The Indians Abroad

Overseas Living: NRIs & India abroad

Posts Tagged life

Steve jobs: An example of a life well lived!

Oct 6

Posted by admin in Consciousness & Awareness, Karma, Trivial Stuff | No Comments

A tribute to Steve Jobs and his quotes- an entrepreneur, an inventor, a thinker in his own words…

“There may be no greater tribute to Steve Jobs’ success than the fact that much of the world learned of his passing on a device he invented.” ~ Barack Obama

Steve Jobs, in very simple words, changed the way we go about our work, or the way we think. With innovations like iPod, iPhone and iPad, the man has revolutionized our daily lives.

In real life, Steve Jobs was more than an entrepreneur or an inventor or a business leader. He is the true example of living – the way a life should be.

Steve grew up as an adopted child, raised by a lower middle class family in California. He dropped out of of college after first semester….

Steve Jobs was not an isolated computer nerd or a geek. He looked at the world with a keen eye. He was deeply philosophical during his youth and wanted to study and experience spiritualism. His quest for spiritual enlightenment brought him to India in 1974 summer….

Jobs started Apple with a fellow college dropout Steve Wozniak in the his family garage in Los Altos, California in 1976….

All these tidbits do not justify or summarize the real life of this revolutionary leader and thinker. The spectacular journey of this marvelous inventor is impossible to summarize in a single post. The quotes below give a genuine glimpse into the mind of this great man:

Objective: I’m looking for a fixer-upper with a solid foundation. Am willing to tear down walls, build bridges, and light fires. I have great experience, lots of energy, a bit of that “vision thing” and I’m not afraid to start from the beginning. Skills: That “vision thing,” public speaking, motivating teams, and helping to create really amazing products. ~ From Steve Jobs’s Curriculum Vitae (résumé)

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.” ~ Steve Jobs (Stanford commencement speech 2005)

“Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.” ~ Steve Jobs (Stanford commencement speech, June 2005)

“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important.” ~ Steve Jobs

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.” ~Steve Jobs, (Stanford commencement speech, June 2005)

“Remembering that you are going to die is the best way to know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.. Stay hungry. Stay foolish.” ~ Steve Jobs. Read the rest of this entry »

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Yes, Life is different here!

Sep 17

Posted by admin in Culture & Society, india abroad, Non-Resident Indian, NRI, personal development, Religion, Trivial Stuff | 1 Comment

Living Abroad – Different strokes for different folks!

Yes, life is different here, very different!!
People speak so many different languages here. Just walk down the street and you will get an earful of gibberish dialects for sure; many of those you have never heard of!

Here, people come from all over the places! They have different skin tones, different heights. They walk differently, they talk differently. Some have local accent; others are outsiders for sure. Some speak in a monotone while others are too dramatic in every expression. Some stand still and deliver their opinion in a quiet but firm voice, while others use their hands and gestures more than their tongue.

Some dress sparingly and reveal everything, very outdoorsy to say it modestly! Others are too covered, as if protecting themselves from a wintery chill, even in the summer months.

Yes, life is different here, very different!!
The food choices are quite interesting, or strange. Some like it plain and others, spicy. Some eat only vegetables while others hunt for meat. Some can afford it all, while others live from hand to mouth. Some like it exotic and show off their feasts while others struggle to feed even two times a day.

Some splurge in excess while others conserve all the time. Some fast, because they have over-indulged in food while others fail to understand the concept of diet control.

Yes, life is different here, very different!!
There are so many different religions; some are more popular than others. Not everybody believe in a God but they all have their opinions. Fighting over religion is very common. Everybody is so guarded against others’ religion. Read the rest of this entry »

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Fraility of life – A short term memory

Mar 15

Posted by admin in environment, Karma, personal development, Trivial Stuff | 1 Comment

Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh. ~George Bernard Shaw

The earthquake and tsunami in Japan make us realize how precious yet how fragile life is! In fact, if we look around, we are constantly reminded of the fact that life is short; it is easily perishable. Every day, there is something or someone pointing to this sad truth.

yes, it is sad, if you think about it; the thoughts about your own demise can easily put you off. May be that is why we rarely think about it – uncertain in time yet a sure ending of our journey!

There is nothing you can do about this; this is life along with the last chapter. You can delay the inevitable by being careful – eating healthy, hiding in the basement and never crossing the train track… You can postpone it if you are lucky, but it is the law of nature; you can delay it but you cannot avoid it.

In spite of the well known path and a steady march towards the end, we are are rarely bothered by it. We barely think about it. We see others go, but you never imagine yourself in that coffin.

We need something big, something catastrophic to remind us of the temporary nature of our existence. Events like death of a loved one, Japanese earthquake and tsunami are the wake-up calls that remind us that nothing is predictable; anything is possible on a given day.

Actually, this is the best survival mechanism that our brain has adapted to. We have learned to ignore our own demise. Even if we talk about it, we never really take it seriously. These are things beyond us, there are powers beyond our control that we can do nothing about. So perhaps, there is no point in worrying about something that is bound to happen – sooner or later.

And, it is good that we think very little about this temporary aspect of our existence. We have learned to look forward to the good things in our life, without looking TOO FAR into the future! It is amazing how we wrap ourselves in our own little world, our daily routines. A day comes, a night goes by and another day starts; the life continues. The frailty of life seldom bothers us. Read the rest of this entry »

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Thanksgiving – A Thank You to………’Life’ itself!

Nov 25

Posted by admin in Consciousness & Awareness, Trivial Stuff | No Comments

Everyone has his or her own way of looking at life. Some are more optimistic than others – glass half full rather than half empty. The fact is that if you search long enough or far enough, you can always find something to admire and cherish, and you can often find something to disdain as well.This is how the life is – full of ups and downs. There is always something to complain about, and then there is always something to be thankful for.

