What I've Learnt so Far is........

What I have learnt so far is...

That no matter how much I want something, I will only get it if it's meant/destined for me.

What I have learnt so far is...

No matter how many times I fail it’s worth standing up once again.

What I have learnt so far is...

No matter how much I try, some people are going to dislike, misunderstand and abandon me.

What I have learnt so far is...

Love comes, goes and comes back again but Friendship remains Forever :-).

What I have learnt so far is...

When the joy in receiving fades, it’s time to start giving with an open heart.

What I have learnt so far is...

Noise all around makes us realize the value of the serenity that silence brings

What I have learnt so far is...

If you are missing your childhood, learn something new in life.

What I have learnt so far is...

The best things in life may not be free, but nor are they always bought with money.

What I have learnt so far is...

Education does not teach you everything, but it counts regardless.

What I have learnt so far is...

That people should be given advice, and then set free to make their own choices and mistakes.

What I have learnt so far is...

There can be 1000 rules, but there are 1001 ways to break them.

What I have learnt so far is...

Close relationships die when individuals stop sharing their true feelings and needs.

What I have learnt so far is...

That there are times when one wants to cry, to be left alone, and they should not be disallowed.

What I have learnt so far is...

That regretting anything is stupid. Make wise decisions even as you keep your spontaneity intact.

What I have learnt so far is...

My heart will NEVER listen to my head. Nor will yours... if your heart is genuine :-)

What I have learnt so far is...

No matter how much I learn/write/know, there shall always be more.

The day I know EVERY thing, I shall not be alive to share it with you...

What I have learnt so far is...

All we need in life is PEACE, JOY and HAPPINESS!!!!

Attitude makes the Difference!!!

When it rains all BIRDS occupy shelter, but EAGLE avoid rain by flying above clouds, problem is same to all but ATTITUDE MAKES DIFFERENCE.!!!

I feared being alone
Until I learned to like Myself.

I feared failure
Until I realized that I only Fail
when I don't try.

I feared success
Until I realized that I had to try
in order to be happy with myself.

I feared people's opinions
Until I learned that people would
have opinions about me anyway.

I feared rejection
Until I learned to have faith in myself.

I feared pain
Until I learned that it's necessary for growth

I feared the truth
Until I saw the ugliness in lies.

I feared life
Until I experienced its beauty.

I feared death
Until I realized that it's not an end,
but a beginning.

I feared my destiny,
Until I realized that I had the power
to change my life.

I feared hate
Until I saw that it was nothing
more than ignorance.

I feared love
Until it touched my heart,
making the darkness fade into
endless sunny days.

I feared ridicule
Until I learned how to laugh at myself.

I feared growing old
Until I realized that
I gained wisdom every day.

I feared the future
Until I realized that
Life just kept getting better.

I feared the past
Until I realized that
It could no longer hurt me.

I feared the dark
Until I saw the beauty of the starlight.

I feared the light
Until I learned that the
Truth would give me Strength.

I feared change,
Until I saw that even the most beautiful
butterfly had to undergo a Metamorphosis
before it could fly.

If you want to take your mission in life to the next level, if you’re stuck and you don’t know how to rise, don’t look outside yourself. Look inside. Don’t let your fears keep you mired in the crowd. Abolish your fears and raise your commitment level to the point of no return, and I guarantee you that the “Champion Within” will burst forth to propel you toward victory.

Things that are Happening Right Now!!!!

Secret of success: Get the mind-set of an ANT !!!

Sometimes the biggest lessons in life come from the smallest folks around us!!!

All of us tend to look up to big people for lessons on how to get better. We are keen to learn the secrets of their success. But we forget that sometimes the biggest lessons in life come from the smallest folks around us. Now that’s a good lesson to remember!

Take ants for instance. Would you believe those small creatures can teach us how to live a better life? Jim Rohn - the great motivational guru – developed what he called the ‘Ants Philosophy’. He identified four key lessons from the behaviour of ants that can help us lead better lives. Jim Rohn is no more – but his messages continue to inspire. Here then, are the four lessons from Rohn’s ‘Ants Philosophy’.

1. Ants never quit. Have you noticed how ants always look for a way around an obstacle? Put your finger in an ant’s path and it will try and go around it, or over it. It will keep looking for a way out. It won’t just stand there and stare. It won’t give up and go back.

