7 Life (changing) skills enabling infinite possibilities

Your age, profession, preference no longer matters. The Information Age at its onset brings the realm of new opportunities with a duality of challenges. After a lot of reading, experiences, discussions and more importantly introspection here is a compilation of 7 colors of your personality traits/skills which you need to rediscover/redefine to devise your X-factor.

1. Speed Reading-

Today’s newspaper, fortnightly niche magazines, company reports, online articles and the list is unending. So much to read and think, still lesser time. 250-300 words per minute is passé. The pre requisite is glancing through the text twice or thrice faster than your current speed to cope up with the overflowing information all around us notwithstanding the urge to read the PAGE 3 column.

2. Listening-

How can listening be a skill? You’re already hearing to the sounds in the vicinity. With all the neighboring noise and our habit of conveying our opinion, listening inclined in importance .If you still disagree, observe a senior manager/politician LIVE and check how much they listen. Lesson #1: Listen to your inner voice.

3. Walk the talk-

Approaching strangers can be difficult, let alone attempting business with them. To stand opportunistic enough, get out of that comfort zone and stop thinking ‘Why should I start talking to him?’ For practice try social places like the local club, dance classes, playgrounds etc. It is most useful when travelling and approaching people for directions.

4. KISS (Keep it Simple Silly) -

Whether it is an investor presentation, the first date or a child enquiring ‘why does something happen?’ What everyone wants is simplicity, a summary of the complex information. So, you continue the hard work, develop your logic but when you present- KISS.

5. Autodidactism (Self-learning) -

There is a system of formal education, technical courses, everyday skills and the list is unending. Whether it is cooking, how to tie a tie or how to do bhangra, thanks to www everything is available at the click of a mouse. It requires a bit of a research but a magnitude of discipline. With self-directed learning you can surely be a ‘Jack of all trade.’

6. Social media management -

With such an array of media available, it is strenuous to choose how to communicate and maintain contact, most importantly have a consistent message. All of us aware of their usage nevertheless it commands a lot of training and trial and error to harness them effectively and unleash their true potential.

7. Time management-

Ultimately, to grasp all these life skills, you need time and time management is itself a skill. The tenor can be sticky notes, to-do lists, pocket diary or cell phone reminders. Yet ,a new pedagogy is essential to enable a paradigm shift from focus on per minute productivity to a rostrum for self-awareness and leisure. It doesn’t matters how much you do in a day, but what you actually do. For starters, start with accomplishing one perfect thing in a day.

10 Advantages of belonging to rural India/ a small-town

There has been a recent national media attention on small-towners making it big in life.

Hence, belonging from a small town is not always a barrier in pursuing your dreams, here’s a look on the brighter side:

1. It’s a nice conversation starter when asked for introduction.
2. You can lead dual lives. One of an achiever/struggler in a metro and switch back to the slow life of your hometown. No need a separate vacation home!
3. You’re not aware of the limitations in pursuing any activity in the urban setting. You make your own rules.
4. You know the value of things; hence as you get them, you can lead a balanced life not being an extreme.
5. Even if you fail in a new place, no one knows you there. So you can go always go back and start again in your comfort zone where everyone knows everyone.
6. You will always find a support system in the non-residents of that place as they are the ones you can relate to.
7. As you adapt to the new place, you become more independent and have better opportunities of exploring life and travelling.
8. You can earn in Dollars (Metros) and spend in rupees(Home town).
9. You have a sophisticated vocabulary of foul language, in fact your own regional touch, greater understanding of whats going to happen next in a Bollywood movie and a superior knowledge of Indian cricket statistics than the commentator.
10. Ultimately, you can proudly say- “I’m from a small town which is real India.”

TRAVELUTION!

One of the upcoming trends in the youth today is the urge to travel. Whether it is globetrotting, local excursion or a rural expedition, the new generation just wants to move around and explore the world. They are likely to be in places which are contrasting to their current purlieus.

