My mentor i.e, My friends dad is no more - heard from a very close buddy of mine, a friend , a philosopher Ravi who was a great inspiration for me pursuing medical Imaging. At times, it makes me muse that best things in life are ephemeral... although I have met you once , you have been a constant inspiration to me remotely with whatever little I know of you.I miss you appa :(
All I can is just pray so that his family can overcome the pain due to his loss. I do not know to console my buddy - I can just reminiscence about Ravi as a great friend who is a constant inspiration for my photography and his profound thoughts.I am unable to call him now..calling him now might aggravate his pain further. Guess , I will let him overcome the pain naturally rather than bugging him with questions
Monday, December 29, 2008
Friday, December 5, 2008
Endorphins , Oxytocin , adrenalins
The Physics and Chemistry of Love
Came up with an article by Kanika Goswami about Love - Its indeed a good read
Love, like all things bound to the universe, is non existent without some amount of physics and chemistry attached to it. As a scientist cynically pointed out, cupid’s arrows would never have been effective if they had not been first dipped in one unromantically named chemical- phenylethylamine.
Nor would the human body’s reaction have given us dramas like Romeo and Juliet, if oxytocin did not have its way. Together these two form the chemistry of love. The common symptoms of love, including sweaty palms, shaky knees and general restlessness, are caused by a natural chemical, Phenylethylamine (commonly dubbed the `love molecule'). Its release from the brain can be triggered from deceptively simple actions like the meeting of the eyes or touching of the hands. Heady emotions, racing pulses and heavy breathing results, and all these are (unfortunately) clinically explained as an overdose of this chemical. A very interesting thing is that chocolate is known to have very high level of this chemical…perhaps that’s the reason why it is considered a perfect gift for valentine. Or for your sweetheart.
The latest discovery is the arrangement of molecules in this chemicals and the whole world is excited because now, like the witches of the yore, we can actually concoct love potions. In other words, mankind could be on its way to isolating the chemical compound and making drugs that can induce these reactions in us, in other words….you take the drug, and you fall in love with the next person you see. Imagine the chaos that the world will face. But the scientists say that as of now, this discovery will be used to find out how it can help in some other chemical reactions, to cure disease or other, more useful pursuits and research (though everyone agrees what can be more useful than making someone fall with in love you!!!!)
At this point of time, research on the phenylethylamine molecule breakthrough could be extremely helpful in testing of chemicals related to mental illness. Parkinson’s disease could be one.
So what are we left with? Explanations, but nothing is still in our hands. What we know about love is still largely out of our control. For instance, infatuation. This is supposedly the first stage of falling in love, an unbearable attraction towards someone. This attraction causes a virtual explosion of nuerochemicals very similar to adrenalin. Assisted by Phenylethylamine (that speeds up the flow of information between cells), dopamine (that makes us glow and feel good), and norepinephrine (that stimulates the production of adrenalin), make our world go round, our eyes sparkle and our heart beat faster. Our entire existence then depends on the sight of the person who triggered these reactions to begin with, and as the addiction to the chemical grows stronger, our attraction becomes greater. At this stage we commit foolish mistakes which are the stuff puppy love stories are made of. Actually it is these three chemicals that combine to give us what we call infatuation. We feel we are energized, often floating on air…and the reason why people who are just falling in love can talk for hours on end… (the same person becomes boring at a later stage).
We can blame our chemicals for everything. We had a list of attributes ready for matching, but we just end up falling in love with the person who possesses none of them…it is , as they say, chemistry. Social obligations, other relationships, sense and sensibility, all take a back seat; our mind soars with these natural drugs. No wonder, a lover and a madman are said to be alike. Scientists also opine that this `clicking’ would be with a person with whom we can identify a parent-child situation. A person who, in our subconscious, will give us back something we feel we lost during our growing up years. For some it is security, for some others, it is warmth, and then others, just a spirit of adventure. This could be the reason why demure, well brought up girls usually fall for wastrels. This subconscious selection of mate gets our phenylethylamines and other chemicals moving. This period when our brain is awash with the love hormones lasts for different durations in different people, between six months to three years. In most of us, it settles down after that. For mercurial people, this high is missed and that’s the reason why they need another temporary high….another relationship, another chemical fix. If these love junkies stay married, they will need new relationships to keep their dope, and sometimes, bigger highs. hence bigger risks.
In this world of chemical signals, humans are not scientifically considered monogamous; we do not fall under the 3% of the species that are monogamous. The species that stick to one mate usually have a rich flow of another chemical called vasopressin, the monogamy chemical. Experiments done with males injected with this chemical brought out all the evidence needed. Isolating males before and after mating showed that before mating, he was indifferent to all females. But 24 hours after mating, he is hooked for life. The jealous husband syndrome sets in too.
Another interesting chemical is oxytoxin, the `cuddling ‘chemical. It promotes the need to be physically held, have close contact with he mate and makes both the sexes more caring. It can be released simply by a lover’s look, smell or even a fantasy.
