Secret of success: Get the mind-set of an ant!

All of us tend to look up to big people for lessons on how to get better. We are keen to learn the secrets of their success. But we forget that sometimes the biggest lessons in life come from the smallest folks around us. Now that’s a good lesson to remember!

Take ants for instance. Would you believe those small creatures can teach us how to live a better life? Jim Rohn - the great motivational guru – developed what he called the ‘Ants Philosophy’. He identified four key lessons from the behaviour of ants that can help us lead better lives. Jim Rohn is no more – but his messages continue to inspire. Here then, are the four lessons from Rohn’s ‘Ants Philosophy’.  

1. Ants never quit. Have you noticed how ants always look for a way around an obstacle? Put your finger in an ant’s path and it will try and go around it, or over it. It will keep looking for a way out. It won’t just stand there and stare. It won’t give up and go back. We should all learn to be like that. There will always be obstacles in our lives. The challenge is to keep trying, keep looking for alternative routes to get to our goals. Winston Churchill probably paraphrased the ant’s mindset when he offered this priceless advice: “Never give up. Never, never give up!”  

2. Ants think winter all summer. Remember the old story of the ant and the grasshopper? In the middle of summer, the ant was busy gathering food for the winter ahead – while the grasshopper was out having a good time. Ants know that summer - the good times – won’t last forever. Winters will come. That’s a good lesson to remember. When the going is good, don’t be so arrogant as to believe that a crisis or a setback cannot happen to you. Be good to other people. Save for a rainy day. Look ahead. And remember, good times may not last, but good people do.  

3. Ants think summer all winter. As they suffer through the unbearable cold of the winter, ants keep reminding themselves that it won’t last forever, and that summer will soon be here. And with the first rays of the summer sun, the ants come out – ready to work, ready to play. When we are down and seemingly out, when we go through what looks like a never-ending crisis, it’s good to remind ourselves that this too shall pass. Good times will come. It’s important to retain a positive attitude, an attitude that says things will get better. As the old saying goes, tough times don’t last. Tough people do.  

4. Ants do all they possibly can. How much food does an ant gather in summer? All that it possibly can! Now that’s a great work ethic to have. Do all you can! One ant doesn’t worry about how much food another ant is collecting. It does not sit back and wonder why it should have to work so hard. Nor does it complain about the poor pay! Ants just do their bit. They gather all the food they can. Success and happiness are usually the result of giving 100% - doing all you possibly can. If you look around you, you’ll find that successful people are those who just do all they possibly can.

Follow the four simple steps of Jim Rohn’s ‘Ant Philosophy’ – and you’ll see the difference. Don’t quit. Look ahead. Stay positive. And do all you can.

And there’s just one more lesson to learn from ants. Did you know that an ant can carry objects up to 20 times their own weight? Maybe we are like that too. We can carry burdens on our shoulders and manage workloads that are far, far heavier than we’d imagine. Next time something’s bothering you and weighing you down, and you feel you just can’t carry on, don’t fret. Think of the little ant. And remember, you too can carry a lot more on your shoulders!

Republic Day of India

Republic Day, celebrated on January 26th every year, is one of India’s most important national events. It was on January 26th, 1950 that the constitution of India came into force and India became a truly Sovereign, Democratic and Republic state.

On this day India finally enjoyed the freedom of spirit, rule of law and fundamental principle of governance. The patriotic fervor of the Indian people on this day brings the whole country together even in her embedded diversity.

Republic Day is a people’s day in a variety of ways:

It’s when regional identity takes a backseat and what matters most is the universal appeal of unity and brotherhood projected by all Indians.

The Indian constitution basically stands for the aspirations which ‘the common man of India’ cherishes.

Republic Day is a day of the citizen of the country when he is entitled to be ‘all supreme'.

