10 RESOLUTIONS TO MAKE 2014 YOUR BEST YEAR EVER

EACH OF US HAS THE ABILITY TO CHOOSE HOW WE SHOW UP TO LIFE EVERY DAY: SLEEVES ROLLED UP OR HANDS OUT. HERE'S HOW TO HAVE A HAPPIER AND MORE PRODUCTIVE NEW YEAR--AT HOME AS WELL AS AT WORK.

As one year comes to an end and a new one begins, it really is a special time. The madness stops for a few days: The phones are quiet, emails abate, and there is time to relax and reflect. In the always-on, always-connected world we live in, we rarely make the time to step back and celebrate what we've accomplished, reflect on what we've learned, or make plans to change how we go about life. Daily habits and the rhythm of life take most of us captive, and we often end up doing what we've always done, and each year starts to look very much like the last. And while the arrival of a new year prompts many of us to make simple resolutions, like giving up alcohol, joining a gym, or cutting carbs, most of us don't use the start of each new year to reset how we live to ensure we get the absolute best out of the entire year ahead.

Each of us has the ability to choose how we show up to life every day: sleeves rolled up or hands out. Go into the New Year living consciously and connected to the inner strength that can affect how you think about and act on each and every day. You can't control the White House, but you can control your own house, so take personal control of how you approach your own life.

As I go into 2014 I know I will face challenges, but I know they are to overcome, not to overwhelm. And while I can't change the broader economy or government policy, I can take responsibility for my attitude and how I will make this the best year yet. We're on this planet for a short time and every day we're alive is a gift. We all need a kick in the pants reminder that we are fortunate to live, work, and play in the United States of America. As I'm thinking through and planning how to make 2014 my personal best year ever, I thought the following Uncommon Sense principles might help you as you plan your year ahead.

1. GRAB THE YEAR BY THE EARS

Look back at 2013 and celebrate your successes and identify your failures. Map what you learned from both and think about what you want to change in the year ahead. Define what success looks like for 2014, setting audacious and achievable goals. Envision what you want the year to look like, literally. Write a list by month, write a year-end letter to yourself, or build a dream board, but don't go into 2014 without knowing what you want success to look like. Map out how you'll get there and what resources you'll need.

2. VALUES ARE VALUABLES

Revisit your values and what's important to you on a personal level. These foundational principles should guide decisions around how you live and work. List the principles that are central to who you are and guide how you think and behave. Put your values to work daily throughout the year ahead. If it feels like we're walking away from the founding values this country was successfully built on do what Gandhi advised and, "be the change you want to see in the world." Decide what you really care about and the role you can play in helping make a positive change in the world.

3. GRATITUDE IS THE ATTITUDE

It's a universal truth that grateful people are happy people. Start every day with gratitude and thanks for the chance to live your life in a country that promotes freedom and the opportunity to be your best. Say thank you often and mean it.

4. TRASH THE SMALL STUFF

Like most people, you probably waste too much time on the small, insignificant, time-sucking, going-nowhere stuff. Make a list of the things you do that waste time every day and list what you're going to do to change your behavior.

5. DON'T MAKE MONEY YOUR GOD

The sage father of my first girlfriend gave me some very simple advice that is as relevant today as it was then. He said, "Never make money your god." I've been asked many times this year whether the purpose for a company is to make a profit, and my answer has been the same every time, "Making a profit is the by-product of a clearly defined purpose." As individuals we know money creates choices but it doesn't answer our need for purpose. Make sure money is not the reason or rationale behind what you do.

6. EVERYTHING YOU DO MATTERS

You are the sum of all of your parts, relationships, and actions. The advent of social media has highlighted the age-old truth that every action you take, and every conversation you have, matters.

7. BE YOURSELF AND BE COURAGEOUS

You don't have to follow the crowd. Take courageous steps to define the brand of you in 2014, reminding yourself of who you are, what makes you tick, and why you get out of bed every day. Don't feel compelled to follow the crowd. Be courageous and be proud of being yourself.

8. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH SMARTS

Don't surround yourself with “yes people” and fans. Friends and mentors should help make you a better version of yourself. Make sure the people around you are smarter and different than you. Have people in your life who will call you out and hold you accountable.

9. TIME IS LIKE GOLD, SO SPEND IT WISELY

Time is the most valuable commodity we're given. The weeks and months fly by, so plan your time carefully and don't waste it. Spend it generously with people who matter. I get up every morning at 5:15 a.m. to surf. I do it every day, and it's my time to reflect, exercise, and connect with nature. Design time into your day that is only for you, not for work or for anyone else. A time where you think about your life and the role you're playing in it--and pursue something you love. It's the best gift you'll give yourself.