So much for the chemistry of infatuation. When infatuation subsides, another chemical takes over, which is responsible for intimate relationships. These chemicals are created by endorphins. They make a relationship steadier, intimate, dependable, warm and a great sharing experience. They do not induce a giddy high, but calmness and stability…hence are the reason why people stay married. The longer they are married, the longer two people stay together, because this chemical is addictive. It is endorphins that trigger grief on a spouse’s death or long separation, those yearnings for togetherness. The two types of attachments can be summed up as follows…adrenaline love is being in love with the idea of being in love. While endorphins, we like loving someone.
So much for the magic of love and the realms written on it. It did come out of a bottle after all….and continues to afflict us….generations after generation.
The latest discovery is the arrangement of molecules in this chemicals and the whole world is excited because now, like the witches of the yore, we can actually concoct love potions. In other words, mankind could be on its way to isolating the chemical compound and making drugs that can induce these reactions in us, in other words….you take the drug, and you fall in love with the next person you see. Imagine the chaos that the world will face. But the scientists say that as of now, this discovery will be used to find out how it can help in some other chemical reactions, to cure disease or other, more useful pursuits and research (though everyone agrees what can be more useful than making someone fall with in love you!!!!)
At this point of time, research on the phenylethylamine molecule breakthrough could be extremely helpful in testing of chemicals related to mental illness. Parkinson’s disease could be one.
So what are we left with? Explanations, but nothing is still in our hands. What we know about love is still largely out of our control. For instance, infatuation. This is supposedly the first stage of falling in love, an unbearable attraction towards someone. This attraction causes a virtual explosion of nuerochemicals very similar to adrenalin. Assisted by Phenylethylamine (that speeds up the flow of information between cells), dopamine (that makes us glow and feel good), and norepinephrine (that stimulates the production of adrenalin), make our world go round, our eyes sparkle and our heart beat faster. Our entire existence then depends on the sight of the person who triggered these reactions to begin with, and as the addiction to the chemical grows stronger, our attraction becomes greater. At this stage we commit foolish mistakes which are the stuff puppy love stories are made of. Actually it is these three chemicals that combine to give us what we call infatuation. We feel we are energized, often floating on air…and the reason why people who are just falling in love can talk for hours on end… (the same person becomes boring at a later stage).
We can blame our chemicals for everything. We had a list of attributes ready for matching, but we just end up falling in love with the person who possesses none of them…it is , as they say, chemistry. Social obligations, other relationships, sense and sensibility, all take a back seat; our mind soars with these natural drugs. No wonder, a lover and a madman are said to be alike. Scientists also opine that this `clicking’ would be with a person with whom we can identify a parent-child situation. A person who, in our subconscious, will give us back something we feel we lost during our growing up years. For some it is security, for some others, it is warmth, and then others, just a spirit of adventure. This could be the reason why demure, well brought up girls usually fall for wastrels. This subconscious selection of mate gets our phenylethylamines and other chemicals moving. This period when our brain is awash with the love hormones lasts for different durations in different people, between six months to three years. In most of us, it settles down after that. For mercurial people, this high is missed and that’s the reason why they need another temporary high….another relationship, another chemical fix. If these love junkies stay married, they will need new relationships to keep their dope, and sometimes, bigger highs. hence bigger risks.
In this world of chemical signals, humans are not scientifically considered monogamous; we do not fall under the 3% of the species that are monogamous. The species that stick to one mate usually have a rich flow of another chemical called vasopressin, the monogamy chemical. Experiments done with males injected with this chemical brought out all the evidence needed. Isolating males before and after mating showed that before mating, he was indifferent to all females. But 24 hours after mating, he is hooked for life. The jealous husband syndrome sets in too.
Another interesting chemical is oxytoxin, the `cuddling ‘chemical. It promotes the need to be physically held, have close contact with he mate and makes both the sexes more caring. It can be released simply by a lover’s look, smell or even a fantasy.
So much for the chemistry of infatuation. When infatuation subsides, another chemical takes over, which is responsible for intimate relationships. These chemicals are created by endorphins. They make a relationship steadier, intimate, dependable, warm and a great sharing experience. They do not induce a giddy high, but calmness and stability…hence are the reason why people stay married. The longer they are married, the longer two people stay together, because this chemical is addictive. It is endorphins that trigger grief on a spouse’s death or long separation, those yearnings for togetherness. The two types of attachments can be summed up as follows…adrenaline love is being in love with the idea of being in love. While endorphins, we like loving someone.
So much for the magic of love and the realms written on it. It did come out of a bottle after all….and continues to afflict us….generations after generation.
By Kanika Goswami
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Stoicism actually helps... Priyanka Gandhi's way of dealing with issues
I randomly bumped into this Video where Priyanka meets Nalini at Vellore, Its an amazing how people can deal such emotional situations well and with fortitutude. Here is the link to the video http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=hH9ZXYZokGs&feature=related.
Priyanka canceled death sentence of Nalini who is accused to have killed her own father Rajiv Gandhi precisely to deal with the situation that Nalini's offspring should not grow up as orphan. I guess Its time for Egotists who brag about their generosity should contemplate now. Graduation in psychology probably helped.