Republic Day is celebrated most majestically in the capital, New Delhi, where symbols of the great nation's military might and cultural wealth are displayed in what is the world's most impressive parade. All Government buildings are illuminated lending the city the atmosphere of a fairyland. This day is celebrated with much zeal and pride all across the nation.

Celebrating 60 years of Indian Independence

Celebrating 60 years of Indian Independence – Lets be proud of it

At stroke of midnight, on 15 August 1947, India became an independent nation. This landmark event was preceded by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's famous speech titled Tryst with destiny.

“At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance..... We end today a period of ill fortune, and India discovers herself again.” Our country is celebrating the 60th year of its Independence this 15 August 2007 . Independence from its imperialistic rulers—a sweet fruit of the bitter toil by our ancestors and freedom fighters. “They gave up their today to give us our tomorrow,” a sacrifice that can never be repaid by this generation. The young generation, the future of India has taken their freedom for granted and seem to have become complacent of their present status which had been passed on to them by their patriotic ancestors. The freedom struggle has only become a lesson in the school curriculum that has to be mugged up correctly in order to spill out in an examination paper. Apart from the beauracrats and a few others 15th August has become just another holiday for us to sit back and recoup from our busy lives. These days how many of us actually pay respect to the national anthem? It is the duty of every Indian to stand up as soon as one hears the national anthem whenever wherever he or she may be. But sadly very few of us practice this in our daily lives. However, it would be wrong to say that the youth are totally devoid of nationalistic feelings, their way of expression may differ but deep down the sentiments are the same—love for their motherland. Many of us participate in the flag hoisting ceremonies that take place in their respective alma maters or localities while many hoist the tri colour in their own homes and vehicles. Patriotic SMSs are exchanged and the ubiquitous accessory of today’s youth—the cell phone tinkles with patriotic songs in the form of ring tones or hello tunes. Some express their solidarity by wearing tri coloured caps and the less adventurous prefer to catch the Independence Day celebrations that are telecast in the television. Sadly our hard earned freedom seems to have lost its glory in the quagmire of the new age “imperialism” that the country is facing in the form of religious riots, ethnic clashes, regionalism and terrorism. Many parts of India are burning in the pyre of hatred emanating from the above causes. Probably, its time, for us to once again take steps, for the people to unite and stand up for their rights and fight against these internal demons to protect the nation’s honour and unity. Our country is a gift to us by our ancestors let us not let their sacrifice go in vain. And the young generation needs to lead the way. Jai Hind!

vote for taj mahal

DO YOU KNOW about Taj Mahal? What a foolish question, obviously yes! Do you know that your one vote can help Taj Mahal to become one of the Seven Wonders of the World? No, What an answer? Yes, your vote can help the Taj Mahal become one of the seven wonders and thus boost tourism in India and add to its revenue. After having read this article, I hope your vote will be included in www.new7wonders.com. In fact the Taj Mahal is the only Indian landmark to have made it into the shortlist.
With 21 new world wonder finalists battling it out for just seven places, the Taj Mahal is, up against some pretty heavyweight competition including the Great Wall of China, the Acropolis, The Inca City of Machu Picchu in Peru and of course the Pyramids. The Taj is still strongly in the reckoning but needs all the votes it can get to make it to the final list of seven. New7 Wonders describes Shah Jahan’s architectural paean to his beloved as the greatest symbol of love and passion.
Taj Mahal has become the representational symbol of India, globally. History books are also incomplete without the presence of Taj. As a tribute to a beautiful woman and as a monument for enduring love, the Taj reveals its subtleties when one visits it. Taj has a life of its own that leaps out of the marble, provided you understand that it is a monument of love. With all its beauty, grandeur and history Taj is an architectural masterpiece.
Now, Taj Mahal needs us. We Indians should be proud to have inherited such an outstanding architecture and now it is time that we proved it to the world. We have a great population, all we need to do is vote to get it back into the seven wonders list. We are always criticized for our huge population but this is one time, when we can prove that a great population can also be looked upon as great resource.