Olympic Inspiration - Im Dong-Hyun

Im Dong-Hyun - is legally blind. He has 10% vision on his left eye and 20% on his right. He already have two gold medals from the previous two games. And he already set a world record in the ongoing London Olympics.


Im sees only blurred colours and lines when he peers toward the target about 70 metres away, arrow at the ready. It doesn't stop the legally blind Olympian from hitting the grapefruit-sized yellow centre again and again though.

The story of Im Dong-Hyun is a reminder of that what the human spirit can achieve.

Who Runs Your Life

I did not write here for some time now. Partly because of being too busy with my day job, partly ...hmmm..lazy.

Who runs your life?

The moment you wake up in the morning until you go to bed everyday, who makes the majority of decisions for you?

Is it you? Your partner? Your boss? The government? Or is it everyone else but you?

Think about this.

Nude and Scorched at Sotobanari

Sotobanari Island. Have you heard of the place?  It is a small kidney shaped island, in Japan's tropical Okinawa prefecture. It has no single drop of fresh water.

 Why does Masafumi Nagasaki, a 76 year old, choose to live there, as a hermit and naked? Read more here.

Chaplin's Speech From The Great Dictator

The comedy movie The Great Dictator was released in October 1940 and was written, produced and directed by Charlie Chaplin. The movie which satirizes Adolf Hitler was a commercial success and is best remembered by the speech at the end of the movie. It is one of the greatest speech ever made in movie history.

I'm sorry but I don't want to be an Emperor, that's not my business. I don't want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone if possible, Jew, gentile, black man, white. We all want to help one another, human beings are like that. We all want to live by each other's happiness, not by each other's misery. We don't want to hate and despise one another. In this world there is room for everyone and the earth is rich and can provide for everyone. 

The way of life can be free and beautiful. But we have lost the way.
Greed has poisoned men's souls, has barricaded the world with hate;
has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed. 

We have developed speed but we have shut ourselves in:
machinery that gives abundance has left us in want.

Our knowledge has made us cynical,
our cleverness hard and unkind.
We think too much and feel too little:
More than machinery we need humanity;
More than cleverness we need kindness and gentleness.
Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost. 

The aeroplane and the radio have brought us closer together. The very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in men, cries out for universal brotherhood for the unity of us all. Even now my voice is reaching millions throughout the world, millions of despairing men, women and little children, victims of a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people. To those who can hear me I say "Do not despair". 

The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed, the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress: the hate of men will pass and dictators die and the power they took from the people, will return to the people and so long as men die [now] liberty will never perish. . .
Soldiers: don't give yourselves to brutes, men who despise you and enslave you, who regiment your lives, tell you what to do, what to think and what to feel, who drill you, diet you, treat you as cattle, as cannon fodder. 

Don't give yourselves to these unnatural men, machine men, with machine minds and machine hearts. You are not machines. You are not cattle. You are men. You have the love of humanity in your hearts. You don't hate, only the unloved hate. Only the unloved and the unnatural. Soldiers: don't fight for slavery, fight for liberty. 

In the seventeenth chapter of Saint Luke it is written:
"The kingdom of God is within man"
Not one man, nor a group of men, but in all men; in you, the people.
You the people have the power, the power to create machines, the power to create happiness. You the people have the power to make life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure. Then in the name of democracy let's use that power, let us all unite. Let us fight for a new world, a decent world that will give men a chance to work, that will give you the future and old age and security. By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power, but they lie. They do not fulfil their promise, they never will. Dictators free themselves but they enslave the people. Now let us fight to fulfil that promise. Let us fight to free the world, to do away with national barriers, do away with greed, with hate and intolerance. Let us fight for a world of reason, a world where science and progress will lead to all men's happiness. 

Soldiers! In the name of democracy, let us all unite!
. . .
Look up! Look up! The clouds are lifting, the sun is breaking through. We are coming out of the darkness into the light. We are coming into a new world. A kind new world where men will rise above their hate and brutality. 

The soul of man has been given wings, and at last he is beginning to fly. He is flying into the rainbow, into the light of hope, into the future, that glorious future that belongs to you, to me and to all of us. Look up. Look up.

7 Billion and Counting

BBC News recently carried a video story on how the ever growing world population affecting people's lives. I found it interesting and wish to share this with you. Click here to hear what 7 individuals have to tell about their lives.

Don't Be A Lead Character..

Do you know or have known people who are always the lead character in every story they tell you? If you do,  I am sure you don't like spending too much time with them. It is tiresome. For this reason, you and I must avoid being the lead character all the time in the movie of our lives.

Let others have their scene.

 If you are responsible for managing or leading a group of people, you must not always be the one standing in the limelight. Step back and allow those under you to do their part. Let them have their say. Make them the star.  By doing this, you are showing appreciation. You are sending a message that you recognize other people's contribution.