Priyanka canceled death sentence of Nalini who is accused to have killed her own father Rajiv Gandhi precisely to deal with the situation that Nalini's offspring should not grow up as orphan. I guess Its time for Egotists who brag about their generosity should contemplate now. Graduation in psychology probably helped.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Choosing Life -- Story of Jim Maclaren
http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=266 beautiful video by Karmatube
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Following your heart
One of the best videos which lays emphasis on following the heart ! http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Yoga Obsession
Its been few days that I got myself enrolled into Yoga after a long break of 2 years , Its an awesome experience to resume the asana's and I feel that my body has been really rigid with no yoga for ages. I know I have been really lazy :D that I can write a book on virtues of laziness, Only when I browse the pages of Angelina Jolie / Shilpa shetty I give up the idea of virtue of laziness and spring back into yoga ;-) . I am writing this blog not to prove that I am feeling like a champ resuming yoga but I have returned to my cherished activity.
Facts:
I heard that there are 84 lakh postures that means to say , I will never be able to master the art of yoga :) but definitely learn to maintain good state of health and well being. Also , all the postures mimic animals and their carefree lifestyle . Being in IT , I have not had any type of physical activities and the sedentary life style has warned me against getting tyres of fat in my belly .I also read that alligator can survive in marshy places flooding with germs but still stay fit and fine; Even if humans drink filter water, eat canned food but are afflicted with caugh and cold ? .So Yoga empathizes on our aping nature and animals in their natural habitat. I wonder why do people patent on yoga postures when they themselves have copied from animals :D . We would go broke if animals demanded royalty for serving as an inspiration to carry on postures :D. Something to cheer me up - Being a Mysorean , I have seen many forigners paying close to 25,000 INR to learn yoga whereas I pay just 200 bucks
My observation of beneficial things in yoga are:
Facts:
I heard that there are 84 lakh postures that means to say , I will never be able to master the art of yoga :) but definitely learn to maintain good state of health and well being. Also , all the postures mimic animals and their carefree lifestyle . Being in IT , I have not had any type of physical activities and the sedentary life style has warned me against getting tyres of fat in my belly .I also read that alligator can survive in marshy places flooding with germs but still stay fit and fine; Even if humans drink filter water, eat canned food but are afflicted with caugh and cold ? .So Yoga empathizes on our aping nature and animals in their natural habitat. I wonder why do people patent on yoga postures when they themselves have copied from animals :D . We would go broke if animals demanded royalty for serving as an inspiration to carry on postures :D. Something to cheer me up - Being a Mysorean , I have seen many forigners paying close to 25,000 INR to learn yoga whereas I pay just 200 bucks
My observation of beneficial things in yoga are:
- I should say that I am active or hyper active ever since I started on Yoga
- My appetite is restored.Constipation problem is kinda reduced.
- Back ache and headaches has alleviated
- I observe improvement in sleep patterns since the body undergoes tremendous physical activity , It is putting me to sleep naturally hence it cures depression as well because I end up sleeping more than letting my mind ramble :)
- Walking 2 miles makes me feel healthy and contemplate about the things that I did yesterday and plan for an active today
Some beautiful quotes
"I think all theories are suspect, that the finest principles may have to be modified, or may even be pulverized by the demands of life, and that one must find, therefore, one's own moral center and move through the world hoping that this center will guide one aright."
~ James Baldwin, Collected Essays
"It is better to be told a hurtful truth than to be told a comforting lie.... In the end, the truth will make its way out and will hurt much more than it ever had to....."
"If you hold on to the handle, she said, it's easier to maintain the illusion of control. But, it's more fun if you just let the wind carry you." ~Brian Andreas
The aim of the wise man was no longer the plaudits of the masses but autarkeia, or self-sufficiency.
~Peter France, Hermits: The Insights of Solitude
"In ones career, there will be times when stones are thrown at you. But it is a great and nice feeling, when you turn those in to milestones" -- Sachin
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Quotes from Angelina Jolie:
“If I make a fool of myself, who cares? I'm not frightened by anyone's perception of me.”
“Without pain, there would be no suffering, without suffering we would never learn from our mistakes. To make it right, pain and suffering is the key to all windows, without it, there is no way of life.”
~ James Baldwin, Collected Essays
"It is better to be told a hurtful truth than to be told a comforting lie.... In the end, the truth will make its way out and will hurt much more than it ever had to....."
"If you hold on to the handle, she said, it's easier to maintain the illusion of control. But, it's more fun if you just let the wind carry you." ~Brian Andreas
The aim of the wise man was no longer the plaudits of the masses but autarkeia, or self-sufficiency.
~Peter France, Hermits: The Insights of Solitude
"In ones career, there will be times when stones are thrown at you. But it is a great and nice feeling, when you turn those in to milestones" -- Sachin
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Quotes from Angelina Jolie:
“If I make a fool of myself, who cares? I'm not frightened by anyone's perception of me.”
“Without pain, there would be no suffering, without suffering we would never learn from our mistakes. To make it right, pain and suffering is the key to all windows, without it, there is no way of life.”
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Life free of toxins!
To the extent of my knowledge, I have been a congruent , homogeneous person who has stuck to my word - I proudly think that " I am woman of my word ".I cannot sleep if I hurt someone consciously or when I cannot keep up my word.How I wish that I cannot even hurt a fly.I cannot hide about myself which may be a bad trait but I prefer it that way rather than painting a great picture of myself when I am sure that is apocryphal.
