Long back, not that much – 7 months ago, I got a mail from my frnd Shilpa regarding a beautiful movie ” The Pursuit of Happiness (December 15, 2006)” on March 5th 2008.But I missed watching this wonderful movie that time. On 6th of Aug 2008, when i came back from office with tired face and fully exhausted body, my frnd madhukiran brought the same movie. I don’t know exactly the name of the movie at the time of beginning of the movie. But we started watching that.

I heard that Hero of the Film – Will Smith and my expectations are on top (expecting some dishum dishums – fighting’s).But it was something more than that. It’s really Inspirational and AWESOME movie which I have never seen before in any language.

If u miss this movie u r nt goinn 2 miss anything. But if u watch it…then 4 sure u gonna know hw 2 get strength in calamities…its a real story.

In The Pursuit of Happyness, Chris Gardner (Will Smith) is a family man struggling to make ends meet. Despite his valiant attempts to help keep the family afloat, the mother (Thandie Newton) of his five-year-old son Christopher (Jaden Christopher Syre Smith) is buckling under the constant strain of financial pressure. No longer able to cope, she reluctantly decides to leave. Chris, now a single father, continues doggedly to pursue a better-paying job using every sales skill he knows. He lands an internship at a prestigious stock brokerage firm, and although there is no salary, he accepts, hopeful he will end the program with a job and a promising future. Without a financial cushion, Chris and his son are soon evicted from their apartment and forced to sleep in shelters, bus stations, bathrooms, or wherever they can find refuge for the night. Despite his troubles, Chris continues to honor his commitment as a loving and caring father, using the affection and trust his son has placed in him as an impetus to overcome the obstacles he faces. Columbia Pictures presents in association with Relativity Media an Overbrook Entertainment/Escape Artists Production The Pursuit of Happyness starring Will Smith, Thandie Newton and introducing Jaden Christopher Syre Smith. The film is directed by Gabriele Muccino and written by Steven Conrad. The producers are Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Steve Tisch, James Lassiter and Will Smith.

The two most best scenes i liked very much are here.

]]> http://sethuram.wordpress.com/2008/10/13/its-never-too-late-to-see-a-good-movie-pursuit-of-happyness/feed/ 2 sethuram http://sethuram.wordpress.com/2008/07/19/a-leader-shud-know-how-to-manage-failure-abdul-kalam/ http://sethuram.wordpress.com/2008/07/19/a-leader-shud-know-how-to-manage-failure-abdul-kalam/#comments Sat, 19 Jul 2008 03:34:13 +0000 sethuram http://sethuram.wordpress.com/?p=185 ]]>

Question: Could you give an example, from your own experience, of how
leaders should manage failure?

Kalam: Let me tell you about my experience. In 1973 I became the project
director of India’s satellite launch vehicle program, commonly called
the SLV-3. Our goal was to put India ’s “Rohini” satellite into orbit by
1980. I was given funds and human resources — but was told clearly that
by 1980 we had to launch the satellite into space. Thousands of people
worked together in scientific and technical teams towards that goal.

By 1979 — I think the month was August — we thought we were ready.

As the project director, I went to the control center for the launch. At
four minutes before the satellite launch, the computer began to go
through the checklist of items that needed to be checked. One minute
later, the computer program put the launch on hold; the display showed
that some control components were not in order. My experts — I had four
or five of them with me — told me not to worry; they had done their
calculations and there was enough reserve fuel. So I bypassed the
computer, switched to manual mode, and launched the rocket. In the first
stage, everything worked fine. In the second stage, a problem developed.
Instead of the satellite going into orbit, the whole rocket system
plunged into the Bay of Bengal. It was a big failure.

That day, the chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization, Prof.
Satish Dhawan, had called a press conference. The launch was at 7:00 am,
and the press conference — where journalists from around the world were
present — was at 7:45 am at ISRO’s satellite launch range in
Sriharikota [in Andhra Pradesh in southern India ]. Prof. Dhawan, the
leader of the organization, conducted the press conference himself. He
took responsibility for the failure — he said that the team had worked
very hard, but that it needed more technological support. He assured the
media that in another year, the team would definitely succeed. Now, I
was the project director, and it was my failure, but instead, he took
responsibility for the failure as chairman of the organization.

