The 50 hour work you do -is it outstanding or standing out???

People buy two categories of things.
The distinct. And the generic.
The distinct items are the things that have a limited commodity, that are artisan in nature, that are worth paying a premium for. They stand out for some reason. The generic items are, well, the things you find on Amazon.
If I start to describe a pink, ever-in-motion bunny, you know the brand of battery. [________]
You have recall because that distinct advertisement cemented something uniquely. For anything to be powerful in the marketplace, it has to be seen and remembered. No one can select it, when they can’t recall it.
This, of course, applies to people, as well as organizations:
If you work within an enterprise, this will mean you must stand out more at meetings. When you ask smart questions, challenge assumptions, and act proactively to solve problems that no one else steps up to…. You are distinctly someone worth promoting. The outspoken and proactive individual gets picked more times because he or she is distinctly memorable. We notice what sticks out. More importantly, know what ideas you are fighting for because that can form the basis of why you want to stick out from the rest.

If you are a business, and you share more about your category and expertise, your buyer will pick you because they know for sure you are the best. Don’t hide your price because it’s high. Show, don’t tell, why you are worth that price and what a mark of distinction it is to be your customer. Instead of hiding all your insights until someone buys your product, share those insights broadly so you stand apart. Distinctness means you can turn category enthusiasts, or existing customers into promoters. Stand out in a market of many, to become a market of one.
If you are an entrepreneur, it means you should stop buying into the advice you read. Studying Facebook and Google, and anyone else who came before you is simply celebrating the past. Celebrating the past is what magazines, research analysts, and papers do. They report what worked for the last one who made it but you can rarely win by copying what has already been done. Amazon’s Jeff Bezos did not follow the business practices of his day to invent (and persistently reinvent) his business, neither did Apple’s Steve Jobs, or Howard Schultz of Starbucks or … well any innovator…. How you become distinct is not a cut and paste exercise. It is born of learning, building, and development to push an idea to its edge.
For an individual, this means that you step out of trying to fitting in, and start celebrating your own uniqueness. Or said in my very own Agarwal-ism, it is when each of us stop kissing-ass so we can be kick-ass. You stop buying into the notion that there is one way to do anything, and then develop the thing that only you can bring to the table.
It’s true there is a market for commodity things, and generic people or products. Those markets force you to optimize for speed, efficiency, and perhaps service.
Commodity markets do not reward creativity, which is a result of hard work, owning your onlyness, and habits. So doing the commodity thing may very well be the right choice for you or your business. I can’t decide that for you.
But if you want to be one of the distinct ones – an innovator, a leader of ideas, a change agent to make the world a better place, there is only 1 way to do it, and that is to be distinct.

No preaching just something which celebrates life!!!

Jim Rohn once said “Income seldom exceeds personal development. What you become directly influences what you get.” Hence every day step out of your comfort zone and apportion time to stretch because when you stretch miracle happens. Here I am sharing “31” different ways to stretch. Use your imagination to add more….
Find & practice two new revenue streams in the next “30” days.
At your work environment identify “3” people and find “3” reasons to complement them.
Find “3” reasons to ask for a raise and or promotion.
Ask for additional responsibility not under your scope of talent.
Express your critical opinion on a topic in a large gathering.
Make your boss laugh.
Introduce yourself to someone standing next to you in a que.
Ask for an extra discount at a supermarket.
Call up your tough prospect for an appointment.
Attempt what you have been postponing for past few months.
Sing a song in a gathering of “10” or more people.
Congratulate your adversary on his success.
Go on raw vegetable diet for the week.
Write a critical letter to the editor.
Give up on your favorite beverage for the month.
Arrange for a get together of your friends that you have not called or met for over an year.
Learn to speak Arabic.
Switch off TV for the month
Take up a short education program with a written test.
20. Get an interview for a higher position in a larger enterprise.
Implement, a plan to stretch your “7” days expense budget into “15” days.
22. Get up an hour early every morning and use that time to meditate.
23. Take up dancing classes.
24. Spend “3” hours a week on teaching white collar people.
25. Donate blood.
26. Participate in a marathon.
27. Volunteer for beach cleaning campaign.
28. Read Shakespeare literature.
29. Automate “3” routine jobs.
30. Practice delegating “1” activity that you have never delegated before.
Smile more, laugh more and enjoy more.
When you stretch it stretches your business, professional, social relationships and when you continue practice it stretches your body, mind and soul.

Why do I love Atlas Shrugged?

