Social Responsibility

In the process of making money, we neglect our social responsibilities and let the system deteriorate till we become victims ourselves.

Scrutinize Your Goals

A person who aims at nothing never misses. Aiming low is the biggest mistake. Winners see objectives, losers see obstacles.

Our goals should be high enough to motivate yet realistic enough to avoid discouragement. Anything we do, either takes us closer to our goal or further away.

Each goal must be evaluated in light of the following (similar to the Rotary's Four-Way Test):

1. Is it the truth?

2. Is it fair to all concerned?

3. Will it get me goodwill?

4. Will it get me health, wealth, and peace of mind?

5. Is it consistent with my other goals?

6. Can I commit myself to it?

The following examples fail the test:

a. If one of my goals is to be the embodiment of good health with no money, it is quite obvious that it will be hard to survive. That means it is not consistent with my other goals.

b. A person could make all the money in the world, yet if he loses his family and health, it is not worth it, is it?

c. A person could make a million dollars by selling drugs but then for the rest of his life, he would be running from the law. It would take away his peace of mind. And this kind of behavior would not be fair to all concerned nor will it give him goodwill.

Each goal must be evaluated by putting it to the test and all goals must be in congruence.

Goals without action are empty dreams. Actions turn dreams into goals. Even if we miss our goals, it does not make us a failure. Delay does not mean defeat. It only means one has to replan to accomplish one's target.

Just like a camera needs focus to take a good picture, we need goals to make a productive life.

Goals Should Be Consistent with Our Values

153*Goals lead to purpose in life. It is the starting point for success. Aim for the moon. Even if you miss, you will become one of the stars.

Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.

--Henry Ford

All of us in this world have a purpose in life. And that purpose may vary from person to person. An orchestra would be pretty dull if everyone played the same instrument.

Make no little plans, they have no magic to stir men's blood. . .

Make big plans, aim high in hope and work.

--Daniel H. Burn ham It doesn't matter where we are. What really matters is in what direction we are heading.

Effort and courage without purpose is wasted. Worry leads to negative goal-setting. It is thinking about things you don't want to happen.

Activity is Not the Same as Accomplishment

There is a big difference between activity and accomplishment. This was demonstrated by a French scientist named Fable. He conducted an experiment with processionary caterpillars. Caterpillars follow the one in front of them blindly. Fable arranged them in a circle in a flowerpot so that the lead caterpillar actually was behind the last one forming a circle. He put pine needles (food for the caterpillars) in the center of the flowerpot. The caterpillars kept going in a circle in the pot. Eventually, after a week of circling around, they dropped dead of exhaustion and starvation with food only inches away from them.

We need to learn a lesson from the caterpillars. Just because you are doing something, doesn't mean you are getting anywhere. One must evaluate one's activity in order to have accomplishment.

A man was out driving with his wife and the wife said, "Honey, we are going the wrong way." The husband replied, "Who cares, we are making great time!"

If we confuse activity with accomplishment, we could be making great time but we won't get anywhere.

MEANINGLESS GOALS.

A farmer had a dog who used to sit by the roadside waiting for vehicles to come around.

As soon as one came he would run down the road, barking and trying to overtake it. One day a neighbor asked the farmer "Do you think your dog is ever going to catch a car?"

The farmer replied, "That is not what bothers me. What bothers me is what he would do if he ever caught one."

Many people in life behave like that dog who is pursuing meaningless goals.

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ACTION PLAN.

1. Make definite goals.

2. Write them down.

3. Read your goals twice a day, morning and night.

4. Make goals slightly out of reach but not out of sight.

5. Check your progress periodically.

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CHAPTER 8.

VALUES.

VISION.

Doing the right thing for the right reason

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The seven deadly sins according to Mahatma Gandhi are wealth without work; pleasure without conscience; knowledge without character; commerce (business) without morality (ethics); science without humanity; religion without sacrifice; and politics without principle.

When a child is born, who rejoices? The parents, relatives, and friends. But who cries?

The child. However, when we die, it should be the other way round. We should be rejoicing and have the satisfaction that we made a contribution to the world and left the world a little better place than we found it. Let the world cry that it has lost a good soul and become poorer. We were not just takers, we were also givers.

Hindu philosophy believes that when good people pa.s.s away, they don't die, they only depart. Their names live on forever through their good deeds.

Think of the last time you heard a eulogy. As people pay their respects, the most common things talked about are the little acts of kindness performed by the person during his lifetime. Little acts of kindness don't go un-noticed. In fact, they are remembered a lot more after a person is gone. That is the time people realize how much those little acts of kindness meant to them.

No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave.

--Calvin Coolidge

HOW DO WE JUDGE OUR VALUE SYSTEM?.

How do we put our value system to the test? I believe there are only two tests. The ultimate test is called the Mama Test. Whenever you are doing, whatever you are doing, wherever and with whomever, at home or at work, alone or with someone, if values are in question, ask yourself, "If my mama were to see me doing what I am doing right now, would she be proud of me and say "Attaboy!" or would she hang her head in shame?"

Your values would be clarified rather quickly. If you pa.s.sed the Mama Test and failed all other tests, you have pa.s.sed. If you failed the Mama Test and pa.s.sed all other tests, you have failed.

This is worth repeating. Think about it. Whenever you need value clarification, ask yourself, "If my mama were to see me doing whatever I am doing would she be proud of me and say "Attaboy!" or would she hang her head in shame?" The clouds will clear rather quickly and you will get your answers easily.

If the Mama Test doesn't do it, I have another test called the Baba Test. Whenever you are doing, whatever you are doing, wherever and with whomever, at home or at work, alone or with someone, if values are in question, ask yourself, "If my children were to see me doing what I am doing right now, would I want them to see it, or would I be embarra.s.sed?" Again the clouds will clear rather quickly and you will get your answers.