When you talk with your superiors or other colleagues, mention about the contribution of so and so. Do this sincerely, soon word will go around and the one benefiting the most from this will be you. Humans like the feeling of being important and appreciated. The one that can make others feel this way, will get out the best from them.And isn't that what you want when you are leading people?

By all means be the leading character. It is your life, your movie and the hero will always be you. But just don't do that all the time.

So Long Steve

Rest in Peace Steve Jobs ( 1955-2011).

The last 24 hours, tributes to Steve Jobs have poured in from around the world.  Among the many that had walked on the face of the earth, only a few had really made an impact. Steve Jobs was one of them.

Many of us will never design anything useful, let alone revolutionize 3 industries, Steve Jobs did that and many other things. He showed us what we can achieve if we are willing to work for it. He taught us that we can be different and have fun doing it.

Over the years he made my speeches, but the speech he gave at Stanford in 2005 that touched me the most. If you have not heard it yet, click here and be inspired.

This blog published the text of his speech back in April 2008, you can view it here.

Some Thoughts on Doing Without Thinking

Many of us accept without question what is told. We do not question the things we see, hear or read. This makes us easy targets to be manipulated.

How many do you think really questions what they see on TV? How many really think about what they read? How many are just following the trend? They get into something because their friends, their relatives, their neighbours and their neighbours' mother-in-law are doing it.

During the 1950s and 60s, smoking was cool.James Dean was smoking, Audrey Hepburn was smoking, in fact it was estimated half the population in the industrialised was smoking. You were considered hip and happening  if you smoked. Do it today and you are a social outcast. 

I remember a few years ago, in my this part of the world, there was this craze for a certain type of ornamental fish. I cannot remember how it all started but suddenly having an aquarium is the coolest thing to do.

Almost every male I know  was into it and everyone was an expert in fish keeping. I learned a lot about fishes and aquariums in those few months just by listening  to my colleagues talking during lunch time. That craze went on for a few months, and those selling ornamental fishes and aquariums made good money ( I should have sold aquariums-could have made some easy money) and after that the whole thing faded. Some of my friends who were so into it then could not even remember the types of fish they were so enthusiastically keeping not too long ago.

And the last couple of years everyone is wearing beads around their wrist, neck, legs and God knows where else. These beads are suppose to absorb negative vibes and promote good health. Just how this is achieved no one seems to know but heck, since Mary, Jane, Tom and Tom's aunty is wearing, it must be a good thing right?

As with fishes and beads, there are trends in every aspect of our lives. In 2008 Mr. Obama can do no wrong, now it seems he can do no right. Until recently capitalism was next to Godliness, now people are not that sure anymore.

When we do as what others do, we manifest an inherent human quality-the need to belong. It is not a bad thing but as much as we want to be keeping up with the Joneses, we need to stand back, pause and think for ourselves.

Think and You Shall Live Your Own Life

We are fed with lies everyday.  We are told how to live our lives the moment we are born.
From the time we get up in the morning until we sleep at night, we are fed with lies,  told how to live our lives. We are told to like this and to have that.
We are pushed to one side and the other. Our minds and hearts are poisoned by tales we read, stories we hear, promises that are always broken.
Think for yourselves my friends. Do not let others tell you how to live your life

This Imperfect World

We live in world that is not perfect. Look around you, for everything  that is beautiful there is some kind of defect somewhere. Perfection in the true sense of the word does not belong to our world.

If you can accept this and be more forgiving of your own faults and of others, you will have a much happier life 

here.

How To Be Attractive

Being attractive gets a lot of things done for us. It makes us popular, wins us vote, earns us more money. We have more friends. And also attractive people have more sex or at least have more choices.

Being attractive is not about having good looks, though it helps. It is about the ability to attract others to us like magnets. Contrary to what many believe, this is fairly easy.

There is only one thing you need to have. Curiosity.

When we are curious about the world, we are enthusiastic to know more about it. And enthusiasm makes a person glow. Enthusiasm makes a person to be passionate.

People are attracted to those who are enthusiastic and live with passion.

Sounds simple. Why not for the next one week you start getting curious about your world and see the difference it makes.

Live For Today Do Not Worry About Yesterday Or Tomorrow

The story first appeared in MotivateUs.com on 14 December 1998.

There are two days in every week about which we should not worry. Two days which should be kept free from fear and apprehension.


One of these days is yesterday, with its mistakes and cares, its faults and blunders, its aches and pains. Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control. All the money in the world cannot bring back yesterday. We cannot undo a single act we performed. We cannot erase a single word we said. Yesterday is gone!!
The other day we should not worry about is tomorrow, with its possible adversities, its burdens, its large promise and poor performance. Tomorrow is beyond our immediate control. Tomorrow's sun will rise, whether in splendor or behind a mask of clouds. But it will rise. Until it does we have no stake in tomorrow, for it is yet unborn.
 
