Motivational Techniques to Overcome Challenges

I am starting off this article with a conclusion: that if you follow the techniques discussed, then you can positively overcome any challenging situation you are presently dealing with your life.

I am also attempting a dual approach of techniques + interesting History; combining different life’s challenges with a particular monument of historical significance, so you not only relate well to that challenge but also learn some interesting historical facts along the way!

I have set out to list down various life situations and techniques that will help in programming the mind for Seeing Beyond the Wall. That is my sincere hope, seeing beyond the challenge with the aid of mastering-the-mind techniques, to drive a sense of purpose in the readers.

So now, get ready to feel completely recharged (motivationally as well as historically) as you read on:

Take it in your hand:

Seeing beyond the challenge also means sometimes you have to see before the challenge. Every situation you come in contact with is solely handcrafted by none other than YOU.

If you rewind a bit to draw out a karmic pathway that led to this present situation, you will realize not only the cause-effect relationship of your past actions but also that of holding all the Power to Create what you are currently holding in hand.

If you can create a challenge, then you sure can create a solution as well, because you are POWERFUL! But often we totally overlook this aspect, when we are staring at a formidable challenge right in front of us.

The origin of the historic city of Tughlaqabad and the Tughlaqabad Fort goes to the period of the Delhi Sultanate (AD 1191–1526). The Tughlaqs (AD 1321–1414) who followed the Khiljis (AD1290–1321) were great builders and the city of Tughlaqabad and Tughlaqabad Fort were theirfirst major architectural achievement.

The story behind the foundation of Tughlaqabad is an interesting one. Ghazi Malik, the founder of the Tughlaq dynasty, was once a slave of Mubarak Khilji, the last Khilji sultan. One day, while walking by the area where the Tughlaqabad Fort is now located, Ghazi Malik suggested to his master that the rocky prominence would be an ideal site for building a fort. The Khilji sultan laughed at his slave and suggested that the slave build a fort there when he became a sultan.

When Ghazi Malik, as Ghiyas-ud- din Tughlaq, founded the Tughlaq Dynasty in 1321, he did just that—Tughlaqabad is Delhi’s most colossal and awesome fort, even in its ruined state.

The fort of Tughlaqabad was completed rapidly in a short span of four years (1321–25). The fort’s massive battlements and bastions (some as high as 15–30 m, built of enormous blocks of stone and walls 10 m thick in places) do not look as if they are the handiwork of mortals. Within its sky-touching walls, double-storied bastions, and gigantic towers were housed grand palaces, splendid mosques, and audience halls. The city lay on the eastern outskirts of the massive fort.

Tughlaqabad is a formidable reminder of Delhi’s embattled past and the terror and valor associated with that period. It was a period of political unrest and the Delhi Sultanate had to face a number of attacks from hoards of marauding Mongols, who descended on it in waves from the north. Ghiyas-ud- din, in order to counter the Mongol threat, repeatedly routed them and raised pyramids of enemy’s heads and used elephants to crush the captives to death. 

The massive fortifications of Tughlaqabad, with immense circular bastions, were raised by Ghiyas-ud- din.

Rejoice than Retreat:

Obstacles are gifts or breakthroughs in disguise, which most of the times we choose to interpret as trouble and tend to retreat, hardly do we recognize them as blessings and rejoice their occurrences.

A simple technique to make the right choice, that is to rejoice, is to use your “Imagination”. If you just imagine what would be your life made of, if you dissolve this obstacle permanently? You would see a magic unfold in the form of a natural process in which all solutions for that obstacle starts streaming in front of you.

If you could imagine one more thing, how would this one obstacle of yours branches out to many related sub-obstacles, and how by dissolving this one main thing would automatically terminate those many sub things and then how life changes for better with an entire gamut of Obstacles out of your way!?

Isn’t this called entering the state called Ultimate Perception in Life? Nirvana! Rejoicing like Grasshoppers on Summer Days, if such a state occurs in life, then the life changes dramatically for the better.

Qutub Minar is one of India’s historical places, located at 15 km South of New Delhi. Qutub Minar is one of the tallest minaret in India and made of red Sandstone and Marble blocks. It is tallest minaret because of its total height of 73m from ground zero.

One of the Mughal rulers, Qutub-Ud-Din-Aibak, got victory over the Delhi’s last Hindu Kingdom and built Qutub Minar in 1193 in honor of the victory. The Minar has 14.3m diameter at the bottom and only 2.7m on the Top.

