Healthy Relationship with Work

Most parts of the article are taken from HBR blog post "The Thought Patterns of Success"

Step One: Identify Harmful thoughts, this is the trigger. Have an action plan. 

Step Two: Implant the helpful by talking out loud and 

Flawed Evaluation of Worth
Harmful	Helpful
I am important and of value because of what I achieve, produce or have. Therefore if I stop achieving, producing or having, my life no longer has value, meaning or purpose.	I am of value because of who I am, not what I do. I am a unique individual whose life has a special purpose regardless of what I earn, accomplish or own.
Perfect is the only option. Less than perfect is failure.	Perfection is an ideal abstraction created by my mind that can not exist in the reality of an imperfect physical world. I can choose to adapt my evaluation methods so that less-than-perfect is still seen as a success.
I am only as good as my last achievement. If I stop or rest or don't perform to the same or better level in the future, I will lose everything.	Every life experience offers an opportunity for growth. Each day, I can do my best, correct my mistakes, and learn for the next time I meet a similar challenge. My past provides a secure foundation for my future.

Sense of Over-Responsibility
Harmful	Helpful
If everything doesn't go according to plan and make everyone happy, it's my fault. I should have planned more, done more, been more.	Activities rarely go exactly according to plan and often times, no possible scenario could make everyone happy. I take responsibility for the areas within my control but release responsibility for those outside of my control, including unforeseen circumstances and others' emotional responses.
I can only rest without guilt once all the work is done. If I stop any sooner, I am lazy, selfish and irresponsible.	There will always be more work to do. By choosing to rest at reasonable intervals, I increase my productivity, accomplish more, enjoy life and stop feeling resentful toward others who take breaks.
My needs are the lowest priority. I will only get enough sleep, eat well, exercise and do activities I enjoy once everyone else has their needs — and most of their wants — met.	It's good for me to be considerate of others' needs, but I also have a legitimate need for proper self-care. When I take time to nurture my physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health, I have a greater capacity to truly connect with and support others.

Insecurity in Relationships
Harmful	Helpful
Everyone is watching and evaluating me. If I don't appear to meet their standards for outward success, they will think badly of me.	I can choose to not allow my perception of other people's opinions of me dictate my opinion of myself. I am free to live as I please and make the choices that are right for me.
I'm bad at forming and maintaining relationships. I can never make my friends and family happy so why should I try to have a life outside of work?	It may not be easy for me at first, but I can learn how to form and maintain better relationships. I may not always meet everyone's expectations, but I have a better chance of success when I make a good effort.
I feel in control at work because certain actions predictably produce specific results. It's too much of a risk to venture into areas where I don't always know what to do, and I can't count on other people's response to my actions.	I can choose to stay in a place of security and isolation, or I can choose to open my life up to others. I may experience some loss of control, but ultimately I create the possibility of great joy in true relationship with others.

Phone Dock for Android

Even after the release of ADK. There is not much development in the android accessory list... What I often feel missing is a conversion of my android phone to desk phone. There are so many accessories for iPhone which Apple made it possible by conscious decision of having a single form of connector. Is Google caring about this problem, I hate Apple's closed ecosystem but it seems to work for the regular consumers. If Android does not take conscious steps to solve the problem of standardization, it going to go the Linux way.Enough of my rant, lets talk business.

What I need is an accessory which makes my Android phone a desk phone. How do we do it?

1. We can use ADK so I can connect to my phone via micro USB cable, Since android does not have a standard connector like apple, Lets limit to most widely available connector in Android community which is Micro USB cable. We can also use Bluetooth connector for the same too. 
2. I need the headset component. I can do this one two ways.
1. Use a standard phone which has RJ-11 jack which can connect to the accessory. So the accessory will be essentially a dock with a RJ-11 connector.
2. Create Dock with handset in built.  

 I am personally a fan of creating a universal accessory which can connect any phone. I am not a phone designer so I will leave it to the pros.
So essentially we need make an accessory  which can convert the RJ-11 signals into ADK commands.
Seems simple enough but is it possible?
Short answer technically, yes......
But is there a market for it?
When we Google for desktop conversions for the phone. I can see many many similar accessories for iPhone. So there must be market right why would so many people produce it then, wouldn't android users be interested in something similar? Yes,
But the usual mumbo jumbo of it not supporting all the versions, only latest versions can be supported etc..
I believe if we give a couple of more months all the old versions of Android will be eventually replaced by the newer version and it will be eventually easier for manufacturers to develop the same for Android.