The next year, in July 1980, we tried again to launch the satellite –
and this time we succeeded. The whole nation was jubilant. Again, there
was a press conference. Prof. Dhawan called me aside and told me, “You
conduct the press conference today.”

I learned a very important lesson that day. When failure occurred, the
leader of the organization owned that failure. When success came, he
gave it to his team. The best management lesson I have learned did not
come to me from reading a book; it came from that experience.

Young CEO

Bill Gates, about 27, in his Microsoft office in 1982.

Bill Gates: The Early Years2 of 9 Geniuses at Work

Gates watches his friend and future Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen typing on a teletype terminal at the Lakeside School in Seattle in 1968. Gates was 13 when he entered the exclusive prep school, which was around the time this photo was taken.

Slacker?

Much of the computer equipment at Lakeside was bought with proceeds from a rummage sale organized by the students’ mothers. Gates was drawn to programming the machines and was excused from math classes to pursue his interest.


Graduate

Gates during Commencement at the Lakeside School in 1973.

Partners

Gates and Allen in Microsoft’s offices in 1982. Started initially in New Mexico, the company moved to Bellevue, Wash., in January 1979.


The Staff

The early team at Microsoft paused for a group portrait in 1978. Gates is at the bottom left.


Lots of Memory

Gates demonstrates the memory power of a CD in 1987.

Bill Introducing Microsoft

Bill and Melinda Gates

Gates’ 40,000 sq. ft. “ecology house” in Seattle – 7 years to built at estimated cost of $97 million (1998.)

Bill Gates gets knighthood from Queen Elizabeth (2005)

Bill Gates playing video games at CES (2005)

Bill Gates hands over beta 2 of Windows Vista, Office 2007 and Longhorn Server at WinHEC 2006 in Seattle (2006)

Bill Gates launches Windows Vista and Office 2007 at New York’s Times Square (2007 )

“Our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become!!!

Here are some of my favorite Quotes which inspired me.Have a look at them

There are two ways of exerting one’s strength: one is pushing down, the other is pulling up — Booker T.Washington

Who makes us ignorant? We ourselves. We put our hands over our eyes and weep that it is dark. – Vivekananda

In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years — Abraham Lincoln

Nothing is permanent in this wicked world – not even our troubles — Charlie Chaplin

We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop – Mother Theresa

Courage is the discovery that you may not win, and trying when you know you can lose. –Tom Krause

Anyone can give up, it’s the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, that’s true strength — Anonymous

Try and fail, but don’t fail to try.– Stephen Kaggwa

If you can imagine it, you can achieve it; if you can dream it, you can become it.– William Arthur Ward

If you would create something, you must be something. — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

No great man ever complains of want of opportunities.– Ralph Waldo Emerson

It was a high counsel that I once heard given to a young person, “Always do what you are afraid to do.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Try not to become a man of success but a man of value — Albert Einstein

Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds — Albert Einstein

The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible — Arthur C.Clarke

Winning isn’t everything, but wanting to win is — Vince Lombardi

How a man plays game shows something of his character, how he loses shows all of it — Anonymous

You must be the change you wish to see in the world — Mahatma Gandhi

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader –John Quincy Adams

Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore — Andre Gide

When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.  Confucius

How Much Does a Miracle Cost?

Here is sending a miracle your way…

Tess was a precocious eight year old when she heard her Mom and Dad
talking about her little brother, Andrew. All she knew was that he was
very sick and they were completely out of money.

They were moving to an apartment complex next month because Daddy didn’t
have the money for the doctor bills and our house. Only a very costly
surgery could save him now and it was looking like there was no-one to
loan them the money.

She heard Daddy say to her tearful Mother with whispered desperation,
“Only a miracle can save him now.”

Tess went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its hiding
place in the closet. She poured all the change out on the floor and
counted it carefully. Three times, even. The total had to be exactly
perfect. No chance here for mistakes. Carefully placing the coins back in
the jar and twisting on the cap, she slipped out the back door and made
her way 6 blocks to Rexall’s Drug Store with the big red Indian Chief
sign above the door.

She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention but he
was too busy at this moment. Tess twisted her feet to make a scuffing
noise. Nothing. She cleared her throat with the most disgusting sound she
could muster. No good. Finally she took a quarter from her jar and banged
it on the glass counter. That did it!