Though Qutub-Ud-Din-Aibak started the construction in 1193, the structure was not completed by him. He completed only the base storey of Minar. His successor and Iltutmush created 3 more storeys over the base storey, of the first Mughal ruler Qutub-Ud-Din-Aibak.

In 1368 Firoz Shah Tughlak added last storey of Qutub minar, making it the tallest Minaret that marks the 1^st victory of the Mughal Rule in Delhi Sultanate.

Smaller self to Larger Self:

What are you today, is a culmination of various challenges you survived in the past. Then why aren’t your present problems being given the same treatment? A platform meant for the transformation of a future YOU?

It is a simple technique to follow; every time you notice a new obstacle, actively ask whether the Today’s You is better than Yesterday’s You. It is possible that there is a disagreement initially, as any new exercise would produce results only over time. This is because of you are just beginning to be mindful! And that’s fine, as long as you continue to ask yourself this question because soon you would be noticing a difference as you become more conscious.

Isn’t it a perfect way to come to peace with your today’s fresh challenge? I bet it is because you see that every day is growth for the Self.

The India Gate monument is raised to a height of 42 meters and is formerly known as India Gate. On original basis, the place was also known by the name of All India War Memorial. 

This monument was built under the supervision and control of Duke of Connaught during the year 1921 and the building was dedicated to Lord Viceroy – Lord Irwin, at the time of 1931.

The pillars along with whole monument representing the India Gate were built over a stone platform known as Red Bharatpur stone.

The word INDIA is encrypted in bold letters on either ends of the monument and the signs of XIX along with MCM on the sides. Throughout the walls of India Gate, right from top to bottom, the names of all those soldiers who sacrificed their lives during the World War 1 & Afghan war could be found.

It is because of this reason that the place is very much favored and having a look at it, you also get to acknowledge amongst yourself the feeling of patriotism.

It is for those unknown soldiers that a flame is also seen ignited on India Gate, which is also known as “Amar Jawan Jyoti” and this flame is located at the center beneath the Gate. The flame is burning in honor of these soldiers since the year 1971.

Focus on the Flower, Not the Mud:

If you were a Lotus Flower, then you would surely do this! If a Lotus flower can fully accept the fact that it can blossom into a beautiful flower, only by floating on the mud for a while, then why not you too accept?

To set the right focus; write down your life’s mission or purpose. This shall be a very thoughtful exercise, spending days in solitude to inquire deeply, to extract the real meaning of life.

Extracting True Purpose? While writing down your life’s purpose, you have to be careful enough not to fall prey for Big/Small, Compare/Contrast & Impactful/Feathery. What I mean is you don’t necessarily need a Big purpose for the sake of being big, a smaller one that is closer to heart is the best one to cling onto. Likewise, a lighter impactful goal that is also unique, compared to that of role models whom you admire for their power packed purpose, is what that will resonate with the heart.

So write down only what you truly resonate! Once you “Discover” the True Mission, then no mud can stop or distract you.

One of the most magnificent tombs built in Delhi during the Mughal rule, the Humayun’s Tomb is an excellent example of Persian architecture. The Humayun’s Tomb was commissioned in 1526, nine years after the death of Humayun, by his widow Hamida Banu Begum. 

Constructed out of red sandstone, the Humayun’s Tomb was the first ever garden style tomb to be constructed in India. The Humayun’s Tomb stands in the center of Charbagh style of gardens complete with pools linked by channels. The main entrance if the tomb is from the south side, though there is another entrance from the west side as well. 

The Humayun’s Tomb served as an early example for other Mughal tombs which were built over time, such as the Akbar’s tomb in Sikander, the tomb of Ghiyas-ud-Din-Tugluq at Tugluqabad, the tomb of Sikander Lodi in the Lodi Gardens and the Taj Mahal.

In the Humayun’s Tomb one can see architectural features which over time went on to become important component of Mughal architecture, such as its octagonal shape and its high central arch. 

Apart from Humayun, the tomb is also the final resting place of his wife Hamida Bahu Begum, Shah Jahan’s son Dara Shikoh and other prominent Mughals from the royal family. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Humayun’s tomb is best visited in the late afternoon if you wish to get some beautiful shots of the building.

Stop, Look & Proceed:

You are probably alive today because you stopped at the zebra crossing, checked for traffic movements from both directions and crossed the road at the right moment of no traffic, didn’t you?

If upcoming traffic is an obstacle for crossing the road, we don’t go back home but rather apply our judgement and still get across for reaching the intended destination. Then why not pass Life, by confronting the traffic of challenges, and keep moving ahead?

Yeah, Just Do It! This is more of a hustling technique than being mindful. In other words, it is prescribing to take action regardless of obstructions in the path.

