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Moral Stories

Do the Common things Well

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THE  SECRET  OF  SUCCESS  IS  TO  DO  THE  COMMON THINGS  UNCOMMONLY  WELL

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Do you see those who are skillful in their work?

 They will serve kings, they will not serve

 Common people

Helping the deaf to communicate was Alexander Graham Bell’s motivation for his life work perhaps because his mother and wife were both deaf.” If I can make a deaf – mute talk, “Bell said, “I can make metal.” For five frustrating and impoverished years, he experimental with a variety of materials in an effort to make a metal disk, that, vibrating is response to sound, could reproduce those sounds and send them over an electrified wire.

During a visit to Washington, DC, he called on Joseph Henry, a scientist who was a pioneer in research related to electricity. He presented his ideas to him and asked his advice: should he let someone else perfect the telephone, or should he do it himself? Henry encouraged him to do it himself, to which bell complained that he lacked the necessary knowledge of electricity. Henry’s brief solution was.” Get it”.

So Bell studied electricity. A year later when he obtained a patent for the telephone, the officials in the patent office credited him with knowing more about electricity than all other Inventors of his combined.

 Hard work. Study. Hope Persistence. These are all “common things”. They are the keys, however, to doing uncommonly well.

Moral Stories

THE POWER OF HOPE

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A young traveller was going along a pathway in a remote area. On his way he met four unknown old ladies and he simply wished them while passing by. His wishing created furor among those four ladies. One of them named“Hunger” claimed that the young man had wished him morning and not to others as she was the most powerful among them as people could not do anything while hungry. Another lady named “Thirst” protested this claim and said, ‘people can live without food but not without water. I am thirst and most powerful among all.’ The third lady named “Sleep” contested both the claims and said, ‘ people even sleep on rocks when they feel so. They can live without food and water but not without me hence I am the most powerful.’ Fourth lady smiled and didn’t utter a word but insisted that they must ask this question as to who is most powerful among all to that Young man who had wished them and hasn’t gone away too far. They agreed and caught hold of young man soon and put him the same question. All three ladies replied what they had said before but Young mand got interested in reply of fourth lady who had not said anything. He asked, ‘ who are you and why don’t  you introduce yourself.’ Fourth lady after hearing the arguments replied that her name was “Hope” and just stopped at that. Young man smiled and said, ‘there is no need to fight ladies. One can survive without food, water and sleep but not without hope. It is hope that keeps one alive and kicking in the midst of total darkness. My salute was really for this lady called ‘Hope.’ The traveler said these words and simply moved ahead.

Be patient : When it is a question of career or happiness in personal life, you’ ll do well being patient. Quick fixes, short cuts and a slapdash approach may work for some time but it’s bit suitable in the long run. The law of nature operates everything we do. A child for instance has to develop naturally over time; the process cannot be foreshortened. Similarly, crop cultivation has to be based on natural laws; you cannot expect crops to grow faster than what nature had intended them to. If you ask someone who has never done push-ups to do a hundred all at once, he won’t be able to do it. It requires tremendous patience and sustained practice.

A famous athlete who had just won an international race was congratulated by someone who said: “You were lucky to win the race”. The athlete was furious and shot back: “I practiced ten hours a day fifteen years without a single day off, and you call it luck.”

People with high self-esteem also stay away from negative influences. Parents, teachers, mentors, guides , friends and associates have a big role to play in the total and holistic development of a person.

Moral Stories

It’s important to have high self-esteem

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Writer Goethe wrote: “The greatest evil that can be fall man is that he should come to think ill of himself.” Goethe accepted  this truth about human nature. We are not defeated because we lack talent or ability; it’s the lack of confidence that brings about our downfall.

It’s all about self-esteem: the way we feel about ourselves. To say things like “I am  wrong”, “I am incompetent”, or not being sure of oneself is a clear sign of poor self-esteem. When we feel good, we make extra efforts to gain knowledge or expertise and search for effective ways to handle given tasks. Feeling good keeps us buoyant and energetic and is conducive to a mental make-up that can find solutions to problems. We begin to look at problems as challenges and consequentially convert threats into opportunities.

People with poor self-esteem tend to shirk their responsibilities. They stick to set limits and never explore new frontiers, remaining happy inside their comfort zones. They also try to get the most with the least efforts and use short cuts, quick fixes or make cosmetic changes. They usually end up in the company of their own kind, that is, people with scarcity mentality and hidden agendas.

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There are opportunities in threats : It is an acknowledge fact that people with high self-esteem are more productive, caring, humble, courageous and assertive. They accept responsibility and act accordingly. They also turn adversity into opportunity. How else how could a deaf Beethoven have created such great musical symphonies? John Milton was blind but that did not prevent him writing beautiful poetry. And cricketer Bhagvat Chandrashekhar became the finest googly bowler in the world despite a polio-afflicted arm. Such people feel good about themselves and make the best use of opportunities. They don’t lament about their physical inadequacies and handicaps.
Look for virtues in others : Benjamin Franklin was tactless in his youth but was savvier in later life. Once when he was asked about the secret of his success, he said: “I will speak ill of no man… and speak all the good I know of everybody.”
One way of feeling good is to read good biographies and associating with positive people who are uplifting, upbeat, optimistic and adventurous. People with high self-esteem avoid conflicts and backbiting and focus on good and positive things. The words that you use can make or beak relationships; a negative comment or communication can damage your individual or professional reputation. Don’t allow your destiny to be controlled by others. Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of US president Franklin D. Roosevelt, once said: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent”.

The quality of courage : 25 May 2001 was a historic day for mankind. Eric Weihenmayer  became the first blind man to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Weihenmayer, who lost his vision at the age 13, never let his blindness interface with his passion for mountaineering. He has shown such charm, resilience, passion, commitment and concern for other that it is difficult to find a better role model. In his book Touch the top of the world  — the story of his conquest of the highest peaks in the world — Weihenmayer showed the world that the barrier of blindness can be overcome if one has the will and courage to do it. According to Helen Keller: ” Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.”

Courage is the qualities. Without this quality, all other qualities have no value. True courage has its origin in truth and ethical practices, at whose core lie universal principles. It can be derived from the inner self-only. When every other light goes out, it is this inner light that shows us the path. It enlightens us, and gives us strength, character and mental toughness. Most of life’s battles are won first at the mental level; physical victory is then a mere formality.

Cultivate optimism and Hope : People with high self-esteem have vast reserves of optimism. Kentucky Fried Chicken is one of the most well-know and successful fast food chain in the world. It wasn’t  always so. Colonel Sanders, founder of KFC, had to drive from door to door, town to town, to sell his first pieces of chicken. The only response he got initially was ‘NO’ – more than a thousand times. Now, can you imagine the faith, patience, persistence and perseverance required to withstand refusal more than a thousand time ? Sanders was a great optimist and firmly believed in himself and his product; he also had the courage to persevere.

Colonel Sanders’ Success Recipe:

  • Never quit.
  • Always believe in yourself.
  • Be patient.
  • Be positive.