A German once visited a temple under construction where he saw a sculptor making an idol of God. Suddenly he noticed a similar idol lying nearby. Surprised, he asked the sculptor, "Do you need two statues of the same idol?" "No," said the sculptor without looking up, "We need only one, but the first one got damaged at the last stage." The gentleman examined the idol and found no apparent damage. "Where is the damage?" he asked. "There is a scratch on the nose of the idol." said the sculptor, still busy with his work. "Where are you going to install the idol?"
The sculptor replied that it would be installed on a pillar twenty feet high. "If the idol is that far, who is going to know that there is a scratch on the nose?" the gentleman asked. The sculptor stopped his work, looked up at the gentleman, smiled and said, "I will know it."
The desire to excel is exclusive of the fact whether someone else appreciates it or not.
"Excellence" is a drive from inside, not outside. Excellence is not for someone else to notice but for your own satisfaction and efficiency...
Friday, April 30, 2010
Unique flaws and Appreciation
A water bearer in China had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots
had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the House, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his house.
Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of it's own imperfection and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.
After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed
of myself, and I want to apologize to you. I have been able to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes
water to leak out all the way back to your house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full
value from your efforts," the pot said.
The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's
side? That's because I have always known about your flaw. So I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day
while we walk back, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table.
Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house?
Lessons to Learn from This Story:
Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are, and look for the good in them. Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.
Remember to appreciate all the different people in your life.
had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the House, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his house.
Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of it's own imperfection and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.
After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed
of myself, and I want to apologize to you. I have been able to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes
water to leak out all the way back to your house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full
value from your efforts," the pot said.
The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's
side? That's because I have always known about your flaw. So I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day
while we walk back, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table.
Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house?
Lessons to Learn from This Story:
Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are, and look for the good in them. Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.
Remember to appreciate all the different people in your life.
Different Things Motivate Different People
There was a young boy who used to come for regular practice but always played in the reserves and never made it to the soccer eleven. While he was practicing, his father used to sit at the far end, waiting for him. The matches had started and for four days, he didn't show up for practice or the quarter or semifinals. All of a sudden he showed up for the finals, went to the coach and said, "Coach, you have always kept me in the reserves and never let me play in the finals. But today, please let me play. "The coach said, "Son, I'm sorry, I can't let you. There are better players than you and besides, it is the finals, the reputation of the school is at stake and I cannot take a chance." The boy pleaded, "Coach, I promise I will not let you down. I beg of you, please let me play.
"The coach had never seen the boy plead like this before. He said, "OK, son, go, play. But remember, I am going against my better judgment and the reputation of the school is at stake. Don't let me down." The game started and the boy played like a house on fire. Every time he got the ball, he shot a goal. Needless to say, he was the best player and the star of the game. His team had a spectacular win. When the game finished, the coach went up to him and said, "Son, how could I have been so wrong in my life. I have never seen you play like this before. What happened? How did you play so well?
“The boy replied, "Coach, my father is watching me today.”The coach turned around and looked at the place where the boy's father used to sit. There was no one there. He said, "Son, your father used to sit there when you came for practice, but I don't see anyone there today." The boy replied, "Coach, there is something I never told you. My father was blind. Just four days ago, he died. Today is the first day he is watching me from above."
Internal motivation is the inner gratification, not for success or winning, but for the Fulfillment that comes from having done it. It is a feeling of accomplishment, rather than just achieving a goal.
"The coach had never seen the boy plead like this before. He said, "OK, son, go, play. But remember, I am going against my better judgment and the reputation of the school is at stake. Don't let me down." The game started and the boy played like a house on fire. Every time he got the ball, he shot a goal. Needless to say, he was the best player and the star of the game. His team had a spectacular win. When the game finished, the coach went up to him and said, "Son, how could I have been so wrong in my life. I have never seen you play like this before. What happened? How did you play so well?
“The boy replied, "Coach, my father is watching me today.”The coach turned around and looked at the place where the boy's father used to sit. There was no one there. He said, "Son, your father used to sit there when you came for practice, but I don't see anyone there today." The boy replied, "Coach, there is something I never told you. My father was blind. Just four days ago, he died. Today is the first day he is watching me from above."
Internal motivation is the inner gratification, not for success or winning, but for the Fulfillment that comes from having done it. It is a feeling of accomplishment, rather than just achieving a goal.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Don't judge a book by its cover
A 25 year old son was sitting beside his old father in a train one day. When the train was about to leave, all the passengers started settling down in their seats. The son was filled with joy and anxiety. He was seated by the window. He put his hand out and felt the breeze and screamed, “ Papa look at all the trees, they are moving behind”. The old father smiled and admired his son’s feelings. Beside the old man, a couple was also travelling and observed this strange behavior. They found something awkward and childish in the behavior of this 25 year old man.
All of a sudden, the son shouted again “Papa see! The clouds are moving about; there is a pond down and many cows are drinking it’s water”. It soon started drizzling. Once again, the young man felt exited and said “papa, I can see and feel the rain drops touching my hand”. The couple seeing this and feeling concerned, asked the old man “why don’t you consult a good doctor and treat your son; don’t you find something abnormally different in him ?”
The old man replied, “Yes, I have provided the best treatment for my only boy. We are just returning from the hospital. I am happy for today is the day he has received his sense of sight. It’s for the first time my son is seeing and relishing these little wonders which we have been watching and ignoring in our routine life!”
The couple had no words to reply and felt sorry for their remarks.
Moral of the story: “Do not draw conclusions, until you know the actual facts”. There is a proverb in English which goes, “don’t judge a book by its cover”. People, situations and places cannot be predicted or judged from a skewed angle. Life is beyond the ordinary and the truth is much more harder than the way it’s simply presented. What may be simple to you, may be the world for someone else.
All of a sudden, the son shouted again “Papa see! The clouds are moving about; there is a pond down and many cows are drinking it’s water”. It soon started drizzling. Once again, the young man felt exited and said “papa, I can see and feel the rain drops touching my hand”. The couple seeing this and feeling concerned, asked the old man “why don’t you consult a good doctor and treat your son; don’t you find something abnormally different in him ?”
The old man replied, “Yes, I have provided the best treatment for my only boy. We are just returning from the hospital. I am happy for today is the day he has received his sense of sight. It’s for the first time my son is seeing and relishing these little wonders which we have been watching and ignoring in our routine life!”
The couple had no words to reply and felt sorry for their remarks.
Moral of the story: “Do not draw conclusions, until you know the actual facts”. There is a proverb in English which goes, “don’t judge a book by its cover”. People, situations and places cannot be predicted or judged from a skewed angle. Life is beyond the ordinary and the truth is much more harder than the way it’s simply presented. What may be simple to you, may be the world for someone else.
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