– my my parents never did and we are happy.

Woke up at some 10 am in the morning and found the laptop open.. was too lazy to to do anything so started listening the Lazy Song by Bruno Mars. Just started tweeting and saw a tweet about the book “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” and realized that i want to read this book again. So instead of standing up and doing brush, i started reading the book and finished it within a day itself.

Now kaam ki baat, the book started with telline me that “You Can Get All A’s And Still Flunk Life” which i’ve been noticing from a long time in a lot of people’ life. The book laid down few simple rules:

• Lesson #1 The Rich Don’t Work for Money, Money Works for Them
• Lesson #2 Why Teach Financial Literacy?
• Lesson #3 Mind Your own Business
• Lesson #4 The History of Taxes and the Power of Corporations
• Lesson #5 The Rich Invent Money
• Lesson #6 Work to Learn Don’t Work for Money

Nothing was new in the lessons as my dad already told me all the things, but giving it a concern, there are a lot of things hidden in small values of your thoughts.

Anyways I don’t believe in resolutions. I think most people make them just to alleviate the guilt that comes from not having accomplished last year’s resolutions.

I like to look back and reflect on what I actually accomplished and what happened in the past 12 months though. I generally like to just go with the flow so making New Year’s resolutions just seems silly to me.

Actually, I like the word ‘goals’ better. But then holding off until the New Year to set goals doesn’t make sense either. Anyway, 2011 has been an amazing year for me—somewhat bumpy and life-changing but definitely a great year, though no personal growth as such, but met a lot of new people with a lot of experiences, ups and downs.

2011 In Review

For me it was the year of travelling, fun, unstability and neglecting the professional priorities.But I think it went pretty well as i enjoyed all the time i had.

Professionally Speaking

While I absolutely love freelancing, i was not available to hire as i was much more busy with the college work, but now i am available for hire, and have a bunch of freelance projects lined-up for 2012, I realized that I was lacking stability. I guess that’s something all freelancers face at some point.

Not only that, but I’d also been wanting to work with a team for some time. Working for yourself is great, but it often means working by yourself and on your own. You can learn so much more when you work and exchange ideas with other people.

In 2011 I also tried starting a new company Caprefig — I spent quite a long time planning for this company, but before the start, my partners backed off and it was time for me to move on. I am still willing to make this company get into reality but right now i need to more concentrate on my freelance business, which always give me Great times.

On Writing

This very blog you’re reading right now was launched in 2009. I wanted a place to write. I had no idea what to write about. I’m still not too sure. That’s totally fine.

I find writing on a regular basis to be quite the challenge. Maybe it’s because english isn’t my first language. Hindi is. On the other hand I dislike writing in hindi, I much prefer the english language to express my thoughts and opinions. It’s more concise and straightforward. Actually, that’s a good idea for a future post.

Here’s an interesting fact: I have more articles saved as drafts on this blog than actual published posts.

Hello Twenty Twelve

Like I said, I don’t really believe in resolutions. So instead of making empty promises I probably won’t be able to keep, I’ll just come back to this post next year and see what I’ve accomplished

From Steve Jobs 2005 Stanford commencement address:

“No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because 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.

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

“Sorry sir I don’t have change,” said the delivery boy.

I was a bit annoyed. When the local kirana shop sends change, surely Domino’s should be following a similar common-sense system.

“It’s ok, you can keep the change,” I told him. “But do tell your manager that we expect better from Domino’s.”

About fifteen minutes later, the doorbell rang. It was the same boy, with Rs 16 in hand.

“It’s ok!” I said. “I told you to keep the change.”

“No sir,” said the boy.”It’s my duty.”

He went on to relate how grateful he is to work at the pizza place, because all his pocket money comes from this job. While he does go to college, he has to work in order to support himself as well.

This boy may not have many of the advantages that other kids his age have. But I am sure, in the longer run, he will do very well for himself. Working at Domino’s he is not just earning money, but inculcating values.

Which will stand him in good stead throughout his life.

But how many students in this country would be willing to work at a Domino’s? You simply won’t find kids from ‘good families’ in these jobs.

“Tumhe abhi naukri karne ki koi zaroorat nahin hai, focus on your studies’ – is what the parents say.

