don’s ask for the moon. Their small dreams – if fulfilled, will mean a great success. We have in our power to help them realize some dreams. Let our dreams include the dreams of others and let us collectively enter their world and eradicate some problems which will, in turn, help them and help us dreaming bigger dreams. When we embrace Humanity, we put our arms around their shoulders transfer warmth, compassion and love to those who are starved of many essentials.

The success story of Rotary is written in golden letters but many are unable to read the story. Reading a story is different from understanding a story. The real success is when , someone, somewhere, sometimes in some ways benefits from your action . 
The poor are the most vital targets for service because poverty brings many supplemental problems to the fore . Illiteracy , ill health, squalid surroundings, hunger are irrevocably interlaced with poverty.
Rotary is an organization that professes concern for the needy. If Rotary can answer even a few minor problems that face the poor, there will be a catalytic reaction that will put into motion other forces that will help the community arm itself with weapons to conquer some of their problems.
Success comes with a ‘cess’ – a tax that Rotarians have to pay for success. This ‘tax’ is their personal participation and personal contribution. Satisfaction comes with action— the action the Rotarians undertake to ensure excellent results. Pleasure comes with ‘sure’ — a commitment that we make to the community. It is then that the community will enjoy ; enjoy comes with ‘joy’ — the pleasure for the culmination of service.
There are of course many ways in which we redeem our pledge to help the needy. Since finances seem to be a very vital facet of service, we cannot ignore financial assistance. Money may not buy pleasure for some – but for many unfortunates , money is the base on which to erect a pyramid of good life. Rotary has both financiers and workers. Together, they can weave a web of intricate pathways that will permit us to reach the goal . Let’s then ensure that Rotary’s commitment to improve the quality of life of all those who matter will result in Rotary achieving greater heights and deeper roots. If your hands can wield such a magic wand . Rotary will be remembered as a great magician — OFFER YOUR HANDS OF SERVICE TO THE POOR.

All of us make mistakes because we are impulsive, emotional and imperfect. Relationships often suffer because of the mistakes caused by these human tendencies. The only way to restore broken relationships is acknowledging one’s mistakes and apologizing. Even when two people are equally at fault it is up to any one person to proffer an apology.  As mature people we are responsible for our faults and hence an apology is only part the step we take to correct our faults. An honest apology can help mend relationships, dissolve anger, soothe shattered nerves or heal a broken heart and in the process rightfully restore one’s pride.  When you apologize you yourself become more free to relate with the other person as you realize that your conscience is now clean and you have nothing that holds you back from relating to the other well. Apologizing does not mean that you own up responsibility for everything even when you know that the other person has his share of mistakes in the matter. It means that you own up responsibility for your part of the mistake and gently remind the other person that he/she too had his/her share of the faults. Say “Sorry”, mean it – and be free!

Passion is the ability to focus on your aim, the capacity to direct yourself relentlessly, toward your goal and be creative in achieving them. It is the energy that keeps you going, a powerful force pushing you to accomplish anything you set your mind to. It provides you with a far-reaching vision and the courage to pursue it. Passion makes you experience life to the fullest, making it bright and meaningful.Let service become your passion, you will find great things happen for you, to you and because of you.As it is said “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something for others. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.
Ashok Mahajan Director, Rotary International (2007-09)Trustee, The Rotary Foundation (2009-13)

The dictionary defines confidence as “the feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; firm trust.”
When we feel confident in ourselves, we are able to trust in our own abilities, qualities, and judgement.
Self-confidence is important to both your physical health and your psychological well-being. When you believe in yourself you’re more likely to try new things, devote your time and energy to tasks that matter, make good lifestyle choices, and foster healthy relationships.
To be confident in life you ought to be yourself. When you are true to yourself, you don’t have to be scared of any one in any situation for anything. You are free and that freedom brings about more happiness , which helps you gain more self confidence that will lead to further success.
How do you develop self confidence ?  It is simply by starting to experience your successful moments . Attribute your success to yourself and not to someone else. Stop comparing yourself. Comparison can make you feel that you are inadequate. Celebrate your uniqueness. Always try being around confident persons and may be their confidence will rub off on you Always be yourself and have faith in yourself. Do not go out and look for a successful personality and try to duplicate it .Work at it , it will pay off !

In order to achieve peace and harmony , you must stretch your beliefs, your efforts, and your tolerance. You will have to face new situations with an open mind, eager to reach your goal. Tolerance can be considered as the oil which helps in reducing the friction out of life . Lack of tolerance develops friction and conflict in families, among neighbours, in societies, between cities & states , nations and countries. There is so much intolerance within us that we see others as our bitter rivals. The culture of tolerance makes us learn to do justice to hearing different viewpoint. Further we are enabled to make a right assessment of the views of others .

To make tolerance the most essential attribute for the good of society in general let’s us teach our children to be more tolerant right from their early childhood, thus avoiding friction from spreading in society. Rotary Clubs can play an important role in developing this art of tolerance amongst our school going Interactors which will certainly take us step nearer making the society live in Peace and harmony.

Every human being on the planet wants to be happy. Anything that they all desire is because they think that their desire will make them happy. Whether it is health, money, a loving relationship, material things, accomplishments, a job, or anything at all, the desire for happiness is the bottom line of all of them .  But remember that happiness is a state inside of us, and something on the outside can only bring fleeting happiness, because material things are impermanent. 
 Unethical behaviour can bring temporary periods of pleasure in the form of wealth or putting down weaker persons or encroachment what is others and in many more such forms. But the final outcome of being unethical will be disastrous. 
Permanent happiness comes from you choosing to be permanently ethical in every action of yours. When you choose to be ethical in every sphere of your life, then you attract all the happy things as well. The happy things are the icing on the cake, but the cake is ethics itself. Ethics does not always roar. Sometimes, ethics is that quiet voice that says, “You are on the correct path.”
Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always truthful and conduct their lives in the highest form of ethical standards that has been prescribed. 
Ethics are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter what fork you use.  Every Rotarian in the society should be a role model and be considered as persons upholding the highest form of ethics in their lives, business and profession not only for their own self-respect, but for respect from others.  All the beautiful sentiments in the world weigh less than a single lovely ethical action. 
 Your life should not be focused on results. Your life must be really focused on the process of doing all the things you are doing ethically, from work to relationships to friendships to charitable work. 
If you focused on results, if it’s only about the ultimate results, you would be a failure in profession, you would be a failure in relationships, you would be a failure with your friendships and you would be a failure in life. Look at being ethical as an ongoing process.
Talent alone won’t make you a success. Neither will being in the right place at the right time, unless you are ethical. The most important question is, “Are you always ethical?”
Someone you haven’t even met yet is wondering what it’d be like to know someone like you who is embodiment of ethical behaviour in everyday life. Be that person the world would like to meet. Being Ethical will make it happen sooner than you think.

Corona has changed our future. Today we have to make decisions on imaginatively adapting to the situation around us.Our adaptability will determine our future. Common everyday matters, products we buy, the places we live in, the future of friendship and family life will be changed.

The virus has made people think of strange new cultures, new lifestyles. Corona has overturned institutions, shifted our values and shriveled our roots. Too much change in a short time has created stress and disorientation in individuals. Earlier we talkedabout educating people for change and prepare for the future. But corona has proved we are clueless about it.

Virtual meetings are the new norm. The incessant demand for change seen in the past four months makes us believe that the future has arrived abruptly. Children are hooked to gadgets for over 6 hours a day attending classes. Senior citizens are handling new technology to interact with families, friends in the neighborhood and round the world. 

Online buyers are frustrated at delayed or cancelled orders asdelivery boys are missing.  ‘Delivery Drones’ can come in handy. The government must allow drones for such deliveries.Automation represents the greatest change in mankind’s history.The effects of the technological revolution will be deeper than any other change. 

Corona has breached national boundaries. It has altered the texture of our existence.

Today Rotarians are feeling anxious, tense and uncomfortable as pace of life has slowed down. The period of lockdowns threw up incomprehensible conflicts – between generations, between parents and children, between husbands and wives and between people living in so-called ‘gated communities.’ How do we manage the future if we have to live with corona?

What will the Rotary clubs do if this persists? Club service may not be affected due to virtual connectivity. Inducting new members will be a challenge as virtual meetings do not provide the same fellowship. Other avenues of services can also havechallenges as hands-on-service projects may be delayed or shelved. Providing health care facility will be in focus but probably limited to procuring materials through global grants and donating them to health care centers. 

The Rotary Foundation is well placed to receive funds since there may be considerable savings for clubs.  This period can be used to educate the members about TRF, MOP and Code of Policy of Rotary International. The internationality of Rotary will become stronger with sister-clubs attending meetings/events on-line.

The forces sweeping us can no longer be channeled by bankrupt leaders. By considering the impact of unforeseen circumstanceson human behavior we have to control the pace of change. Continuity, a factor in human life, is an important ingredient for Rotary to survive.

Rtn PRID Ashok Mahajan 

Many a times you settle for just brass when you are made for Gold ? Whatever may be the reasons, by doing so , you are degrading your true worth. Instead you should put extra efforts to be better than the best person you have ever known , rather than settling for being a mediocre. 
The general trend today is that people settle every day for instant happiness, shallow relationships, unsatisfying career and the things like that . Settling for something worthwhile is all about accepting what is best for you . When you settle for the average , you certainly accept less than what you deserve to be or what you meant for or you accept less than what you are capable of becoming.
The only way to show your greatness is to stop settling for something mediocre and aim high . Set big exciting goals in life because the more excited you are about something, the more motivated you will be to put extra efforts and accomplish them . You never know what you can accomplish till you try . In the process, even you fail , you are closer to something that is worth achieving. 
It would be wonderful experience to see the best version of yourself come to life . Never ever settle for less ! Set your aims always high and get the best results in life . in short “ Aim for the moon. If you miss , you may hit a star”.

Complaining about a problem is not the solution. Complaining is futile exercise unless it is paired with doing. For a better world, we all need to commit ourselves to bringing about positive results in our own life and the immediate world around us . Before blaming others , we need to ask ourselves whether we have done anything to improve the situation? We ought to assess our worth by the value of our own contribution . It is not a question of who is going to throw the first stone ; it is the question of who is going to start building with it . Even though we may not have any concrete results to show to the world, nevertheless we should not underestimate the positive impact of our actions on others . We must remember that each word spoken and each attempt made are like a drop of water fallen into a pool . The drop itself may disappear, but it will create ripples that will reach far beyond its imagination. Though our contribution may be inadequate, yet we are necessary for world change . IF YOU ARE NOT LIGHTING ANY CANDLE, DON’T COMPLAIN ABOUT DARKNESS.

God could not be everywhere , therefore He made Parents . My Parents made all the difference in my life .They were my inspiration, moral support and provided all the necessary security I needed to fight difficult time .Their love for me helped me grow and today all what I have achieved I owe it to them . Their simplicity, their sacrifice and their principles in life made me feel proud of them . What they meant to me cannot be expressed in words but every action of mine will prove it . They taught me all about life . They taught me to be honest in every stage of life. They taught me to respect all the seniors and they taught me to remain well content all through in life. Their teachings always help me in dealing all the issues which I face in life . I miss them every moment but all the time I feel as if they are with me to guide me and make me live a happy life. I am sure their blessings will always be with me which will help me to accept all the challenges in life . I pray God to bless my parents and make them have a place near His lotus feet . 

Peace appears elusive. One often feels that total universal peace is an impossible dream. Even if that were true, does it mean we stop working for Peace .

When basic human needs are not fulfilled,  when staying alive is a Herculean task, the best way to promote peaceful existence is to ameliorate their immediate problems.

Rotary promotes World Peace through its varied international service programmes.  

However, at the grass root level, Rotarians must concentrate on improving the quality of life of their fellow men.

Rotary is People of Action. Rotarians take enjoyment in Service. That is why Rotary service multiplied every year.

Rotary remains an adaptable inventor, ready to evolve with the times, ever ready to render service as the world requires.

Peace cannot be realized when people are  hungry, homeless and sick. Nobody wants conflicts. Everybody wants a productive, happy and useful life. 
Rotary works to make that possible. 

Rotary uses its strongest weapon, Service to promote Peace.

We know that diverse situations whether at home or or at work or in the world around, invariably present us with conflicting demands and at times generate turmoil beyond our level of endurance. What we need is to develop is the ability to see beyond ‘this too shall pass and try to remedy some of those situations. Once we wither, even a better situation cannot revive us.  As someone puts it so beautifully, “Cross the river, even if it’s stormy on this side. Do not keep crying or cursing. The river will flow away.  Life will go on and you will be  

left behind . 

We need to be at our best wherever we are, and not just where we want to be. Remember, each of us blooms in our sweet time and the soil of our choice nurtures our growth.

Get set to bloom in all kinds of situations .

Dear Friends ,

The month of July is round the corner when the new club /district leaders will take office. At the stroke of midnight on June 30, the leaders all over the Rotary world change, but the leadership continues. 

Covid-19 has presented us with an uncertain scenario. Though it is a difficult time, Rotarians through their respective clubs / districts have been rendering service to all in need. I am sure they will continue to do so as long as the need exists.

In such a situation the club /district leaders have to be positive in their thoughts and behaviour. Here are a Ten Tools for positivity, which will help you to sail through your one-year journey even under the most trying conditions.

 1) Mondays are a great day to focus on what we get to do instead of what we have to do. Life is a gift, not an obligation.