We should all learn to be like that. There will always be obstacles in our lives. The challenge is to keep trying, keep looking for alternative routes to get to our goals. Winston Churchill probably paraphrased the ant’s mindset when he offered this priceless advice: “Never give up. Never, never give up!”

2. Ants think winter all summer. Remember the old story of the ant and the grasshopper? In the middle of summer, the ant was busy gathering food for the winter ahead – while the grasshopper was out having a good time. Ants know that summer - the good times – won’t last forever. Winters will come. That’s a good lesson to remember. When the going is good, don’t be so arrogant as to believe that a crisis or a setback cannot happen to you. Be good to other people. Save for a rainy day. Look ahead. And remember, good times may not last, but good people do.

3. Ants think summer all winter. As they suffer through the unbearable cold of the winter, ants keep reminding themselves that it won’t last forever, and that summer will soon be here. And with the first rays of the summer sun, the ants come out – ready to work, ready to play. When we are down and seemingly out, when we go through what looks like a never-ending crisis, it’s good to remind ourselves that this too shall pass. Good times will come. It’s important to retain a positive attitude, an attitude that says things will get better. As the old saying goes, tough times don’t last. Tough people do.

4. Ants do all they possibly can. How much food does an ant gather in summer? All that it possibly can! Now that’s a great work ethic to have. Do all you can! One ant doesn’t worry about how much food another ant is collecting. It does not sit back and wonder why it should have to work so hard. Nor does it complain about the poor pay! Ants just do their bit. They gather all the food they can. Success and happiness are usually the result of giving 100% - doing all you possibly can. If you look around you, you’ll find that successful people are those who just do all they possibly can.

Follow the four simple steps of Jim Rohn’s ‘Ant Philosophy’ – and you’ll see the difference. 

Don’t quit. Look ahead. Stay positive. And do all you can!!!

And there’s just one more lesson to learn from ants. Did you know that an ant can carry objects up to 20 times their own weight? Maybe we are like that too. We can carry burdens on our shoulders and manage workloads that are far, far heavier than we’d imagine. Next time something’s bothering you and weighing you down, and you feel you just can’t carry on, don’t fret. 

Think of the little ant. And remember, you too can carry a lot more on your shoulders!

You Learn!!!

What makes a Dad!!!

Sculptures - Unbelievable and Amazing Art Works!!!

We have always considered sculpture as one of the most amazing talents ever bestowed to mankind. Sculpture comes in many different forms but the pictures below truly substantiates that creativity is not confined to what is common and man has always the power to think outside the box. Never in my wildest imagination that a chainsaw, which i thought is only used in cutting trees can also be used to form figures which are very pleasing the eyes. Likewise sculptures made of sand, ice, stone, clay and more are amazing. Such works I believe can only be achieved by an unparalleled skill of a truly gifted man. Enjoy!!!

Sand Sculpture

 

Ice Sculptures

 

Wood

Obviously Stone......

Road to Success!!!!

The Road to Success is not straight: There is a curve called failure, a loop called confusion, speed bumps called friends, caution lights called family, and you will have flats called jobs. But, if you have a spare called determination, an engine called perseverance, insurance called faith, and a driver called God, you will make it to a place called success!

Academic Rigour, the Fulcrum of Research!!!!

"Articles in quality journals as well as data from patent databases are important resources for researchers."


Accurately defining the research problem, tracing the history of prior work, reviewing previous findings, gathering data , indexing , evaluating, analysing, and interpreting the data gathered, applying statistical methods, working in the field, and meeting experts for guidance are some of the basic elements in research processes.

We had drawn a picture of the research scenario and its broad features in these columns earlier. When we get down to brass tacks, we would learn that research is a fascinating area of work that takes many students to a prosperous career. A research scholar with the right temperament and commitment to his work, can scale great heights and gain even social acceptance and recognition. There are plenty of opportunities for research in our country as well as abroad. There is a general lack of awareness of the abundance of opportunities in this field that offers unique job satisfaction .
Let us however candidly admit that research is not a cup of tea anyone would relish . You should be endowed with certain qualities if you should enjoy research, irrespective of your discipline of work. Certain qualities can be developed, but some others are inherent. If you are not the right type of person for research, you may happily seek other pastures that are close to your heart, where you can perform well. No one can be an adept in all activities, whether mental or physical . Let us summarise the attributes of a good research student and those to be attained by the time you have established evidence of your useful research work.