10. DO SOMETHING NEW FOR THE FIRST TIME

Learn to butcher a hog, ride a horse, run a marathon, write code, or play the guitar. There's nothing like the excitement and learning that comes from doing something completely new for the first time.

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Self-discipline - a path to corruption free "Super Power" India

 

Have you ever bribed someone?

I asked this question to my colleagues and friends and most of them answered in the negative. However after discussing scenarios they accepted that while bribery was never the intention, the circumstance may have caused their action to be a bribe indirectly. Honestly, if I prove myself and ask if I have ever paid bribe, the answer is an embarrassing yes. I have seen multiple cases of corruption and wanted to highlight my point of view. How can we uproot corruption from our day to day lives before questioning the actions of our neighbor’s, leaders, the government and all systems around us?

 If we start changing ourselves and follow discipline, we will see the change reflected around us.

"Be the change that you wish to see in the world" said Mahatma Gandhi.

To change ourselves, we must be able to identify the aspect to be changed. The most important insight I derived from my conversations with friends is that most of the unintended bribe is due to lack of awareness or understanding of the system, and an inability to identify a certain act as bribe. For instance, let's consider the queue system. It is very common to see many people breaking the queue and moving ahead without considering others who are waiting. Is this merely a lack of discipline, or is it this intrinsic behavior that translates to corrupt practices?

I do not have a clear answer. Do you have?

I always dream of "India as Super Power". Several questions come to my mind and I have frequent discussions with my friends to understand the root cause of corruption and find correlation with some dependent attribute that can help start the eradication of corruption from India. Here is a formula I have figured out after thorough thought and analysis.

Corruption is indirectly proportional to self-discipline and public awareness in the country. Self-discipline implies that people do not always want to get ahead of themselves and use any means to achieve a selfish end. A transparent system means it is easier to build more awareness of policies systems and processes to the general public. An aware and disciplined individual is very unlikely to follow corrupt practices. This can also avoid a huge chunk of unintended bribery, thus disabling the corrupt individuals who accept such bribes shamelessly. While “JANLOKPAL” and proper judicial system play a major role in making India less corrupt, this is only for a part of the county. If we really need to oust corruption, we need to build awareness as well as discipline.

Here's a corruption story that I would like to share. My friend had applied for his passport online, but did not get a PRO appointment for a month. I guess it was not wrong to believe that we have a strong system and at least for an appointment we need not bribe someone. However after a month my highly disappointed friend starts searching for an agent who can help him get an appointment. Finally after paying some agent fees, my friend was able to get an appointment and take his passport application forward. A few weeks after this incident, my friend couldn't stop complaining about how corrupt our systems are because he couldn’t even get an appointment after his online application. I decided to check this out and applied for an appointment myself. I got a commendably quick and satisfying response and pointed it out to my friend. On deeper probing, I found that my friend had not read the alert message which clearly stated the appointment timings and was trying for an invalid time. 

If my educated friend was able to read a simple message correctly, he need not have paid bribe to book his appointment. Friends, my whole point here is that if you have more degrees it does not mean you are also socially aware. Resorting to alternate means without exploring the set systems and processes can turn into bribery and corruption.

 

As per transparency International  “CORRUPTION IS THE ABUSE OF ENTRUSTED POWER FOR PRIVATE GAIN. IT HURTS EVERYONE WHO DEPENDS ON THE INTEGRITY OF PEOPLE IN A POSITION OF AUTHORITY”

We have got some interesting stats on corruption, while India positioned 94/174 in global corruption perception index with 34/100 score, however Indian Corporate have shown good performance and are world leader in “Transparency in corporate Reporting”, reported by International Transparency 

Organization.

  As per below  graph you can clearly able to figure out of top 10 company in the world, 8 from India and within that TATA is a leading brand.

 

Friends, you may wondering why I have quoted “Transparency in corporate Reporting” and given example of Indian corporate as world leader?

Yes, I want to say we have both aspect of life, one is positive “Corporate system”, other is negative, “Indian government and functionary” and my take here is if we can make strong system like TATA have as well as make more transparent system and follow the same with discipline, we will able to become super power.

However other point here I want to mention is, if you have strong system but no discipline you are inviting corruption directly or indirectly like case of “SATYAM”.

Every literate person should become socially aware and follow route of discipline then no-one can stop India from becoming as Next super power.

Jai Hind

I am eagerly waiting for your feedback and suggestions and to hear such stories from your side.

 
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