I often come across the circumstances which are compelling to change my integrity, commitment and the People who accosted me dump me rendering an emotional fiasco.... but The effort I put to maintain a "single person preferring not to wear masques" is worth the effort because I perceive myself as a person with " Strong core" who will not change with changing conditions, ebbs and webs of life. The emotions manifested in chronic health conditions, inconsolable grief,I don't want an aberration PRINCIPLES and noble ambitions but have to defer my ambitions addressing the problems in my personal life :( .I know the world is posing me an ordeal, I will not give up what I always wanted.I have realized that I am strong,a relatively an independent person, I am sure one day people around will also.
Thinking of the efforts which people with multiple personality traits suffer the hassle of time taken to make a decision , cook up lies takes more time and think about the consequences of multiple personality is too cumbersome.I feel being point blank is the best way of life annulling negative emotions which generate toxins in our body.I dream and I work of a toxin free body, mind and if there is such a thing called soul!
I often come across the circumstances which are compelling to change my integrity, commitment and the People who accosted me dump me rendering an emotional fiasco.... but The effort I put to maintain a "single person preferring not to wear masques" is worth the effort because I perceive myself as a person with " Strong core" who will not change with changing conditions, ebbs and webs of life. The emotions manifested in chronic health conditions, inconsolable grief,I don't want an aberration PRINCIPLES and noble ambitions but have to defer my ambitions addressing the problems in my personal life :( .I know the world is posing me an ordeal, I will not give up what I always wanted.I have realized that I am strong,a relatively an independent person, I am sure one day people around will also.
Thinking of the efforts which people with multiple personality traits suffer the hassle of time taken to make a decision , cook up lies takes more time and think about the consequences of multiple personality is too cumbersome.I feel being point blank is the best way of life annulling negative emotions which generate toxins in our body.I dream and I work of a toxin free body, mind and if there is such a thing called soul!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Friends engagement
Today , I am so happy that one of my good friend got engaged. He was very nice to me esp. when I was down and always was a role model for his simplicity and modesty.His never give up attitude was simply adorable .. I just sit pray that things go peacefully with him ... Wish I was there as a part of this happy ceremony
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Closer to fine - PhD comics
This Tajel's audio - http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/media/phd1.mp3 made my day. It's funny for a person in recluse burried in books!
Monday, July 21, 2008
Self surrender is self knowledge
I found the video on this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNXM4Sq-GIA good. The reason why always admired Ramana is because he was silent most of the times, shared the same interest that I do like reading comic strips , cooking :P and being lazy . I am not implying that a new ramana is in making ;)
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Smart weight Loss
I am engrossed in researching on articles which enable weight loss with minimal physical excertion :P. My innate quality of being lethargic has led me to explore some of the smart possibilities.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Mystique of Permanence
" The demand for permanence -- permanent relationships, permanent happiness, and permanent bliss -- in any field and in any area of human existence is the cause of human misery. There is nothing to permanence." - U. G Krishnamurti
Monday, April 21, 2008
Memorabilia : Solar Energy and Underpriviledged Kids
Yishun Apr, 2007 Singapore
The car park at Agilent, Yishun was transformed into a mini race course for solar powered cars for the annual science-in-a-box program.
80 children from Yishun Student Service Center and Beyond Social Services, beneficiaries of Community Chest and MILK (Mainly I Love Kids), attended the event. It was the first time they made a solar powered car and the experience was an enriching one for them.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Going with the flow
A friend of mine who was looking around for a gal to get married was so frustrated that he had gotten to think that there is something really wrong with him.He had not been able to hook up with a girl from 2 years and get a girl committed to the marriage . I was conversing with another friend about the complexity of marriage and its unpredictability.
He gave me a wonderful analogy and insights how thing work in life with an epiphany - Osmosis
Osmosis - Movement of water from one part of the membrane that has water to the part that has less and therefore it needs it thats how plants absorb water through their roots.the roots are more saline on the inside than the soil surrounding them two plants
Scenario 1 : Given two roots, one spot of the water - both roots at the same spot which one absorbs the water?
Ans: the one which is more saline...its need.... the one which needs it more gets it now
Scenario 2 : same two roots, same water spot... but now one root is closer than the other
Ans: one which is closer, which cared to act and grow towards the water gets its water
The catch is...
Life is like that if the root did not grow towards the water, It gets no water even if it did if something else needs it more it gets no water
Should it stop growing? no.... but should it always expect the water when it reaches there?
no ..... the one who needs it and the one who tries get it.... thats is natures law.... and that is gods law of determining results of actions,
Probably based on the need and Laws of Nature things are bound to work and we need to go with the flow unmasking our blind spots
He gave me a wonderful analogy and insights how thing work in life with an epiphany - Osmosis
Osmosis - Movement of water from one part of the membrane that has water to the part that has less and therefore it needs it thats how plants absorb water through their roots.the roots are more saline on the inside than the soil surrounding them two plants
Scenario 1 : Given two roots, one spot of the water - both roots at the same spot which one absorbs the water?