Atlas shrugged is a widely recognized book and a dream read for any book lover. The story has industries of USA as a backdrop and entails to the injustice prevailed due to bureaucratic and fallacious practice of authorities. Though the size of the book can make one reconsider the idea of reading it initially, but after reading the first few lines only, all my apprehensions disappeared into thin air. The book starts with a question, ‘Who is John Galt’?, and the quest of finding its answer will sail you through the end of the book and what a worthwhile journey!
The story is not about one individual yet it is based on individualistic values and the code of living in this world. The story is about Francisco D’ Anconia, the Heir of biggest copper manufacturing unit of the world and gave it all up, it’s about Hank Rearden, the successful manufacturer of steel in USA and the inventor of Rearden Metal that made him even more successful, but gave it all up, it’s about James Taggart who lived his life assuming that everything he did, does and shall do would be for the sake of public welfare and that should be the ultimate aim of any Rich human being but eventually proved wrong, it’s about Dagny Taggart (main protagonist), the WOMAN who runs a railroad who could have given up her life but not her railroad and the story is about 3 men who became her epitome of an ideal world she always wanted to witness and part of, An Utopia.
Rand managed to create a world where the characters that are productive are downright shrewd and selfish but in a completely justifiable way and the ones who are dependent upon these people are of low moral code and unacknowledged. The reader can find oneself struggling at times with her philosophical views on life and living i.e. living for oneself and not for the sake of any other person. The exaggeration of everything is evident like the creation of wealth as well as wiping it off till the last straw. Being born and brought up in the land of Bhagvad Gita which teach us the ultimate mantras of Karma like, ‘Neki kar, dariya mein daal’, Karam kar, phal ki ichcha mat kar’, this book can seriously question these motto of good deeds.
There are long and awe-inspiring speeches preponderant about correct definitions (according to Ayn Rand of course) of those factors that keeps the survival of society possible and at the same time can make you question your own ideologies. Though well written but the lenghty description of these speeches might test your patience and could corrupt you to skip few pages too. Throughout the book, one can imagine oneself as a silent spectator amidst the whole plot cheering for the Good while jeering for the Evil, but what is good and what is evil is a matter of idiosyncratic perceptions. It shall definitely make you ponder the various economical and political issues prevalent in present times too. A particular aspect about Rand’s work which I found in 'The fountainhead' too is that all Goody characters are great looking while the baddies are not-so great looking, probably implying a metaphorical description of good and bad by Rand.
The writing ability of Rand is unquestionable, supported by a wide research and thorough knowledge of various facets of society, economics, politics and human behavior on the whole; she definitely knew the job of weaving all these aspects together with adequate reasoning to produce a master-piece. Many a times, the plot would make you say, ‘Err…I beg to differ with you Ms. Rand’, but being an intelligent writer, she clears all your doubts by vindicating her stand and keeping you on her side for majority of the book. Though pretentious at times, with bold and surreal portrayal of its characters, one would love to overlook all this for a happy and utopian ending. The book comprises of 3 parts, each containing ten chapters with elaborative establishment of all the main characters along with the plot.
To wrap up it all, I will definitely recommend this book to all the book lovers, because no matter if you’ll love it or hate, it would be a great loss to ignore it. After all it’s a book that changed and challenged the thinking process of many across the world.

And it rained!!

Does anyone of you remember the childlike enthusiasm you suddenly had when there was an impending holiday on a Friday or a Monday? Do you? Well ofcourse you do.Who doesnt?And so it rained heavily in Kolkata today.The Bhadralok in Bengal always on the lookout for such an opportunity bribed the media to stay at home.And there you have it.All Bengali channels started flashing their breaking news as if Bengal is witnessing the last flood of the century.I decided to leave home early so that I can get to work before all this madness takes over my parents.But parents they are.As soon I was about to step out my dad called "beta dont leave the house,its pouring".I dint want to be non obedient so I said "yeah i will wait".And thats when the demon struck.I dint want to go to office now.So I participated in the madness.I called up my friends and told them its going to rain heavily and its better they return soon.I was thinking "Hey I am pulling a fast one on them" and had a smug smile on my face until one of my friends called up and thanked me for informing her about the TV news.Yes it rained and it rained heavily.This rain means many things to many people.And I dont mean philosophically.Oh I am not an expert on that.Really!!Some took this as an opportunity to catch up on sleep,some had chai-pakoras to enhance their six pack folded bellies(i am sure you understand its diamterically opposite Sallu's abs).And some like my dear friends preferred to slog it out at their workplace showing how sincere they were when the fun part was that their bosses were missing.Oh my my I had my share of fun today!! To top that I received Subway privilege membership(yeah yeah how can I leave any opportunity to show off)which entails me for a year of Veg Subs and what not for a family of four at 90 percent discount.Sometimes corporate life seems worth it.As it is said be in the heaven for the environment and hell for the company.So cheers to that!!!

The advantages of being short sighted!!