As the Buddhist teaching portrays, Darkness Disappears as the Sun of Action Appears.

Safdarjungs Tomb is located at Intersection of Safdarjung Road and Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi. Safdarjungs Tomb is a garden tomb made in Mughal Empire style, in New Delhi, India.

Safdarjung tomb was built in 1753- 54 as mausoleum of Safdarjung, the viceroy of Awadh under the Mughal Emperor, Mohammed Shah.

It has several smaller pavilions like Jangli Mahal, (Palace in the woods), Moti Mahal (Pearl Palace) and Badshah Pasand (King’s favorite).

The top storey of the edifice houses the Archaeological Survey of India. The facade of the garden is decorated with elaborate plaster carvings.

Rounding up:

Suffering and problems are a fact of life, for you, for me and even for accomplished people. To truly Master the Mind is, to Develop the Strength within and to Develop an all-embracing state. Quoting what Carl Jung said: “I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.”

Daisaku Ikeda - “True happiness is not the absence of suffering; you cannot have day after day of clear skies. True happiness lies in building a self that stands dignified and indomitable like a grand palace – on all days.”

“Nothing can match the strength of those whose lives have been shaped and forged through challenging and overcoming hardships. Our future Self does not exist in some far-off place; it exists in the heart and mind of our present self. That is why we must face and tackle the realities that confront us.”

So don’t let those challenges stop you, as they are trying to push you forward!

If you have any comment or thought or inspiration to share, please go ahead & do it 

All Photo Credits - Ram Kumar.

Techniques to Innovate & Disrupt

Compare: 

Landing pages are microsites, used temporarily for running Digital Campaigns unique to Promotional offers, Brand Surveys, Lead Generation, Micro Blogging, Traffic redirect to the main portal, etc.,

In the case of a Landing page for Lead Gen, upfront/bold highlighting of the USPs is very critical to convincing a user to leave his email address & contact no.

The more competitive the product's market is, the more challenging it gets in defining the USPs. 

One simple way out is to compare few Landing Pages of competitors and identify the USPs used. It then gives a fair idea of striking off commonly used ones and generating some unique company-specific USPs.

The quality of USPs determines the Lead Magnet's success. 

Contradict (Contrast): 

Culinary shows of popular lifestyle channels would usually have an expert Chef tasting out the dishes. One of the key parameters he would be using if you had noticed, is separating out each of the ingredients and identifying how distinctly it contributes to the overall dish's taste.

The distinctive flavor and taste of a dish is an outcome of the right mix of ingredients, as well as reinventing new ingredients in a traditional dish. It then becomes a real speciality dish or Chef's special dish.

Create & Compete:

I used the above ideas of Compare & Contradict to derive a formula for innovation and disrupting the existing landscape. 

Compare & Contrast helps in getting refreshingly new learning outcomes, which otherwise goes unnoticed with a passive attention span. When all key elements of a business are given this grind of Compare & Contrast, it paves the way for fresh ideas & new products, which could emerge as the challengers of the status quo.

Facebook's dull News Feeds & Likes based obsessions are fast fading out, as against the new rage over SnapChat’s less-than-10-Second-lifetime Snaps and Photos & Videos based Story.

Source:

Cricket is a Funny Game

The Grip The Game Has

Two Buckets of Cricket -

With a known late-16th-century Origin, emanating from South-East England and subsequently spreading to other parts of the Globe, inextricably with colonisation, the game of Cricket is often loved and hated by people of the same household. And this holds true for a majority of Households.

A) Cricket is a Funny game, so people who follow it are Fools;

B) Cricket is the best team sport that captures people's raw spirit & imagination, so Cricket haters are Dreary souls.

Let's try for a new perspective on the dichotomy and settle this old divide.

Source: Flickr

IND VS BAN - 2016 ICC T20 WC: 

The last over of the match is an epic drama, and you will slide to the chair's edge whether you love cricket or not.

With 11 runs required in 6 Balls, Mushfiqur Rahim prematurely celebrates after securing consecutive 4s, though eventually BAN falls short by one run and IND wins the match!

What followed next wasn't very pleasant for Mushfiqur, as people made him a butt of all jokes for his false excitement that turned into a flop show.

The Dwayne-Gayle shake-up:

When Bravo or Gayle celebrates, irrespective of premature or not, the 50000 crowd dances with them. The two dance when WI win, when WI lose and when WI is not playing! Dance separately while representing competing teams in IPL!

They provide equal, if not higher, entertainment while celebrating in front of the crowd or while hitting the ball.