Ans: the one which is more saline...its need.... the one which needs it more gets it now
Scenario 2 : same two roots, same water spot... but now one root is closer than the other
Ans: one which is closer, which cared to act and grow towards the water gets its water
The catch is...
Life is like that if the root did not grow towards the water, It gets no water even if it did if something else needs it more it gets no water
Should it stop growing? no.... but should it always expect the water when it reaches there?
no ..... the one who needs it and the one who tries get it.... thats is natures law.... and that is gods law of determining results of actions,
Probably based on the need and Laws of Nature things are bound to work and we need to go with the flow unmasking our blind spots
Friday, April 18, 2008
Patience
" There is no greater penance than patience Be tolerant to the harsh words of cruel individuals,Be patient, when hardship hits and be courageous to face it.Be patient, until plants you planted bear fruit.Be patient and pack the food, your time to enjoy is definitely ahead" - Vaadiraja theertharu
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Quest for e c a e P
The quest for peace has always ended me in a loony bin and more so when I am trying to seek happiness from others, freedom , trying to realize my ambitions , Trying to separate myself from the rest of the world unknowing I am an element of this system has left in pieces than even a stint of peace.
The urge to compete with crowd has totally faded, by not conflicting with what I really enjoy ...I enjoy a state with no resistance
I muse ......
- > when I realise my insignificance in this *scheme* of life , I guage my true worth and This can be the only only path leading to peace
The urge to compete with crowd has totally faded, by not conflicting with what I really enjoy ...I enjoy a state with no resistance
I muse ......
- > when I realise my insignificance in this *scheme* of life , I guage my true worth and This can be the only only path leading to peace
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Herbal Hi- Tech Holi ? , International Art Of Living Ashram , Bangalore
I was privileged to encounter and to be a part of wonderful Herbal HiTech Holi celebration on 20th March 2008 at International Art of Living Ashram situated on Kanakapura Road , Bangalore.
It was called a High Tech Holi celebration was different from the celebrations I had seen, played hitherto. There were sprinklers on a high-roof building which could spray the Holi colors on the masses who were part of the celebration upon a single button press. The Holi Celebration was herbal as opposed to jazzy, harmful artificial dyed colors like fluorescent Red, Green et al used in the cities. Sri Sri happend to describe the Holi Colors as an amalgam of Sandal Wood paste, Turmeric, Rose Water and Flowers.
Thanks to Ashvin's mom and dad in making my long awaited visit to Lotus shaped International Art of Living very well away from the hussle of Chaos in the City. I was indeed happy to get the aerial view of lakes , meadows and hills around , a perfect change to soothe my staring , strained eyes off the monitor .
It was called a High Tech Holi celebration was different from the celebrations I had seen, played hitherto. There were sprinklers on a high-roof building which could spray the Holi colors on the masses who were part of the celebration upon a single button press. The Holi Celebration was herbal as opposed to jazzy, harmful artificial dyed colors like fluorescent Red, Green et al used in the cities. Sri Sri happend to describe the Holi Colors as an amalgam of Sandal Wood paste, Turmeric, Rose Water and Flowers.
Thanks to Ashvin's mom and dad in making my long awaited visit to Lotus shaped International Art of Living very well away from the hussle of Chaos in the City. I was indeed happy to get the aerial view of lakes , meadows and hills around , a perfect change to soothe my staring , strained eyes off the monitor .
My realm of research ....
All the while I have been thinking that I am the only girl who decided to take up Medical Imaging with a strong cause. I find this link as an inspiration to keep up my spirits no matter what comes my way!
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/12/education/12intel.html?ref=education
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/12/education/12intel.html?ref=education
Jazzing the night....
I had been to a concert at Hotel Grand Ashok on Feb 24th called the Jazz Incident - French Alain Brunet Trio with tabla player Manosh Bardhan and sarod player Debi Prasad at the Grand Ashok. The Performance included Alain Brunet on vocals and trumpet, Luc Fenoli on the guitar and Jean- Louis Do on the drums. The two different disciplines of music brought out an exquisite combination. Thanks to Krishna for the concert pass...
This introduced me to the profoundness of Sarod, I am thinking of taking up the classes on Sarod.
This introduced me to the profoundness of Sarod, I am thinking of taking up the classes on Sarod.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Raghu's Concert at BrewHaHa, Koramangala
Finally, I got to attend long awaited concert from Raghu Dixit. Raghu's music has the profoundness to get the spectators alive in action . I had a total revamp last weekend philosophically plunging in Rock-Folk, a fusion of rustic folk and Rock genres. Cannot help but admire the lyrics that Raghu has picked up from Santa Shishunaala shareefa...I could relate this philosophical bearing that Metallic has with of course the desi streaks.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Happiness
Happiness is a " state " I choose and should happiness be a function of others ?.My quest of defining happiness as a choice dependent on the true self is still continuing ...I muse upon the Quotes of Nisargadatta an excerpt from the book " I am that " - to understand the underlying contradiction to realise the illusion that I create a state of happiness by choosing that state
" Look at the net and its many contradictions.
You do and undo every step.
You want love, peace and happiness and
work hard to create pain, hatred and war "
You want longevity and overeat
You want friendship and exploit.