The indegrients for this inclination have been the growth of young professionals, increasing number of outstation students who are more independent, the weekend culture, evolution of travel networks like Couch surfing which provides free housing across the globe and expansion of Youth organizations like AIESEC and Rotary Club. Though, the biggest antecedent is, the boom of social media where can share his wanderlust with his virtual friends and followers. One can check in a popular place, share what he is feeling in his travel blog, showcase his photography antiques and with whom he is hanging out with. In fact, this has led to a contemporary peer pressure wherein it is obligatory to commute to a unique/ famous destination. It has become an intrinsic part of social conversations. The path to social elitism is no longer what you own but where you have been and what adventures you had.

Interestingly, travel is being viewed by more and more youngsters as the means to breakthrough their rather comfort zone and explore the real world. It marries the concept of ‘self-discovery’ wherein you tour the world and come back home to discover the new ‘you.’ In fact, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, a Bollywood film based on a Road trip of 3 best friends won the IIFA Award for the ‘Best Film of the Year 2012.’

Institutionally, increasing number of jobs and educational courses are becoming virtual, giving the general public a chance to go around. Professionally, a person’s resume stands out with his knowledge of the real if he has a culturally diverse education or experience. Considering, developed countries, this movement has developed to the next level wherein young couples and families are contemplating, relocation to an entirely diverse part of the globe. This is vividly represented in the American Series, ‘House Hunters.’ While for developing countries, it’s a win-win situation for MNCs. It enables them to employ cheap labour for a project in a developed country; while the employee is lured by foreign travel. For educational institutions, it improves the profile when they say they have an exchange with a foreign university.

As I write this article on vacation in America, I realize, I’m myself a contributor for TRAVOLUTION!

Concluding, with a beautiful quote-

“Not all those who wander are lost.” – J. Tolkien

LOUV STORY- Saahil Narang and Subhro Ganguly

Korporations- The new Cingdoms?

It is said that 'history repeats itself.' The modern history is marked by consolidation of countries, revolutions leading to shift of power to the masses and the end of royalty. One may argue that we're witnessing the juncture of history where Kingdoms have come to their ultimate end. If you see the bigger picture, it is evident that the 'Corporations' are the latest social system replacing it.

If this is difficult to digest, just glance at the combined wealth of the 'Fortune 500 Companies' and it is sure surmount the GDPs of some of the most developed countries;The nations in the league of super-powers. These new empires are now 'global', having existence wherever they can sell and extending to the virtual world, accessible at the click of a mouse button.

The CEOs are the new Kings, persuading the humanity to buy their idea of an ideal lifestyle; Designing a product which makes them an intergal part of a social class enjoying a specific standard of living. The laws of 'Arthashastra' for managing kingdoms apply in governing these dynasties. The corporate structures represent the different approaches in acquiring power. Succession is not hereditary, but determined by long-term commitment or outstanding innovation. The senior management employees are treated like the 'Ministers' with heavy paychecks and benefits. They can switch kingdoms, like their sovereign counterpart but the kingdom enjoys perpetual existence.The fight for power through physical war has been replaced by the battle of Intellectual Simulation or Influence, where the kingdoms selling similar ideas try to outwit each other.

The consumer's may be the Kings, but the Kings need to maintain a lifestyle and that is where the co.s come in. The simpler and more universal the concept of their offering, more appeal shall it have to charm the masses. Just a simple illustration, introspect the occupation of the soda drinks in our daily lifestyle. The world nations can now be distinguished into those preferring Pepsi and the others preferring Coca-Cola products.

The way to the stimulate membership for these kingdoms can be defined as follows:

1. First, they enchant you with the creation- ATTRACTION

2. Your senses weaken with the offer- CONSUMPTION

3. Congratulations! You're now the slave of the 'Co.' - ADDICTION

Thus, the want becomes the need. The rat begins the race and the master with a newer cheese every time succeeds in luring him.

Like every era, there is duality. there are some good kings and some bad ones. There are NGOs, trusts and social entrepreneurs still serving social needs. It has emerged as a guiding light to the ignored subjects. A trend, where the people are shifting.

So, the point remains the synonymous. How does one climb the social ladder? How does one inherit Royal Blood? The solution lies in learning or marrying the royal way- Co.!

Concluding with a quote from Bhagavad Gita-

"Alas! We are ready to commit a great sin by striving to slay our kinsmen because of greed for the pleasures of the kingdom"