2) Don’t let negativity win today. Remember it starts with you. If you are complaining you’re not leading. If you are leading, you’re not complaining. One person can’t be a team but one person can make or break a team. Stay positive! No energy vampires allowed.

3) Remember you cannot change your past. But you can create your future. Don’t get stuck in thinking about what you could have and should have done. Think about what you can and will do and start taking action today!

4) Today, decide to be that person who instils a positive belief in someone who needs your encouragement. Believe in others more than they believe in themselves.

5) How you see the world determines the world you see. Look for the good, the admirable and the praiseworthy.

6) Let Go. Focus on the things that you have the power to change, and let go of the things that are beyond your control. You’ll be amazed that when you stop trying to control everything, it actually works in your favour. 

7) If they praise you, show up and do the work. If they criticize you, show up and do the work. If no one even notices you, just show up and do the work. Just keep showing up, doing the work, and leading the way.

8- Always remember you are one amongst equals. Use your diplomacy and take everyone along.

9-Act as a leader and not the follower.  Listen to all and use your judgements to decide the right course of action.

10- Always maintain your personal energy level. Everything you do may not necessarily yield positive results. When things go wrong, rather than drowning in disappointment, learn from the experience and improve your performance.

Yes friends, we do not know what will be the new normal, what changes we will face in our over 100 years-old organization. To accept the change and act upon it is one of the qualities of an effective leader.

I wish you every success as Rotary Opens Opportunities for you!

The Future cannot be rushed.
There is a process that seeds must go through in order to become all they are destined to become. We must also go through the same process to meet our destiny.
We may want things to happen immediately but it is likely that we may not be ready for it. The process prepares us ,  strengthens us and shapes us to be successful, at the right time.
We need to be like the Seed. Seeds surrender themselves to the ground so they can be used for a greater purpose. We must learn from the seed to produce a harvest that will benefit others and make a difference in the world.

Peace appears elusive. One often feels that total universal peace is an impossible dream. Even if that were true, does it mean we stop working for Peace .

When basic human needs are not fulfilled,  when staying alive is a Herculean task, the best way to promote peaceful existence is to ameliorate their immediate problems.

Rotary promotes World Peace through its varied international service programmes.  

However, at the grass root level, Rotarians must concentrate on improving the quality of life of their fellow men.

Rotary is People of Action. Rotarians take enjoyment in Service. That is why Rotary service multiplied every year.

Rotary remains an adaptable inventor, ready to evolve with the times, ever ready to render service as the world requires.

Peace cannot be realized when people are  hungry, homeless and sick. Nobody wants conflicts. Everybody wants a productive, happy and useful life. 
Rotary works to make that possible. 

Rotary uses its strongest weapon, Service to promote Peace.

Life is full of moments of Joy , Pleasure, Excitement, Happiness  Success and Comfort interrupted by misery, defeat, sorrow, failures and problems. The life is full of ups and downs.  To achieve success in life one has to encounter difficulties and failures .Life of course is not bed of roses . Thorns  are also a part of life and should be accepted by all just as we accept the beautiful side of life. Thorns remind us how success and happiness can be misleading and thus not to feel disappointed and disheartened rather remember that the pain of thorns is short lived , and the beauty of life would soon overcome the prick of thorns .Those who are under the impression that life is bed of roses are disillusioned soon and become victims of depression and frustration. Those who face difficulties with courage and accept success without letting it go to their head are the ones who experience real happiness, contentment and peace in life . Those who think that good times last forever easily succumb to pressure during difficult times .Life Is beautiful, despite its many ups and downs . Sometimes it’s rather difficult to believe life is beautiful especially when we experience sufferings ,hardships and failures. But , many a times we also experience that life makes us smile.  The downs of life make us enjoy the ups more . Thus let’s enjoy life but also be prepared to bear the pricks of pain .

Your mind is a like a garden. You need to weed it and feed it. Weed the negative. Feed the positive. Doing it one day won’t do a lot but if you weed and feed every day, over time the garden will look magnificent.1) If they praise you, show up and do the work. If they criticize you, show up and do the work. If no one even notices you, just show up and do the work. Just keep showing up, doing the work, and leading the way.2) Greatness isn’t achieved by worrying what everyone thinks of you. Don’t look outside. The praise, criticism, expectations; it’s all just noise. Look inside to your heart and soul and do your thing. Do it with love and create greatness from the inside out.3) Today, shift your perspective and realize it’s not about having to do anything. Life is not an obligation. It’s a gift. Replace “Have To” with “Get To.” Focus on gratitude and you’ll find yourself feeling blessed instead of stressed.4) Remember… big opportunities come from doing the small things with a big dose of passion, love, purpose and excellence. Be faithful with what you have and where you are today. Don’t chase success. Decide to make a difference and success will find you.5) Tomorrow is a new day. Don’t let what you didn’t do become what you never did. No more putting it off. No more waiting till the “perfect” time. No more letting busyness get in the way. Get started.

100 YEARS OF ROTARY IN INDIA 

Paul Harris, I think, must have said, “I am asking you to believe. Not in my ability to make change, but in yours.” This change is what has made Rotary sustain itself as a movement of service minded volunteers for the past 115 years in the world and 100 years in India.

This belief, this faith in the ability of the members of Rotary in India 100 years ago, has been the guiding principle of how Rotary has grown in India. Those who established Rotary in India knew that the hard work of making Rotary grow in India began not with the charter members of the first club, but with every member who joined or formed a club over the next several years and decades.

Rotary in India is a working, living movement for service. The eradication of polio and the courage that success has given the Rotary members to take up mega projects in health, sanitation, clean water, education and human development, is a strong statement of how Rotary has grown in India.

What has Rotary taught us? It has taught us that good citizens care about others, about causes bigger than themselves, understanding that helping others be stronger helps everyone, including themselves. Rotarians know that citizenship is about having a deep love for one’s community and the willingness to be engaged for the greater good.

We have work to do. Rotary in India will be a product of our ideas together. A lot has changed in the past 100 years but the constant will always be our fundamental commitment to progress. Rotary in India is helping people use their voices to change their communities.

For Rotary in India, it has been an era of listening, learning and experimenting to design the most effective way grow.

It is truly sad that many people limit themselves to what they can easily accomplish because they are fail to realize that limitations exist only if you impose them upon yourself.

It is certainly neither tough people nor rough situations that keep you from achieving what you desire and deserve.

It is up to you to reinvent yourself.  Revolutionise your world by constantly reminding yourself that you have immense potential and your only limit actually Is YOU!
It is up to you to take risks regarding your career , your relationship, your business, your social life and your future plans . It is up to you to say, “ I deserve more than I have got from my life .”

Every day is yet another opportunity for you not to limit your challenges but to challenge your limits. Stretch the limits of the possible by venturing a little more into the impossible because if you fail to push your limits you will suffocate in your own comfort zones.

I wish you every success in every endeavor in your life.

Enthusiasm is the foundation of a pleasing personality, and we must have such personality in order to influence others to co-operate with us .Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful and unique resource available to us . It is arguably the only type of energy that we harness by ourself and at the same time,  intensifies as it is consumed.Enthusiasm and success go hand in hand  but enthusiasm inspires confidence, raises morale, and builds loyalty. It is priceless. Enthusiasm is contagious. We can feel enthusiasm by the way we talk , walk , or shake hands . Enthusiasm is a habit that we can acquire and practice.“ Nothing great is ever achieved without enthusiasm “ says Ralph Waldo Emerson. Enthusiasm and desire are what change mediocrity to excellence.Water turns into steam with a difference of only one degree in temperature and steam can move some of the biggest engines in the world , that is what enthusiasm helps us to do in  our lives .Therefore, let’s live while we are alive . We need not die before we are dead. Always remember, the secret of genius is to carry the spirit of the child into old age , which means never ever losing our enthusiasm.

A GOOD ARCHER IS NOT KNOWN BY HIS ARROWS BUT BY HIS AIMS “

Stop Making Excuses !Most of us make excuses to defend our conduct and live with the wrong notion that making excuses is something that everybody does …so it’s OK . Over the years we have cultivated the art of making excuses with creative ways to avoid doing something that needs to be done . We think that with excuses we do not have to be accountable for our words and deeds . Is it too much to say that we are addicted to excuses?When we make excuses and repeat them often enough , they become a belief . The belief then becomes a self – fulfilling habit and then failures are bound to happen. Excuses set limits on our will and blocks the road to our purpose and passion. It is only when we accept responsibility, can we evaluate our actions and take corrective measures to find passion ?  It is only when we accept responsibility, we are showing a willingness to develop our character and in doing so , the stronger our character will become , and as a consequence the quality of our life will be enhanced .Let’s remember that life is too short for us to entertain the negative habit of making excuses. If we want to achieve something in life ,there is no doubt that we will find a way . If on the other hand we don’t want to do something , and scared  of difficulties and challenges, we can always find an excuse . Therefore don’t let excuses hold us back from developing our full potential. When the door is closed , why don’t we look through the open window ?STOP MAKING EXCUSES AND DARE TO BE WHAT YOU WANT TO BE ..

If you are sure you are right you need not worry what the world thinks.To achieve noteworthy success in life you should be willing to stand apart from the crowd.Success is something never achieved by the majority but by the minority of people.You develop confidence in your belief by doing your own thinking and by constantly testing and revising your knowledge.If you have the courage of your conviction, nothing can deter you from your course.

When things go wrong in our life , we may tend to attribute it to our destiny. But the fact is that destiny is not a matter of chance , rather it is a matter of choice.When we say destiny is within our control we mean that we can control every aspect of life . Every event is always caused by some kind of action , any action is the result of an act of the will ,and it is the will that makes the choice. Therefore the choices that we make in life determines our destiny. When we make a wrong choice the outcome will be unpleasant. Right choice takes us towards success and creates happiness. If we blame our destiny means we were irresponsible for our own choice. Many a times when we look back on certain happenings or the events we normally say “ I wish I had done that differently “. It means our choices create the cause – and – effects that dictate our life experience.Every moment in our life we make choices. It is up to us to make the right choices that design and shape our life . With the help of our creator, who acts through our conscience, we can create our own destiny if we are careful to decide what and how to choose.If we are serious about our destiny and achieving success then we must put extra efforts to prepare our plans , stick to the plans and follow the road map. It is certainly advisable to have plans in action and not to keep them in our head . The plans must be written down and reviewed from time to time . If we follow the plans I am sure we will be destined to do great things .

No one owns Rotary. Paul Harris. He has not left behind a trail of descendants saying, “Rotary is ours.” No clan or nation can claim him. The truth is Paul Harris eludes labeling. The most mystifying he is, the more appealing he has become and we can say that he is un-ageing. He founded Rotary that is guided by un-aging thoughts. Rotary was a simple idea, stunning in its tight-bound form with un-tied un-bound meaning. No religion can hold Paul Harris captive in its shrine or scripture. Paul Harris is in an altogether different category. You have to be a physical construct in order to be appropriated. Paul Harris was an intangible intensity, an impalpable voltage, an indefinable actuality of ideas, depictions and advice that no one can pack into a bag to carry home.

It was this philosophy that gave me the strength to take up the challenge of promoting polio eradication programme in India. Rotary has helped the Government of India to eradicate polio and there have been silent warriors in every Rotary club who fought for this cause.

What was the most distinguishing feature of this victory? The formation of the Ulema Committee in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar paved the way for me to bring together the different factions of the Muslim community to the discussion table. The leaders of these factions, who would have normally not seen eye-to-eye with each other on many issues, understood that I was reaching out to them as a Rotarian with no hidden agenda. My appeal was only, “Come together to save your children.” Removing the various doubts they had about the vaccine and appealing to them that the rest of India was still at risk if polio was not eradicated from these two States was the turning point in what can be said as a victory for Rotary. In a way, we as Rotarians did what the local governments could not do and that is finding a way into the homes of the Muslims community with the polio vaccine.

When I accomplished this task, I felt complete within myself on all levels – physically, mentally and spiritually. I felt that I am a happy Rotarian.

Imagine yourself on your deathbed, looking back on the life you have lived.

What would your family, friends, relatives and society in general remember most about you ? What is the legacy you would like to leave behind ? How would you like to be remembered ?

Your legacy is , in fact, much more than your  portfolio, property, bank balance , social status and the enterprises you leave behind. You will not be judged by the number of medals you won or the size of your achievements, but by the quality of life that resulted from your achievements.

Your legacy is the end product of your life . The only thing that endures after you is your positive impact on other people’s lives. Thus your person is not your legacy , you are just an individual who manifests your legacy.

It is a fact that truly worthwhile legacies are left behind by those who strive to make the world a better place for others. It is engraved in the hearts of others rather than in records .

On your passing away, if it is said that you left the world in a better condition than when you entered it your legacy will outlive the limits of time .

To do this, you need to start with what you value most . Rotary membership gives you the opportunities to do good in the world and leave behind the legacy you desire.If you really wish to leave your imprint on the sands of time, get involved in your Rotary Club projects to do good in the world.

Life is full of risks.There are unavoidable risks like organ transplants, brain surgery, etc.There are also chosen risks which involve actions we deliberately take to get something we want.However, every chosen risk holds the potential for success or failure. For example, when we invest, we also risk losing money; when we love, we also risk being rejected, when we compete with someone, we also risk failure.

All risks are considered too dangerous and scary.  But taking a risk in life is all about growth, and to grow we need to venture into the unknown courageously. Even if the expected outcome is not achieved, the long term consequences of that risk-taking act can be positive because we become more resilient and capable to deal with natural risks more easily.

