Dont Break You Heart

Dont break your heart when the things go wrong, smile at them and accept them as they come, as they come not to discourage you, but to make you strong so that nothing can let you down.
Dont break your heart when someone's words hurt you, they dont have the power to do so, unless you give them the authority, make your self so strong that they leave you without hurting you.
Dont break your heart when you feel you are alone, as God never leaves his children amidst despair, feel his presence in the absence of the whole world, and remember one thing-"be bold for what you stand for.
Dont break your heart when you feel someone has already did it, as no one has the ability to do that, because heart is not some thing that is build by is, but it is made up of the everlasting love that keeps us together.
Dont break your heart for the little moments of sorrow, as it is meant to be happy and to make others around you happy, it has no space for the unhappy moments but is limitless, to keep everybody in your heart untill the last breath of the life.

Must Read

This speech was delivered during the commencement exercises of the
University of Philippines graduating class of 2003 by Mr. Butch Jimenez, the youngest commencement speaker in the university's history. He once dreamed of doing so, and it came true !!! Students wished they had a pencil or paper to jot down notes during the speech; some even wished they have a tape recorder. Some members of the faculty found his speech practical, refreshing and funny.

Butch Jimenez, head of PLDT's media and strategic communications department, delivered this speech at the UP Diliman Class 2003 commencement exercises.
What's better than .....

By Butch Jimenez

As college students, you're just about to set sail into the real world.
As you prepare for the battleground of life, you'll hear many speeches, read tons of books and get miles of advise telling you to work hard, dream big, go out and do something for yourself, and have a vision.

Not bad advise, really. In fact, following these nuggets of truth may just bring you to the top. But as I've lived my life over the years, I have come to realise that it is great to dream big, have a vision, make a name, and work hard. But guess what : There's something better than that -

So my message today simply asks the question,
what's better than ...?

What's better than being negative ?

Let's start off with something really simple.
What's better than a long speech ? No doubt, a short one. So, you guys are in luck because I intend to keep this short.

Now, let me take you through a very simple math exam. I'll rattle off a couple of equations, and you tell me what you observe about them. Be mindful of the instruction. You are to tell me what you observe about the equations.

Here it goes : 3+4=7, 9+2=11, 8+4=13 and 6+6=12.
Tell me, what do you observe ?

Every time I conduct the test, more than 90 percent of the participants immediately say, 8+4 is NOT 13, it's 12
That's true an they are correct. But they could have also observed that the three other equations were right. That 3+4 is 7, that 9+2 is 11, and that 6+6 is 12

What's my point ? Many people immediately focus on the negative instead of the positive. Most of us focus on what's wrong with other people more than what's right about them. Examine those four equations. Three were right an only one was wrong. But what is the knee-jerk observation ?
The wrong equation.

If 10 people you didn't know were to walk through that door, most of you would describe those people by what's negative about them. He's fat. He's balding. Oh, the short one. Oh, the skinny girl. etc.

Get the point ? It's always he negative we focus on and not the positive.
You'll definitely experience this in the Corporate World. You do a hundred good things and one mistake-guess what? Chances are, your attention will be called on that one mistake..

So what's better than focusing on the negative ?

Believe me, it focusing on the positive. And if this world could learn to focus on the positive more than the negative, it would be a much nicer place to live in.

What's better than working hard ?

We have always been told to work hard. Our parents say that, our teachers say that, and our principal say that. But there's something better than merely working hard. It's working SMART.

It's taking time to understand the situation, and coming out with an effective and efficient solution to get more done with less time and effort. As the Japanese say, "There's always a better way."

One of the most memorable case studies I came across with as I studied Japanese management at Sophia University in Tokyo was the case of the empty soap box, which happened in one of Japan's biggest cosmetic companies. The company received a complaint that a customer had bought a box of soap that was empty. It immediately isolated the problem to the assembly line, which transported all the packaged boxes of soap to the delivery department.
For some reason, one soap box went through the assembly line empty.
Management tasked its engineers to solve the problem. Post-haste, the engineers worked hard to devise an X-ray machine with high-resolution monitors manned by two to ensure they were not empty. No doubt, they worked hard and they worked fast. But a rank-and-file employee that was posed the same problem came out with another solution. He bought a strong industrial electrical fan and pointed it at the assembly line. He switched the fan on, an as each soap box passed the fan, it simply blew the empty boxes out of the line. Clearly, the engineers worked hard, but the rank-and-file employee worked smart. So what's better than merely working hard? It's working smart.
Having said that, it is still important to work hard. If you could combine both working hard an working smart, you would possess a major factor toward success.

What's better than dreaming big ?

I will bet my next month's salary that many have encouraged you to dream big. Maybe even to reach for the stars and aim high. I sure heard that about a million times right before I graduated from this university.
So I did. I did dream big. I did aim high. I did reach for the stars.
No doubt, it works. In fact, the saying is true "If you aim for nothing, that's exactly what you'll hit : nothing."

