You may have heard the popular saying- nothing succeeds like success. In other words success triggers a positive feedback loop which builds on itself. Similarly a failure can lead to a negative feedback loop resulting in a downward spiral.

Both Success and Failure need to be handled carefully. Success can go to ones head sometime and the person loses objectivity, gets complacent and eventually that success is negated. Similarly failure can be used as a learning opportunity. Of course Thomas Edison, the scientist to who we owe the invention of light bulb and numerous other things, once said “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” As you can see failure is sometime the best thing that ever happens, it opens the path for future success. It is ok to make mistake as long as we get back up and start moving again.

Here’s something that I stumbled upon during a recent business trip to Seattle. Nicely framed on the wall as an inspirational artwork, this is a poem on success from a poet by name Ralph Waldo Emerson, it goes something like this:

Success

To laugh often and much
to win the respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children;
to earn the appreciation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty;
to find the best in others;
to leave the world a bit better,
whether by a healthy child,
a garden patch
or a redeemed social condition;
to know even one life has breathed easier
because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.

There you have it, now you know on success as much as I do I found the poem true to the spirit of success, and hopefully I can use this in future as a guide post whenever a moral dilemma shows up. May god grant me the wisdom to distinguish between morally right from wrong. I am not infallible, I am human and sometime those distinctions will get blurred, and I am going to need a higher power to show me the enlightened path..Amen!!

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You may have heard the popular saying- nothing succeeds like success. In other words success triggers a positive feedback loop which builds on itself. Similarly a failure can lead to a negative feedback loop resulting in a downward spiral.

Both Success and Failure need to be handled carefully. Success can go to ones head sometime and the person loses objectivity, gets complacent and eventually that success is negated. Similarly failure can be used as a learning opportunity. Of course Thomas Edison, the scientist to who we owe the invention of light bulb and numerous other things, once said “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” As you can see failure is sometime the best thing that ever happens, it opens the path for future success. It is ok to make mistake as long as we get back up and start moving again.

Here’s something that I stumbled upon during a recent business trip to Seattle. Nicely framed on the wall as an inspirational artwork, this is a poem on success from a poet by name Ralph Waldo Emerson, it goes something like this:

Success

To laugh often and much
to win the respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children;
to earn the appreciation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty;
to find the best in others;
to leave the world a bit better,
whether by a healthy child,
a garden patch
or a redeemed social condition;
to know even one life has breathed easier
because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.

There you have it, now you know on success as much as I do I found the poem true to the spirit of success, and hopefully I can use this in future as a guide post whenever a moral dilemma shows up. May god grant me the wisdom to distinguish between morally right from wrong. I am not infallible, I am human and sometime those distinctions will get blurred, and I am going to need a higher power to show me the enlightened path..Amen!!

I had the opportunity to watch the legendary ghazal singer Jagjeet Singh live last weekend. He performed back to back in Oakland , California followed by Vancouver , BC. The guy is getting older and I had low expectation on his vocal quality as I headed to the theater. Upon entering the theater, I heard his all so familiar voice introducing his other team members..could not catch their names. What followed really seemed like an out of world experience. He just immersed himself into the music and seemed like he was thoroughly enjoying himself as he explained the nuances of the urdu lyrics …(Kaha Maikhane Ka Darwaaza Gaalib, Aur Kaha Waaiz…written by Mirza Ghalib, I would never have known what waaiz means..a tea-totaller ).

The soulful rendition coming straight from his heart, created such a surreal atmosphere…I felt I could have sat there the whole night ( ..darn the manic Mondays!). His team was equally good, the jugalbandhi between the violinist and the flute player was simply mind blowing. There is something about live music, no matter if you had a Dolby digital 5.1 surround sound stereo (or now a 7.1) , it just isn’t the same. May be it is the emotion that the singer is able to weave or the connection he is able to make with his audience( more so when it happens to be a legend like Jagjeet Singh), or just the cheering crowd, there is something about it that the home stereo player can never match.

I have watched Ghulam Ali perform also when he came to San Francisco couple of years ago, and I am a big fan of him too…but seemed like Jagjeet was better able to convey the underlying emotions of the ghajals ( and I realize in big scheme of things Mehdi Hasan and Ghulam Ali are probably a notch higher than Jagjeet). I understand Jagjeet had a personal setback ( his teenage son died in a road accident) and probably that is where all that “dard” is coming from. I was pleasantly surprised when it became apparent his age ( at 68) has had not even an iota of impact on his voice. A testimony to what practice (riyaaz) can do . I went there as much to celebrate his success, as to hear him, and I am glad , I learnt a thing or two about passion, persistence, perseverance, hard work and how this all results into enduring success!

>
I had the opportunity to watch the legendary ghazal singer Jagjeet Singh live last weekend. He performed back to back in Oakland , California followed by Vancouver , BC. The guy is getting older and I had low expectation on his vocal quality as I headed to the theater. Upon entering the theater, I heard his all so familiar voice introducing his other team members..could not catch their names. What followed really seemed like an out of world experience. He just immersed himself into the music and seemed like he was thoroughly enjoying himself as he explained the nuances of the urdu lyrics …(Kaha Maikhane Ka Darwaaza Gaalib, Aur Kaha Waaiz…written by Mirza Ghalib, I would never have known what waaiz means..a tea-totaller ).

The soulful rendition coming straight from his heart, created such a surreal atmosphere…I felt I could have sat there the whole night ( ..darn the manic Mondays!). His team was equally good, the jugalbandhi between the violinist and the flute player was simply mind blowing. There is something about live music, no matter if you had a Dolby digital 5.1 surround sound stereo (or now a 7.1) , it just isn’t the same. May be it is the emotion that the singer is able to weave or the connection he is able to make with his audience( more so when it happens to be a legend like Jagjeet Singh), or just the cheering crowd, there is something about it that the home stereo player can never match.

I have watched Ghulam Ali perform also when he came to San Francisco couple of years ago, and I am a big fan of him too…but seemed like Jagjeet was better able to convey the underlying emotions of the ghajals ( and I realize in big scheme of things Mehdi Hasan and Ghulam Ali are probably a notch higher than Jagjeet). I understand Jagjeet had a personal setback ( his teenage son died in a road accident) and probably that is where all that “dard” is coming from. I was pleasantly surprised when it became apparent his age ( at 68) has had not even an iota of impact on his voice. A testimony to what practice (riyaaz) can do . I went there as much to celebrate his success, as to hear him, and I am glad , I learnt a thing or two about passion, persistence, perseverance, hard work and how this all results into enduring success!

These photos are credited to the great Pete Souza, the official white house photographer. One can see a very content looking President Obama, practicing taking Oath, basking under glory of new found power, recognition & public mandate while his support staff adoringly looks on. The mutual love in the first couple’s eyes are also all evident. The success is written all over his face and as they say nothing succeeds like success!

I know the challenges in front of this President are enormous, but I am sure he is going to try his best. I wish him well! Mr. President, here’s hoping you lead us towards better days ahead- in terms of economic growth, environmental protection and global piece! We had enough of this hatred, fear mongering, time to make a new beginning!!

>
These photos are credited to the great Pete Souza, the official white house photographer. One can see a very content looking President Obama, practicing taking Oath, basking under glory of new found power, recognition & public mandate while his support staff adoringly looks on. The mutual love in the first couple’s eyes are also all evident. The success is written all over his face and as they say nothing succeeds like success!

I know the challenges in front of this President are enormous, but I am sure he is going to try his best. I wish him well! Mr. President, here’s hoping you lead us towards better days ahead- in terms of economic growth, environmental protection and global piece! We had enough of this hatred, fear mongering, time to make a new beginning!!