Attributes of a research student

1. Analytical mind, communication skills, concentration, dedication, determination, flexibility , freedom from the obsessions of clock and calendar, global outlook , honesty, innovative approach, insight, intellectual curiosity, intelligence , keen observation, lab temperament, optimism, organisational ability , originality , passion for knowledge, patience , persistence, precision and accuracy, presentation skills, questioning attitude, resilience to withstand temporary setbacks, scientific discipline, self -confidence, social skills, spirit of enquiry, teamwork, and writing skills.
2. Attributes to be attained by a researcher
3. Ability to be a supervisor / guide of research work
4. Ability to communicate ideas effectively to experts in the discipline or to those outside, using the right idiom in each context
5. Adoption of the appropriate methodologies of research for each area
6. Adoption of the philosophy of the discipline
7. Appreciation of ethics and social responsibility of a researcher
8. Assessment and evaluation of research work in one's own discipline
9. Capacity to synthesise data from diverse sources
10. Commitment to one's discipline
11. Confidence to present one's ideas to wider audiences
12. Confidence to take up independent research
13. Creative thinking, original approach, and rich resourcefulness
14. Critical judgment
15. Developing concepts and formulating relevant questions
16. Discipline -specific knowledge and skills
17. Eagerness to face challenges
18. Effective participation and providing feedback in seminars
19. Evaluation of thesis presentations
20. Facing interviews by the media
21. Familiarity with the growth of one's discipline including cutting-edge knowledge and skills
22. Fine drafting of theses
23. Fine seminar skills and presentation techniques
24. Humility to appreciate the work of other experts
25. Intellectual curiosity
26. Knowledge of the right sources of information
27. Networking with experts in one's discipline at the global level
28. Objective reviewing and assessment of journal papers
29. Passion for finding solutions to problems
30. Placing one's research findings in a broader context and evolving right styles of their application
31. Pleasure in taking responsibilities
32. Preparation of journal articles independently or collectively as a group of researchers
33. Preparation of research reports for "non-technical" higher-ups to meet administrative or financial requirements
34. Skill in developing and maintaining quality web sites; orally defending a thesis; poster presentations
35. Understanding and appreciation of international benchmarks
36. Willingness for teamwork
37. Willingness to listen and to provide earnest feedback
     

Before we plunge into the world of research, we should learn the vital aspects of research methodology. Accurately defining the research problem, tracing the history of prior work, reviewing previous findings, gathering data, indexing, evaluating, analyzing , and interpreting the data gathered, applying statistical methods , working in the field, and meeting experts for guidance are some of the basic elements in research processes.

Extensive literature survey covering print and digital media would be necessary. Quality books would offer comprehensive coverage of the subject. But the information provided even in the latest books may sometimes be slightly dated. No researcher can afford to work on obsolete data. Articles in quality journals providing in-depth knowledge on selected aspects, as well as data from patent databases are of prime importance. It is interesting that our literature review may often reshape our research problem or alter its focus, and modify the research methodology we have in mind for solving our problem. In literature study, a useful strategy is to go from the woods to the trees. First have a general study of the broad area and gradually narrow down the study to our zone of focus. The range of the literature we select for review should be limited to suit the available time. It is not practical to exhaust the entire literature even on a specific topic. The frontiers of knowledge are widening endlessly .

Developing a working hypothesis is an important step in defining with precision the goal and the track. A sample design can be built on the working hypothesis. The mechanics of sampling is so vast that it can hardly be covered in a newspaper article . It has to be studied in detail before a sample is identified for selection. The research design has to be decided before we proceed further. The design should be reliable and sufficiently flexible so as to accommodate contingencies. Perhaps, there would be unexpected developments that might call for re-design. But a systematically constructed initial plan should be there to guide us through the right path. Course correction is possible only if we are in a defined course. Adoption of the appropriate tools, methods , and techniques for work are also significant exercises to be carried out with care. It is advisable that we adopt the best possible styles right from the beginning, as otherwise we may have to retrace the steps and go all over again through some other track, resulting in delays. Detailed documentation of the derived data and periodic review / analysis are key factors in successful research in the shortest possible duration. When we work for a Ph.D., we may have to get the approval of the supervisor or a related committee of experts at each stage of our progress.

Gathering useful data may have to be done through diverse methods. Our own direct observation though most reliable has its own limitation. We will necessarily have to depend on other sources. Interviews, graded questionnaires, case study, contact through phone or e-mail are some of the possibilities .

New Knowledge, Fruit of Quality Research !!!!