What I believe is Business/Entrepreneurship ?

I believe Business (I use business and entrepreneurship interchangeably) is Art. Yes, you heard me right. A work of art involves creation of value/beauty out of nothing or multiple things of relatively lower value.  A business man creates value purely utilizing his intellect and skill.

Archery Ranges in NY

After spending tonnes of time online I found a couple of ranges that are close to people living in NYC... Reviews coming soon...

Unfortunately, they are either in Queens or in Staten Island. Nevertheless something is better than nothing.

Location one:
http://bigapplearchery.com/Home_Page.html
Flushing, Queens -- 39th Ave. & 171st St.
(west of Utopia Pkwy, north of Northern Blvd.)
Telephone: (718) 461-1756

Location Two:
http://www.archeryny.com/homepage.htm
95-11 101Ave.
Ozone Park, NY. 11416
Telephone: 718-845-9280
Fax: 718-848-1763
Email: info@prolinearchery.com

Location Three:
http://www.victoryarcheryclub.net/
283 St. Mary's Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10305
Telephone: (718) 439-5810

Here is something they don't teach you in school: Wallet Organization.

When I first read Nudge. I realized the importance of product placement, power of rewards and making useful choices easier to make.
I wanted to slim down my wallet to ease the bulge in my pants (Stop that thought right there.). I sat down to the chore of organizing it. Slowly it all came back to me a epiphany. Here were some of my goals,

1. Wallet should be slimmer but I need everything with me, No compromises.
2. Arrange my wallet in such a way that its easier for me make good choices, like picking up that Debit card among my several credit cards.
3. Make most commonly used cards fastest to access (80 - 20 Rule) 

Firstly, 

They can make all the noise about the electronic wallet, phone replacing everything. Its not here yet. But how can move some of the bulk from your wallet to phone? Get rid of all the cards which you rarely use but you need them, like all the rewards cards. A simple picture will do. But wait, isn't it hard to find them among all the photos of the cute/weird dogs, cats, girls. I used to Evernote to organize the pictures of my AAA card, B&N Card and Super market rewards cards in a more book called cards. Mission one accomplished.

Secondly,

Those wily Discover Card designers. I found myself using Discover very often, but why? I started to think about it, they made it easier for me to find a card. Edges of the card are painted in orange so when you are looking at an array of cards with white edges this is bright and easy to spot. It gains your immediate attention. So I did that bastard away. I placed my debit card and Metro card on the top so its easily visible and quickly accessible. This has significantly changed my spending habits.

Lastly,

Even when there was enough space for me keep all the cards readily accessible I hid them away in interiors making it harder for but the fact I am carry them all the time with me, made it convenient enough for me to get to them when I wanted them.

 

SCRAF of a leader : status, certainty, autonomy, relatedness, and fairness.

While people sometimes use the word ‘family’ to describe their work colleagues, neuroscience research makes it clear that our brains experience the workplace as a social system. Social interactions often decide whether an employee stays at a company; positive reinforcement from our boss or peers can improve our mood for an entire day. In contrast, lack of social interaction with peers and a non-supportive or critical environment are often cited as the primary reasons for leaving a job.

In an article called “Managing with the Brain in Mind,” David Rock explores the implications to leaders of treating the workplace as a social system. Employees who feel betrayed or unrecognized – such as those that are reprimanded, given a pay cut, or asked to work on an assignment that they deem beneath them – experience it as a powerful neural shock. This experience can be as painful as a physical blow.

Most of us view work as a kind of economic transaction: people exchange labor for financial compensation. Depending on the job, increased quantity of labor (number of hours) or increased quality of labor (bonus or promotion) results in increased compensation. However, there is an increasing amount of research that shows that we are motivated not so much by money as by our social needs for status, certainty, autonomy, relatedness, and fairness.

While people sometimes use the word ‘family’ to describe their work colleagues, neuroscience research makes it clear that our brains experience the workplace as a social system. Social interactions often decide whether an employee stays at a company; positive reinforcement from our boss or peers can improve our mood for an entire day. In contrast, lack of social interaction with peers and a non-supportive or critical environment are often cited as the primary reasons for leaving a job.

In an article called “Managing with the Brain in Mind,” David Rock explores the implications to leaders of treating the workplace as a social system. Employees who feel betrayed or unrecognized – such as those that are reprimanded, given a pay cut, or asked to work on an assignment that they deem beneath them – experience it as a powerful neural shock. This experience can be as painful as a physical blow.