But there's something better than dreaming big.
Believe me, I got shocked myself. And I learned it from the biggest dreamer of all time Walt Disney.

When it comes to dreaming big. Walt is the man. No bigger dreams were fulfilled than his. Every leadership book describes him as the ultimate dreamer. In fact, the principle of dreaming and achieving is the core message of the Disney hit song, "When You Wish Upon a Star". "When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are; anything your heart desires will come to you. If your heart is in your dream, no request is too extreme. When you wish upon a star, as dreamers do, " as Jiminy Cricket sang. But is that what he preached in Disney company? Dream?
Imagineering...Well, not exactly. Kinda , but not quite. The problem with dreaming is if that's all you do, you'll really get nowhere. Infact, you may just fall asleep and never wake up. The secret to Disney's success is not just dreaming, it's IMAGINEERING.

You won't find this word in a dictionary. It's purely a Disney word. Those who engage in imagineering are called imaginers. The word combines the words "imagination" and "engineering". In the book " Imagineers," Disney's CEO, Michael Eisner, claims that "imaginers" turn impossible dreams into real magic." Walt Disney explained there is really no secret to this approach. They just keep moving forward-opening
new doors and doing new things, because they are curious. And it is this curiosity that leads them down new paths. They always dream, explore and experiment. In short, imagineering is the blending of creative imagination and technical know-how.

Eiser expouns on this thought by saying that "Not only are imaginers curious, they are courageous, outrageous, and this creativity is contagious."
The big difference with imaginers is that they dream an then they DO !
So don't just be a dreamer, be an imagineer.

What's better than vision ?

You must have all been given a lecture at one time or another about the importance of having a vision. Even leadership expert John Maxwell says that an indispensable quality of a leader is to have a vision. It is also very clear that Without vision, people perish." So no doubt about it, having a vision is important to success. But surprise ! There's something more potent than a vision. It's a CAUSE. If all you're doing is trying to reach your
vision an you're pitted against someone fighting for a cause, chances are you'll lose. The Vietnam War is a classic example. Literally with sticks and stones, the Viet Cong beat the heavily armed US Army to surrender, primarily because the US has a vision to win the war, but the Vietnamese were fighting for a cause.

In the realm of business, many leaders have visions of making their company No. 1, or grabbing market share, or forever increasing profits.
Nothing really wrong with that vison, but take the example of Sony founder Akio Morita. He did not just have a vision to build the biggest electronics company in the world. In his biography, " Made in Japan" he reveals that the real reason he set up Sony was to help rebuild his country, which had just been bettered by war. He had a cause he was fighting for.
His vision to be an electronics giant was secondary.

What's the difference between a vision and a cause?
Here's what sets them apart.

· No one is wiling to die for a vision. People will die for a cause.
· You possess a vision. A cause possesses you.
· A vision lies in your hands. A cause lies in your heart.
· A vision involves sacrifice. A cause involves the ultimate sacrifice.

Just a word of caution. You must have the right vision, and you must be fighting for the right cause. In the end, right will always win out.

It may take time, and it may take long. But if you have the right vision and are fighting for the right cause, you will prevail. If not, no matter how sincere you are, if you are not fighting for what is right, you will ultimately fail.

It is said : "To whom much is given, much is required."

Having been given the opportunity to study in UP, no doubt, much has been given to you in terms of an excellent education. Don't forget that in return, much is now required of you to use that education not just for yourself, but for others.
And as you move up and start reaching the pinnacle of success, even more will be required of you to look at the welfare of others, of society and of the country.

A final review :

· What's better than focusing on the negative ?
Focus on the positive

· What's better than working hard ?
Its working smart

· What's better than doing something for yourself ?
Doing something for your country

· What's better than a vision ?
A cause

· What's better than a long speech ?
Definitely, a short one

"Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be."

How to Walk on the Path of Life

(A part of this mail is in Hindi)

When I was very young, not long after I came to Parmarth Niketan, a very old, revered saint came to Rishikesh to give his divine satsang at Parmarth Niketan.
However, rather than staying in the comforts of the ashram, he used to stay in a small hut on the banks of Ganga a little bit away from the center of the ashrams.
I was given the special seva of going to pick him up each morning and bring him to the ashram.

