Almost 200 years ago, Thomas Newcomen built the world’s first commercially successful steam engine in order to pump water out of deep coal mines. In the process, he handed humanity the keys to the Earth’s fossil-fuel resources, an event which, in turn, helped fuel the Industrial Revolution. Ever since that moment, the natural world has…
The Secret Powers of Time, a fascinating talk exploring the ways different people look at the future, with thought-provoking observations about the ways technology is changing our relationships to time.
If the world can rally $18 trillion in new investments by 2030, we could supply 95% of the energy needed globally with renewables by 2050, says…
“The force multiplier throughout history,” write Gallup research veterans Bruce J. Avolio and Fred Luthans, “has often been attributed to the leader's ability to generate hope."
Leaders are purveyors of hope. With the unease caused by the Great Recession, it is easy to spiral into a negative state of mind and ignore the promising signs…
This is going to be the last blog post I ever write. That’s it. After this one you won’t be reading any more articles by me online. In fact, the only reason I’m writing this is because I promised Tina I would and I don’t want to let her down.
If I promise someone something I…
We want to be able to look back on our past actions with honour.
But, if we feel regret, guilt, remorse on our past actions there in lies our greatest teacher showing us exactly the difference between actions that bring honour and actions that brings regret, guilt and remorse. An attachment to the regret, guilt and remorse stops you from acting today. An awareness of the rise of those emotions empowers us to break the habits and patterns that repeat such actions.
Take a deep breath if you are feeling powerless.
If you think you are only a drop in the ocean, without the ability to influence change in the larger world, that your will and action will be diluted.
Breathe.
Know that as you breathe in, you are breathing the air that connects you to others, the environment and all living things.
It' February 14th, Valentines day and I am browsing the net, going from one link to the other, without a particular destination, enjoying tidbits from the cyber world.
I happen to come across an interesting TED talk http://on.ted.com/88Xq. Its about a school in India (Riverside School) that starts a program called I Can, where children aged 8 - 14, in small groups are empowered and inspired to become change agents. It’s a simple concept. The children are asked to pick an issue that bothers them, that they want to change, and then they are given a week to make the change. The impact and results are amazing. From cleaning up garbage, to making cities child friendly, to stopping child marriages, to teaching their parents to read and write, no issue was too big or too small. Kiran Sethi, the lady spearheading this project sees the potential of the project and starts taking the idea to other schools in the state and then across India. It gathers momentum and start spreading all over … Pakistan, England, Canada, Bhutan. Check how its spreading at http://www.designforchangecontest.com/.
The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination | Harvard Magazine
Inspiring advice on the lessons of failure and imagination.
The speech brings to me the importance of holding failure and success, practicality and imagination in a paradoxical balance.
(tags: Failure Imagination Harvard)
Goals worth pursuing cannot be defined too rigidly, for example like happiness or peace or intimate relationships. It is the journey itself that lets us discover the nature and form of the goal, as each step brings us closer to it, it also changes and evolves. The moment you frame it too rigidly and give…