This leaves only one day: today.

Any man can fight the battles of just one day. It is when you and I add the burdens of two awful eternities - yesterday and tomorrow, that we break down.
It is not necessarily the experience of today that disturbs one's peace of mind. It is oftentime the bitterness for something which happened yesterday and the dread of what tomorrow may bring.

Let us therefore live one day at a time.

Co-Evolve

Around 130 millions ago, the plants that flower begin to emerge on earth. Around the same time, bees also appeared.  An interesting and mutually beneficial 'friendship' emerged between the two.  The plants provided food for the bees as means for being pollinated. Biologist call this interdependent relationship co-evolution.

We can learn something here. In our dealings in life, there are areas we can co-evolve with a strategic partner by working out a strategy with mutual benefits. It is worth remembering that life thrived on earth by networking rather than engaging in combat.

"To resist the frigidity of old age one must combine the body, the mind and the heart - and to keep them in parallel vigor one must exercise, study and love."

The saying above is credited to Karl von Bonstetten and in short it captures the things that you must spend your time on even if you are at an age where you think you will live forever.

Looking Back

As the year 2010 leaves us and 2011 will be upon us in a few hours, let us take time to look back at our highs and lows for the past year.

An important ingredient for success is the ability to learn from achievements and more importantly, past mistakes.

Look back at your achievements and note the factors that made it happen. You might want to use it again.

Look back at your setbacks and note what caused it. Take steps to improve.

Do this self reflection honestly and take your time. The rewards are more than justifiable

Let us make 2011 a better year than 2010. Every day, every single minute, let us rejoice the gift of life and live our life the best we can.

Happy New Year 2011.

How Many Friends Does One Person Need?

If you find relationships challenging to cultivate and maintain, then you are in good company. In his new book, evolutionary biologist Robin Dunbar argues that our ability to manage such complex social connections—love lives, work colleagues, childhood buddies and friendly acquaintances—is what drove humans to develop such large brains in the first place.

So how many friends do you really need? Read the interesting article here

Do You Wonder?

Do you wonder who you are? What is that makes you, you? Is it all the things you have done? Is it it all the books you have read that influenced you and made you? Was it all the people you interacted with?

Do you question yourself of this; who am I? What am I doing here? Why am I put here? What is that my creator wants me to do here, now?

Fallacy No 1: Ad hominem

To be able to think clearly in a world where almost everything is layered with sensationalism and half truths is important. There 20 known fallacies and let us start with No1, the most used, Ad Hominem.

Ad Hominem, translated from Latin to English, means "against the man" or "against the person."And this how the argument will sound like:

Jane: The world is heading towards an environment disaster
John: Of course you will say that, you are member of Greenpeace.
Jane: What about the arguments I presented to support my case.
John: Like I said, you are Greenpeace activist and you have to say that. All you Greenpeace members ever do is cause panic and demonstrate. You people are good at nothing else.

Ad Hominem is a fallacy because the character, action and circumstances have no bearing to the truth or falsity of the claim being made.

Your Body Literally Glows With Light

The human body literally glows, emitting a visible light in extremely small quantities at levels that rise and fall with the day.

Past research has shown that the body emits visible light, 1,000 times less intense than the levels which can be seen with the naked eye. In fact, virtually all living creatures emit very weak light.

To learn more about this faint visible light, scientists in Japan employed extraordinarily sensitive cameras capable of detecting single photons. Five healthy male volunteers in their 20’s were placed bare-chested in front of the cameras in complete darkness in light-tight rooms for 20 minutes every three hours.

The researchers found the body glow rose and fell over the day, with its lowest point at 10 AM and its peak at 4 PM, dropping gradually after that. These findings suggest there is light emission linked to the body clock, most likely due to how metabolic rhythms fluctuate over the course of the day.

Faces glowed more than the rest of the body. This might be because faces are more tanned than the rest of the body, since they get more exposure to sunlight.

Sources:

Live Science July 22, 2009

PLoS One July 16, 2009; 4(7): e6256 [Free Full-Text Article]

Selfish

It is difficult not to be selfish. It is native and not learned. The mind always looks out for "number one". It is however possible to learn to respect and be fair to the wants and needs of others.

Many a times in this blog, I have written about taking of one's own self and perhaps might be accused of narcissism, I truly believe we have to fair to others. After all there are about 7 billion humans on earth and all have the same right to live as you.

Here are ways we can learn to be more fair minded in your affairs.

• Am I being fair to ... right now?
• Do I put myself in another person's shoes when deciding things of mutual interest?
• Am I thinking broadly enough?
• Am I putting my desires ahead of others' right and needs?