What matters in chosen risks is whether they are well calculated ones or not. The US General George S. Patton once said, “Take calculated risks. That is quite different from being rash.”  A calculated risk is one that has been given thoughtful consideration and for which the potential costs and benefits have been weighted and considered.   Calculated risks make us  confident that we have full control of our  action. As a result, we do not experience fear at the thought of the unknown.

Life offers us abundance of possibilities. The moment we settle for our comfort zones, we merely exist without experiencing real happiness and success.The moment we take calculated risks, you may have a hundredfold returns! BE A RISK TAKER AND ACHIEVE EVEN WHAT WE FELT IMPOSSIBLE

The kind of people that every team needs is the people who are humble, hungry , honest , and people of integrity . Great teams have great teammates. The elements to being a great teammate, are core values , knowing your role , a good communicator, and positive attitude.here are some of the qualities every great teammate should posses .

WORK HARD –put your  best you can for the success of your team . Don’t focus on the outcome or results. Every moment be your best for yourself and your team.EFFORT – it takes time and energy to be a great teammate. Your team doesn’t care if you are a super star. They care if you are a super teammate. When you put forth the effort to help others the team will improve.BELIEVE – believe in yourself. Believe in your team. Believe in what you can do together. When you believe in your team members their confidence and performance will rise.ENCOURAGE – we don’t give up because it’s hard. We often give up because we get discouraged. Your team members need encouragement. Encourage them. Speak life into them. We all need encouragement and when you encourage your team members you share the positivity they need to keep moving forward.FRIEND – is defined as a person who has a strong liking for and trust in another person: a person who helps or supports someone else. Being a friend to your team members means you support and help them. You let them know that you are there for them.OPTIMISM – no matter what challenges you are facing believe the best is yet to come. Don’t focus on your set backs and challenges. Learn from them and know that your vision and optimism are greater than your circumstances. See a positive future and work with your team to create it.RESPECT – not everyone on your team is like you. It’s important to respect your team members for who they are and the contribution they make.ENERGY – you can give it or take it. Be a giver and fuel yourself and your team with positive energy.MOTIVATE – one of the most rewarding parts about being on a team is the opportunity to raise other people up and to experience being raised up yourself. When you motivate your team members and they motivate you anything seems possible. Teams full of energy who motivate each other become a powerful force.ENTHUSIASM – it’s contagious just like optimism and belief. When you are enthusiastic you lift up yourself and your team. Share your enthusiasm today.

Always remember” alone we can do so little ,together we can do much “ , said Helen Keller . It is important that teammates don’t separate from the group and follow their own guidelines for what they think is the best. Instead, every teammate is expected to work towards the success of the team as a whole . Teamwork is the ability to work together towards a common vision, the ability to direct individual accomplishments towards organizational objectives and the goals. Working together common individuals can achieve uncommon results and make  all the difference . ALWAYS BE A GREAT TEAMMATE.

ASHOK MAHAJAN

Everybody wishes to achieve things they like in life . Setting goals and achieving them not only gets things done, but it also builds self esteem, happiness and develops confidence. This is more likely to happen if our goals are realistic. Realistic goals are also more motivating than those that set the bar too high.If asked who achieves most in life , most of the people might think like whoever can list the most goals win . All they are doing is expressing the things they want but unfortunately they may never get there . Why do the goals remain just goals, and ambitions collect dust in our attic? Goals are the forces that keep us motivated and help us measure our success. They help us get through the tough time and help us remember what we are working for. When setting goals, it’s very important to consider whether or not they have reasonable chance of being achieved. If a goal has an extremely slim chance of being achieved , it can have more harm than good.We all have been told that we should set goals, and we assume that we can – but most of us have never been taught how to set goals effectively so that they are realistic and achievable. We always think we can do more than we really can . The result is that when we bite off more than we can chew , either we are sure to choke on our food, or we will suffer from indigestion. When we set too many unrealistic goals , we might find them too overwhelming and time consuming and thus we are inclined to give up.It is always better to break down our goals into small and tangible realistic goals , set against reasonable time frames . Oftentimes, we will achieve our bigger goals if we work on achieving the smaller goals leading to the bigger ones. Setting realistic goals help us overcome tough times because we can see that our efforts are part of a much bigger picture.Therefore, when setting goals, we need to ask ourselves if they are suiting our situations and aptitudes and if the answer is “ YES” then we are on the right track.Always remember “ Most impossible goals can be met simply by breaking them down into bite size chunks, writing them down , believing them and then going full speed as if they were routine “.Many give up their efforts when they have almost reached the goals , while others, on the contrary, obtain a victory by exerting, at the last moment, more vigorous efforts than before. Let’s be the victor and not the loser. Let our goals be just out of reach , but not out of sight

.Ashok Mahajan

History is full of inspiring tales of great individuals who could not have achieved  big things in life if it were not for the sincere and constant appreciation they received from others. Human beings have the innate need and desire to be appreciated and accepted. Thus , a simple gesture or word of appreciation serves as a whiff of fresh air to a discouraged individual and lights up his/her life.The most important aspect of appreciation is that it helps both the giver and the receiver to come out of the daily boring and routine work of life and feel lightened. Genuine appreciation enriches both the parties concerned since when the person appreciates someone or something he/she unconsciously endorses the good content there and is open to accepting the positive element in himself/herself. Perhaps that’s why someone has said “ I spoke one little word of praise and sunshine fell on both our ways.” Always remember when you offer someone a sincere compliment or appreciation or even words of encouragement or just a smile, you are making the world of that individual a better place . You are making him/ her feel appreciated and valuable.In order to give unconditional positive regards to others one should  be appreciative of oneself and should have the ability to see the positive elements in the most negative situations. Often the simplest and the most practical way to express appreciation is to look for the good around oneself. When we realize our own need for appreciation, why should we shy away from extending it to those who really deserve it ? When we look for positivity around us and appreciate the good in people we can help them to achieve greatness in their lives .Rotary leadership should remember that Rotarians will do much more for recognition or appreciation , they will work harder and do more if they know they will be recognized for their accomplishment . Show them you care  and they will be loyal to you and the organization.“ LETS BE GRATEFUL TO THOSE WHO MAKE US HAPPY, THEY ARE THE CHARMING GARDENERS WHO MAKE OUR SOUL BLOSSOM “.

Unfortunately, the world is filled with far too many unfinished projects, unrealized goals, broken dreams, half written books, untapped potential and wounded hearts pierced by the words of a naysayer.

I know this well because early on I thought of starting my business and asked a person whom I respected very much and was also in a business. He told me that it was not my cup of tea as I had no experience of the problems faced in business, that I would never make it and should do something else. He was actually right about one thing. I had no experience. But he didn’t share my vision for the future. He didn’t know how hard I would work to improve and grow. He couldn’t see the plan God had for me. The naysayer was focused on what I was, not what I was becoming. Thankfully I didn’t let the naysayer stop me and hopefully you won’t let naysayers stop you.

In this spirit I want to share 10 Ways to Deal with Naysayers to help you create your future.

1. Ignore them – Simply ignore what they say. Of course, you want to receive feedback that will make you better but you want to ignore people and words that seek to derail you from your goal.

2. Hear them and know their words have no power over you – This is what I did with the man who said I would never make it. I heard the words but knew they had no power over me. The power inside you is much greater than the words of a naysayer.

3. Remember Gandhi’s advice “I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet.” – Have faith in the power inside you to overcome the negativity in the world . Don’t allow the opinion of others define you or your destiny.

4. Remind yourself that history doesn’t remember the critic. History remembers the one who withstood criticism to accomplish something great. – In order to achieve your goal you will have to overcome negativity, adversity and naysayers. While the naysayer says words few will remember, you will leave a legacy many won’t forget.

5. Your faith and belief must be greater than all the negativity and doubt – Your positivity must be greater than all the negativity. It may sound cliché but you must stay positive each day as you work to improve and create your future.

6. Don’t let anyone walk through your mind with their DIRTY TWEET – This is a great spin on the Gandhi quote because with social media you will have more fans and critics than ever. Don’t let praise go to your head or let critics in your head.

7. Decide to work harder and get better. – We can allow negative comments to weaken us or fuel us. Don’t try to prove people wrong. But keep working hard to become the best you can be. So consider each negative comment as a nudge to work harder and get better. You can’t control what people say but you can control the actions you take to improve .

8. Eject the naysayer from your life (if you can) . Generally naysayers serve as a shroud over life’s possibilities, so spending too much time with them is only going to limit your own potential.

9. Evaluate the naysayers ‘s background. One thing I look at before I consider anyone ‘s words is how the person is doing in his/her own life. Is this person’s life the kind of life I want to have for myself? Does this person has knowledge and expertise in what he/she is commenting on ? If the answer is No , then I will discount what he/she says.

10. Ignore them — Tune out . If you have evaluated the words of naysayers and concluded that these are not relevant to your goals , then simply tune out. Just because they something, does not mean you have to take what they say .
Your goals are too precious to let other people taint them. Protect them. Don’t give naysayers the opportunity to damage your dreams by not even raising the topic in the first place.

Your goals are too precious to let other people taint them. Protect them. Don’t give naysayers the opportunity to damage your dreams by not even raising the topic in the first place.

Common sense is the knack of seeing things as they are , and doing things as they ought to be done .One of the problems with the present generation I find is that lot many people depend on bookish learning and fail to use their common sense ! That often makes life farcical and even tragic.Common sense is sound and prudent judgement which is based on simple perception of the situation or the facts . Common sense is with every one but the degree to which it is put in practice varies from person to person.people who use it maximum are content in various life situations and they make their lives and careers they want and deserve, whereas others find themselves in miserable situations and they become constant fault – finders.To make a common-sensical living you have to do two things : First of all people with common sense take time to THINK for themselves. This thinking approach opens their eyes to the possibility of seeing the bigger picture in every situation. Secondly it is only when you begin to OBSERVE what is going around you , you pay attention to the obvious, because common sense means paying attention to the obvious.Being intellectual and smart is certainly an asset, but using common sense on a consistent and continuous basis is far more essential for your success. Therefore, begin to use your common sense to reap amazing results in your life .Always remember “COMMON SENSE IS AN UNCOMMON DEGREE WHAT THE WORLD CALLS WISDOM.” 

Albert Einstein while paying tributes to Mahatma Gandhi said, “Generations to come will scare believe that such a man ever tread the earth.” People who have had the opportunity to interact with Gandhi remember his words – “Be the change you want to see in this world.”

When Gandhi spoke to the millions of his fellow freedom fighters in India, he said, “I am asking you to believe, not in my ability to make change, but in yours.” These words stirred up the passion to struggle for freedom in the hearts of the rich and poor alike throughout the country and people did not mind bearing the brutal attacks of the British soldiers. Gandhi’s vision of freedom was democracy, which begins not with the government or with the political parties or with any one politician, but within each one of us.

This is the same belief that Rotary International has with its 1.2 million members worldwide. Rotary evolved during the same period of India’s freedom movement as a working and living centre for citizens who wished to serve the community. Following Gandhi’s ideals, leaders of Rotary during in the 30’s and 40’s set a goal to develop the next generation of citizens. Rotary’s leaders asked each one the members to add their voice and their input in shaping the organisation, much like the collective wisdom which went into shaping the Constitution of India which imbibed the values of Gandhi.

Gandhi went to several parts of India making people part of the freedom movement. He spent years of listening, learning and experimenting to design the most effective way to inspire the people, empower them to change their country into a free nation and to drive out the occupying forces. The Satyagraha movement stands out as a powerful weapon and ultimately this concept of non-violence brought freedom.

Rotary in many ways has been doing constant research in finding out what are the best programmes to suit the needs of the community in different parts of the world. The setting up of The Rotary Foundation proved to be the ideal way to connect to the donors and those who needed help.

Gandhi taught us to put the needs of others above our own. This probably became the motto, Service Above Self, of Rotary International. Rotary believes that people, who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do. These words were inspired by Gandhi and Rotarians have nearly eradicated polio from the face of the world.

Gandhi lives through his work and mission in every village and city in India and has inspired many famous world leaders to adopt his philosophy. Rotary lives in over 120 countries and is touching the lives of millions of people to make this world a better place. Gandhi said, “In a gentle way, you can shake the world.” This call for peaceful interaction with the people is the fundamental philosophy of Rotary and its Peace initiatives around the world and the peace scholars who get trained in the concept of peace spread the message and help to resolve conflicts.

While celebrating the life of the great man on his 150th Anniversary, Rotarians who take up great challenges in shaping the community should remember his words, “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”

THIS IS HOW I WISH TO CELEBRATE MY LIFE
God’s gratuitous gift of life is granted at every awakening , and life of God within me is the greatest celebration which transforms me anew every day.
Accepting each moment of life happily , performing duties consciously , encouraging friends cordially , sharing their  joy and sorrow carefully  , offering my time and talents to those in need  smilingly  , enabling others to prosper lovingly , enjoying the benefits of all the new advancement in all walks of life gratefully , follow the motto of Service above Self willingly , be  Honest to all  sincerely , do Good in the World generously ,  be loyal to my family whole
heartedly ,God’s presence prayerfully amidst all happenings , my all the life becomes an unparalleled celebrations.