As we walked through the busy marketplace, I would try to push everyone and everything out of his way so that this revered saint could walk comfortably and unimpeded to the ashram. I asked everyone along the way, Side please. Please give us the way to walk. I would gently push all of the wandering cows out of his path. I moved standing bicycles and fruit carts out of the way so he could pass.
Finally as we reached the gate of the ashram I was feeling very glad that I had been able to bring him so safely and smoothly to the ashram, and that I had been able to clear such a nice path for him to walk.
This saint, however, looked at me lovingly and said, Beta, kis kis ko hatate rahoge? Aur kab tak hatate rahoge? My child, how many people and cows can you push out of the way?For how long can you move other people and things out of your path? That is not the way. Apna rasta banate jao. Apna rasta banake nikalte jao. Do not try to move others; rather find your way between the others and around them. Make your own path, but do not worry about moving others. Find your own way in the midst of the chaos.
In our lives we frequently get frustrated and broken by feeling that others are blocking our way and thwarting our path. We blame their presence and their actions for our own failure. We explain to ourselves that we would have been able to succeed if only they had let us, if only they had moved out of the way for us. We try to push people and obstacles aside to clear a way for ourselves in life.
However, obstacles never stop coming. People who are jealous never stop trying to block our path. For how long can we try to move them aside? How many obstacles, how many enemies can we try to push away? The answer is to simply find our own way, around them, between them. If they are blocking the path on the right, we walk on the left. If they are blocking the path on the left, we walk on the right. We must be more concerned about finding our own way rather than focusing on moving all of those whom we think are blocking our path.
For those who are pure in mind, thought and deed, there will always be a path in which to walk. The path may be narrow at times and it may seem that obstacles and enemies line both sides. But we must humbly and sincerely make our own way on the path of life.
We must just keep walking the path of our dharma, the path of righteousness, the path of honesty, purity and piety without worrying about those who try to block our way. So much of our precious time, energy and focus are wasted in the futile task of trying to remove obstacles and other people from our path. It is not necessary. Find your own path around the obstacles. Find your own path around the enemies.
Do not try to push them aside or push them down or fight them for the right of way. Rather, carefully examine the situation and see where the path is clear. Then, choose that path and continue on your way. The more attention we give to those who are trying to sabotage us and trying to thwart our progress, the less time and energy we have to walk to right path. In that way, then, the enemies win, for they have stolen our peace of mind, our tranquility, our joy and also our time.
Instead of trying to fight them out of the way, we must remain humble, pure and single-minded on the goal. If we can see our destination clearly then we will always be able to find a path in which to walk.
So, keep the destination firm in your mind. Stay focused on the goal and nikalte chale, nikalte chale jao [move around the obstacles and continue on the path.].

Two Stories

Story One

During the course of World War II, many people gained fame in one way or another. One man was Butch O'Hare.
He was a fighter pilot assigned to an aircraft carrier in the Pacific.
One time his entire squadron was assigned to fly a particular mission. After he was airborne, he looked at his fuel gauge and realized that someone had forgotten to top off his fuel tank. Because of this, he would not have enough fuel to complete his mission and get back to his ship. His flight leader told him to leave formation and return.
As he was returning to the mother ship, he could see a squadron of Japanese Zeroes heading toward the fleet to attack. And with all the fighter planes gone, the fleet was almost defenseless. His was the only opportunity to distract and divert them. Single-handedly, he dove into the formation of Japanese planes and attacked them.
The American fighter planes were rigged with cameras, so that as they flew and fought, pictures were taken so pilots could learn more about the terrain, enemy maneuvers, etc. Butch dove at them and shot until all his ammunition was gone, then he would dive and try to clip off a wing or tail or anything that would make the enemy planes unfit to fly. He did anything he could to keep them from reaching the American ships. Finally, the Japanese squadron took off in another direction, and Butch O'Hare and his fighter, both badly shot up, limped back to the carrier.
He told his story, but not until the film from the camera on his plane was developed, did they realize the extent he really went to--- to protect his fleet. He was recognized as a hero and given one of the nation's highest military honors.
And, as you may know, O'Hare Airport in Chicago was named after him.


Story Two

Prior to this time, in Chicago, there was a man called Easy Eddie. He was working for a man you've all heard about, Al Capone.
Al Capone wasn't famous for anything heroic, but he was notorious for the murders he'd committed and the illegal acts he'd done.
Easy Eddie was Al Capone's lawyer and he was very good. In fact, because of his skill, he was able to keep Al Capone out of jail. To show his appreciation, Al Capone paid him very well. He not only earned big money, he would get extra things, like a residence that filled an entire Chicago City block. The house was fenced, and he had live-in help and all of the conveniences of the day.
Easy Eddie had a son. He loved his son and gave him all the best things while he was growing up; clothes, cars, and a good education. And, because he loved his son he tried to teach him right from wrong. But one thing he couldn't give his son was a good name, and a good example.
Easy Eddie decided that this was much more important than all the riches he had given him. So, he went to the authorities in order to rectify the wrong he had done. In order to tell the truth, it meant he must testify against Al Capone, and he knew that Al Capone would do his best to have him killed. But he wanted most of all to try to be an example and to do the best he could to give back to his son, a good name. So, he testified.
Within the year, he was shot and killed on a lonely street in Chicago.


The Clincher
These sound like two unrelated stories, but Butch O'Hare was Easy Eddie's son. When Easy Eddie O'Hare died, police removed from his pockets a rosary, a crucifix, a religious medallion and a poem clipped from a magazine.

The poem read:
The clock of life is wound but once
And no man has the powern To tell just when the hands will stop At late or early hour.
Now is the only time you own.
Live, love, toil with a will.
Place no faith in time.
For the clock may soon be still.