See your net as made of such contradictions
and remove them
Your very seeing will make them go"
" Look at the net and its many contradictions.
You do and undo every step.
You want love, peace and happiness and
work hard to create pain, hatred and war "
You want longevity and overeat
You want friendship and exploit.
See your net as made of such contradictions
and remove them
Your very seeing will make them go"
Saturday, February 16, 2008
The Performance Paradox: When Less Is More
Found an amazing article to read - courtesy Stephen Shapiro. This article not only applies to management but also can correlate with life ...
Every leader dreams of finding the magic bullet that will increase creativity, boost productivity, and improve morale. Surprisingly, one of the most effective solutions may be the most counterintuitive: sometimes less effort, not more, yields optimal results.
Keep Your Eye on the Present
A few years ago, I worked with a Formula One racing team. Pit crews, consisting of 19 people, serviced the ultrafast, high-tech race— refueling cars, changing tires, and performing required maintenance in a matter of seconds. The crew members continually shifted positions to find the best combination for the optimal configuration of the team. As they practiced, they used a stopwatch to measure their time to milliseconds. Yet, ultimately, no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't work any faster. They had hit their performance plateau.
Then, they tried a new approach. They decided not to concentrate on their time, but on their style instead. Now, their movements became more significant than their speed. Astonishingly, the crew shaved several tenths of a second off their best time, even though they "felt" they were moving more slowly. This experiment reinforces the concept that the more you focus on your goals, the less likely you are to achieve them. By worrying about the future, you take your eye off the present.
In higher intellectual activities, the results are even more pronounced. Take the true story of a high school student who became increasingly anxious over passing her upcoming final exam in math, always her weakest subject. She studied hard, all the time focusing on her goal of passing her exam. In spite of her efforts, she failed. She pleaded with her teachers to give her one more chance. They did. This time, instead of concentrating on the goal, she used a powerful creativity technique.
Her first conscious thought each day when she awoke was to visualize herself as Condoleezza Rice, the U.S. Secretary of State, a very successful, highly educated woman. Dr. Rice wouldn't worry about a high school math exam, right? By imagining she was someone else, she stopped agonizing and gained more confidence daily. By focusing on the present rather than the result, she scored a 93%, her greatest performance with less effort.
Dare to Be Different
Does this also apply to sales? Can we perform better when we don't focus on our sales goals? A woman's clothing store had a competition to determine who among its employees could sell the most in two months. The winner would receive a bonus and, possibly, a raise. All had their eyes on the prize, except for one sales rep who decided on a different approach. Instead of trying to make a sale, she zeroed in on serving the customer. If a customer needed help for eight hours to pick out a blouse, that's what she would do. If she felt customers would find a better product at a competitor, she would send them there. After two months, this sales person who was not trying to make sales outsold everyone else by a significant margin.
We have seen similar results in many sales and service organizations. We all know (and believe) the expression, "You get what you measure." But a serious question arises: will you get what you want? Often, targets and goals create stress and dysfunctional behavior.
Less Motivation, More Performance
The concept of reducing goal-obsession to improve performance is not new. In the early 1900s, Robert Yerkes and J.D. Dodson developed the eponymous Yerkes-Dodson Law. The premise is performance increases relative to motivation only to a point, after which performance drops. Typically, it is drawn as an inverted U-shaped curve.
If you lack motivation, the result is low performance. This is not surprising. As your motivation increases, your performance increases—to a point. This point is the sweet spot of optimal performance. Then, as you become more goal-obsessed, performance paradoxically decreases. Goals increase stress and cause you to fixate on the future rather than the present.
Yerkes and Dodson suggest that different tasks require different levels of motivation. For example, physically demanding tasks often require higher levels of motivation. This explains why professional athletes are inclined to be very goal-driven. Even so, as demonstrated by the pit crew example, too much goal orientation will hurt even athletic performance. In 2004, the New England Patriots broke the records for the longest winning streak in NFL history—20 games in a row. At a press conference after the game a reporter asked the team's coach, Bill Belichick, to comment on this winning streak. He replied, "We did not have a 20-game win streak. We had 20 one-game win streaks." His philosophy was for the team to play each game to the best of its ability. Setting your sights too far ahead is a sure recipe for failure.
Creativity Has its Own Rewards
Within the business world, Yerkes and Dodson found that intellectually challenging tasks required lower levels of motivation. The more creative the work, the less motivation required to hit peak levels of performance. Studies reveal that creativity diminishes when individuals are rewarded (externally motivated) for doing their work. Why? The desire to achieve the goal overtakes the personal interest in the endeavor. A myopic focus on the outcome overshadows the intellectual stimulation of the process. As a result, risk taking becomes reduced and creativity vanishes.
"Working hard" may not be the best way to improve productivity and creativity. Maybe it isn't even "working smarter." As we have seen, perhaps the answer lies in trying less. Or maybe it can be found in understanding human behavior and motivation, as illustrated in the following studies.
Your Loss Could Be Your Gain
Which magazine do you think American men are more likely to buy?
* A men's health magazine with the cover, "Lose Your Gut Fast" or
* A similar magazine with the cover, "Get Six-Pack Abs"?