Our life’s biggest challenge is to let go . The only way to go beyond where we are in our life is to let go of the things, people, habits and beliefs that keep us where we are instead of where we want to be . We cannot discover new oceans unless we have the courage to lose the sight of the shore.We should not forget that as long as our hands are holding on tight to people and things we cannot be open to receive the beautiful gifts that life has to offer. Therefore we need to take stock of every single thing that holds us back and exchange those limitations for a life of limitless potentialities and possibilities , a life that is more personally and professionally fulfilling and rewarding.To achieve this , sometimes we simply have TO LET GO .

Dear Co-travelers , 

Peace is so elusive that people make it unattainable and stop making any efforts to promote Peace. Rotarians believe in the strength of some individuals who crave peace and are ready to work for Peace. What has happened in the past and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.

Commitment is an average Rotarian’s wealth and if we are unable to do what we wish, we can not do what we can. The more we commit ourselves for promotion of Peace, the more we can do and the more committed we are, the more leisure we have to plan our dreams. Our efforts may not always bring happiness but there is no happiness without efforts.

Peace is promoted by a tranquil mind and tranquil atmosphere. There can be no tranquility in any life if there is a constant struggle to maintain health, to have enough to eat and be competent to earn a living. Therefore, health, poverty, illiteracy, and many such problems pose an impediment to Peace.

There is every reason to argue that we are but a few and our voices, our efforts, our commitments are like a lone voice in wilderness. The fact of the matter is that all successful Peace efforts have been initially through individual actions. “Nothing ventured – Nothing Gained” and “if you don’t succeed at first, try and try again.  ” – project the philosophy of success. There are any number of instances where repeated failures did not deter committed people to try and try again and again till success come their way. Abraham Lincoln, Albert Sehwiter, Graham Bell are just a few name s whose success stories were built on initial failures.

Rotary Clubs are often afraid to venture into new areas of service because of a fear of failure. As proven leaders of Rotary, you can, promulgate the idea of trying to serve again and again, without fearing failure. As a respected leader of your Rotary Club, you have an added responsibility of invigorating the Club members and making them Dream of a peaceful community and helping them realize these dreams.

Your strength is the strength of Rotary. Your commitment can be contagious. Let us all prove that nothing is impossible if we try and try. Let us all work to achieve PEACE THROUGH SERVICE

Relationship makes life meaningful and enriching. No one is ever happy and satisfied living all alone , sharing once talents with none and without having any social concern. Living in and as a part of family and society , everyone experiences love , care , concern and forgiveness. These experiences keep us going in spite of all the understandings and differences that personal inclinations and interests bring along .A rational beings humans are not confined to a particular family, class or society. He/she belongs to the whole universe, to the cosmos. Hence , human beings are obliged to extend care , love and concern not merely to those who are close to them and those from whom they benefit but to the entire universe resonates the joy that one feels in his/her heart.Rotary teaches us that everyone  and everything deserves our care , because they are precious and beautiful in a unique and particular way. Care is the attitude of unconditional benevolence and respect irrespective of all distinctions. Only such an attitude of care and reverence can make life truly significant and meaningful.Always  remember, people who care about each other enjoy doing things for one another. They don’t consider it servitude. Let our care be to promote justice. 

Successful people maintain a positive focus in no matter what is going on around them. They stay focused on their past successes rather than their past failures. They   plan the next action steps they need to take to get them closer to the fulfillment of their goals.

A man had a problem with failing memory. His doctor informed him that the only way to improve his memory was to lose his eyesight, and that he should make his choice at his earliest.

The man thought for a while and said “ Don’t take away my sight. I would rather prefer to see where I am going than remembering where I have been”.

A clear vision of one’s life goals and the determination to achieve them differentiate a great life from a mediocre one. The absence of specific goals in life leads one to confusion. Without definite goals in life human beings are like rudderless ships.

Many people do not reach their goals as they find the path difficult as they are not used to inconvenience. They give up easily because they want everything to be easy, This is how their dreams die , and the goals remain out of reach . Gradually, life becomes routine without depth and meaning .

One needs to remember; in order to win the war many battles are to be fought and won . Our biggest enemy is within ourself , namely, laziness, fear, doubt and indecision.

“One way to keep momentum going is to have constantly greater goals.” “If you aim for nothing, you’ll hit it every time.” “It’s important to set your own goals and work hard to achieve them.” “You should set goals beyond your reach so you always have something to live for.

In order to taste success and happiness in life you must clearly define your goals and work towards the achievement of the same. You must visualise what you want to achieve in life and then commit yourself to achieving it.

It is said “ you must know the harbour to which you are headed if you are to catch the winds to take you there .”

Keep Blooming…

Have you ever observed a weed that grows in the corner of your courtyard?  You may smash or chop it off, or even pull it out, but to your surprise, a few days later it is back.  The reason is that the weed adapts to wherever it is.  Unlike us, human beings, it blooms without reference to the myriad other possibilities.

Too often we get caught up in thinking that ‘we’d be happier if we…’ and the list of ‘ifs’ goes on.  Our perception of the grass being greener on the other side of the fence keeps us dissatisfied with life, and this in turn makes our life miserable.  Life is worthwhile and meaningful only when we like a rose, bloom in the given situation without lamenting the past or standing on carefully to try to foresee the unknown future.

We know that diverse situations whether at home or in the world around, invariably present us with conflicting demands and at times generate turmoil beyond our level of endurance. What we need is to develop the ability to see beyond ‘this too shall pass’ and try to remedy some of those situations. Once we wither, even a better situation cannot revive us.  As someone put it so beautifully, “Cross the river, even if it’s stormy on this side. Do not keep crying or cursing. The river will flow away.  Life will go on and you will be left behind.”

We need to be at our best wherever we are, and not just where we want to be. Remember, each of us blooms in our sweet time and the soil of our choice nurtures our growth.

Get set to bloom in all kinds of situations!

Strength comes from struggle . When you learn to see your struggles as opportunities to become stronger, better, wiser, then your thinking shifts from ‘I can’t do this ‘ to ‘I must do this’. If you are striving to get better, then you are always growing . And to have continuous growth you have no option than to keep on putting extra efforts . You can never remain comfortable to get your achievements better than the best . You have to be willing to be uncomfortable and embrace it as part of your growth process. Those who have will and desire to perform better than the best always achieve by seeing where there is room for improvement and their humility and passion drives them to improve. The a average ones however, don’t see it or don’t want to see it . You must remember the fact that past success does not determine future success . Future success is the result of how you work, prepare, practice and strive to improve every day . It is nothing but a commitment that the best of the best make every week, every day , every hour and every moment. You must force yourself to be uncomfortable.

Membership Growth promotes the concept of new hands, new brains, new commitments and new faiths. Once Rotary grows in number, it will also grow in contributions, commitment and compassion. It is the duty of the Club leadership to expose new member to the arena of Service and the battleground where Rotary “fights” for Peace.

BE A SUPER HERO:
NO UNIFORM REQUIRED
When Superman takes off his Superman outfit we find that he is also like us . But all the same in the eyes of everyone he still remains a Superman. It just makes no difference what clothes he wears . He still remains the Superman on the inside. His strength comes not from the uniform he wears but from the power within.

The same goes for you and me. Our power does not come from our education, career, status, circumstance, fame or label people give us . Our power comes from our heart, soul, spirit, passion and love that exists inside us and we are more powerful than what we think.

We are not just human. We are super human.

If we don’t feel powerful it’s because we have come to believe the illusion and lie that outside circumstances have power over us . We have just forgotten the truth that we create our world from the inside-out.

We never realize the power we possess. It’s as if we have been given the power of superman or wonder woman but are living the life of an ordinary human .

But deep down we know the truth. It’s why these words resonate with us . It’s why many of us love super hero movies. We know we were made for more and there is more within us.

We all have been given super human power and we are meant to use it. Not just to create our life but also to help others.

Like all super heroes we have been given the greatest power in the universe. The power to make a difference in the life of another human being. You were made with a super power to empower others.

You need not wear special suit, a title or a super hero name. We just need to tap into the love, spirit, passion, soul and purpose inside us to create our life and a better world today.

Rotary believes that when we uplift and support people, especially those in dire need of assistance, everyone benefits. But it is not just a belief; it’s what we seek to do every day.

Our Rotarian brothers and sisters in Some part of Maharastra , Kerala , Karnataka and Gujarat are working alongside their communities to rehabilitate lakhs of people who were left to fend for themselves after the deluge that struck the beautiful State. These Rotarians and other volunteers are striving day and night to solve important problems the public is facing right now in creative and powerful ways.

Most of the Rotarians have had hands-on training on how to solve problems relating to relief and rehabilitation due to their long association with Rotary and handling many projects. Our powerful network is capable of equipping the volunteers to face any challenge, especially when it comes to saving children, women, men and aged people.

The floodgates of goodwill have opened. But what is required now is the flow of more money to protect the lives of hapless people in Kerala. The trickle of donations which is coming in for the past few day to our District Welfare Fund is an indication that you are willing and ready to help, but that should be transformed into flood of donations to do some meaningful work on ground.

Ground reports which we are receiving through various channels show that houses of the poor need to be repaired or reconstructed with basic facility immediately. When the children go back to schools, we have to have some safe shelter there to impart education to them.

An ordinary mundane life goes from womb to tomb. But a Rotarian’s life is a life of awareness. We Rotarians are normal people, but what we do is not. When we can save millions of children across the globe from polio, saving our own countrymen in our own beautiful Kerala is not difficult. Your immediate generous contribution will make things happen. You can and You should.

EACH ONE- TEACH ONE

Literacy is Empowerment – being educated and literate empowers an individual in making choices for their own and their families’ happiness, and in being productive citizens of the world. Education in our minds has evolved from the 3Rs (Reading, wRiting and aRithmetic) to the 3Es (Education, Employment and Empowerment) .
Rotary in India has taken up a litera­cy drive all over the country. Rotary in India is arranging to train teachers even in the remote places through its network of over 3600 Rotary Clubs which can be even in the remote corners of the villages of India to educate the people, irrespective of their age or profession.

The programme of education has taken a bold step, and the results are encouraging. The students and the educated youth are also encouraged to come forward to join the literacy drive .

Rotary Clubs put their efforts to see that Classes can are held in a primary school or in any other suitable place that is available in the area chosen for literacy movement. Teaching can be arranged in the morning or in the evening.

The students may be peasants, mill workers, or traders, the poor or the rich. The efforts are made to see that Education is free and vol­untary. The students are supplied with the books, and taught first how to read them, and then, how to write the scripts, imitating the printed letters in the books.

The program has received tremendous response and shown great interest in adult education, apart from the education of the young ones.

The percentage of literate persons in India has considerably increased in comparison with the figures of the earlier years. It is found that in the villages, the young and the old men and women assemble and sit together to take lessons from the teachers who have been specially trained and appointed for the purpose of teaching the illiterate mass.

The Rotaract Clubs are encouraged and motivated to come forward voluntarily to actively participate in this noble literacy drive and make this country free from the curse of illiteracy.

Total literacy in India is the dream of Rotary and of course with the support of many other organisations in this field Rotary is hopeful of achieving this goal . Needless to say the Government of India and various state Governments are very actively involved in making India fully literate.

HONESTY AND  INTEGRITY

The high road is always respected. Honesty and integrity are always rewarded. When you are able to maintain your own highest standards of integrity – regardless of what others may do – you are destined for greatness. Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.Rotary claims to stand upright for HONESTY. Do we? It is ironic that in the age of great advances, we are travelling the other way as far as ETHICS are concerned. No development can survive if HONESTY starts disappearing. Rotary works for PEACE and PEACE is at stake as we tend to overlook HONESTY. Why is it so difficult? Because HONESTY begins with us.ETHICS depend on us. Individuals can only promise ETHICS. There is no path to HONESTY. HONESTY is the path.