While employees learn to temper their reactions to this blow and some even rationalize the situation, they also limit their commitment levels and reduce their engagement. In Rock’s words:

They become purely transactional employees, reluctant to give more of themselves to the company, because the social context stands in their way.

The science shows that the perception of threats always trumps the lure of rewards. The threat response is more immediate and biologically demands attention. Once a threat has occured, it takes a long time to dispel – this explains why bad traffic on the morning commute can impact your mood and your performance for the rest of the day.

The impact on leadership is wide-sweeping since almost anything can affect employees’ feelings of status, certainty, autonomy, relatedness, and fairness. Here are three examples:

1. If a leader is confident, it gives employees a feeling of safety, even in uncertain times. This makes it more likely that employees will focus on their work, leading to improved performance.
2. In critical or time-sensitive situations, leaders often adopt a hands-on style in the hope of increasing the odds of success. If a leader recognizes that micro-managing threatens status and autonomy, they are more likely to allow employees to learn through their own mistakes.
3. In an attempt to appear more “presidential”, some leaders repress their emotions and become staged. If a leader understands that people equate lack of emotion as a threat response, they are more likely to be open and genuine.

We’ve always known that good leaders have to be more than smart; they have to have people skills as well. Neuroscience provides all of us hard data for the value of these soft skills. Neuroscience suggests that the best leaders are the ones that create an atmosphere that support status, certainty, autonomy, relatedness, and fairness.

Neuroscience reminds us to always wear this SCARF.

-Taken from Forbes.com { http://blogs.forbes.com/sap/2011/06/20/your-brain-at-work/ }

Its equally important to say NO

Well hell yeah.. It is. I am being bombarded on every side with offers and decisions everyday.

Example, invite for lunch when you are not feeling hungry, asked out for a movie when you have work to do. Scott offered a stake in the company when I had many tasks ahead of me.

Well to manage and be happy its important to say "NO"

Greatest Browser Ever: FireFox.

What is not possible FireFox.
I wanted to find two applications to perform two tasks on my Desktop which I traditionally expect to use a Desktop applications for.

•  Desktop Blogging: I would love to blog often but I want to do it in my spare time and I hate to click so many buttons when I want to write something on my blog. When I was shopping for a desktop app.Guess what I found ScribeFire. A plug in for my FF browser which I can just open up while browsing any website and just blog from there. Its a no fluff blogging tool.

• Epub reader: I recently bought a e reader so all my material is in e pub format recently. When I was looking around for a reader like adobe reader I found EPUBReader, a Firefox addon which let you read ePub-files just in the browser. You don't need to install additional software!

I dont have to go over the Firebug, I would have been dead with out it. I am looking forward for FF4.

Deliberate Practice

Key Components:
1. Setting Specific goals
2. Immediate feedback
3. Concentrating as much on Technique as on outcome.

A Path to mastery

One and only one thing I have realized confidence and mastery over a subject only builds up with time. Time spent diligently with interest and clear end goals in mind.
Goal : Very important here. We need to define objectives well. We may complete a number of tasks and never learn from it. If we don't know what we are going to learn.
Slow and steady diligent work over period of time get you some where in life.
Important 50 man hours over three days is not same as 50 man hours over a week. The second approach is more profound. But the time line should not be over stretched as then our work will lack efficiency.

Important to Plan and execute one step at time.
Have a way where you can measure... You cannot manage what you cannot measure.

Greatest Browser Ever: FireFox.

What is not possible FireFox.
I wanted to find two applications to perform two tasks on my Desktop which I traditionally expect to use a Desktop applications for.

1.  Desktop Blogging: I would love to blog often but I want to do it in my spare time and I hate to click so many buttons when I want to write something on my blog. When I was shopping for a desktop app.Guess what I found ScribeFire. A plug in for my FF browser which I can just open up while browsing any website and just blog from there. Its a no fluff blogging tool.
2. Epub reader: I recently bought a e reader so all my material is in e pub format recently. When I was looking around for a reader like adobe reader I found EPUBReader, a Firefox addon which let you read ePub-files just in the browser. You don't need to install additional software!

I dont have to go over the Firebug, I would have been dead with it. I am looking forward for FF4.