Any research is a mental adventure involving a sustained effort and intellectual curiosity !!!

Any good research has to be a systematic process of collecting, collating, and analyzing information to better our understanding of the phenomenon under study.

 Research is a term that challenges easy definition. Like socialism, it may mean different things to different people. It involves inquiry and search for knowledge. A sharper definition would be diligent inquiry or examination to seek or revise facts, principles, theories, or applications. Any good research has to be carefully planned and performed investigation searching for previously unknown facts.

 There are different kinds of research, such as basic research, quantitative research, qualitative research, applied research, descriptive research, analytical research, market research, and research and development. Applied research for example is original investigation undertaken in order to acquire new knowledge, but is directed primarily towards a specific practical objective like improving public health in a country. It may also be original investigation or development of an already reported finding with emphasis on application to society. A cynic once asked, “Why do you call it re-search? Does not the word ‘search' carry the message?” After all, it is only a cynic's show of skepticism. Research means much more than just search. Any research is a serious mental adventure driven by intellectual curiosity. It is a way of thinking. We raise questions at every stage of progress. We analyze cause and effect. We have to be free from bias and prior decision of the result that would emerge. We should have an open mind.

 We stop and patiently assess our work, take feedback, and resort to essential course correction. We pay attention even to minute detail. Keenness in observation is the hallmark of any research. It is not just a one-time effort of searching and leaving it, if we do not succeed in that first attempt. Without persistence and sustained effort, no researcher can reach his significant findings. We have to be driven by a burning desire to blaze a trail. You must have heard the story of Socrates etching the value of burning desire in the mind of his disciple Plato by almost drowning him and releasing him just before the final moment. The mentor wanted the disciple to develop the desire for knowledge as he desired a breath of air at the verge of suffocation. There is no greater motivation for research than the burning desire that comes from within. The famous research chemist and inventor Hudson Maxim (1853 – 1927) said, 

“All progress is born of inquiry. Doubt is often better than over-confidence, for it leads to inquiry, and inquiry leads to invention."

Any process we find has to be repeatable. It should not be just a one-time wonder. If we or anyone else cannot replicate the result, it is no result at all. It has neither validity nor reliability. Our work should not be a carbon copy of another person's work. It has to be unique and original. Often we may be moving in a long dark tunnel. When we see light at the end, we rejoice over it with a sense of fulfillment.

Attributes of research

We mentioned that research may be quantitative or qualitative. We may not be able to make a strict classification, consigning the two into watertight compartments. There would be quantitative and qualitative elements in any research. The proportion may vary depending on the discipline and the area. But in research that is predominantly quantitative, the approach would be structured where all the elements, including questions to be asked to respondents, are predetermined. In qualitative research, on the other hand, the approach would be flexible and unstructured.

 So also, the classification of research into pure and applied cannot be too sharp. Any research would have an area of application though not immediately perceivable. Perhaps its result may prove to be a springboard for fresh research. But there are indeed efforts in applied research with specific well-defined objectives. The targets would be fixed beforehand. Often the question would be how quickly you achieve them. For example, industries facing stiff competition or countries with serious security threats may demand innovative methods for survival. The researcher has no option but to bring up new ideas, equipment, or styles of operation. History tells that the adage necessity is the mother of invention' is very often proved right, in times of war. There are instances of research where the researcher has no control over the variables, as in fact-finding surveys in social sciences. Descriptive research involves such surveys. The physical or biological science researcher, on the other hand, often plays with different variables and watches the effects, which are subjected to analysis leading to research findings. Even in such cases, deriving correlation between data from a survey and analysis of the data is a valuable research element.

 Yet another category is conceptual research that is based on an idea, theory, or a concept on which the researcher further builds to reach new theories. Not only thinkers in philosophy or ethics, but experimental scientists are sometimes called up for conceptual research. Establishing cause and effect relationship may be rather complex in certain contexts as in the study of social sciences. We may have practically no control over any of the variables involved. For example, if we are asked to determine the impact of the policy of liberalization and glottalization on poverty alleviation in India, we have no control at all on any of the factors involved. Collection of data from a vast population may prove to be a Herculean task, which could perhaps be undertaken only by a large establishment as a department of the government. Of course, the findings of such studies have applications of giant magnitudes as in the formulation of national policies of finance and social work. But in the realm of physical sciences, laboratory experiments permit easy control of desired parameters for establishing cause and effect relationships or interdependence.