Life is surrounded with happiness-stealers that put most of us in a roller coaster ride of emotional highs and lows. Most of us live our lives in circles of gloom and doom. It is only through inner peace we can gain the joy of living and face every challenge of life .Inner peace refers to a state of being mentally , physically and spiritually at peace with enough knowledge and understanding to keep oneself strong in the face of discord or stress. Being at peace is considered by many to be healthy and the opposite being stressed or anxious. It is a sense of stability and contentment which carries us through all the trials of life . Inner peace is the ability to handle ourselves and our life situations with serenity, acceptance and creativity.It is a delusion to think that inner peace is the byproduct of perfect moments and circumstances. Inner peace is always attained from within, and not from any external sources . It depends on our positive mindset towards what ever happens to us and how content we are with whatever life offers.Inner peace does not happen overnight. It is attained through a gradual process as we learn to take full control of our mind . Meditation, outward thinking, helping the needy, emotional detachment are some of the issues to keep our mindset free of negativities.The life of inner peace, being harmonious and without stress. It is the easiest type of existence. Never be in a hurry, do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset. Inner peace can be reached only when we practice forgiveness. Forgiveness is letting go of the past and is therefore the means for correcting our misperceptions .“ Do not let the behavior of others destroy your Inner Peace “ says Dalai Lama

Many a time when we look at the achievements of great people like Narendra Modi , Abdul Kalam , Warren Buffett , Sachin Tendulkar , Amitabh Bachchan we realize that we aspire to more than what we have ever considered possible with us because we are inspired by the success stories of such great people. We might then possibly pose a question to ourselves, “How would I possibly do this, achieve this goal or arrive at this position “? Chances are that we would come up with a list of obstacles, barriers and excuses that prevent us from getting what we say we want .When these obstacles and troubles seem insurmountable, we might consider adjusting our goals . We tend to believe that those great individuals achieved such great heights because they were more talented than people like us , or they were more fortunate than what we are or they had all the resources to get there. We might then reconsider our goals and set ourselves goals that are easier to achieve. But seldom we considered the possibility of taking a different route or adopting a different strategy.Whether the goal is to lose weight, get to the top position in any organization, be an outstanding sportsman or may be a great scientist, there is certainly more than one way of doing it . If we are ready to understand this truth and look critically at where and why we have failed, I am sure it will make a difference. And that gradually will enable us to adjust the steps we take to reach the goals we have set for ourselves.Always remember if you want to achieve greatness in any field stop asking for permission. And to live creative life we must lose our fear of being wrong. The simple formula of achieving greatness is “ Dream it , Believe it and Achieve it”

We often talk about peace – it is one of the most important topics of world discussions today. Peace between nations, peace in our societies, peace in our families, peace within ourselves. Though we spend much of  our resources each year on think-tanks, brainstorming sessions and international conferences, yet  this much-desired peace continues to elude us.We may spend much of our resources on building big structures in our cities, but if we are at war with another country, they will bomb that structure to ashes in a second. We can spend much of our resources in building beautiful homes, but if our neighborhood is violent, our windows will be smashed . We can work hard and successfully at our jobs, but if we come home to turmoil in the house, there is no joy in the success obtained at work that day, for there is no one with whom to share.We can devote ourselves to obtaining high education, top credentials and a beautiful figure. However, if we are miserable inside, no outer achievement will ever pacify us.Rotary works for peace or so to say it’s our ultimate goal to establish world peace. Every program of Rotary takes us a step near world peace. The root to success in life on all levels – personal, familial, societal, national and international – is first and foremost to be in peace. But how to attain peace? What is the secret to finding this elusive treasure?Our ego is the greatest obstacles to peace .  Our ego wants us to be in the centre of every activity.  We always want to be the ones getting the glory, the appreciation, and the prestige. Even when we don’t do anything, we still want to be appreciated. This is our downfall.Living in the world today, it is nearly impossible to completely remove the sense of ego . Since service above self is our motto let this ego become a bridge in the service of the world. Let every Rotary member be a bridge, let Rotarians bridge , let every Rotarian stand smaller than others instead of always trying to stand tallest, let us put others in the center instead of ourselves. Then we will stand united and peaceful.”Let’s work together and establish peace all around that will be our biggest gift to the world.

Peace appears to be an elusive goal and often one feels that total universal peace is a dream that cannot be realized. Perhaps this is true – but it does not mean that we should not take steps to increase the chances of peace.

When the basic needs of human beings are not fulfilled and when just staying alive are a herculean task, there can be no better way to promote peaceful existence than to ameliorate some of the problems.

Rotary comes into the picture through its varied programmes to promote peace. One of the most important and effective way Rotary can promote peace is to promote, practice and participate in service to the communities that are denied many of the basic needs of life. Yes, Peace Scholars, Youth Exchange and other programmes aim directly at promotion of Peace. However, at the grass root level, Rotary has to concentrate on improving the quality of life of millions of citizens.

If there is one important thing that Rotary teaches you, it is action. And when action (service) is enjoyed, it is fun. When there is fun, there is an increased desire to excel. Service multiplies when there is fun doing that service.

For everything that Rotary is – creator, pioneer, humanitarian genius and even a messiah, it remains an adaptable inventor, ready to mould into whatever s necessary to render effective service.

When communities feel safer, happier, wealthier and healthier, they will give time to think about peace. Nobody wants conflicts. Everybody wants to live a life that is productive, happy and useful. Rotary gives that opportunity to millions of communities worldwide to enjoy basic needs so that they can then, think about others. Rotary through service promotes Peace – and service is our strongest weapon to fight for Peace.

It is said that what lies before us or what lies behind us are tiny insignificant matters compared to what lies within us. What lies within us is character. When wealth is lost, nothing is lost. When health is lost, something is lost but when character is lost everything is lost.

Good character is not formed in a week or month. It takes years, probably from childhood. But what has taken so much time to build is lost in a second due to the indiscretion of people who forget that they have to regulate their actions themselves. What has rocked our organisation time and again are issues relating to fudging of contributions, accounting and such money related issues. The perpetrators of the crime have been identified time and again and have managed to get off with some light penalties or admonishments.

However, some recent events which made news for all the wrong that members did has shaken the very foundation of why we chose to admit them. The abuse of our programmes by harassing the visitors, lewd comments bordering on exploitation of women and some such news involving some individuals has startled the leaders.

We have, as an organisation, been promoting the concept that members must know the difference between right and wrong and always do the right things for the right reasons. It is obligatory that each one of us develop a self-regulatory mechanism within us which will apply the brakes when the mind tries to go off-track. Your character is defined by what you do when you think that no one is looking. It is the character of our members that catches the attention of others in the society and remember God is also impressed only by our character.

It is said that bad company corrupts good character and for this reason, those who willfully break the laws of our organisation or the country for their own gain, must be jettisoned from the clubs.

There is a widespread demand among public to name and shame willful defaulters of banks who have swindled public money.The recent happenings in the county where such people have been exposed and even prevented from leaving the country are making news. This, in a way, has put a sense of fear in the hearts of those who think that they can do anything and still present and noble picture of themselves. Such a mechanism is more needed in our organisation which is purely built only for those with character and good reputation in the public.

Be a member with character and a mechanism for self-regulation. Your good character is not always felt, but its absence will make you a disgrace in the society.

Ashok Mahajan

 ‘Believe it or not, there is only a little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. That little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative. Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life.

Your life is a reflection of your attitudes.  They decide the size of your dreams and influence your willpower when you are faced with new challenges. Sensing no rays of hope, the soldier cries out, ‘Sir, we are surrounded by enemies on all sides.”  To which the Major responds, “Excellent!  We can now attack in any direction!”  It is not what happens to you that count, but how you react to what happens to you. Here rests your attitude!

Your attitude is the one solitary thing over which you have total control. People and things may influence your attitudes; but you are the one wearing those attitudes like a suit of clothes.   Ultimately, you alone decide what meaning you are going to give the events that occur in your life.

Do you consciously choose your attitude each day?  Most people tend to let their circumstances choose their attitude for them.  As a result, they run the risk of developing negative attitudes because situations don’t always adhere to their expectations.   Make an effort to focus on developing a stronger awareness of our attitude moments by moment in your daily experiences, and begin choosing a more positive one more often.  If practiced, you will experience remarkable changes in your life!

something which cannot be bought or measured with money, that is sincerity and integrity. … Sincerity makes the very least person to be of more value than the most talented hypocrite.Sincerity does not and cannot substitute for truth. Sincerity makes the very least person to be of more value than the most talented hypocrite.Sincerity is an expensive gift. In what we speak or do in our lives is a great personal value which has its influence on the society. Persons of integrity and sincerity find acceptance and command respect. But, it would not be an exaggeration to say that persons of integrity are rare today.Honesty and sincerity do not have much market value today. In fact, persons of honesty and uprightness fail to thrive in today’s world.The remedy begins when one is courageous enough to see the truth about oneself.One should be willing to admit one’s failures rather than finding justification for one’s bad behaviour. Secondly, one’s life should be rooted in values. Thirdly, sincerity can be practiced by obeying the dictates of one’s conscience. Finally, remember that we cannot hide our actual self for too long because people perceive both parts of our communication- what the thinking part says and our inner feelings.”It doesn’t matter what you believe just so long as you’re sincere.” Says Charles Schulz ASHOK MAHAJAN

C V Raman had built the Raman Research Institute In 1949 . Several applicants were interviewed for the post of Scientific Assistant. After the interviews were over , Raman found one applicant (who was found unsuitable for the post) still waiting outside the interview room . Raman approached him and asked sharply, “what are you doing here ? I told you , we cannot take you in . Why do you linger here?”“ Sir , I know that , but I have come back to return the excess traveling allowance paid to me by mistake by your office,” the applicant stuttered. “ Oh is it ?” said Raman, surprised, keeping his hand on the applicant ‘s shoulder, and taking him to his office. “ Come In , you have just been selected for the post ! It matters not if your physics is inadequate. I can teach you that . You’re a man of CHARACTER. That’s more important to me .”

Whether aware or not , when you were a child, you had your own unique songs to sing – your individuality. You never thought whether the songs you sung were soft or hard , low or loud , fast or slow , and You never bothered whether people around you liked those songs . But as you grew older the songs you liked most got silenced and you became a bit conscious and learnt to sing the songs of others . As a result you lost your individuality and adopted to live life influenced by others that developed frustration and you became desperate in life .

Human beings are highly prone to social conditioning. Hundreds and thousands of messages make you feel how you are ought to be . But always remember being who you are is one of the most natural thing in life . To suppress it , due to fear , pressure or lack of confidence always leads to trouble. The only question that really matters in life is ‘ Am I living in a way which is deeply satisfying to me and which truly expresses me ?’

Always remember your unique individuality is the most precious possession in your life . Know that you will be a person of mediocrities if you simply use others as a model and follow the crowd. You must learn to break free from the ‘usual and used’ mould and not allow the negative vibes of any one to stand on your way of developing, promoting and living your own individuality.

The late great American Basketball player, John Wooden says “Be more concerned with your Character than your reputation, because your Character is what you really are , while your reputation is merely what others think of you “.

Today people are learning new and varied ways of forming their identity. The idea of one’s self begins to change depending on the society in which one lives . Instead of defining the self through the possession of virtues , material possessions have become the new means of defining the self .

Your reputation may not lead you to success but Character will . Very rightly someone has said – Wealth is not power, Strength is not power, Knowledge is not power, Ability is not power, But Character is power. You may have money, position and power, but if you do not have good Character, you will be just one among many ,But if you are a person of good Character, you will be considered successful. Hence the formation of good Character is the classic example of life .

Authenticity is everything! You have to wake up every day and look the mirror, and you want to be proud of the person who’s looking back at you. And you can only do that if you’re being honest with yourself and being a person of high character. You have an opportunity every single day to write that story of your life.

When people say , he/she has Character, what they mean is that he/she has good Character. There are many factors that shape or influence your Character . But the greatest influence on your Character is the way you respond to the circumstances, events and persons in you life. In fact your Character begins to be formed from the very moment you are born and is largely influenced by the ambiance of the place where you grow up , and by the way you are brought up .

Remember that you are being moulded every moment of your life .These men and women of undisputable virtues need a vehicle to spread their assets-locally or even globally .

Compassion, honesty, truth and ethics have to be disseminated far and wide . Rotary provides us unique opportunity to send signals all around us to promote all that we desire and all that the world deserves .

So what is your main concern? Your Character formation or your reputation? Are you ready to do your part to be a man or woman of good Character?

The bottom line is , what matters in life is Character .

some people who choose the way in which they wish to live and adhere by that in any circumstance. Such people may encounter many defeats, but they are never defeated. They know who they are and what they can raise from. Their mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive and to do so with ethics in the way they handle every day.

It was this philosophy which made Rotarian Herbert J Taylor to frame the 4 Way Test in 1932. Every Rotarian knows the 4 Way Test. People understand that the test is important to maintain harmony and peace within themselves and in the community. If you lead a life without following the 4 Way Test, it will become like a tree without blossom and fruit.

No man is an island. We are all walking each other home. The 4 Way Test is probably the best guide to take you along the long path which is from your head to your heart. Following the test is like planting a garden- you believe in tomorrow. The 4 Way Test makes you a complete person, good in all aspects. Remember, no person was ever honoured for what they received, but for how they lived.

Ashok Mahajan

There is a growing awareness all over the world that we are facing an ecological crisis.  The  manifestations of this crisis are many and varied: toxic waste from factories and polluting emissions from vehicles have made our air unfit to breathe. Drinking water has become scarce. Reckless felling of forests has contributed to global warming.

It is easy to identify the causes of the ecological crisis we are facing; the unbridled efforts for economic growth without regard for its natural and social costs, development and application of megatechnology which is often beyond all human control and the rapid growth of unabashed consumerism.

Human greed and selfishness, both individual and collective, as well as a singularly materialistic attitude towards nature lie at the root of the ecological crisis.

We do not have the luxury of choosing between economic development and ecological balance.  We need both. But pursuit of the former at the expense of the latter will be catastrophic.

Rotary places the environment high among its areas of service. Let us Rotarians spread the message that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living.” Let us ‘think globally and act locally’ to save our environment.

Safeguarding our  environment is a must. It is a debt we owe to our future generations.

International Women’s Day , falls on March 8th every year , highlights and celebrates womanhood. One aspect of womanhood is the freedom that every woman experiences , a freedom who’s creative, constructive and generative in nature. But given the condition of women all over the globe , we may be tempted to ask : are women really free ?

For centuries women have been striving for a dignified life in society where they would be treated as equals , where they would feel that they also do matter in the society. Any change in this field can be brought about only through true freedom. Freedom has two diamentions : external and internal.

External freedom, In the context of women’s liberation means the transformation of the attitudes and behavior patterns of men in such a way that they begin to regard and treat women as their equals in all aspects. That is , men need to be liberated from their oppressive and dominanting tendencies towards women. Internal freedom would mean that women who are victims of oppression and exploitation should be helped to evolve a right understanding of themselves, their dignity and their rights as well as a new attitude that will guide their behavior.