What is the greatest skill of a leader ? Answer: Listen more speak less

Inspiration to write this blog came from this article in business week.

http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/jul2010/ca2010075_050913.htm

I have to add a similar experience from the life one of the greatest human being ever alive: Mahatma Gandhi.

When he went to england to study law, his English fluency was not the best. Hence he was forced to listen carefully and rehearse what ever he had to say. In his book my experiments with Truth, he mentions how this helped him in his life time with regarding to his listening skills and taught him how to use words effectively.

And another example would be from the book 48 laws of power."Always Say Less than Necessary" is the 4th law.

Another example is from the Hindu Mythology: The description of Lord Ganesha, commander of the entire army of gods. The scriptures justify his looks (big ears and small mouth) saying that his anatomy helps the lord to listen more and speak less. May be this is what makes him a great leader.

Listening more and speaking less is a one of the greatest quality of leader. I have quoted examples from different times in the history and from different cultures across the world. Should be need more justification??

Opera Vs Chrome

Well Well, Here I go. 

I have been using Mozilla for as long as I remember. I love that thing. Its just simply great. I developed affinity towards that as soon as I started using that. But along the way a new browser catches my eye. Chrome!!!!! I love Google's products. I like the way UI is designed and clean colors and the minimalistic approach. Especially the combination of title bar and the Tab bar.  If you observe the to part of the chrome where all the controls are you can see that they cleverly placed all the controls in just two lines while all other browsers including opera and Mozilla (I am not talking about IE though I love them for being the pioneers in freely distributed browser model) take at least three to four lines.  In this article my focus would be on Opera and Chrome. 

Pros of Chrome:

1. Clean and minimalistic UI. 

2. Fast load time: I am not talking about the pages I am talking about the program itself.

3. I can make the tabs independent windows. Love that feature.

What I like about Opera:

1.Note Taking feature: I admit chrome has taken the plus points from all the other browsers. How did they miss this. I believe that all of us often run into a situation where we copy various clippings from the websites. I use notepad or other note taking program using a regular copy paste method. Opera has given me an inbuilt note taking feature. I could select a clipping and select the option copy to note and it creates a new note in book.

2. I love the speed: comparable to chrome. You can check it out yourself. 

3. Panels:  I feel they are way better than popups. Well you can think of panels as a frames with in the window. Very good use of the Space here. The panels are collapsible and you can easily bring it up.

4. Load the web-page on back-ground option: When we choose this option. your web-page is loaded in the back ground same as open in new tab option in chrome. But in addition to this opera also provides an option to load the web page.

Illusion of control

Many have the illusion of control and want things to happen just the way they want it thus they are unable to accept the the inevitable change. Neither passage time stops nor the change it brings along the way. When we can accpet the time why can we accpe the change. We have to let go our illusion of control and welcome the change and feel happy.

why do postive thoughts become a reality.

I had a very interesting talk with my dad the other day. It was reading the power of positive thought. We might have heard many a times that positive thoughts becomes reality. If we want something to happen and if we think positively about that it will happen. Why is it true. My dad and I had a long conversation about it but I decided to summarize it.

If we want something to happen. Obviously we will do some work to get that. By thinking positively about that goal to be achieved we will develop a positive attitude towards that goal. So out approach would be positive as well. All the actions we take to get the thing done will be steering us towards the achievement of the goal. If we face any obstacles we will not be discouraged by these. All our deeds will be geared to get the thing done. But what if we have a doubt in mind. Every little obstacle is seen ten times what it actually is and we tend to lose confidence with every little trouble we had to face overcoming the obstacles. So postive thoughts leads to positve attitude and with this attitde we can get anything done and a doubt will slow things alot.

Lack of self-confidence is the root of all evils.

I have always imagined myself to be rich and successful. It was a dream but I knew that there was something missing piece in my path to achieve my dream.

To have a Big success one has to be ready to lose everything which they posses. Unless a person is not attached to what they have they cannot make that bold steps which are required. If a person is attached to his current possessions (men or money). He is takes safe steps to preserve them. The root cause of fear is not having the self confidence that they can be successful if they take the new path.

Suppose you are a traveller. You are faced with two paths, One path is what you know and the other is not untrodden. The former path you know you would be as you are and may be you will hit a bonanza by chance. There is this mysterious path, which has high uncertanity of leading to riches its either a hit or miss, a chance of being a prince or pauper. If one has confidence on his abilities that he can rebuild he will not be afraid to take the new path and choose to be who he is or may be by a lot of hard work be a little better. Here is the bottom line Confidence is the key to success. Beware of the thin line between self-confidence and over confidence. Aspointed in my previous posts fear and desire take over people and drive to every day labor. I now realise that self confidence is a remedy to cure the disease of fear.