Although most people intuitively think that the second cover, "Get Six-Pack Abs," is the sure winner, when a magazine did such a comparison, it found that "Lose Your Gut Fast" sold six times more copies. Why? The answer lies in the three requirements for individuals (or an organization or a society) to change:
1. They must be dissatisfied or uncomfortable with the current situation.
2. They must foresee a better future.
3. They must believe that they can reach that better future with a reasonable amount of effort.
Point #3 is critical. Using the "gut" example, when someone is 20 pounds overweight, as are many Americans, six-pack abs may be desirable yet seem inconceivable. It's just too much work, and the likelihood of success seems poor. Only when your gut is gone will the idea of six-pack abs seem like a possibility. Similarly, only when your organization is a lean, mean fighting machine will people embrace longer-term, strategic visions.
A question I ask when I address my audiences illustrates this concept further: "Which would you choose:
* Option 1: A guaranteed gain of $75,000 or
* Option 2: An 80% chance to gain $100,000 with a 20% chance of getting nothing?
Seventy-five percent of audience members choose Option 1, consistent across all groups, regardless of demographics. People are risk averse when it comes to increasing gains. What would you choose if I worded the question as a loss rather than as a gain?
* Option 1: A certain loss of $75,000 or
* Option 2: An 80% chance of losing $100,000 with a 20% chance of not losing anything
Over 80% of my audiences choose Option 2. People will take risks to reduce their losses. This explains why the status quo often wins over change. Although there may be a benefit in changing, the risk of losing what you already have is too great.
People will take great risks to minimize their pain/losses yet play it safe when the option is to increase their pleasure/gains. When your organization's change plans are utopian visions of a grandiose future, your employees move to the far end of the performance curve: high motivation, low performance. They become cynical about success and feel as though you are not addressing their current pains and frustrations. Instead, fix immediate problems first, then move on to more strategic visions.
The Bottom Line
To create a pervasive culture of innovation, you must first create an environment of performance and motivation. Achieving this is often, paradoxically, the result of less, not greater, effort. Although goals and performance targets are useful tools, they can also have a detrimental impact on results. When people are too future-fixated, their creativity and overall performance diminish. Find the sweet spot of optimal performance, and you will undoubtedly see an increase in employee productivity, creativity, and satisfaction—all with less effort.
About the Author:
During his 15-year tenure with the international consulting firm Accenture, Stephen Shapiro established and led its 20,000-person Global Process Excellence Practice. In 2001, he left the management consulting world to write. His books include: 24/7 Innovation, Goal-Free Living, and most recently Stephen Shapiro's Little Book of Big Innovation Ideas. For more information: www.SteveShapiro.com
Every leader dreams of finding the magic bullet that will increase creativity, boost productivity, and improve morale. Surprisingly, one of the most effective solutions may be the most counterintuitive: sometimes less effort, not more, yields optimal results.
Keep Your Eye on the Present
A few years ago, I worked with a Formula One racing team. Pit crews, consisting of 19 people, serviced the ultrafast, high-tech race— refueling cars, changing tires, and performing required maintenance in a matter of seconds. The crew members continually shifted positions to find the best combination for the optimal configuration of the team. As they practiced, they used a stopwatch to measure their time to milliseconds. Yet, ultimately, no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't work any faster. They had hit their performance plateau.
Then, they tried a new approach. They decided not to concentrate on their time, but on their style instead. Now, their movements became more significant than their speed. Astonishingly, the crew shaved several tenths of a second off their best time, even though they "felt" they were moving more slowly. This experiment reinforces the concept that the more you focus on your goals, the less likely you are to achieve them. By worrying about the future, you take your eye off the present.
In higher intellectual activities, the results are even more pronounced. Take the true story of a high school student who became increasingly anxious over passing her upcoming final exam in math, always her weakest subject. She studied hard, all the time focusing on her goal of passing her exam. In spite of her efforts, she failed. She pleaded with her teachers to give her one more chance. They did. This time, instead of concentrating on the goal, she used a powerful creativity technique.
Her first conscious thought each day when she awoke was to visualize herself as Condoleezza Rice, the U.S. Secretary of State, a very successful, highly educated woman. Dr. Rice wouldn't worry about a high school math exam, right? By imagining she was someone else, she stopped agonizing and gained more confidence daily. By focusing on the present rather than the result, she scored a 93%, her greatest performance with less effort.
Dare to Be Different
Does this also apply to sales? Can we perform better when we don't focus on our sales goals? A woman's clothing store had a competition to determine who among its employees could sell the most in two months. The winner would receive a bonus and, possibly, a raise. All had their eyes on the prize, except for one sales rep who decided on a different approach. Instead of trying to make a sale, she zeroed in on serving the customer. If a customer needed help for eight hours to pick out a blouse, that's what she would do. If she felt customers would find a better product at a competitor, she would send them there. After two months, this sales person who was not trying to make sales outsold everyone else by a significant margin.
We have seen similar results in many sales and service organizations. We all know (and believe) the expression, "You get what you measure." But a serious question arises: will you get what you want? Often, targets and goals create stress and dysfunctional behavior.