“And what do you want?” the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice.
“I’m talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven’t seen in ages,”
he said without waiting for a reply to his question.

“Well, I want to talk to you about my brother,” Tess answered back in
the same annoyed tone. “He’s really, really sick… and I want to buy a
miracle.”

“I beg your pardon?” said the pharmacist.

“His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and
my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle
cost?”

“We don’t sell miracles here, little girl. I’m sorry but I can’t help
you, “the pharmacist said, softening a little.

“Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn’t enough, I will
get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs.”

The pharmacist’s brother was a well dressed man. He stooped down and asked
the little girl, “What kind of a miracle does you brother need?”

“I don’t know,” Tess replied with her eyes welling up. “I just know he’s
really sick and Mommy says he needs an operation. But my Daddy can’t pay
for it, so I want to use my money.

“How much do you have?” asked the man from Chicago.

“One dollar and eleven cents,” Tess answered barely audibly. And it’s
all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to.

“Well, what a coincidence,” smiled the man. “A dollar and eleven cents-the
exact price of a miracle for little brothers.” He took her money in
one hand and with the other hand he grasped her mitten and said “Take me
to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents.
Let’s see if I have the kind of miracle you need.”

That well dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specializing
in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed without charge and it wasn’t
long until Andrew was home again and doing well. Mom and Dad were happily
talking about the chain of events that had led them to this place.

“That surgery,”her Mom whispered. “was a real miracle. I wonder how much
it would have cost?”

Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost… one dollar
and eleven cents …… plus the faith of a little child.

A miracle is not the suspension of natural law, but the operation of
a higher law……

Here is a short story that may strike one as simple but is, on the other hand, fraught with meaning. A philosopher was walking down a street when he saw a man busy at work. “What are you doing?’ he asked. ‘Can’t you see? I am putting one brick over another!’, answered the person. The philosopher walked on until he came to another man doing the same thing. ‘What are you doing?’ he asked him. Without turning around, the man answered him, ‘I am building a wall.’ The philosopher continued on his walk.

Soon he came upon yet another man doing the same work and he asked him the same question. This time the worker looked at him, smiled and said, ‘I am building a hospital where the sick can be cured.’ The philosopher returned his smile. Continuing his walk, he mused, ‘Three men doing the same work but one is a pessimist, another is a realist and the third an idealist.’ The pessimist of course was the first man, placing one brick on top of another mechanically. He paid little attention to his work and derived no enjoyment from what he was doing. Obviously he was learning nothing from it either. His intention was to do the least work for the most money he could get. He would as soon break bricks as put them together and was nothing more than a human machine.

The second man who was building a wall was putting more of himself into his task. He would probably work towards building the best wall that he could. He had a goal in mind and was working towards it sincerely. He would gather experience as he went along and the future would see him build stronger walls and also houses in which people would live in comfort. He was engaged in a promising livelihood which would enable him to look after his family. The third man was all this and more. He possessed vision and nurtured a dream in his mind. His interest went beyond the family and embraced his neighbors, friends and strangers. Work represented to him more than just earning a living. He was willing not only to discharge his duties but shoulder responsibilities as well.

Do you wonder into which category you would fall? There will be times when we feel like the pessimist, that life has scant meaning and it matters little what we do. Most of the times, we are realists leading ordinary but useful lives. It is given only to a few to be idealists all the time. They are the Mahatmas, the great thinkers. We can be realists taking life in our stride, doing our best at the same time to emulate the idealists. The most important thing to keep in mind about motivation is that we cannot motivate others. Motivation comes from within – people motivate themselves. The only thing a supervisor, a manager, or anybody else can do is to create the conditions for people towards motivation themselves

1. No one can ruin your day without YOUR Permission.
2. Most people will be about as happy, as they decide to be
3. Others can stop you temporarily, but only you can do it permanently.
4. Whatever you are willing to put up with, is exactly what you will have.
5. Success stops when you do.
6. When your ship comes in…. make sure you are willing to unload it.
7. You will never have it all together.
8. Life is a journey…not a destination. Enjoy the trip!
9. The biggest lie on the planet When I get what I want I will be happy.
10. The best way to escape your problem is to solve it.
11. I’ve learned that ultimately , ‘takers’ lose and ‘givers’ win.
12. Life’s precious moments don’t have value, unless they are shared.
13. If you don’t start, it’s certain you won’t arrive.
14. We often fear the thing we want the most.
15. He or she who laughs……lasts.
16. Yesterday was the deadline for all complaints.
17. Look for opportunities..not guarantees.
18. Life is what’s coming….not what was.
19. Success is getting up one more time.
20. Now is the most interesting time of all.
21. When things go wrong…..don’t go with them.