Idea about online memo pad

If you want to get to the idea straight read the second paragraph. If you want to know the origins read from the beginning.

According to my reasearch online (searching for a product). What I foind was that one of the most ignored piece of convieniece software is the memopad i.e the postits. Well lets see how many times you wanted to write some thing. and you have been searching for a paper or pen or you are on your computer and all of sudden you want to write down a thought, number, url, name, etc. most of the time you would end up writing it ina piece of paper most likely misplacing it or if you are on computer you will most likely use a note pad and jot which will eventually lead to a cluster of files which after while mess up your system and you would have to end up a lot of time organising it. I was trying to find a few products which would help me to orgaise my notes and one the best i found was micrsoft one note. If you have the $$ and you are looking to solve this problem you should look into this product. Click here to know more about one note. However one note has its own disadvantages. Firstly, its pricey. Secondly, its local to your computer. thirdly, like all other products it is a bloated software means it gives you way more than what you absolutely need.

Getting straight to the point I feel that we need a product which does what it needs helps you wirte short messages. like an online memopad. all we need is if you have an account. you can just create anew memopad write few short messages and retrive then when needed. we also need to organise all these should happen only with fewest clicks possible.

Just three main aims. Create, retrieve and organise. Being online gives our product a big advantage over other products that we can retrived from anywhere.

more to come soon on this......

Our Vizag Trip

Believe it or not

we had a wonderful trip on last summer.

This was a road trip on motorbikes. Me and my friends went on aroad trip to one of the exotic adventures in midst of rainy season. Yes were in rain and driving ona higway. the lush green feilds of andhra region the peace of the araku valley. the fresh brreeze blowing in to our face took me in to a completely different world. One of the most unforgettable trips in my life.

Dont let the emotions do the thinking

This is my reaction on reading a part of Rich dad and poor dad on emotions.

Dont let emotions do your thinking.
Usually people are thinking based on two emotions fear and desire.
People work hard because they are afraid that they have to pay the bills. They are afraid that they will lose what ever they have. They think under the umbrella of fear. When they get what they have they develop desire to want more. This is a vicious cycle. People have to let loose of their emotions of fear and desire then only they can be a free thinkers... As we can see from the history that only the free thinker make it big.
My dad often said that Only the person who is not scared to go back to the rags can make it big. Only that person can think freely. Don't be afraid my friend. My dad also says want more and more and also be detached to what you have. If you never want more you will never get it. But do not make the want take over you. you should control what you want.
In a video called the power. I have seen that they tell if you want some thing to happen desire it deeply and your actions will lead to it. If you want some thing desire it very deeply.
but be detached to the desire. I you don't achieve it just smile at it but dont kill your self about that.
I myself have not achieved that state yet. I am still trying.

Article notes on Reinventing Your Business Model

I read an interesting article about reinventing your business model on Harvard Business review. I decided that from now on I am going to use this blog to write about anything and everything that I felt was intellectually important.

Well now I am reading this article on Reinventing Your Business Model on Harvard business review. The following writing is not my own material its just my notes and personal understanding of the material. I hope by writing continuously quality of my writing will improve as well as my speed of writing. The reason why I started reading the business articles is to understand the terms better when I go into the business world and to acquire more knowledge outside the scope of my field.

Here is the link to the article click here.

Well in the article the author said that how to write a good business model.

Four important aspects:

1. Customer Value proposition:

Who is the customer.

What is the job exactly needed to be done for the customer. describe it very precisely.

How are you designing and offering that will meet the customer's needs.

2. Profit formula:

how much money can be made.

what are the margins

what are the costs.

resource velocity: how quickly resource needs to be allocated and reused to generate margins

3. Identify Key resources:

4. Identify key processes:

While crating a value proposition for the customer keep in mind that he has 4 constraints:

1. time

2. access

3. money

4. skill

Well to cut the crap the bottom line is you have to really should pin point the need of the customers and think with out the influence of the previous service you provided.
Like take the example of Hilti. Hilti used to sell tools to the customers but it realized that it customer does not make money by owning the tools they actually make money by using them. So they changed their BM to rent out the tools to people instead of selling it to them.