Less Motivation, More Performance
The concept of reducing goal-obsession to improve performance is not new. In the early 1900s, Robert Yerkes and J.D. Dodson developed the eponymous Yerkes-Dodson Law. The premise is performance increases relative to motivation only to a point, after which performance drops. Typically, it is drawn as an inverted U-shaped curve.
If you lack motivation, the result is low performance. This is not surprising. As your motivation increases, your performance increases—to a point. This point is the sweet spot of optimal performance. Then, as you become more goal-obsessed, performance paradoxically decreases. Goals increase stress and cause you to fixate on the future rather than the present.
Yerkes and Dodson suggest that different tasks require different levels of motivation. For example, physically demanding tasks often require higher levels of motivation. This explains why professional athletes are inclined to be very goal-driven. Even so, as demonstrated by the pit crew example, too much goal orientation will hurt even athletic performance. In 2004, the New England Patriots broke the records for the longest winning streak in NFL history—20 games in a row. At a press conference after the game a reporter asked the team's coach, Bill Belichick, to comment on this winning streak. He replied, "We did not have a 20-game win streak. We had 20 one-game win streaks." His philosophy was for the team to play each game to the best of its ability. Setting your sights too far ahead is a sure recipe for failure.
Creativity Has its Own Rewards
Within the business world, Yerkes and Dodson found that intellectually challenging tasks required lower levels of motivation. The more creative the work, the less motivation required to hit peak levels of performance. Studies reveal that creativity diminishes when individuals are rewarded (externally motivated) for doing their work. Why? The desire to achieve the goal overtakes the personal interest in the endeavor. A myopic focus on the outcome overshadows the intellectual stimulation of the process. As a result, risk taking becomes reduced and creativity vanishes.
"Working hard" may not be the best way to improve productivity and creativity. Maybe it isn't even "working smarter." As we have seen, perhaps the answer lies in trying less. Or maybe it can be found in understanding human behavior and motivation, as illustrated in the following studies.
Your Loss Could Be Your Gain
Which magazine do you think American men are more likely to buy?
* A men's health magazine with the cover, "Lose Your Gut Fast" or
* A similar magazine with the cover, "Get Six-Pack Abs"?
Although most people intuitively think that the second cover, "Get Six-Pack Abs," is the sure winner, when a magazine did such a comparison, it found that "Lose Your Gut Fast" sold six times more copies. Why? The answer lies in the three requirements for individuals (or an organization or a society) to change:
1. They must be dissatisfied or uncomfortable with the current situation.
2. They must foresee a better future.
3. They must believe that they can reach that better future with a reasonable amount of effort.
Point #3 is critical. Using the "gut" example, when someone is 20 pounds overweight, as are many Americans, six-pack abs may be desirable yet seem inconceivable. It's just too much work, and the likelihood of success seems poor. Only when your gut is gone will the idea of six-pack abs seem like a possibility. Similarly, only when your organization is a lean, mean fighting machine will people embrace longer-term, strategic visions.
A question I ask when I address my audiences illustrates this concept further: "Which would you choose:
* Option 1: A guaranteed gain of $75,000 or
* Option 2: An 80% chance to gain $100,000 with a 20% chance of getting nothing?
Seventy-five percent of audience members choose Option 1, consistent across all groups, regardless of demographics. People are risk averse when it comes to increasing gains. What would you choose if I worded the question as a loss rather than as a gain?
* Option 1: A certain loss of $75,000 or
* Option 2: An 80% chance of losing $100,000 with a 20% chance of not losing anything
Over 80% of my audiences choose Option 2. People will take risks to reduce their losses. This explains why the status quo often wins over change. Although there may be a benefit in changing, the risk of losing what you already have is too great.
People will take great risks to minimize their pain/losses yet play it safe when the option is to increase their pleasure/gains. When your organization's change plans are utopian visions of a grandiose future, your employees move to the far end of the performance curve: high motivation, low performance. They become cynical about success and feel as though you are not addressing their current pains and frustrations. Instead, fix immediate problems first, then move on to more strategic visions.
The Bottom Line
To create a pervasive culture of innovation, you must first create an environment of performance and motivation. Achieving this is often, paradoxically, the result of less, not greater, effort. Although goals and performance targets are useful tools, they can also have a detrimental impact on results. When people are too future-fixated, their creativity and overall performance diminish. Find the sweet spot of optimal performance, and you will undoubtedly see an increase in employee productivity, creativity, and satisfaction—all with less effort.
About the Author:
During his 15-year tenure with the international consulting firm Accenture, Stephen Shapiro established and led its 20,000-person Global Process Excellence Practice. In 2001, he left the management consulting world to write. His books include: 24/7 Innovation, Goal-Free Living, and most recently Stephen Shapiro's Little Book of Big Innovation Ideas. For more information: www.SteveShapiro.com
Friday, February 15, 2008
Why this blog ?
This blog is sheerly for my self- improvement and to augment my persuasive written skills in inking down my thoughts. This goes to say that I am not responsible for good or bad that is an outcome of reading my blog.
My interests lie broadly in the area of Philosophy , Health , Way of peaceful life , Photography , Imaging Science , Instrumental Music
My interests lie broadly in the area of Philosophy , Health , Way of peaceful life , Photography , Imaging Science , Instrumental Music
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