It all began in Flury's(Park Street) Kolkata

I was a shockingly perverted seven-and-a-half year old who loved playing doctor-doctor and had become the centre of attraction thanks to a new pair of spectacles. I soaked in every minute of it. Lovely young seniors in full blouses and pithy skirts patted me around. “Look how cute he looks in those big glasses!” they said while I grinned.

And contrary to what you’d expect, the perks didn’t stop there.

With great power came greatly reduced responsibility. I’m visually incompetent, sire. Can’t serve in the armed forces. Not supposed to have foresight. Can’t join the search party at the bottom of the swimming pool looking for the fat lady’s lost ring. Can’t help now ex-girlfriend puking all over HRC due to lack of face recognition software (or contact lenses).

Being short-sighted prepared me for a life of sinful debauchery. Waking up with someone I didn’t recognize was never odd. So while others remained dazed and confused, I capitalized on morning wood. Forget acid, I grew up on blurred outlines and merging colours, a daytripper of sorts.

And I remember how this Goan chick felt flattered when I called her purple haze (I was merely referring to my version of her colourful lingerie).Bad vision couples beautifully with wild imagination. When sex got boring I could put faces on bodies. The possibilities were endless.

A fortunate friend was blessed with a squint along with a heavy dose of myopia. Oh what fun he had ogling at lovely assets while victims believed the seemingly innocently stare was into empty space. I hated him.

My sweetest myopic secret is that once the glasses come off, I don’t remember. Maybe some ambient sounds, but nothing of any significance. This succinctly explains how I dated a Karan Johar fan and anUday Chopra fan. Enter theatre, convince her lenses are on and you’re good to go. In fact, I don’t think I recall anything. Too much face substitution maybe.

And having found a partner whose lenses are twice as thick as mine I must confess, love isn’t blind, it’s just terribly terribly short sighted.

Hindu wedding..tauba tauba

1 Most of them are “Pure Veg.” If I want daal and paneer, I’ll stay at home, thanks.

2 The theory goes that women are hornier at weddings. That’s absolutely no use, since there is a line of uncles, brothers and wannabe husbands (who describe themselves as brothers) carrying out CCTV-esque surveillance of the cholied ones.

3 Given that 90% of the men getting married were virgins dying to get it on without getting arrested, you would think the ceremony wouldn’t start at 2 a.m. after all the couple’s energy has been sapped.

4 Brides enter the hall/garden with their posse of friends and favourite theme music, ruining the DJ’s flow. At my wedding I’ve decided to walk in to Stone Cold Steve Austin’s theme showing everyone the finger and crushing some beer cans.

5 The initial gift exchanging ceremony – where even in peak summer, faux Chinese acrylic blankets seem to be the norm as reluctantly chosen family representatives on either side size each other up, lick each others tears, pose for pictures and make sheepish “why am I here?” expressions.

6 The distant relatives who crowd around in groups, annoyed at not being made a closer part of the preparations, cribbing about the snacks being oily while vetting the couple harder (and better) than John McCain’s Vice-Presidential candidate committee.

7 The serving staff - each trying to grab hold of a tray serving the most popular snack while looking down on their colleagues confined to serving technicolour drinks with twirly Hawaiian umbrellas (later used as toothpicks).

8 The single most ballsy and expensive repeat hijacking in the history of the planet – something that would make the Lashkar head honchos proud and responsible for 45% men turning into Rahul Mahajan - money being demanded for the grooms stolen shoes. You might as well leave your credit card at a go-go bar in Thailand.

Why would anyone go through such a ridiculous exercise steeped in useless tradition, obscene expenditure and self-flagellation? Two words: Facebook photos.

Top Ten Ways To Be A Business Consultant

Now maybe your idea is usually to be a consultant or perhaps you’re an industry expert or educator of some sort or other or maybe you only have knowledge and information regarding something you need to make a living from? Whatever it is, in case you have knowledge and information that people might pay for you could easily be sitting on a 6 or 7 figure business.Becoming a consultant, advisor, educator, information and knowledge provider to others (whether or not they are small or large businesses) implies that you may make 6 and 7 figure incomes simply by selling your understanding and expertise. And truth be told you won’t need to are the world’s biggest expert in your topic.