Life is never what we dream of, tomorrow is always different than what we imagine it to be. On some days you win more than you lose, while other times are quite the opposite. It is never a perfect world – we all know that. That is the beauty of life, always full of surprises – positive or negative! All these surprises, all these ups and downs make us react one way or another. We relish the good times, we hate the bad ones.

As the time goes by, as the years roll on, the life happens – the good, the bad and and then some really ugly. If you live long enough, you cannot avoid these ups and downs. That is what life is – a continuous tide of highs and lows with lots of average daily stuff in between.

Down the road, along the way, we are wound to run into situations and opportunities that are favorable to us, that make us happy. And then, it is equally probable that we will encounter the circumstance that we never wished for, that we never hoped for. It is the law of the nature, with good, comes with the bad. We always find it hard to believe, but this a part of living – relishing the good and dealing with the bad. Read the rest of this entry »

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Abroad, You never feel at Home

Jan 28

Posted by admin in Culture & Society, india abroad, Most Popular Stories, Non-Resident Indian, NRI, Short Story | 4 Comments

Yes, it happened; it was bound to happen. I ran out of ideas.
I ran out of ideas to write about.

Not that my previous ideas were too special or too brilliant. Even the brilliant idea from last night – writing about a new-comer’s experiences – was very ordinary.
She is new student I recently ran into. From her experiences in America, I was hoping to get some new material for my blog.

“So how do you like in America?” I asked eagerly, hoping for a long story.
“Ah, it’s not all that bad, just about the same as I expected,” Dismissively, she said in a monotone.
“So, what is it that you don’t like it here, or dislike the most,” I rephrased the question, hoping to get something more.
“It is not much different; about the same as I expected,”

She was not helping out.
I paused. It cannot be; it is a new country, a new place all across the ocean.
“How about the language?” I pressed on.
“No, I speak English at home in Bangalore. I can speak many languages, but English is what we use the most.”
“Wow”, more disappointed than surprised, I did not know what else to say.

I was getting nothing’ no ideas, no new observations from the eyes of a new immigrant to USA.

“I liked the chicken burger”, she said with a light touch of satisfaction in her voice.
“What chicken burger?”
“The one from McDonalds, we just had, with French fries”
“Oh yeah, you like that kind of fast food?”
“I don’t like it, I love it!” she likes to say it. 
“So, you don’t get it back home?” I have not been back to India for many years.
“We do; you don’t know? We have everything there, McDonalds too?” Read the rest of this entry »

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Slow down genius, it’s just a journey!

Jan 21

Posted by admin in Consciousness & Awareness, Entertainment, Most Popular Stories, Trivial Stuff | 4 Comments

Dedicated to all the workaholics, high-achievers and fast paced life style of today

Yes, you have done a lot; accomplished so many goals, conquered many peaks. With you, it is all about achievements, it is all about the end-results, it is all about marching to the top. The success is ‘a must’ to stroke your ego; basking in the glory of victories has become a habit of yours.

Yes, you are scared of failures, just like a fox scared of its own shadow. You may have seen some major ups and scary downs, but up is all you desire. Everything has to be your way. You are scared of uncertainties – the unwanted side-effected of your grand endeavors.

You have survived a lot around you, you probably have seen more than you can process. The fear of failures and the greed of success keep you going nonstop – day and night.

Yes, you have accomplished a lot; but, what for?

Have you taken a break lately and looked back? All those successes and all those milestones constantly keep moving to the next big thing. Where does it end? When do you call it the final destination and say, “That’s it, I am done!”

Regardless of your past with all your achievements, you always have something to do, something more to conquer – the next goal.

No matter how much you do, how big your goal is, how fast you go – there will always be something waiting. Yes, go save the planet, there will be something waiting after that – to be saved, to be rescued.

It is about time you rescue yourself, it is about time you slow down and admire the journey; let go of the destination for once. Take a break, smell a flower along the way. Or even better – exhale! It is good for you; really, try it!!

There will always be something to do, something to prove. It is a monster you have created for yourself.

Don’t consume yourself in the journey of life; enjoy it rather.

At this pace, at this restless speed, the illusion of success or the next big thing will perish you one day; one day much sooner that your family and friends would like you to go.

So, slow down genius, take a break. The life is a journey, not a destination. Read the rest of this entry »

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Live your life like a kids’ lemonade stand!

Jun 25

Posted by admin in Consciousness & Awareness, Culture & Society, personal development | 1 Comment

Personal lessons & self-improvement tips from kids’ lemonade stand:

You most likely have driven by many lemonade stands in your neighborhood, where young kids are selling lemonade on a roadside or from a street corner. But, have you been to one of them lately? If not, you should. You can learn a lot from them, we all can. Here are some of the life lessons to take home from a kids’ lemonade stand:

Kifds' Lemonade Stand

Kifds' Lemonade Stand

1. Keep it simple: One table, one or two chairs, disposable glasses, a container for money and lemonade supplies- that’s the most of it. That is all they need to meet their objective. Still, it looks so complete, as if nothing is missing. Everything that is required is right there.
2. Welcome with a smile: The young kids always have an enthusiasm about their endeavors, always welcome you with a smile. The minute you walk in (or drive in), you feel at home. :)
3. Entertaining and interesting: It is never boring at the lemonade stands. While you enjoy your lemonade, kids are busy with something ‘cool’, something refreshing. They may be telling some funny story, singing carelessly, running after each other, reacting to the tip they just received, performing some cheers/ dance-routines, juggling lemons or doing something else to attract the customers. Read the rest of this entry »

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