It is also helpful to note what Mrs Indira Gandhi has said “ To be liberated, women should feel free to be herself, not in rivalry to man , but in the context of her own capacity. Women should be more interested, more alive and more active in the affairs of society, not because they are women, but because they comprise half the human race. ‘However it is not fair to cry, “Women wake up ! ‘  Perhaps they never had a peaceful sleep. It would rather fitting to say “LET US ALL WAKE UP TO TRUE FREEDOM “.

Dear Rotary Friends 

Success is never an accident. It is always hard work , perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all , love of what you are doing or learning to do . Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did .

“The greatest error of a person is to think that he/she is weak by nature, evil by nature. Every person is divine and strong in his / her real nature. What are weak and evil are his or her habits , desires and thoughts but not himself “ says Ramana Maharishi .

Martin Luther King, a prolific writer of the century, in his book ‘The Measure of a Man’ speaks of three dimensions of any complete life: length, breadth and height.  The length of life is the push of life forward to achieve its personal ends and ambitions.  The breadth of life is the outward concern for the welfare of others.  The height of life is the upward search for the divine.

The month of March is very important from different angles.  Students Prepare themselves to face the annual examinations. Those who come out of colleges and other training institutes look for job.  The predominant mood of everyone is characterized by a determined desire to achieve in life, and to make life complete, and thus to be counted in the society.  Some will triumph and other fail. At this important juncture it is good to be reminded of the universal fact that man is made to live a ‘complete’ life. Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe it can achieve. The ladder of success is never crowded at the top.

It is easy to say “I can do it “ . But all those persevere don’t just say it — they do it . Anyone who wants to be successful in life has to control his mind, discipline himself in the hard way and make it a habit.  He has to direct all his energy towards the attainment of definite objectives.Pessimists scoffed scornfully when Henry Ford tried out his first crudely built automobile on the streets of Detroit. Many were sceptic about his success.  But Ford was so determined and preserving that he said to himself: “I will belt the earth with dependable motor cars”, and he did! We all have logical excuses for our failures, but we are all in possession of an intangible yet powerful master key that unlocks the doors of life’s bountiful success.  The key is a burning desire for definite objectives in life. It cost nothing to use the key except determination. If you do not use the key you have to pay a high price: Failure.  There is a reward of stupendous proportions to those who put the key to use. It is the satisfaction that comes to all who conquer self and force life to pay whatever is asked.

Ten years from now , you will be more disappointed by the things you did not do than by the ones you did . So throw off bowlines . Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sail . Explore. Dream . Discover.

I wish you best in your endeavour to live a successful and complete life.

Self-discovery is the starting point of every holistic and authentic living. ‘Know yourself’
is the central component of the philosophy of the Saints. How do you see yourself in your own eyes? Your answer shows forth who you are, what you are, what you can achieve and what you value.

Self-discovery is a lifetime search and commitment to oneself. It is an inner healing process of getting to know who you really are and not who you’ve been told you are. It is about knowing your every emotion and honouring every aspect of your being. “A true knowledge of ourselves is knowledge of our power,” asserts Mark Rutherford.

Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. Past Rotary International President Robert Barth gave message to the Rotarians world over in 1993-94 -“Believe in what you do and Do what you believe in .” If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it.

Sometimes people think they know you. They know a few facts about you, and they piece you together in a way that makes sense to them. And if you don’t know yourself very well, you might even believe that they are right. But the truth is, that isn’t you. That isn’t you at all.

To know who you are, you need to know who you are not. Therefore, letting go of the old descriptions and labels of who you thought you were, is very essential.

Be your own friend always. Because you are the only one whom you can constantly lean upon in every place and situation. You can support yourself even when nobody else will. Your self-discovery will pave the way for your self-esteem and self-reliance.

Don’t belittle yourself by trying to be like other people. Learning to discover and to live your potentials is a marathon race and not a sprint. Every attempt to discover yourself takes courage. No one can discover new oceans unless one has the courage to lose sight of the shore. Rotary gives you best platform to take up the job of your choice and see how well you can perform. Make use of this , accept the responsibility and put your best to deliver the results. This will make you know what potential you can rise and what inner strength you have .

Remember, you are the best at being you. By being yourself, you put something wonderful in the world that was not there before.

Therefore, discover the miracle called YOU!

How many of us stop for a while and reflect on own words and actions? Do we ever endeavour to know what we actually stand for, or understand what we believe? For the majority, the day gets over even before we realise it.

Why values are important? Our values form our thoughts, words and actions. Our values are important because they help us to grow and develop. The decisions we make are a reflection of our values and beliefs and they are always directed towards a specific purpose. Values are important because they connect us to a group of people. Values tell us – in a more abstract way than norms, how to behave if we want to be accepted, respected, and venerated by a social group.

The more we align our actions with a group’s set of values, the more popular we become in the group. We rise higher in a social hierarchy the better we implement its value hierarchy.

Regardless of our life experiences and influencers, we can choose the values that are most important to us, things we believe in and that define our character. Living in congruence with our values is the best way to become the person we want to be and to achieve the career and character we want and deserve.

We are heading for a topsy – turvy world where the majority engages in the hurly – burly of modern living, with values that have reached the dregs of the society. Values, once followed unquestioned as unwritten laws, today stand twisted and compromised to suit one’s needs and fancies.

It is the value that gives meaning and strength to a person’s character by occupying central place in one’s life. To embellish our behaviour with good qualities and to take a definite stand against all the dreadful forces of our times, we need values.

“Try not to become a man of success, but rather a man of values “says Albert Einstein. Most of us have our values ingrained in us. In the process of growing up, we are deluged with different sets of values from a variety of sources. It is essential that we evaluate our value system from time to time. A strong but flexible value system is what gives you the joy of feeling good. Compromising values would be degrading ones personality.

People will perceive your character by how you walk your talk. Many people who preach from the podium in various meetings do not carry conviction since those who hear the speech know that the person does not follow an iota of what he or she is preaching.

Our lives are to be used and thus to be lived as fully as possible, and truly it seems that we are never as alive as when we concern ourselves with other people. That is why an ethical behaviour is needed in whatever we do. If we lead a life where we ourselves feel ashamed one day about the way we lived with hatred, deceit and other dirty stuff we carried within ourselves our end will not be peaceful.

Regardless of what is going on around you, make the best of what is within your power, and take the rest as it occurs. You will find that what happens around you will not affect you since within yourself you have decided to be ethical and reflect that with sincerity.

Rotary believes very much in high ethical standards and all our actions are centered around the 4 Way Test. This 4 Way Test, given to us by Rotarian Herbert J Taylor in 1932 still guides our organisation and the 1.2 million members in what they think, say and do.

There are many people who choose to live in any way which suits them and the occasion. There are some people who choose the way in which they wish to live and adhere by that in any circumstance. Such people may encounter many defeats, but they are never defeated. They know who they are and what they can raise from. Their mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive and to do so with ethics in the way they handle every day. Every person who joins Rotary is inducted into this philosophy and if the organisation has been doing good in this world for over 113 years, it is because of our unshakable faith in ethics and high value.

It was this philosophy which made Rotarian Herbert J Taylor to frame the 4 Way Test in 1932. Every Rotarian knows the 4 Way Test. People understand that the test is important to maintain harmony and peace within themselves and in the community. If you lead a life without following the 4 Way Test, it will become like a tree without blossom and fruit. My advice to Rotarians is that they should practice this way of living in whatever they do

No man is an island. We are all walking each other home. The 4 Way Test is probably the best guide to take you along the long path which is from your head to your heart. Following the test is like planting a garden- you believe in tomorrow. The 4 Way Test makes you a complete person, good in all aspects. Remember, no person was ever honoured for what they received, but for how they lived.

You don’t teach ethics and values in the schools. You teach them at home and children learn by example. When your values are clear to you, making decisions become easier. Educating the children without ethics and values will only make them a clever devil. People who claim to be highly educated from famous institutions fail to understand that the aim of their education is knowledge, not of facts and figures but of values. If you have the right kind of people who have culture, ethics and high values around you, you can accomplish great things. 

At its simplest, ethics is a system of moral principles. They affect how people make decisions and lead their lives. Ethics is concerned with what is good for individuals and society and is also described as moral philosophy.

The purpose of ethics is to define acceptable human behavior through knowing the types of actions, its consequences and the limits of humans their actions, as well as their acceptability.

Basic human values refer to those values which are at the core of being human. The values which are considered basic inherent values in humans include truth, honesty, loyalty, love, peace, etc. because they bring out the fundamental goodness of human beings and society at large.

Acting in ways consistent with what society and individuals typically think are good values. Ethical behavior tends to be good for business and involves demonstrating respect for key moral principles that include honesty, fairness, equality, dignity, diversity and individual rights.

So the important factor here is the intention to be ethical. Being ethical is not the same as following the law. When men are pure, laws are useless; when men are corrupt, laws are broken.

An ethical society is one that values a commitment to do the right thing regardless of personal costs. It’s not an easy standard to live by but one worth pursuing. We the Rotary Leaders should try to follow this principle. 

ASHOK MAHAJAN

                                          SMILE  SERVE  SACRIFICE  SATISFY 

During most of my growing up years I have kicked around in business, I have kicked around in diplomacy and I have spent considerable amount of time in Rotary. The last twenty years of my life has been consumed by spreading awareness about Rotary. I can’t tell you how many homes and Rotary Clubs I have entered in the last twelve years where I am always confronted with the same scene – lack of awareness about Rotary.Awareness about Rotary is not just information about Rotary . When we say create awareness about Rotary it encompasses complete education about Rotary and the need to create awareness in the public about Rotary.  Any message has two branches- the originator of the message and the receiver of the message. The receiver, I find , is often limited to Rotarians.Today, the partnership of Rotary with the Government and the public has a very different face . The partnership is evolving into a critical vehicle for development . The challenges we face , as a planet, throughout the developing world, are enormous and none of us can address those problems alone .Rotary Clubs must recognize that developmental programmes can be enhanced only through innovative and catalytic partnership with the people in the community. For Rotary to grow, it should help support the sustainability of the community it serves. Rotary is no longer seen as doing service simply in local areas , but rather around the world. Rotarians should understand that if the communities they serve are not sustainable, neither is their club in that area.Traditionally charity work by the Rotary club is no longer enough. Rotary club’s efforts should be relevant to its core service activity. For Rotary, adding value to people ‘s life is the core activity. Without people we have no service projects. This means that we should take more effort to make our communities know about Rotary. Firstly, it is imperative that every Rotarian must be aware about Rotary ‘s programme and what is being done world over.The District Governors have a role to play in spreading awareness about Rotary amongst the clubs. Apart from the District Conference, suitable occasions can be found to educate members in small groups. The role of the Past District Governors and other senior leaders becames vital in spreading awareness . By and large every Club organises fellowship events and fireside meetings. This can be an ideal opportunity for the PDGs to speak to the members about how Rotary has evolved during the years and the changes that have taken place in the recent past in relation to The Rotary Foundation and other service opportunities. It is also important for the senior Rotary Leaders to talk about Rotary International ‘s worldwide presence in every meeting which is held to inaugurate a project or celebrate the competition of a global grant project. The general public who attend such meetings will remember much of what was said about Rotary and this creates good public image that Rotary needs .Public may not be able to recognize the Rotary wheel unless it is promoted with the same sanctity one would promote the logo of his/her company. Notwithstanding this , the public will be able to recognize  the faces of Rotarians who touched their lives . It will be disappointing to note that the beneficiary of Rotary ‘s programme is ignorant of Rotary.The population of the world is increasing and in developing countries such as India, the demand for more volunteers in Rotary is being felt. The membership will increase only when the community is aware of Rotary and the work being done . Rotary should become a household name and people who are willing to devote their time should be motivated to join the movement. This will happen when awareness is created and sustained throughout the year .There are moments of hope and optimism. Rotary International is one of those moments. MAKE ROTARY MORE VISIBLE .

“ GIVE A NEW LEASE OF LIFE AND SHOW ROTARY CARES AND SHARES “
Rotary is one force in the world with over 1.2 Million Rotarians spread over 200 countries in over 35,000 Rotary Clubs , that looks above and beyond creed , politics and race . It looks for the enduring values that make its members human. No one organization is better equipped than Rotary by history, experience, ideals , quality of service, motivation and organization. Every member of this organization is committed to the cause of service with Service Above Self as its Motto.

For Rotary, there are no insurmountable tasks when it comes to serving humanity, especially children in the society. This has been demonstrated by our concerted efforts in eradicating polio from the country.

Rotary, by partnering with great institutions in the past has been able to save hundreds of children with various cardiac disorders and other major health issues.

The Rotary movement present in more than 200 countries, is closer to people of various faiths and beliefs because it is more flexible, more flowing and it is not a religion. It has openings, doors and windows and fresh ideas can always reach the deepest core of the heart of a Rotarian.

Our life in Rotary is not taken as a work but as a service of love towards humanity. Doing good each moment is the goal. The journey is the goal and each moment we are able to bring peace in the life of people it is moment for celebration.

When Rotarians take up a massive programme in the health and education sectors, we are aware of the magnitude of the work involved. We fight with our total energy and intensity. We may not reach our goals in the first few attempts, and it is not possible that we will always win. But we don’t feel defeated.

This was the energy that made us win over polio and with that confidence we have challenged ourselves to take up more humanitarian projects in disease prevention and treatment, water and sanitation, maternal and childcare, basic education and literacy and economic and community development.