And the kids happily nod and accept. (Whether they focus on studies is, of course, a different matter altogether).

Another common refrain from parents is:”Kaam karne ke liye to zindagi padi hai, abhi bachchon ko enjoy karne do.”

And if kids do need to take up a job – just for the experience – let it be a desk job or office job. I mean imagine walking into McDonalds and seeing our Chunnus and Munnus standing behind the counter.

Log kya kahenge and all that jazz.

Personally, I think that all students would benefit immensely – personally and professionally – if they worked while they studied. But this applies particularly to those pursuing courses like bachelor’s of management.

Imagine the experience you get working at a Cafe Coffee Day – from operations, to cash flow management to understanding customers.

But, again, do our BMS or BBA colleges encourage students to take up such work?

Rather, most students are looking for ‘internship’ with reputed organisations. Preferably, based in an office and not out there ‘on the field’.

At forums we often discuss, “How can we make our youth more entrepreneurial?”

And people say,”Stop making life so cushy!”

Loving your children does not mean making them lazy, giving them a sense of entitlement. Encourage them to work!

In the West, kids are told to even fund their own college education. Indian parents will faint at the thought. So, pay the fees, feed and clothe your kids. But must you fund their every whim and fancy beyond that?

Let them understand and savour the value of money.

Give them the pleasure of earning their next party.

Share with pride that your son or daughter is working at the mall. That you encouraged them to do it, and think every student should.

Work for the money, and also the sheer fun of it.

Work for the experience, to know ki duniya mein hota kya hai.

Because we grow up in a cocoon – a comfort zone – from which many of us never fully break out.

We grow, because it is a biological imperative. But we become moths, blindly attracted to the thoughts and ideas of others.

Start working for yourself – and on yourself. Discover your own power, and the beauty within.

Evolve into a butterfly.

Originally written by Rashmi Basal

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice, heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” –Steve Jobs

I never thought in my whole life that i will ever go to BITS but the faith took me there. It was just not a college but all together a whole different world for the students studying there. Unlike our college they dont have attendance problem, so most of them are having 0% attendance, the boys:girls ratio is somewhere near to 100:2 so boys dont have to dress up or even care about how they are looking and on the top of whole thing, boys dont have any hostel timings and girls have to report back by 12.30 am, which is equivalent to no timings. 24 x 7 mess, cafe’s, sports and the most important Gaming. The boys over there have only limited jobs to do, they sleep, they play, they eat, they again sleep and the same activity continues for the whole 4 years.

Leaving all this, the main reason for me going to BITS was to participate in their annual fest, in which i submitted my business plan for their Quest event, i didnt won anything, but participating and clearing few rounds was more than enough for me.

Anyways, I just made this post to upload the photographs we clicked over there, i hope you all liked the pictures.

“Be better- Share more – Show up joyful” - This was the main aim i had in 2010, I think I was performing pretty decent whole year except that i made many mistakes in my personal life, as well as some mistakes in the work and college. Which i am totally not willing to repeat again, as life becomes hell when you actually realize that you cant overcome a mistake you have done.

“The Reality is – Change is the only Constant” - This is something which one of my teacher told me, may be she would be reading this post, but at that time when she told be i just overlooked it, but now i feel i need to change, there was a stagnation whole across 2010 in my life but now i need some ups and down, i need some change, change from the normal life, change from the normal work, change from the regular mind-set, now i am looking forward for some totally different things, not computer, not management but something totally random or may be crazy but which is not at all related to me till now, may be some social work, as this is something which i always wanted to do but never got a chance or may be learning dance, i am really bad at it but after attending the Shaimak‘ party i am very much fascinated with it or some sports apart from gym or may be something else, but totally different.

2010, was an upside down in terms of relationships, this was the year when i made most of the contacts, some as a friends, girl-friends( not girlfriends ) and clients, but what all i can say is made many and lost many , so fairly speaking this year no time waste and will try to maintain those relations as long as possible.

Also, as like many people are saying that the world has come to an end, i want to live each and every day as I’ve lived decades, because may be 2012 is the end..

Anyways my leg is paining like hell as while dancing yesterday i broke it. ): but thanks for stopping by and a Very Happy New Year, Njoieee!
Sincerely, Ishan Vyas