The Euphoria-less "MSD":

He is Icy sharp in stumping, but brushes aside even as teammates jump around celebrating his brilliance of ending an opponent's wicket and yet people throng for praising him as "Captain Cool".

Dhoni has adequately demonstrated, what Emotional Intelligence is.

The pertinent question:

Aren't people, who are inconsistent, actually are funny and Cricket is not? People could be erratic in appreciating the game & its players, though the Game of Cricket itself is very consistent in providing one of the best entertainments known to humankind!

Home Loans & Balance Transfer

Why Home Loan Balance Transfer Is a Bad Idea?

Home loan is typically a burden, making us take fatigued decisions based on confusing information on the internet.

Off late, I see an emergence of new breed of companies, promising borrowers options to switch Home Loans from higher to lower interest rate. Saving on an interest rate, the only value proposition of these companies, is not the only point about a Loan. This article tells you why.

In this article, I promise to clear the air around Home Loan Balance transfer as a savings option.

I am making this pledge not based my credentials; An ex-banker for eight years & having managed Home Loan portfolio for an MNC bank, but based on my personal experience in converting an 11.50% Home loan with a Private Indian Bank (synonymous to Home Finance) to 9.45%, without transferring!

Another promise is, the article is a light read and no heavy duty loan jargon, yet offering all insights for becoming a smart borrower!

Base Rate, Margin & BPS:

First things 1st, we need not master these but just develop some perception, just to realize why we falsely accuse banks as “cheaters” for charging existing borrowers higher rate of interest.

Base rate is the minimum rate at which a bank can lend & is often decided basis RBI’s key policy rates (CRR, SLR, Repo, Reverse Repo, etc.,)

The margin is the “Base rate + certain BPS” that banks fix to arrive at Lending rates (PLR/BPLR/etc.,).

BPS is an acronym for Basis Points, e.g., 100 bps = 1% and 25 bps = 0.25%.

Base rate changes from time to time as per RBI’s quarterly monetary policy (did you know? RBI’s Monetary Policy Updates usually come on a Tuesday!). The margin for a particular loan, once fixed, remains so till the loan is fully repaid.

Why existing borrowers end up paying higher RoI than new borrowers?

Banks keep readjusting their portfolio (all live loans) to bridge for defaults, operational cost, the cost of funds, etc., However, to woo a new borrower in a hyper-competitive market, they tend to reduce margins on new loans, creating rate disparity between old & the new.

The main agenda – Why avoid Balance transfer?

This has to be rather seen from two perspectives – of the Bank’s and the Borrower’s.

Bank’s Perspective – 

If you are a borrower with good repayment track record, then answer this simple question: Why would a bank want to lose such a good customer?

The cost of acquiring a new customer is usually @ 1% of the loan amount. Also, in general, banks write-off 2 – 3% of their total portfolio as bad debts.

Given both these burdens & you being a customer (no cost of acquisition) with a clean track record, why would any rational bank let its competitors snatch you away!

Borrower’s Perspective – 

You already underwent the rigour of taking 1 Home Loan, do you want to go through that again?

Also every time you apply for a credit product (loans/credit card), your CIBIL records (Credit Information Bureau) are checked. CIBIL has a clever algorithm that reads such enquiries against you as you being a credit hungry person & hence penalizes you with lower grading!

How I reduced my Home Loan Interest rate by 2.05%, without doing a Balance Transfer:

The magic pill – 

“Repricing”; a one-time fee charged for resetting your loan to prevailing market rates. In my case, I was charged a fee of Rs.1500/- and the rates changed from 11.50 to 9.45%! In the event of a balance transfer, the new lender would charge 1 – 2% processing fee, which could be much greater in value than Rs.1500/-!

Auto Repricing to all customers – 

Remember, banks are in a business and businesses are for profits! If the entire Loan portfolio is repriced, then what happens to the bank’s profitability? So this is never going to happen. Nevertheless, being a responsible borrower, it’s your duty to stay abreast of options you can avail and benefit!

Having reached this stage of the article, you now hold an essential information in your hand. So, simply call your bank’s customer support & get your loan repriced, with no hassle whatsoever.

Balance Transfer still an option – 

If you are super dissatisfied with your bank’s service, repricing is unavailable, post repricing you are still above the prevailing rates, any other pertinent issue.

Last word – 

A long-standing relationship with a bank is not merely about 1 or 2 % lower interest rate; it is a stable financial partnership based road map that you craft for your future! So don’t succumb to unnecessary temptations you find on the internet!

God speed freedom from loan repayment for you!

If you have any comments on my views, I would love to hear them.