You only need to be clear on ten basic things:
1. Get the interest in whatever you offerThis can be done by speaking with other providers of the identical solution while you offer. Or by going on the internet and searching in the search engine results for that people typing within the problems you need to solve (at Google’s keyword Tool), or by asking those you believe will need whatever you offer.
2. In order to be a company consultantYou’ll need to be capable to put out a communication of that which you are promoting to teams of potential customers and face the opportunity of rejection. It’s okay, that unexpectedly happens to us all – just do not be fearful of it.
3. You’ll need to be able to communicate the advantages of what we offer not only the features. That means whatever you customer can get on account of your products or services not only the best way you’ll provide it.
4. Network just as much as you are able to and obtain the phrase around about anything you offerTry and communicate it in as interesting a method since you can.
5. Put money into learning programmes to be able to prospect, get leads and sell. See any expenditure on learning and not as cost but as investment. It is necessary that becoming a business consultant and develop as one you have to learn advertising models – offline and online.
6. Test as much means of marketing as you’re able think of, not only printing cards and sending out brochures – (these won’t get business). Network, call people you recognize, begin to build a listing of online prospects, join groups and associations.
7. Sell products as well as servicesWhich means do public workshops, seminars, CDs and DVDs of your respective knowledge rather than just selling your energy.
8. As a business consultant, you should have an online presence. You don’t need a full-blown website. You simply need a landing page or something like that that captures leads. Which is a place people can turn to that tells them whatever you do and then for them to register their interest in precisely what you offer. You can supplement this with a profile on a social websites site.
9. Write articles like that to drive individuals to that placeAsk them to register their involvement in your area of information. Okay so you might not sell to them today but one there’re with your list you can promote to them services and products you offer at almost every other time.
10. Build relationships and trustHave patience together with your customers and clients and listen to them carefully. What are their problems and pains that they’re looking to solve. Don’t presume to be aware what they want until they communicate it to you. Then you’re in a much better position to do business using them.

15 Things Not to Say to Your Boss

“Think before you speak” is always a good policy, and in the workplace the maxim could be further refined to “think before you blurt out something to your boss that could hurt your career.” We checked in with some bosses, and came up with this list of 15 phrases bosses definitely don’t want to hear:

1. “I’m only doing this job for the money.”
No boss wants to hear that your sole motivation for showing up is your paycheck. She may know that money is your motivation, and you may know she knows, but it’s still better left unsaid.

2. “I’m broke/in debt/one step away from bankruptcy.”
Your financial woes are not your boss’s concern. Period.

3. “I’m going to quit after I (fill in the blank).”
No matter how noble your future plans are -- you may be saving to start your own company or go to grad school, for example -- it’s usually best to keep those plans to yourself or to refer to them only vaguely. If your boss knows there is a definite end date to your employment, she may start to shop around for your replacement before you are ready to leave.

4. “I partied a little too hard last night.”
Buck up and get through the day with some ibuprofen, extra undereye concealer and coffee. But don’t share the sordid details of your night on the town with your boss. He’s just as likely to react with (unspoken) disdain as sympathy.

5. “It’s not my fault.”
Are you a whiny 8-year-old or a take-charge professional? Assume responsibility and take steps to fix a problem that you did, in fact, create. And if you are being wrongly blamed for a problem, saying “let’s get to the bottom of this” or “what can we do to make it right?” is much more effective than saying “it’s not my fault.”

6. “I’m bored/this job is boring.”
Didn’t your mother ever tell you that only boring people get bored? If you’re constantly twiddling your thumbs, ask for extra work and be as specific as you can. And if you’re busy but think your assigned tasks are less-than-stimulating, start strategizing about how you can get the job you want, either within your company or elsewhere.

7. “My job is too easy.”
Sure, you may think a monkey could do your job. But don’t give your boss any ideas -- your company could probably pay a monkey less than it pays you.

8. “I can’t work with so and so. I hate him.”
Involving your boss in personality conflicts should always be your last resort. So unless you are being threatened, scapegoated, encouraged to participate in unethical behavior, or your colleague or customer is engaged in other egregious workplace conduct, try to work it out between yourselves first.

9. “I can’t do that because of my other job.” In your boss’s mind, a second job is not a valid excuse for why you can’t stay late, work extra hours or finish a project on time. She may question your priorities, and rightly so.

10. “Oh my Gawd! How did you do this job before the Internet/text messaging/Skype?”
Although not a cardinal workplace sin, making your boss feel old will not score you any points.

11. Sigh. Grimace. Eye roll. Wretching noises.
Actions can speak louder than words. A poker face and silence are golden when you’re displeased with your boss.

12. “Do it yourself!”
No need for explanation. Just never say this. Ever.

13. “It’s always been done this way.”
You don’t want to gain a reputation as an inflexible dinosaur, so keep an open mind about how you do your work. And if you’re convinced that a new way of doing things is going to harm your company, present your case without using “because that’s the way we’ve always done it” to support your position.

14. “Let me set you up with...”
Avoid the urge to play matchmaker for your single boss. The potential benefit is far outweighed by the potential risk. For that matter, any socializing with your boss (even something as simple as friending him on Facebook) can cause you to share too much information, so consider limiting social interactions entirely.

15. “Sorry, I must have drifted off.” C’mon, wake up! If you’re caught with your eyes closed, feign deep concentration rather than admit you were dozing.
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