This year in Rotary District 3141 comprising the city of Mumbai and spread up to Dahnu under the leadership of DG Shashi Sharma has established a new avenue of service Mission Muskan in partnership with the state Government, under which Heart Transplant , Lever Transplant , Cochlear Implant and Heart Surgeries are undertaken of children below the poverty line and has achieved success to a large extent.

Our motto is Service Above Self and that means our love is pure, innocent, formless and when we give in love we don’t demand anything in return. When love is only a giving we are happy because someone has accepted our love. When we transcend borders for doing service, we realise that our journey is towards the infinite.We don’t look for credit.Rotarians are ever ready to give all out service today and every day with total dedication.

ASHOK MAHAJAN

Director, Rotary International (2007-09 )

Trustee , The Rotary Foundation (2009-13)

SMILE SERVE SACRIFICE SATISFY

‘Impossible’ – the word itself has so much of poison and lethargy that it has killed more drives, dreams , achievements and ambitions of many people. How often we lie to ourselves that something is ‘impossible’ to achieve because it is so hard ! It is so difficult! How many ‘impossible’ things in our life are really ‘impossible’?

We all have countless excuses as to why we can’t do something worthwhile in our lives. If we can afford to make up excuses that take away a lot of energy and time, why don’t we make up excuses that inspire and enthuse us to do what we want to do?

Instead of giving ourselves reasons why we can’t, give ourselves reasons why we can.

My mould maker always used to say for any new product to be made , If there is another individual who can make that product why can’t we ! It goes without saying that our positive and negative thoughts influence every single thing in our lives. They determine what we feel about ourselves, others, and the world, and what we express about our beliefs, opinions, values and judgement.

Because our thoughts are formed by the way we perceive things depending upon our past experiences .An example of this would be when we were young and someone—a teacher, sibling, friend or even complete stranger—told us or gave us the impression that we weren’t “good enough” at something, be it studying, drawing, singing, speaking, dancing, sports or whatever. Until that person said that to us , or made us feel that way, we might not have thought that about ourselves , but now that someone else’s thought has made its way into our mind, unchallenged, we have accepted it as true.

Unless we have had reason or evidence otherwise to challenge it, we took that belief on as our own. That negative thought would remain in our mind, even if it’s pushed into our subconscious where we might be unaware of it, until something or someone triggers it, and we react to it emotionally without really knowing why.

In order to better understand our negative thinking patterns, it’s important to know how they work. The ideas and inventions that were created in the past 100 years seemed crazy when they were first attempted. Now we daily use them and cannot imagine life without them.

The tale of great people and amazing discoveries let slip the truth that whatever a human being can conceive, he/she can achieve.Your task is not to ponder how to make the things happen, rather to simply ask, “why not?”.

Pursue the ‘impossible’, for nothing is ‘impossible!’. Always remember “The impossible is often the untried!”. Take a project how difficult it may be , work on it with all the sincerity and with all the members of your club , I bet you will be surprised to see it’s outcome. Always remember the words of Napoleon Bonaparte “Impossible word is always found in the dictionary of fools .”

When I joined Rotary Club over 45 years ago, I heard a speech by someone who was inducting new members say that Paul Harris founded Rotary for friendship. The speaker said, “It was a cold lonely night in Chicago and a successful attorney named Mr. Paul Harris realised that there were not many friends with whom he can hang out. So, he brought together three of his friends and they decided to meet frequently in the place of work of each one at fixed intervals. It was much later that the thought of service came up and the first comfort station was put up in the city.”

Nothing can be more frivolous while describing a visionary such as Paul Harris. Those who have understood his philosophy will know better. I believe that the story should be told like this: “It was a cold lonely night in Chicago and a successful attorney named Mr. Paul Harris thought about how to serve the society. He surrounded himself with three of his friends who had high aspirations. He soon discovered that they can be a mastermind group of likeminded people and that they could bounce ideas off and feel inspired by each other to do good to their community. This is why Rotary was founded.”

In my interpretation, I believe that the future of Rotary depends on our understanding of the actions and intentions of the founders of this movement. Frankly, as in any historical research, arriving at the absolute fact is difficult and often some persons may also say that it is unnecessary. But only constant research of what happened in the past will alone throw up interesting facts, especially when we are trying to understand the thinking of noble minds such as Paul Harris, Silvester Schiele, the coal dealer, Gustavus Loher, the mining engineer and Hiram Shoray, the merchant tailor. These people represented the American, German, Swedish and Irish ancestry and belonged to Protestant, Catholic and Jewish faiths.

I am not assuming that Rotary was singularly Paul Harris’ idea or brainchild. Historians say that the interplay of personalities, who were with him during the formative years, synthesized this great movement. People also interpret the history as written in a book titled, “Paul Harris and the Birth of Rotary” by Fred A Carvin and suggest that the origin of Rotary was not about service.  But they acknowledge that Paul Harris wanted to expand the objectives of the movement to include ‘civic responsibility and civic pride.’

However, in the book titled ‘Adventure in Service – The Story of Rotary, its origin, growth and influence’ there is a discussion about what is that which brought these men together in the first club. Was it a selfish motive or was it with the thought of rendering community a service? Paul Harris is quoted as saying, “Personal ambition had been largely responsible for the grouping. United they would stand; divided they might fall. And so they helped each other in every way that kindly heart and friendly spirit could suggest. The purposes of early Rotary have been frequently described as selfish and so indeed they may seem to have been. Whether a member was selfish or unselfish depended, of course, upon where he found his happiness. If he found it primarily in gaining advantage for himself, he was selfish. If he found it in helping friends, he was unselfish. Naturally both types of mind were represented in the early days of club number one, as is true everywhere.”

It is possible that for a Western mind, the depth of the intention of the founder Paul Harris was not completely understandable at that time and they took the easy route of saying that Rotary was founded for friendship. The story of the blind men and an elephant, which originated in the Indian subcontinent from where it has widely diffused, is worth recollecting here. It has been used to illustrate a range of truths and fallacies. Broadly, the parable implies that one’s subjective experience can be true, but that such experience is inherently limited by its failure to account for other truths or a totality of truth. At various times the parable has provided insight into the relativism, opaqueness or inexpressible nature of truth, the behavior of experts in fields where there is a deficit or inaccessibility of information, the need for communication, and respect for different perspectives. Similarly, in the earlier days, people would have just seen and understood only one side of Paul Harris. In the Orient people always attributed higher meaning to the thoughts expressed by a learned person. And as the story of the blind men and elephant goes, the king explained to the blind men, “All of you are right. The reason every one of you is telling it differently is because each one of you touched the different part of the elephant. So, actually the elephant has all the features you mentioned. Another addition to this story goes like this: A man with sight came that way and saw the full elephant and admired it. But as he was deaf he could not hear it trumpet.

Those who delved into the archives and writings of the founders did find that the ideal of service was the main motive for the people coming together since all of them had the ‘thoughtfulness of others’ which is the basis of service. Helpfulness to others was its expression. In 1906 the Rotary Club of Chicago added a objective to its constitution which was, “The advancement of the best interests of Chicago and the spreading of the spirit of civic pride and loyalty among its citizens.”

When we think about the core values of the movement, which are, ‘fellowship, integrity, diversity, leadership and service,’ the concept of ‘civic responsibility’ is what has sustained the movement and gave it a brilliant place amongst the various organisations. We can then assume that Paul Harris and his three friends had indeed this thought to look beyond themselves while deciding to give shape to the movement. This elite group of thinkers knew that they had two primary choices in life. The first was to accept conditions as they exist and the second was to accept the responsibility for changing them. They understood that they were one choice away from changing their lives and that of those who needed help. Paul Harris and his three friends decided that with a new choice they can change the direction that very moment. They met people from all walks of life and asked them to make life changing choices by giving back to others who needed their help the most.

Those were the days when it was hard to put one foot in front of the other. But those were the days when a Champion called Paul Harris was created. He unleashed the power of encouragement amongst his friends and by giving a gentle push he made the group think, “Where do we go from here?” Soon,

Mr. Paul Harris was engaging with many more citizens and he asked them, “What do you plan to do with the rest of your life?” If anyone replied, “I might just sit it out and relax a bit,” Paul Harris told them, “You can’t do that. You got too much to make a difference in the lives of too many people. You will be cheating yourself and others if you don’t use the talents God has given you.”

Even in 2014 we hear the same old wrong story that Paul Harris founded Rotary for friendship and no wonder that the persons who attend the PETS, District Assembly and other such introductory events take away a diluted concept of why Rotary was founded. How can you expect such club and district leaders to increase membership? There are many social clubs to engage people in fun and frolic that can build friendship.

What needs to be said is Paul Harris founded Rotary for Service Through Friendship. There were two updates in the Facebook by a Rotary member. The first one said, “Wasted the whole day fishing with Jimmy. Didn’t catch a thing.”  The next post read, “Went to my Rotary club project site with Bob. Best day of my life.” It is obvious that everything that’s really worthwhile in life comes to us through service to the society.

Commitment and Compassion is Vital to Success A person full of commitment is a glittering jewel. She/he is a heartthrob for his colleagues. She/he is an inspiration for the less energetic and a constant prod for the lazy and the lethargic.
Commitment is the complete devotion you have towards anything you do, kindled by a strong motivation and interest in the deep cave of your heart.Nothing great has ever been achieved by any individual without enthusiasm and interest. To generate enthusiasm, one requires deep interest, involvement and commitment towards whatever she/he wishes or desires to achieve.Today the world simply admires and opens its way to anyone who is found girded with commitment and enthusiasm. The rise of Dhirubhai Ambani from scratch, the soaring of Manoj Bajpai in Bollywood, the achievement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi , the surpassing love of Mother Teresa , the success story of Sachin Tendulkar , and above all, the Presidential ascension of Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam are but precise feats of those who proved the world that committed people have no option but success.They made mistakes but mistakes and failures never mesmerised them. They stood to the end with unwavering faith and commitment. Difficulties and disappointments never corroded their steely commitment to accomplish ! If he/she could do that, why can’t you and I? Success is guaranteed if you have the passion to plunge in, commitment to cruise over and faith enough to fly on.Rotary thrives today only because of men and women committed to service. At the heart of every service, there is commitment. Commitment is vital to the success of any service project. Rotarians commit to others, to Rotarians, to leadership and to the community. They thus commit to God. They commit to their dreams. There is a difference between interest and commitment. When you are interested in doing something, you do it when it is convenient. When you are committed, you accept no excuses — you only want results.There is a story of a great ruler, who ruled his kingdom with love and compassion. He knew that many of the people were in need — in need of money, love, health, prosperity and education. When he became old, he selected a second-in-command to help him manage the kingdom. He took him outside to a balcony of the palace that gave a majestic view of the land under his jurisdiction. The second-in-command asked “Sir, what must be the most vital attribute that I should possess to carry out your wishes?” “Son,” the king replied, “There are only two things you should have. You should have commitment and compassion.”

What is the relevance of Rotary in today’s world?

It is relevant only because it is an organisation that offers a helping hand without asking for anything in return. It is this selfless service that props up its existence and offers what others do not. Community Service, therefore, is the heartbeat of Rotary. A heartbeat is a device to pump vital nutrients to all the hungry areas of the body. Rotary pumps the vital assistance to all those areas that are hungry for aid. A pump that has power and capability controls a heartbeat. Rotary not only has capability and power but also a desire that makes spreading helpful acts a pleasure.

The needs of the community are often so gigantic that Rotary may be unable to rectify the problem or tackle the problem only partially. It is, therefore, essential for Rotary to measure its own strength and offer assistance that it is capable of.

When the community realises that Rotary can solve some of its problems but not all, it will understand our shortcomings and will cooperate with Rotary in managing a problem. This exercise of informing and educating the community about our limitation and our strengths will result in erasing any disappointments that may come as a result of our limited assistance. This step is vital for continued co-operation and mutual understanding which will build bridges of communication facilitating future coordination in the avenue of service to them.

Service to the needy community must be laced by personal participation of Rotarians and their families. The helping hand offered by Rotarians must be visible through our presence and participation. Rewarding service acts by Rotarians are paid for by the currency of personal participation. We not only need a healthy budget but also a bigger heart. When such a heart beats for the needy, the flow of help will be better appreciated, better utilised and better understood.

The community will appreciate our compassion, our love and determination to help and will always be at our side when we undertake other service activities for these communities.

Service is a habit with a Rotarian just as our hearts beat with regularity. This is one addiction that is excellent for health and satisfaction. It is one habit that needs to be cultivated with finesse.

Rotary will continue to be present for many generations. It will disappear only when the needs of all communities are met. Such a time, perhaps, will never come and so Rotary is entrenched in this world with many more years of service. Let our service be timely, productive, satisfying and compassionate. Rotary will, then, live forever in the hearts of all those that are touched by our love, Viva La Rotary.

Dear Friend,As the new year blossoms, may the journey of your life be fragrant with new opportunities, Your Days be bright with new hopes and your heart be happy with love! Happy New Year Dear Friend.Nayantara -Ashok 

Dear Friend,
May the closeness of friends, the comfort of home, and the unity of our nation, renew your spirits this festive season. Merry Christmas to you and your family.Nayantara -Ashok 

Rotary promised a Polio free world by our 100th year of existence. We still are not able to deliver what we promised. True, in any great commitment, there are likely to be snags, delays, unforeseen hurdles and roadblocks but that does not mean that we have failed. Failure is when we fall and don’t get up.