All or most specimens are ??
Something male species of the human race…

Look closer… again all or most of them are bachelors…

And why are they sitting late? Working hard? No way!!!
Any guesses???
Let’s ask one of them…
Here’s what he says… ‘What’s there 2 do after going home…Here we get to surf, AC, phone, food, coffee that is why I am working late…Importantly no bossssssss!!!!!!!!!!!’

This is the scene in most research centers and software companies and other off-shore offices.

Bachelors ‘Time-passing’ during late hours in the office just bcoz they say they’ve nothing else to do…
Now what r the consequences…

‘Working’ (for the record only) late hours soon becomes part of the institute or company culture.

With bosses more than eager to provide support to those ‘working’ late in the form of taxi vouchers, food vouchers and of course good feedback, (oh, he’s a hard worker… goes home only to change..!!).
They aren’t helping things too…

To hell with bosses who don’t understand the difference between ’sitting’ late and ‘working’ late!!!

Very soon, the boss start expecting all employees to put in extra working hours.

For your boss, the earlier ‘hardworking’ guy suddenly seems to become a ‘early leaver’ even if u leave an hour after regular time… after doing the same amount of work.

People leaving on time after doing their tasks for the day are labelled as work-shirkers…

Girls who thankfully always (its changing nowadays… though) leave on time are labelled as ‘not up to it’. All the while, the bachelors pat their own backs and carry on ‘working’ not realizing that they r spoiling the work culture at their own place and never realize that they would have to regret at one point of time.

So what’s the moral of the story??
* Very clear, LEAVE ON TIME!!!
* Never put in extra time ‘ unless really needed ‘
* Don’t stay back unnecessarily and spoil your company work culture which will in turn cause inconvenience to you and your colleagues.

There are hundred other things to do in the evening..

Learn music…

Learn a foreign language…

Try a sport… TT, cricket………

Importantly,get a girl friend or boy friend, take him/her around town…

* And for heaven’s sake, net cafe rates have dropped to an all-time low (plus, no fire-walls) and try cooking for a change.

Take a tip from the Smirnoff ad: *’Life’s calling, where are you??’*

Please pass on this message to all those colleagues and please do it before leaving time, don’t stay back till midnight to forward this!!!

IT’S A TYPICAL INDIAN MENTALITY THAT WORKING FOR LONG HOURS MEANS VERY HARD WORKING & 100% COMMITMENT ETC.

PEOPLE WHO REGULARLY SIT LATE IN THE OFFICE DON’T KNOW TO MANAGE THEIR TIME. SIMPLE !

Regards,
NARAYAN MURTHY.

I’ve learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it may be better tomorrow.

I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles a rainy day and lost luggage.

I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life.

I’ve learned that making a “living” is not the same thing as making a “life.”

I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.

I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back.

I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.

I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one.

I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone.

People love that human touch – holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.

ounu nizam, ounu nizam
ounu nizam, nee vanadhi
nee vanadhii, nee vanadhii
nee vanadhii nizam, nizam !

ledhu sukham, ledhu sukham,
ledhu sukham jagathuloo !
brathuku vrudha, chadhuvu vrudha,
kavitha vrudha ! vrudha, vrudha !

manamantha banisalam,
gaanugalam,peenugulam !
venuku dhaga, mundhu dhaga,
kudi yedamala dhagaa, dhagaa !

manadhii oka brathukenaa ?
kukkala vale, nakkala vale !
manadhi oka brathukenaa ?
sandhulaloo pandhula vale !

nizam sumi, nizam sumi,
nee vanadhii nizam sumi !
brathuku chaaya, chadhuvu maaya,
kavitha karakaaya sumi !

ledhu sukham,ledhu rasam
chedhu visham jeevafalam !
jeevafalam chedhu visham,
chedhu visham, chedhu visham !

ounu nizam, ounu nizam,
ounu nizam nee vanadhi!
nee vanadhii, nee vanadhii,
nee vanadhii nizam, nizam !