We need to maintain the integrity of Rotary, our prestige, our reputation. We must therefore redouble our efforts to see the end of Polio. To a great extent we are better off in our crusade compared to our position in 2005. The last lap is always a little more challenging and we are also likely to be a little fatigued. This, however, is no excuse and when Rotary stands at the cross-roads, Rotarians need to re-invent schemes and reignite passion to take our journey to its logical conclusion.

Finances are one of our many constraints and Rotarians must realize the urgent need to contribute to The Rotary Foundation to insure adequate funds needed for our victory. We can not rise up our hands and admit failure. We are strong enough, charitable enough, committed enough and serious enough to put our ALL in the efforts to erase Polio from this globe. We may seem to be near but that is not enough. By 2020-21 we must gift our success to Rotary when our R I President Nominee Sushil Gupta sits in the highest office of Rotary. We owe it to him but more importantly we owe it to the world and we must demonstrate our commitment in no uncertain ways.

Let us drive out Polio to drive in happiness.

WISHING YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS…

Why honesty is always the best policy. Most of us use lies from time to time to avoid difficult situations and hide our feelings or intentions. However lying always comes with a price whilst the truth is invaluable. … You will feel better about yourself if you are honest and open.

The world is fast changing. Life is becoming more and more complex. The emerging trends and cultures have come to govern the modern life. And the traditional values and beliefs are slowly vanishing.

Despite the amazing changes the age–old evils of society remain. Millions are still deprived of their basic needs. The gap between the rich and poor still continue to widen. Rape, violence, corruption and conflicts based on race, religion, region etc are rampant. There is lot of hypocrisy in our talks about justice, liberty, equality and human rights.

Despite all this, there is no reason for us to despair if we are prepared to take a stand. The change should start with each one of us. We need to be free, first of all, from corrupt practices, underhand dealings, and unjust behaviors. This of course poses a challenge – a challenge to live as honest citizens of the world. When we develop a clear conscience and live accordingly, we become agents of change in our society.

It is therefore, the responsibility and duty of each and every Rotarian on this earth to study his/her own personal business and see that every Rotarian conducts it according to the highest code of standards of practice in his / her relations with his/her employees, with those from whom he/she buys, with those to whom he/she sells, with his/her competitor, with the public or the Government.

Rotary Clubs should encourage the potential of their weekly meetings as a forum for discussion of the ethical concerns, which all the business people face today. We need to exert greater leadership in our professional and trade associations to maintain and enforce codes of correct practices. Rotarians must go out to work for high ethical standards in all forums of human endeavor. Rotarians must put all efforts to spread the message that honesty is still the best policy. Let the Rotarians work to restore proper ethics to every day dealings and never be afraid to be Honest and live Honorably before every one. Always remember with Honesty your Character will last long after you are gone. 

Ashok Mahajan

Many a time we find ourself remarking “Wow ! This guy is just awesome” when seeing or thinking our favorite performer or a Cricketer or an athlete or an actor or a professional from some other stream.. Experts are not people with natural abilities or talents in a particular domain but ordinary individuals who attain and maintain a high level of consistency in terms of practice. So as the old saying goes “Practice makes perfect !” It is very often said “You are what you practice most” .

You can do something extra Ordinary, and something that a lot many people can’t do provided you put your more than 100% in it with sincere practice. Some one has said “Tomorrow’s victory is today’s practice’.

Think about how you became good at some thing — be some sports, dancing, writing, talking or what ever else you are currently proficient in– at which you were once a novice or thought it impossible.

With persistence One can get the hardest rock with the softest rope and with practice the heaviest brain like wise becomes super brilliant . Practice is the act of rehearsing a behaviour over and over while perfection is , broadly , a state of completeness .

There is no substitute for practice, the only ‘magic formula’ that is capable of giving you the results you are after.Practice empowers and enables you to cross boundaries !
Inspiration may be sometimes fleeting but practice entails perspiration you can never withhold or do without. You can plan and commit to it so long as you believe in its power and it’s rewards.

Practice is the beginning of beautiful miracles waiting to happen. Therefore, whatever your goals , your desirable skills, your artistic aspiration and dreams of creativity Work towards building a steady and unshakable practice schedule around it.

All the same lack of practice is one such factor, which can turn out to be the most responsible in someone’s failure.

The more you practice the more it build up your confidence, the more you practice the more it improves your skill, the more You practice the more it improves your productivity.

practice is that mantra which simply tunes both your physical and mental entities to the required frequency that helps you to lead towards perfection.

Practice helps you in strengthening your ability and capability beyond your imagination and helps you achieve your goal. Always remember PRACTICE IS KEY TO SUCCESS.

Ashok Mahajan

“ Self Confidence”

Self Confidence is very essential for hopes, dreams and believes that each person should dream at whatever scale he/she desires, then pursue to accomplish them. Self-confidence have good impacts on everything. If you want to succeed then you should be self-confident. When you determined to achieve anything confidently then it will be too easy for you and no obstacles can stop you to reach your goal.

Self is the most important aspect in each person’s life. No wonder, ever since life began, human beings have been ceaselessly hunting for an answer to the question ‘Who am I’? The most common answer would be: the sum of everything one knows and can imagine about oneself

It is said, ‘whatever you wish, that you are’. In fact, such is the force of the will that whatever we wish to be with a genuine determination, that we become. A person’s self-esteems is directly proportional to his/her self-concept. What you think of yourself is the personality you take on. If you think positive thoughts, you will feel and act positively. Like cancer, a poor self-concept can eat up the person and gradually he/she grows weak in every aspect. Therefore there is a greater need for changing one’s inner beliefs than for attempting to change the external conditions. There is no more unique gift God could give us than the ‘power of choice’. Because of this exceptional gift, life is what you make it. With faith and confidence in yourself and with the right thought in your mind, you can measure up to anyone and get out of life almost anything you want, for “You are a miracle of God”, said Ven Fr James Alberione.

Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful. –

Rotary gives us best platform to develop Self Confidence . Accepting bigger and bigger challenges will build our self confidence . Plan big projects and execute with confidence and I can assure you eight out of ten times you will succeed. Confidence Comes Naturally With Success, But Success Comes Only To Those Who Are Confident, So Begin With Great Confidence! God Bless You .

Dear Rotarian

Thank you for being in Rotary and believing in doing good in the world. I am asking you to believe, not in my ability to change, but in yours. This belief, this faith in the ability of each one of us to make a difference in our world has been the core factor for people to donate repeatedly to the causes which Rotary takes up every year. Their belief, while giving generously, begins not with the organisation we are members in or with any one leader of our movement, but with each one of us. This is the belief on which Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation is built.

Rotarians are a working and living centre for maintaining the highest ethical standards while dealing with the contributions we get from individuals and corporate houses. Rotarians are known as people who care about others. This is the public image we have built over the past one hundred years all over the world. Donors give money to clubs, districts and to The Rotary Foundation because they believe that we Rotarians have a deep love for our community and the willingness to be engaged for the greater good.

We all have one important thing in common. Philanthropists asked us to build a disease free world and we said yes. We have work to do. The result India and the rest of the world will see in eradicating such as polio, diabetes, TB and many other debilitating diseases will be the product of our ideas being put to work together. And you are a part of it. I want the world to hear only such success stories.

Today we seem to be grappling with issues concerning stewardship and managing funds which were placed in our hands with good faith by major donors in our society. None of us can rest in the accomplishments of the past, even those as momentous as polio eradication, if there is an iota of doubt raised in our midst about how someone, knowingly or unknowingly, misled the donors and the Rotarians about how the funds were utilized. The district programme of Diabetes Awareness and Detection is now poised to become a statewide programme with the help of big donors. Hence we have to demonstrate that when it comes to utilisation of funds, we maintain the highest standards of transparency and every rupee is used effectively for that purpose.

Our guiding principle has always been, “There can be no greater gift than that of giving one’s time, energy and resources to helping others without expecting anything in return.” If this is shaken at the very root, then we will not be able to live our values and empower others to join Rotary.

I am asking every Rotarian to honour our movement and the way it has changed the lives of millions over the years by making a commitment to uphold the highest standards of accountability when it comes to handling donations. Even it is small. Especially if it is small.

POLIO ERADICATION OUR TOP PRIORITY 

In 1986 when the announcement was made that Rotary would undertake the eradication of Polio in the world, goals were set for fund raising. Responses were favorable except for some comments from Japanese Rotrians suggesting that goal for Japan was too low. Yes, too low.  Of course goals were generally exceeded country after country but slowly. In 1986 it was clear that Japan intended to exceed its goals and it did. Last week in Islamabad, Pakistan the Japanese government announced it was providing a $4.6 million grant to Pakistan to support the supply of essential polio vaccine for campaigns during 2018-19. Notes of grant were signed and exchanged in Islamabad between the government of Japan, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef).

The grant will support procurement of 25 million doses of oral polio vaccine (OPV) which would be sufficient to vaccinating children under the age of five in high-risk districts across the country thus enabling the programme to quickly close immunity gaps. With this latest grant aid, the Japanese government had contributed about $230 million towards polio eradication initiative since 1996. To achieve and maintain interruption in polio transmission, Japan believed that robust routine immunization was required, and had provided technical assistance for the Expanded Immunization Programme (EPI) in Pakistan since 2001.

ASHOK MAHAJAN

Life is not made for keeping score. It is not about how popular you are , how many friends you have , how many Watsup you receive every morning, how many phone calls you receive every day , or how acceptable or unacceptable you are . It certainly not related to who your family is or how rich your family members are .

It’s not about whether you are beautiful or ugly , or how expensive clothes you wear , what make of shoes you have on , or what kind of restaurant you go for dinner , or what class you fly and how often you go abroad.its not how big house you live in and how many servants you have to take care of you . It’s certainly not about the colour of your skin . It’s not what car you drive or how smart every one thinks of you . It’s not about representing your whole being on a piece of paper and seeing who all will read and accept your writing.

But life is about whom you love and whom you hurt. It about whom you try to make happy or unhappy. It’s about being trust worthy or unreliable. It’s about friendship, used as sanctity, or as a weapon . Its about what you say and mean , may be humiliating, may be respectfully. It’s about starting rumours and contributing to petty gossip. It’s about how you think all this and why ?

It’s about whom you have neglected with full control and intention. It’s about carrying inner hate and love , letting it grow and spread all around.

But Most of all , life is about to touch or poison others heart in such a way that could have never occurred alone . Life’s true gift lies in your freedom to design it beautifully. With each rise of the sun, you get to chase the opportunity to fill your days with meaning—to live your life the way you choose.

It’s a hard life sometimes, but it is also a life in which attaining overall happiness is possible. The path to such a beautiful life is paved with beautiful thoughts and positive outlooks, that help to bring a smile to your face and spread happiness to others.

ASHOK MAHAJAN

Do we remember what it was like to be a child.? The best part of it was the amount of time we used to spend imagining all that we wanted to do as we grew up and bringing out lots of creative expressions unconsciously.We were always happy and alive during those days. Sadly we lose the ability to fully enjoy life and it’s simply because we slowly and slowly neglect imagination as we get older and older .Our imagination is one of the keys to living life on a higher level. We will never able to achieve any thing unless we think of it within our mind.By imagining ourselves living life on our  terms where we  currently reside, will motivate us to take action in order to move in the direction of our dreams. We should put extra efforts to learn  to use our  imagination to raise our  thinking to a higher level. Let Our thoughts inspire within us the belief that we can live the life that we  have imagined.“Imagination is more important than  knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.” Albert Einstein.Our imagination is a great resource that we can tap into to achieve all that we desire in life because there is nothing more powerful than imagination. If we can imagine some thing constructively then we can create reality from it . Our imaginary thoughts are the building blocks through which the productivity of our life takes shape. We become what we imagine. By using our imagination to the fullest, we will make this world a better place to live in while improving social and economic conditions for ourself and others .The beauty of imagination is that there are no boundaries, the possibilities are limitless. “ The only limitation is that which one sets up in one’s own mind,” says Napoleon Hill .The world is a canvas on which we draw our life with the creative use of imagination. We need to discover who we are, our innate talents, our desires and then bring them to life. There really are no limits to what you can create. If we can believe we can achieve it.All that we require is to become aware that we have the power inside us to create everything we wish . Then learn to master our imagination, and in a matter of time , our life will simply add up  !

Self is the most important aspect in each person’s life.  No wonder, ever since life began, human beings have been ceaselessly hunting for an answer to the question  ‘Who am I’?  The most common answer would be: the sum of everything one knows and can imagine about oneself 

Low self-confidence isn’t a life sentence. Self-confidence can be learned, practiced, and mastered–just like any other skill. Once you master it, everything in your life will change for the better.

Successful people have fear, successful people have doubts, and successful people have worries. They just don’t let these feelings stop them.”

It is said, ‘whatever you wish, that you are’.  In fact, such is the force of the will that whatever we wish to be with a genuine determination, that we become.   A person’s self-esteems is directly proportional to his/her self-concept.  What you think of yourself is the personality you take on.  If you think positive thoughts, you will feel and act positively.  Like cancer, a poor self-concept can eat up the person and gradually he/she grows weak in every aspect. Therefore there is a greater need for changing one’s inner beliefs than for attempting to change the external conditions.

“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” Said Thomas Jefferson

There is no more unique gift God could give us than the ‘power of choice’.  Because of this exceptional gift, life is what you make it.  With faith and confidence in yourself and with the right thought in your mind, you can measure up to anyone and get out of life almost anything you want, for “You are a miracle of God”, said Ven Fr James Alberione.

Always remember that the  key factor to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.. Prepare yourself and you will achieve all that you desire.